Chase of Heart

Chapter Seven

WE STAYED AT OUR PLACE, well, that’s what Chase said, for a couple of hours. Spending time with each other, chatting, getting to know each other more and unstopabbly laughing out of non-sense things. Things we can never get rid about the perks of being in Love I guess.

“Eh kung babae ang maging anak natin, anong pangalan?” Chase asked. And for the nth time around, I laughed.

“Chase, don’t you think that it’s too early to think of such things like that?” I asked in between my laughter. Chase tightened his embraced on me and he kissed me on my right cheek.

“Mas magandang maaga pa lang ay planado na.” he reasoned out, “anyway, you’re right. Maaga pa para magka-anak, how about our wedding? Would you prefer a beach wedding or a church?” he added, asking.

“Chase naman!” Reklamo ko. Marahan siyang humalakhak kaya napatawa na din ako.

“Fine. Let’s not talk about it first, wait, we’ve spending almost four hours here talking and eating. Do you want to go somewhere?” he asked.

“Dito na muna tayo,” kumawala ako sa yakap niya at tumayo. Pinagmasdan naman niya ako kaya ngumiti ako sa kanya.

I handed the knife that we used to cut the fruits awhile back and move closer to the acacia tree. Sinubukan kong umukit pero nabigo ako. Marahil ay hindi kinaya ng pwersa ko.

“Let me.” Chase said. Kinuha niya ang kutsilyo sa kanang kamay ko at ginawa ang nais kong gawin.

Tinanggal muna niya ang dumi sa may puno tapos ay tumingin sa akin.

“What do you want to write?” he asked.

“Our names.” I turned crimson red at my answer. Chase laughed and shook his head.

“Okay baby, we’ll write our name on Mr. Tree’s body.” He said as he drew a heart on the tree and write down our names. Hindi rin naging madali sa kanya kaya tumagal ng halos sampong minuto.

“Mr. Tree?” I asked as I remembered how he called the tree.

“Yup,” he replied with a smile, “bata pa lang ako ay nandito na ito. I even asked my Lolo about this tree the moment he told me that this place is mine and he told me that ever since he was a kid, this is already here.” Nakangiting dagdag niya.

“Ang tanda na pala, baka ma-engkanto tayo dito,” Biro ko, humalakhak siya pero bakas sa mukha niya ang lungkot, “W-What’s the matter?” I asked. He turned to loo at me and smiled.

“I just missed him.”

“Ang Lolo mo?” tumango siya, “I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s okay. It’s been almost fifteen years since he passed away.”

“Can you tell me something about him, I mean, don’t take this the wrong way but I actually want to meet him but I know it’s impossible. So if it’s not too much to ask, I just want to know something about him, with that, I guess makikilala ko na siya.” Ngumiti si Chase at tumango.

“Of course, baby. If ever that he’s alive, sa kanya kita unang ipapakilala,” he started, “Lolo Florentino’s the kindest person I have ever known. Hindi siya marunong magalit, I don’t know if he’s really the father of Dad since they don’t have the same attitude. Magka-ibang magka-iba ang ugali nila.” He said, I didn’t utter any word and just waited for him to end.

“At first, I didn’t really mind even if Mom and Dad are unstoppably fighting because I have him, he’s giving me anything I want, letting me go to anywhere I want, and he gave me the love I have never felt to my very own parents,”

“But life could always play its game with nasty tricks. I just woke up one day that he’s gone because of heart attack. And then s**t happens.” He laughed, “Siguro kung buhay man siya ngayon, magiging masaya siya kapag nakilala ka niya.” He added.

“Pasyalan natin siya minsan,” nakangiting suhestiyon ko kay Chase. Nagliwanag naman ang mukha niya at agarang tumango.

“Sure, baby. It’s actually been awhile since I gave him flowers and lighted him a candle.” Pinagmasdan ko ang hugis pusong ini-ukit ni Chase sa puno ng acacia at ang pangalan naming dalawa na nasa loob nito atsaka ngumiti.

“Chase, bakit walang ibang bahay dito?” I asked all of a sudden as I realized how far this land is but then, walang kahit anong bahay ang nakatayo.

“This is a private property, baby. This is ours.” He replied.

“Oo nga, pero wala man lang katiwala?” umiling siya at ngumiti. “Chase, can I ask if w-where’s your mother?” Alam ko na masyado na akong maraming tanong ngunit mas gusto ko pa siyang makilala.

“Sa bahay nila.”nakangiting sagot niya.

“Sa bahay niyo?” umiling naman siya.

“Nagkabalikan sila ni Dad noong fourth year high school ako, they even tried to tell me to go back to that place but I refused, kasi kahit anong pilit nilang bumawi, nangyari na ang lahat. It’s not that I’m letting my ego and pride win over me but there are wounds that time can’t heal. It will always remain inside us and even if it’s only just a scar, it’s still bleeding inside and hurting.”

I love Chase. I really do, and I want him to Love me completely too without any burden in him. Sa ngayon, alam kong nasasaktan pa siya sa nangyari sa nakaraan niya.

He never had a happy family and his childhood was worst than anyone could ever think. But as I slowly know everything about him, I’ll teach him to forgive and to forget as well.

Marahil ay nasaktan at nasasaktan siya, pero hindi naman maaari na habang buhay niyang dalhin ang sakit at galit sa kanya. I want him to forgive his parents and start anew.

“Can I meet them one day?” I asked him, he stared at me intently. He even closed his eyes hardly before nodding slowly.

“Yes baby,” I smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. Marahan siyang humalakhak at umiling, “tara na, pasyal tayo. Tapos ipagpapa-alam kita mamayang gabi at babalik tayo dito. Stargazing tayo.” Nakangiting tugon niya.

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti “Tara!” Iniligpit niya ang mga ginamit namin at dinala na rin niya habang hawak kamay naming tinatahak ang lugar.

He opened his car’s compartment and put all the things there and then we get inside the car.

“Where do you want to go, baby?” he asked while driving.

“Let me think,” umakto ako na parang nagiisip, ang kamay ay nasa baba, tumingin siya sa akin at tumawa sa ekspresyon ko.

“Silly.” He said in between his laughters.

Its funny how he can still laugh and smile genuinely knowing that he still have this burden with him. Sa tingin ko ay wala na sa kanya ang lahat ngunit pilit niyang pinapaniwala ang sarili niya na galit siya kaya hanggang ngayon ay hindi niya maayos ang relasyon niya sa mga magulang niya.

“Kain tayo ng street foods!” nakangiting sagot ko. Sinimangutan naman niya ako at agad na umiling.

“No.” he stated with full authority.

“Please?” I said with matching puppy eyes.

“That won’t work, baby. It’s still a no.” he stated and his voice was filled with finality. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ayaw niya.

“Why?”

“We’re not even sure how clean those foods are. Baka magkasakit ka lang.”

“Malinis iyon. Masarap pa.”

“It’s still a no.”

“Fine. I’ll just text Mike to buy me some just like what he used to do.” I murmured.

“s**t! Saan ba nabibili ang pesteng street foods na ‘yan?” Muntikan na akong natawa sa sinabi niya pero agad ko namang itinuro.

God! Loving this bipolar guy will surely drive me crazy. I am so much crazy in love with you, Chase.

“I’m crazy in love with you, too, baby.” I was taken aback with what he just said. He’s even smiling widely.

“W-What?” I asked. Is he a mind reader or did I just said it out loud?

“Well, you’re thinking out loud I guess.” Marahan siyang humalakhak kaya namula ako, “Andito na tayo,” nawala sa isip ko ang kahihiyan nang makita ang napakaraming street foods vendor. Nauna siyang bumaba ng kotse tapos ay pinagbuksan ako. He even held my right hand as we started walking.