Chapter Seven

Happy

Giniya niya ako sa sasakyan niya at pinagbuksan ng pinto sa shotgun seat. Marahan akong pumasok doon at umupo. Umikot na rin siya papasok sa driver's seat pagkatapos. His car is tinted. Siya na ang nagkabit ng seatbelt sa akin nang nakapasok siya at hindi agad ako nakagalaw.

Humawak na siya sa manibela. Sinulyapan niya pa ang mga bulaklak sa lap ko. He started driving. "Sa'n galing 'yan?" he asked, referring to the flowers.

Saglit din bumaba ang tingin ko sa aking kandungan. "Uh, bigay 'to sa 'kin ni Sir Bernard..."

Mabilis niya akong sinulyapan. Nanibago ako sa mood niya. "That Bernard again?" mukha siyang galit o naiinis.

I nodded. "Oo..."

I saw his jaw clenched.

Tahimik na kami hanggang makarating sa bahay. Nauna na akong bumaba sa kotse niya para mapagbuksan siya ng gate at makapasok. He parked his car in my yard. Sakto lang din ito doon. Hinintay ko siyang makalabas sa kotse niya at pumasok na rin kami sa bahay.

"Why did he gave you those flowers?" he asked. He was serious.

Parang kinabahan naman ako. "Nagpaalam siyang liligawan ako..."

"When?"

"Noong isang araw lang..."

He looked like he was gritting his teeth. He looked away. "Pumayag ka?"

Marahan akong umiling. "Hindi pa..."

He looked at me again. "Pa? So, papayag ka? Magpapaligaw ka sa kaniya?"

I was looking at him. Ilang sandaling nakatingin lang kami sa isa't isa. Until I spoke. I let out all the thoughts that's been bothering me. "Oo, Jake." I said, looking at him straight in the eyes.

His lips parted and his jaw clenched.

"I realized... ayaw ko na pala sa ganito, Jake. Sa ano'ng meron tayo. Gusto ko na pala ng seryosong relasyon. Iyong may assurance. I want a future, Jake. I want to get married, too, and have children, gaya sa mga kaibigan ko. Gusto kong bumuo ng sarili kong pamilya. I'd been longing for it..." amin ko. I shook my head. "And this thing we have? Only good while is lasted... Ayoko na sa ganito, Jake-" natigilan ako nang nakita ang mga mata niya.

His eyes were bloodshot. Mine went wide as I was looking at him. "Jake..."

"That's what you want?" he asked and I wasn't able to answer immediately because I was still shocked to see him at the verge of crying... He went closer to me. We stood there facing each other. Nasa sala kami ng bahay. "Then let's have a relationship that you want!"

I think my jaw dropped. I wasn't expecting that. "J-Jake-" I stuttered.

"I'm serious, Lou. Let's be boyfriend and girlfriend." he said it with finality. 'Tapos kinuha niya sa 'kin ang bouquet na hindi ko pa nalalapag. "I'll be back." paalam niya.

"Saan ka pupunta, Jake? Teka, ang mga bulaklak, saan mo 'yan dadalhin?" But I received no answer.

He left the house. I tried calling his phone but he wouldn't pick it up. Buntong-hininga nalang akong napaupo sa sofa at hinintay nalang siya na makabalik. He said he would be back.

Nang nakabalik nga siya ay agad akong napatayo. Our eyes met. "Jake,"

"Here," inabot niya sa 'kin ang mas malaking bouquet at mukhang mas mamahalin at iba-iba ang mga bulaklak na naroon.

I looked at him. "Jake..."

"I can give you a better bouquet." he said.

"S-Saan mo dinala 'yong bigay ni Bernard-"

"Throw it."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Ano? Jake!-" Tinapon niya?

"From now on you cannot anymore accept flowers from any man aside from me. More so they can't court you."

Wow.

Wala akong nasabi.

"I can court you." he said, looking at me. And then he sighed. "I have never courted any girl before... but I will now."

Tinikom ko ang naawang na labi. "Jake," I sighed.

Nilapitan pa niya ako at hinawakan. "Tell me, do you like me, Lou?"

Umawang muli ang labi ko sa tanong niya. Unti-unti akong tumango. I can feel my face heating.

This time he smiled. Gone was his bad mood earlier. "Good. Because I like you, too, baby." he said.

Umawang pa rin ang labi ko. Pakiramdam ko biglang-bigla ako sa araw na ito. Parang unti-unti na rin nawawala ang mga pagdududa ko. "Jake," I sighed. And then I gasped when he suddenly kissed my lips. Nanlaki nalang ang mga mata ko bago napapikit.

"I missed you so much 'tapos 'yon ang maabutan ko? You just hurt me, love." he murmured against my lips.

Nang pakawalan niya ang mga labi ko nagkatinginan kami. "I'm sorry, I was jealous..." he said.

"S-Sorry," I was stuttering in front of him again.

He smiled as he was looking at me and then we resumed kissing. Na-miss ko rin siya.

We ended in bed. I was above him moving up and down his proud length. My hands were pressed against his torso. I was moaning...

"Ah! Shit! Jake!" napapamura na ako sa sarap.

I continued doing that until I felt myself came. Pinagpalit niya ang posisyon namin making him the one on top. He thrust in and out sloppily. He didn't stop until he spilled his heat inside me. We were both panting and sweating after our delicious activity...

"Teacher din si Lola." I smiled.

"Kaya ba teacher ka rin?" Jake asked beside me.

I nodded. And I like teaching, too.

Nakatingin ako sa pangalan ni Lola doon, Maria V. Cañete. Binisita namin siya sa sementeryo at kasama ko si Jake. Siya rin ang naglapag ng dala naming bulaklak doon at nagsindi ako ng kandila. Sandali kong kinausap ang Lola at pinakilala na rin sa kaniya si Jake. "I will take care of your granddaughter, Lola." he said.

Nagkatinginan kami at ngumiti rin ako sa kaniya.

Magkahawak kamay kaming bumalik sa sasakyan niya pagkatapos.

* * *

"Hindi ko na matatanggap, Sir..." tinanggihan ko ang isa pa sanang bouquet na naman na ibibigay sa akin ni Sir Guinto.

Umawang ang labi niya. I felt guilty. It felt bad. Napaasa ko na ba siya? He didn't deserve it. "I'm sorry," hingi ko ng paumanhin.

"Bakit, Ma'am?" he asked.

"May... boyfriend na ako." marahan kong sinabi.

Unti-unti siyang tumango at pilit na ngumiti ng tipid. "Iyong sinabi ng mga estudyante?"

I nodded. "Kasasagot ko lang sa kaniya."

He nodded again. 'Tapos tumalikod na siya.

Nakagat ko nalang ang labi. I felt bad for him. I just wished him to meet the girl for him. Mabuting tao naman si Sir Bernard. Everyone deserves to have their right pair, right? Dati ko rin inisip na baka walang para sa akin. But then Jake came... I can't help but smile.

We had a dinner date at Monbase Seafood Restaurant. Nagustuhan din ni Jake ang mga pagkaing sini-serve nila roon, plus the good view. Ako ang nagdala sa kaniya roon and the Restaurant really serves good food. Una akong nakapunta rito kasama ang mga kaibigan.

"Masarap?" I asked him at halatang nasarapan siya sa mga in-order namin.

He nodded, satisfied. "Pero mas masarap ka." he smirked naughtily.

I automatically blushed at his remark. Napatingin ako sa paligid namin at mukhang wala namang nakarinig sa sinabi niya. Bahagya ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin. He only chuckled a bit. Mukhang natutuwa pa. I just sighed.

At dahil nadala na nga rin niya ang kotse niya ay nakapamasyal na rin kami sa Bacolod. We visited The Ruins in Talisay. "You know the history? Don Mariano built this mansion in memory of his wife..." kuwento ko kay Jake sa tabi ko habang nagtitingin kami sa paligid.

"Like the Taj Mahal of India? It was also built in the memory of Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She died while giving birth to their 14th child."

I nodded. "Don Mariano's wife, Maria Braga Lacson, also died during the birth of their eleventh child..."

I sighed. "Nakakalungkot... pero nakakamangha rin ang pagmamahal nila para sa kanilang asawa." I said with a smile.

Bahagyang pinisil ni Jake ang kamay kong hawak niya. I looked at him. Nagpatuloy ang ngiti sa mga labi ko. Inabot niya ang noo ko para mahagkan.

Kumain na rin kami sa restaurant doon. And we took photos together. Kinunan din namin ng pictures ang isa't isa. Magaling kumuha ng pictures si Jake samantalang iyong mga kuha ko sa kaniya ay hindi gaanong maganda. But he said it's okay, so...

Nag-shopping din kami sa SM City Bacolod. Wala akong ginastos sa lakad namin ni Jake. Ayaw niyang tanggapin ang pera ko. He noticed my mood so he let me pay for our early dinner sa mall lang din before we went home. Gabi na nang nakarating kami sa bahay.

And we still had the energy to fuck each other after a long day out. Walang kapaguran si Jake. At ako naman nakayanan pang sumabay. I was already enjoying sex. I think I am getting addicted to it, too.

* * *

Kung saan na naman ako dinala ni Jake. "Saan ba talaga tayo pupunta, Jake?" I kept on asking.

Hindi niya pa kasi sinasabi sa akin. Surprise siguro. Napapangiti nalang ako. Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan na kami basta tumigil nalang kami at sa harap namin ay ang isang maliit na plane, probably for two to three passengers only. Namangha ako! I turned to him. "Jake?"

He gave me a soft smile and then put some loose strands of hair behind my ear. "You said you've never been to Boracay, yes?" I nodded. "You were supposed to go there with your friends but you got busy with work so hindi ka na nakasama noon sa mga kaibigan mo." He took my hand. "I'm bringing you there now." aniya.

"Jake..." I think I didn't know what to say. He never failed to make me speechless sometime.

After inspecting the aircraft pumasok na kami. Inalalayan niya ako. Siya rin ang nagkabit ng seatbelt ko at headset. And then he also wore his. I inhaled and exhaled. Hindi ko rin naman ito first time sumakay ng eroplano.

Jake said something on the headset. Siya ang magiging Piloto nitong sasakyan namin! Naalala ko nga na sinabi niya sa aking he can fly an aircraft. I got excited to see him maneuver this!

Unti-unti na rin umangat sa ere ang sinakyan namin. Amazement was written all over my face as I looked out the window. I looked down below us. I looked at the clouds... And then I looked at Jake. Mula sa controls ay tumingin siya sa akin. He gave me a smile. Ngumiti rin ako.

Naalala ko iyong scene ni Christian at Anastasia sa novel ni E. L. James, sa nangyayari sa amin ni Jake. I can feel myself blushing thinking of Juan Karlos Montañez also tying and blindfolding me. I think I'm getting naughty and naughty with Jake.

We spent our weekend in Boracay. Nakapunta na rin ako sa lugar. It was my first time to be in the place and I was with Jake. "Thank you, Jake... You make me so happy!" I genuinely told him.

"You make me happy too, love." he said.

Nakatingin kami sa isa't isa. Parehong may ngiti sa mga labi. I felt like I was so happy. Nakakatakot... Minsan kasi kapag pakiramdam mo sobrang saya mo hindi mo rin maiwasan na mag-isip ng negatibo. Baka kasunod ng saya ay luha na naman. Minsan nakakatakot din maging sobrang saya o kahit masaya lang...