Lumapit si Lev sa akin, may dalang bouquet. My heart started beating fast kaya napahawak ako sa dibdib. He didn't avoid eye contact. Nakangiti lang din siya habang papalapit. Hindi ko na alam kung ano yung hitsura ko basta gusto ko nang tumakbo papalayo sa kanya."Kaia," ngiti niya. Sobrang lapit na niya talaga at laking gulat ko nang halikan niya ako sa noo. "Flowers for you."Everyone was watching us, waiting for my next move. Itinaas ko ang aking kamay at kinuha mula sa kanya yung bouquet. Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanya."Thanks, Lev. You don't have to," ngiti ko pabalik.Ngumiti siya sa akin ay inakbayan ako, hinarap yung pamilya niya. "Mom, mga ate, this is Kaia. My fiancée," pakilala niya sa akin sa kanila.Ngumiti yung mom niya habang yung mga kapatid niyang babae ay tipid lang na ngumiti."A beautiful couple, indeed," ngiti ng ina niya. "Should I expect beautiful babies?""For sure, Elena," dagdag ni Auntie.Tumawa ang dalawa. Gusto kong kainin nalang ako ng lupa. Ano daw? Babie
"Kakausapin ko sina Ate mamaya, Kaia. I'm so sorry," paumanhin ni Lev.Nasa rooftop kaming dalawa. Unang umuwi yung mom niya kasama mga kapatid niya. Nagpaiwan si Lev to talk to me. Alam ko naman kung ano yung pag-uusapan namin. How his sisters acted earlier was so rude. Buti nalang hindi tumaas yung sungay ko. Kung hindi baka minura ko na sila nang todo."They don't like me. Grabe talaga," I said. "Hindi pa nga kami nakapag-usap ever tapos ayaw na nila sa akin. Paano na kaya in the near future?""Alam mo naman na overprotective sila sa akin. Ayaw lang nila akong masaktan," sabi niya."Pero okay lang sa kanila na mang-insulto sa iba? Wow. Iba din," irap ko."I'm really sorry, Kaia."I sighed. I'm so frustrated right now. Hindi kasi ako yung tipo na pinapabayaan yung tao na insultuhin ako. Nagmamadilta ako kanina but it was mild. Yung parang tikim muna. Para masabi din nila na hindi ako nagpapaapi. Ikaw ba naman ang sabihang wimp kung gusto mo ba. Humarap ako kay Lev at hinawakan siya
KAIA'S POV"Saan mo ba ako dadalhin? You know I have a lot of things to do," sabi ko kay Kali.I know where we are going. Ngayong araw yung surpresa na sinabi ni Lev. Hindi niya sinabi sa akin kung ano yung surprise basta he told me to act surprise. If possible pa nga daw umiyak ako. Well, the fact na hindi ko alam kung ano yung surpise is still a surprise itself.Maang-maangan ang peg ko ngayon. I hope I don't look too obvious to Kali. Hindi ako best actress gaya ni Lev kaya sana mapaniwala ko si Kali that I'd be surprised."Basta. Samahan mo ako. Magb-birthday friend ko at ayoko namang magsolo kapag uuwi na yung iba kaya please? Just this once, Kaia," acting niya."Alam mo naman na hindi ko bet yung mga gatherings.""Pero pumunta ka naman sa birthday ni Sebastian. Ang sabi pa nga nila invited ka rin sa birthday ng Presidente. Tapos aayaw sa kapatid mo? Kakambal mo pa!" nguso niya.I sighed. "Fine.""Yey! Promise, mag-e-enjoy ka," ngiti niya."Kapag hindi ako mag-e-enjoy, uuwi na tay
I heard nothing but the sound of waves. The sun is up but I still don't want to open my eyes. Bakit ang sakit ng ulo ko? Ngayong I'm half-awake, I noticed how uncomfy the bed I'm lying at. Teka, this is not a bed.Kinapa ko yung tabi but I don't feel my teddy bear me, nor Kali. There are pillows but definitely this isn't a bed. Unti-unti kong minulat ang aking mata. Una kong nakita ay bote ng alak. Alak? Uminom ba ako kagabi?Pilit kong inalala yung nangyari kagabi. Tama. It was our monthsary. We talked about random stuffs while drinking. After that, wala na akong maalala. Bumangon ako at inabot yung bote na wala nang laman. Naparami ba yung inom ko kagabi? Why can't I remember anything?I stretch my body before I decided to go out from the tent. Paglabas ko pa lang ay naabutan kong nagluluto si Lev gamit yung portable stove. Sosyal! May dala pala siyang ganito?"Good morning," bati ko sa kanya. I rubbed my eyes and yawned.Nagulat si Lev at napalingon sa akin. He's blinking repeated
Kaya pala I thought something was off. We kissed last night and God-knows how long we did it! Basta I remember how hot I felt. Damn! Ginawa ba namin? Ginawa ba namin yung hindi dapat ginawa hanggang hindi pa kasal? Teka lang! I didn't feel anything sore down there. Diba yun naman ang unang mararamdaman mo when you lose your virginity. Tama. I feel completely fine and I'm still wearing my clothes when I woke up. "Kaia," Lev called my name at ganun pa rin kalapit mga mukha namin. Kumunot yung noo siya. "Pumupula na naman mga pisngi mo. Napapadalas na ito."Lumayo ako sa kanya at hinawakan yung mga pisngi. Umiinit na naman sila at hindi ko ito nakokontrol. I need to see a doctor na talaga."Punta na tayo sa ospital. Let's get that check up," he said."But we should make an appointment first.""Don't worry. May kakilala akong doctor. We don't need an appointment."Lev looks really worried. Tumayo na siya at kinuha yung mga gamit niya sa loob ng tent. I just look at him as he hurriedly pa
"Is Lev coming?" tanong ni Kali sa akin. Kasalukuyan akong nakaupo sa vanity table habang naglagay ng kolorete sa mukha. I'm wearing a white dress, since black and white yung theme nung party na dadaluhin ko. Yup. It's the President's ball. Ang sabi ni Lev na sasamahan niya ako at siya ang magiging date ko ngayong gabi, that's why I had to turn down Seb's offer to be my date."I'm not sure," sabi ko at matipid na ngumiti. "He didn't message me.""Well, nagtext ka ba sa kanya?" She asked."Of course. I even called his number pero hindi siya sumasagot. He's probably busy."I expected Lev to come. Nangako kasi siya and he looked so determined nang sinabi niyang siya ang sasama sa akin dun. I was not planning on going pero sabi niya kasi that I should go. Tutal, kasama ko naman siya. But then again, I should have never put my hopes high. Last party, he wasn't there with me wherin he also agreed to be my date. I just can't help to feel disappointed.Palagi nalang bang ganito, Lev?"Well,
"Lev...""My name is Lev Laurier," pakilala niya sa mga tao. "And yes, I am her fiancé."Natahimik ang lahat at nagtinginan. Pabalik-balik yung tingin nila kay Lev at Seb na ngayo'y hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa narinig. Now that I think about it, magkasing-tunog pala pangalan nila."So you're the guy!" The President exclaimed. "It's so nice to meet you, hijo.""Mr. President," Lev smiled. "The honor is mine.""Laurier. So you are from the Laurier clan? How are you related to Elena Laurier?" The President asked."She's my mom.""Oh. So much resemblance. Kamukha mo Mama mo," He chuckled. "How is she, by the way?""She's still under her medications. Sa katunayan, kaya nga ako na-late because I was attending her.""Such a good fellow," the woman complimented. "Bihira na mga bata ngayon na mag-alaga sa magulang. Some hire caregivers. Yung iba naman ay inilagay sa home for the aged. I wish my children will be just like you."Ngumiti si Lev. "Thank you po.""Why don't everyone take a seat? M
"Do you still remember our first dance?" Tanong sa akin ni Lev.Kumunot yung noo ko. "It's the day that we met."What's a party without a dance, right? These people surrounding me loves to dance kaya tuwing may party ay hindi mawawala ito. I rested my hands over Lev's shoulder while he wrap his arms around my waist. "Naalala mo ba kung ano yung una mong tinanong sa akin?" He asked, half-laughing."Ano?" I giggled. "I hope it's not humiliating.""It's not. It was rather odd.""Bakit? Anong tinanong ko?"Yumuko muna siya at tumawa nang mahina. "You asked if I was in it for love?""What?" Hindi makapaniwala kong tanong. "Seryoso? Tinanong ko yan?"He nodded. "Yes. Kaya hindi ko makakalimutan. I was expecting you ask anything about me but you asked that instead."Napatango ako. "Ah! Alam ko na kung bakit ko natanong yun. I was looking for someone to make a ruse with.""I guessed that the second time we meet up," iling niya. "Hindi lang ako makapaniwala na may magtatanong sa akin ng ganya