Chapter 57

It was December 24 and as much as I could not explain it, it just smelled like Christmas. The air was cold and the Christmas songs just made me feel good and light—like nothing could go wrong.

Nang magsimula iyong ber-months ay naitayo na iyong Christmas tree namin. Naayos na rin last week iyong mga regalo para sa mga clients nila Papa at naipadala na rin iyon. Nagluluto si Ate Gina para sa noche buena namin mamayang madaling araw. I asked her if there's anything I could do to help, but she said na kaya niya na raw lahat. I tried to play with Blue and BV, but they both did not want to play with me kaya nmana umakyat na lang ako sa kwarto.

"Hi," I said when Austin called via FaceTime. Umuwi siya sa bahay nila para doon magnoche buena. They did not go to Madrid this time, and even if they did, Austin told me na hindi siya sasama dahil nagsabi na siya sa akin na plano niya na magkasama kami buong December 25 to make up for what he did before. He already talked to my parents about this, and they were fine with it. We didn't have any traditions except for the noche buena, anyway.

"Hey," he replied. He looked like he was in his old room. Hindi pa ako nakaka-punta roon at hindi na ako makaka-punta pa. I did not feel comfortable to go upstairs kapag nasa kanila ako. I went there on Tita Anna's birthday. I also met his grandparents. They're fine. I didn't really listen to what they talked about because Austin warned me that no one's ever good enough for them. I didn't care—I was already good enough for Austin.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Nothing. Just waiting for the food."

"Same. Ate Gina won't let me help."

Natawa siya. "Movies?"

"Yes."

We watched Mare of the Easttown together via Rave. Hindi pa rin kami tapos na panoorin iyon. We were still three episodes to the end. It was just that kissing was always the better option kapag nasa condo niya kami. Sometimes, when I thought that we'd go beyond kissing, Austin would forcibly get off me—usually with a loud grunt—grab his wallet, and then tell me that he's going to buy something. He usually goes back with a carton of almond milk. There's a cabinet in his condo that was just full of cartons of milk. I checked the expiration dates at may five months pa siya para ubusin iyon.

"Who do you think did it?" he asked when we finished the fifth episode.

"I still need to watch another episode to decide," I replied. "Why do we have to wait for 12MN to eat?" I asked because it was only 8PM. I was already hungry.

"Tradition," he replied. "You can eat if you want. You don't have to starve 'til midnight."

"I'll order online," sabi ko kasi kapag bumaba ako tapos nakita ko iyong niluluto ni Ate Gina, mas magugutom ako kasi mas gusto kong kainin iyon.

"Or I'll just drive there and we can drive thru? I'll get you back by 10 or 11?"

"Papayagan ka ba?"

"Yeah," he replied. "It's full house here. I doubt if they'd notice."

"Okay," sabi ko. "Drive carefully."

"I will," sabi niya tapos ay tinapos na namin iyong tawag.

I changed into a maong shorts, white tank top, and my oversized light brown cardigan. I also brought my tote bag na naka-lagay iyong notebook, pencil case, wallet, at phone ko. Pagbaba ko ay nagpaalam ako kila Mama tapos ay lumabas na ako nung nandoon na si Austin. I told him na 'wag na kaming pumasok dahil sabi rin nila na 'wag na raw basta raw bumalik ako bago mag noche buena.

"Hi," I said when I got inside his car. We kissed on the lips tapos ay inilagay ko sa likuran iyong totebag ko bago ko isinuot iyong seatbelt ko. "I want subway sandwich, pero wala silang takeout. If hindi pwede, sa KFC na lang and I will have twister."

Austin searched in his phone kung saan iyong pinaka-malapit na subway, pero closed na lahat. We ended up going to KFC's drive thru and then parked in their parking lot to eat.

"Ano'ng oras bukas?" I asked.

"10AM? I planned breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"Okay. Dress code?"

"Anything you're comfortable in."

"Jacket?"

"You can use mine," sabi niya.

"Okay," sagot ko. "I can't bring my gift. Masyadong mabigat."

"It's okay."

"But how can we exchange gift?"

"We can just do it at your house?"

"Can I just bring a part of the gift and then you can get the rest kapag hinatid mo ako?"

"Sure," he replied.

"Okay," sagot ko sa kanya.

He mentioned before that he's interested in World War II and then mentioned a book set that he'd been wanting to buy, but it was hard to find. It was indeed hard to find. It took me two months to complete it—I ordered some on Amazon and then bid on the others on eBay. And then waited until they're all complete. There were 12 books in the whole set. I definitely went over our budget, but it's okay. I would not spend money on Austin's birthday, anyway. I planned on telling him that he's officially my boyfriend on his birthday. He never asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend. But if he did ask me before it's his birthday, then I might have to find a way to have money para mag-isip ng ibang ireregalo sa kanya. Until then, his birthday gift was already set.

After we finished eating, we just continued watching the series on the screen of his car. We didn't want to kiss because my lips would be swollen and my family would notice. So, we just held hands as we watched the series.

"I'll see you tomorrow," sabi niya nang ihatid niya ako pabalik.

"10AM," I replied, and he nodded. We kissed again bago ako bumaba at bumalik sa loob. Dumiretso ako sa kwarto para maglinis ng katawan. I changed into a white dress because I did not feel like wearing a red dress. Pagbaba ko ay naka-handa na iyong lamesa. We ate our noche buena. I ate the lasagna and the Christmas ham. I had the graham cake for the dessert. I was so full. Pagbalik ko sa kwarto ay nakita ko na nagtext si Austin ng Merry Christmas at exactly 12MN.

'Merry Christmas, too,' I replied.

'I know your 3 hours rule, but try to sleep because we have a long day tomorrow,' he said.

'Okay. Good night.'

'Good night.'

I woke up at 7AM kahit na 1AM na ako natulog. I went downstairs to have my breakfast, and then I proceeded to play with BV dahil tinataguan ako ni Blue. I began to outline my script. At 9AM, I took a bath and then prepared for my day with Austin. I wore a white linen dress with tie strap. It fell two inch above my knees. I also wore a denim jacket dahil kapag pina-suot sa akin ni Austin iyong jacket niya ay wala siyang isusuot. I wore a white lowcut converse sneakers, and carried my tote bag with me. Naka-lagay na sa loob iyong regalo ko kay Austin. My only accessory was the Cartier bracelet.

Pagbaba ko ay nakita ko na binibigay ni Austin kina Mama iyong regalo niya. I waited until they're done. Mama told us to take care tapos ay lumabas na kami.

"I don't have any gift for your family," I said dahil binigyan niya silang lahat.

"You don't have to," he replied.

"May regalo ba sila Mary sa parents mo?"

"No idea," he said. "But really, don't worry about it."

I nodded. I hoped they didn't get them gifts. I did not have any money left. Wala na akong pambili.

I was choosing what song to play while Austin was driving. He told me if it's okay kung sa NLEX na lang kami kumain ng breakfast. I said it's fine—I felt full from last night's feast, anyway. We ate at Army Navy. I asked him where we were going dahil nasa NLEX kami.

"La Union," he said.

"We're going to the beach?" I asked because I was wearing sneakers.

"We can stay there while waiting," he said. "I brought your slippers, if you're thinking about your shoes."

Sometimes, I did think that he could read my mind.

We continued with our travel. Pagdating namin doon ay late-lunch time na. We ate at Patio del Sol for lunch. Tapos ay dumiretso kami sa isang beach. Austin parked on the side of the road, but even inside his car ay kita na namin iyong beach. We just opened the windows of his car.

"It's so calm," I said as I stared at the waves of the sea. I was quietly watching the sea nang mapa-tingin ako kay Austin dahil binuksan niya iyong pinto at lumabas. Sumunod din ako sa kanya. Pumunta siya sa likuran. He opened it at may nakita akong box doon. There was a ribbon around it.

"Are we exchanging gifts now?" I asked because it was only 4PM.

"Yes," he said. "Unless you want to do this later?"

I shook my head. I was excited to give him his gift. Binuksan ko iyong pintuan at saka kinuha ko iyong totebag ko. Inilabas ko roon iyong box kung saan ko nilagay iyong regalo niya. I did not put a ribbon, but there was a card attached to the box.

"This is just a part of the gift," I said because his gift was a big box.

"I know," he replied. "So... game?" he asked and I nodded at ibinigay ko sa kanya iyong regalo ko. I watched as he opened the card first. Napa-tingin siya sa akin. He bit his lower lip while he was smiling.

"Merry Christmas, too, baby," he replied because I wrote 'Merry Christmas, baby,' because for some odd reason, he really liked it when I call him that. I was still not used to it, but I would get used to it someday.

"Open your gift," I said.

"Okay," he replied as he opened the box. Naka-kunot ang noo niya. I thought he didn't get my gift, so I tried to explain that that was the book set he was talking about before. "I know..." he said. "But where did you get this? I have been looking since forever."

"Amazon. eBay. I got one off of Facebook marketplace," I said. I even joined some local groups to get the last piece of the set.

His lips parted. "Wow," he said. "This is... so nice."

"Can I open my gift now?" I asked, but Austin was still staring at the book I gave him. I shrugged and proceeded to untie the ribbon. I opened the top of the box and it was covered with paper shredding. I reached inside and got a box of Unipin pen.

Austin's hand was on his nape. "I should've exerted more effort."

"I love this," I said because I really do love pens.

"Really?" I nodded. "There are still some inside the box."

Kinuha ko iyong iba pang naka-lagay. There were five box of Unipin in different colors. These would be my stock for the whole year. Mayroon ding tatlong notebook na dotted, tatlong notebook na lined, at tatlong notebook na blank pages lang. And then I reached in again. Mas mabigat iyong box. I used two hands to get it. Napa-tingin ako kay Austin nang makita ko na box ng Macbook iyon.

"You said your laptop's getting slower," he said.

"So you bought me a new laptop?"

He shrugged. "I know we have a budget. I really can't just make it work," sabi niya. "Did you go over the budget?" I nodded because I did. "We both did it. So... let's call it quits?"

Naka-kunot pa rin ang noo ko. "You bought me a laptop."

"Yes."

"I won't tell you when my phone's getting slower."

Tumawa siya. "Okay," sabi niya. "I got you a 1TB, so that you can put all your files and your movies," dugtong niya. He transferred the huge box on the passenger seat tapos ay doon kami naupo. He began to read the book while I fiddled with the new laptop. And then we watched the sunset.

"Uuwi na tayo?" I asked when Austin stood up.

"No, we still have to go somewhere."

"Saan?"

"Christmas village," he said. "It's your favorite holiday, right?" he asked, and I nodded. We went to the Christmas village. There were Christmas lights everywhere. It all looked so pretty. And when we were standing before the huge Christmas tree, I was almost tempted to tell Austin that I wanted to be his girlfriend, but I stopped myself because I really did not have any more money for his birthday gift.

But staring at him as the lights reflected on his eyes—

"Baby," I called. He didn't look. "Eyes on me, baby," I called again, this time louder. Napa-tingin siya sa akin. He blinked. I drew a deep breath. "Can you be my boy—"

"Can you be my girlfriend?" he asked, cutting me off like he did not want me to finish my question.

"Yes," I quickly replied.

He blinked. "Really?"

I nodded. "We're official now."

"Yes," he replied. "Finally," he whispered as he wrapped me around his arms and lifted my feet off the ground while he hugged me. 

**
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