27: Best Part

Max

I THREW a glance at where Bea and her crazy annoying friends were sitting when I heard them scream. I shook my head and continuously watched them from where I was standing. They're talking loudly and assaulting Bea as if she did something terrible to them.

Does their friendship work in that way? I don't understand many things yet, or maybe I am too focused on studying and business back then?

Why do they keep on pulling Bea's hair, pinching her arm and waist?

Inalok ako ng maiinom ni Claudel na tinanggihan ko naman. I need to stay sober in times like this. Hindi pwedeng sabay kaming malasing ni Bea ngayon gabi. Hindi nawaglit sa gawi ni Bea ang tingin ko at kanina ko pa siya gustong lapitan.

"So hindi na aalis si Bea, boss?" Tanong sa akin ni Claudel.

"Yes, inaayos ko na ang petition papers niya at kasal namin." Sinipat ko ang tattoo na singsing na pina-lagay namin noon nasa Los Angeles kami.

It was unexpected.

Sinabi niyang hindi siya aalis kaya hindi na ako nag-aksaya pa ng oras at ginawa ang isang bagay na hindi ko nagawa noon sa ibang mga nakarelasyon ko na.

Bea is different. Everything about me, Bea, and our relationship was different and unexpectedly beautiful.

"Seryoso ka na talaga, boss," Claudel said which made me look at him.

I smiled at him.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Bea. She and her friends were there for over two hours now. Dumadami na ang tao sa Elixir at nag-uumpisa na maging hyper ang ilan dahil sa alak. The music around me is getting louder. It's hard to understand what other people around me are saying.

Indistinctive chattering everywhere.

Loud curses.

Shouting.

"I guess, you can say that I finally found my match."

A perfect match.

"Paano kung maisipan niya pa din na umalis? Alam naman kasi natin pareho na malungkot dito." I shook my head.

I know that as long as we're together, Bea will be happy. Being in a foreign land for a long time made me realize many things. But, as long as you're with the one you love everything will be just fine.

"She'll get used to the life I have here." I am one hundred percent sure of that.

"Paano kung hindi, boss?" Natigilan ako. Paano nga ba ang gagawin kung hindi makaya ni Bea ang buhay dito?

I sigh deeply.

"Kaya niya, kaya namin. As long as we're together, we can."

I excused myself by tapping Claudel's shoulder and went down. Kasama ko si Claudel sa second floor ng Elixir at may pinag-uusapan kami tungkol sa nalalapit na launch ng branch sa Crowne Plaza Hotel and Resorts. Ready na ang lahat doon na ilang linggo ko na din tina-trabaho na nagsimula pagbalik namin ni Bea galing LA. She's living with me in our apartment but I haven't shown her the gift that I bought weeks ago.

Maybe, this gift can really make her stay here forever.

Paglapit ko na-tahimik sina Del at Gwy at nagkatinginan pa. Thalia's reaction was neutral and it's already expected. No wonder why Chris is curious about her.

I placed a bottle of water in front of Bea who's already drunk.

"Thank you!" she said, inclining her head and blinking her eyes like the little kid from the movie she watched two days ago, who's very much in love with a unicorn.

Del and Gwy crumpled tissue and threw it to Bea which made my girl scowl at them. All three of them stood up and that alarms Bea and stood up also.

"Mamaya na kayo umalis." Narinig kong pigil niya sa mga kaibigan.

"We have work, Bea. Bukas na lang ulit o sa susunod na araw." sabi ni Gwy.

Sinamahan ni Bea yung tatlo niyang kaibigan palabas ng Elixir at sinundan ko lang siya. Alam naman na ni Claudel kapag hindi niya ako mahanap sa paligid. Automatic na siya ang bahala na mag-sara sa Elixir at iyong accounting kasama na ang inventory sa umaga naman ginagawa.

I watched Bea as she bade goodbye to her friends before turning her back at me.

She smiled.

Mabilis siyang lumapit saka yumakap ng mahigpit.

"Shall we go home?" tanong ko sa kanya. I wrapped my arms around her waist.

Nang tumango siya, magkahawak kamay kaming naglakad paalis ng Elixir. Lagi namin itong ginagawa noong hindi pa ako busy sa preparasyon ng branch opening ng Elixir sa hotel ni Chris. Sabay kami umuwi na dalawa at matutulog.

Two weeks had already passed since our trip to Los Angeles happened. That trip brought us closer and we managed to get to know each other. It's like a new level of Bea's 'getting to know' scheme before.

I got to know her Lola Esme and I'm able to talk to her via Skype. Tinging ko naman nagustuhan niya ako... ng konti. Hindi ko na nga nagawang bilangin kung ilang beses sinabi ni Lola Esme na bata pa si Bea at may plano pa nga na mag-aral. Sinabi ni Bea yung plano na mag-stay at yung ginagawa kong paraan para ma-petition siya dito sa Brooklyn bilang paraan na din para malihis ang usapan. After the petition is done, Bea can invite her Lola here which is part of the original plan she have before coming to this place.

"Max..." Huminto kami sa paglakad dalawa. I faced Bea and waited 'till she voiced out what she's going to say. "Wala pala." Ngumiti siya sa 'kin. Akto siya na lalakad ulit ngunit napigilan ko.

"What is it?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Wala 'yun. Tara na, uwi na tayo." My forehead slightly creased.

Alcohol effect, maybe...

"You can always tell me everything, Bea."

"Alam ko. Tara na at umuwi." Ulit pa niya. Hinila niya ako para maglakad kami ulit.

While walking, we kept on talking about the things we notice about the people around us. It's like a habit now since Bea came into my life. Hindi naman ako ganito ka-tsismoso dati at talagang wala akong pakialam sa mga tao sa paligid ko. It all started when Bea came and instantly changed the game I am playing.

"Are you happy, Bea?" Tanong ko ng bumitaw siya at umikot-ikot sa poste ng ilaw na pareho naming hinintuan. We're outside of the apartment building but we choose to stay here, to watch the stars and the moon.

"On a scale of one to ten?" I nodded. "Hmm, eight."

"Why eight?"

She could've said nine and I will completely understand why she chose that number instead of eight. The past few weeks I became busy and we only see each other at night. Madalas hindi pa nga dahil tulog na siya at ang tanging nagawa ko lang ay halikan ang noo niya o gilid ng kanyang labi. I didn't take Bea home just to make her always wait for me and I want to make it with her once again.

"Na-mi-miss ko si Lola... pati ikaw." Huminto siya sa pag-ikot sa poste at tumingin sa aking mga mata At ngumiti. "Naiintindihan ko na busy ka at ginagawa-an mo ng paraan yung kay Lola. Willing to wait naman ako gaya sa paghihintay ko na magkaroon ng tigh part sa Jollibee."

I chuckled. "Do you want to eat there now? Pang-alis ng kalasingan mo,"

"Hindi ako lasing. Ganito talaga kulay ko, namumula." Giit niya sa akin. "Malayo yung Jollibee dito at gabi na baka mamaya sarado na 'yun."

Sinipat ko orasan na suot. May isang oras at kalahati pa na natitira bago mag-sara yung Jollibee na malapit sa Time Square.

"Tara na sa Jollibee." Pag-aya ko sa kanya.

"Seryoso ka ba? Baka hindi tayo umabot doon."

"Do you trust me?" I offered my hand in front of her which she accepted later on. Alam ko naman na may tiwala siya sa akin, hindi lang niya masyadong halata.

Magkahawak kamay naming tinalunton ang daan papuntang Clark St. at doon kami sumakay ng bus papuntang Time Square. I expected the traffic which was already a part of my New York life. Wala naman kaso sa akin iyon basta para kay Bea at si Jollibee ang nakaka-alis ng lungkot at pagka-miss sa Lola niya. Bea is the best part of me and I really want to make it with her.

The trip from Elixir to Time Square takes a half-hour dreadful ride since I can break Bea's trust. Kahit wala pa sa mismong bus stop at nagdesisyon na ako na bumaba na kaming dalawa. Nag-alangan pa si Bea noong una pero sinabi ko lang sa kanya na magtiwala sa akin na ginawa naman niya. We both ran the busy boroughs of 7th avenue & 41st street to our destination.

"Naabutan natin." Bulalas ni Bea saka huminga ng malalim.

New York doesn't have fresh air due to the vehicles stuck in the bad traffic that the city is currently experiencing.

I smiled at her.

Nilapitan niya ako at pinapa-lupot sa batok ko ang dalawang kamay.

"I told you, we can make it." Pareho kaming ngumiti at nagdesisyon na pumasok sa loob para mag-order.

Just like before, Bea almost ordered everything on the menu TV. Pwede naman i-take out yung matitira niya at kainin kinabukasan kaya hindi sayang. While waiting for our other order to come, Bea ate and I just watched her as she eats very well. Kahit sa apartment ganito siya kumain at masaya akong manood na ma-gana siya kahit na anong iahin sa kanyang harapan.

Lagi niyang sinasabi na hindi siya pinalaking pihikan ng kanyang Lola Esme. Bea has a mom but she never told me about the woman who gave birth to her. Ang alam ko lang ito ang dahilan kaya inatake si Lola Esme, yung pangunahing rason kaya naibenta niya ang singsing ko. Bea told me that she only has Lola Esme. That's why having Lola Esme by her side here in Brooklyn is a dream for Bea and me.

"Kumain ka huy at huwag mo ako panoorin lang," sita niya sa akin.

"Bea..." sambit ko sa pangalan niya.

"Hmm?" Bea responded while taking off the skin of the chicken she's eating. Pang finale daw iyon sabi niya sa akin kasama noong gravy na inuulam na din niya.

"May surprise ako sayo." Tumingin siya sa akin sandali bago muling binalik ang atensyon sa manok na kinakain. Inilabas ko sa panloob na bulsa ng suot kong coat ang titulo ng malaking bahay kung saan lagi ko siya hinahatid.

"Ano 'yan?" Tanong niya.

"Our new home." Simple ko na sagot. I showed her the address and her eyes widened up.

Impit siyang napatili. "Binili mo ang bahay na malaki?" Tumango ako bilang sagot.

"You're the best part of me and please know that I am trying everything I can just to fulfill my promise to you."

Huminga ako ng malalim at tumingin direcho sa mga mata niya.

"We'll make everything work for us here. I'll bring your Lola Esme and we'll live here together." Bea smiled once again. "Actually, to be honest, having you here is like a constant reminder that I have to slow down sometimes to make it with you. Just have faith in me, Bea."

Ngumiti siya at kumuha ng isang ply ng wet wipes na ginamit pamunas ng kamay bago hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"Susubukan ko na hindi ka ma-miss araw-araw kahit nasa isang lugar lang tayo. Yung sinabi ni Lola, huwag mo intindihin 'yun. Kapag naka-adjust na ako dito, pwede naman ako magtrabaho tapos mag-aral na din dito. Matutupad ko pa din ang pangarap niya na makatapos ako at hindi mo kailangan patunayan sarili mo sa kanya o sa akin."

"I'm lucky to have you, Bea."

"Hindi. Mas swerte ako kasi --"

I didn't let her finish what she's gonna say. I kissed her on the lips which made her gasp. Saglit lang 'yun at ang sumunod ay tinu-tugon na niya ang halik ko at wala kaming pakialam sa paligid. As we deepen the kiss we're sharing, it feels like we're transported to another world.

A world only for Bea and I.

The night is ours to cherish and let tomorrow worry for itself. Siya lang ang nais ko at hinding-hindi bibitiwan pa ang kamay niyang hawak ko...

☆☆☆

I decided to give this chapter now para sama-sama na bukas yung iba na pan-drama.