‘Marga..’ tawag sa’kin ni Gino na naka-unan sa lap ko. Hehe..ang siste, andito pala kami sa kuwarto niya kasi maglalaro siya ng video games. Kaloka,nagmukha na naman akong engot kanina. Ayan, na-sermunan tuloy ako ni Gino at pinagsabihan na madumi daw ang isip ko. Kakapanood ko daw kasi ng mga love story at kakasunod dun sa mga love-team ek-ek. I so hate it talaga when he calls it love-team ek-ek.

‘Hmmm..be quiet okay?’ tinakpan ko ng kamay ko ang bibig ni Gino. Ina-abangan ko kaya yung JuliElmo, may guesting sila ngayon sa Eat Bulaga.

Tinanggal niya ang kamay ko sa bibig niya ‘What are you watching? I thought you still have to go to school’

‘Tsk, school? Haler.. kanina pa kita yinayaya na ihatid ako, late na kaya ako, saka yung uniform ko crumpled na’ kung maka-unan naman kasi si Gino daig ko pa ang unan. ‘Besides, I’m waiting for JuliElmo they’re performing today’

‘Gross..may napapala ka ba diyan sa kakapanood mo niyan?’

‘Mas gross ka, baduy, di mo ba alam sila ang hottest love team in the universe?!’ IKR, eksaherada talaga ko. Hehe.. ‘Saka nakakakilig kaya sila’

‘Mas kinikilig ka pa sa kanila kesa sa’kin?’

Hm? Medyo natigilan ako dun, tiningnan ko siya na naghihintay pala ng sagot ko. ‘Seryoso ka ba?’

‘I am’ binalik ang tingin sa linalaro niya.

‘Aysus, seriously, nagse-selos ka ba kay Elmo?’ Haha..parang tae lang noh? Pinagse-selosan niya yun?? Haler?

At hindi daw sumagot yung kausap ko. He just shrugged and continued playing. Kilala ko na ito si Gino eh, he’s too good to be caught in such a ‘cheesy’ situation. Madalas nga yung mga lambing niya dinadaan pa niya sa pagsusuplado.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa TV since Julie and Elmo are performing na.

‘And if I said yes?’ biglang nagsalita

So tanong-tanongan peg kami ngayon?

‘Why would you be jealous of him?’

‘Eh ikaw, bakit ka ba nagse-selos noon kay Carol?’

So tanong-tanongan talaga kami.

‘Well..’ nag-isip ako ‘..because, I hate it when you smile at her tapos feeling concerned ka pa sa kaniya. I should be the only reason you smile.’ piningot ko siya, ang sarap kasi paglaruan ng ear lobes niya.

‘Tsk, smile lang nagselos ka na? Ikaw nga kung makatili ka diyan kulang na lang halikan mo yung linalakaran niya. Saka yung room mo ang lalaki ng poster niya tapos ako isang 5R photo lang sa may bedside table mo’

Ang ikli nung tanong ko, nobela ang sagot. Pero naloloka naman ako kay Gino, itsurang varsity player pero tanda yung mga poster ko dun sa room at yung nag-iisang 5R photo niya on top of it pinagseselosan si pogi who doesn’t even know I exist.

‘Sus, pasalamat ka nga 5R di wallet size..haha’

‘Not funny Marga’

Bigla tuloy akong tumigil sa pagtawa at tiningnan si Gino. Poor Gino, nagtampurorot dahil kay Elmo boy.

‘Why do you even drool over him in the first place? He’s just like anybody else, I’m way better than him..’

Wow..haba ng hair ko ah.

Bumangon si Gino at naupo sa tabi ko, then he pulled me to sit in his lap.

‘Let me tell you this, ngayon ko lang to sasabihin ah, di ko na uulitin so hear me out. Wag paulit-ulit, di ako unli..’

Hehe..comedian? Pero I’m starting to feel nervous about what he is about to say, ang seryoso kasi ng mukha niya. Alam niyo naman itong si Gino, unpredictable, kahit once di ko pa nabasa isip niya.

‘I may not be as handsome as he is…’

Kasi mas guwapo nga siya kay Elmo..para sa’kin..hehe, wag niyo kong batuhin, walang-basagan ng trip!

I can’t help but smile as he started to speak.

‘I may not be that good when it comes to showing how much I love you..

Trudis!

’..nor I am your ideal leading man in your favorite romantic movie. Pero mahal na mahal na mahal kita..’

With emphasis sa tatlong mahal, at 3 kasi sakto for I love you. #alammoyan

’..I’ll do everything under heaven and earth to be the man who deserves your love. And to answer your question a while ago, I love you cause you’re the craziest girl I’ve ever met and your craziness makes me crazy about you. Your unique, one of a kind, hindi pirated..

so DVD ako?

’..and whatever you’ll become, will never, ever stop me from wanting you and loving you.’

Yinakap niya ko, pahigpit ng pahigpit and then he whispered

‘I love you so much Marga, you just don’t know how happy and blessed I am to have you.’

I was like ‘nganga’ while listening to him. But eventually hindi ko napigilang maluha, I was touched by how sincere he said those words to me. He isn’t really good in showing his feeling lalo na talking about it. I know he made an effort to say those stuff to me. And really, punong-puno ng kilig yung buong katawan ko, from head to toe. Hehe..

*Sniff

‘Oh, why are you crying?’ he wiped my eyes with his hands. ‘Don’t you like what I said?’

‘Ikaw kasi..’ hinampas ko siya sa dibdib ‘nakaka-inis ka, may pa-ganyan-ganyan ka pa..’

‘Tsk, what the hell!’ ayaw na ayaw niya talaga ng emotional scenes. Yinakap niya muli ako.

‘Thank you Gino..thank you talaga’ that’s all I can say, what else can I say? Ako naman itong si madaldal pero pag mga ganitong situation walang maisagot na matino. #akonatalaga ‘Gino..’ kumalas ako sa yakap at tinitigan ko siya.

‘I love you beh’

Corny ko no? Hehe..I can’t think of anything appropriate to tell him but exactly what I feel for him.

‘Don’t call me that please’

Ang arte talaga.

‘But you’re my baby’ I insisted.

‘But I don’t like it, it’s like jologs’

‘Ok, whatever basta..I.love.you.’

Unti-unti siyang ngumiti and his face lighten up. Bihira lang lumabas yang ganyang mga ngiti kaya pag nakita ko yun I know he’s so happy. At yun ang importante, he is happy with me.

‘Alam ko..’

Yabang talaga.

‘Kahit na ngayon mo lang yan sinabi sa’kin.’

‘Ha? Ngayon lang ba?’

‘Ngayon lang po’

‘But I th…’ hindi ko na natapos yung sasabihin ko, he covered my mouth with his. It was a soft and slow kiss full of emotions.

‘I’m gonna love you more than you love me.’ he said after ending the kiss.

I saw him getting something in his pocket. A small box..

Ow Em…please don’t tell me he’s gonna..

Proposed???

Hindi pa ko handa..promise baka mapa-oo ako nito.

‘What.. is… that?’ nauutal ako.

It’s indeed a ring..

He took one ‘It’s a promise ring, not engagement ring nor wedding ring..’

Aw, kala ko mag-propose na siya sa’kin..hehe.

He took my hand and put it on the third finger of my left hand. ‘There, looks good’

‘So what does this ring promises?’ I asked while looking closely at the ring I am wearing.

Pointing at the engraving at the inside of the ring. ‘Gino & Marga - My future & forever’ He read it aloud. ‘So every time you look at this ring, maalala mo you’ turo sa’kin ‘and I have a future and forever together. Got that?’

I nodded and took the other ring and put it in the third finger of his left hand too.

‘What do you think?’ I asked looking at our holding hands.

‘Perfect!’ stealing a hot kiss again. Hmmm..a habit of his that I love. :))

‘What if mag-break tayo?’ lalungs naisip ko lang di ba? Posible kaya yun.

He rolled his eyes showing impatience ‘What a question Marga..seriously, do you think of that happening to us?’

Ayan, na-badtrip tuloy si Gino my love.

‘Joke, eto naman.’ kurot ko sa pisngi niya.

‘Whatever, it’s not funny’ touching my hair. ‘I don’t want that to happen to us, huh?’

‘Okay, you said it!’ ako naman ngayon ang nag-smack. Promise, I’m gonna make this my habit na. :)

‘Promise?’

‘Promise’ Giving him chicken kisses on his face.

‘Seryoso?’

‘Seryoso nga’ di pa rin ako tumigil sa ginagawa ko.

‘Margaa…!’ sigaw ni Gino.

Di pa rin ako tumigil.

‘You’re not listening’ pushing me.

‘I am listening..’ pero di pa rin ako tumitigil sa paghalik sa kaniya kung saan-saan.

‘Stop it. Nakikiliti ako!’

Ngayon pa lang looking forward na ako dun sa future and forever na I’m gonna spend with him. Puno ng asaran, kulitan, away, bati, tawanan..pero higit sa lahat punong-puno, umaapaw at saksakan ng pagmamahalan.

‘…birdbrain, for pete’s sake I said stop it..ang kulit mo talaga!!!’ 

That’s my Gino screaming.. promise I’ll never get tired hearing him shout. :)

(AN: Sorry, waley akong nahanap na orange and blue ring.)