Moving Into My Brother's House

Chapter 35

"Wait. Ano yung sinabi mo?"

"Walang ulitan sa taong bingi."

"Dali na! Ano nga yung sinabi mo?"

"Secret ko na 'yon."

"Ang daya naman e."

"Fine! I love you! Okay na?!" Sigaw ko tapos napalingon yung mga kaklase ko sa amin ni AJ. Oh my god. Someone kill me now! Sobrang nakakahiya. Feeling ko lahat ng dugo ko napunta na sa mukha ko. Bakit ba kailangang umabot ang lahat sa ganito?

Tinakpan ko agad ng mga kamay ko yung pagmumukha ko dahil sa sobrang kahihiyan. I have a feeling na nakangiti lang si AJ ngayon at tuwang tuwa siya sa nangyayari. Well, he could be happy for two reasons. First is the fact that I said the L word to him. The second reason could be because I'm dying dahil sa kahihiyan na nararamdaman ko. I could easily say that the reason for his smile is the second option. Knowing AJ, tuwang tuwa siya kapag napupunta ako sa ganitong situation. He says this is the perfect time for him to be my knight in shining armor. I just don't know kung paano niya mapapangatawanan 'yon ngayon.

"Don't mind them Lauryn. You know that I love you too, right?" AJ whispered as he pulled me in for another hug. I swear I could die by the way my heart beats right now. It's insanely abnormal and I don't know how to calm it down. Hindi pa nakakatulong yung panunukso ng mga kaklase ko sa amin.

When everyone got over our little scene a while ago, we had our group picture taken. After that, bumalik na kami sa hotel na tinutuluyan namin. I was wondering kung bakit sumama din si AJ sa amin. Akala ko gusto niya lang malaman kung saan ako nagsstay. Little did I know that doon din pala siya naka-check in.

"Oh my god, Kat! Boyfriend mo ba yung guy kanina? Grabe. Sobrang bagay kayo! Tapos katabi pa natin siya ng room dito sa hotel! Meant to be talaga kayo teh! Ang swerte, swerte mo!" Dire-diretsong sabi ni Mae sa akin the moment we entered our hotel room.

"Hinaan mo naman yung boses mo! Baka marinig ka nung tao." Pagsaway ko naman sa kanya when in reality, I just want to avoid her questions. Ang diyahe kasi e. Ako nga, hindi ko alam kung ano na ba talaga kami ni AJ. What am I supposed to tell Mae? Nagsasabihan kami ng I love you kahit na hindi naman kami? Parang mali e.

"Wait. Free time naman na natin ngayon di ba?" Biglang tanong ni Mae.

"Yup. Why'd you ask?" Tanong ko naman pabalik sa kanya. Namimili na ako ng isusuot ko bago ako lumabas for dinner nung nilapitan niya ako.

"Sa tingin mo, yayayain ka niya for dinner?"

"Ewan ko sa'yo Mae! Mas excited ka pa kaysa sa akin. Maliligo lang ako. Bahala ka na diyan." Sagot ko sa kanya tapos dumiretso na ako sa CR. Pero ang totoo, napaisip din ako sa sinabi niya. May possibility kaya na yayain ako ni AJ for dinner? Hay nako. Ewan! Ayaw ko ng mag-isip ng kung ano-ano. It's better not to expect anything from him. Expectations lead to disappointments. If he invites me, then go. If not, I could roam around the area on my own naman.

After taking a bath and fixing myself, inayos ko na yung dadalhin kong gamit. I just brought the essentials – my wallet, cellphone, umbrella, candy and handkerchief. Palabas na sana ako ng room nung biglang may nag-doorbell.

"Who is it?" Tanong ko. I didn't want to open the door at once. Mahirap na kasi e. Baka kung sino pa yung nasa labas ng pinto. Mapahamak pa kami ni Mae.

"Lauryn, it's me." All of my worries were washed away when I heard AJ's voice. Mae, on the other hand, was dying from too much kilig. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit siya kinikilig samantalang tatatlong salita lang naman yung sinabi ni AJ. Ni hindi nga special words yung sinabi niya e. Minsan talaga, feeling ko, may kulang din na turnilyo 'tong si Mae e.

Nung napatahimik ko na si Mae, binuksan ko na yung pintuan ng kwarto. Lo and behold, it was really him.

He was wearing the smile that makes my knees go weak and makes my heart flutter. I don't know what has gotten into me but I just smiled back at him. Seconds have passed and we remained in that position. We were brought back to reality when Mae started talking. Again.

"Are you just going to stare at each the whole night? My god. Mag-date na nga kayo kung magdadate kayo! Iniinggit niyo lang akong dalawa e." Sabi niya tapos natawa na lang kaming dalawa ni AJ. After that, he held out his hand in front of me and said, "Shall we?"

I gladly accepted the hand of AJ. I held it like I never did before. Well, technically, we were never the HHWW kind of people but still. I knew that something was different right now if compared to our situation before. Yung tipong nagkakaintindihan kaming dalawa kahit na hindi kami nagsasalita. It was calming and fulfilling at the same time.

"Saan tayo pupunta?" I asked AJ when we were inside the elevator already. He looked at me for a while tapos bigla siyang ngumiti.

"You'll know once we get there."

"Ugh. Seriously? Kainis ka naman e!" I can't help but say. Alam ko ang childish ng dating pero hindi ko na pinigilan yung sarili ko. AJ has seen me in my worse states naman e. Ano pa ba ang itatago ko?

"But you love me anyway." Sagot ni AJ sa akin and that made me shut up. Leche. What goes around comes around nga naman o. Why was he using those words against me?!

"Don't worry Lauryn. Even if you're impatient, my feelings won't change. Let's go. The car is waiting for us." Pagpapatuloy ni AJ then he led the way towards the car that he rented for us.

After a few minutes of driving around the streets of Hong Kong, AJ finally stopped driving when we reached a particular restaurant. Papabalabas na sana ako ng sasakyan pero inunahan niya ako. Pinagbuksan niya pa rin ako ng pinto. Tinignan ko siya dahil doon.

"Yes, my manners are still intact. We may be far from your brother and your parents but I won't do something that will upset them."

"Why are you so defensive? May sinabi ba ako?" Sagot ko sa kanya tapos natawa na lang siya. He then held my hand tapos pumasok na kami sa restaurant.

Contrary to my expectations, our dinner was nothing special. Kumain lang talaga kaming dalawa. Lecheng expectations. Bakit ba kasi nag-expect na naman ako? I should have listened to the voice inside my head a while ago. We were already eating our dessert nung biglang may nahagip na matigas yung kutsara ko.

"Is something wrong?" Tanong sa akin ni AJ.

"Uhh, parang may matigas kasi dito sa dessert ko." Sagot ko sa kanya. I thought this was that cliché scene kung saan may ipinatago yung guy sa dessert nung girl tapos bigla siyang magcoconfess ng feelings niya o kaya magpopropose. Kaso the heck. Maling mali ako!

"Huh? Patingin nga." AJ told me tapos hiniwa hiwa niya yung dessert. Nung natadtad na niyang maigi yung dessert, tinawag niya bigla yung waiter tapos nagreklamo siya. Bakit daw nagkaroon ng kung anong matigas yung pagkain. Hay leche. Nasobrahan na yata ako ng kakapanood ng romantic movies.

"Sorry about that. Gusto mo bang umorder na lang ng ibang dessert?"

"Wag na. I don't think I could handle another foreign matter in my food."

"Okay then. Let's go?" AJ asked and I just gave him a small nod as an answer. Nung nasa loob na ulit kami ng sasakyan, I immediately looked out the window. I have to admit, na-disappoint ako sa naging dinner namin ni AJ. Mas malakas pa yung impact nung ginawa niya sa Victoria Peak kanina kaysa sa dinner namin ngayon.

Is it wrong to expect something more from him?

"Lauryn, what's wrong?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"Nothing. Pagod lang siguro ako." Sagot ko. Not even looking back at him.

"Oh, okay. Before we go back to the hotel, can I ask you a question?"

"Yup. What is it?" Tanong ko tapos saka ako lumingon sa kanya.

"Lauryn, I know this may be too sudden. I'm not forcing you into anything but after all of that happened between us, I don't know if I could wait any longer. I just want everything to be settled for once and for all. Lauryn, what I'm trying to say is, can you be my girlfriend?"