<center><h1>Mr.

So Wrong</h1></center>
<hr>
Every one dreams of a happy ever after, a fairytale love story, a love made in
heaven, a perfect love story...

Except for me...

I only want one thing...

And that is to find my Mr. Right...

A Mr. Right that will give me an eternal love story...

But what if, instead of Mr. Right, Mr. So Wrong comes along...

What would happen to my eternal love story?

<center><h1>Prologue: May day eve</h1></center>

<hr>
"Dandelia!"

I was really happy when I saw my Lolo Luis entered the living room. He was as good
looking as ever! Mom said that my Dad looked so much like my Lolo so when I look at
him; it's as if I could also see my dad. My dad, he passed away when I was very
young, I couldn't even remember any vivid memory of him, all I know was he used to
hold me really tight, he will sing until I fall asleep, that's the only memory of
him in my mind.

I am a proud Lolo's girl - I love my grandpa very much and I know in my heart that
he loves me too. As a matter of fact, I visit him every summer and every time I'm
at here his old house, he always tells me a story about how he met my Lola
Clarinda.

"Tell me that story again, Lolo." I said to him that night. I was sitting next to
him; we were at the living room and it was getting really late. It was the first
night of my vacation. Lolo looked at me and smiled.

"I wanna hear the story of how you met Lola..." I said again. Lolo looked at me
again, this time a hint of nostalgia was written all over his face. He put his arms
around my shoulder and faced me. He took a deep breath.

"It all started when I was twenty-five years old. Your Lola Clarinda was only
eighteen back then, and she looks just like you..."

"Only difference is I'm sixteen and Lola was eighteen back then..." I said still
smiling. I have heard this story for like a million times before and yet every time
Lolo starts to tell me this, I still can't help but to be excited.

"It was midnight and that grandfather's clock was ticking like crazy," He pointed
at the antique grandfather's clock at our left side. "I saw your Lola standing
there," He pointed to my right direction where the antique mirror can be found.
"She was holding a lighted candle on her right hand, her eyes were closed and she
was saying something...."

"Mirror of destiny, please show me the man I will love until eternity..." I said
the chant. I know it by heart - like I said, Lolo had told me this story for like a
million times and until know, I feel the excitement I felt when he first told me
this when I was only eight years old.
"Right, that chant." He smiled. "I came over to her and that was when she opened
her eyes and when she saw me standing on her right side, she smiled and said..."

"You are my eternity... And after that, Lola Clarinda fell in love with you and you
fell for her too, years later, you married her and after three years, Dad was
born..."

"Saulo na ng apo ako!" Lolo said, he was laughing so hard. I like to hear lolo's
laugh because when he's like that, it seems like he's not sad at all.

I know how sad he is for Lola Clarinda is not with him anymore. Lola passed away a
year ago and Lolo was so sad because his true love - his one great love left him
and he won't be able to see him anymore.

"Do you miss her?" I asked him. Lolo's smile faded. He just stared at me.

"I do miss her, but I know, wherever she is right now, she's happy. At saka apo,
hindi naman magtatagal, I'll be able to see her again..."

It was my turn to be sad. I really don't like it when he tells me that thing. I
moved closer to him and hugged him. I don't want to lose my lolo. I love him with
all my heart.

"It's time to go to bed. " He said after I moved away.

"Lolo, that episode of Lola and you, it happened on the first day of May, diba?"

"Yes apo..."

"So, fourteen minutes from now, May first na..."

"Yup," he answered me.

"So thirty seven years ago na iyon... Do you think it still works lolo?"

"The mirror?"

I just smiled.

"You wanna try?" He asked me. I just smiled again. "You are too young, Dandelia.
You better sleep now." He said. I stood up and walked towards my bed room. I saw
lolo entered his own bed room, after that I went outside again and looked for a
candle. I looked at the grandfather's clock, five minutes before midnight, five
minutes before May first.

All my life I wanted nothing but an eternal love story like my grandparents had, I
don't want to be like Romeo and Juliet - they died together - that's not romantic,
I don't want to be just like any other fairytale princess who would sit and wait
patiently to be saved by a prince or a dark knight, I want to be me - Dandelia
Cielo Santos - the girl who made the right choice, the girl who waited and will
fight just to be with Mr. Right. I don't need a prince charming or a king or
anything - I just want my Mr. Right.

So right now, I am taking a chance, I wanted an eternal love story and I think, the
only way for me to get that is to stand in front of the mirror and say the chant. I
lighted the candle and I stood in front of the antique mirror. Moments later, I
heard the clock ticked, both of its hands were at the number twelve. I looked at
myself again, I closed my eyes and with all my heart and soul, I said the chant.
"Mirror of destiny, please show me the man I will love until eternity..."

My heart was beating fast; my body was trembling with so much excitement. I opened
my eyes slowly to look at the face of the man who will give me an eternal love, a
love that will never fade away, and a love that will stay in my heart, my mind and
my soul till eternity.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw that there's something - someone standing at my
right side.

"Siya na ba?" I asked myself. "I-ikaw na ba?" Nanginginig ang kamay ko na hinaplos
ang mukha niya sa salamin. It was dark and the only light that fills the room was
the light coming from my candle. Hindi ko masyadong mamukhaan ang lalaki but then,
the most important thing was there's someone there!

"Brown out ba, Dandan?" The man said. My forehead wrinkled. The face of the man -
we'll the man called me Dandan, and his voice was familiar. I faced him and my eyes
widened when I saw who was standing in front of me.

"Eduardo Miguel Varres!!!" I screamed. He grinned at me.

"Anong ginagawa mo diyan, Dandan? May papikit-pikit ka pa, may kandila ka pa, hindi
naman brown out. Nangangarap ka na naman ng gising noh?" He teased me. I felt
irritated.

"Wala ka talagang ginawa kung hindi asarin ako! What the hell are you doing here
ba? Your house is on the other side of the street! Why are you here in my house!?"

Bumukas ang ilaw sa sala. I saw my older brother walked in. Kunot na kunot rin ang
noo niya.

"Nag-aaway kayo?" He asked. My kuya - Daniel Simone Santos - he's two years older
than me - was eyeing me like I am a crazy girl.

"Oh, your little sister is just welcoming me diba, Dandan?"

"Where lolo?" Kuya asked me.

"Asleep." I pouted. "Why are you here? I thought you don't wanna spend your summer
in this place?"

Kuya didn't answered. Tuloy-tuloy na siyang umakyat sa taas. I was left there with
that asshole he calls friend - si Edward. Ayoko talaga sa kanya, ang yabang-yabang
niya! He gets into my nerves every time tapos wala pa siyang ginawa kundi asarin
ako.

"I hate you!" I said to him. Padabog ko siyang iniwan sa sala. I was still pouting
my lips. Pumasok sa kwarto at saka isinara ang pinto.

"I hate that Edward! Hindi pwedeng siya ang destiny ko! Hindi pwede! Hindi talaga
pwede!"

<center><h1>1. Second Try</h1></center>

<hr>
Three failed marriages, two failed engagements and thirty two flings and yet, I
have never been in love - we'll I have, but it was like a dream... I guess that's
just how it is for me. I always mistaken what I feel for those women as love but
whenever our relationship gets deeper, that was when I realized that I am not in
love with them. Sometimes, when I think about it, I always feel like I am just
lost. The failure of my marriage was never easy.

The first marriage ended right before I knew it, Clarissa - my first wife, cheated
on me, and frankly I didn't care about that because like her, I was cheating too. I
caught her on bed with the pizza delivery boy and right there, I knew it was over.
I didn't even felt hurt or pain like what I'm expecting, I was just sad because my
mother really liked Clarissa.

The second one came three years after the first, I met Sam in Los Angeles, she was
an intern like me, she was a breath of fresh air, what we had was a tornado, we
dated, we fell in love and after three months, we got married in Vegas, we were
together for two years and in those two years, I felt nothing but bliss. But then,
Sam - she fell out of love, one day, she surprised me with divorce papers and said
that she wanted out. I looked at her and by just looking at her, I knew that she
lost the love she used to feel for me, so I signed the papers and I left the house
that same night, after that I let her go, I never talked to her again...

The third one's name was Mikaela, she was my patient, and I knew that falling in
love with her shouldn't be in my option because just like what I said - she was my
patient. She was diagnosed with a heat tumor and her days were counted, she was
dying. One night I was doing my rounds and I came across her room, I saw her
crying, I approached her and asked her why she was crying she said she was scared,
not scared of dying but she was scared of not being able to fall in love. She was
scared because she will never feel those love sensation, she will never feel sad,
happy, scared - because she was dying and it's too late for her, hearing that, I
felt something touched the insides of my heart, I hugged her, and after that night,
things between us, changed.

I really did fall in love with her, we got married after three weeks, alam kong
mabilis but we're running out of time. Our marriage was different - very different
from my two past failed marriages. Mikaela was very sweet, caring, and I know that
she really loves me, but then, that day came in - the one that I dreaded the most
and even though I am her doctor and I have readied myself for that fateful day,
nasaktan pa rin ako nang mawala siya sa akin. I really loved Mikaela, and the times
we had spent together were like treasures for me. I have loved her -
unconditionally and unselfishly. I had loved her with all my heart and soul. After
Mikaela, I told myself that I will never love anyone as much as I love her. Iyong
pagmamahal na meron ako para sa kanya, it's different, a love like that only comes
once in a life time - I guess that's what they call an eternal love affair.

After Mikaela, women just come and go in my life, I became the old me again,
womanizer, asshole, jerk, a douche bag... I might be all of those things but in my
heart, I knew I wasn't, it's just a defense mechanism. I don't want to be
vulnerable again; I don't want anybody to see me broken and torn apart, I don't
ever want to feel the pain of losing someone again...

Kaya siguro ngayon, ako ang palaging nang-iiwan...

Women call me Edward "the heartless douche bag" Varres...

Maybe they're right, and I have no plans of ever correcting their thoughts.

-----------------

Moving on...
People say that moving on is easy but then, I wanted to look for that person who
said those lies. Moving on is never easy. It's like, we'll how could I put my
thoughts in to words? Ano ba iyong lagi nilang sinasabi? Forgetting someone is like
trying to remember someone you've never met... It's true, moving on is not easy,
it's like when you try to forget the things that made you happy for the past years,
you feel like you are having a heart attack.

In my case, I almost had a heart attack.

Almost... Because in my case. I thought that I had found my Mr. Right - but he
turned out to be someone else's prince charming. I wanted to fight for him; I loved
him with all my heart, but then...

I chose to just leave them alone because I know for a fact that he was made to be
with her. I accepted my defeat, mula noong nakilala ko siya, alam ko naman na ang
tungkol sa babaeng mahal niya, hindi naman niya itinago sa akin ang bagay na iyon,
but then, even if I already knew the fact that he's in love with someone else, I
couldn't help myself, I fell for him - and I fell hard. Hindi naman kasi siya
mahirap mahalin, he was so, sigh - He's just so perfect, he's a bit rugged, he's
tough and yet deep inside, he's very sweet and caring. He took care of me for five
years; he did nothing but to make me happy. Akala ko kami na nga hanggang sa huli
but then the one he truly loves came back and I just lost him.

I could've fought for him, but I chose not to, I saw how much he loves her, wala
akong laban sa fairytale nila. Bago pa man, alam ko na hindi siya sa akin, and even
when I'm in bed with him, I know that he was thinking about someone else, it hurts,
but I tried so hard to not mind it, I tried so hard to forget the fact that my
supposed to be Mr. Right was in love with someone else, I thought that love can
cure the pain I feel in my chest, but I guess it couldn't...

So right now, I'm on the verge of crying again - we'll crying is a part of moving
on and moving on sucks, moving on is painful, how the hell can I move on if the
only thing I wanted to forget is the same thing I want to have? How can I stop
thinking about him if he's the only thing in my mind? How? How? I couldn't seem to
move on. Right now, I am thinking that I will never move on - but I don't want to
be stuck here forever, I want to move, I want to forget the pain, it's just that...

It's too much...

-----------------

"Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip your hair gets
me overwhelmed but when you smile at the ground ain't it hard to tell.. you don't
know ohhh, you don't know your beautiful...|

No matter how I hate that song, I chose to listen to it, that song is the only song
in my playlist that doesn't remind me how broken hearted I am, so right now, I have
no other choice but to listen to that annoying track on my I-pod. I am driving
alongside the hi-way and I am trying so hard to make myself feel happy about
everything around me. Last month, while I was in Sagada, I met a man - whom like me
- was on the verge of moving on - he taught me that I must be grateful and I must
feel happy with the things around me in order for me to forget the scars of
yesterday.
"I am grateful for the sun, for the moon, for the stars and for the earth. I am
grateful for the life I have - grateful!"

Iyon ang mantra na tinuro niya sa akin -which is if you ask me, it's not really
effective. I left Sagada, then I went to Pagudpod, I stayed there for three weeks,
I tried enjoying myself, I tried forgetting but even the beach reminds me of the
thing that I had lost. After Pagudpod, I went to Baguio, but the cold there,
reminded me of the steamy nights I had spent with the one that got away, so after
two days, I left Baguio and here I am, driving alongside the hi-way to go home to
my lolo's ancestral house. I haven't been here for a long time. My last vacation
here was almost twelve years ago, after that, hindi na ako nakabalik. I became busy
with my college life, with work and with all the things I had going on that I had
forgotten to come here.

But now, after twelve years, I am back, and I am just so glad that I'll see my old
man again.

I turned left; I smiled when I saw the arch of the villa. After a while I parked in
front of the villa and got out of the car. I saw Yaya Meding and Ate Minda - Lolo's
faithful kasama sa bahay, running towards me.

"Dandan!" they both said in glee. I smiled, I haven't been called Dandan for years
and it felt so good being able to hear that name from the people I grew up with.

"Ate Minda, Yaya Meding!" I run towards them and hugged them both when we met in
the middle. "I missed you!"

After the hugs and the welcome back kwentuhan, I asked where Lolo was, I didn't
even had to look for him because I saw him agad, he was standing near the asotea,
looking at me, happiness was written all over his face. I run toward him and went
upstairs, sinalubong niya ako with a big bear hugh. Ganoon pa rin si Lolo, malakas
pa rin siya although he's not getting any younger. Lolo always said na kalabaw lang
daw ang tumatanda.

"Dandelia, how are you?" He asked after hugging me. I just smiled.

"I'm good! I missed you!" I wanted so much to tell him that I got my heart broken
and that I am here to mend it but instead, I decided to not tell him. I don't want
to upset him. Alam kong kapag sinabi ko, he'll be really worried, isa pa, okay
naman ako. I am coping with the pain. I am we'll - I'm getting better - though the
pain was still there, I am coping, I know that I'll be better, especially right now
that I am near my roots.

"Come on, you must be starving, apo. Kumain na tayo, pinaluto ko ang paborito mo."

"Kare-kare?" Namilog pa ang mga mata ko.

"Yes, come now..."

We went downstairs, Lolo and I we're still talking, natigilan lang ako when I
noticed that antique mirror in the middle of the living room.

"Lola's mirror of love..." I whispered. "It's still here..."

"Yes, apo, so is the antique grandfather's clock. Do you still want to try it?"

I didn't answer. Kung alam lang ni Lolo, I had tried it before pero hindi naging
maganda ang resulta. I could still remember that night, oh! It reminded me how much
I hate that man...
Pero wala naman na akong balita sa kanya, so I am sure na hindi talaga siya ang
lalaking magbibigay sa akin ng eternal love affair or eternal love story. Edward
Varres, how I loathe him, he's not even a Mr. Right material, Mr. Wrong siya at ang
babaeng mag-iisip na Mr. Right material siya ay nasisiraan na ng bait.

Teka, why am I even bothering myself with the thoughts of him? Ang tagal ko na
siyang hindi nakikita so why am I thinking of him?

"Siya nga pala, apo." I hear Lolo. I looked at him. "Magkakaroon ng party mamay
dito sa Villa natin."

"For what, Lolo?" I asked. I sat on the chair in front of him.

"Today is the Villa's 37th anniversary, I am throwing a party."

"Great! I'm excited." I said.

"And tomorrow, is the first day of May...." Lolo said knowingly. I smiled. I know
what he was saying. First day of May is always a big thing for my Lolo. I sighed; I
hope by midnight, I have finally forgotten the pain of losing my supposed to be Mr.
Right. But who am I kidding? Alam ng lahat na hindi ganoon kadali ang paglimot...

-------------------

I was standing at the asotea eyeing Lolo's guests, the party had started and I
guess the people were enjoying themselves. Lolo was a very good host, he kept on
making kwento and his guests kept on laughing with him. I could see some familiar
faces; Lolo had introduced me to his friends and to their sons and daughters. I
sighed, I have a feeling Lolo was trying to play kupido. He was always telling me
how great or how intelligent the sons of his friends - not that I care - but it's
just that... I don't want to date anyone right now.

I'm still on the getting over stage. Hindi ko nga alam kung kailan ba ako
makakaalis sa getting over stage na ito. Sa totoo lang ay naiinip na ako. I want to
be reach the finish line, kung totoo lang ang universal remote control, matagal ko
na sanang hinanap iyon at binili para mai-forward ko na sa moment na wala na iyong
masakit na part sa puso ko.

Hanggang ngayon kasi, nasasaktan ako.

I realized na hindi ganoon kadali ang lumimot. How is it possible for a person to
forget the one who had made you happy? Lalo na ako, I have so many memories of him,
we had so many memories together - the last five years if my life revolved around
him.

Pakiramdam ko tuloy ngayon, isa akong comatose patient na inalisan ng life support
at unti-unting namamamatay.

Right now, my heart is slowly dying - not with pain - but with si much longing. I
want to see him. Nag-aalala ako sa kanya. Bago ako umalis ng Manila, he was in the
hospital, he was in a coma stage at gustong-gusto kong makibalita pero alam kong
kapag ginawa ko iyon, ako lang din ang masasaktan. I guess my only consolation was
the knowledge that the one he chose to love will never leave his side. Mahal siya
noon - kahit walang ginawa ang babaeng iyon kundi ang saktan siya.

Hay... Bitter pa rin ako. Dapat hindi ako nag-iisip ng masama tungkol sa babaeng
mahal ng mahal ko. Alam kong hindi siya noon iiwan kahit na anong mangyari, alam
kong magiging masaya sila, pipiliin ko na lang din ang maging masaya para sa
kanilang dalawa kahit kapalit noon ang katotohanan na unti-unti at dahan-dahang
namamatay ang puso ko sa sakit.

Sayang kasi...

If I had known that we will end like this, sana pala nagtabi ako ng pagmamahal para
sa sarili ko, para noong iwan niya ako para piliin ang mahal niya, hindi sana
masyadong naging masakit.

"Dandan, anong ginagawa mo dito? Baka hinahanap ka ng lolo mo."

Natigil ang pagmumuni-muni ko nang marinig ko ang tinig ni Ate Meding. I faced her.
She was standing near me na pala, hindi ko siya naramdaman. Maybe I was thinking
too deep again that I didn't hear her coming.

"Nagpaalam na ako, Ate Meding. Napapagod na po kasi ako..." I said to her.

"Ayos ka lang ba? Mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo."

"Okay lang po ako. Salamat po." Pinilit kong ngumiti. I had lost the will to smile
these past few days. Nakaka-miss rin palang maging masaya.

"Buti pa matulog ka na, malapit nang humating gabi." Wika pa niya sa akin. My lips
parted. I looked at my watched and I saw that it was almost midnight.

"May first." I said while looking at my watch. Three minutes na lang May first na.
I looked at Ate Meding, mukhang nagtataka siya sa akin. "May candle tayo?"

"Sa baba. Aanin mo?"

I am going to try Lola's mirror again. I wanted to see the face of the man that
holds my eternal love affair. Nagmadali akong bumaba. I looked for a candle, hindi
naman ako nahirapan dahil agad akong nakakita. Pinatay ko ang ilaw at pumwesto ako
sa tapat ng salamin ni lola.

My heart was beating fast.

All my life, I wanted nothing but to find my Mr. Right. The first time I tried
this, hindi naging maganda ang resulta, I saw Edward Varres' face - he's my most
hated man - mabait naman si Edward pero lagi niya akong inaasar noong mga bata pa
kami so I taught myself to hate him, and until now, hindi ko pa rin siya gusto.
Saka isa pa, hindi counted ang mukha niya. Buo sa isipan ko na hindi siya ang Mr.
Right ko.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

I heard the clock strike at twelve. I took a deep breath and looked at the mirror.

"Mirror of destiny, show me the face of the man I will love till eternity..."

I closed my eyes and prayed and hoped and wished that this time, the mirror will
show me the right man, the one that I will love and will love me, the one man that
can take all the pain away, that man who can make me happy, iyong lalaking hindi na
ako iiwan - siguro nga naloloko na ako, but at the back of my mind, I was still
wishing that he - the face of the man who had hurt me, will show in the mirror,
siguro nga hanggang ngayon umaasa ako na pwede kaming dalawa kahit na alam kong
hindi tama... Na hindi na pwede...

After a while, I opened my eyes, inaninag ko ang salamin...

I saw a shadow; it was standing on my right side. I sighed. Itinaas ko ang kandila
upang ilawan iyon, unti-unti ay lumiwanag ang paligid, dahan-dahang luminaw ang
mukha ng lalaking nakatayo sa likuran ko.

I saw a pair of familiar eyes. Where have I seen those eyes? I knew that I had seen
those before, pero saan? The man standing behind me had a very unique face, besides
his powerful eyes, his nose was a bit aristocratic, his lips were - I don't know, -
was it red or pink? It's very unusual for a man to have pinkish lips but his lips
were pink, he was also taller than me...

Right there, my heart beat faster. It was as if I was having a moment.

"Who are you?" I asked him...

"Dandan?" He said. Napakunot pa ang noo ko. He called me Dandan, wait, that mean
that he knows me! Pero sino siya? Bakit parang hindi ko siya makilala?

"Dandan, brown out ba?" He said, he had this amusing look on his face and right
there and then, I knew who he was.

"Edward Varres!"
<center><h1>2. Danni not Dandan</h1></center>
<hr>
"Ah! It was a nightmare Yaya!"

I kept telling Yaya Minda about what happened that night when I tried looking at
the mirror again.

"Lagi na lang siya ang nakikita ko! I tried it twice and his face appeared again!"

We were in the kitchen, Yaya Minda was preparing our breakfast while I was standing
in front of her, telling her my rants about what happened last night. I sighed. I
really hate that man. It's not that I don't like him; I just hated him so much.

Hindi naman ako lumaki ng kasama siya. Edward was my brother's best friend, he was
two years older than and I only knew him because of my brother. Noong lumalaki ako,
I remembered that he used to give me lollipops and candies every time na pupunta
siya sa bahay namin, I really liked him back then. Lagi pa kaming naglalaro noon
habang hinihintay niya si Kuya, but then thing started to change between us when we
both entered high school, noong time na iyon, doon niya na ako sinimulang asarin
nang asarin at hindi talaga siya tumitigil hangga't hindi niya ako napapaiyak.

Pero pinaka nagalit ako sa kanya noong Senior Prom. I was invited by a Junior back
then, Sophomore pa lang ako noon, sila ni Kuya Senior na sila, that night, my mom
made sure that I am wearing a very beautiful gown, she made sure that I'll be one
of the most beautiful women on the prom - even Kuya Daniel said that I was pretty,
but then Edward told me - straight on my face na:

"Bakit ganyan ang hitsura mo? Ang pangit. Hindi naman bagay."

Ang pinakamasaklap doon, he said those words in front of Ulysses - the Junior who
invited me. Umiyak ako noon, iyak lang ako nang iyak hanggang sa makauwi ako.

Mula nang araw na iyon, isinumpa ko si Edward Varres.

Kung pwede lang ipa-assassinate ang gunggong na iyon, matagal ko nang ginawa. I
hate him.
"Malay mo, Dandan, siya ang eternal lover mo."

I made an ugly face as I face Yaya Minda.

"Yaya! Do you really think I am that desperate?!" I shook my head. "I will never,
never as in N-E-V-E-R in my life will I fall in love with that asshole! Ang pangit-
pangit noon eh! Saka mayabang, saka abusado, walang modo, walang breeding, walang
---"

"Walang girlfriend." Nakatawang sabi ni Yaya Minda.

"Eh ano naman sa akin?" Naiinis na sabi ko. I turned my back on her. Gosh! I just
had the most excruciating talk in my life! I thought Yaya would understand me.
Nakita naman niya kung paano ako paiyakin ng Edward Varres na mayabang na iyon,
tapos nakukuha niya pa akong tuksuhin doon? Nakakinis lang!

I headed towards the door, kailangan ko ng oxygen dahil baka ma-suffocate

akokakaisip sa nakakainis na lalaking iyon. I was walking at the garden, admiring
the flowers, inhaling the fresh air when I saw a sight that burned my eyeballs.

"Good morning, Dandan!"

Edward Varres.

I bit my lower lip - kinagat ko dahil nanggigigil ako sa galit! Anong ginagawa ng
gunggong na ito dito sa Villa namin?! Nasa kabilang side ng road ang Villa nila,
mas malaki iyon pero bakit nandito siya sa Villa ng pamilya ko!

"Argh! If you're going to ruin my morning, please! Step aside!" I told him. I
turned away again. I heard his annoying laughter. I cannot believe this! Halos
fifteen years na kaming hindi nagkikita ng taong ito pero naiirita pa rin ako sa
kanya! I faced him again. "What are you laughing about? Do you wanna die?" I asked
him.

Edward stared at me. He gave me his signature half smile that makes every girl's
knees tremble - except for me. He was very casual looking today, he's wearing his
khaki shorts, white v-neck shirt, a pair of leather sandals, and I could smell his
aftershave from here. Mukhang fresh na fresh ang mokong.

"Kung hina-half smile mo ako para kiligin, pwes hindi ako kinikilig. Naaasar ako sa
mukha mo."

"Tsk, hindi naman kita pinakikilig, Dandan, pero kung iyon ang gusto mo, I'll take
the challenge, pakikiligin kita."

Napanganga ako. Did he just say na pakikiligin niya ako?

"I-judo kaya kita?"

Hindi siya nagsalita, he just stood there looking at me with his signature half
smile. Ang tagal-tagal niyang nakatingin sa akin. I flipped my hair - take not
kakapagupit ko lang it's a part of my moving on scheme, my hair now is very short.

"You're blushing..." He said. My eyes widened.

"I am so not blushing!" I yelled at him. Tumawa na naman siya. He moved closer to
me. I took a step back.

"You have grown..." Wika niya habang titig na titig sa akin. Ano bang pinagsasabi
niya? He must have lost it, somehow.

"Huwag kang lalapit, masamang espiritu!"

My body stiffened when I felt his hand on my face. I swallowed hard, why is he
doing whatever it is he's doing to me?!

"Anong ginagawa mo?" Ayoko man aminin pero nakadama ako ng kaba. It was like he was
actually going to... kiss me? Ang lapit-lapit kasi ng mukha niya sa mukha ko. I
want to push him away but I guess that half smile thingy was working on me. Right
now, my knees were trembling for his hand was so warm, and that signature smile of
his was so... overwhelming. Why was he smiling at me that way?

"May dumi..." Sabi niya. "Kulangot yata ito, Dandan, ang laki-laki mo na hindi ka
pa marunong magkulangot." Napanganga ako. How dare him say na may kulangot ako?!!!

"Hoy! Ang kapal ng mukha mo ha! Wala akong booger!" I said to him. He just laughed
at me.

"Wala daw, siguro hanggang ngayon, TL ka pa din kapag natutulog." Sabi pa niya.
Inaasar na naman niya ako at sigurado akong hindi siya titigil hanggang sa hindi
niya ako napapaiyak, kung inaakala niya na mapapaiyak niya ako, pwes nagkakamali
siya. Hindi na ako iyakin, hindi na niya ako mapapaiyak!

"Iju-judo na talaga kita!' Sigaw ko. Naikuyom ko ang aking palad, I wanted so much
to punch him in the face but then, I heard Lolo called us.

"Dandelia, Edwardo, umaano kayo diyan? Halina kayo at nang makakain na ng almusal."
Lolo said. I looked at Edward.

"Bakit? Wala ka bang pagkain sa inyo at makikikain ka sa amin?"

"Bakit? Wala ka bang boyfriend kaya ang sungit-sungit mo? O baka naman menopause ka
na? Sabagay age 40 nga ang simula ng menopause." He said while grinning.

"27 pa lang ako! At hindi pa ako nagme-menopause!"

Ni hindi ako pinansin ng Edward na iyon! Nilagpasan niya lang ako at pumasok na
siya sa loob ng bahay. Gigil na gigil ako sa kanya. Sa hitsura ko bang ito mukha na
akong menopause? I'm only 27, nasa kalendaryo pa ang age ko! Siya nga 30 na, two
years na lang wala na sa kalendaryo ang age niya tapos sasabihin niya na ako ang
menopause?!

"Argh! I really really hate him!"

---------

I was eyeing Dandan as she eats her food. Lihim pa akong napangiti as I looked at
her. She had undergone some drastic changes for the past years at kagabi nang
makita ko siya, I almost didn't recognized her. Kung hindi ko pa naalala ang candle
incident which happened twelve years ago, hindi talaga papasok sa isip ko na ang
babaeng nakatingin sa salamin habang may hawak na kandila ay si Dandan.

She had changed.

Gone was the young and carefree Dandan, the one that used to cry a lot when I tease
her all that's left was Dandelia - a very attractive woman on her twenties who
could make any man worship her. I was sure of that - at hindi ko naman itatanggi, I
am attracted to her.
Maybe it was because of her little nose, or her little lips or her petite figure -
I don't know but I am sure that this woman - yes she's a woman - in front of me can
make my head spin - in a very sexual way.

I know I shouldn't be thinking about her that way, but I couldn't help it. She was
so little - siguro nasa 5'1 lang ang height niya at weakness ko talaga ang maliliit
na babae - why? Because you could easily control them in bed - and that's where I
want Dandelia to be in the next few nights - in my bed - doing everything I tell
her to do, paying homage to that silky smooth skin of hers, pleasuring her,
exploring every sides of her body.

"As I was saying, Edwardo, kamusta ang Mama mo?"

"She's, okay Lolo Manuel. Malungkot pa rin siya because of what happened to dad,
we'll we all are, but we're coping."

I looked at Dandan again, by that time she was pouting her lips while spreading
cheese on her bread. She looked like she was in deep thoughts, napangiti ako. I
wondered how she would look like under me while biting those sinful lips to keep
herself from screaming my name.

I know I really shouldn't be thinking about her that way because she's the little
sister of my best friend but I couldn't help it.

"How's your brothers?" Again Lolo Manuel asked me. I looked at him.

"Nathan's good, he's married and he's enjoying that life. Juan Miguel, I can't say
he's good, Lolo, he missed the wild."

"Si JM?" I glared at Dandan. He called my brother JM? Why would she call him that?

"Close kayo ni Juan Miguel?" I couldn't help but to feel possessive over her, alam
kong sa ngayon ay wala pa akong karapatan but I am going to make sure that one of
these days, I'll gain rights over her.

"Oo, siya lang kaya iyong mabait sa akin noon sa school." Sabi pa niya. "Even
Nathan teases me. I hate both of you." Nakangusong sabi niya. I took a deep breath.
Hindi niya baa lam kung anong magic ang meron sa nguso niya? Everytime she does
that, I feel like I wanna kiss her.

Sino ba kasing mag-aakala na ang iyaking si Dandan ay lalaking ganito? I didn't

thought of that idea and now while looking at her, para akong nakakita ng real life
ugly duckling that turned into sa swan. And I want that swan. I want her, and in
my world, what Edward wants, Edward gets.

"So you like Juan Miguel... He's a heart breaker you see." I said while smiling.
Dandan doesn't seem to mind. She just smiled.

"He's still a way better person than you, I like him."

I smiled but deep inside, I wanted to go to Juan Miguel and punch him in the face.
I want to tell him to stay away from Dandan because I intend to make her mine, by
hook or by crook, I am going to make her mine - all mine and no one's ever going to
touch her.

I smiled at that thought. Lolo Manuel kept on talking. Hati naman ang attention ko,
I was listening to Lolo Manuel but I was also trying to watch Dandan as hse eats,
she looked so hot - in my opinion, if ever I'll get into her - she'll be the
hottest fling I'll ever have.

"Kailan ka babalik ng Manila?" Lolo Manuel asked again.

"I don't know... right now, all I want to do is enjoy my indefinite leave."

"Good, maybe Dandelia can take you on a tour, Edward."

"Me? Lolo, hindi na kailangan ni Edward Yabang ang tour, like as if! Dito rin naman
siya lumaki!" pagrereklamo nito. I smiled. Nalukot pa ang ilong niya habang
nakatingin sa akin.

"We'll I've been gone for a long while, gusto ko ulit Makita ang kagandahan ng San
Martin." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Di mamasyal ka mag-isa mo!"

"Dandelia, why are you being rude to Edward?"

"Kasi naman, Lo eh..."

"Alright", I said. "If you don't want to give me a tour, okay lang... Ayokong
pilitin ka." I said slowly. She made a face again.

"Fine! As if naman pwede akong tumanggi." She was still pouting her lips and right
now, all I wanted to do is to push her down, kiss her and smother her body. But I
didn't, not in front of Lolo Manuel.

I looked at Dandan and smiled. Darating din ang tamang panahon.

And I will patiently wait for that moment when Dandelia Santos will crawl to me
just to beg me to take her...

-------------

"Good Morning, Dandan."

I made a face as I look at Edward sitting inside my Lolo's living room. Naiirita
talaga ako sa mukha niya at mas lalo akong nairita because I had to wake up extra
early today dahil gusto niang mag-hiking kami. Gusto niyang umakyat sa Mt. Santo
Domingo para makita iyong false na sinasabi daw ng lolo niya dati.

"Nakakainis ka!" I hissed at him. Edward smiled. He moved closer to me to pat my

head.

"Grumpy eh? Not a morning person." He concluded. I just gave him a sarcastic smile.
I am actually a morning person, I like to wake up early and take a walk at the
village park and observe people, I like drinking coffee at an early cold morning...
I love watching the sunrise, but today I wanted to oversleep because I know that I
have to interact with Edward Yabang Varres.

"Ready ka na ba?" He asked me.

"Hindi pa." I answered.

"Okay then, let's go!" Hinatak niya ang kamay ko at iginiya ako palabas ng bahay.
Isinakay niya ako sa kotse niya and we drove away. I looked back at the house, I
was fighting the urge of screaming for help because I feel like Edward was
kidnapping me but I just couldn't. We passed by Yaya Minda who was watering the
plants and I just lost it.

"Yaya Minda, help!" I screamed. Edward glared at me.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Takang-takang tanong niya. Ngumiti ako.

"Wala lang, trip lang." Umayos ako ng upo.

"You are very weird, Dandan..."

"It's Danni." I corrected him. He looked at me again.

"What?"

"Danni, please call me Danni. Not Dandan, Dandan is too - uhm we'll - too young and
I'm now a lady." I said. I saw a smile formed on his face. Hindi ko alam kung para
saan iyon pero I find it cute...?

"So how's my brother?" I asked him. I was just trying to start a small talk. My
brother Daniel was in Los Angeles now, doon siya nagtatrabaho, doon na nga rin siya
nakapag-asawa.

"Aren't you talking to him?" He asked.

"Nag-uusap."

"Why don't you ask him that yourself?"

"Ang sungit mo!" I don't know what came over me but I punched him right on his
shoulder.

"Aray!" he said. He looked at me.

"What did you do that for?"

"Kasi nakakainis ka! Akala mo ha! I am now a lady; I can fight back, hindi mo na
ako mabu-bully!" I made a face. I saw him shook his head pero hindi naman siya
nagsalita.

"May araw ka din sa akin." Wika pa niya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Anong araw?
Bakit gagantihan niya ba ako? After punching him hindi na ulit ako nagsalita.
Edward, on the other hand, kept on driving, maya-maya ay huminto na kami. I got out
of the car, Edward did too. I looked at the entrance of the forest, talaga bang
mag-ha-hike kami paakyat sa falls? I don't know why Edward wanted to go to that
falls. Naniniwala ba siya sa magic na naroon?

There's this legend that says, anyone who bathe in the falls, their wishes can come
true. I looked at Edward and I was silently thinking, naniniwala siya doon?

"Why do you want to go to the fall?" I asked him. Edward just shrugged.

"Trip lang, let's go." He said. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Trip lang, dahil lang sa
trip niya mahihirapan ako? Ano iyon? Padabog na sumunod ako sa kanya. I looked at
him, he was walking and he didn't even bother looking back at me.

"Ungentleman." Naiinis na bulong ko. I sighed. I took my bag pack and wore it.
Sumunod ako sa kanya. Ni hindi niya man lang ako kinakausap. Anong klaseng hiking
ito? Hiking for mute people?
"Hoy, ang sungit mo kamo?" I said. He looked back at me.

"Don't talk. I am savoring the silence of the forest." He said. I bit my lower lip.
Nakakainis siya ha. That attitude of him was one of the reasons why I hate him so
much. Bukod sa napakayabang niya, napaka-ungentleman rin niya at super duper
egotistic siya. I grew up with him and his brothers at sa kanilang lahat, si Edward
na ito ang pinaka sa lahat! Juan Miguel was a bit mayabang but he could be really
sweet at times, he's like my other kuya. The other one - Nathan - he's too quiet
but like what they say, deep waters runs quietly - that says it all. Samantalang si
Edward, he's so - ANNOYING!

Matagal-tagal na rin kaming naglalakad but Edward is not talking pa rin. I just
sighed. I guess its better this way, at least hindi ako masyadong naha-high blood
sa kanya.

He turned left and I followed him. I could hear the running water that means we're
close. Nagmadali ako. Inunahan ko na siya sa paglakad. I was smiling really hard
dahil lumalakas ang kaluskos ng tubig.

"Malapit na ta---Ahhhh!!"

I didn't realize that the road I was running on was bumpy and rocky, nakatapak ako
ng bato and the next thing I knew, I fell right down the pile of mud in front of
me.

"Aray!" I looked at myself and I saw how dirty I am. Pati yata sa buhok ko may
putik ako. I looked up at Edward and I saw him trying to suppress his laughter. I
raised my eyebrow.

"Subukan mong tumawa!" I hissed at him and to my surprise, he laughed out loud.
Napaupo pa siya sa harap ko kakatawa at mukhang tuwang-tuwa pa siya.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Bakit hindi mo ako tulungan dito?!" I yelled at him. Edward
was shaking his head. Lumapit siya sa akin.

"You know, in L.A. there's this Mud Spa..."

"Eh ano naman sa akin?! Help me get up!" I yelled again. He just smiled tapos ay
inabot niya ang kamay ko. Hindi naman siya nahirapan na itayo ako, ang lagkit ng
pakiramdam ko. "My favorite shirt is dirty na... I hope it won't stain..." I
whispered.

"Maligo ka na lang sa falls mamaya. Malapit na kaya tayo," sabi niya. Inirapan ko
siya at saka dinuro.

"This is your entire fault! May nalalaman ka pang pa-hike hike, ayan tuloy! I swear
kapag may nangyari ulit sa akin ngayong araw na ito, iju-judo na kita!"

He just smiled at me. Ano bang meron at ngiti lang siya ng ngiti? Ngumuso ako,
kahit hirap ay pinilit kong maglakad. Medyo masakit kasi ang binti ko. Siguro dahil
naupuan ko. Bumaba kami ni Edward, ilang sandal lang ay tanaw na tanaw ko na ang
falls. I smiled and run again.

"Baka madulas ka!" I heard him. Hindi ko naman siya pinansin. Huminto ako nang
marating ko ang pampang. I started to take my clothes off - hindi ko na pinansin si
Edward. I really don't care saka isa pa, doctor siya at kung anuman ang makikita
niya, it wouldn't matter. Kumbaga walang malisya.

I took my pants off an my shirt, itinara ko lang ang underwear then I jump in to
the water.

"Ahhh!" I screamed when I felt the coolness of the water coming from the falls.
"Hanglamig!" I turned to Edward, he was staring at me. I smiled at him.

"Come! Ang sarap ng tubig!" I said. Lumubog ako tapos ay muling lumitaw. I was
really enjoying myself, ang tagal na panahon na mula nang makadama ako ng ganitong
saya.

"Edward, tara na!" I called him again. Natigilan pa ako nang makita ko siya. Titig
na titig siya sa akin na para bang nakakakita siya ng multo.

"Anong problema mo?"

--------------

She took her clothes off.

Wasn't she aware of the fact that I am standing right here? That I could see her?
That I could see almost everything? What is wrong with her? I watched her
silently. Mukhang hindi na niya ininda ang presensya ko. I swallowed hard, I was
feeling different, jeez! I am a man and there's a woman - almost naked - in front
of me. Hindi ako bato!

"Anong problema mo?"

Tapos itatanong niya sa akin kung anong problema ko?

I shook my head. If I get in, baka hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko. I don't want
to take advantage of her. Oo, nagnanasa ako sa kanya pero matino ako at alam kong
hindi ako dapat magpadala sa nararamdaman ko. Dandan is innocent; she doesn't know
what she was doing. I looked away, I chose to look away, I chose to just enjoy the
scenery. Ibinaba ko ang bag pack ko then, I took off my polo shirt - so now I'm
only wearing my white shirt. saka ko inilabas ang camera na dala ko. I will try my
best to ignore the other beautiful sight on the water; I will never look at that
way.

I assembled my SLR. I like taking pictures, back when I was younger, I wanted to be
a photographer but I ended up being a doctor instead - that was what my father
wants.

"Ano iyan?" Biglang nagsalita si Dandan sa likod ko. Napatayo ako.

"Jeez!" I looked at her. She was still wearing her underwear. "Put something on!"

"Sus! Kala mo naman. Bakit madalas ka naman makakita ng ganito. Doctor ka diba?"

"That's a totally different thing!" I yelled. "Put something on!"

"Oo na!" She said. To my surprise bigla niyang kinuha iyong polo shirt na hinaubad
ko. She put that on. Hindi ko maiwasan na hindi mapatingin sa kanya habang
isinasara niya ang butones noon. My lips parted with awe. Dandan - no she's not a
Dandan anymore, she's more of a Danni.

"Danni," I said.

"Iyon! May ginawa ka ring tama ngayong araw na ito." She said smiling. I grinned.
Lumapit ulit siya sa akin at tiningnan ang camera ko.

"Wow! That's one expensive camera." She said. She took my camera, tapos ay
binutingting na niya. Sa lahat ng pangyayaring iyon ay nakatingin lang ako sa
kanya. I have noticed the changes she had been through the past few years but right
now as I was intently looking at her, ngayon ko lang nakikita, Danni is one hell of
a hottie! And right now all I could think about is making her mine - all mine!

"Have you ever been kissed before?" I asked her. Mukhang nagulat naman siya.
Napatingin ito sa kanya.

"W-what?" She said.

"Nothing..." I said. I looked away again.

"You asked me something about kiss." Muling sabi niya. I just shrugged. What the
heck ba? I will tell her what's on my mind. I looked at her and smiled.

"I didn't asked you - we'll I did but in my mind, I was thinking about me kissing
you savagely, kiss you all over, making you moan, feeling you until you explode.
That's what I am thinking right at this moment, Dandelia."

Yes, at that moment, I didn't see Dandan anymore. All I could see is Danni.
<center><h1>3. Hiking Trip</h1></center>
<hr>
"It wasn't awkward. No it's not awkward at all." I said those words right after I
heard what Edward had just said. He was thinking of doing those things to me?
We'll, I'm not bragging or anything, but I know that I am pretty hot, kaya lang
hearing those word came out of Edward's mouth, it just felt something different,
but it's not awkward at all.

"What's not awkward?" He asked me. I shrugged again.

"You telling me that you wanted to do dirty things at me." I smiled but I smiled
even more when I saw Dr. Edward Varres , the miracle maker blushed. I touched his
face. "Seriously, nag-blush ka?" Natatawang sabi ko. Edward slowly took a step back
and looked away.

"I'm not blushing. It's the sun." He said. I just laughed. Minsan naiisip ko na
kung hindi lang talaga ako sinimulang asarin ni Edward Varres, malamang friends
kami ngayon. He's not really all sides mayabang, sometimes mabait rin siya. I
remember when I was still in grade school, he used to go at our house and wait for
kuya Daniel, kapag ganoon na hinihitay niya si kuya, he will sit with me at the
porch and play with me and my dolls. I used to really like him back then but thing
changed when we hit puberty.

"Naalala mo noon nakikipaglaro ka sa akin kasama noong mga dolls ko." Nakangiting
wika ko sa kanya. Edward just made a face and glared at me.

"That was a long time ago." He said. "Now move, nagugutom na ako. Kumain muna tayo
bago ko itayo iyong tent."

"Tent?"I asked a bit confused. "Para saan ang tent?"

"Tutulugan natin, unless you want to sleep here outside."

"WE ARE SPENDING THE NIGHT HERE!!?!" Halos lumuwa ang tonsils ko sa pagsigaw sa
kanya.
"Didn't I mention it kanina?" Nakangising tanong niya.

"NO!!!" I yelled. "Did you tell Lolo?"

"Yes I did."

"You told Lolo but you forgot to mention it to me?!" Nanlalaki pa rin ang mga mata
ko. He shook his head, he has this ridiculous look on his face na para bang hindi
siya makapaniwala sa reaction ko. What is wrong with this guy?

"It's not like I'm going to rape you. Hindi ako gagawa ng kinaaayawan mo, Darling
Danni."

May diin ang bawat katagang binitiwan niya. He was being sarcastic, I know it!

"Argh! I hate you! Sagad sa bones!" Sigaw ko sa kanya, I walked out and went back
to the falls. I'd rather swim the whole day than see his nakakainis na face. Hindi
ba alam ng lalaking iyon kung gaano ko kaayaw na makasama siya? I hate him! I hate
him talaga!

"He keeps running everything for me!" I said. "My supposed to be Mayday eve
experience, my Mr. Right, my peaceful day at Lolo's Villa... Ahhh!" Sigaw ko habang
nakalusong sa tubig.

"Darling, you know I can hear you." He said. I look back at him.

"Don't really care -Ahhhh!" Napangiwi ako when I felt my left leg stiffened. Nagka-
cramps ako and I can't move. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?" He asked in a very low tone. "Danni are you okay?"

"Aww!" Napaigik ako. I bit my lower lip, I was trying to keep myself from
screaming, ayoko naman magmukhang kawawa sa harap ng taong kinaiinisan ko pero
mahirap pala ang ganoon. I need some saving but how can I tell him that.

Edward seemed to realized that I am having trouble swimming, maybe that was the
reason why he jumped into the water, swam across the river and pulled me closer
when he got near me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm having pulikat." I said in a low voice.

"I see... Come." I felt his hands over my legs; he spread those and wrapped it
around his waist. Natakot ako na baka malaglag ako so I wrapped my arms around his
neck at dahil sa ginawa kong iyon, I am now very aware of him. My face was just an
inch away from him and I could almost hear his breathing.

"Don't look at me that way, I might kiss you savagely." He whispered. I gasped when
I felt his manhood over my belly. Oh gosh! Did his thingamajig just perform a flag
ceremony for me?

"E-ed... y-your thing, it's -"

"You felt it?" He said in a naughty tone. I made a face. It's not really my first
time to feel someone's thingamajig over my belly - and I'm not really ashamed of
it. Yes, I am no longer a virgin but I am not regretting giving up my V - Card to
the man I once loved. Mahal ko siya at ibinigay ko sa kanya ang lahat - I gave him
my whole being, my heart, my soul - hindi man kami ang nag-end up sa huli, hindi ko
naman pinagsisisihan ang mga bagay na ginawa ko para sa kanya. Unlike other
couples, the one who must not be named - my ex - we didn't just have sex - we make
love. I feel that every time we're intimate - I treasure all of those moments -
pero iyong mga moment na rin na iyon ang kailangan kong kalimutan.

"Ang manyak mo naman." Sabi ko sa kanya. To my surprise, Edward laughed out loud.

"Yeah? We'll you're blushing darling, manyak ka din."

I was appalled by what came out of his mouth, bigla ko tuloy siyang nahampas.

"Kainis ka ha!" I said to him.

Nang makarating kami sa pampang ay pinaupo ako ni Edward sa mga batuhan roon.
Kinuha niya ang paa ko at saka pilit na itinutuwid iyon. Napangiwi ako.

"Aray!"

"Don't move." He said. I stayed still. Pinanood ko siya habang dahan-dahan niyang
minamasahe ang binti ko.

"You have a pair of great legs, Danni." He said out of the blue. I couldn't help
but blush. Si Edward pa lang ang nagsasabi na maganda ang legs ko. Some people say
kasi na kapag petite, masinsin ang legs, hindi naman masinsin ang legs ko kahit
maliit ako.

I stood 5 feet and 2 inches, five'five kapag naka-heels, pero sa resume, nillagay
ko 5'3.

"Manyak." I said again. Edward grinned at me.

"Kung manyak ako kanina ka pa walang damit." He said. Namilog ang mga mata ko.
Indecent proposal ba iyon?! Oh my gosh! Bigla ko tuloy siyang nasipa tinamaan naman
ito sa dibdib kay napahiga ito.

"Aw!" He said.

"Ay, Ed, okay ka lang?" Dinaluhan ko agad siya. I placed myself on top of him
trying to see if he's okay, but then I was surprised when he caught my waist and
turned me around. Nagkapalit kami ng pwesto, now he's on top of me.

"I never realized how good my shirt will look in a woman's body." He said, eyeing
me. I gasped. Hindi ako makapag-isip ng smart come back sa kanya. I wanted to
insult him, pero how can I do that if all I could think about was the feel of his
thingamajig on my belly!

"Darling, you look so good." He said. No... Yes... No...! Kasalukuyan akong
nakikipag-away sa sarili ko. I don't want on top of me, mas lalong ayokong nagiging
aware ako sa mga bagay na hindi naman dapat but then!

"Kiss me." I said. Bahala na. Hindi ko alam kung bakit lumabas iyon sa bibig ko. I
just want him to kiss me. I want to feel his lips against mine. I want to know, I
am curious, I want to feel him. Bahala na kung saan kami makarating basta all I
want is for him to kiss me.

Maybe it has something to do about my moving on thingy - or none at all - or maybe

because I was just missing he who must not be named so much that I want to feel
someone else's lips against mine and imagine him kissing me, hindi ko alam, I just
want Edward to kiss me.
"As you wish, my lady." And he bent down. My body trembles at the first touch of
his glorious lips. I opened my mouth for him to have more access and he didn't fail
me, moments later his tongue darted inside my mouth taunting every side, making me
moan with so much --- FIRE.

I kissed him back with the same intensity. And no, I wasn't imagining he who must
not be named - because right now I am so aware who am I with. I am with Edward
Varres, he is kissing me and I like the way it feels. It's not he who must not be
named, it is Edward.

"I plan on making you mine tonight." He said hoarsely after that mind shattering
kiss he just gave me.

"It's just a kiss. Nothing will ever happen besides that." Bigla kong sabi sa
kanya. I don't know kung saan nanggalig iyon but I am freaking serious! Maliban sa
halik wala na dapat mangyari sa aming dalawa.

"Another round?" He said while taunting my lower lip. I moaned.

"Yes..." And as if on cue, he placed his lips over mine and for the second time
that day, I felt heavenly.

---------

"Okay so this top my worst day ever list."

I looked at Danni, she was standing near the tent while looking at me. Tahimik lang
ako habang iniisip ko kung paano nangyari iyong kanina. I cannot believe that I
kissed Dandelia Santos - the little sister of my best friend. The best friend
thingy doesn't even bother me, what bothers me was the fact that I kissed her and
she let me kissed her - pero hindi naman iyon ang mas nakaka-bother - it was the
fact that I was flirting with her and she was flirting back.

Mukhang crossed off na sa list ko iyong "Sweet, innocent Dandelia." It looks like
she's not that innocent after all - especially the way she kisses me - that's not
innocent at all.

"Worst day, best kiss." I grinned. That caught her attention.

"You are so not my best kiss." She said. I was actually offended by that remark.
Sinasabi niya na hindi ako ang best kiss niya? Wala pang babaeng nagsabi sa akin ng
ganoon. I am every woman's best kiss. I am every woman's best sex ever. I am not
being conceited but I really think that I am God's gift to woman and medical
science!

"You did not just say that." I gritted my teeth, was she trying to murder my
manhood?

"I just did." She was still smiling. "And I will repeat it again. You are not my
best kiss."

"Then who is?" I dared ask. Ngumiti lang sa akin si Danni. Hindi naman niya sinagot
ang tanong ko, pero nanggigigil ako. How the hell did she come up with that
thought? Hindi ako ang best kiss niya pero kung maka-moan siya kanina parang ayaw
niyang bumitaw! And still I wasn't her best kiss!
"Try naman natin kumain kapag may time." Sabi pa niya habang nakangisi. Umiling ako
at saka tumalikod. Isa-isa kong nilabas mula sa bag ang mga pagkain. I bought
enough food for the two of us.

Kagabi nang ayain ko siyang i-tour ako, I already had this thing in mind. Gusto ko
kasing makilala si Danni. I wanted to know what kind of woman she had become and
seeing her now, realizing what she had became makes me feel a whole lot better. I
had never felt this way since - we'll I don't remember when. Pakiramdam ko para
akong na-recharge. It was as if I had been asleep for a long time at ngayon lang
ako nagising.

"Wow Lays!" Napatingin ako sa kanya, she took the bag of Lays and opened it. Parang
bata pa rin siya umasta but I know deep inside her, she's a woman.

"May balak ka pa bang hubarin ang polo ko?" I asked her.

"Oo naman, pero mamaya na lang. Baka lalo akong sipunin." She said. "Natuyo na kasi
iyong undies ko sa loob."

I gave out an exasperated sigh. Why was she so comfortable on telling people about
her underwear? I have been with many women before but none of them seemed open
talking about their undies. I couldn't even remember my wives - all of them talking
to me over dinner about their panties or bras.

"Huy, nag-i-imagine ka noh, Ed?" she said. I looked at her, subo-subo niya iyong
kalahati ng lays habang nakatingin sa akin. Nakaliyad rin siya ng kaunti giving me
a full view of her cleavage.

"You are really flirting with me." I concluded.

"As if hindi ka naman sanay. I know a lot of women have come on to you. Anong
problema doon?"

"You're Dandan, you're supposed to be sweet, childish and innocent, but you are
actually flirting with me which makes me feel freak out a little bit..."

"Pero..." She smiled at me.

"Pero I like it." There I admitted. She laughed. Napailing ako. Ano bang meron kay
Danni at napaamin niya ako.

"Kain na tayo." Biglang sabi niya. We did eat, nag-uusap kami paminsan-minsan at
naisip ko na baka at ease na siya sa akin, she laughs at my punch lines, and when I
flirt a little, nagpi-flirt back naman siya. The atmosphere around us was very
light and fun. After eating, sabay naming nilipgpit ang pinagkainan matapos iyon ay
naupo ako sa batuhan , I took out my camera again and I start taking shots at the
things around me.

"Ed," I heard Danni called me. Maya-maya ay nakatabi na siya sa akin, she was still
wearing my shirt and she looked so damn good in it.

"What?"

"Have you ever been hurt... like in the past?" Ibinaba ko ang camera at saka
tumingin sa kanya. Suddenly it was like I could see waves of pain inside her eyes.

"Why do you ask?" I said. Danni shrugged.

"Kalimutan mo na." Sabi niya sabay hatak ng camera ko. "Smile, Calen!"
My mouth parted mukhang natigilan rin naman siya. Agad niyang ibinaba ang camera at
saka ibinalik iyon sa akin.

She just called me Calen.

Who is Calen?

As in Calen, Calen The Pastels Ronaldo?

The former band mate of my brother Nathan?

Calen, Calen - the twin brother of Caleb who got shot the other week?

That Calen, Calen?

I looked at Danni and that moment I knew why she was asking me about being hurt.

"I'm sorry, Ed."

<center><h1>4. So many things</h1></center>

<hr>
What was I thinking? I told myself that I will never say his name ever again but
then I let it slip. I called Edward - Calen. Nakakahiya. Marahil ay iniisip niya
ngayon na ibang tao ang iniisip ko habang magkasama kami pero hindi ko naman talaga
siya iniisip. I wasn't thinking about Calen - no I wasn't. It was just that, I got
so used to saying "Smile, Calen" dahil kapag magkasama kami, I always take our
pictures for remembrance and maybe my subconscious was the one who's talking
kanina. Nakakahiya! I took a quick glance at Edward, he was just there, sitting,
not minding me. Hindi niya ba ako tatanungin?

"You okay?" He asked me. I looked down. "It's okay. If you don't want to talk about
it, I won't even ask." That made me smile. Mali pa ako, gentleman pala si Edward.
Kasi kung hindi, sana tsinika na niya ako pero hindi man lang siya nagtanong.

"Hey you want some kisses?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Anong kisses? Kakaisip ko lang
na gentleman siya tapos inaalok niya ako ng kisses ngayon?!

"Ang bastos mo ha!" Sabi ko sa kanya. Nagtaka naman siya, tumingin siya sa akin at
may inabot. I saw a bag full of Hershey's kisses. I blushed, nahihiya man ay dahan-
dahan kong kinuha iyon. So ito iyong kisses na inaalok niya sa akin.

"T-thanks..." I took one out and ate it. I was still looking at Edward, he's too
quiet. Gusto kong malaman kung anong iniisip niya. Iniisip kaya niya iyong sinabi
ko kanina? Pero hindi ko naman sinadya iyon. I was just so preoccupied with his
memory that I said his name out loud.

"Ed, sorry ha?" Sabi ko sa kanya.

"For what?" He asked me. "As far as I know you didn't do anything wrong."

That made me smile. Bakit ganoon? Bakit parang nagbabago ang tingin k okay Edward?
Parang hindi naman siya mayabang saka mapagsamantala saka hindi rin siya
nakakainis. I guess he changed, he became mature, we both matured. I move closer to
him, nang nakaupo na ako sa tabi niya ay ipinalupot ko ang braso ko sa kanya at
saka humilig sa kanyang balikat.

"Bakit ang bait mo sa akin ngayon?" I asked him.

"Hindi ako mabait. I'm just not in the mood of fighting." He answered. Ipinagkibit
balikat ko iyon. I guess Edward understood that I didn't want to talk about my past
boyfriend also known as he who must not be named.

"So... what are we going to talk about?" I asked him again. The thing is, I really
wanted to have a conversation with him, I just didn't know what topic to pick, I
haven't seen Edward for a long time and I really don't know what he likes now
because I can clearly see that he had changed so much.

"I don't know. My mouth isn't really made of talking, darling."

I made a face. Ngayon araw na ito, naka-ilang pick up line na sa akin ang mayabang
na ito and I was a little bit surprised that I am actually welcoming his
flirtations.

"Ang landi-landi mo kamo." Sabi ko. He stood up and walked towards my direction.
Umupo siya sa harap ako at saka hinawi ang buhok na tumabing sa aking mukha. He was
smiling at me. He caressed my face and because of that, my lips slowly parted, he
was touching my face like he's memorizing every detail of it, like he wanted to
paint my face somewhere.

"Ed..."

"Like what I said, my lips aren't really made for talking, darling Danni." After
saying that he bent down and kissed my lips. I immediately opened my mouth when I
felt his tongue taunting my lower lip. I kissed him back again, I was thinking that
maybe he's right, maybe his lips weren't made for talking; maybe his lips were made
for this - for kissing me because he kisses so damn good that I am feeling
intoxicated.

Maybe there's something on his mouth - siguro may gayuma sa mga labi ni Edward.
Hindi ko na nga alam kung paano nangyari basta I just felt him, caressing my body
and the next thing I knew, he was throwing his shirt somewhere else.

I swallowed hard. I asked myself, am I really going to do this with him? I mean, I
know Edward and I know that he already had an idea about me not being innocent at
all, pero kayak o na bang gawin? Am I ready to give away my most precious - kahit
na hindi na ako virgin - most precious part of my whole being?

Edward pushed me down; I am now lying on the rocky side of the pampang. He trailed
down little kissed from my neck down to the middle side of my cleavage. I couldn't
help but moan.

Maybe I am doing this with him after all. I want to do it with him. I need him. I
need him to feel alive again because whatever it is that he's doing to me, it just
felt so good - so good I couldn't make him stop.

But then he stopped. He lay on top of me and buried his face on my neck. I could
feel his member pulsating down my belly, I want to tell him to move, to do
something, to keep doing what he's doing kanina, pero hindi siya gumalaw. After a
while he sat up and looked at me. Inayos ko ang sarili ko at saka umupo. Itinaas ko
ang aking mga binti upang takpan ang aking sarili. Suddenly I felt so naked in
front of him. Kung kanina hindi ako nahihiya at basta na lang ako naghubad sa
kanyang harapan, ngayon ay parang gusto kong lamunin na lang ako ng lupa sa
kahihiyan.

"I'm sorry, Danni." He said. I looked at him. I didn't want him to feel sorry for
what we just did - wala man lang ngang nangyari eh! So anong pinagso-sorry niya?
"E-ed?"

"Dapat hindi ako nag-take advantage." He said. "I somehow know that you are in the
middle of a crisis - a heart crisis which involves Calen the blacksheep - whom by
the way, I hate his guts. Really hate his guts."

"Oo mayabang talaga siya at times, pero kapag kaming dalawa lang, he's really
sweet."

"He's with that Korean girl. I saw them at the hospital a week before I left."

"His Cinderella." I whispered.

"We'll if that's his Cinderella. You have to find your own prince. It's about time
you start your own love story."

I smiled. Sa buong araw na magkasama kami ni Edward, iyon na yata ang

pinakamagandang bagay na sinabi niya sa akin. I wanted to believe that somehow, iba
si Edward sa mga lalaking nakilala ko, that he's a good man and that he could be a
Mr. Right material pero bago ko pa siguro mapatunayan iyon, kailangan ko munang
malaman kung ano bang tumatakbo sa isip niya...

-----------

After that excruciating night - yes still excruciating kasi after that serious talk
I had with Edward, wala na naman siyang ginawa kundi ang asarin ako ng asarin. That
night, we spent it making jokes and laughing with each other. Nakakatawa talaga
siya magkwento, poker faced kasi siya lagi. Pagkatapos ng walang katapusang
kwentuhan, we went to bed at dahil iisa lang ang tent na dala niya, we slept
together - we just slept together - walang hokey pokey na nangyari.

The next morning, we woke up early para magligpit ng gamit at para makababa ng
maaga. We rode his car to home at nang makauwi ay doon na rin siya nag-lunch. Lolo
Manuel was so happy upon seeing us - Edward and I - getting along. Hindi ko rin
alam pero wala na ako sa mood na awayin siya. Kapag inaasar niya ko, it's either
I'll think of a smart comeback o kaya man eh susuntukin ko na siya, pero after that
we'll just laugh it off.

"Uwi na ako." Sabi niya sa akin. I looked at my watch, eleven thirty pa lang ng
gabi.

"Maaga pa kaya. Kwentuhan mo muna ako." Sabi ko pa.

"Danni, mula nang makabalik tayo kanina, hindi na ako nakauwi sa bahay namin."

"Your Villa is just around the corner, tatakbo ba iyo?" Natatawang sabi ko. Edward
smiled.

"I really have to go. Tomorrow na lang kita kekwentuhan." Sabi niya pa. I pouted my
lips and look at him.

"Please stay, I really like talking to you."

"Darling magkaiba ang talking sa ginagawa natin." He said. My forehead wrinkled.

Ano na naman ba ang sinasabi niya?

"Huh?" Naguguluhang tanong ko. He sat beside me. Bigla ko na lang naramdaman ang
kamay niya sa ibabaw ng tuhod ko. I suddenly felt a thousand of electric bolts
crawled like ants in my veins.

"Darling, we aren't just talking, we are flirting. And I know you are feeling the
electricity too, because right now, as I hold you like this, hindi ko itatanggi, I
can feel it too..."

Kulang na kulang yata ako sa hangin ngayon dahil kinakapos ako ng hininga. I can
feel him, I am again very aware of his presence. Hindi ko alam kung paano nangyari
but I am actually agreeing to him. I can feel the electricity. And the fact that he
feels it too... makes this whole thing works?

I moved closer to him.

Hindi ko talaga mapin-point kung anong meron kay Edward pero parang na-enchant na
ako sa kanya. Gustong-gusto ko iyong feel ng hands niya over my skin and I wanted
to be kissed by him again. Siguro nga nababaliw ako or maybe it just had something
to do with he who must not be named or it's just really a part of my moving on,
pero I want him talaga. I really, really want him. My blood sings passion and
desire for him. I still hate his guts but I like the way his touch feels against
my skin. He's not really my Mr. Right material and yet... I really think I want
him.

Hindi ko alam.

Hindi ako sigurado.

All I know is that I want him around.

I've only spent two days with him pero I want him around na talaga.

Hindi naman ako denial queen, I am attracted to Edward.

I am actually lusting over him.

I like him.

Like lang.

Hindi katulad noong naramdaman k okay Calen noon.

I was really in love with Calen, I loved him and until now, I know that I still
have feelings for him. I am still in love with him.

But that doesn't mean that I don't like Edward. I actually like him. Last night,
when we slept together, he put his arms around me and I liked the feel of his body
over mine.

Lust iyon.

I know it. I like him, I am lusting over him. I wanna feel his body, I wanna see
him naked, I like him. Mababaw lang na pagka-like. Siguro horny talaga ako, kasi
it's been so long since I last I had it with Calen, maybe I was just thinking like
this because of the dry spell I am in pero I couldn't deny naman the fact that I
like him. I really do like Edward.

"Gosh!" I exclaimed. I stood up only to place myself over his lap. I wrapped my
arms around him and looked at him eye to eye.

"I am overly aggressive at times, Edward." I told him.

"I like aggressive." He said hoarsely.

"Sometimes, I can be an overly attached girl."

"That's fine with me." He said again. I made a face.

"You are really going to do everything just to get in pants, don't you?" My brows
furrowed. He gave me his signature half smile and just like that my heart skipped a
beat.

"Yes."

My mouth fell open.

"You are very honest." Sabi ko pa. Edward touched my face.

"I may be a lot of things, Darling Danni but I am not a liar..."

"I like honest men." I said. He nodded.

"Good... So are we like in a relationship?" He asked. I raised my brow.

"Yes, but it's only because I like you and I am lusting over you."

He laughed. Napangiti naman ako. He's not even appalled with what I told him. Iyon
naman kasi ang totoo. I like him and the only reason I'm in this with him was
because I am actually lusting over him.

Edward is like a box of Belgian chocolates; I couldn't and wouldn't ever resist
him.

----------

"Who are you texting?"

Juan Miguel - my eldest brother asked me. Nakabalik na ako mula sa isang lingo kong
bakasyon and I am really feeling energized. I looked at Juan Miguel.

"Why are you being nosy?" I asked. He shook his head and drank his coffee. Sa aming
tatlo - ako ang bunso pero si Juan Miguel ang pinaka-isip basa sa aming lahat. He
three years older than me, and somehow I knew that he's smarter, but unlike me and
my other brother Nathan, he is not a doctor.

Dad wanted him to be a doctor because almost all of our relatives were doctors, my
brother Nathan is a Neurosurgeon - one of the best and the youngest in the country,
habang ako naman ay isang cardiologist. Dad wanted Juan Miguel to be an Oncologist
- a doctor that specializes in cancer but he refused to obey dad, instead he became
a dare devil.

"Hey, I'm worried about you. Lagi kitang nakikitang nakangiti sa kawalan. Maybe
you're having an episode."

"I will quote Nathan, if you're going to act like a kuya now, hey your fifteen
years too late!" I said trying to suppress my laughter. Hindi naman napikon si Juan
Miguel. Lumaki kaming tatlo na palaging ganoon, while we were growing up, I would
always team up with Nathan, tapos aasarin naming si Juan Miguel. He used to hate us
for that but when we matured, naging okay na rin sa kanya. But unlike me and
Nathan, hindi kami masyadong malapit ni Juan Miguel, he spent his adult life away
from us, while I am in medical school and Nathan was in the hospital for his
internship, Juan Miguel was busy roaming the globe for his adventure.

"I really am worried about you." He said again.

"Look I am not going crazy. It's just you know... a girl."

"A girl?" He said. "A girl like Nathan's Ella who can actually cook?"

"I don't know if she can cook like our sister-in-law but she's pretty damn hot."

"Alright!"

I smiled as I thought about Danni. She is not my girlfriend but then she's acting
like one. Day one pa lang naman sinabi na niya sa akin that what we have is just
about lust and yet nothing ever happened to us while we were back in San Martin. We
would make out pero hanggang doon lang. I can see how much she wants me, and I want
her too but I just couldn't deal with that right now. Minsan kasi pakiramdam ko, I
am taking advantage of her.

Alam ko naman kasi kung anong pinagdadaanan niya. Kahit hindi ako nagtatanong sa
kanya, hindi naman ako stupid para hindi ko malaman that's she's messed up about
Calen. I really want to know what happened between the two of them in the past pero
ayokong magtanong sa kanya. I respect her silence but it bugs me everytime!

Two weeks ko na siyang hindi nakikita. Nasa San Martin pa rin siya at two weeks na
rin kaming walang communication. I don't know, maybe iyong bagay na meron kami sa
San Martin, doon lang iyon. Kumbaga, reality na ang hinaharap ko ngayon and she's
not a part of it.

"I have to go." Paalam ko kay Juan Miguel. "I have a date."

"With the pretty hot girl?" He asked. I nodded. "What's her name?"

"Isabel." I smiled.

-----------------

"That would be the last of it."

I smiled at the boy standing in front of me. Isa siya sa maramin bote bakal boys na
dumadaan sa village na tinitirahan ko. Ibinenta ko sa kanya ang ilang mga gamit na
hindi ko na kailangan.

"Salamat ate." Nakangiti siya sa akin. I just nodded. Binalingan niya iyong isang
box sa tabi ko. "Iyan, hindi ninyo po ibebenta?" He asked me. Agad kong binuhat ang
box na iyon.

"Akin ito." Sabi ko sabay pasok sa loob ng bahay. I just got back from Lolo's Villa
two days ago and when I entered my house, I felt like some other person had lived
in here. Ang dumi-dumi ng bahay ko. Puro kalat. Naisip ko na ang burara ko ngayon
samantalang wala naman akong exhibit na inaasikaso.

I sat on the bean bag in the middle of my living room. Napabuntong hininga ako.
Siguro kaya ganito ang bahay ko ay dahil masyado akong nakulong sa alalala ni
Calen. I was too busy picking up the pieces of my broken heart that OI almost
forgot that I have a life outside the Calen world.
Sa ngayon, unti-unti ko na talaga siyang kinakalimutan, pero mahirap pa rin. Para
akong nasa remission, pabalik-balik ako. I sighed again. Things would be easier if
Edward is around, kaya lang wala siya. Mula kasi nang umalis siya sa San Martin
wala na akong naging balita sa kanya. Natutuwa pa naman talaga akong kasama siya
kasi sa mga panahon na magkasama kami, hindi ko talaga naiisip si Calen. It's just
him in my mind and no one else, pero ngayon...

"Siguro busy iyong mambabae." Bigla kong naiusal. I pouted my lips. Naiisip ko pa
lang na nambabae nga siya, nagseselos na ako. Oo, nagseselos ako, bakit masama ba
iyon? Gusto ko kasi talaga si Edward, pero hanggang lust lang talaga kami. He's not
my Mr. Right material.

I smiled. I got up and looked for a piece of paper and a pen. Naisip kong isulat
ang traits ng Mr. Right material ko.

"He has to be..."

1. A perfect gentleman

2. A kind hearted man with so much to offer.

3. Tough but a softie inside

4. A Food Maniac like me.

5. Loves art and photography, movies and all the things that I like. J

6. Must accept me and love me for who I am.

7. Not really a prince charming material but just someone who can save me and
whom I can rely on.

I smiled as I read what I came up. That's right; those traits that I wrote in the
paper is my Mr. Right. Sana talaga makita ko na siya. For the mean time I have to
take a bath because I will meet up with my client later...

-------------

I arrived at the coffee shop early because I want to make a good impression to my
prospective clients. Sabi sa text na natanggap ko, kailangan nila ng photographer
for their wedding. I love weddings, para kasing iyon ang simula ng happy ever after
ng mga couples. I sighed. I may be broken hearted pero I still believe in love and
happiness.

"Hi, Danni." I looked up when I heard a familiar voice. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko
nang makilala ko ang dalawang taong nakatayo sa harapan ko.

"Lex, Keith... and the baby..." I whispered. Keith sat down, ganoon din si Lex.
Bigla akong kinabahan. Anong ginagawa nila dito? Sila ba ang kliyente ko.

"Okay, we know you're shocked," Panimula ni Lex. "Pero ako iyong tumawag - we'll
actually it's Nathan's secretary who called you, pero Danni, gusto kasi talaga
naming na ikaw ang photographer sa kasal naming ni Keith."

"You're getting married?!" I exclaimed. Keith flashed me her diamond ring. I was
really happy for them. Sa five years na kasama ko si Calen, naging mabait naman sa
akin si Lex and when I met Keith, maayos naman niya akong pinakitunguhan. And I
know very well how much they love each other.

"I'm happy for you..." Sabi ko. I looked at their baby, kandong-kandong ni Lex ang
anak niya.

"Iyon nga..." Sabi pa ni Keith. "I hope that you'll cover our wedding, you and your
team."

"I really want to, but you know..." Hindi ko na itinuloy, alam kong alam nila ang
sinasabi ko.

"But hey, he misses you!" Sabi pa ni Keith. "He's okay now and he's asking about
you."

I was glad to know that he's okay pero I really don't think that I am ready to face
him again.

"So you're turning our wedding down?" Sabi ni Keith. I smiled.

"Oo eh.. Sorry Keith, Lex and Baby Raffy..."

"I am so gonna kill Calen after this!" Keith hissed.

"He's such a jerk." Komento pa ni Lex. Natawa naman ako. I know how much Lex loved
Calen at sinasabi niya lang iyon dahil lang sa akin.

"I have to go." Pagpaalam ko.

"Agad? Let's have coffee first." Sabi ni Keith. Umiling ako. Somehow I know kapag
nag-stay pa ako, we'll only end up talking about Calen and I don't want that. Hindi
pa ako handa.

Keith and Lex were very understanding naman. They know what's going on with me and
they let me leave. Siguro, I'll hang with them again pero hindi pa ngayon na
nasasaktan pa ako with the mere thought of Calen.

I left the coffee shop. Ayoko pang umiwi so naisip ko munang maglakad-lakad. I was
walking around that corner. Puro coffee shops and restaurants ang nasa corner na
iyon. Napahinto ako sa tapat ng isang French restaurant because I saw a familiar
figure of a man talking/flirting with a Betty Boop kinda girl.

My mouth fell open.

The man on the restaurant was Edward!

He's flirting with that girl!

Lumapit ako sa restaurant window at walang humpay kong kinatok iyon.

"Hey!" I yelled. Siguro narinig ako ng dalawa. They both looked at me. Tumaas ang
kilay ni Edward. Nagpupuyos ang dibdib ko. Pumasok ako sa restaurant at hinarap
silang dalawa.

"Who's this woman, Eddie?"

"Eddie?!" I exclaimed. "Like eww!"

Tumayo ang babae. Napaatras ako. Ang tangkad niya, tapos naka-heels pa siya.
Lumabas tuloy na hanggang dibdib niya lang ako.

"Girls, let's not do this." Sabi ni Edward. "Nakakahiya."

I looked at him.

"Nahihiya ka pala eh di sana inisip mo muna iyon bago ka nakipag-date kay Sa

babaeng version ni Hagrid!" Sabi ko.

"I am not Hagrid!"

"Oh yes you are!"

"Edward, sino ba itong babaeng ito!?!" Wika ng babaeng higante.

"I am his girlfriend!" I proudly said.

"You are!" Halos sabay nilang sabi. Napuno ng pagtataka ang mukha ni Edward.

"I mean," Edward said. "You are my girlfriend."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Sabin g higante.

Edward gave out a long sigh and said.

"Yes, she is..."

"Yes, I am, Bitch!"

<center><h1>5. Mr. Right material</h1></center>
<hr>
"What was that about?"

I asked Danni after I took her to my Bachelor's Pad. Ever since my father died, I
had been living with my mom and my brothers - it started out like this - my mom,
me, Juan Miguel and Nathan but then, Nathan's wife came back and they are now
living together so I am stuck with my least favorite brother and my mom. I kept my
pad so that whenever I wanted to be alone with a girl - or I just want a time for
myself, I have somewhere to go to.

Danni sat at my couch, crossed her arms and eyed me, she raise her left eyebrow and
gave me that look - a look which I can't stand. My forehead wrinkled automatically
as I stared back at her. Why does it feel like I am the one who did something
wrong?

"What was what?" She said. There was sarcasm in her voice - which I didn't like at
all.

"Why do I feel like I am the one in question?" I asked her. She made a face.

"I caught you cheating!" she yelled. I raised my hands in the air as if I am
surrendering to her.

"No need to raise your voice. I can hear you just fine, Darling Danni." I said. I
find our situation funny - I mean, I wasn't even aware I have a girlfriend until 30
minutes earlier. Nakakatawa, talo ko pa ang na-shot gun wedding.

"Nakakainis ka kasi!" She said again. She pouted her lips and I couldn't help but
laugh. Napatayo siya dahil sa ginawa ko at sa mismong harapan ko ay nagpapadyak
siya. Right there and then naisip ko na hindi naman pala talaga nawala si Dandan -
the younger version of Danni. She was still there - actually nakikita ko siya
ngayon. Childish pa rin siya hanggang ngayon but I find it cute, I stood in front
of her at dahi maliit lang talaga si Danni, hanggang sa may dibdib ko lang siya.

"Naiinis ako sa'yo! You didn't even bother texting me or calling me, tapos makikita
kita with that giant woman! Seriously? You even let her call you Eddie?!"

"What's wrong with that? I mean I didn't know I have a girlfriend. Kanina ko lang
nalaman. I thought after San Martin, we're over." She looked at me with the
ridiculous look on her face.

"We're over?! A little make out session, kiss her and there, a little touching and
you think we're over?! We didn't even have sex yet and you think we're over?! God!"

My mouth fell open. Iyon lang ba ang nasa isip ni Danni? Sex? I should feel
offended pero hindi, I was actually surprised. Ngayon lang ako nakakilala ng
babaeng tulad niya.

"You really like to say whatever it is that's going inside that head of yours noh?"
I said to her. Mukhang natigilan naman siya. She again sat down and pouted those
lovely lips of hers.

"Sorry." She said. "It's just that - we'll this is me. I say what's on my mind. I'm
frank, straight forward and whenever I feel like it, I will bitch out."

I shook my head, and then I walked towards her. I sat beside her and scooped her in
my arms. Danni smells so good. I like her scent, I don't know what that is but it's
making me feel different. I buried my face on her neck, that was when I felt her
hands on my cheek.

"Landi mo. Makikipag-date ka na lang sa giant pa." I giggle. I really like her
sense of humor.

"Mas malandi ka, you only want me for my body." Sabi ko. She hit my arm.

"And for your intelligence, wit and for that sexy mouth..." She said. I looked at
her. She was smiling at me. Somehow, I felt like kissing her, which I did, I kissed
her lips and she kissed me back. Maybe I wasn't really taking advantage of my best
friend's little sister because she happens to like whatever it is that we are doing
- that is not taking advantage, may consent ako so maybe I am not going to hell
after this. Isa pa, Danni's in the right age, hindi na abuse iyon.

"Wait..." She pushed me away.

"What?" I asked.

"It's my time of the month. So no sex." She said. I smiled. Napailing na lang ako.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito si Dandelia ngayon. She really thinks that I'm only
in this because of that - we'll it's one of the many reasons. I would really love
to do that with her pero right now, I wasn't really thinking of that. I just really
want to be with her.

I kinda like her.

Sa tingin ko kasi, Danni is one of a kind. Hindi siya katulad ng ibang babaeng nai-
date ko na puro pretensions ang alam, kapag si Danni, she says what's on her mind.
She's not afraid of telling how she feels, ni hindi nga siya nangimi nang sabihin
niya sa akin that she is lusting over me.
"Considering the fact that you are the sister of my best friend - "

"Does that bother you? I mean, me being Kuya Daniel's sister." Umayos ako ng upo.

"At first, yes..." pag-amin ko, namilog naman ang kanyang mga mata.

"Really? Why?"

"Cause you're always be little Dandan in my eyes, but that Hiking trip changed my
perception. You're not Dandan anymore. Dandan doesn't like sex."

"Stereotyping," Napapailing na sabi niya. "You like sex, you tell people that,
people know that every guy in the world likes sex, and automatically women knew
that, pero nahihiya ba kayo? Hindi naman ibig sabihin na babae ako, ikakahiya ko
iyon. You're a doctor; you know the health benefits of sex."

I cannot believe that I am having this conversation with Danni. I smiled. I want to
dare her.

"Sige nga, anong health benefit ng sex?" I asked her. Danni made a face.

"Duh? Sex is a stress reliever, it is also a great form of exercise and it makes
the heart healthy!"

"True, it also cures insomnia." Sabi ko.

"Really? How?"

"Orgasms, Darling."

"Uhhhhh!" Natawa ako sa reaction niya. Danni made a face again. I noticed how she
likes making faces before she burst out of laughter.

We stayed like that for the whole day, hindi na nga kami umalis sa couch ko.
Nakahiga lang kami doon, she was lying on the couch, her head on my thighs while
talking and laughing once in a while.

"Tell me a story." Biglang sabi niya.

"What story?"

"About your biggest heart break." Bigla akong natigilan. My biggest heart break,
suddenly I saw a face of a young woman on her late twenties, pale, tired and yet so
beautiful. It was as if I could see her again, she was smiling at me, calling my
name, telling me how blessed she was for having me in her life. Suddenly I wanted
to burst out in tears. The pain of losing her is inside my chest again.

"It's okay..." Bumangon si Danni. "If you don't wanna talk about it, it's okay, it
was just a random question."

I smiled. I touched her face.

"Gutom ka na? It's getting late we should eat something."

"O-okay lang naman ako. Ikaw are you hungry?"

"A little bit. Let's go out for dinner." Yakag ko sa kanya. She just smiled. Tumayo
ako at saka binuksan ang pinto. I waited for her, nang makalabas kami ng pinto ay
hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.
"What?" I asked. There was something creepy with the way she smiles at me.

"I will make you smile again, Edward." She said, somehow, what she said touched my
heart. Hindi ko alam kung alam niya ang nangyari sa akin noon at kay Mikaela - my
third wife - but maybe she knew that after losing my one great eternal love affair
- I had never smiled the way I used to before. And maybe, I believed her when she
said that she will make me smile again.

-----------

I don't really know what happened to Edward that night, we were getting along and
suddenly, his mood changed when I asked him about his biggest heart break. I only
wanted to make a small talk with him, hindi ko naisip na na-hit ko iyong soft spot
niya. Definitely, something in the past - a time where I wasn't involve pa with him
- happened and that broke his heart. Gusto kong malaman iyon pero wala naman akong
karapatang magtanong because that his personal space, ayoko naming isipin niya na
ini-invade ko ang personal space niya. Okay na sa akin na we're in a relationship.

We are in a relationship.

I smiled.

Bakit pa parang nikikilig ako kapag naiisip ko iyon. Sigh, I wonder what Edward's
doing right now. He's not texting me, maybe he's busy operating someone's heart or
something like that.

That Monday, I was in my photo gallery wih my team. Balik business na ako. Hindi ko
naman pwedeng itigil habambuhay ang business ko dahil lang sa broken hearted ako
kay Calen - anyway I seldom think about him na lalo na kapag kasama ko si Edward.

I straightened up when I heard the door of the shop opened.

"Good morning, welcome to Danni's!" Batik o sa pumasok. I looked up and I saw a

man. My mouth fell open when I realized how beautiful this man looks.

"Good morning." He smiled at me. I gasped. My heart trembled - literally - parang

may something sa puso ko.

"H-hi..." I couldn't help but say something.

"I'm David." Sabi niya. I'm here for the 9 am appointment with Ms. Santos. 9 am
appointment? He's my 9 am appointment? This hottie is my 9 am appointment?! How
lucky I am!

"I am Ms. Santos, but you can call me Danni." I smiled at him. Ang swerte ko. I
told him to come into my office and we did. He sat on the couch I sat on my chair,
I was admiring his beauty. He looked more like a model.

"I'm David Zuniga, I'm an architect." He said.

"You are? I mean, yes you are!" I exclaimed. Gumagana na naman ang landi hormones
ko. I smiled charmingly at him. Pilit kong inaalis ang mukha ni Edward sa isipan
ko. Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"My friend recommended your team to me."

"Ano bang occasion?" I asked.

"Sixteenth birthday ng kapatid ko."

I smiled. Naglabas ako ng form, I asked him to fill that up with his name, address,
number tapos ay ibigay niya muli sa akin. I was just staring at him the whole time.
He looked so good! His eyelashes were so mahaba, he has a broken nose pero mas
naka-gwapo iyon sa kanya, his eyes were dark brown and deep, it's kinda mysterious.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" He asked. Napakagat labi ako. Nahuli niya
akong nakatingin sa kanya!

"Sorry, it's just that - we'll - " kinuha ko ang papel sa kanya at saka binasa
iyon. "July 17, 3 pm." I smiled at him. "I'll check with my secretary kung free
kami ng July 17, we'll call you na lang, let's say tomorrow?"

"And maybe after that we can have dinner or something." He smiled at me. I smiled
back. Gosh! Did he just ask me out?

"S-sure..." I smiled again. Tumayo na siya at saka lumabas. Naiwan ako sa office ko
at nang masiguro kong wala na siya ay saka ako nagtatalon.

"Oh em gee! He's totally my crush!"

---------

"Ang landi-landi ko talaga..." I kept on whispering habang nada-drive ako. Hindi ko

makalimutan ang encounter k okay David kanina. Ewan ko but there's something in him
that makes me believe that he's my Mr. Right material. Pwede siya na talaga ang
hinahanap ko. I parked my car in front of my house. I saw a matte gray Bentley
parked in front of my house. Kaninong kotse kaya iyon? I got out and walked towards
the car and I saw Edward. He was sitting on my flower box looking down at the
ground.

"E-ed?" I called him. My heart broke when I saw his expression. He looked so tired,
so stressed, so... "What happened?" I asked immediately.

"Can't we go in?" He said in a low voice. I shook my head.

"Oo naman, come on!" I helped him get up. Kinakabahan ako. Bakit ganoon ang
expression ng mukha niya. When we got in, bigla na lang siyang yumakap sa likuran
ko. I didn't even had the chance to put down my bag, bigla na lang kasi niya akong
niyakap.

"Edward..." Sabi ko. Somehow, I can feel the sadness in his embrace. Ano bang
nangyayari? Lumayo ako sa kanya. "You're tired. What happened?"

"I just wanna see you." His voice was so tired it affected me."Where's your
bedroom?"

"There..." Tinuro ko. He sighed. Hinagkan niya ako sa pisngi at saka nilagpasan
ako. Pumasok siya sa silid at saka sinara ang pinto. Matagal akong tumayo doon.
What's happening to him? Why was he so sad? Hindi rin ako nakatiis, sumunod ako sa
kanya. I opened my room and I his shirt, his shoes and his pants on the chair near
my window habang siya, nakahiga sa kama ko, he was wearing his sando and his
boxers, mukha pa rin siyang pagod. His eyes were closed and yet parang sobrang
pagod pa rin siya.

I sat on the bed and looked at him. Alam kong gising pa rin siya.

"Ed, what happened?" I asked in a low voice. He opened his eyes and gave out a long
sigh. Matagal bago siya sumagot but then after a while he spoke.

"A thirty four year old dad died in my operating table today."

I gasped. Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaction ko. I looked at him. Was that
the reason why he was being like this? His patient died.

"I killed a man." He whispered. Agad akong tumayo at saka lumapit sa kanya. I
spooned him.

"Don't say that!" I said. "You didn't kill him! You tried saving his life that's
what happened."

"Yeah, it should be like that but I killed him instead."

"Edward, you did not kill him."

"But he died."

"Lahat ng tao mamatay. Kung namatay siya, hindi mo iyon kasalanan. Doctors are
human beings too. Hindi ka naman Diyos, hindi mo hawak ang buhay niya."

"But I could've saved him."

"You did everything."

Tumingin siya sa akin.

"How did you know I did everything?" I touched his face.

"Because you're Edward Varres, you are a miracle maker."

"I am Edward Varres, that's for sure but me being a miracle maker - I doubt that."

I lay beside him. I held his hand.

"How many people have died in your table?" I asked him.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked me.

"I was just trying to make you see na mas marami kang na-save kaysa sa hindi.
You're a doctor, a great one, you're greater than Nathan, I am so sure of that. So
please, don't say that you killed that man, hindi mo siya pinatay. You tried saving
him, but it's his time."

He gave me a smile. Malungkot pa rin siya pero nakangiti na siya.

"Napapagod ako." He said.

"Rest. I'll be here. I'll spoon you." Sabi ko. Tumagilid siya. I hugged him from
behind. Hinagkan ko siya sa pisngi. Naisip ko bigla, parang bata lang din pala si
Edward, nalulungkot din siya, natatakot, nagtatampo, nagagalit, somehow, unti-unti
kong naiisip na hindi na pala siya iyong Edward na kinaiinisan ko. I have grown to
endure this man. I have grown to like him. Setting aside the lust thingy, I still
want him to be my boyfriend, he's sweet, he's a softie inside and he makes me feel
warm.

Maybe he could be my Mr. Right material.

"This feels nice. You and me just cuddling." Sabi ko pa. Naghintay ako ng sagot but
when I realized that his breathing was slow and regular, I knew already that he had
fallen asleep.

<center><h1>6. Falling</h1></center>
<hr>

I woke up late the next morning. I was feeling alienated because I don't have any
idea where the hell I am. Sumalubong sa akin ang yellow walls and butterfly
curtains, kinabahan ako, did I drink last night and went home with some girl? Agad
akong bumangon. I stumble upon a picture frame, I took it and I saw Danni's face.
Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Bigla kong natandaan kung nasaan ako.

Last night after my five hour excruciating operation, umuwi ako sa bahay ni Danni.
I was so sad upon the result of the said procedure. Hinayang na hinayang ako sa
buhay ng taong iyon, I could've saved him, but I was too late. Sayang. Hindi ko
makakalimutan ang hitsura ng asawa niya nang sabihin ko sa kanya that her husband
didn't make it. I really hated myself for that.

I took a deep breath and walked towards the door, paglabas ko ng pinto ay may
narinig akong kung ano, kasunod noon ay ang usok at ang tili ni Danni. Tumakbo ako,
I found her in the kitchen trying to kill the fire - I think - she made. Agad akong
lumapit sa kanya.

"Anong nangyari?" I asked. Kinuha ko sa kamay niya ang basahan at ako na ang
nagpatuloy ng ginagawa niya. She faced me, her lips a bit pouted tapos naka-puppy
dog eyes pa siya.

"I kinda burned your breakfast." Then she closed her eyes. Oh, she was so cute, I
couldn't help but smile. I kissed her head and sighed.

"Ano bang niluto mo?" I asked again.

"Eggs and bacons..." Malungkot pa ring sabi niya. "Sorry, Ed, hindi kasi ako
marunong magluto." Nagyuko siya ng ulo tapos ay bumuntong hininga. I just smiled at
her. I appreciate her efforts - really - mula nang mawala sa akin si Mikaela - siya
pa lang ang unang babaeng nag-abala para sa akin. Kinuha ko mula sa kamay niya ang
siyanse at saka pinaalis siya roon.

"Ako na lang. You sit there at the corner or you can watch me." I said, still
smiling. Iniligpit ko muna ang mga kalat niya at saka ako nagsimulang magluto.

"Right, marunong ka, you lived alone for quite a long time pero ako hindi ako
natuto kahit kailan."

"Dapat sa'yo, Danni, maghanap ka ng lalaking di marunong kumain." Biro ko sa kanya.

She made a face.

"Nakakainis ka! At least nag-effort akong pagluto ka! Hmp!"

I laughed. Hindi ko talaga mapigilan ang hindi matawa kay Danni. I don't know what
she has pero palagi niya akong napapatawa. It's a good thing. I never felt like
this - so alive - for the longest time.

Nang makaluto na ako ay saka ko naman inayos ang mesa, after a while I called her
to eat. Tahimik pa rin siya, mukhang naiinis talaga siya sa akin.
"Dandan..." Tawag ko sa kanya.

"Naiinis ako sa'yo." Sabi niya.

"Totoo naman. Hindi ka marunong magluto." Binelatan ko pa siya. Bigla ay binitiwan

ni Danni ang kutsarang hawak niya at saka tumayo. She looked as if she's going to
cry. Bigla ay tumalikod siya, iniwan niya akong mag-isa sa dining area. Narinig ko
ang pagbagsak ng pinto ng kwarto niya. I shook my head.

"I guess I fucked things up again." Napapailing na tumayo ako. Hindi ko alam kung
bakit nainis sin Danni sa akin. I was just making fun of her. Hindi ko naman alam
na mao-offend siya. I knocked on her door. Hindi naman siya sumasagot, sinubukan
kong buksan ang pinto, hindi naman naka-lock so I went in. I found her sitting in
the middle of the bed, nakayuko siya at nakayakap sa binti nito. She was sobbing.

I sighed. I made her cry.

"Dandan..." I called her.

"G-go away!" She said.

I sat on the bed and stared at her. Napakamot ako ng ulo.

"Dan, sorry..." I said. She looked at me. Tulo nang tulo ang mga luha niya. Bigla
niya akong hinampas.

"You don't even know what you're being sorry for!" She Yelled. Muli niya akong
hinampas that time, hinuli ko ang kamay niya and that was when I saw the blisters
on her fingers. Pilit niyang binabawa iyon pero hindi ko binitiwan, I also took her
left hand at tulad noong kanan niyang kamay ay may blisters rin iyon, tapos iyong
hintuturo niya may hiwa ng kutsilyo.

Suddenly I felt like a jerk. Tiningnan ko si Danni, she was still crying and
sobbing. I sighed.

"Gago ako." Sabi ko sa kanya. Lalo lang siyang umiyak.

"Nakakainis ka!" She kept on saying. I just sighed. Pilit ko siyang hinahatak
patayo pero ayaw niyang sumama sa akin, so I ended up carrying her instead. Dinala
ko siya sa kusina, inupo ko siya sa counter. Kumuha ako ng maligamgam na tubig at
saka sabon.

"Anong gagawin mo?" She said, still sobbing. I winked at her.

"Trust me, I'm a doctor." Hindi naman siya nagsalita. Umingos lang siya. Kinuha ko
ang kanang kamay niya at saka dahan-dahang binuhusan iyon ng maligamgam na tubig,
tapos ay sinabon ko ang kanyang kamay, ganoon rin ang ginawa ko sa isa pa. After
that, I gave attention to her wounded finger.

"Next time kung hindi ka marunong, wag ka nang gagawa. You might end up hurting
yourself again." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Inis pa rin ako sa'yo. Hindi mo na-appreciate ang effort ko!" Binawi niya ang
kamay niya. I just sighed. "Bahala ka diyan. Basata ako kakain na doon." Bumaba
siya sa kitchen counter at muling umupo sa may dining table. I just smiled.
Nagpalinga-linga ako, I was looking for something and when I found it, I took it
out, put it in a plate and joined her on the table.

"Kain." Sabi ko sa kanya. She gave me an evil look. Ngumiti lang ako. Muli siyang
tumingin sa akin, this tima nakanganga na siya.

"What are you doing?!" She yelled.

"Eating." I answered.

"Pero sunog yan eh!" Sabi niya. Pilit niyang kinukuha ang plato ko. Yes, I am
eating those burned eggs and bacons that she cooked earlier. I want her to see how
much I appreciate her effort. Gusto ko ring patunayan sa sarili ko na hindi ako
jerk. I ate her eggs and bacons because I want her to realize that her efforts
aren't wasted.

"Edward! Baka magkasakit ka! Stop eating that!" Sabi pa niya.

"Luto mo, masarap." Sabi ko. I chewed on the bacon. She just looked at me. Mukhang
awang-awa siya sa akin. Then to my surprise, bigla na lang siyang umiyak. Did I
upset her again?

"Dandan?" I called her. She wiped her tears.

"Ang pathetic mo kamo! Kita mong sunog na iyan eh, dapat nga sa luto ko tinatapon
na pero kinakain mo pa rin!"

"Pinaghirapan ito ng girlfriend ko, kakainin ko."

She wiped her tears. Umiiyak pa rin siya at hindi ko alam kung bakit.

"Nakakainis ka." She said while wiping her tears. Napailing na lang ako. I kept on
eating the food she cooked and even though it is burned and it doesn't look so good
- it is the best eggs and bacons I have ever tasted.

-------------------------

Edward was washing the dishes habang ako ay nakaupo lang doon at tinitingnan siya.
Hindi ako makapaniwala na kinain niya pa rin iyong niluto ko. Burned eggs and
burned bacons in the morning. I shook my head, di bale sana kung sunog lang ang
luto ko, sunog na sunog kaya iyon as in iyong kaunti na lang abo na iyon but still
he ate it and he even said that it tasted so good.

Hindi ko tuloy mapigilang maiyak. Naiyak ako kasi, I was very touched by his
gesture. Walang lalaking gagawa ng ganoon - si Edward lang yata. Napangiti ako.
Maybe that thing he did earlier was his way of making up to me - okay naman,
nakakatuwa. I really felt good. Biglang nabura iyong inis ko sa kanya dahil
sinabihan niya ako ng ganoon kanina.

I stood up and went to him. Niyakap ko siya sa likod. Ang bango-bango ni Edward,
kaamoy niya iyong room ko - amoy lavender.

"What?" He said.

"Thank you... for eating my burned eggs and bacons." I smiled at him. Humarap siya
sa akin.

"Welcome." He said. He hugged me back and just like that I knew, hindi talaga ako
nagkamali that I made him my boyfriend, he's like - I sighed. Pwede talaga siyang
Mr. Right material.

--------------------------------
What are you doing? Missing you! :)

I sent that message to Edward. Alam kong busy siya that day kaya hindi siya
nakakatext pero nami-miss ko na talaga siya.

"Uy, si Danni may katext." Tudyo sa akin ni Mac - Mac is one of my trusted
photographers, matagal na kaming magkasama - since college pa and I consider him as
one of my good friends.

"Tse!" Ibinaba ko ang Blackberry ko at saka tiningnan si Mac. "Mac, example iyong
girlfriend mo, nagluto tapos nasunog, kakainin mo pa?" Mac made a face.

"Hindi na noh! Sunog na iyon eh. Sura ng lasa noon! Nakakasakit ng tyan!"

"Hindi ka gentleman!" Sabad naman ni Krystelle - my set designer. Napatingin ako sa

kanya. "I would kill for a guy na kakainin ang sunog na pagkaing lulutuin ko. "

"Sinasabi mo lang iyan kasi hindi ka marunong magluto."Pang-aasar pa no Mac kay

Krystelle. Napangiti ako, siguro nga one of a kind si Edward, kapag naaalala ko ang
ginawa niya para sa akin, kinikilig ako.

"Landi lang ni Danni." Sabi pa ng mga ito. Binelatan niya ang dalawa.

"Dan," My secretary, Lianne entered my office. "Mr. David Zuniga wants to talk to
you."

Kumunot ang noo ko. David? David Zuniga the hot architect from last Tuesday? Iyong
crush ko! Unconsciously, inayos ko ang buhok ko. Agad akong tumayo at saka lumabas
ng office ko. I saw David Zuniga at the waiting lounge, holding a white rose while
smiling at me.

"Hi..."

Grabe ang haba ng buhok ko. I smiled at him.

"Hello..." I said. Bigla ay inabot niya sa akin ang rose. Kinuha ko iyon.

"I received the call from your secretary last night, I am here for the coffee you
promised."

Kulang na lang ay magtitili ako doon. Inaaya niya akong mag-coffee! Gosh! Kalandi
ko!

"Ngayon na ba agad?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Kung okay lang?" He made those puppy dog eyes, he's so cute!

"Okay, I'll just go get my purse.." Tumalikod ako at muling pumasok sa office. Mac,
Krystelle and Liane were all looking at me.

"The hot guy asked me out!" Nagtilian kami nila Liane. Mac just looked at us.

"Girl, bye bye na talaga kay Sugaroo!" Sabi ni Krystelle. Bigla akong natigilan.
Narinig ko ang dating tawag k okay Calen and my heart just skipped at beat.

"Gaga ka talaga! Okay na eh!" Liane said. I smiled.

"It's okay. Hindi ko na nga siya masyadong naaalala eh." Sabi ko. I took my purse.
Inayos ko muna ang sarili ko at saka muli silang hinarao. "Bye, guys, see you!"

I left my office. Muli akong sinalubong ni David, ang cute niya talaga. Nang
magkatapat na kami ay hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at saka ngumiti. I was actually
surprised that he held my hand that way. Masyado siyang mabilis pero hindi ko naman
binawi ang kamay ko. David's hand was warm and soft, I kinda like it.

"So, where do you want to go?" He asked me. Nag-isip ako saglit.

"Alam mo iyong Tree house coffee shop?" I asked him. He smiled.

"Good choice." He said. I sighed. He's such a gentleman, pinagbukas niya pa ako ng
pinto ng kotse, he also made sure that my seatbelt is intact, after that we started
talking. I realized that he had a good sense of humor. Nakakatuwa siyang kausap,
kalog, magaan and yet I think he's very deep. I sighed again. I have a good feeling
that I am going to enjoy this first date.

Oo, first date na ito.

-----------------------

"Edward, where is Juan Miguel?"

Agad kong ibinaba ang binabasa ko at tiningnan si Mama. Pababa siya ng hagdan
habang nakatingin sa akin. I smiled at her tapos ay nilapitan ko siya. Inalalayan
ko siyang bumaba.

"Thank you, anak. Now where is your kuya?"

"Uhm, I don't really know, Ma." I said. "Hindi ko na siya inabutan nang umuwi ako
kanina." I explained. Mama sat on Papa's favorite chair. She closed her eyes, she
stayed like that for a while then she looked at me.

"I am worried about your brother." Sabi niya sa akin. I shook my head. Masakit man
isipin but Mama's favorite son is Juan Miguel. Wala naman akong problema doon, it
has always been like that since we were kids. Nathan was the one who had a problem
with that. Selos na selos noon si Nathan kay Juan Miguel, I grew up with my
brothers always fighting each other. Kung matalino si Nathan, matalino rin si Juan
Miguel - they have a sibling rivalry at palagi silang nag-aaway noon. Sa mata ni
Mama, Juan Miguel is always the best - which made Nathan angrier, sa mata naman ni
Papa, si Nathan ang magaling.

I just sat in the middle watching my two brothers' fight for whatever it is they're
fighting for, until one day, Juan Miguel just gave up. Mama was so broken hearted
when he left home.

But that was another story.

"Ma, malaki na si Juan Miguel." I said. Mama dismissed that thought, she looked at
me.

"How are thing with you and little Dandan..." Natigilan ako. How the hell did she
know that? Napatingin ako sa kanya. Her smile was teasing me. Agad na namula ang
mukha ko.

"Manang-mana ka sa Papa mo. Hindi ka marunong magtago ng emotions."

"I'm good at hiding my feelings, Ma." Giit ko. Mama shook her head.

"Honey, you're my son. I know you too well. You might be good at hiding your
feelings pero sa ibang tao iyon. Are you in love with her?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. Ako? In love kay Danni? Hindi kaya. I like her pero hindi pa
ako dumarating sa punto na masasabi kong mahal ko na siya. I'm not there yet.

"Who told you?" I asked.

"Nagka-usap kami ng Tita Cornelia mo noong isang araw." I sighed. Tita Cornelia was
Danni's mom. I made a face.

"Mama, hindi ganoon iyon." I said. Lalong napangiti ang Mama niya.

"I am really happy for you." She said. "After Mika, ngayon na lang kita nakitang
ganyan." Sabi pa nito.

"Ma!" I said. Natawa si Mama. Tumahimik na lang ako. It's been so long since I last
saw her laugh like that. Napangiti na lang ako. I stood up and knelt in front of
her. Yumuko ako sa kandungan niya.

"Love you, Ma..." Sabi ko. She touched my head.

"Bunso ka talaga..." Sabi pa niya. Our mother and son moment was cut too short when
one of the maids entered the living room and called me.

"Sir Edward, may naghahanap po sa inyo." Sabi nito. Tumayo ako.

"Sino?" I asked. Mula sa likod niya ay lumabas ang isang maliit na babae. She was
smiling at me, may dala siyang cake.

"Little Dandan!" Mama exclaimed. Agad na nilapitan ni Danni ang Mama ko. She kissed
her cheeks. Napangiti lalo si Mama.

"Hi, Tita. Kamusta po?" Danni stood beside me. Napapapalakpak si Mama.

"You two looked so good together." She said. I blushed again. Danni just laughed.

"I bought cake!" She said. Kinuha ni Mama iyon saka nagpaalam siya na pupunta sa
kusina para ihanda ang kakainin ni Danni. That was my time. I faced her.

"Bakit nandito ka?" Tanong ko, bigla niya akong niyakap.

"Na-miss kita the whole day!" Sabi niya. Napangiti ako. Danni is really sweet.
Hindi mahirap na magustuhan siya. Minsan pa nga para siyang bata. "Di mo ba ako na-
miss?" She asked me.

"I was busy the whole day." Lumayo siya sa akin. Nakanguso na naman siya.
Pinipigilan ko lang ang sarili kong halikan siya. I pulled her closer.

"Hmmn..." I said.
"Ed..." She said.

"Yes?" I looked at her. Bigla kong naalala ang tanong ni Mama. I smiled at her,
maybe... iyon ang sagot ko. There is a big possibility that I might be falling for
Danni. What's not to love about her? She's so sweet, caring, childish in a way, but
she makes me feel so good. Siya iyong opposite pole ng magnet sa buhay ko, she
brought back the color in my life. I want her around, I'm not sure yet, pero I
really think that I am falling for... her.

"I'm seeing someone else." She said to me.

Falling...

Falling...

Falling away from her...

<center><h1>7. 3rd parties</h1></center>

<hr>
"Do you know what I hate?"

I asked Juan Miguel that night after Danni took off. The nerve of that woman to
tell me that she is actually seeing somebody other than me. In the first place,
siya naman ang may gusto na maging mag-boyfriend kami. She led me on to thinking
that I am the only man in her life at this moment and right when I thought - rather
- realized that I am in love with her saka naman niya sasabihin na she's seeing
someone else?

The fuck?

"How should I know?" Juan Miguel said. Nasa verandah kami nang mga oras na iyon.
Mom was already asleep, I just found my brother sitting at the verandah with a beer
on his hand so I joined him. I thought that it would be a good way to release all
my angers. Oo galit ako. Right when I realized that I am in love with her, saka
niya pa sinabi iyon.

Oo, aaminin ko na. I am in love with Danni. Hindi ko alam kung kailan nagsimula
pero malinaw sa isip ko na hindi ko kakainin ang sunog na bacon and eggs niya kung
wala akong nararamdamang iba sa kanya. I never did that to my women, sa kanya niya.
So I realized that maybe she was really special to me. Kanina habang tinitingnan ko
siya, naisip ko na iyong possibility na iyon, when she told me she was seeing
someone else, I felt pain in my chest, and that was when I realized that I love
her.

I love her.

"I love her."

"Si Dandelia?" Tanong ni Juan Miguel sa akin. I just looked at him. "Why?"

"Kailangan ba kapag mahal mo may dahilan?" I asked. "Hindi ko alam. I ate burned
eggs and bacons for her, I am going crazy just thinking about the fact that she
might fall in love with that man she was dating." Sabi ko pa.

"Akala ko ba kayo?" Tumango ako. "And you're letting her see someone else because?"
"I don't know!" I exclaimed.

"You're screwed brother." Juan Miguel said.

"I know, what should I do?" I cannot believe that I am actually seeking my
brother's advice. Juan Miguel seemed to be thinking of something. Nag-iisip rin
naman ako.

"Let's go clubbing." Sabi niya sa akin.

"Ayoko!" I said. I never like night life. It's not like I am a home buddy pero
hindi ko kasi makita ang logic ng pagpunta sa club para makakilala ng mga babae. I
mean there's a safer place for that, like the mall, restaurants and bookstores pero
sa club? No way!

"Okay, then magmukha kang tanga diyan sa Dandan mo." Sabi pa ni Juan Miguel. I made
a face.

"Fine. Let's go!" Sabi ko sabay tayo. I went to my room to changed clothes, matapos
ang ilang minuto ay sakay na ako ng Ferrari GT ni Juan Miguel. I never liked the
way he drives pero wala akong choice. Bigla kong naisip si Nathan. Kung kay Nathan
siguro ako nanghingi ng advice, siguro matino ang sasabihin niya sa akin hindi
ganito.

"I know what you're thinking, little brother." Sabi pa ni Juan Miguel. "Hindi lang
naman si Nathaniel ang kuya mo. Ako rin, please let me be a brother to you."

"Fine." Sabi ko.

"Alright." He smiled. A little while later, huminto na kami sa isang underground

club. I really have a bad feeling about this, but I don't want to disappoint my
brother so I just shut my mouth. Pumasok kami. I noticed na kilala na si Juan
Miguel sa bar na iyon.

"JM!" sigaw ng mga babae nang pumasok ang kapatid ko. Inakbayan niya ako.

"Everyone, this is my little brother, be nice to him. His name is Ed." I just
smiled. Maya-maya ay pinutakti na ng babae ang kapatid ko. Five women came to him
and the two started kissing him - I shrugged. He seems to like it. I looked around
the place, I saw many women. So, ito pala ang hang out ni Juan Miguel.

"Beer?" A woman behind the bar asked me. I looked at her. May nameplate siya sa may
dibdib.

"Melanie." Basa ko.

"Yup, that's me. You want beer?" She asked again. Tumango na lang ako, she gave me
a bottle of their strongest beer. "So, kapatid ka pala ng biggest jerk na nakilala
ko."

"You don't like my brother." Sabi ko pa. Umiling si Melanie.

"I actually like him. Siya ang pinakamabait na parokyano dito. Pero marami na
siyang pinaiyak na babae." Sabi niya sa akin habang nakangiti.

"I hope you're not one of them." Nakangiting sabi ko. Binuhusan niya ng beer ang
baso ng katabi ko bago muling sumagot.
"No. Buti naman at hindi." Nakatawang sabi niya. "He's not my type..."

"Right." Natahimik siya. Bigla na naman niyang naisip si Danni. Gusto niyang
malaman kung sino ang sinasabi nitong someone else.

"Do you have a problem?" Tanong muli noong Melanie. He smiled. Bartenders are good
listeners. He learned that in L.A.

"There's this girl..." simula niya. Sinabi niya kay Melanie ang lahat, wala siyang
binawas. Lahat sinabi niya.

"What? Ang landi naman ng babaeng iyan!" Sigaw nito.

"But I love her." A smile formed on my face. I am really in love with Danni.

"Why don't you give her the dose of her own medicine?"

"What do you mean?" He asked her.

"Make her see that you are seeing someone too. Para naman kabahan siya."

I thought about what she said and she was right. It's time para maramdaman ni Danni
ang nararamdaman ko.

-------------------------------------

"Really, JM? Five girls in one night?!"

Natatawang sabi k okay Juan Miguel that next morning. We were at his condo at
kagigising niya lang. Hindi ko naman alam that he went home with five women last
night. I wasn't aware of it dahil masyado kong iniisip ang gagawin ko para kay
Danni.

I have it all planned.

"Something wrong with that?" Juan Miguel asked.

"Wala. You're one dirty man, dude." Natatawang sabi ko. Magsasalita pa sana ako
when my Blackberry rang.

"Hello?" Sabi ko.

"Hi Ed!" It was Danni. I smiled. Just hearing her voice made my day already.

"Hey..." Sabi ko.

"What are you doing?" She asked me. Sasagot na sana ako nang biglang may sumigaw. I
saw one of JM's girls, nakatayo na siya sa tabi naming at nakangisi.

"Edward, honey, come back to bed! I'm ready for you!"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. JM was smiling evilly. Napailing na lang ako. I understood
what he was trying to do. Sinakyan ko na lang.

"I have to go..." Sabi ko.

"Sino iyon?!" Danni yelled at the other line.

"I have to go, Danni. May operation ako." Tinapos ko ang tawag at saka binalingan
ang kapatid ko.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked him, natatawa ako. JM kissed the neck of the woman
who screamed kanina.

"Revenge, baby brother." Sabi nito. Natawa lalo ako. Naisip ko bigla si Danni.
Siguradong galit na galit na ito.

----------------------------

"Sino iyon?! Hello?! Hello?!"

Napanganga ako. Pinatayan ako ng telepono ni Edward. May operation daw siya pero
dinig na dinig ko naman ang boses ng babaeng iyon - kung sino man siya na
pinababalik si Edward sa kama! How dare him!

Nagpalakad-lakad ako sa loob ng opisina ko. Hindi pwede! Ibig sabihin nakikipag-
date rin si Edward sa iba? Bakit hindi niya sinabi sa akin. I was totally honest
with him last night. I told him about David - everything about David tapos, ni
hindi man lang nabanggit nito na may kasama itong ibang babae?!

"AHHH!" I took my bag and I marched out of the room. I was feeling really angry.
Tinawagan ko ang isa pang kapatid ni Edward si Juan Miguel. Kailangan kong makita
si Edward. Sigurado akong wala siya sa ospital. Hahanapin niya ito kahit saang
sulok ng mundo.

"Hello!" She yelled at the other line.

"Yes, who's this?" Sabi ni Juan Miguel.

"JM, it's Dandan," Sabi niya, "is Edward with you."

"No, he's not." Sabi nito. Nanlumo siya.

"Ganoon ba?" She fell silent pero sandal lang iyon bigla kasi siyang may narinig sa
background.

"Oh, Ed, you're so good. That feels so nice, baby, faster, faster, oooh!"

"What the fuck is that! Kasama mo si Edward noh! Wag kang magsinungaling!" Sigaw
niya dito.

"I don't know what you're talking about Danni. Nasa ospital si Ed."

"Ohh Ed! Ohh Ed!"

Iyon ang huling narinig ko bago ibinaba ni JM ang tawag. Napaiyak ako. Bakit
ganoon? Bakit ibang babae iyong nilalandi ni Edward? Bakit hindi ako? I wiped my
tears. Hindi ko papayagang maagaw ng iba si Edward sa akin.

Sumakay ako sa kotse ako at nagmaneho. Hahanapin ko si Edward by hook or by crook.

"Akin lang siya! I don't wanna share him to anyone!"

I drove around all day looking for him, pero inabot na ako ng maghapon pero hindi
ko siya nahanap. Nakailangan oh my god, Ed kaya ang babaeng iyon? Inis na inis ako.
I ended up going to his bachelor pad, pero kahit doon ay wala siya. I sat on the
floor feeling so confused and frustrated, bakit ba nangyayari sa akin ito?

First si Calen.

Ngayon naman si Edward.

Napaiyak ako. Ang iyakin ko talaga. Aaminin ko, kapag hindi nangyayari ang gusto
ko, iniiyakan ko talaga. I have this pathetic belief that if I don't like what's
happening around me, I can change it. And right now, I don't like what's happening
to me.

"Danni?" Napatayo ako agad nang marinig ko ang boses ni Edward. Nang makita ko siya
ay agad akong lumapit sa kanya. Pinagsusuntok ko ang balikat niya habang iyak ako
ng iyak.

"I hate you! You're cheating on me na naman! I hate you!" Sabi ko sa kanya. Hinuli
ni Edward ang mga kamay ko at saka nagsalita.

"Stop fidgeting!" Sigaw niya sa akin. Natahimik ako. Hinatak ako ni Edward papasok
sa loob ng pad niya. Ibinalya niya ako sa couch at saka naupo sa harap ko.

"Why are you crying?" He asked me. Ngumuso ako.

"Hmp!" Ungot ko. Nag-Indian sit ako at saka umingos. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin.

"Galit ako sa'yo." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me fine." Sabi niya sa akin. Nakita kong tumayo
siya at saka tumalikod. Pumasok ito sa kwarto at saka nagsara ng pinto. Ano ito?
Patigasan ng ulo? Kung akala ni Edward na susuko ako, pwes nagkakamali siya!
Matigas kaya ang ulo ko.

I sat in the couch waiting for him, alam kong hindi niya ako matitiis. Si Edward
pa, these past months nalaman ko na ang soft spot niya. Alam na alam ko na hindi
niya ako matitiis.

Suddenly the door bell rang. Napatingin ako sa pinto. Bubuksan ko ba? Sino kaya
iyon? Tatawagin ko ba si Edward. I made a face. Huwag na lang. Ako na lang ang
magbubukas ng pintuan.

And so, binuksan ko ang pinto. I saw a woman on her super skinny jeans and white
tank top, matangkad siya sa akin - as in super, kailangan ko pa siyang tingalain.

"Who are you" Sabi ko. Tumaas ang kilay niya.

"Ikaw ang who are you? What are you doing here?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"Who's that?" Boses nI Edward. The woman's face lit up upon hearing Edward's voice,
tinabig niya ako at saka pumasok sa loob ng unit. Laking gulat ko ng daluhungin
niya si Edward at ang mokong naman na iyon, mukhang tuwang-tuwa!

The woman kissed Edward's lips. My eyes widened.

Who the fuck is this woman and why was she kissing MY Edward!?!
Nagdilim ang paningin ko, nilapitan ko ang babae at saka hinatak sa buhok.

"Get away from him, bitch!" I yelled at her. Nilampaso ko siya sa sahig.

"Danni!" Edward held my hand tapos ay ibinalya na naman niya ako kung saan. I
watched him as he console that slut.

"Melanie, okay ka lang ba?" Tanong niya. So Melanie pala ang pangalan ng babaeng
iyon. Tinabig ng Melandi na iyon ang Edward ko at saka ako sinugod. DInaganan niya
ako at saka kinalmot. Catfight pala ang gusto niya ha! Muli kong hinatak ang buhok
niya.

"Get away from Edward!" I said again.

"Wala kang pakialam, he's mine!" That Melandi said. Hindi ako pumayag. Tinulak ko
siya at saka ako naman ang dumagan sa kanya.

"Stop!" Edward said. Hinatak niya ako at saka ipinasok sa kwarto. Tapos noon ay
muli siyang lumabas. Nagpupuyos ang dibdib ko sa galit, lumalabas pa na
kinakampihan niya ang babaeng iyon kaysa sa akin na girlfriend niya? For crying out
loud! Ako ang girlfriend!

After for what it seems like eternity, bumalik si Edward sa kwarto. He gave me a
death glare, I just made a face.

"Why did you do that to my friend?" He asked me. I was apalled.

"Friend? Saang friend ka nakakita ng nagkikiss sa lips?" Nanlalaki ang mga mata ko.

"Danni, I am a man. I have needs." Sabi niya pa sa akin.

"Needs?! Kung needs lang pala ang hanap mo, bakit sa iba pa? I am a woman and I
happen to have needs to!" Walang kaabog-abog na sabi ko. I walked towards Edward,
pushed him on the bed and straddled him.

"I told you that day that I am overly agressive." Nangigigil na sabi ko. I ripped
oped his shirt. And man, I was in for a treat. Edward had a body that every man
would die to have. I bent down and kissed him, oh it feels heaven. His tongue
inside mine, exploring, taunting, teasing my own tongue makes me want him more. A
little while later, he was the one dominating the act. He was on top of me, kissing
me savagely, paying homage to my breasts, taunting each mound, kissing my skin,
making me feel so wanted.

I sighed.

Right there and then, I realized that this - what we have - this isn't about lust
anymore. It was something deeper than that.
<center><h1>8. Tuliro.. Di malaman ang gagawin</h1></center>
<hr>

I was playing with Danni's hair as she lay beside me that night after making love
to her for the first time. I was smiling pretty wide that moment. What's not to
smile about? What we did - what we just did - was amazing. It felt like it was the
most natural thing to do wit her. Tulog na tulog si Danni sa tabi ko, she was
exhausted for sure. I kissed her forehead and stood up. I left the room to get a
glass of water, that was when the door bell rang. Binuksan ko iyon.
"Hey baby brother." Natawa ako nang makita ko si JM sa harapan ko. He looked so
happy. "I came when I recieved Mel's text." He was talking about Melanie the
bartender who got involved to a cat fight versus Danni.

"Sana di ka na muna nagpunta. You could've just called." Pinapasok ko siya sa loob.

"Excited ako!" giit niya. "So did you hit the cherry?" Kumunot ang noo ko. Ano bang
pinagsasabi ng kapatid ko? "You know, did you do --"

"Stop." Sabi ko sa kanya. "I am not going to tell you that."

"Interested lang ako." Sabi niya sa akin.

"At kailan ako nagkainteres sa sex life mo? That's so gay." Sabi ko pa. Juan Miguel
gigile like a little kid. Hindi ko talaga masakyan ang ugali ng kapatid ko - he's
so spontaneous - I like that about him - hindi kasi siya tulad ni Nathan na
masyadong seryoso sa buhay.

"So where is she?" Tanong pa rin niya sa akin.

"Asleep." Sagot ko.

"Ah! Napagod!" Sa inis ko ay binatukan ko siya.

"Umayos ka nga!" I told him. Napailing na lang si Juan Miguel.

"Ewan ko na lang kung makipag-date pa iyan sa lalaking iyon after what happened
today. Kita mo, umiyak nga."

"Yeah, she cried pretty hard today."

"Oo naman. She thought you were screwing someone else eh! Hindi niya alam, one of
my girls yun."

"And you're proud because?" I don't get him. Juan Miguel is the kind of man na
hindi makatiis kung iisang babae lang ang kasama niya. He is the king of womanizers
- ang hindi ko rin naman maintindihan ay kung anong meron ang kapatid ko at
napapapayag niya ang mga babaeng niyang magsabay-sabay - just like what happened
last night - five women all at the same time.

"Sige na. I know you don't like me here, aalis na ako." He said but before he
turned around may sinabi pa siya. "I am a better Kuya than Nathaniel Miguel! Woo!"

And just like that, he was out of the door. I smiled, siguro hanggang ngayon, buo
pa rin sa isip ng mga kapatid ko iyong ang rivalry nila ni Nathan. I shook my head,
dala ang baso ng tubig ay muli akong pumasok sa kwarto. Nabigla ako nang makita
kong nakabihis na si Danni. Inilapag ko ang baso sa bedside table at saka tiningnan
siya, she was smiling at me.

"Hi." Sabi ko. She faced me.

"Edward..."

"Let me guess, you regret what just happened to us." I told her. Nakadama ako ng
kung anong masakit sa dibdib ko. She stood in front of me.

"Hindi, actually I enjoyed it. Kaya lang..."

"What?" I tried smiling at her kahit na parang may tumutusok sa dibdib ko. I am a
cardiologist, alam kong hindi heart ang may kinalaman sa love hormones at kung anu-
ano pa and yet... I feel that pain in the middle of my heart.

"I don't want too make you feel bad or anything pero, it doesn't mean that you
know, something happened to us, hindi na ako makikipag-date sa iba. I mean, we can
see other people, you can date and have sex with other girls, I am not taking that
right away from you."

My mouth almost parted with dismay. I tried to remain calm. Wala naman ako
karapatang magalit. I just sighed. Siguro, laro lang ang lahat ng ito para kay
Danni. I just shook myhead.

"Okay."

Danni's face lit up. Bigla siyang yumakap sa akin.

"Thank you, Ed!" She even kissed my lips. "Now I hjave to go. May date kami ni
David. Movie night. Bye!"

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin, then I sat on the bed thinking how deep I am drowning
in this shit. Bakit ganoon? Maybe this is my karma. Kung kailan ako nagmahal ng
totoo saka pa nangyayari sa akin ito.

I know for a fact that I am really in love with Danni. Hindi ito katulad ng
naramdaman ko sa dalawa kong naunang asawa, my love for her was like the love I
felt when I met and married Mikaela. I love her with all my heart and no matter how
wrong we started, I wanted thi relationship to work and to last. I want Danni in my
life forever - sana lang makita niya na seryoso ako sa kanya...

I cannot believe that I have fallen hopelessly in love with a stubborn woman like
her.

----------------------

"Babe..."

Napangiti ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni David. Siya lang naman ang tumatawag na
babe sa akin, we've been dating for a month already at sa tingin ko talaga, si
David na ang match ko. Ang sweet-sweet niya kapag magkasama kami, palagi niya rin
akong tinext or tinatawagan kapag may time siya. Palagi siyang gumagawa ng time
para sa akin - architect siya - alam kong busy siya pero lagi siyang nadyan kapag
kailangan ko siya.

Unlike Edward.

Kung hindi ko pa itetext iyong mokong na iyon hindi pa niya maiisip na kamustahin
man lang ako. Nakakainis. Hindi talaga siya ang Mr. Right ko. Right now, naiisip ko
talaga na si David ang Mr. Right ko. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko tinatanggap ang
suggestion ng salamin ni Lola. Hindi si Edward ang para sa akin.

Unti-unti na namang bumabalik ang inis ko sa kanya. Para kasing wala na naman
siyang pakialam sa akin. Nakakainis talaga! After na may mangyari sa amin , para
siyang nanlamig. Siguro nga iyon lang ang gusto niya, nakuha na niya kaya ayaw na
niya sa akin. Buti pa si David, hindi ako iniiwan.

"Hey, babe!" Bati ko sa kanya. I stood up to kiss his lips. He kissed me back --
sheett! Kinikilig na naman ako.
"Umaano ka dito?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Na-miss kita, babe eh." Sabi niya sa akin. I just smiled.

"Ano iyan?" Turo ko sa hawak niya.

"Tickets. San Mig Coffee Mixers vs. Alaska."

Ngumiti ako, alam ko na ang sasabihin ni David sa akin at papayag naman ako, gusto
ko rin naman ang basketball.

"Okay... Let's watch. Kailan ba iyong game?" Tanong ko.

"Bukas." Nakangiting sabi niya sa akin. "But right now, let's have dinner."

Agad akong tumango at saka kinuha ang bag ko, We left the office while holding each
others hand. Hindi ko alam kung bakit but whenever he was holding my hand I feel so
secure.

"Babe, gusto mo sa Bistro?" He asked.

"Sige babe, after noon, mag-coffee tayo." And we did. We went to Bistro an Italian
restaurant and after that we went to grab some coffee in The Bean King. Si David
naman ay kwento ng kwento tungkol sa araw niya. I really wanted to share to him
what happened to my day pero sa tuwing magsasabi ako ay ise-set aside lang niya
iyon at ipapasok na naman ang topic na gusto niyang pag-usapan. I feels like he
doesn't really want to talk about my day.

Almost midnight na ng iuwi ako ni David. I invited him inside, then we had another
round of coffee, si David naman ay nagsimula nang magpatawa. Isa iyon sa mga bagay
na gusto ko sa kanya. After some more jokes, David bent down to kiss me. I kissed
him back. Akala ko basta kiss lang iyon pero iba ang halik na ibinibigay niya sa
akin. I asked myself kung ready na ba ako to take our realationship to the next
level, but then, naitulak ko siya. Bigla ko kasing naalala ang mukha ni Edward,

Nakadama ako ng guilt.

"Why?" He asked. "Are you okay?" I just nodded.

"Kiss me again, David." Kumandong ako sa kanya. "Make love to me tonight." I said
to him. HIndi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko pero buo na ang desisyon ko, I
am going to make love to David tonight and I am going to set aside the guilt I am
feeling, hindi ko rin iisipin si Edward. Ang dapat lang nasa isip ko at sa puso ko
ngayon ay si David.

Si David lang...

-----------------------------------------------

"They were kissing, shit! He was feeling her! Tang ina, tol! Hinuhbaran na noong
asshole na iyon si Danni!"

Bigla kong kinuha kay Juan Miguel ang binoculars na hawak niya. Ibinato ko iyon
kung saan.

"Hey! I was using that!" Reklamo niya. Umiling ako. I know how stupid I look
standing in front of Danni's house, I even made my older brother a look out just to
find out what she and that asshole architect was doing.
"Ikaw ang may gustong sundan iyang baliw mong girlfriend, tapos ikaw ang magagalit
ng ganyan." Parang naiinis na sabi sa kanya nI Juan Miguel. "Tss. Kaugali mo talaga
si Nathaniel Miguel eh."

"Umuwi na lang tayo." Sabi ko. Tumalikod ako at saka pumasok sa kotse. Sumakay na
rin si Juan Miguel at saka tumingin sa akin.

"Tinanong na kita noon, Edwardo Miguel at tatanungin ulit kita ngayon, bakit sa
lahat ng babae si Dandelia pa? Eh baliw iyan? Nakita mo ba? She slept with you and
now she was about to do the same thing with that man!"

"I love her!" Sigaw ko. "I don't know why but somehow I fell for her! she might be
the wrongest woman to fall in love with, Juan Miguel, but I am in love with her and
no matter how much it hurts, I am in love with her!"

"Then fight for her! Hindi iyang para kang tanga na nakatanghod sa malayo habang
pinapanood mo kung paano angkinin ng ibang lalaki ang babaeng mahal mo!"

"Gusto ko naman eh!" I said. "Pero natatakot ako."

"Fuck thi shit!" Sigaw ni Juan Migue. "Drive!" Sigaw niya sa akin and I did. Alam
kong galit na galit si Juan Miguel sa ngayon. I drove, hindi ko naman alam kung
saan kami pupunta but when he started to give me the directions, I fugured out kung
saan kami pupuntang dalawa. Not a little moment later, ipinarada ko sa parking lot
ng building ni Nathan ang kotse ko. Mabilis na umubis si Juan Miguel, umikot ito at
sak binuksan ang pinto ng kotse upang hatakin ako palabas. He literally dragged me
out of the car.

"Juan Miguel, masakit!" I said. Hindi niya talaga ako binitiwan, he just let me go
nang nakatayo na kami sa tapat ng pintuan ni Nathan. Kinatok ni Juan Miguel iyon ng
malakas.

Next thing I knew, humahangos na binuksan ni Nathan ang pinto. Kunot na kunot ang
noo niya habang nakatingin sa aming dalawa.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked.

"Pasok!" Tinulak niya ako. Muntik na akong masubsob. Nang makapasok ako sa loob ay
muli na naman akong kinaladkad ng magaling kong Kuya papunta sa sala ni Nathan.

"Aray lang ha!" Sabi ko .

"Stop bullying, Edwardo, Juan Miguel!" Nathan yelled.

"Shut the fuck up, Nathaniel Miguel!" He said. "Nag-iinit ang ulo ko sa magaling
mong kapatid!"

Tumayo ako.

"Ano bang ginawa kong masama?"

"Duwag ka eh!" Sagot nito.

"Ang O.A. mo! Subukan mong magmahal para maduwag ka din!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.

"What the fuck is going on? My wife is sleeping already!" Sigaw naman ni Nathan.

"Nope. I'm already awake." Nadako ang tingin naming tatlo sa counter kung saan
nakatayo si Ella. Kinawayan niya kami. "Ang ingay ninyo."
"Ella," Lumakad si Nathan patungo sa asawa niya at saka hinatak ito palapit.
"Matulog ka na, bawal magpuyat." He said to her.

"That's right, Ella. I'm still your doctor," Sabi ko pa. "Matulog ka na."

Napakamot na lang si Ella ng ulo at saka pumasok sa kwarto nila ni Nathan, bago
niya iyon isara ay sumulip muna siya.

"Try to not kill each other, okay?" Iyon lang at isinara na ni Ella ang pinto.
Noon ay bumaling naman si Nathan sa akin.

"Anong nangyayari? why are you letting him bully you?" He asked me.

"He needs some straightening up to do!" Sabi pa ni Juan Miguel.

"And bullying him is one of those? Sapakin kaya kita?"

"Stop!" Sigaw ko. "Kung magsasapakan kayo, kayo na lang, kayo lang naman ang may
rivalry labas na ako diyan."

"Tumahimik ka!" Sabay nilang sabi.

"He's in love with Dandelia!" Juan Miguel said. Nathan looked at me. He smiled.

"Congrats bro!"

"Yeah, be happy for him! He's miserable, asshole!" Si Juan Miguel muli ang
nagsalita.

"He's in love with Dandan and yet he lets her date someone else tapos kanina, she
was about to sleep with this guy."

Nathan looked at me. Maya-maya ay sinikmuraan niya ako.

"Aray!"

"Very good, Nathaniel Miguel!" Juan Miguel said, Napaluhod ako.

"What did you do that for? Akala ko ba kakampi kita?!"

"I am pero sa katangahan mo hindi!"

"Naging tanga ka rin kay Alcina!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Hoy bawal ang bad words sa bahay namin!" Narinig ko ang sigaw ni Ella na
nanggaling sa loob ng silid ng mga ito. Nathan just shook his head.

"Ang point lang namin ni Nathaniel Miguel, Edwardo Miguel eh wala kang dapat
ikatakot." Sabi ni Juan Miguel. Tumayo ako.

"And you dragged me here just for that? You could've just told me kanina sa kotse!"

"Alam ko naman kasing kapag ako ang nagsabi sa'yo hindi ka makikinig. I know how
much you look up to Nathan, at alam ko rin na sa kanya ka lang makikinig." Juan
Miguel sighed.

"Masakit man isipin pero sa thirty years ng buhay ko, kahit kailan hindi ako naging
kuya sa inyong dalawa. All these years it's always been you and Nathan. Wala akong
puwang sa samahan ninyo and I really wanted to help pero alam kong hindi ko
magagawa iyon. Nathan had always been the brother you had and I had always pushed
you two away and now it's too late."

"Ang drama mo. Moment ko ito, pero ikaw iyong dumadrama." Sabi ko.

"But are you really in love with Dandelia?" Nathan asked again.

"Yes."

"Then fight for her!" Halos magksabay nilang sabi.

"Wow, nagpractice kayo?" Natatawang sabi ko. For the first time in almost thrity
years, may pinagkasunduan rin ang dalawa kong kuya.

---------------------------

"I'm so excited for the game, Babe!" David said to me habang papasok kami ng Smart
Araneta. Holding hands pa kami habang naglalakad, I was smiling pretty hard that
day.

Last night, David and I made love for the first time and it was .. we'll it's
amazingly okay. After that he was extra sweet na to me. He spent the night at my
house, we lay together pero sa isip ko, isang tao lang ang nandoon, si Edward -
alam kong mali pero hindi ko mapigilan ang hindi siya maisip. I tried thinking
about someone else, pero laging si Edward ang naiisip ko. I texted him last night
informing him that I had a date with David pero hindi siya nag-reply.

"Babe, okay ka lang? You want something to eat?" Tanong pa ni David.

"Burger saka fries and iced tea." Sabi ko. Niyakag ako ni David sa may burger
stand. I stood beside him, wala namang pila so we were first on the stand.

"Babe what do you want?" He asked me.

"Cheese burger saka chessy fries." Sabi ko. Tumagilid ako habang hawak pa rin ni
David ang kamay ko, hindi ko napansin na may tao pala sa likod ko, nabangga ko
siya.

"Ay, sorry!" Sabi ko.

"Okay lang..." Sagot naman niya sa akin. Nanigas ang likod ko. Kulang na lang ay
mawalan ako ng hininga ng makilala ko ang boses na iyon. Dahan-dahan akong nag-
angat ng tingin at napanganga ako nang makita ko ang isang taong akala ko'y hindi
ko na makikita kahit kailan.

Gray eyes...

He had a pair fo gray eyes.

"Sugaroo..." Usal ko sa tawag ko sa kanya noon.

"Danni..." He smiled at me.

"Kambal, let's --------- Danni!"

Napatingin ako sa isa pang nagsalita, it was Caleb. Napatingin muli ako kay Calen,
magkasama sila, does it mean na...
"Oh my gosh, bati na kayo?" I exclaime.

"Uhm, hi..." singit naman ni David.

"Ay, si David nga pala, ano..."

"Boyfriend niya ako." He said. Hindi nakalagpas sa akin ang pagtaas ng kilay ni
Calen, later on, he smiled.

"Nice to meet you dude." Wika ni Calen kay David, ganoon rin si Caleb.

Hindi ako mapakali. Hindi ko inaasahan na iyong ex ko at iyong boyfriend - yes

David already said na boyfriend ko siya - so we're official ay magkakaharap ngayon.
Napailing ako, mas lalo siguro akong hindi mapapakali kung darating na lang bigla
si Edward out of nowhere.

"Oh, si Nate oh!" Sigaw ni Caleb. Napatingin ako sa sinasabi niyang Nate. Sinong
Nate? As in si Nathan na kapatid ni Edward?

I got the biggest shock of my life when I saw Nathan waving at Caleb, kasuno niya
si Juan Miguel at si Edward na by that time ay nakatingin sa Blackberry nito.
Lumapit sila sa amin.

"Bok, I missed you!" Sigaw ni Calen kay Nathan sabay yumakap.

"Gago!" Natatawang sabi ni Nathan.

"Kumpleto ang Varres Brothers huh. Mambabae lang?"

I was just looking at Edward the whole time. He ws so busy texting na hindi na niya
napapansin ang presence ko. Then, nakita ko si Juan Miguel na siniko si Edward.
Edward finally looked up at his brother. Nginuso ni Juan Miguel ang direksyon ko.
Our eyes met.

"Hi." Lakas loob na sabi ko. Edward just smiled at me tapos ay binalingan niya si
Juan Miguel.

"Come, baka magsimula na iyong game." Sabi niya kay Nathan.

Siya ang naunang umalis. Ni hindi man lang niya ako kinamusta?

"Edward!" Tawag ko sa kanya. But he didn't even bother looking back...

<center><h1>9. The last time</h1></center>

<hr>

Wow. I mean just wow! Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaksyon ko sa nangyayari
sa akin ngayon. I mean, having the three men in my life, here, right now, on my
side just makes me so speechless. Ewan ko ba. Feeling ko pinaglaruan ako ng
tadhana. Nasa right side ko si David, on my left side naman, katabi ko si Calen, at
sa harapan ko, kahit medyo malayo, dahil katapat siya ni Calen ay naroon naman si
Edward na hanggang ngayon ay dedma sa akin.

"You want some more fries, babe?" Tanong ni David sa akin. Ngumiti lang ako para
iparating sa kanya na okay na ako. I looked at Calen, kausap niya si Caleb, tungkol
sa game ang pinag-uusapan nila. Napangiti ako, hindi ako makapaniwala na finally,
okay na silang dalawa ng kakambal niya.
And then I looked at the Varres brothers in front of me, nakita kong ginulo ni
Nathan ang buhok ni Edward tapos ay nagtawanan ang mga ito, I wanted to know what
Edward is thinking right now. Ano kayang nasa isip niya? Ako kaya? Anong iniisip
niya ngayon na nandito ako, siya, si Calen at si David? Does he think that I am a
slut?

Bakit ba hindi niya ako pinapansin?

"Babe, hindi ka naman nanonood ng game eh." Narinig kong wika ni David.

"Nanonood. Nakashoot nga si number 8 ng San Mig eh," Nakangiting sabi ko. Tumango
lang si David at muling binalingan ang game. I looked at Edward again, kabulungan
naman nito ngayon si Juan Miguel. Ano kayang pinag-uusapan ng mga ito?

Natapos ang dalawang quarter na hindi man lang ako pinapansin o tinatapunan ng
tingin ni Edward. At nalulungkot talaga ako. I really hate this situation. Maya-
maya ay namalayan ko na lang na nagpaalam sa akin si David na pupunta daw sa men's
room. I just smiled. Nang makaalis siya ay kinalabit ko si JM.

"Oh, Dandan nandyan ka pala!" Sabi niya sa akin. I made a face.

"Tabi diyan, dito ka muna." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Ayokong katabi iyong boyfriend mo noh!" Sabi ni Jm na nanlalaki ang mga mata.

"Saglit lang naman." Ayaw talaga nitong umalis doon kaya ang ginawa ko sumingit ako
sa gitna nilang dalawa ni Nathan. Mukhang nagulat naman si Nathan sa akin.

"Dan, ano? bakit?" Sumenyas ako sa kanya na exchange kami. Wala na akong pakialam
kung anong isipin sa akin ni David o ni Calen basta kailangan kong makausap so
Edwardo. Nathan stoo up, umusog naman ako sa tabi ni Edward, he was busy texting
again. Naiinis na kinuha ko ang Blackberry niya.

"What? I was using that!" Reklamo niya. Inirapan ko siya hindi ko natiis na hindi
tingnan ang mensahe niya. It read:

------------------

To: Misha Rogers

From: Ed Varres

Sub: Tomorrow seems fine.

I'll pick you up tomorrow at the airport. Excited upon seeing you. Take care. xo
Ed.

--------------------

"Who the hell is Misha Rogers!" Sigaw ko sa kanya. Napalakas ang boses ko kung
kaya't napatingin sa akin sila Nathan pati na rin ang kambal. Kinuha ni Edward sa
akin ang phone niya.

"Bakit? Tinanong ba kita kung sino Si Calen sa buhay mo noon? I didn't even asked
you about David so why are you asking me about Misha?"

Hindi ako ako nakasagot. I looked at Calen, he has this comical expression on his
face. Ugh! After ilang months, dito ko pa siya makikita tapos titingin siya sa akin
na para bang ako ang clown sa sitwasyon. He looked as if he was about to laugh or
something.

Parang gusto kong umiyak - hindi pala, naiiyak na talaga ako. Napayuko ako at saka
suminghot.

"Please, Danni, hindi lahat ng bagay madadaan mo sa iyak mo." Edward said. Nakita
kong tumayo siya. "Guys, uuwi na lang ako. Nakakainit ng ulo dito." Paalam niya sa
mga kapatid niya.

He left me there, crying, ni hindi man lang niya ako inalo. Ganoon na ba ako
kawalang kwenta sa kanya. Tahimik na bumalik ako sa inuupuan ko. From that moment
on, tahimik na ako. Ni hindi ko nga na-appreciate ang pinanonood naming game. I was
too bummed about Edward leaving. Nasaktan din ako sa mga sinabi niya.

Natapos ang game. Ni hindi man lang napansin ni David na malungkot ako, salita lang
siya ng salita, daldal nang daldal tungkol sa game na pinanood namin. Wala naman
akong pakialam sa kanya, I was too sad dahil sa nangyari sa amin ni Edward, ewan ko
ba, I still think na siya ang Mr. So Wrong sa buhay ko, pero hindi ko alam kung
bakit ako affected sa ginagawa niyang pande-dedma sa akin.

Inihatid ako ni David sa bahay, he wanted to spend the night at my house but I
didn't let him. Gusto kong mapag-isa.

When I was alone in my bed, I cried - hindi ko alam kung ano talaga ang rason ng
pag-iyak ko. I just really wanted to cry so bad that I didn't care kung may reason
ako o wala.

"I miss Ed..." bulong ko. I just wish his here right now, with me, cuddling me,
making me feel better, pero wala siya. Galit siya sa akin at hindi ko alam kung
anong dapat kong gawin.

--------------------------

"Good Morning, Tita!"

I know, I will look stupid for this but I don't care. Nang umagang iyon ay
pinuntahan ko ang Mama ni Edward sa bahay nila. I was looking forward upon seeing
Edward. Gusto ko siyang makausap, hindi naman kasi niya sinasagot ang tawag ko.
Last night, magdamag ko siyang sinusubukang tawagan pero hindi naman niya sinasagot
ang mga tawag ko so I thought of a plan - whick involves Edward's mom.

"Little Dandan!" Nakangiti na agad siya nang makita ako. She hugged me, I kissed
her cheeks naman.

"Tita, Dandan na lang tawag mo sa akin. Or kaya man, Danni, hindi na kasi ako
little." Natatawang sabi ko.

"Ay sus! What are you doing here?" She asked me. Nagkibit balikat ako.

"Wala po kasi akong magawa sa bahay so naisip kong dalawin ka." Sabi ko sa kanya.
"I brought you banana cake! Masarap po iyan, gawa ng assistant ko." Ibinigay ko sa
kanya ang dala ko. Niyakag niya ako sa breakfast nook na nasa garden nila,
napasimangot ako nang makita ko doon si Juan Miguel.

"Wow!" Sabi niya nang makita ako, umupo si Tita sa tabi ni Juan Miguel, napilitan
akong maupo sa tapat niya.

"Danni, kumain ka..." Sabi ni Tita sa akin. I smiled at her pero napawi iyon nang
mapadako ang tingin ko kay Juan Miguel. "Sandali, ipapaayos ko itong dala mong
banana cake." Tita left us. I was still staring at Juan Miguel. He was smiling
mischieviously at me.

"Where is Edward? At huwag mong sabihin na nasa ospital siya because I went there
at wala siya doon."

"I'm not lying to you. Wala si Ed dito." Sabi niya sa akin. Humalukipkip ako.

"Then, nasaan siya?"

"Ayan sa living room, kausap si Mama." Sabi niya sa akin. Agad akong lumingon,
nakita ko nga si Edward na nasa sala at kausap si Tita. He kissed her cheek. May
sinabi yata si Tita sa kanya, tapos ay tumingin siya sa direksyon ko. I waved at
him. Isang tango lang ang ibinigay niya sa akin. Napanganga ako.

Hanggang ngayon dedma pa rin?

"Haha! Di pinansin ni bunso." Sabi ni Juan Miguel. Sa inis ko ay sinapa ko ang paa
niya.

"Aray!" By that time, nakabalik na si Tita sa table. Kasuno niya si Edward,

ngingiti na sana ako nang mapansin ko na may kasama siyang babae. Nakapalupot pa
ang kamay nito sa braso niya habang tila ay may pinag-uusapan ang mga ito.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

Huminto sila sa tabi ko.

"Misha, this is Juan Miguel my older brother, and of course you know my mom, and
this is..." He looked at me. "Danni, a friend."

Friend? Friend? Is that what I am to him? Just a friend? Samalantalang nag-make

love kami pero friends lang ang tingin niya sa akin?"

"Hi!" Bati nang babaeng pinakilala niyang Misha. Nanggigil ako. Si Misha ba ang
katext niya kagabi? Iyon ba ang Misha na ito?

They sat beside me.

Di hamak na mas maganda ako sa Misha na ito! Maputi lang siya saka matangkad pero
mas maganda ako.

"Did you tell them already, Eddie?" Tanong pa ni Misha dito. I looked at them.

"Anong sasabihin ninyo?" Halos hindi na bumuka ang bibig ko.

"O, easy ka lang Danni, hindi naman ikaw ang kinakausap ni Misha eh." Sabi pa ni
Juan Miguel.

"Shut up! I am not taking to you!" Halos iturok ko ang tinidor na hawak ko sa
table.

"Danni, are you alright?" Tita asked me. I tried ti smile.

"Is she your girlfriend, Eddie?" Tanong noong babae. Argh! Nandidiri talaga ako
kapag tinatawag siyang Eddie!

"No, she's not. May boyfriend siya, David ang pangalan."

"So why is she acting like that?" Muling tanong ng babae. Sasabunutan ko na talaga
ito!

"She's just being childish." Sabi ni Edward. Somehow, nasaktan ako sa sinabi niya.
Napayuko ako. I am not being childish. Gusto ko lang naman na pansinin niya ako
dahil ang tagal-tagal na niya akong hindi pinapansin.

I stood up.

"Dan, saan ka pupunta?" Sabi ni Tita sa akin.

"Naalala ko po pala na may photoshoot ako ngayon kasama ang team ko. I have to go,"
Sabi ko. I turned around. I was wishing so hard na sana sundan ako ni Edward, sana
lumapit siya sa akin, sana sabihin niya sa akin na okay pa kami dahil mahirap man
aminin ay miss na miss ko na siya.

But then, when I looked back, I saw him laughing with that Misha woman, ni hindi
siya nakatingin sa akin. My tears fell, bakit niya ba ako ginaganito? Wala na ba
akong halaga sa kanya?

---------------------------------

"Babe, gusto mo ba ng ice cream?"

I smiled at David, tataba yata ako sa kanya, palagi niya akong pinapakain ng kung
anu-ano.

"Sige, gusto ko chocolate." Sabi ko sa kanya. We were at the mall that Saturday
morning, nagpagpasyahan naming mag-date. Halos ilang linggo rin kasi kaming hindi
nagkita. He was at a seminar for like a week and I really missed him.

Ibinili niya ako ng ice cream. Hinintay ko naman siya sa may bench roon. I sighed.
Halos three weeks na rin mula noong huli kong nakita si Edward at kung gaano ko na-
miss si David ay MAS pa ang pangungulilang nararamdaman ko para kay Edward. Wala na
akong balita sa kanya. Mula noon huli ko siyang nakita ay hindi na ako nagkaroon ng
balita sa kanya.

Hindi na rin ako bumalik sa bahay nila. Siguro nga hanggang doon na lang kami.
Siguro nga hindi ko dapat siya i-consider na Mr. right dahil all along siya si Mr.
So Wrong at kahit kailan hindi siya magiging ta,a para sa akin.

Si David, siya ang Mr. Right ko. Kahit isa lang ang meron siyang trait doon sa
pitong traits na naisulat ko noon sa listahan ko, pwede na rin, wala naman sigurong
tao na nagtataglay ng lahat ng trait na iyon, sapat na iyong mahal niya ako,
natutunan naman ang pagmamahal.

Wala pa kasi ako sa puntong mahal ko na siya, pero kinikilig pa rin naman ako sa
kanya, alam ko na isang araw, darating din sa akin iyong realization.

"Babe oh," Binigay niya sa akin ang ice cream.

"Thanks, babe!" Sabi ko sabay hawak sa kamay niya.

"Babe, may gagawin ka ba mamayang gabi?"

"Wala naman, bakit magde-date tayo ulit?"

"Hindi, uhm, I want you to meet my parents." He said. I looked at him. He was
smiling at me.

"Talaga?" I asked.

"Yeah, madali lang naman i-please si mama. Ipagluto mo lang siya, magkakasundo na
kayo noon."

Naumid ang dila ko.

"Babe, hindi ako marunong magluto." Sabi ko sa kanya. He looked at me with that
ridiculous look on his face.

"Then mag-aral ka, may cook books naman diba?" He smiled. Hindi ko alam kung bakit
pero na-pressure ako sa ngiti niya sa akin. Tumango na lang ako.

After that, umuwi kami sa bahay ko, David, took out all the cookbooks in my
cupboards and ordered - oo inutusan niya talaga ako - to cook. Ayaw ko man pero
wala akong magagawa, pinagbigyan ko siya. At tulad ng dati ay nagkanda sugat-sugat
na naman ang kamay ko pero mukhang worth it namna dahil hindi nasunog ang gawa ko.

Masaya kong inihain sa kanya ang calderetang baboy na niluto ko.

"Hmmn, mukhang masarap!" He said. Kumuha siya ng kutsara at saka tinikman iyon but
then after two seconds tumayo siya at saka iniluwa sa lababo ang pagkaing sinubo
niya.

"Ano ba yan! Lalasunin mo ba ako?!" He yelled at me. Nagulat ako, he looked so mad.

"Sorry, sabi ko naman sa'yo hindi ako marunong magluto." Nakayukong sabi ko.

"Simpleng instructions, Danni hindi mo nasundan? Ganoon ka ba katanga?!"

Napanganga ako. Did he just called me stupid?

"Ni hindi ka marunong maglinis ng bahay! Tingnan mo nga itong bahay mo, parang
basurahan! Tinitiis ko na nga lang dahil mahal kita pero pati ba naman pagluluto
hindi mo pa magawa ng maayos!"

Sinampal ko siya.

"Ang kapal mo! Hindi mo man lang na-appreciate na sinubukan kong ipagluto ka!
Sisigawan mo pa ako tapos tatawagin ng tanga! Oo, hindi ako marunong maglinis,
magluto, maglaba, pero wala kang karapatang tawagin akong tanga!"

"Wala kang mahahanap na lalaking matino kung wala kang alam gawin sa buhay mo!
Break na tayo!" He said. Napanganga ako lalo. Siya pa ang may ganang makipag-break
sa akin?

"Eh di break kung break! Akala mo naman natakot ako?!" Ni hindi niya ako tiningnan,
he just left me. Umiiyak na bumalik ako sa kusina. Tinitigan ko ang niluto ko at
sinubukan iyong tikman, kahit ako ay napangiwi sa lasa. Mapakla na hindi ko
maintindihan. Napaupo na lang ako sa silya, I was still crying.

"Dahil lang sa hindi ako masarap magluto, ayaw na niya sa akin?"

Humagulgol ako. Akala ko pa naman siya si Mr., Right.

Habang umiiyak ako ay narinig ko ang pagkatok sa front door. Pinahid ko ang aking
luha. Kung si Davd iyon, ipapalamon ko sa kanya ang caldereta ko. Lumakad ako, I
opened the door at lalo akong napaiyak nang makita ko kung sino ang nakatayo roon.

"E-edward..." Bigla ko na lang siyang niyakap.

------------------------------------

"Diba sabi ko naman sa'yo, kung di mo kaya huwag ka na lang gumawa, nasaktan ka na
naman tuloy." Edward said habang nilalaptan niya ng gamot ang kamay kong sugatan.
All the while nakatingin lang ako sa kanya.

"Bagong gupit ka." Sabi ko sa kanya. Napangiti naman siya sa akin.

"O, ayan. Huwag mo munang babasain iyang kamay mo." He looked at me then he wiped
my tears. "Huwag ka nang umiyak, tingnan mo, swollen na iyong mata mo."

"I m-missed y-you..." I told him. He just smiled again.

"Ano iyon?" Inginuso niya iyong pagkaing nakahain sa dining table.

"Wala iyan, tatapon na iyan." Sabi ko. Matapos kong malasahan ang sarili kong luto,
naisip ko siguro na kahit aso hindi kakainin iyon. Edward stood up and went near
the table. My eyes widened when I saw him took a spoon to taste what I cooked
kanina.

"Ed wag!" Too late, nginunguya na niya ngayon.

"Hmmn," Sabi niya. I made a kadiri face. "M-masarap!" Halos magkanda ubo-ubo na
sabi niya. Umupo siya at saka kumuha ng kanin. My tears fell down. Tumabi ako sa
kanya and I watched him as he eat that good for nothing caldereta I cooked. At
least kasi iyong sunog na eggs and bacons, hindi ko natikman kaya hindi ko alam ang
lasa, pero ito, talagang hindi masarap.

"Bakit ka ba ganyan?" Pilit kong kinukuha ang kinakain niya. "Baka sumakit ang
tiyan mo!"

"Masarap naman, natikman mo na ba?" Tanong niya sa akin sabay inom ng tubig.

I watched him hanggang sa maubos niya na ang kinakain niya. After than, umupo ako
sa kandungan niya, I was still crying, sisigok-sigok pa ako.

"Darling, don't cry."

Lalo lang akong napaiyak. Bigla akong kinabig ni Edward, he kissed my lips and I
kissed him back. It was supposed to be just a sweet short kiss but when I felt his
tongue playing with mine, I knew that it was going to be different.

A little while later, I felt him stood up, he carried me to my room, lay me to my
bed and kissed me again. He was caressing my whole being, and I was letting him
because I had missed him so much.

He started undressing me and I waited in anticipation, after a while the only thing
I was wearing was that white underwear and Edward's eyes were feasting on my
nakedness.

"W-what?" I asked him.

"You are just so beautiful, Dandelia. And I wanna make you mine." And just like
that, he bet down and kissed me again. He started trailing down buttefly kissing
from my jaw down to my neck, to my collar bones until he reached my breast. He
sucked one mound while his other hand was caressing the other one.

"Ohh, Ed..."

Napayakap ako sa ulo niya. I don't want him to stop, it just felt so good.

He again kissed my lips. I felt his other hand touching my bared thighs, pataas
nang pataas until he reached my sweet spot. I felt his fingers traced down my
divine slit and I just sighed with so much pleasure. Ewan ko ba. This - what we're
doing right now, felt like it was the most natural thing to do. Him and me, making
love, pleasuring each other, moaning, sighing with so much desire, our blood
singing, shouting with so much wanton for each other - this is the most natural
thing to do.

The next thing I knew, he was spreading my legs, he position himself right there
and with one swift thrust he was inside me, stretching me, feeling me, loving my
whole being. I wrapped my legs around his waist, giving him more access. He started
the dance of love with a slow and sweet rythym until it bacame harder, faster and
rougher than I could ever imagine. It felt so good.

"Ed... Oh gosh!" I screamed. I half opened my eyes and I saw him looking at me. I
could see so many emotions in his drak brown eyes, I smiled and touched his face...

"Darling, I'm coming..." Sabi ko sa kanya He smiled and he kept on thrusting until
we both exploded. Edward kissed me for the last time and hugged me tightly.
Magkatabi kaming natulog noon, and I for the first time in my life, I have slept
soundly.

But then, when I woke up the next morning he was gone, the only thing that was left
was a note, saying:

"I came here last night to say goodbye. I wasn't thinking clearly. Dapat walang
nangyari sa atin. I'm sorry, Danni. I'll be going back to L.A. and maybe by the
time you've read this, i'm already in the plane. I will never forget you. xo Ed. "

<center><h1>10. Take the leap</h1></center>

<hr>

If I am an ordinary woman, who just had the most amzaing break up sex - maybe I'd
probably lay down on the bed and cry over the fact that Edward - my not so official
boyfriend had left me after one steamy night.

I held his note on my left hand and I read it over and over again. I was thinking
of what action should I do after this. Shall I run after him, pero like what he
said, he's probably inside the airplane. Should I call him? Pero bawal ang gadgets
sa eroplano.

So basically, I just lay there naked under the sheets, thinking of him, tears
falling down while trying to read his note over and over again.

Right there, I realized that I am indeed in love with him. Dapat pala, I took a
chance on him. Hindi kasi ako naniniwala na pwede siyang si Mr. Right lagi ko
kasing naiisip ang background niya. I don;t want to be one of his flings. I was
actually scared of falling in love with him because he used to be a jerk.

Pero habang tumatagal na nakikilala ko siya, I realized na hindi naman pala siya
jerk, he is a good man, a patient man pero I let him down.

Nakipag-date ako kay David.

And I even had the guts of telling him that!

I am such a bitch!

Wala na, I lost the man I love again pero ngayon it's all my fault. Nakakainis ako.

I stayed in bed all day, wala akong ginawa kundi ang umiyak. My heart is broken,
kung hahanapin ko si Edward, saan parte ko siya ng L.A. hahanapin? Kung maghihintay
ako sa kanya, babalik ba siya? Pero, pero ayoko namang sumuko. Mahal ko si Edward
at ayokong sumuko na lang basta, pero anong gagawin ko?

----------------------

I spent the last two days of my life cleaning my house. Ayoko man kasing tanggapin
pero medyo tinamaan ako sa sinabi ni David noong gabing tinawag niya akong tanga.
Babae ako, pero napakaburara ko and he hates that about me, pero bakit si Edward
hindi kumikibo?

I sat on my favorite bean bag. I sighed. Buti pa si Edward noon, wala siyang ginawa
kundi ang alagaan ako. Kapag nandito siya sa bahay, siya pa nga iyong nagpupulot ng
kalat ko tapos, I remember that one time, siya pa mismo iyong naglaba ng damit ko.

Oo, ipinaglaba ako ni Edward, inayos niya iyong closet ko, nilinis niya iyong
kwarto ko, pinalitan niya ang beddings ko, he did all of those for me and yet I
chose to believe that David is my Mr. Right.

Bigla na naman akong napaiyak. I kinda hate myself for taking Edward for granted. I
was still crying when I heard a knock on my door. I stood up, I was silently
wishing na sana si Edward ang kumakatok but who am I kidding? Nang buksan ko ang
pinto ay kumunot ng sobra ang noo ko. I saw David standing in front of me.
Nakatitig siya sa akin na para bang may ginawa akong masama sa kanya.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Pinamaywangan ko pa siya. Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.

"Dapat nga magpasalamat ka pa at binalikan kita diba?" He said. Napanganga ako. Ang
jerk-jerk naman pala ng isang ito.

"Hoy! Oo hindi ako marunong ng mga household chores pero hindi ako stupid! Kung
nagpunta ka dito dahil inaakala mo na makikipagbalikan pa ako sa'yo pwes managinip
ka! Hindi kita mahal at kahit kailan hindi kita mamahalin!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.
David grinned at me. Nagtaka naman ako.

"Sa tingin mo may lalaking magmamahal sa'yo eh hindi na naman na virgin hindi ka pa
marunong maggawa sa bahay!" Sigaw niya sa akin, nagpantig ang mga tainga ko.
Pinadapo ko sa mukha niya ang palad ko.
"Ang kapal mo!"

"Totoo naman! Akala mo ba! I was really disappointed when we had sex and you
weren't a virgin anymore!" Tiningnan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. "Akala mo kung
sinong disente iyon pala, pakawala din!"

Lalong nag-init ang ulo ko. Nagdilim na ang paningin ko. Ipinatong ko sa balikat
niya ang aking mga kamay at saka tinuhod ang precious jewels niya.

"Hindi ako pakawala! Nagmahal lang ako, and when I love I tend to give everything I
have to that person! At kahit kailan, hindi mo maiintindihan iyon dahil sa sama ng
ugali mo! Tang ina ka!" Sa galit ko ay sinaraduhan ko siya ng pinto. Nanatili akong
nakatayo sa likod ng pintuan. Kahit kailan ay hindi pa ako nainsulto ng ganoon. I
started crying again.

Kahit na hindi naman totoo ang sinabi ni David ay masakit pa ring marinig. I hate
him! Sana pala ay hindi ko na siya nakilala! Sana hindi na ako nakipag-date sa
kanya.

Maya-maya ay nakarinig na naman ako ng pagkatok sa pinto.

"At talagang gusto pa rin ng sira ulong iyon ng sakit ng katawa!" padabog na
binuksan ko ang pinto. "Ano ba?!"

"Is it a bad time?"

My mouth parted when I recognize the man standing near the door. No, it wasn't
David but it wasn't Edward - it was Calen.

"Sugaroo..." Bigla na lang akong napaiyak ng malakas at saka niyakap siya.

"Sugaroo, ang sakit-sakit eh!"

-------------------------------

Three hours...

Ganoon ako katagal umiyak sa balikat ni Calen. Hindi ko na nga namalayan na binuhat
na niya ako papasok sa bahay at nakaupo na kami ngayon sa favorite bean bag ko.

"Bakit ka ba umiiyak?" Calen asked me after a while. Tinitigan ko lang siya. Hindi
ko alam pero parang ang lungkot-lungkot na naman ng mga mata niya - mas malungkot
ngayon kaysa noon. I really wanted to ask him why, pero I think may ideya na ako
kung bakit siya malungkot.

"Si-si..." I sighed. Pinakiramdam ko ang aking sarili. Dati noong kami pa kapag
naiisip ko ang salitang "Cinderella at saka Jin Hye" at may masakit na part sa may
gitna ng dibdib ko, pero sa ngayon, naiisip ko pa lang si Jin Hye, but then, I
sighed again, I feel - okay.

"Wala." Calen said. "I-I sent her back to K-korea." He said. I was apalled.

"B-bakit?" Hindi ko mapigilan ang itanong. Calen just sat there. Naghintay naman
ako, after a while, nagsalita na rin siya.
"Nakalimutan niya ako eh." May pait sa tinig ni Calen, then he just started
spilling the beans - not a moment later, siya naman ang umiiyak.

My heart broke - not because I'm still in love with him but because I found his
story very painful. Alam ko kung gaano kamahal ni Calen si Jin Hye, theirs was a
love made to be just like a fairytale, pero hindi man lang nagbunga ng happy ending
ang love story nila. I hugged him tight.

"Teka, Danni, hindi ako makahinga." He said. Kumalas ako.

"Sorry." I said.

"Ikaw, dapat iyong iniiyak mo, tigilan mo na." Sabi niya sa akin."You should take
the leap. Riks taker ka diba? I don't know why you're crying, Danni, hindi ikaw
iyan. You were never a quiter."

"Gusto mo akong mag-take ng risk." Sabi ko sa kanya. "Pero ni-let go mo naman si

Jin Hye, diba mahal mo siya."

"Oo, mahal ko siya, pero mas mabuti na iyon. Basta alam kong ayos siya, masaya siya
at buhay siya, okay na iyon. Hangga't alam kong nandyan siya, naniniwala ako sa
posibilidad ng happy ever after para sa aming dalawa. Dapat ganoon ka din sa inyo
ni Edward. Siya ang Mr. Right na hinahanap mo."

Napanganga ako.

"Akala ko ba hindi mo alam iyong iniiyak ko?' Sinuntok ko ang balikat niya.

"Remember that one time na nagkasabay-sabay tayong manood ng game? I saw the way
you looked at him, at kahit na iyong aswang na David na iyon ang kasama mo, I
somehow knew that it was him that you wanted to be with that night."

"Ang galing mo naman." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"OO naman, cupcake!" Nakatawang sabi niya sa akin. Matagal kong tinitigan si Calen.
I realized that I missed him.

"I missed you, Sugaroo." Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Ditto." He said. Calen kissed my cheeks and right then and there, I knew, wala na
akong feelings sa kanya. As in wala na.

-------------------------------

Because I realized that Calen was right, I decided that I should go and take the
leap. So I went to Edward's house kaya lang ang nadatnan ko naman doon ay ang
nakakainis niyang kuya.

"Umaano ka dito?" Maaskad na tanong ni Juan Miguel sa akin.

"Si Edward?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Juan Miguel just made a face.

"Wala siya, nasa L.A. na siya. Diba siya nagsabi sa'yo?" He said to me. Natigilan
naman ako. So ibig sabihin totoo na umalis siya at hindi lang niya ako binibiro? I
mean the letter was true?
Ang tanga ko, ang akala ko kasi, sinabi niya lang iyon para pamukhaan ako pero
umalis pala talaga siya. Parang gusto ko na namang maiyak.

"Wait, are you going to cry?" He asked me. Sa inis ko ay pinagpapalo ko siya sa
dibdib.

"Nakakanis ka! Nakakainis ka kasi talaga! Ang pangit-pangit mo! Nakakaasar ang
mukha mo!" Sigaw ko sa kanya.

"Makapagsalita ito! Excuse me, Dandelia, hindi ka naman ganoon kaganda!" Sigaw niya
sa akin. Kinuwleyuhan ko siya.

"Nasaan si Edward! Sabihin mo sa akin kundi sasakalin kita!"

"Nasa L.A. nga kasama si Misha!"

Kasama si Misha...

Kasama si Misha...

Kasama si Misha...

Parang sirang plaka na nagpaulit-ulit iyon sa aking tainga.

Umalis si Edward kasama si Misha...

Kasama si Misha...

"Ahhhh! Sino ba iyong Misha na iyon!!!"

Itinulak ako ni Juan Miguel. Mukha namang gulat na gulat siya sa reaksyon ko. He
smiled.

"Ex wife niya iyon." Sabi ni Juan Miguel. Pinakatitigan ko siya. Ex wife ni Edward
si Misha? Kung ex wife bakit sila magkasama? "Bumalik sila ng L.A. because Edward
wanted to make things work between them. Kaya ayun."

Kagat labing tumingin ako sa kanya. Tinitimbang ko kung nagsasabi ba siya ng totoo
o hindi. Ayokong maniwala sa kanya, pero ano naman ang mahihita ni Juan Miguel kung
magsisinungaling siya sa akin?

"Finally, magiging masaya na rin iyong kapatid ko so please Danni, huwag mo na

siyang sundan sa Kenneth Hann Building, 300 Rosemead County, Los Angeles,
California, 90012." Ngising-ngisi si Juan Miguel. "Huwag mo na siyang puntahan,
naka-duty iyon sa City of Angels Medical Center, resident na siya doon. Huwag mo
nang puntahan ang kapatid ko, Danni but let him be happy. Make sure that he's
happy."

Iyon lang at sinaraduhan na ako ng pinto ni Juan Miguel.

"What just happened?"

Takang-takang tanong ko.

<center><h1>11. Almost...</h1></center>
<hr>
Rosemead County, L.A

One week later...

I sighed while looking out the window of the hospital cafeteria. I've been in L.A.
for a week now and I'm really missing Danni. Napailing ako. Si Danni na naman ang
laman ng isip ko, ni hindi ko nga alam kung ako ba ang iniisip niya. I sighed
again. I should really stop making a fool of myself. Danni will always be that one
person na minahal ko pero hindi ako minahal sa paraang gusto ko.

Naalala ko iyong minsan na nag-uusap kami, she asked me about my biggest

heartbreak, ang unang pumasok sa isip ko noon ay si Mikaela, because that time,
hindi ko pa naman alam na mahal ko na pala si Dandelia, I really don't wanna talk
about Mikaela, pero right now, I realized that MIkaela isn't really my biggest
heartbreak. Walang iba iyon kundi si Danni.

I sighed again. Napakasakit naman tanggapin na ang nag-iisang babaeng minahal ko ng

totoo ay hindi ako mahal.

Siguro, limot na ako ni Danni ngayon, siguro masaya na siya sa David na iyon.

"Hi, Edward." Agad na naputol ang pag-iisip ko nang biglang umupo si Misha sa aking
harapan. May dala siyang kape at tulad ko ay nakausot rin siya ng white robe.

"How's your internship?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Nagkibit-balikat siya.

"It's fine, I'll scrub in to Dr. Lawrence's kidney operation later."

"Good, observe what you need to observe and try not to apply it." Natawa ako.

"Eddie..." She called me. "Uhm , do you still think about Mika?" She asked me. I
sighed. Misha is Mikaela's younger sister, we are really good friends at alam na
alam niya kung anong nangyari sa amin ni Mikaela noon. She was there when her
sister died, she was there when I was falling apart, and now that I am ]falling
apart again, nandito na naman siya.

"Sometimes. I still dream about her though. She's my angel." Sabi ko.

"You're really sweet." She sighed. "I miss her still. Pero alam mo naman diba,
Eddie, you have to find someone else. She wants you to be happy."

Ngumiti lang ako, kung alam lang ni Misha, nakahanap na ako ng someone else, kaya
lang, hindi naman ako iyong someone na hinahanap niya.

"Anong oras ang out mo?" Sabi ko.

"I don't have any plans of going home tonight. Mom's fine. I'll stay here tonight
because tomorrow, we have like this intern meeting... And may I just say, the new
interns digs you Eddie. Those girls..." May itinuro itong mga blonde women sa
kabilang table. "They have the hots for you."

Napailing na lang ako.

"Do you have the hots for them?" Did I mention that Misha is gay - she is a lesbian
- at sa ngayon ay may karelasyon itong nurse na doon rin nagtatrabaho sa ospital na
iyon.

"Nope. I don't really like blondes, I like my women brunette." Natawa na lang ako.
I stood up.

"I'll be going now." I said. I took my coffee. "I'll check on mom, make sure she's
fine."

"Sige, I'll call na lang later din sa bahay. Bye brother!" I just shook my head.
Tumalikod na ako, napadaan ako sa table ng mga blondes they all smiled at me. I
don't really care about them.

"Going home, Eddie?" Tanong sa akin ni Doctor Reeves, kasamahan ko siya sa Cardio
Department.

"Yeah, see tomorrow." Sabi ko. I walked away, tinungo ko ang kotse ko at saka
sumakay na doon. I drove away, sighing, feeling lost. I really wanna see danni pero
alam kong kailangan ko na siyang kalimutan. She will never love me the way I love
her. Minsan na itatanong ko na lang sa sarili ko kung kailan ko kaya mahahanap
iyong taong mamahalin ko, iyong taong mamahalin rin ako...

I parked my car in front of my buliding. Medyo breezy na ang hangin. Gabi na kasi.
Naglakad ako papasok. Nasalubong ko pa si Mrs. Rogers paakyat ng hagdan, I just
nodded at her.

"Eddie," She called me. I looked back.

"Yes, Mrs. Rogers?" I smiled.

"You are one lucky guy for having that pretty lady wait for you all night outside
your unit. She was out there in the cold, I asked her to come in my house but she
said she'd wait for you there, so I just gave her a cup of hot milk and a blanket."

"W-what lady?" Nagtatakang tanong ko sa kanya.

"See for yourself. I'm pretty shure she's still there." She gave me a knowing
smile. Napailing ako, marahil ay nagkamali lang si Mrs. Rogers. Matanda na ito at
paminsan-minsan ay makakalimutin.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pag-akyat. Nagtataka talaga ako sa sinabi ni Mrs. Rogers, sino
kaya ang babaeng sinasabi nito? Napahinto ako sa tapat ng unit ko. My mouth parted.

I guess Mrs. Rogers' was right about a girl waiting for me outside my unit.

"Dandelia?" Hindi ako makapaniwala. Dahan-dahan siyang nag-angat ng tingin. Her

face lit up when she saw me standing in front of her.

"Oh, Ed!" Suddenly she started crying. Tumayo siya at yumakap sa akin. Hindi ko
alam kung paano ako magre-react but I am really happy that she's here. "I'm sorry,
Ed, I am really sorry, I'm sorry for hurting you, I'm sorry for everything, I am
really sorry." Iyak lang siya ng iyak. I embraced her tightly tapos ay hinagkan ko
ang kanyang buhok. Maya-maya ay itinulak ko na rin siya.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her. "Kailan ka dumating?"

PInahid niya ang kanyang mga luha at saka muling tumingin sa akin.

"Kaninang 12 pm. Umalis ako sa atin kahapon. I really wanna see you."Naiiyak pa rin
siya. Hinawakan ko ang pisngi niya. Napakalamig niyon.

"Come, lumalamig na." Sabi ko. Binuksan ko ang pinto ng unit ko. Dannie held my
hand, habang hinatak ko naman ang suitcase niya. Pinaupo ko siya sa couch ko, I
went to the kitchen to get her something hot to drink. In-adjust ko na rin ang
heater para kahit paano ay mainitan na siya.

Nang makabalik ako sa sala ay naroon pa rin siya. Halos one week ko na rin siyang
hindi nakikita. I smiled at her.

"Here, drink this." Sabi ko sa kanya. She took the cup of hot chocolate. Umupo ako
sa tabi niya, kinuha ko ang mga binti niya, even her feet were cold. Ni-rub ko
iyon.

"That feels nice." Nakangiting sabi niya sa akin.

"I missed you too." Nginisihan ko siya. Umingos siya sa akin.

"Na-miss mo ako pero hindi ka man lang nag-text o kaya man tumawag? I kinda hate
you for not saying goodbye." Nalungkot na naman ang mukha nito. "Did you know? I
stayed in bed naked for hours crying because you left me after that amazing sex we
just had. Feel ko tuloy break up sex iyon." Napasinghot pa siya.

I shook my head. This woman, never fails to amaze me.

"What?"

"Why did you feel like that?" I asked her.

"Eh kasi nga you left me. That same morning after you left me that note, I realized
that I love you."

Again, she never failed to amaze me.

"Y-you love me?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

"Ed naman eh!" She said. Kailangan ko pa bang sabihin? Di pa ba halata? Hindi naman
ako magta-travel ng halos ilang milya para lang makita ka tapos wala lang pala. Of
course I love you."

"Bakit?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"I don't know." Sagot niya sa akin. "All my life I only wanted one thing and that
is to find Mr. Right para magkaroon ako ng eternal love affair. Ayoko ng basta na
lang fairytale. I even made a list of traits na gusto kong mahanap sa Mr. Right ko,
but when I met you, I realized na hindi pala dapat maging ideal sa love. I realized
that love comes in unexpectedly, that true love comes from those unexpected people
- you're my unexpected person. I was so ideal pagdating sa love that I didn't even
care at all, noong nagkasama tayo, naisip ko na hindi lang pala sapat iyong mahal
ka lang, kailangan iyon tanggap ka din."

I was really touched by what she was saying. I looked at her. Umiiyak siya.

"Hindi ko alam. Noong una akala ko ikaw si Mr. Wrong - oo iyon ang tawag ko sa'yo.
Mr. Wrong kasi, ayaw ko ng attitude mo. Pero mali ako, ako iyong mali. I am Ms.
Wrong. Ang lakas pa ng loob kong ipaalam pa sa'yo that I am dating David, ang
panget ng ugali ko." Napahikbi pa siya.

"Hey," Sabi ko. I sat beside her. "It's okay, you can stop crying now."

"Hindi ko alam kung mapapatawad mo pa ako dahil kahit hindi ka nagsasalita alam
kong nasaktan kita." Napaiyak na siya. Oh! How cute she looks right now.

"Huwag ka ng umiyak." Sabi ko. I cupped her face and I started to wipe her tears
away.

"Listen to me okay, I have three reasons para hindi magalit sayo," I said. That
caught her attention.

"Three?" Suminghot siya at saka sumenyas ng three sa daliri niya. "What are those?"

"One, You cook good." Sabi ko. Bigla na lang niya akong sinuntok sa balikat.

"Nakakainis ka!" Sabi ni Danni.

"Haha! Two, okay seryoso na." Sabi ko.

"Ano iyong two?"

"Napaka-organized mong tao. Ang linis-linis mo sa bahay, sa kwarto."

"I really hate you right now, Edwardo Miguel!" Sigaw niya sa akin. Natatawa pa rin
ako.

"Three..." I made her look at me. Itinaas baba ko pa ang kilay ko. "Makinig kang
maigi kasi minsan ko lang sasabihin ito, okay? Makinig ka, look me in the eye and
listen." Nilakihan ko pa ang mga mata ko.

"You look weird." Sabi niya sa akin.

"Do you wanna hear number three or not?" I snapped at her.

"Oo na, gusto ko siyempre kahit na puro kalokohan lang iyong sanasabi mo.
Tatanggapin ko pa rin kasi ---"

"I love you."

Her mouth fell. Titig na titig siya sa akin.

"Kabaligtaran ba iyan?" tanong niya.

"I love you..." Sabi kong muli.

"Nakakainis ka! I swear kapag kabaligtaran -------"

I pulled Danni closer just to kiss her lips. How I missed those lips. Agad naman
niyang sinagot ang mga halik ko. She was kissing me with equal passion nand
intensity. I sighed. I cannot belive how much love I have for her. Ang buong akala
ko ay hindi na ako magmamahal ng kahit sino mula nang mawala si Mikaela sa buhay
ko, but now, Danni's here, I love her, she's my present and I also want her to be
my future.

"What?" Nabigla ako nang bigla na lang siyang kumalas sa kiss namin. I looked at
her.

"Na-depress ako last week kasi umalis ka. I ate nothing but chocolates, now I gaine
like, five pounds." Sabi niya. "Kailangan ma-burn iyon." Natatawa ako. I know what
she's getting at.

"Okay, now what?" I played with her hair.

"Let's have sex!" She exclaimed. Natawa na naman ako.

"That's not the proper way of saying that, Darling Danni. It's making love." I bent
down and kissed her again, this time, it was hotter, harder, meaner and more
passionate.

I cannot wait to spend my lifetime with her....

<center><h1>12. Kahit na</h1></center>
<hr>
I woke up the next morning feeling heavenly. I liked the feel of Edward's warmth
next to mine, ang sarap-sarap niyang kayakap. I opened my eyes and he was still
there. Nawala iyong pangamba ko na baka iwan na naman niya ako ng note at umalis na
naman siya. I watched him as he sleeps, ang gwapo-gwapo talaga ng Edward ko.

Last night we did nothing but make love. Ewan ko, but it's so much better now kasi
alam namin pareho na we love each other. I sighed. I kissed his collar bone. Maya-
maya ay gumalaw na rin siya. He looked at me.

"Akala ko nag-try ka na naman mag-breakfast. " Sabi niya sa akin. Pinatulis ko ang
nguso ko.

"Kainis ka ha." Sabi ko. Kinurot ko ang tagiliran niya.

"Aray!" Malambing na daing niya. Natawa naman ako. I hugged him tight.

"Love mo ako ha? Wala nang bawian iyon." Sabi ko sa kanya. I felt Edward's arms
around me. He sighed.

"Basta akin ka na lang ha?" He said. I smiled.

"Oo naman. Ayoko na sa iba. Ikaw na kasi talaga. Hindi na magbabago iyon." Lalong
lumawak ang ngiti ko. Suddenly I remembered the first time I ever tried looking at
my Lola's mirror. I was only sixteen years old pero nang humarap ako noon, siya ang
nakita ko, and after almost twelve years, inulit ko ulit iyon at siya pa rin ang
nakita ko. Siguro noon pa lang, dapat naniwala na ako sa salamnin ni Lola. I
remembered Lolo telling me that Lola's mirror never lied, at ngayon alam ko nang
totoo iyon. Hindi ga nagsinungaling sa akin ang salamin because right now, I have
Edward, we're together, we're happy, we're going to start our own life together and
I am so looking forward on it. He kissed my forehead.

"Darling Danni," He said, hindi ko maiwasang mapangiti.

"Hmmn?"

"I have to get up, may duty ako sa hospital." Sabi niya sa akin.

"Okay, do you want some breakfast." Sabi ko. He grinned at me.

"Not really," Nainis naman ako.

"Akala mo naman! Maghahanap lang ako ng cereal sa cupboards mo." Umingos pa ako.
Natawa si Edward.

"Hindi na, Darling, " Sabi niya. "Seeing you like that, busog na busog na ako."
Nakangising sabi niya. I looked at myself. Ano bang hitsura ko? Maliban sa
magulong-magulo ang buhok ko, I wasn't wearing anything, I am totally naked under
the sheets.

"Bad ka, ang hilig mo." Sabi ko habang nakanguso.

"Ikaw din naman. Ikaw nga moan ka ng moan kagabi. Oh Edward, oh gosh, oh, oh...!"
He mimicked my facial expression. Automatically, namula ang mukha ko. Dumampot ako
ng unan at saka pinaghahampas siya.

"I hate you!" Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Bakit naman kagabi hindi iyan ang sinabi mo sa akin." He was still grinning.

"Nakakainis ka kamo! Nakakairita ka! I hate you!" Sabi ko sa kanya.

"Huu, kunwari ka pa. Give na give ka naman kagabi." Lalong umusok ang ilong ko,
Bumangon ako at saka hinampas ng malaking unan si Edward sa balikat.

"Kung papasok ka, pumasok ka na! Bwisit!' She said. Hinatak ko ang kumot niya at
saka binalot iyon sa aking sarili. Hindi naman ako nagalit, ang totoo, kinikilig
ako. Alam ko naman na binibiro lang ako ni Edward.

I went to the kitchen. Kung meron man akong kayang gawin sa kusina iyon ay ang
magtimpla ng kape. I made him a cup of coffee, maya-maya ay lumabas na siya.

"Oh, mag-coffee ka muna." I said to him. Edward just smiled. Nilapitan niya ako, I
thought he was going for the coffee, but then he pulled me closer and kissed my
lips. He gave me an honest to goodness morning kiss. I sighed. After a while he
pushed me away and said:

"I love you, Darling Danni."

My heart melted. Pagkatpos noon ay ininom na niya ang kape na inihanda ko at saka
muli akong hinagkan bago siya umalis.

I was sighing dreamily. Ang bilis - bilis ng tibok ng puso ko.

Oo, si Edward na talaga ang Mr. Right ko. I love him with all my heart and I do
want to have an eternal love affair with him.

Sigh...

-----------------------

"You are exceptionally happy today, Eddie."

Misha greeted me when we were in the locker room. I sighed. Am I that obvious.

"Why do you care so much?" I said smiling at her.

"Hay naku, you and that mysterious smile again." She said. "It's that woman diba?
The one doon sa breaksfast noong sinundo kita diba? Siya na ba talaga? You love
her?"

I sighed. I looked at Misha.

"Oo, siya na. Hindi na magbabago iyon." Sabi ko habang nakangiti.

"Alright, Eddie!" Sabi niya. "I'm so happy for you." She hugged me, pero bigla rin
niya akong binitiwan. "Have you told her about Mika?" She asked me.

"Not yet."
"How about the other wives?"

"Not yet."

"Then you're an asshole." Sabi niya sa akin.

"I'm not. I am going to tell her... Maghintay ka naman muna."

I said. I sighed again. I plan to tell Danni about my past as soon as she adjusted
- ewan ko - hindi ko kasi alam kung kakayanin niya ba ang malalaman niya. I was
never the Edward I am today - I used to be a real jerk - but when I met her I
changed - big time. Siguro iyon ang epekto sa akin ni Danni.

My day was pretty much boring. Patients here and there, check ups, rounds buti nga
wala akong operation ngayong araw. Isang bagay lang naman ang naman ang nilu-look
forward ko ngayong araw, iyon ang pag-uwi ko kaya nang sumapit ang oras na iyon,
parang may pakpak sa paa na sumakay ako sa aking kotse. Bago ako umuwi, may
dinaanan muna ako. I was so sure Danni would be surprised with my gift. Ngayong
gabi ko naisip sabihin sa kanya ang tungkol sa akin noon. I guess kung hindi niya
gusto wala akong magagawa but then knowing Danni - I don't really know what to
expect.

I arrived at my building fifteen minutes later. Umakyat na ako sa floor ko, tulad
ng dati ay muli kong nasalubong si Mrs. Rogers.

"Good evening, Mrs. Rogers, how's your day?" I asked her smiling.

"Oh, Eddie, you girlfriend was crying all day."

"What? Do you have any idea why?" I asked her. I was worried, why would Danni cry?
Was she upset or something?

Tumakbo na ako. Kabang-kaba ako. When I got inside my unit, I found Danni sitting
at the corner crying.

"Dandan?" I called her. She looked at me. Ang dungis-dungis niya, pawis na pawis,
madumi ang damit, mukha siyang nahirapan maghapon. "What happened?" Agad ko siyang
nilapitan.

"I..." Humikbi siya. She showed me her hands. Sugat-sugat na naman iyon, tapos may
pantal siya mula sa wrist paakyat sa braso.

"Danni. Ano na namang ginawa mo?"

"I tried household chores..."

"What?" Nagtataka ako. "Why would you do that?"

"Eh.. I-I just want too." Sabi niya, "Kaya lang, epic fail eh," naluluhang sabi
niya.

"Danni naman... Anong sabi ko sa'yo?"

"I tried washing your clother and they all turned to red! Hindi ko naman alam na
hindi pala dapat isama iyong may kulay sa white!" Humagulgol siya. Hinaplos ko ang
balikat niya.

"Tapos-tapos.. allergic pa pala ako doon sa detergent, tapos, tapos, nalagyan ko ng

mantsa iyong carpet, tapos, tapos, hindi ako marunong maglutoooooo!!!" Humagulgol
si Danni. I just sat there looking at her. I cupped her face and I wiped her tears.

"Come here." Sabi ko sa kanya. Hinatak ko siya tapos ay pumasok kami sa kwarto.

"Ed, wala ako sa mood mag-sex ngayon. Naiinis ako sa sarili ko." Humihikbing sabi
niya. Napangiti na lang ako. I went to my closet and I took out one thick photo
album. Kinuha ko iyon at muli akong bumalik sa kanya. She was sitting on the middle
of the bed. I sat beside her.

"What?'s that?" She asked me.

"This...." I sighed. "is my past. And I want you to take a look at it..."

I put the album on her lap. She looked at me tapos ay dahan-dahan niya binuksan
iyon. Nasa loob ng album na iyon ang pictures ng tatlo kong dating asawa.

"You've been married before?" She said, her eyes widened with disbelief. She turned
another one again.

"That's my first wife, Clarissa." Sabi ko.

"What happened?" Tanong niya.

"We both cheated with each other." Ako na mismo ang naglipat ng album.

"That's Sam, my second wife. I did love her but she fell out of love, she divorced
me. At hanggang ngayon hindi pa kami nag-uusap."

"Nakailang asawa ka ba? Kinakabahan ako, Ed." Sabi ni Danni.

"Ako rin... Baka kasi iwan mo na ako because of my failed relationships." I turned
another page again.

"And that's my third wife." Sabi ko. "Mikaela."

"Wait, so pang fourth mo si Misha?" Tanong niya. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

"Si Misha?! Hindi ko siya asawa!"

"Sabi ni JM eh!" Sabi niya sa akin. "Sabi niya kaya ka daw bumalik dito because you
want to make things work with her, that finally you are happy, sabi pa nga niya sa
akin na i-sure ko daw na ---- Oh..."

Napangiti ako. I guessed Danni realized something.

"That's why he gave me your full address! He wants me to come here for you! Sira
ulo talaga iyong kuya mo!" Sabi niya sa akin.

"Anyway, Mika is my third wife." Huminga ako ng malalim. "She was my first love.
She made me believe in things like you know, true love, and eternal love affair."

Napatitig sa akin si Danni.

"E-eternal love affair?" She said.

"Yes..."

"So what happened with you and her?"

"She died, Darling. She was diagnosed with Heart tumor, her days were counted at
sobra akong nasaktan nang mawala siya. I really did love her. And when she died I
thought that I would never love again... but the you came along."

Danni's tears were about to fall - I was sure of that. For starters, namumula na
naman ang ilong niya at sisinghot-singhot na naman siya.

"Why are you telling me this?" Nagtatakang tanong niya. "Bakit mo pinakita sa akin
ito?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"Because, that's my past, you are my present." Huminga ako ng malalim, may kinapa
ako sa bulsa ng pantalon ko. I stood up, smiled at her, then I kneeled in front of
her.

"Ed..."

"They were my past, you are my present and I want you to be my future. Please say
yes, I really want to marry you. Will you marry me, Danni?"

Binuksan ko ang velvet box upang ipakita sa kanya ang diamond ring na binili ko
kanina sa Tiffany & Co. Danni was crying. Her tears were falling like rain. Maya-
maya ay humagulgol na siya.

"Pero..." She said "Hindi ako marunong magluto, magsaing, maglinis ng bahay, hindi
ako marunong maglaba, mamalantsa, burara ako, makalat, un-organized... Tapos, tapos
hindi na ako virgin!"

I looked at her.

"Marunong akong magluto at magsaing I can cook for us, kung ayaw mo ng luto ko, we
can always eat out. Marunong din akong maglinis ng bahay, maglaba, I can do that
for us too, o kaya man may laundry shop naman diyan, we can just drop the clothes
and have a day out. Wala akong pakialam kung burara ka, makalat or unorganized. And
about you not being a virgin, I just don't care. I don't care at all."

"Pero E-ed----" Tinakpan ko ang bibig niya.

"Pakakasalan kita dahil gusto kitang makasama habambuhay hindi dahil kailangan ko
ng katulong. Mahal kita, pagsisilbihan kita habambuhay."

Danni smiled at me. She hugged me so tight I found it hard to breathe.

"Sabi ko na, ikaw talaga iyong para sa akin. The mirror never lies!" She exclaimed.
Hindi ko maintindihan ang sinabi niya, I guess it didn't matter at all, basta ang
mahalaga lang, mahal ko siya, mahal niya and...

"Yes, Edward, I will marry you! I am marrying you! Oh my god! Give me may ring!"
Sabi niya. Natatawang kumalas ako sa yakap namin. I took her left han and slid that
ring on her finger.

"I love you, Danni." sabi ko. "Kahit ilang eggs and bacons pa o calderetang hindi
masarap ang lutuin mo, kakainin ko pa rin iyo." She kissed my lips.

"I love you too. And I will try not to burn the eggs and the bacons..." She was
smiling. I smiled back. I kissed her lips and right at that moment, I knew that we
both have found our eternal love affair.
Till Eternity.

Danni and Edward.

I smiled at that thought.