Perfect Timing

[15] Dreams

"Dei, thank you talaga sa chance na binigay mo. I know I didn't make a good enough impression when we were in the same class together tapos mas lalo pang lumala when An surprised you that you have a blind date with me. Just know that I will make it up to you, especially this time na..."

"Na ano?" I prompted him. Kim and I were eating dinner at Italianni's in Glorietta after we went on our nth (I totally lost count already) movie date together.

We were enjoying our food when he cleared his throat and looked... constipated. Seriously - I am not kidding about this. He looked so uneasy, he had a grimace on his face as if he were in pain. I was about to panic when he went into his monologue. With matching pabitin na part pa.

"Na ano? Hoy Kim! Natulala ka na dyan!" I teased him with a laugh.

"Especially ngayon na... girlfriend na kita," he answered with a gentle smile.

I blushed at his words, still unable to believe that this guy made an effort to get my number, initiated contact and found a way to court me even if I'm in Cebu.

To be honest, I didn't take it seriously at first. E sino ba naman ako? I'm not beautiful, I don't have fair skin, geez, I'm not even slim! Yes, I have an above average IQ but typical with most nerds, I have a difficult time interacting with people socially. I'd rather spend the day at home or watch movies in a cinema than attend a party or any gathering that requires me to mingle with others or talk to people.

But thanks to Sam, a.k.a. "The Bully," she convinced me to give Kim a chance. Hmm, okay, she asked me to but I resisted. Then after I asked for a sign and it was given to me immediately, I finally gave in.

And what a good decision it was! Here we are, out on a date for our 1st monthsary.

"Bakit ka natahimik dyan?" Kim teasingly asked.

"E kasi naman, kailangan talaga banggitin yung word na yun."

"Anong word?"

"Kim! Alam mo na yun!" I replied in a loud whisper.

"No, I don't. Come on, babe. Sabihin mo na kasi. Please?" Darn it! He made puppy dog eyes at me.

"Naku, kung di ka lang cute!" I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Ang sabi ko, ang kulit mo! Kaya mo din ako napapayag na maging gi--" I clear my throat. "Girlfriend mo, dahil dyan sa kakulitan mo!"

"There! You said it! Was it that difficult?" He asked then gave me a wink.

"OA mo," I countered as I rolled my eyes at him. "Change topic na tayo, I hate being mushy, you know that."

Staring at me with laughing eyes, we then talked about work, our families and anything under the sun until we had to leave already.

"Pasensya ka na ha. I know graduate na ako and I live on my own sa Cebu pero when I'm in Manila, may curfew pa rin ako sa lola ko."

Giving me a very quick hug because he knows how much I hate PDA, he replied, "It's okay. I respect your lola a lot kaya ihahatid na kita bago pa nya ako abangan sa hagdan na may walis tingting na hawak."

Out of all my sisters and cousins, my lola is only strict with me. Probably because she sees the potential in me and has seen what happened when she got too lax with my sisters - both got pregnant out of wedlock and in their teens.

"Ikaw talaga, swerte ka nga kasi nakakaakyat ka ng bahay. Yung nanligaw sa akin dati, hanggang baba lang sya, pinagsarhan ni lola ng pinto nung magmamano sya."

"Weh? Talaga? O tinatakot mo lang ako?"

"Totoo kaya yun! I may be a lot of things but I'm honest." I stuck out my tongue at him afterwards.

"O ayan na, magtatampo na naman sya. Sorry na po," he teased me as he was driving me home to my grandma's house.

"Fine. Ang kulit mo kasi," I huffed out.

"Sige, tahimik na ako. Let's turn up the radio na lang para ma-relax ka."

Humming along to the songs on the radio, I regained my good mood. Less than 30 minutes later (hooray for no traffic!), we arrived at our barangay in Singalong. Parking in front of our neighbour's house, he was about to turn off the engine when I halted his movement.

He turned to me with a question in his gaze.

🎶 Kiss me out of the bearded barley
Nightly, beside the green, green grass
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress 🎶

Wow ha, timing pa talaga yung kanta sa radyo.

"Um, we've officially been a couple for a month already and I know you haven't pressured me at all pero..." I paused and took a deep breath. "Will you please kiss me?" I blurted out and closed my eyes in embarrassment.

Feeling a hand on my double chin, Kim turned my face towards him. He brushed my nose with his and I could smell the minty freshness of his breath.

Shet, dapat nag-breath mint muna ako! Baka bad breath na ako.

Then suddenly, I felt the cool, gentle touch of his lips on mine. Moving his lips across mine tenderly, I started to respond when he leaned back and said in Rich's voice, "Thank you, babe."

I quickly opened my eyes and instead of Kim's face, I saw Rich's bespectacled face in front of mine.

"What the--!" I said as I scrambled out of the car... and fell from my bed as the dream ended.

What the hell, what the hell, what the hell! What a vivid dream -- or is it a nightmare?

Okay, reality check. It is December 2011, I'm home for the holidays and Kim is not yet my boyfriend - hello, two weeks pa lang syang nanliligaw kaya! I'm not that easy, hmph!

Giggles from the door caught my attention. "Uy!!! Si Ate may kini-kiss! May boyfriend na si ate, ayiiii! Sa panaginip nga lang!!!"

My cousins teased me from the door of the room where I was sleeping in while I was in Manila to celebrate Christmas and New Year with them. I threw a pillow in their direction which made them laugh even louder.

"Bakit ba kayo nandito? Kaya siguro ako binangungot kasi lumapit kayo," I grumbled in response.

"Inutusan lang kami ni lola na gisingin ka, ate. Gusto ka yata tanungin tungkol dun sa manliligaw mo. Lagoooooot ka! Bawal ka pa yata mag-boyfriend, ate!" They laughed out loud and ran as I let loose two more pillows towards them.

I wonder what Lola Divina has to talk to me about?