Sewing was my last favorite thing to do in my list.

However, I wanted this gift to be unique as much a possible, especially it's for Asrow.

Sa tuwing nagkakaroon ako ng break time sa cafe o 'pag natatapos agad mga readings ay nagtatahi agad ako. Palagi akong nagpapatulong kay Shaira o kay mama sa pagsuot ng sinulid sa karayom, kasi hindi ko ito mailusot ng maayos. I even had them teach me the basics of sewing!

"Paano ba mag-saddle stitching?" Naguguluhang tanong ko. 

"Sis, nakakailang turo na ako sayo." Pagrereklamo ni Shaira.

I pouted. "Anong nakakailan?"

"Nakasampu na 'teh!"

"Ikaw din naman 'pag tinuturuan kita ng acads ah!" I bolted back at her.

"Sino ba naman kasing tangang tumatahi sa leather?" 

"Eh gusto ko unique!" 

"Magpaturo ka muna kay Haelyn. Alam mo naman 'yun, mahilig sa home economics simula nung high school palang tayo. " Tinuro niya yung isang babae sa likod na nakasalamin at tahimik na nagbabasa ng manga. Base sa book cover, ito ay Tokyo Revengers na manga.

Kinunutan ko siya ng noo. "Are you kidding me?"

Pinakita niya sa'kin yung phone niya. Mukhang may pinapanood siya na bagong routine para sa kanilang squad. "May ginagawa rin kasi talaga ako. My girls and I need to come up with a new routine before the school's next game. Kailangan namin manalo."

"Pero si Haelyn talaga?" I flinched at the mention of her name. I don't have any grudge against her but I am definitely not comfortable with her around. Palagi kasi siyang nauutal tuwing kinakausap siya at palagi siyang busy sa panonood ng iba't-ibang mga anime. Simula high school palang kami ay ganun na talaga siya.

"Sige, paturo ka kay Castriel. Baka makagawa kayo ng bagong stitching method," She snorted.

Inirapan ko siya bago ako tumayo mula sa upuan ko at naglakad papunta sa pwesto ni Haelyn. Her glasses shifted towards me as I was about to approach her. 

"Hello, busy ka?" I casually asked. 

"N-N-No," Nauutal na sabi nito. 

"M-May kailangan k-ka ba? " 

"Relax, hindi ako nangangagat." Dahan-dahan 'kong sinabi sa kanya bago ako umupo sa bakanteng upuan na malapit lang. "Magpapaturo lang sana ako," 

She suddenly looked amused. Lahat kasi ng mga kaklase ko ay alam na hindi ako basta-basta nagpapaturo sa iba, kasi sila pa 'tong may gustong magpaturo sa'kin. It was like, everyone was looking up to me because of my grades and such. But, we all have unique differences. Pwedeng bobo ako sa pananahi pero magaling sa academics, pwedeng may mas magaling sa'kin sa larangan ko ganun. It's what makes us humans after all, we are continuously learning and improving day by day.

"N-Ng ano?" Tanong niya. 

Pinakita ko sa kanya ang sinulid at karayom ko. "Saddle stitching," 

 She then proceeded in teaching me the basics of saddle stitching. She actually explained it more coherently than Shaira did, kahit na pautal-utal siya. Ginaya ko ang bawat steps na pinakita niya sa'kin at maya-maya, napansin ko nalang na nagagawa ko na ito ng dire-diretso.

"A-Ayan, nakuha mo na!" Natutuwang sambit nit sa'kin.

I smiled at her, "Thank you ha? Ang ayos mo magturo,"

"B-Buti naman," She nervously chuckled before tucking a hair strand behind her ear. "M-May t-tatanong din sana ako sayo..."

"Hmm? Go, ano 'yun?"

"T-Totoo bang k-kayo na ni Asrow?"

Just hearing his name made my hands shivered and my body hairs rose up. "Ahh, oo. Bakit?"

"W-Wala! C-Congrats! Ang swerte mo..." Pilit na ngiti nito.

Ang swerte ko kay Asrow?

That sounded weird.

I bid her farewell before returning to my seat. Everyone thinks that I'm lucky to be dating a famous guy from school. Pero diba dapat, swerte kami dahil naging kami? Hindi swerte si Asrow dahil sa'kin, hindi ako swerte dahil sa kanya, kun'di swerte kami para sa isa't-isa. Their choice of words didn't sound equal on both sides, it made me rethink about my capabilities as a future lawyer.

Aish, not worth thinking about, Cally. You have other things to do today so that you'll be on time in the following day.

***

Kakatapos lang ng klase namin at agad akong dumiretso sa condo ni Asrow. I have his spare key so I was able to enter it without him. May practice pa siya kasama yung teammates niya kaya hindi siya makakauwi ng maaga ngayon. Marami akong oras para maghanda.

Nilabas ko ang explosion box na halos ilang araw 'kong pinaghirapan dahil first time 'kong gumawa no'n. Nakailang nood pa ako sa tutorials sa YouTube para lang umayos yung gawa ko. Nakailang bili rin ako ng mga materyales sa National bookstore dahil palagi akong nawawalan ng mga papel, glue, etc. 

It was all worth it in the end because my explosion box was perfect. Ang kabuuang kulay niya ay itim na may pulang ribbon. May mga letters at pictures akong nilagay doon, pati mga designs, etc. 

Hindi lang 'yon ang gift ko sa kanya kasi ginawan ko rin siya ng guitar strap na gawa sa leather, tas tinahian ko ng initials niya na A.S.V. Kulang kasi yung pera ko kaya hindi na ako nagpagawa nito sa iba. Marami akong band aids sa kamay pero okay lang kasi para sa kanya naman 'to. I also bought a cake for him from the cafe. 

Mamaya-maya ay narinig ko na ang pagbukas ng pinto, mga bandang alas-sais na ng gabi no'n. I immediately ran towards him and gave him the biggest hug I could ever give.

"Happy birthday baby!" I casually greeted him as I nuzzled my face to his chest. 

"Sabi na eh, nandito ka pala." He chuckled.

Tinignan ko siya at napansin ko na pawis na pawis ito, tila pagod na pagod galing sa practice nila. Birthday na birthday niya pero haggard yung itsura. He still looks hot though.

"Nahalata mo ba?" Nagtatakang tanong ko sa kanya.

"Well I came by to your classroom earlier and your classmate told me that you already went home because you're going to do something important." Sumilay ang isang nakakalokong ngisi sa kanyang labi. "Syempre halata na agad doon."

Binitawan ko siya. "Sino nagsabi no'n?"

"If I remember it correctly, it was Haelyn?"

"Ba't hindi si Shaira?"

"She was busy practicing with her squad. Haelyn's the one who first approached me when I went to your room earlier."

For some reason, that didn't sit right with me.

"Are you jealous?"

I hissed at him. "Ano? Hindi kaya!"

"Aww come on, you're jealous." Pang-aasar pa nito. 

Inirapan ko siya bago ako pumunta sa sofa niya. Sumunod siya sa'kin habang natawa, pero tumigil nung nakita niya kung ano yung nakahanda. My two gifts were wrapped in a box so he doesn't have an idea of what it contains. Yung cake lang yung kitang-kita. Meron na rin akong mga kandila na naihanda at nakalagay na sila sa ibabaw ng cake. 

 "My favorite cake..." he murmured. 

"Halata nga, 'yan lagi mong iniorder sa cafe eh." I snorted.

His eyes wandered over the cake as his eyes softens. "This is my first time seeing a cake on my birthday... It's been so long that I forgot about why cakes existed in the first place." Pabulong nitong sinabi. 

"Huh? Kunot noo 'kong tinanong sa kanya.

Tinignan niya ako bago umiling. "Wala! Wait here, I'll go fetch us some plates and utensils to use."

Pumunta siya agad sa kusina habang ako ay naiwan ng nakatunganga. Hindi ko alam kung tama yung pagkakarinig ko, hindi ko alam kung nabingi ako sa ilang sandaling 'yon. Kumirot agad yung puso ko dahil doon. Nakaramdam ako ng awa pero hindi dapat ako naaawa sa taong ayaw kaawaan. 

I'll make this day a day he'll remember as the best birthday ever.

Dumating si Asrow ng may hawak-hawak na plato at mga kagamitan tulad ng tinidor, kutsara, etc. Siya na yung naghiwa nung cake at sabay kaming kumain habang nagkwekwento siya ng mga nangyari kanina sa practice, katulad nung nadapa raw siya kanina dahil sa mga kalokohan ng kanyang mga kaibigan. 

I honestly love listening to his stories because it helps me to get to know him better. It makes me want to know more, know everything about him.

"Why do you have band aids on your fingers?" Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay 'tas hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"Ah, d-dahil sa cafe!" Kinakabahan na sagot ko. 

"Weh?"

"O-Oo, bakit ba?"

Marahan niyang pinisil yung band aid sa kamay ko, kaya napadaing ako sa sakit. He pressed on a deep wound! "Spill it, now."

"Sa cafe nga!" I hissed at him while looking at my poor hand. 

"I don't believe you,"

"Edi don't!"

Bigla niya kinuha yung gift ko sa kanya sa lamesa. "Is it because of this?"

"Secret, alamin mo nalang."

He puckered his lips up before looking at the gift. Dahan-dahan niya ito binuksan, yung tipong ayaw niyang masira yung wrapper. Tinatanggal niya isa-isa yung mga tape sa gilid nung regalo.

"Ba't ayaw mo nalang pilasin?" Nakakunot-noong tanong ko.

"I don't want your precious gift to be ruined, that includes the wrapper and all."

"Hindi naman yung wrapper yung regalo ko eh,"

"Bakit ba? I want to also keep the wrapper safely with me as a memory of my birthday today." Nakangiting saad nito. 

"Do you really think that we'll last long?"

"Don't you?"

Bahagyang nag-init yung dalawang pisngi ko sa sinabi niya. We're on the right track and mindset, I'm glad. Parehas kami ng iniisip tungkol sa kinabukasan naming dalawa. Akala ko ay ako lang ang nakakaisip na siya na yung gusto 'kong makasama... sa lahat.

He stared at the guitar strap and explosion box in awe. "Did... Did you make these?"

"Yes! Nagpatulong pa ako sa mga kaibigan ko kung paano magtahi ng tama. Nakailang mali ako doon pero worth it naman! 'Tas yung explosion box, puro letters at pictures ang nakalagay sa loob." Masaya 'kong itinuro sa kanya yung mga larawan sa loob.

Wala siyang binigay na kahit anong reaksyon. Titig na titig ito sa dalawang regalo ko sa kanya. Iginala niya ang kanyang mga mata dito at dahan-dahan na pinagmasdan ang mga iyon.

I frowned at his unexpected reaction. "H-Hindi mo ba nagustuhan? Pasensya na ha, gusto ko sana bigyan ka ng mamahaling bagay kaso... Alam mo naman, galing ako sa kahirapan kaya gumawa nalang ako ng mga bagay na alam 'kong magagamit at mapapakinabangan mo..."

"I... don't hate it..."

"Eh pero-"

A tear fell from his left eye.

I gazed at him as shock spread all around my face. A few more tears went out from his eyes and he hugged the gifts I made for him. He securely pulled them towards his chest then lowered his head and continued on crying.

"T-Teka, bakit ka umiiyak?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko sa kanya. "G-Ganun mo bang hindi nagustuhan? Asrow, talk to me please. I-I can give you new ones l-later!"

"C-Cally..." Nahihirapang pagtawag niya sa'kin. 

Without a warning, he put my gifts on the table and swiftly pulled me towards him for a soft kiss. He made me sit on his lap and he angled his face to match my small one. I was submissive to him so I immediately responded to his kisses by deepening it. He tightened his grip on my waist when I did that.

He let go of me after a few seconds and made me lie on top of him, as he let his head touch the head rest of the couch.

"T-Thank you... Thank you so much..." He kept on thanking me as he caresses my hair. "I'm not crying because I don't like your gift... I love it... I love it so much. No one has ever crafted things for me so I just... simply couldn't help but get emotional because of this. I actually dind't expect too much from this day because my family... doesn't remember it. It's also been so long since I last saw a cake on my birthday, thank you... Thank you, Cally." Nahihirapang pagkukwento niya sa'kin.

Napangiti ako ng wagas sa sinabi niya. I'm glad because I was able to turn his day good and fulfilling. Kita ko kung gaano siya kasaya ngayon. Araw-araw kaming magkasama pero ngayon ko lang nakita yung gantong ngiti niya... It was a genuine one.

"I told you, right? You're not alone anymore, I'm here." I touched his cheek with my right hand and wiped his tears away.

"Thank you..."

Our foreheads rest against each other as we felt each other's warmth. He wrapped his arms around my waist while my arms were on his neck. A streak of light from the moonlight illuminated the room through the window. It felt like we were in a place only the two of us knows where, a place where he and I can be ourselves, a place where we can live peacefully without any problems in life.

"Hey, tell me a fact about yourself." I whispered to him.

He chuckled and touched my nose with his. "I'm the least favorite child. You?"

"... I hate liars." I whispered back.

"Well who wouldn't, right?"

I can see our future together in his eyes, that unknown place that's only meant for the two of us. I can see us laughing, kissing, sharing each other's darkest secrets, and accepting one another. I can see us happily living, for the first time in our lives.

If only a place like that existed...

Where I could love him endlessly,

Without seeing our happiness ending painfully. 

***