LOVE AGAIN: Chapter 10

RINDEL'S POV

I had to admit. Nakakapanibagosaopisinangayongwalasi Jared. He always managed to keep the place alive with his jokes and witty comebacks. Sadyangmasiyahinsiyangtao. He has this infectious smile that whenever he does, the people around him can't help but smile as well. Now, I can't wait to go home and see that smile.

Home.Napailing ako. I never considered anywhere my home. After all, I was always alone. For me, a home is a place where you and your loved ones live. Not just a shelter to sleep in, eat in and to stay in. Now, thinking about where Jared and I live and considering it home somehow is a shock to me. Do I love Jared? Am I seriously in love with my assistant after a few days of being together? And not even together as boyfriends.

I smiled. Maybe I am.

Mabilis kong niligpit ang mga pinirmahan kong mga papeles para makauwi ako. Maybe I should get something for Jared.

I decided to call him and ask what he wanted for dinner.

"Hello?",pagsagot nito.

"Hey, sorry, did I wake up?", I asked when I noticed his raspy voice.

"Yeah. It's fine though.",sagot niya.

"Sorry. I should make it up to you. Do you want something to eat? I'll buy it on the way home.",sabi ko.

"Naku, hindina. Wag kana mag-abala.", tutolnito.

"I want to. Saka alam kong wala na tayong supply sa pagkain kaya hindi na rin tayo makakapagluto. Unless gusto mong noodles nalangangkaininnatin for dinner.",pagkontrakonamanrito.

He chuckled.

"If you insist then I think I want some Chinese food”, sabinito.

“Yun lang?”

“Yeah, yun lang.”, sagotnito.

“Okay, Chinese food coming right up. Can you wait for thirty minutes?”

“Sure. What if your late?”, he asked in a challenging tone.

“Then you get a kiss for free.”

Tumawaito. As I listened to him laugh, I found a smile slowly creeping its way on to my face.

“Then your time starts now Rindel.”,sabi nito saka tumawa bago pinatay ang tawag.

Napatawa nalang rin ako.

I better get moving then. Slowly.

As I drove to a nearby Chinese restaurant, I can’t help but think that I forgot to ask something. Nakalimutan kong itanong kung may particular na pagkain ba siyang gusting kainin. So I decided to buy a lot of menus.

Nadatnan kong nanonood ng Oculus siJared. He was scared. Alam ko dahil nagulat siya nang buksan ko ang pintuan.

Natawa ako sa kanyang naging reaksyon. Dahilan para batuhin ako nito ng throw pillow.

“Hahaha! Nakita mo sana ang mukha mo! Takot na takot ka oh!”,panunukso ko sa kanya.

“Ikaw ba naman ang manood ng pelikulang nakakatakot mag-isa tapos biglang may magbukas ng pintuan, hindi kamatakot!”,naiinis nitong sagot.

Patuloy pa rin ako sa pagtawa at naupo nalang ito sa sofa at sumimangot.

“Alright. I’m sorry.”,sabi ko habang pinipigilan ang tawa.

Hindi ito kumibo.

“Hey, sorry na. It was mean of me to laugh.”,pagsuyo ko rito ngunit hindi pa rin ako nito pinansin.

I decided to sit down beside him. I put the take out on the center table. Humarap ako sa kanya ngunit iniiwas nito ang tingin sa akin. I held his shoulders and made him face me.

“I’m sorry.”,sabikorito. This time, hindi ako tumawa.

He looked into my eyes. Then he nodded.

“I know what will make you forgive me.”

I quickly went to the kitchen and got eating utensils as well as two drinking glasses. I took out the takeout from the bag. I placed them on the table.

“Bakit parang andami ng pinamili mo?”,takang tanong nito.

“Aha!! Nagsalita ka rin!”

He rolled his eyes at my childish reaction.

I just grinned at him.

“Bakit nga? Andami nyan.Paano natin uubusin yan?”,sabi nito. Naiiritanaulit.

“Relax. I forgot to ask you what you wanted so I kinda bought everything.”,paliwanag ko sa kanya.

“Ha? Eh di sana nagtext ka sa akin. Masasayang lang yan.”

“Nope. We can always re-heat these tomorrow. Yun ay kung may sobra.”

Tumango ito. “Ano ba ang mga pinili mo?”,tanong niya.

“Um, we have Orange Chicken, Szechuan Noodles with Spicy Beef Sauce, Chinese Green Beans and Lettuce Wraps.”

Biglang tumunog ang tiyan ni Jared nang matapos kong sabihin kung ano-ano ang pinamili ko.

I looked at him and noticed a tinge of pink on his cheeks.

“See. Gutom ka.Mauubos natin to.”,sabi ko na nakangiti.

“Shut up. Syempre gutom ako. It’s been 48 minutes. Kanina pa ako naghihintay.”

I looked at my watch and saw that it’s already 7:52 PM. I smiled at this.

“So I guess I owe you a kiss.”,sabi ko sa kanyang nakangisi sabay galaw ng mga kilay.

“Sabihinmo, sinadya mo lang talagang tagalan para makahalik ka sakin.”,sabi nito sabay kuha ng pagkain at nilagay sa pinggan nito.

I just smiled and did the same before answering.

“So you’re saying you don’t like my kiss?”, I challenged.

“No, I didn’t say that.”

“So you do like my kisses?”, I challenged again.

“I didn’t say that either.”, he said and took a bite of orange chicken.

I laughed at this.

“So am I forgiven?”, I asked.

“Yes. But only because you bought so much food.”

“Fair enough. But tell me if it was the other way around, would you not laugh?”, I asked.

He was quiet. Then looked at me and laughed.

“Okay, fine, I would totally laugh if it was you who got scared.”

At nagtawanan kami.Pinatuloy naming ang panonood ng Oculus habang kumakain. Maya-maya pa ay natapos na ito at napagpasyahan naming manood pa ng isa pang pelikula.

“The Fault in Our Stars? Seryoso ka ba?”, I asked.

He nodded. “Yes. Matagal ko na to gustong mapanood eh.”, he said.

“Fine.”, I said habang nililigpit ang mga napagkainan namin.

It turns out, the movie was great. Sad and heartbreaking but beautiful nonetheless. I found myself crying at some point of the movie. Ganun rin si Jared.

He ended up resting his head on my shoulders again throughout the movie. Nang matapos ang pelikula ay nagpunas ito ng luha saka tumingin sa ‘kin.

“Ang unfair naman nun.”,sabinito. “May cancer nangasila, ganun pa ang love story nila.”

I nodded. “Apparently the world is not a wish-granting factory.”, I quoted from the movie.

“Apparently.”

“But you know what?”, I asked him.

“What?”

“Mas gusto koyungganun.”,sabiko.

“Ang mamatay sa cancer?”,takang tanong niya.

“Loko! Hindi!”, I laughed. “I meant their love story. Yes, it was short and yes, it was bittersweet but it was true. It was real and nothing could ever replace true love. Sabi pa ngani Hazel Grace di ba, “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”,pero hindi yun nagging hadlang sa pagmamahalan nilang dalawa.”

“Did that happen? Sayo?”, he asked.

I was taken aback. Hindi pa palaalamni Jared kung bakitakoganito. Kung bakit papalit-palit ako ng lalake na para bang damit. I thought about if I should tell him or not. I decided on the latter.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”, I said saka tumayo nang bigla ako nitong hawakan sa kamay.

I looked at him. He was looking down.

“I - I’d like to c-claim the kiss.”,pagkakuwan ay sabiniya.

I chuckled.

I then pulled him up and asked him to look at me.

He did and then I kissed him. I kissed him slowly yet I poured all my feelings for him in that kiss. I slipped my tongue into his mouth. He gave me access and our tongues danced for dominance. We kissed for what seemed like eternity. Then we stopped. Both breathless.Parehong ayaw bumitaw sa pagkakayakap ng isa’t-isa. I didn’t even notice how his hands went into my hair and how my hands made their way under his shirt.

He was going to say something pero natigil iyon nang biglang mag-ring ang cellphone ko.

TO BE CONTINUED….

AUTHOR’S NOTE: 

Dun dun dun!! Cliffhanger! Okay, This is probably the longest chapter I’ve written for this story. I am so proud of myself. Hahaha! I hope you guys are still reading this because I now have the time and resources to write. Comments please and recommend to other readers na kilala ninyo!

SPECIAL THANKS to Alfred of TO.Thank you Alfred for not giving up on my story despite my slow updates in the past. I’ll try to work faster. 

-PENSandPAPERS