Chase of Heart

Chapter Eight

IGINALA KO ANG MGA MATA KO sa mga nakahilerang street foods para makita lahat at makapag-desisyon kung ano ang kukunin ko. Humila ako ng dalawang isaw at ipina-ihaw ito sa tindera.

I looked up to see Chase and I found him staring at me intently, or let me say, grimacing.

“You might want to try this too. Masarap.” I told him with a huge smile on my face. Kumuha ako ng dalawa pa at ini-abot ulit ito sa tindera.

“No. Don’t mind me, I’m fine.” Hindi ko siya pinakinggan at kumuha naman ng apat na betamax tapos ay iniabot sa tindera. Rinig ko ang pagsinghap ni Chase pero wala na akong narinig na kahit na ano pang reklamo sa kanya.

Mayamaya lang ay naluto na ang apat na isaw, agad akong humingi ng suka sa mangkok at inabot ang dalawang stick kay Chase. Again, he grimaced at me before shaking his head off. I sighed heavily and raised him one brow.

Binitawan ko ang mga isaw sa mesa at ini-labas ang wallet.

“Magkano po?” I asked politely.

“Fourty-pesos, limang piso isa.” Agad kong ini-abot ang fifty pesos at ngumiti.

“Keep the change po,” tapos ay tumingin ako kay Chase na matamang nakatingin sa akin “tara na.” walang emosyong saad ko.

I just don’t get it. He’s such a kill joy. Doesn’t he know that life is just short the reason why we need to enjoy and try everything we haven’t experience yet? Hindi ko alam pero naiinis ako.

“H-Hey,” alanganing tugon ni Chase nang magsimula na akong maglakad. Marahan niyang hinigit ang braso ko at huminga ng malalim “f-fine. I’ll eat those things now.” Hindi ako kumibo. I just stared at him blanky.

I watched him as he get one of the isaw. Napangiti ako nang kumagat siya ng konti dito. Right after that, he stared at me with one brow furrowed while chewing it.

“It’s not bad.” He even shrugged his shoulders. I smiled widely and get one too.

“I told you.” Bakas sa tono ng boses ko ang pagmamalaki. Ibinabad ko sa suka ang akin tapos ay kinain. Ginaya naman niya ako tapos ay marahan siyang humalakhak.

“Silly girl. You’re driving me crazy.” He uttered.

Ilang sandali lang ay naluto na rin ang betamax kaya agad ko itong kinuha at inabot sa kanya ang dalawa. Tinanggap niya ito at kinain.

We actually took awhile at that stall, eating, laughing and chatting. After some times, and right after I have my cravings satisfied, I asked him to send me home since it was already past five. Agad naman siyang sumangayon.

“s**t. I just can’t believe that I ate some of those… things.” Marahan siyang humalakhak habang nagmamaneho at ang mata ay nakatingin sa kahabaan ng kalsada.

“What can you say?” I asked with a huge smile plastered on my face.

“It’s fine. But argh, please don’t try to walk out again like that. You’re scaring the s**t out of me,” Marahan akong humalakhak at umiling. I know exactly that he can see me using his peripheral vision.

“Well, I’ll try my very best not to do so. But get used to it; you should know by now that if I didn’t want or like something I always walk out.” I replied.

“Yea, and it’s scary.” Marahan siyang humalakhak at umiling.

“Are we still going to stargazed?” I asked as he parked his car in front of our gate. He smiled at me and nodded slowly.

“Do you still want to or do you just want to rest?” I shook my head and smiled.

“I want to.” He nodded slowly as he exited his car, agad naman niya akong pinagbuksan. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at sabay kaming pumasok ng bahay pagka-labas ko ng sasakyan niya.

Nadatnan namin sina Mama at Papa na naka-upo sa sofa at nanunuod ng telebisyon sa sala.

“It’s almost six, saan ba kayo nanggaling?” Mama asked as she stood up “magpahinga na kayo at kakain na niyan tayo.” Dagdag pa nito.

“Uh, naglibot lang po kami saglit.” Sagot ko naman.

“Yes tita, and I showed her the lot where we will going to build our family in the future, right after she’s back from Paris.” Nakangiting sagot ni Chase. Namula ako, napahinto naman sa pag-galaw si Mama at Papa at agad na nagtinginan.

Pagkatapos ay tumingin sila sa amin ni Chase at ngumiti. Papa nodded and smiled.

“That’s good. Pero bago niyo pagusapan ang kinabukasan niyo ay kumain na muna tayo dahil gutom na ako.” Natatawang sagot ni Papa. Ngumiti naman si Mama at marahang hinaplos ang kaliwang braso ni Chase.

Gaya ng dating p’westo ay magkatabi kaming umupo ni Chase.

“Oo nga pala hijo, naipakilala mo na ba ang anak namin sa mga magulang mo? Did they like her or what?” Papa asked while we are eating. Chase shook his head.

“Hindi pa po, but I’m actually planning one of these days since they’re quite busy in our company.” Marahan namang tumango si Papa.

“Ano ba ang pangalan ng kompanya niyo?” tanong ulit ni Papa.

“Delos Santos’s Home of Furnitures po, tito.” Tumango si Papa at ngumiti.

“That’s pretty famous, I mean, it’s the well known home of furnitures around Asia, right?” tumango naman si Chase at ngumiti.

Well, I didn’t expect that coming. I didn’t even know about that thing. They must be really rich.

“Are you going to handle it someday?” Si Mama naman ang nagtanong. Saglit na nagisip si Chase.

“I don’t know po tita. I actually wanted to pursue my passion in music, but who knows. It’s still early to make dicisions. Kung kaya kong ipagsabay ay gagawin ko.” Tumango naman si Mama.

“May balak pa ba kayong gawin pagkatapos nito o uuwi ka na?” si Papa naman ang nagsalita.

“I want to take her out on a date tito. We’re actually planning to stargaze and watch the city lights all night since we don’t have a class for tomorrow, if it’s just fine with you,” marahan namang tumango si Papa.

“Basta ba ipangako niyo na walang apo hangga’t hindi kayo ikinakasal.”

“Pa!” Naramdaman ko ang pagpula ng pisngi ko at ang marahang paghalakhak ni Chase.

“Hindi po tito, I respect your daughter so much to do such things.” Ngumiti si papa at tumango.

After dinner, we stayed home for a while before we decided to go. Pero sa bahay muna niya kami pumunta para daw makakuha ng isa pang kumot para hindi ako lamukin at mga pagkain.

“Mag-isa ka lang dito?” I asked as I roamed my eyes around. It’s actually big but the aura seems cold, the whole house looks so lonely and I wonder why.

“Nope. I have two maids and I guess, they are all sleeping by now.” Tumango ako at tumingin ulit sa paligid.

“He must be Lolo Florentino,” saad ko nang makita ang malaking larawan na nakasabit sa pader.

“Yup, and that’s dad,” itinuro niya ang nasa tabi nito “and that’s mom.” Tumango ulit ako at hindi na nagsalita “Let’s go?” he asked, I nodded and smiled.

Agad naman kaming nagtungo sa lugar daw namin at pumasok dito. Maybe if this is just another day, I’ll surely run off because I’m scared, but right now, I don’t feel like I’m afraid, scared or what. What I only feel is happiness because I’m with him.

Hindi naman masyadong madilim. Nagbibigay ng liwanag sa kabuuan ng lugar ang mga bituin at ang buwan. Inilapag niya ang kumot sa dating p’westo at agad na umupo dito.

“Come here,” marahan ang boses ni Chase. And I did as I was told. I sat beside him. “There are actually rumours that there’s a white lady here.” Bigla akong namutla sa narinig.

“Chase! It’s not funny!” Lumapit ako lalo sa kanya hanggang sa maramdaman ko na sa braso ko ang init ng balat niya.

I heard him laughed smoothly.

“Kidding, baby. I just want you to come closer.” Inakbayan niya ako tapos ay humiga siya kaya naisama ako.

He placed my head on his chest while his right arm was on my shoulder.

“It’s so beautiful…” I said in a low voice as I saw the sky that full of stars “and… romantic.” I added.

Naramdaman ko ang marahan niyang paghalik sa buhok ko bago siya nagsalita “I love you, baby. And I’ve never felt this way before. Lunod na lunod ako sa ‘yo at hindi ko alam kung makaka-ahon pa ba ako.” Napangiti ako sa narinig.

As if on cue, I wrapped my right arm on his waist.

We are so close to each other and I can almost smell his manly yet sexy scent. God, I think I’m getting addicted to it.

“Ako rin naman eh.” I replied in a low voice “Mahal din kita.” I said without any hesitations.

“I don’t really know what we are,” he said “we don’t have any label and I’m afraid that I still don’t have the right to get jealous if ever. I love you so much and I want the stars to witness how much I do,” he added, he even sighed heavily and tightened his embraced on me “so I want to ask you now, baby…”

“Will you be my girlfriend?”