2

"We'll celebrate your birthday tomorrow Allanis. The gown has been delivered, have you seen it?" Nonna asked me. Tumango lamang ako at hindi siya nilingon. Birthday party my ass. I know they will just introduce me to another set of bachelors for marriage.

I can't even eat at all. I am turning nineteen and my family wants me to be married. What about romance? What about love? How will I experience that if everything around me is on fast forward?

Hindi na muling nagsalita pa si Nonna habang kumakain. Tahimik akong tumayo at nagpaalam noong matapos ako. She did not even look at me. She waved her hand and right then I know I was dismissed.

Noong makarating ako sa kwarto ay naghihintay na agad sa akin ang mga katulong. They prepared my bath and the gown that I will wear for my birthday tonight.

Ilang oras akong inaayusan and yet I still feel ugly. A part of my brown hair was laid on my left shoulder. They put the final touches and now I am done.

Suot suot ko na iyong gown habang iyong mga katulong ay inaanunsyo na ang nalalapit kong pagbaba. May kumuha ng dulo ng aking damit para maalalayan ako. I wore my mask and let my champagne colored dress flow down the staircase.

Pagkababa ko ay tatlong lalaki na ang sumalubong sa akin. They all offered me to dance and I just rejected everyone. My father was eyeing me dangerously but I couldn't care more.

This is my birthday today. I deserve this. Even for just an hour I deserve a time for myself. I deserve a time where rules, standards, marriages and agreements do not exist.

Everyone was already busy dancing and I secretly went to the pavilion. Inalis ko ang aking sapatos at iniwan iyon sa damuhan. I was about to sit when somebody cleared his throat.

"Hiding from your own party, Miss?" anas niya. Kumunot ang noo ko at tinitigan ang binata ng mabuti.

"Who are you?" I asked. Ngumisi lang siya. His eyes were covered by the mask and I can't quite see him because of the darkness.

"Ouch. Should I get hurt right now? You've forgotten me already when I, in fact, kept you in my mind all of the fucking time."mayabang niyang sabi. He moved closer and offered his hand to me.

"Allanis."he called me. The way he said my name sounds like a forbidden song, beautiful yet dangerous. His voice was like an ancient poetry that is meant to be hidden because of its angelic beauty.

"I am not Allanis. You're wrong."pagkakaila ko. The corners of his lips rose and formed a shadow of a smile.

"I will never be wrong when it comes to you." he answered. Inalis niya iyong maskara niya at napasinghap ako ng makilala ko siya.

"Because you don't remember me anymore. I am Joaquin, the guy with the bread." pakilala niyang muli. I rolled my eyes and just stared at him.

"Oh. You're the fuckboy." wala sa loob kong sabi. Nanlaki ang mata niya sa narinig bago bigla namang tumawa.

"Me? A fuckboy?"he sounded so shocked. Bumaba agad ako sa pavilion at nilapitan siya.

"Yes! You're a fuckboy! We've fought the first time we met and yet you called me fascinating. Now you showed up on my birthday party without even being invited! Who the hell does that? Only a fuckboy who thinks I will even flirt back with him!"mahaba kong sabi. He opened his mouth to say something but remained speechless. Tumawa na lamang siya habang nakatitig sa akin.

"How do you do that?"mangha niyang sabi. Lumapit siya sa akin at humakbang naman akong palayo.

"What?!"

"Driving me crazy." bulong niya. He touched my face and the blood in my veins just roared into life. Pinaikot niya ang kamay niya sa beywang ko at hinila ako palapit sa kanya. I gasped when my body crushed on his chest. Bolts of electric current flowed through me when his hand touched my neck.

"You are so beautiful it goddamn hurts." deklara niya. Binuka ko ang bibig ko dahil sa mga salita niya. Pero lumipad na yata iyong kakayahan ko para makasagot. I looked into his eyes and I swear I feel like drowning again.

Bumaba iyong mukha niya pero hinarangan ko ang labi niya. Luminga ako sa paligid habang siya ay napaungol naman sa pagpigil ko.

"Not here Joaquin." anas ko. Napangisi siya at iyong hawak niya sa akin ay mas humigpit.

"Say it again." utos niya. Kumunot naman ang aking noo.

"I said not here-----"

Umiling siya. "No. The part where you said my name." he requested. Ngumiti lamang ako at yumuko. I can feel my cheeks burning because of the way he looks at me.

"Joaquin." Pabulong kong sabi. Napipikit siya at humigpit naman ang hawak niya sa aking beywang. I bit my lip and looked at his mouth. I can feel the gravity pulling me towards him. I can feel the intense urge of having his mouth on me.

Hinila ko siya sa isang tagong gilid ng hardin. Noong makapagtago kami ay ako na ang tumingkayad at humila sa kanya. The moment our lips touched I swear I have seen stars.

My heart was beating so wildly inside my chest. I have never felt like this. And for God's sake he is a stranger! A stranger with those haunting eyes that reaches my soul.

He pulled my chin and I involuntarily opened my mouth. Naramdaman ko ang pagpapalalim niya ng halikan namin hanggat sa ako na ang nakasandal sa pader.

'Everyday I wake up next to an angel

More beautiful than words could say

They said it wouldn't work but what did they know?

'Cause years have passed and we're still here today'

Kumapit ako sa batok niya habang siya ay mas idiniin na ako sa kanyang katawan. Pinutol niya ang halik pero hindi pa rin siya lumalayo sa akin. His half lidded eyes stared back at me.

Hinihingal siya habang hinahaplos ang aking pisngi. "Tell me you feel this too Allanis. Tell me I am not the only one getting crazy because of this. Tell me." Utos niya. I smiled at his tone. Napakabossy naman ng lalaking ito.

Bumaba iyong kamay kong nasa batok niya papunta sa dibdib niya. Nagulat pa ako noong maramdaman ko ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso niya sa ilalim ng kanyang suit.

Pumikit siya ng mariin at parabang hindi makapaniwala sa nangyayari.

"Eversince that day, eversince that fight, Allanis.. I.. I can't stop thinking about you." Pag amin niya. Kinagat ko ang labi ko para pigilan sana ang ngiti ko ngunit hindi ako nagtagumpay.

Nag iwas ako ng tingin at walang nagsalitang muli sa aming dalawa. All that we can hear is the background music from my birthday party.

'Seems like yesterday when she first said "hello"

Funny how time flies when you're in love

It took us a lifetime to find each other

It was worth the wait 'cause I finally found the one'

He smiled at me and then bit his lips. Huminga ako ng malalim dahil nahihirapan akong huminga habang nakatingin sa kanya. The feeling is too overwhelming. I am too surrounded by emotions. Too much feels.

Nilingon ko ulit iyong mga ilaw mula sa party. It is my birthday today. Is it bad if I become selfish? Can I become bad? Can I be free? Can I not be Allanis Diana Ginnapolis, even for a moment?

Can I just be simply me? With this stranger whom I think will be a great part of my life? I can feel it. Deep inside me I know that there is something with this guy.

Tumunog iyong relo sa kanyang braso. The LED lights from his watch shone and I saw the time.

It's already 11:11. The eleven signs are up. Ngumiti ako habang siya ay kinuha ang kamay ko. Marahan niya iyong pinisil habang ako ay naiwang nakatingin sa kanya. His eyes are too magical and I am under his spell.

I closed my eyes and pulled him closer. My heart was beating too fast. I know this is too fast. Everything is too fast. But I have to hurry now before the eleven signs runs out of its magic.

"Take me away Joaquin. Take me away from here." Anas ko. Nanlaki ang mata niya at taka akong tiningnan.

"What?"

Nilingon ko ang party. "My father wants me to marry a stranger right after this party Joaquin. Please, save me. Take me away, anywhere. " pagmamakaawa ko. Lumambot ang mukha niya bago tumango.

"Fine then honey." Aniya. Niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit bago kami sabay na tumakas mula sa mansyon na mistulan ko ng kulungan.

Every step, every movement that I shared with him that night while I ran away from home changed my life. Hindi ko alam na dahil sa kanya ay matutunan ko ang lahat ng hinahanap ko habang nakakulong.

Every night I wished when the time becomes 11:11. I wished for a miracle. I wished for fate.

And the eleven signs brought me here. To a stranger named Shawn Joaquin Montreal.

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Song Used:

Rest of My Life - Bruno Mars

Shawn below.