Mahika (A Caitlin Viray, CaitBea, JhoBea and CMFT fanfic)

Chapter 14

Ace's POV

Sa halos araw-araw na magkasama kami ni Cait whether sa practice or simply hanging out simula sumali ako sa team, narealise ko that I am no longer used to not being around her at all. Kahit pag umuuwi sya ng Cavite or ako sa P'que minsan, its very rare na halos ilang araw kami hindi nagkikita or nag-uusap man lang.

After everything that happened in the last few days. Mas lalo ko syang hinahanap-hanap. Lalo na hindi pa namin napag-uusapan yung mga nangyari bago ako nagkasakit.

Nakaupo ako sa may sofa ng bumukas ang pinto.

"Welcome home." Bati ko.

Ngumiti agad si Cait at agad na lumapit sa kin at humalik sa pisngi ko.

"Kamusta ang practice?" Tanung ko.

"Medyo nakakapagod. E ang pasyente ko kamusta?" Tanung nya.

Ngumiti ako at nagwikang, "Nagbehave po. I missed you though."

"Honestly, I missed you too. It was different not having you around. Actually, lahat kami nanibago." Wika nya.

"Oh... I see... sorry." Mahinang wika ko.

"They wanted to come, pero Ate Den and I thought na need mo pa ng rest. So we said this weekend na lang. I hope that's okay." Wika nya.

"Thank you. Yeah, honestly I am getting better pero you're right I dont have the energy yet for other visitors. Wika ko sabay yakap sa kanya. And I kind of wanted to just savor having you all to myself for a bit longer." Dagdag ko habang nakayakap sa kanya.

Naramdaman ko na niyakap nya ko ng mahigpit pabalik.

"Are you okay?" Tanung nya habang magkayakap kami.

Tumango lang ako.

Pinakawalan nya ko at hinawakan sa mukha. "Are you sure?" Tanung nya habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko.

"I am. I just missed you that's all." Sagot ko.

"Hey I'm here now." Wika nya habang nakahawak pa din sa pisngi ko.

"Cait...' Panimula ko pero natigilan ako. Nakatitig pa din sya sa mga mata ko.

"Could you stay with me again tonight?" Lambing ko.

"Of course, wala naman akong plano iwanan ka mag-isa lalo na at hindi ka pa naman fully recovered. Hey you don't have to worry ok? I'm staying right here. Okay?" Wika nya habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko.

Hinawakan ko ang mga kamay nya na nakadikit pa din sa pisngi ko. Kinuha ko ang mga kamay nya at hinalikan bago ako tumango.

"Come here." Wika nya sabay yakap sa kin. Niyakap ko sya ng mahigpit pabalik.

I wanted to kiss her cheek pero mukhang pareho kami ng iniisip dahil imbes na sa pisngi tumama ang mga halik namin, aksidenteng naglapat ang mga labi namin. Naramdaman ko ang malakas na daloy ng kuryente sa pagitan naming dalawa.

Pareho kaming ilang segundong natigilan pero nangibabaw ang kuryenteng dumadaloy sa katawan ko na tila hinihila ako lalo papunta sa kanya. Habang nakatitig sa mata ng isa't isa, hinaplos ko ang pisngi nya at itinaas ng bahagya ang mukha nya bago ko nilapat muli ang mga labi ko sa labi nya. Nangibabaw ang halo-halong emosyon at idiniin ko ang paghalik sa kanya, naramdaman kong naghiwalay ang mga labi nya at unti-unti nyang sinagot ang mga halik ko.

"Ace..." Mahinang wika nya bago itigil ang pagsagot nya sa mga halik ko. Yumuko sya at sumandal sa kin, nilapat ko ang mga labi ko sa noo nya at niyakap sya.

"Cait... I..." Panimula ko.

"Ace, natatakot ako." Wika nya. Nagulat ako sa sinabi nya.

"What do you mean?" Tanung ko sabay pagtaas sa mukha nya.

"I was going to talk to you that day after sana ng practice about sa mga nangyayari recently. The same day na hindi ka sumasagot, yung hindi ko alam kung may nangyari sa yo and finding you that day on the floor. Sobrang natakot ako. I thought I lost you. I can't lose you Ace." Wika nya habang nakatitig sa king mga mata.

Hinaplos ko ang mukha nya at nagwikang, "Cait I'm sorry na sobra kitang pinag-alala nun. I wanted to talk to you too. I wanted to come clean about how I feel, matagal na pero every time na magkasama na tayo, bigla akong naduduwag kasi natatakot din ako, na magbabago yung tingin mo sa kin." Wika ko.

"Wait... what do you mean na matagal na? Gaano katagal na?" Tanung nya.

This is it, it's now or never. I have to tell her the truth. Pero I know it is a risk.

"Cait, I've been attracted to you from Uni days pa. I watched every game you played on your final year sa UST. And that championship game, sealed it for me. Pero alam ko na suntok sa buwan. So I watched from afar. When you became part of CMFT, para kong nabuhayan. I've always supported them, pero as soon as you joined the team I had more reason to. Pero I kept my distance, kasi I knew that I'm a nobody and you were in a relationship back then. I kept a low profile, but the Ateneo girls knew me enough to know that I wasn't just there for them anymore. When you broke up with your boyfriend, they encouraged me to pursue you but I never had the guts too, kasi nga I'm a nobody. Until this whole thing happened, I thought na wala pa din akong chance pero things seemed to start falling into place. I was contented to just be around you. Pero eventually I couldn't hold in my feelings anymore, and I knew it was time to come clean." Paliwanag ko.

"Wait... Ace naguguluhan ako." Wika ni Cait.

I held her face and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Miss Caitlin Viray, I am in love with you. I have been for a long time but I always thought it was an impossible thing so I never pursued you." Wika ko.

Natigilan sya. I knew she was in shock.

"Look, I am saying this kasi I want to be truthful to you. If you'd let me I want to court you, I want us to be more than best friends. I don't know how you feel about me and I know it's probably very confusing. I need you to know that I'm serious about you. I'd understand if you decide to keep your distance from me to clear your head. I..." Wika ko until she stopped me mid-sentence.

"Shhh... it's my turn to speak. Look aaminin ko I am in a bit of a shock. I didn't realise that you've felt this way for so long. Pero uulitin ko, I can't lose you Ace. I was scared but now more than ever it's clear that I wasn't imagining things and I am now more certain of how I feel. Ace, I am in love with you too. I've had a crush on you since the first time you hung out with the team after one of the CMFT games. I was a bit shy though. Kasi kakasimula ko pa lang nun sa team and it seemed that they've known you for ages. Then like you, di ko akalain na magkakaroon tayo ng chance na maging mas magkakilala. Honestly, I fell for you as soon as pinagpartner tayo ni Ate Beth sa drills because having those conversations with you confirmed what I thought all along, that you are an amazing person. I tried to hide my feelings too, but every time we spent time together, I just felt myself falling deeper and deeper. I kissed you back today because I knew I couldn't hide it anymore. Almost losing you sealed it for me. Pero ayoko na maulit pa yun bago ko aminin yung nararamdaman ko." Paliwanag nya.

I kissed her as soon as she finished speaking and she kissed me back.

"I know it's scary, I'm terrified too pero let's take it one step at a time?" Tanung ko.

Tumango sya.

It feels so surreal na yung babaeng akala ko suntok sa buwan ay kaya din pala ako pillin.