Only Once in a Lifetime (TRF #4)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I can't exactly remember her name where he got that nickname of hers. Da...." She trailed not sure of what comes next.

"Danielle?" I asked as she snapped her finger.

"Exactly! Danielle. I still remember that one summer. That summer was Liam's favorite summer. It was only one summer that they spent with each other but Liam had his heart stolen." She laughed as I also did.

"Do you know her?" She asked as I laughed.

"I am her, Tita." Kako naman at lumaki ang mata niya.

"That's why Liam was eager to tell you about us! That sly guy." Sabi naman niya habang umiiling and that made me confused.

"Po?" Tanong ko naman at napatawa siya.

"I bet Liam knew it was you from the start. He has this thing to remember every detail of an event." Sabi niya at napatango ako.

"Nasabi nga po niya sa akin." Kako naman at tumawa siya.

"Hay, I'm glad he already found you. You're the reason why our Liam became so talkative and more vocal with his feelings. When you were kids you were inseparable, though it was just a few weeks that you spent with each other it was a strong bond." Nakangiting sabi niya.

Now I remember. Lahat lahat naalala ko na. Every single thing. Mula sa pangungulit ko sakaniya hanggang sa part na tinuruan niya ako sa Math. He was the reason why I seek guys who are good at Math. He's also the reason kung bakit sobrang gusto ko ang Math kase apat na taong gulang palang ako anti naturuan na ako.

"My! Bakit mo naman linabas yan?" I heard Hale's voice while his eyes were laid on the photo album I was holding.

"Why? Kung hindi ko linabas yan hindi ko malalaman na itong girlfriend mo at si Elle iisang tao lang. Ikaw talagang bata ka." Binatukan niya si Hale na napakamot naman sa batok niya.

"Kala ko naka move on ka na sa childhood crush mo nako at ginawa mo pang girlfriend mo. Ikaw talaga." Panunumbat ng Mommy niya saka naman siya bumuntong hininga at umupo sa tabi ko.

"I have a question though." Kako kaya tinignan niya naman ako.

"What is it po?" He asked.

"Paano mo nalamang ako si Aydien nung makita mo ako eh napakalaki ng difference nung mukha ko nung bata ako?" Tanong ko naman at napatawa siya.

"Ah, that." Sabi niya at pinanliitan ko siya ng mata.

"Yes, that." Kako naman.

"This..." He pointed to a mole right beside my lips.

"And this." He pointed to a mole in the bridge of my nose.

"Weh?" Tanong ko naman na hindi makapaniwala.

"Yeah. Told you I remember every single detail." Sabi naman niya kaya napatawa ako.

"Okay, edi sana all." Kako naman na nagpatawa din sakaniya.

"Aw, you guys are just so cute." Sabi naman ng Mommy niya kaya napailing si Hale tsaka sumiksik sa leeg ko.

"Next thing she's gonna do is to take a picture of us using an instax film to paste it on the album you're holding right now." He whispered as my brows furrowed.

"Now, let's take a picture of you both to put in the album." She said and ordered a maid to take a camera daw.

I looked at Hale in shock as he winked.

"Told ya." He said and hugged me. Kung makaasta ito parang kami lang dalawa ang magkasama.

"Okay, say cheese." She said as I smiled but I was shocked when Hale kissed my cheeks just right on the click.

"Hoy!" Kako naman kaya napatawa siya at lumapit sa akin.

"Don't act like I haven't done more than that, Elle." Sabi naman niya kaya napairap ako.

His Mom pulled his Dad and they sat beside us.

"Gina, take a picture of us." She ordered a maid as the lady smiled.

After she saw the outcome of the pictures she pasted it on the album and labeled it.

"Well, come on and let's eat lunch." Sabi ni Tita Livian.

"Is the lunch ready?" Tanong niya sa mga maid at tumango naman sila.

Nagtungo kami sa dining room at beh, sana all talaga. Wala ka atang makikitang hindi marangya sa pamamahay na ito eh.

"So, Aydien. Tell me. Why did you like Liam?" Tanong ng Mommy niya at napatingin ako kay Hale.

"Sa totoo po niyan hindi ko po alam. Pero maybe the way he acts, his personality. Lahat naman po sa pagkatao niya pwedeng magustuhan tsaka hindi naman po siya mahirap na gustuhin." Kako naman at napangiti silang mag-asawa.

"Is Liam behaving well?" Tanong naman ni Tito Harold.

"Oo naman po. Pero minsan nga lang medyo may pagkabaliw." Kako kaya napatawa sila at si Hale naman nakanguso sa tabi ko.

"Oh, I still remember that one time na ayaw umuwi ni Liam dito sa La Union kase nga nahulog na ang loob niya sayo. I thought it was just passing fancy at mawawala din pero mali ako. He was smitten at halos umiyak na siya kase ayaw niyang bumalik dito." Natatawang kwento ng Dad niya at umirap naman si Hale.

"Oh, I remember that too. Kapag tinuloy niyang umiyak that would be the first time na makikita natin siyang umiyak. Unfortunately, hindi natuloy." Sabi naman ng Mommy niya kaya sinamaan sila ni Hale ng tingin.

"Why do you keep on bringing up my embarassing moments?" He hissed as they just shrugged and continued eating.

"Now I know why I can't beat you in Mathematics." Kako nung makadating kami sa kwarto niya.

"And why is that?" Tanong niya at umupo sa kama niya before pulling me and making me sit on his lap.

"Because you taught me to love Math. I can't outsmart someone who made me do it." Kako naman kaya tumawa siya.

"You can beat me." Sabi naman niya kaya napataas ang kilay ko. As if naman.

"I don't think so." Kako kaya naman napangiti siya.

"Yeah, not like I will let you do so either." Sabi naman niya kaya napairap ako.

"Alam mo ikaw minsan nakakainis yang galing mo sa Math." Sabi ko naman na kinatawa niya.

"Hindi lang naman po sa Math ako magaling." Nakangusong sabi niya kaya napataas ang kilay ko.

"Alam ko. Lahat ng subject magaling ka at sana all nalang." Sabi ko naman kaya napatawa siya.

"Magaling ka din naman." Sabi niya kaya napabuntong hininga ako.

"I like you." Kako at namula na naman siya at sumiksik sa leeg ko.

"Stop." Namumulang sabi niya kaya napatawa ako.

"May isang bagay pala na hindi ka magaling." Kako sakaniya kaya tinignan niya ako.

"What?" Nakakunot noong tanong niya.

"Paghandle ng kilig at pagtatago ng kilig. Kung may subject lang sigurong ganoon bagsak ka na." Natatawang sabi ko kaya napanguso siya.

"At least di bagsak sa kama." He stated with a straight face as my cheeks heated up.

"Jaze!" I said as he looked at me with those teasing smile.

"What? Totoo naman ah. Natamaan ka ba?" Nang aasar na tanong niya kaya napairap ako.

"Oo bakit?" Taas noong tanong ko kaya napatawa siya.

"I like your bravery, Elle." Sabi niya at binigyan ko siya ng ngiting aso.

"Well, thank you, Jaze." Kako naman saka siya ngumisi.

"However, that bravery of yours faded the night you begged me to fuck you in my own room."