NAPAKURAP AKO HABANG sinasalubong ko ang titig niya. Ang seryoso ng mukha niya pati 'yong boses niya. Hinaplos ko ang kaliwang pisngi niya at tumagilid ako para magkaharap kami.
"Gusto ko 'yong dating Damon. 'Yong Damon na hinahabol ko. 'Yong Damon na inaabangan ko sa mga interviews niya. 'Yong dating Damon na pinagpupuyatan ko pero mahal ko 'yong Damon na kaharap ko ngayon. 'Yong Damon na natuto sa nangyari sa kaniya. 'Yong Damon na natutunan magpahalaga ng mga bagay-bagay. 'Yong Damon na maraming na-realize sa buhay niya at sa mga tao sa paligid niya. 'Yong Damon na seryoso at kaya nang mag-commit. Gusto kita noon pero mahal kita ngayon. 'Yon ang sagot ko sa tanong mo. Hindi mo naman ako puwedeng papiliin sa dalawa kasi iisa ka lang naman. Nagkaiba lang sa kung sino ka noon at kung ano ka na ngayon. Nandito na 'ko sa 'yo noon pa lang kahit hindi mo pa alam na nag-e-exist ako. Nandito pa rin naman ako ngayon."
Ngumiti siya at mabilis akong hinalikan sa mga labi ko. "A
NATULALA AKO KAY Damon at nakatingin pa rin siya sa likuran ko hanggang sa makita kong gumagalaw ang ulo niya para sundan ng tingin ang taong nasa likuran ko na ngayon ay kitang-kita ko na dahil umupo siya sa bakanteng upuan nitong mesa namin. Nang tignan ko siya ay napalunok ako. Ibang-iba siya sa billboard kumpara sa personal. Mas maganda. Mas maputi. Mas sexy. Mas kaakit-akit. Parang gustong lumabas ng mga kinain ko mula sa tiyan ko. Nang tignan ko si Damon ay nakatitig pa rin siya kay Ana habang mahigpit ang hawak niya sa kutsara at tinidor. Sa sobrang higpit ay parang kaya na niyang baliin 'yon. Napako ang tingin ko kay Ana nang dahan-dahan niyang paglandasin ang hintuturo niya sa isang braso ni Damon pababa
NIYAKAP KO SIYA nang mahigpit at niyakap niya rin ako. Lumakas ang hagulhol niya at siniksik niya ang ulo niya sa leeg ko. "Ayoko na, Emma. Hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko na kayang ipilit. Masakit na." Sobrang sakit ng lalamunan ko sa pagpipigil kong tumulo ang mga luha ko. Kailangan kong maging malakas pero hindi ko magawa dahil sobra akong naaawa sa kanya. "Nandito naman ako. Hindi ako magsasawa hanggang sa maging okay ka na. Iintindihin kita." Naramdaman kong umiling siya."You have given me too much patience, Emma. Hindi lang naman ikaw ang dapat kong makausap o makasama. I need to go out. I need to go out around, but how am I going to do that when they are judging me because of my looks!" Hinaplos ko ang likod niya para pakalmahin siya."Damon, sana lagi mong isipin 'yong sinabi ng bata kanina. Your scar does not define who you are as a person." Bigla siyang umalis sa pa
"THERE'S NOTHING TO worry about," I told Brad.He raised one eyebrow as he looked around my room. "Broken picture frames, and an awful face. You look like a hopeless idiot.""Because I am."He shook his head as he walked in my direction. I looked up to see him and he was standing in front of me with that serious face he was always wearing when he was talking to someone. I didn't know why we became friends knowing how quiet and secretive he was. But there was one thing he was good at, he knew the right words to say... like Emma. I gulped when I remembered Emma.She was crying and I knew she didn't want to leave me here. I knew her. I knew she was hurt when I told her to leave me, but I just wanted to be alone for now. I was devastated and broken at the same time. I took in every single word Ana has told me and they were so hard to forget. They had glued in my mind."How many times do I have to remind you and Marco to st
NAPALUNOK AKO NANG marinig ko na tama pala ang sinabi niya. Napatingin ako sa harap ng kotse niya. Bigla akong nanghina at bigla kong naramdaman ang panginginig ng mga kamay ko. "Bakit? Nagbibiro ka lang, 'di ba?" "Does my face looks like I'm joking around?" Salubong ang mga kilay ko nang tignan ko siya. Hindi pa rin siya nakatingin sa 'kin. Naka-focus pa rin siya sa pagmamaneho niya. "Makikipag-break ka sa 'kin habang nagda-drive ka? Hindi mo nga ako matignan nang diretso tapos makikipag-break ka." Pinunasan ko ang mga luhang mabilis na tumulo sa mga pisngi ko nang marinig ko na gusto niyang makipag-break sa 'kin. Tinigil niya ang pagmamaneho sa gilid ng kalsada at tinignan ako nang diretso sa mga mata ko. Napaiyak ako. Nakikita ko na kasi ngayon na hindi talaga siya nagbibiro. Ano ba'ng nasa isip niya at makikipag-break siya sa 'kin? "Damon, bakit? May nagawa ba 'kong masama? Nagalit ka ba sa 'kin sa nangyari kahapon? S
Damon's POVI WIPED MY tears and I quickly melted. I put my head on the bar counter and cried. I cried so much like a kid that everyone could hear. Ramdam ko 'yong bigat ng dibdib ko. If this was what Emma had felt when I told her I want to break up with her, I didn't think apologizing to her was enough to heal this kind of hurt that I was also feeling right now.I felt my mother caressing my back and she sat in another bar stool."What is happening, Damon? Why are you crying, son?"I looked up to see her. I wiped my tears again like a teenage boy. "Mom, I broke up with Emma."Her worried face made me want to kill myself for hurting Emma."I broke up with her, Mom. I just broke up with her."She touched her chest while giving me that questioning look. "Why did you do that? I love that girl so much, Damon. Why did you hurt her?"I
Damon's POV After two years... New York City, U.S.A. "WHY ARE WE here, Marco?" I hated this place. I've never been inside a club after I encountered a car accident four years ago. It was my choice not to go in this kind of place anymore, but because my friend needed a companion, I was dragged in here. I ignored the flirtatious stares of women around us. The hell I care. They were not Emma. Not like Emma. "I just needed a distraction, idiot." I looked at him and I knew he was not okay. I knew why. His father wanted him to marry a woman he did not even know in the first place. The woman was the daughter of his father's friend. An arranged marriage for business merging. I pitied him. He was going to marry a woman he did not even know. Where was his freedom of finding and choosing the woman he wanted to marry someday? As for m
"YOU DID GREAT, Emma!" Masayang bati sa akin ni Melanie Dereje, ang Editor-in-Chief ng Feature People Magazine. I was a journalist now. Thanks to Tita Estela. Hindi talaga niya ako binitawan. She made sure that I will finished my two semesters and now I was working. I owed it to her. She was kind. I promised her that we will still see each other and last week nga lang ay nagkita kami. Ang laki nang pinagbago ng buhay ko. Nag-decide na akong tumira sa isang condo unit dito sa Makati para hindi hassle dahil dito ang office ng pinagtatrabahuan ko. Pumupunta ako kay tita kapag hindi na ako busy. Natutuwa nga rin ako kay Jeanne kasi sila na ni Andy. Two years na sila at masayang-masaya sila. Kung... kung may bagay man na hindi nagbago sa akin, 'yon 'yong nararamdaman ng puso ko. I certainly tried it. I tried accepting suitors last year kaso wala. Dalawa lang lagi ang nangyayari. Hindi ko gusto 'yong personality ng manliligaw ko o ka
Damon's POV"WELCOME HOME, MY son!" I was greeted by my mother when I stepped inside our mansion.Finally, after two years, nandito na ulit ako. I will no longer hide from everyone. I was so happy that I got to fix myself. That I didn't depend on my parents. To anyone around me.She caressed the left side of my face. She was looking at me intently. I could see how she was stopping herself from crying. This was the first time she saw my new old face after the laser treatment that was done to me and I knew that she was happy that finally, I moved on."You're so handsome, Damon. I've always imagine that I'll be seeing you again without a scar on your left cheek. I'm so happy that you finally took back a piece of yours. I am so proud of what you've done for yourself."She hugged me. I caught my father looking at me seriously."
Special Chapter 2GWENI WAS SIPPING my coffee as I read Mosby’s book about veterinary. Mag-isa lang akong nakaupo rito sa loob. I was so happy when daddy told me that we will build a house for my adopted dogs. Sobrang saya ko. Hindi na ako makapaghintay na makitang may maayos at komportableng bahay ang mga aso ko. My mother suggested that we hire a maid to take care of my dogs since I was still going to school but I declined her offer. Kayang-kaya ko namang mag-alaga ng mga aso.Well, nakakapagod dahil marami sila pero nawawala lahat ng pagod ko sa tuwing tinitignan ko ang mga cute nilang hitsura. I have three dogs who have only three feet. ‘Yong dalawa ay dahil nabangga sila ng iresponsableng driver at ‘yong isa naman ay tinaga. I also have two dogs with cleft lip. Silang dalawa ang mino-monitor ko nang malala dahil sa kondisyon nila. The rest ay mga aspin. Bibihira lang ako mag-ampon ng may breed o ‘yong madalas na inaamp
Special Chapter 1 EMMA “SAAN KA BA nanggaling, Gwen? Gabing-gabi ka na umuwi. Your Dad and I are worried about you,” salubong ako sa anak ko nang sa wakas ay umuwi siya. Ilang oras na akong hindi makatulog dahil hindi pa siya umuuwi. She was not even replying to my calls! Tinitigan ko siya. Siya ang girl version ni Damon. Magkahawig silang mag-ama. Parang kailan lang binubuhat ko pa sila ni Wyth pero ngayon ang laki na nilang dalawa. They were already in college. Gwen wanted to become a veterinarian while Wyth wanted to pursue photography. Akmang magsasalita siya nang bumukas ang ilaw dito sa sala. Nang lumingon ako sa likod ay nakita ko si Damon na nakahalukipkip at nakatingin sa anak naming babae. He was looking at her seriously. Kanina pa ‘yan nag-aalala. “Bakit ngayon ka lang umuwi?” tanong ni Damon. Nang tignan ko si Gwen ay dumako ang mga mata ko sa hawak niyang tuta. It looked like an aspin. Simula noong bata pa l
EMMA"LET US WELCOME the Editor-in-Chief of Feature People Magazine, Mrs. Emma Gwyneth Montesoir!"I looked at my wife when the female host called her name. She smiled at me and I kissed her lips. We were attending Millenial's Magazine Award here in PICC Hall. Feature People Magazine was nominated for the Best Magazine award and now, they won. I was so proud of her. I was so proud of what she had become for the past three years of having her as my wife. She fulfilled her promises to me that she will be a dedicated wife and a responsible mother to our two angels."Wommy, that's yew! Wommy, that's yew!"I laughed when our daughter, Monita Gwen, clapped her hands when she saw her mother's face on the big screen in front. My wife looked so beautiful. Emma combed Monita Gwen's hair as she smiled at
Damon's POVNagulat siya sa sinabi ko pero ayoko na siyang marinig magsalita. Hinila ko siya papasok sa binili kong bahay namin hanggang sa umaakyat na kami sa hagdan."Magdahan-dahan ka naman sa pag-akyat. Baka matapilok ako."I held her in my arms until we were walking inside our room. I closed the door and put her down. Now, it was only me and her. Here inside this room. I didn't care if there were still people outside. The only thing I wanted to do right now was to claim her.Claim her body and soul.I roamed my eyes around her body and I can feel the tension. My body was aching for her."Emma," I whispered huskily.She looked at me and I can see how nervous she was but I noticed the undeniable desire in her eyes. I knew I was teasing her a kid, but I was sure she had an idea of what we were going to do right now. She was already 23.Mine and mine alone.I stepped forward and I caressed her cheek. I
Damon's POVWe headed to our own house. Dito ang reception ng kasal.We greeted everyone here who came to witness our magical moment as husband and wife. Nakaupo na kaming dalawa ni Emma rito sa isang mahabang mesa na may nakapatong na malaking cake. I'd like to have time with her right now. I've waited for this. I wanted to have her all myself, but we needed to entertain our guests first. Now, we will be hearing some people who were very close to us giving us wishes as husband and wife.Napatingin kami sa gitna nang maglakad si Donovan hanggang sa nakatayo na siya sa isang maliit na stage habang may hawak na wireless microphone."Hi, everyone! I'm so grateful that my brother has finally met the woman of his dreams. Hindi pa nga rin ako makapaniwala na kinasal na siya. Reminiscing the good ol' days, he has changed a lot and he owe it to Emma. I'm so happy that Emma has been patient to my brother. Hindi biro ang ginawa niyang pag-iintindi sa kapatid
Damon's POVI TOOK A deep breath while I was standing here at the altar waiting for my beautiful bride to walk here inside.This was the day that I was about to become a husband. After years of hiding and fighting my past. After years of doubting myself. After years of fixing myself. After years of loving a very beautiful woman. Today, she was about to become my wife. We'd become as one. I was going to settle down with a woman who never give up on me. I can feel my heart beating so fast as I was looking outside the church.I was waiting for her. I want to see her so bad. I'd bet she was very beautiful with a lace long gown with sleeves that I bought for her when I was preparing our wedding. I smirked when I remembered her getting mad at me when she didn't know about my plan. Lagi na lang daw akong nagmamadali. Sobrang mahal ko kasi siya. I smiled when I remembered her react
EMMANABABALIW NA YATA ako. Sobrang higpit ng hawak ko sa folder. Feeling ko anytime hihimatayin ako!Ngumiti si Ma'am Melanie sa akin. "So, engaged ka na pala?"Napalunok ako. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan. Hindi ko alam kung saan nila nakuha itong impormasyon na 'to. Hindi naman nag-propose sa akin si Damon!"Hindi po. This is not true. I'm in a relationship with Damon, but he is not proposing to me yet.""Really?" may kinuha siya sa bulsa ng slacks niya.Isang glossy pink na envelope. Maliit lang. Inabot niya sa akin."Ano po 'to?""Open it."Tinignan ko muna siya bago ko kunin ang nasa loob ng envelope at ganoon na lang ang gulat ko nang makitang wedding invitation pala ang nasa loob.Pangalan ko at ni Damon! May date, time at venue pa kung saan ang kasal! Ano ba 'tong nangyayari? Naguguluhan na ako!Mabilis kong tinignan si Ma'am Melanie. "Ma'am, I think this is a mistake. Hindi po siy
EMMANANG TINGNAN KO si Damon ay seryoso lang siyang nakatingin kay Ana habang si Ana naman ay nakangisi sa kaniya. Nakakaakit 'yong ngiti niya at walang sabi-sabing lumapit siya kay Damon at hinawakan sa braso."Get your hands off of me," mahinang sabi ni Damon pero ramdam ko ang galit sa boses niya.Natawa lang si Ana. Lalo siyang gumanda ngayon."You're handsome again and you're still with that woman," tinuro pa niya ako."Are you following us, Ana?""Of course not! It's a coincidence! Lalo kang naging guwapo ngayon. Wanna have sex with me just like before?"Napalunok ako. Naiirita ako sa kaniya. Napakabulgar niyang magsalita. Alam ko naman na may ideya siya kung ano ang relasyon namin ni Damon sa isa't-isa pero kung makapagsalita siya akala niya wala ako sa harapan niya.Natawa si Damon sa kaniya. "Are you really a model? Because you sound like a sex maniac desperate to have a dick inside your pussy.""Ho
EMMASOBRANG SAYA NG relasyon namin ni Damon. Makalipas ang tatlong buwan, mas lalo namin nakilala ang isa't-isa pero mas marami siyang nalaman tungkol sa akin. Na mahilig akong kumain ng sweets. Na sinasawsaw ko ang kahit anong ulam sa ketchup. Nandidiri nga siya nang ipakita ko sa kaniya 'yong dinuguan na sinawsaw ko sa ketchup.Masarap kaya!Pumunta kami sa bahay nila tita at ilang beses kaming nag-lunch doon. Sinermunan nga ni tita si Damon nang makipaghiwalay siya sa akin. Ito namang si Damon sorry nang sorry. Natatawa ako sa kanila. Pati si Jeanne sinermunan din si Damon. Wala namang nagawa si Damon kundi mag-sorry at mangako na gagawin niya ang lahat para makabawi.Ang haba ng hair ko, 'di ba?Nakakapunta na rin kami kahit saan. Hindi tulad noon na sa mall nila, resthouse niya, spa at beach niya pati sa restaurant lang nila. Ngayon, kahit saan namin g