nuggets curious lang ako. sa gwapo mong yan ilan ang naging girlfriends mo?

hmmm... bakit naman bigla mo naitanong?

i dunno. para lang i can calculate the odds kung may bigla na lang hihila sa buhok ko pag nakita tayong magkasama

hahaha baliw ka talaga. but to answer your question french fries, i've had three relationships in the past and a few flings.

ang gwapo talaga ng nuggets ko! oh dali na kwento!

talaga ba french fries? yung past relationships ko ang topic? at dito pa talaga sa eroplano mo naisip itanong ha

sige na!!!! tagal pa tong pagiging airborne natin. besides i need inspiration dun sa isang manuscript ko. and kasalanan mo naman noh! bakit ba kasi kelangan mo pa ko isama dito sa business convention na to? wala naman akong alam sa negosyo?

wag ka na pong magtampo. isipin mo na lang you're doing me a favor.

and how is this pretend relationship of ours doing you a favor?

kasi nga po kelangan nilang makita how i am a stronger businessman because of my commitment to you as my girlfriend. you're an added factor.

hmmm bola! what perspective would be different? you're name is already established in the business game, ano pa ang idadagdag ko dun as your pretend girlfriend?

i'd be glad to explain. yes, my name made a mark in this industry although, me being in a committed relationship will solidify that. it means that i can take care of my personal life to be adequated to how i can commit to my business engagement. it means i can take care of someone other than business.

aahhh gets ko na! so how do you want me to play later on? extra clingy girlfriend peg or strong-willed woman?

up until now she never failed to mesmerize me. i love how comfortable she is and how well our friendship is moving.

you don't need to pretend. i just want you to show them the real you. act natural.

ahhh so clingy girlfriend it is

she then laughed and pinched my cheeks which is becoming a habit of her na gustong-gusto ko naman. everytime she does that my heart always melts.

wala ngang pretentions

kaya nga! oh di ba clingy naman talaga ako sayo? hindi nga ako makapag-grocery ng wala ka.

i smiled at that. totoo naman. she tends to be clingy pero malambing clingy type. and i will never complain.

sus! bolera ka talaga. ano na naman ang gusto mo?

huy wala ha!

oh come on nico... spill

bigla siyang ngumuso at nagpuppy eyes. yung puso ko halos malaglag na naman.

ehhh... kasi...

kasiii...??? come one french fries

syempre boracay yung pupuntahan natin. so may dagat....

and....????

gusto ko sana magswimming mamaya. kahit na one hour lang...

i pinched her nose and kissed her forehead

french fries kagagaling mo lang sa lagnat eh.

she pouted more. she really knows how to get me. so there i am ready to compromise.

ok ganito na lang. today hindi muna but we will extend another day para sa wednesday makapag-beach ka. ok na po?

but— but monday pa lang... two days pa? langoy na langoy na ko eh! bukas nuggets... pleaaassse??? magaling na po ako oh! ang galing kasi mag-alaga nung personal doctor ko! tomorrow na lang.... habang nasa meeting ka

ayan na naman. nag-compromise na hihirit pa. haaay, may payakap pa yan at pagsiksik sa leeg ko.

ok sige papayag ako tomorrow

ang bait talaga ng nuggets ko!!!

yang mga yakap na yan pamatay talaga. paano pa ba ako hihindi.

but—

eh bakit may but?

dalawa lang. first kelangan til tomorrow morning wala ka ng sinat. and you will go swimming after my meeting. with me

done!

and then she giggled and kissed my cheeks. oh pano na? talo na naman ako? pagdating talaga kay nico lahat ibibigay ko. para sa araw. para sa araw na buong mundo ko.

thank you nuggets! the best ka talaga!

bolera! and by the way, we only have one villa, fully-booked na daw kasi yung hotel. sa room ka na lang, sa living area na ako

why?

sorry, fully-boo—

no! i mean bakit ka sa living area? may room di ba?

single-bedroom villa lang nakuha ni leo eh.

ayaw mo akong katabi?

and with that i lost my senses. kung pwede nga lang gabi-gabi eh. kahit ilang novena ang katapat ng pagpipigil na wag matukso.

huuyy! hindi sa ganun. gusto kitang katabi hindi ko lang alam kung ok sayo.

why would i not be? you keep away my nightmares. pag katabi kita para kang superhero natatakot yung mga bad dreams ko sayo.

and that made my heart swell with so much joy. feeling ko daig ko si ironman.

alam mo ikaw ang galing mo na mambola.

hindi kaya kita binobola. so tabi mo na ako mamaya?

basta gusto ng french fries ko

and then she clapped her hands and gave me her sweet smile. eto lang talaga masaya na ko.

o dali na balik na tayo sa kwento mo.

anong kwento?

your exes. kala mo malulusutan mo ko. let's start with ex number 1

that would be gian, high school. puppy love. it lasted for barely three months. we broke up kasi we felt we're too young to handle a relationship. it was an amicable decision and we remained friends. she's married now with three kids.

ok. number 2

that's bianca, she became my confidante nung nagalit ako sa mundo. my shoulder to cry on. when we stepped into college, we both took up architecture by the way, i realized i didn't love her, turns out that time she was a constant person in my life. i'd say she was the most comfortable person for me that time of which i mistook as love. i broke up with her because i don't want to be unfair. it didn't turn out well.

what happened?

i designed my dream house during the times na nagloloko si dad. i find peace in creating that design. it kept me going and sane despite my rebellion. before the start of second year i switched course, somehow i lost my drive. when we broke up, i didn't know she took those plates. before she left for europe she handed me a letter where she told me she has the design and as a way of getting back to me she'll have it built and promised i can never have it. not unless i get back with her.

ahhh obsessed! sigurado ka ba na nasa europe pa siya? baka mamaya nasa cebu yan may bigla na lang sumabunot sa kin ha

i will never let that happen. no one can hurt you as long as you're with me.

uyyy sobrang serious naman. joke lang kasi yun. wag na po kunot yung noo mo.

i sighed. her safety has never been a joke for me. anything and everything that would and might cause her pain, i'd definitely shield her from those.

ayoko lang isipin mo na papabayaan kita.

hinawakan nya ang aking mga kamay at ngumiti.

sorry kung na-upset ka sa joke ko... but i want to let you know, you've never failed on making me feel safe. i'll always, always trust you with my life. smile ka na please...

and then she did her puppy eyes again. sabi ko nga, yun lang sapat na. her smiles are enough to comfort me. so i leaned in and kissed her forehead.

thank you for trusting

o game na, ex number three

ang bilis talaga ng transition mo noh? but to answer, your bestfriend and i bet you know the story.

let's move on to your flings then

yun lang... i can't remember

hahahaha grabe ka dun!

hey can you blame me for one date gone bad that i can't remember? and i know that smirk ms. mendoza, the flings i'm talking about, i never slept with them

hala wala naman akong sinabi!

hay naku that smirk is a dead give away! bully!

i pinched her nose and smiled at her. ganito lang naman kami masaya na ko. ito lang muna sa ngayon. she was about to say something but then the captain announced the final descend. we're about to land at caticlan. she looked down and smiled when she saw the panoramic view of the island.

nuggets?

hmmm?

thank you for bringing me here

you're welcome. kahit na puro ka pa protesta nung una. i knew you'll like the place

i promise from now on hindi na ako kokontra...

very good then. next week, we'll be leaving for bohol...

****************

note: this timeline would be around three months
after the party wherein alex announced that
they are a couple