40 - First or True

RJ's POV

From Royalties Hotel until we reach our house, Charm never uttered even a single word. Kung kanina naiinis ako kasi hindi nya pinapansin ang mga text at calls ko, mas nakakainis pala na personal syang hindi namamansin. She did not event join us for dinner at sinabing nabusog na sya sa food tasting. I was silent during Celestine's bedtime stories and prefers to just stay with her kahit hindi nya talaga ako kinakausap.

When she went straight to our room after Celestine's bedtime story that's the time I decided to talk to her. Obviously, iniiwasan nya ako because she skipped going into the family room to watch our favorite TV program with me.

"Are you mad at me Meng? May nagawa ba akong hindi mo nagustuhan?" I asked.

"Pagod lang ako Faulkerson, Jr. gusto ko nang magpahinga." She replied.

"There is something you are not telling me." I insisted.

"Mahirap bang maintindihan na pagod lang ako? Ano bang sinasabi mong may dapat akong sabihin sa iyo?" She gloomily said.

"May monthly period ka ba kaya ganyan ka kasungit?" I asked.

"Wala kang pakialaman." She fiercely replied.

"Kausapin mo muna ako please. Kagabi mo pa ako hindi pinapansin." I said calmly. "What have I done wrong? Sabihin mo kasi para alam ko." I said.

"What's the point of telling you pero hindi ka naman naniniwala sa sagot ko. Simula ngayon wag mo na akong pinagkakausap at nasasayang lang ang oras ko sa iyo." She said. Though she is beginning to speak up but the more I am getting confused with her replies.

"So hindi lang ito simpleng pagsusungit dahil sa monthly period. Nagagalit ka talaga sa akin." I concluded. "Don't you think I deserve to know why? You already judged me without even hearing my explanation to whatever is the reason of that anger. Hoy Menggay, pahingi naman ng konti oras, magpapaliwanag lang ako. You know me, hindi kita titigilan hangga't hindi mo ako kinakausap." I threatens and continuously poking her

"Ang kulit mo Faulkerson, Jr." She irritably said.

"At may mas ikukulit pa ako, kapag hindi mo ako kinausap." I said. "Kaya para makapagpahinga ka ng matiwasay, sabihin mo na sa akin bakit ka nagagalit sa akin." I asked.

"I hate it when you don't trust my judgement." She said

"So this is about the reservations in Royalties Hotel." I said. "It is not true that I don't trust your judgement." I stated.

"I told you not to come, but you insisted." She said.

"Moral support lang naman ako. You were very upset last night nung nalaman mong mag-isa ka lang na pupunta sa Royalties Hotel. I even offered to come with you but you started to be grumpy. I don't want you to feel alone, specially now na first time mo to organize a family dinner. I want you to feel my presence and think I am supporting you on this, that's why I insisted to come with you." I explained.

"Ewan ko sa yo, bolahin mo lelang mo. Nung nag-offer ng bagong set for food tasting nakita ko natuwa ka." She said.

"Syempre naman, libreng food kaya yun. Royalties Hotel is also known for their good food, sayang naman kung tatangihan ko." I said.

"Eh bakit pina-cancel mo pa? Sana pinatuloy mo na lang na i-serve para hindi na rin ako sinisi nung Ellie na yun na hindi man lang kita hinintay before I decide. If you guys don't believe in my judgement then magsama-sama na lang kayo. Ano ba ang laban ko dun eh first love mo nga yun di ba, sino ba naman ako, isang hamak na kaibigan mo lang, natural kakampihan mo yun." She continue ranting.

"Masyado kang naman judgemental, mas lamang naman ang true love kesa sa first love, kaya mas lamang ka." I said.

She paused for a while before she said, "Gago ka."

"Tutoo nga, true love kita eh, therefore hindi kita ipagpapalit kung sa first love ko lang naman." I said.

She throws a fierce stare at me and said, "Gago ka ulit."

"You are getting used on cursing me, pasalamat ka mahal talaga kita." I declared.

"Umayos ka ng salita Faulkerson, Jr. baka maniwala ako sa yo, hindi mo 'ko kayanin." She said.

"Eh di maniwala ka, tutoo naman ang sinasabi ko eh." I sincerely said.

"Matulog ka na, bukas paggising mo wala na yan." She said.

"Ganun lang, after all I've said, papatulugin mo lang ako? Wala ka man lang sasabihin?" I asked.

"Bakit ano pa ba ang dapat sabihin ko?" she asked

"At least tell me you feel the same. Pangarap ko kayang marinig galing sa yo na mahal mo rin ako, come on tell me, I promise I will not judge you." I said.

"May lakad ka ba at nagmamadali ka? O baka naman may taning na ang buhay mo. Kung tutoo yang sinasabi mo manligaw ka muna oy." She asked and I could not help but chuckles.

"Ngayon ka pa ba mag-iinarte eh nagpakasal ka na nga sa akin. Magkasama na nga tayo sa isang kwarto oh. Now tell me, sino ang maniniwalang wala tayong feelings sa isa't-isa?" I said.

"Wow ang taas ng level of confidence mo, wala kang ebidensya na may feelings ako sa yo, assuming ka Faulkerson, Jr." She said.

"Sus kaya pala halos saksakin mo na si Ellie kanina at ano ang ibig sabihin nyang cold treatment mo sa akin, nagsimula lang naman yan nung nakilala mo si Ellie kahapon. Do you think I did not see that? Selosa ka pala, but I like that." I confidently said.

"You wish! Matulog ka na nga, pressure lang sa work yan kaya parang may hallucination ka." She said and quickly laid in bed then covered herself with the sheets.

"Hoy teka lang wag mo akong tulugan, nag-uusap pa tayo eh." I said and I started poking her again.

"Ano pa ba ang gusto mo Faulkerson, Jr?" She asked as she removes the sheets covering her.

"Wag ka munang matulog, nag-uusap pa tayo eh. Ano na sagot mo sa sinabi ko?" I said

"Para kang tanga!" she said with conviction

"Nakakarami ka na Mendoza Girl, gusto ko lang naman ng maayos na sagot, magpapaligaw ka ba o hindi." I said.

"O sige na, para tumigil ka na, sige na." She said.

"Anong sige na? Anong ibig mong sabihin?" I asked.

"Pwede ka nang manligaw sa akin." She said, and she does not know how she made me very happy.

"Tutoo? Mahal mo na 'ko?" I excitedly uttered.

"Hoy teka lang, anong mahal agad, ligaw pa lang ang usapan ah." She objected.

"Tutoo ba yan? Hindi mo ko mahal? Bakit nagseselos ka kay Ellie? Kung may namatay sa masamang tingin malamang nakaburol na yung tao kanina pa" I asked.

"Enjoy na enjoy ka kasi." She said.

"Sabi ko na nga ba eh. Nagseselos ka nga talaga." I gladly said and I never thought I'll be this happy just thinking she already loves me, too. What more kung aaminin pa nya? "Sabi na eh, mahal mo na ko eh, umamin ka na Mendoza Girl dahil hindi kita titigilan hangga't hindi ka nagsasabi ng tutoo." I added.

"Medyo lang …." She replied.

"Medyo lang?????" I asked.

"Medyo lang na mahal na." She softly said but I was able to hear it clearly so I could not help but to jump for joy and quickly hugged her.

"Yes …. Tayo na!!!!!" I exclaimed.

"Hoy medyo pa lang yung sinabi ko, di ba liligaw ka pa, anong tayo na agad?" She said.

"Pareho din yun." I replied and immediately cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Sandali nga." She said then she pulls herself away from me. "Ano 'to bawat minuto may pangyayari? Atsaka wag ka ngang maingay baka marinig ka ni Celestine." She added.

"Sorry naman, excited lang eh." I said while throwing on the floor those pillows lined-up between us.

"Hoy anong ginagawa mo, bakit mo inaalis yung mga unan?" She exclaimed.

"Istorbo eh, I just want to hug you while asleep." I said.

"Sandali lang talaga, stop Faulkerson, Jr." She exclaimed again. "Pwede ba hinay-hinay lang, parang may taning na talaga ang buhay mo kung magmadali ka eh. Parang nag-aaway lang tayo kanina bakit ngayon, ganito na" She said.

"Bakit ayaw mo ba?" I asked.

"Pwedeng umayaw?" She asked in reply.

"Hindi, walang bawian dahil yung medyong sinasabi mo, gagawin kong buo at sigurado. Therefore, stop worrying, because those are nonsense anxieties. Walang dapat ikatakot. I love you, Mendoza Girl, at panghawakan mo yon dahil tutoong yan ang nararamdaman ko." I declared, though she did not reply, I know in her smile, she felt my sincerity.

"Pwede na ba tayong magpahinga?" I asked.

"O sige pero ibalik mo yung mga mga pillows." She said.

"Grabe sya, don't you trust me?" I asked and she just stares at me as if she wants to say something but afraid it would offend me. "Trust me Charm, walang akong gagawin sa yo na hindi mo gusto. I promise you that." I said.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep." She said.

"That's why I said I promise because I intend to keep it." I replied.

I hugged her as we laid on bed, I never thought I'll feel this much happiness in me, because I believe Charm and I are for each other. Hindi mangyayari ang lahat ng ito kung hindi kami ang itinadha para sa isa't-isa. We are meant to be with each other and the universe already told that us when we met five years ago. I contentedly closed my eyes to sleep when she suddenly speaks

"There is something I want to tell you." She said. Is this the part that I have been waiting for? Sasabihin na ba nya sa akin na ako ang daddy ni Celestine. If that happens gagawin kong pula sa kalendaryo ang araw na 'to sa tanang buhay ko.

"Go on, tell me" I said with so much anticipation

"I am attending the small dinner. I am ready to meet Patrick again." She said.

"What???? No way" I exclaimed.

"And why not?" She surprisely asked.

"Because hindi na kailangan, di ba ikaw na rin ang nagsabi na wala na kayong dapat pang pag-usapan?" I said.

"Wala naman akong sinabing mag-uusap kami. I said I am ready to meet him again, and FYI Faulkerson Jr., hindi mo ako mapipigilan" She said.

"I won't allow it" I firmly said.

"I'll said it again, you cannot stop me from attending the dinner Faulkerson, Jr., because if you do, dun ako matutulog sa kwarto ni Celestine." She firmly said, too.

"Matulog na tayo, bukas na natin yan pag-usapan." I said and closes my eyes even though I know I won't be able to sleep the whole night dahil sa sinabing ito ni Charm.