The Girl in the End

I

I.

***********

162 Days Ago...

'Restaurant reservation.

Check.

Violinist.

Check.

Bouquet of tulips.

Check.

I tapped my right pant pocket and felt that small, square- shaped bump in it.

Singsing.

Check na check.

Ang pagbibigyan na lang ang kulang.

I smirked. Sumandal ako sa kinauupuan ko bago tiningnan ang suot kong relo. Kasabay nang pagdaan ng mga segundo ay ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Tanggapin nya kaya?

Hindi naman sa may pagdududa ako. Confident naman ako sa sarili kong papayag sya. Alam kong mahal nya ako at alam din naman nyang mahal ko sya. Sa lahat ng nagdaang relasyon ko, sa kanya ang pinakamatagal. 4 years? Hindi na biro yun, considering na ang turing sa akin ng mga kabarkada ko ay playboy. Pero kilala nila ako. Kapag nagmahal ako, mahal talaga.

People would say na napaka-ideal ng relationship namin. We met each other via common friends. Hindi ko naman masasabing it was love at first sight but I'm certain that I liked her the very first time that I've seen her. From there, we started to get to know each other. We dated, introduced one another to our families, at heto ako ngayon, ready to put our relationship to another level.

'Babe.' I started to mentally recite the script that I wrote last night.

But before I could even continue and add another word to my term of endearment for her, I saw her, walking towards me. That radiant glow I oh, so love, her twinkling eyes, that sweet smile.

Tumayo ako mula sa kinauupuan ko to reach her. She gave me her hand as I offered mine.

'Ano to babe?' She asked, to which I only answered with a smirk and a nonchalant shrug. 'Ikaw ha. You're up to something.' She said cutely as I pulled a chair for her.

'Bakit? May inaasahan ka ba?' Tanong ko rin sa kanya na may halong pang-aasar.

'Meron. Kaya lang kapag sinabi ko, baka pagtawanan mo ako e.'

God, how can my girlfriend be this adorable?

'Sige nga, ano yung naiisip mo?'

'You'll laugh at me lang e.'

'Promise, I won't.' And I raised my right hand.

'Cross your heart, hope to die?'

'Pinky swear.'

She sighed before she spoke again.

'Naiisip ko, na luluhod ka ngayon, may ilalabas na singsing at aalukin mo ako ng kasal.' She finally said.

Napailing na lang ako habang nakangiti.

'Sabi ko na, tatawanan mo lang ako e.'

'Hindi kita tinatawanan.' I defended myself.

'Then what are you doing?'

'Ang cute mo kasi.'

Inirapan nya ako. And I had this desire to pull her straight to me at panggigilan sya.

'Kumain muna tayo. Then after that, may sasabihin ako sayo.'

Tumango lang sya at ngumiti.

Always the good girlfriend.

*******

She was on her fifth scoop of her gelato when I suddenly have the urge to tell her what I was dying to say. Yung kanina ko pa gusto sabihin.

'Babe..' I reach for her hand and she stopped licking her little spoon for her gelato.

'Yes?'

I took the napkin on the left side of the table and wipe the tiny bit of ice cream on the corner of her lips before I stood up.

'You're not going to propose, are you?' Sabi nya bago ako lumuhod. 'Holy, shit. You are...'

And instant tears started to pool from her eyes.

'Hindi na biro yung 4 years diba?' Sabi ko habang dinudukot ang maliit na kahon sa bulsa ko. 'May script ako na ginawa kagabi, kaso nakalimutan ko na.' Natatawa kong sabi sa kanya.

'You don't need a script. Just ask the question.' She told me which made me smile like an idiot.

'Will you marry me?'

'Actually, you don't even need to ask the question because you already know the answer.' And she started to cry. 'Babe, yes. Yes. I'll marry you. Of course.'

'Ang daming yes, isa lang naman ang singsing na binili ko.' Biro ko sa kanya habang isinusuot ang princess cut diamond ring sa palasingsingan nya. 'I love you.' Dagdag ko.

At bago pa man ako makatayo, she already threw herself to me.

'I love you too Babe. Mahal na mahal kita Stanley.' She whispered to my ear as we stood up.

I wrapped my arms around her small waist as I pulled her closer. That moment, the hired violinist entered, a familiar melody being made by his hand and instrument.

'Alam ko namang mag-ooo ka, pero kinabahan pa rin ako kanina.' I whispered to her hair as we still cling to each other.

'Ssshhh.. I love you Stanley Padilla.'

'And I love you too, Larissa Vergara.'

*********

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