The Dreamers

XV

This is a nightmare.

I am seated in front of Jess and Rom habang seryoso silang nakatingin sakin. Jess pushed over his phone towards me.

"Tingnan mo." Sabi niya.

I cringe. I know what's in the phone. Of course, I did it.

"PAANO NIYO NAGAWA SAMIN TO—" Patayong sigaw ni Jess nung hinila siya ni Rom paupo. "Tigilan mo na nga, ang OA mo." Rom said. 

"So what if Javi and Val was caught kissing? They're two adults who like each other. It's bound to happen." Dagdag ni Rom.

Pagpasok na pagpasok ko ngayong umaga, Jess dragged me inside the small conference room and started accusing me of random stuff, until Rom arrived to stop his non-sense. At dahil hindi ko pa din siya maintindihan, Jess showed me his phone.

With a picture of Javi and myself locking lips under the fireworks display last Saturday.

Apparently, the official wedding photographers were able to snap a photo of Javi and myself. Ate Cindy found it, and sent it to Javi. Ang gago, ginawang wallpaper. So nakita ni Jess.

"So, kayo na nga ba?" Jess asked and smiled lasciviously. Sasapakin ko na sana siya nang bumukas ang pinto ng conference room revealing Javi.

"Sabi ko na nga ba." He said obviously annoyed, habang nakatingin kay Jess.

Napatayo si Jess at nagtago sa likod ni Rom. "Hindi mo kasi sinasagot ang mga tanong ko kaya si Val na lang ang pinuntahan ko!" 

Umiling lang si Javi. Rom was silently laughing as he stood up. "Halika na. Napaka-chismoso mo kasi." He dragged Jess out of the room, leaving me and Javi inside.

He looked at me and smiled. "Hi."

Luh, pa-fall. Ngumiti din ako and smiled back. "Hello." I stood up and walked to him.

"I missed you." Bati niya.

Hinampas ko siya at tumawa. "Para kang timang. Sinundo mo nga ako kanina diba?" He's been picking me up every morning, walang palya.

"Halika na nga!" I was about to open the door when he spun me around and embraced me. 

He leaned his head to mine. "5 minutes lang, wait. I need my vitamins."

I laughed but still hugged him back.

>>>>

I am in a relationship with Javier Genrio. Hindi naman namin sinisikreto, but we're not the public-displaying type.

When we're with others, kagaya pa din kami ng dati. Nagbabangayan, nag-aasaran. He still annoys the shit out of me, and I still do the same. 

Just because I told him I like him doesn't mean I have to agree with every single thought in his head.

But when it's just the two of us, it's different. 

I don't know how to describe it. It's softer, calmer. I get to see him as Javi, not as the Mayor. Things are busier than ever but we make time. He still insists on picking me up every morning, having me give him his "vitamins" in the form of a 2 minute hug, sending me food, and of course, the dinner-slash-updates.

He was driving me home one evening on a rare chance na magkasabay kami ng labas. Madalas kasi, he gets caught up in a meeting or a bunch of work. I told him he should just head home and rest pero he insisted on driving me back.