D E N V E R

I never expected to like her as much as I do now. I avoided it, even.

I am not at the best point in my life, and if I'm not feeling good about myself then I have no business sharing my misery with someone else.

But being with her every hour of every day made it impossible not to fall.

She's a breath of fresh air — calm and peaceful. But there were times when she was perfectly capable of stealing all the air out of my lungs.

Like when I first heard her sing.

When she first held my hand.

And strangely, every time she calls me boo.

Good heavens, I'm so undeserving of her.

It took me a while to see her, but I am now so enchanted by her that I can't look at anyone else. She looked past all my flaws. Even treated my red flags with complete disregard. And in an unexpected turn of events... she ended up liking me, too.

What I feel for her is not just love.

I respect her.

I am mesmerized by her.

Just hearing her say my name, even if we don't touch, softens my heart into a puddle. Heck, if she asked me to jump off a cliff, I probably would with a huge smile on my face.

But that's what I love most about her.

I know she wouldn't.

She never asked me for anything. Never demanded. Never took advantage. Which somehow made me want to give her more, if that even makes sense.

What else can I say? I love being in love with her.

"May concert Ben&Ben sa MoA next weekend!" she screamed from the bathroom. "Huhu. Punta tayo, please!"

"I never knew you were a fan of them," I answered from the kitchen.

Kanina pa siya sa banyo pero nagse-cellphone lang pala. Natapos ka nang balatan at hiwain 'yong mga binilin niyang carrots at patatas pero hindi pa rin siya lumalabas.

"I like them, I'm not a fan," she answered, finally stepping out of the restroom looking the exact same. Akala ko ay naligo siya sa sobrang tagal niya ro'n, mukhang tumambay lang pala. "But Rico Blanco is a guest, boo! You know how much I love Rico Blanco!"

Natawa na lang ako.

She doesn't love Rico Blanco, she's obsessed with him. I helped her pack her stuff quite a few times already that I already know she has nine posters and thirty-eight photo cards of him. Kulang na lang ay magtayo siya ng altar dito sa condo. She even told me that she has a guitar back home with his signature.

"Alright, let's go. I'll get tickets."

"No! Ako bibili ng ticket ko!"

"Ako na. Bayaran mo na lang ako."

"The last time you said that, you didn't let me pay."

"Bakit ba ayaw mong nililibre kita? Dati naman pumapayag ka, ah," tanong ko sa kaniya. Dati kasi, tuwing kumakain kami sa labas pagkatapos ng gig ay nililibre ko siya madalas. Pero ngayon, hindi ko na magawa 'yon. Kahit nga candy ay ayaw niya akong pagbayarin.

Luckily, I found a solution to that.

When I wrap something in parchment paper and tell her it's a gift, she accepts it with open arms. Maski mga bulaklak at tsokolate ay binalot ko pa para lang tanggapin niya. Puno na tuloy ng pambalot, scotch tape, at gunting ang kwarto namin.

"It's different, now," she answered softly, walking up to me and taking the knife from my hand and bringing it to the sink. "Nililigawan mo na 'ko at ayaw ko namang abusuhin 'yong pagiging galante at mapagbigay mo. Pinatira mo na nga ako rito, eh."

Remember when I said that she doesn't ask for anything? This is what I mean.

"But I want to, Nami," I insisted, turning around to see her washing the dishes in the sink.

"I know," bulong niya. "Dahil 'yan ang nakasanayan mo. Na ikaw ang gumagastos at nagbabayad ng lahat, pero hindi dapat gano'n, boo."

Humarap siya sa akin at ngumiti.

Kamukhang-kamukha niya si Mads kaya inakala ko noon na lagi kong maiisip si Mads sa tuwing kasama ko siya, pero sa totoo lang ay hindi.

Pareho lang sila ng mukha pero magkaiba sila ng ugali. Magkaiba ng boses. At magkaiba ng mga paniniwala sa buhay.

Kapag kasama ko si Nami, wala akong ibang naiisip kung hindi siya lang.

"Saka mo na ako gastusan kapag may anak na tayo. Syempre, nine months ko 'yong ipagbubuntis so dapat lagi mo akong pakainin. Not to mention, masakit mag-labor at manganak."

I couldn't hold my laughter. "Ang advance mo, boo."

She shrieked. She literally shrieked. She was holding a knife and I thought she cut herself so I rushed over to her side and pulled her hand. "What happened?" I asked with worry.

But I didn't see any traces of blood and she doesn't look hurt because she's smiling.

"You called me boo." She giggled.

"So I did."

"You never called me boo! Ako lang tumatawag sa 'yo no'n. But now... wahhh!" Even with her hands wet and soapy, she reached out to my face and pinched both my cheeks. "You are so cute!"

Ewan ko ba kasi kung bakit ang corny mag-isip ng callsign ng mga babaeng nagugustuhan ko. Si Mads noon ay Mhie at Dhie ang gusto. Ngayon naman, si Nami ay Boo.

I wanted to kiss her right then and there, but I know that I shouldn't so I didn't. She deserves for me to wait especially after I took her first kiss in the most unromantic way.

For her, I'd keep waiting my entire life just for another kiss.

That night, I booked tickets to the concert even when she told me not to. We are not earning much. She has savings but I don't think it's enough even for the cost of General Admission tickets.

I want her to be happy, so maybe I'd just gift-wrap the tickets before I tell her.

It was Friday night when she jumped on me as soon as I arrived from school.

"I bought us tickets!" she said proudly, showing them to me. "GA nga lang, but I bought it with my own money. One for me and one for you! Ako naman manglilibre sa 'yo. Buti na lang, may nagbenta sa 'kin ng mura."

Crap.

I forgot to tell her about the tickets I bought. But how do I tell her about it now that she's so proud of herself for getting to buy one for each of us? Ibibigay ko na lang siguro kanila Jolo at Sasha 'yong binili ko.

"Thank you." I smiled before dropping my bag on the floor and wrapping my arms tightly around her figure.

Nakakapagod ngayon sa school. Hindi tulad noon na madalas maraming free time, ngayon ay sobrang loaded kami. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano nagagawa ni Jolo na tapusin ang requirements niya, pati na rin ang kay Sasha.

Yakap si Nami ay nawala lahat ng pagod ko.

"Punta tayo, ah? Huhu, excited na 'ko," sabi niya nang ibaba ko na siya sa sahig.

"Oo, pupunta tayo."

"Tapos kain tayong strawberry ice cream habang nanonood ng sunset."

"Kakain tayong strawberry ice cream habang nanonood ng sunset," ulit ko, nakangiting pinagmamasdan ang sabik niyang mga mata.

We arrived an hour early because she was so excited for the concert. But as it turns out, the tickets she bought were fake and she was scammed by a so-called reseller.

"Are there any more tickets?" I asked the clerk. "Bibili na lang ulit kami."

"Wala na po, Sir," malungkot din na sagot ng ahente. "Na-sold out na po last week."

Fuck.

I already gave my tickets to Jolo and Sasha because they were Ben&Ben fanatics. Ayaw ko namang bawiin 'yon.

"Do you know anyone with spare tickets?" I asked the agent again, determined to get Nami to that concert. "We'll pay double."

"W-Wala po, Sir, eh."

"We'll pay triple—"

"Mag-ferris wheel na lang tayo," mahinang bulong ni Nami sabay turo sa higanteng ferris wheel kung saan kilala ang Mall of Asia. "Matagal ko na gustong makasakay diyan."

I know how much she wants to be in that concert. Pero dahil sa kagustuhan niyang pati ako ay ilibre ng ticket ay na-scam pa siya.

"Hahanap ako ng magbebenta ng ticket. May oras pa. Maraming magbebenta mamaya, mag-abang lang tayo."

Pero umiling siya sa akin at saka malungkot na ngumiti. "Okay lang," bulong niya. "Mag-ferris wheel na lang tayo."

"Nami—"

"I hate it when you call me Nami."

"Boo."

Ang seryoso ng usapan namin pero bigla na lang siyang tumawa. "Ang cute mo talaga."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit mas dismayado pa ako sa kaniya na hindi kami makapasok sa concert, samantalang siya 'tong matagal nang nag-aabang.

"I got us unlimited tickets, we can stay in the ride for as long as we want," sabi ko sa kaniya matapos bumili ng ticket para sa ferris wheel. There is no such thing as an unlimited ticket. Nirentahan ko lang talaga 'yong ride hanggang alas-nuwebe. Buti na lang at may dala akong cash.

"Wahhh! Then let's buy food! Tapos food trip tayo ro'n!"

We did buy food. Potato Corner, Milktea, Chicken nuggets, at isang galon na strawberry ice cream.

Nagsimula na 'yong concert at rinig na rinig namin sila sakay ng ferris wheel, pero walang pakialam si Nami dahil mas nakatutok ang atensyon niya sa view, at pati na rin sa ice cream na una niyang nilantakan.

Nagsisimula nang dumilim nang marinig ko ang boses ni Rico Blanco. Hindi ko gaanong maintindihan ang mga sinasabi niya, pero nang tumunog na ang musika ay alam ko na kaagad kung ano ang una niyang kakantahin.

Tell me something
When the rain falls on my face
How do you quickly replace
It with a golden summer smile?

Nami looked at me with her mouth wide open as soon as she heard him sing. Her eyes literally filled with tears even as her lips formed a smile. "Si Rico..." bulong niya.

She stopped devouring the ice cream and paused as we both listened to him for free.

Tell me something
When I'm feelin' tired and afraid
How do you know just what to say
To make everything alright?

Her eyes were bright with emotion as she sang to the song, and I was blown away with just how glorious she looked at that moment.

I don't think that you even realize
The joy you make me feel when I'm inside
Your universe

You hold me like I'm the one who's precious
I hate to break it to you but it's just
The other way around

Rico is great. There is no denying that. But Nami is the one I would gladly listen to for hours.

You can thank your stars all you want but
I'll always be the lucky one

She looked at me as her lips said the lines, and I realized what's going to happen seconds before it did.

She leaned over, so I held her waist to pull her closer, and our lips met in a kiss that was both shy and passionate.

She tasted like strawberry.

She tasted like love.

She tasted like my deepest desire fulfilled.

Pulling away, she wrapped her arms around me, and whispered a sweet yes to my ears.

And in that moment, I knew.

That I will be hers forever.