Happy Hailey

Hailey's

"YOU are exceptionally happy today."

I don't know... I really don't know but having to confirm my feeling for Theo made a huge difference, especially on how I see him these days. It's been a week since that moment in the kitchen happened and it still manage to make me tingly all over. Wala naman kaming ginawa ni Theo matapos ng insidenteng iyon. Nagluto lang kami, kumain and then after cleaning up the mess, we sat in his comfortable couch, turned the tv on to watch some Netflix while we cuddle. I love hugs and cuddles, I love to feel Theo's arms around me. He makes me feel safe and sound.

I looked at Kuya Hunter, naupo siya sa chair sa bandang harap ko at sinimulan na niyang kumain. "Why are you smiling like your mouth is gonna rip?"

"I'm just happy." Sabi ko pa.

"Nagkabalikan na kayo ni Percy?" Nakakademonyo tingnan ang kapatid ko. Mahal ko siya pero sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, how I wish na makalimutan na niya ang mga bagay na ginawa ko noon. Alam ko naman na habambuhay akong hahabulin ng naging desisyon ko noon at habambuhay ko talagang pagsisisihan iyon, pero sana naman, h'wag na nilang masyadong ipamukha sa akin. Nasasaktan ako, but I cannot sa anything because that was my decision and I have to face the consequences of my actions.

"Hindi no." I only shook my head. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I suddenly felt uncomfortable. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan sirain ni Kuya Hunter ang mood ko ngayong araw, malamang nag-away na naman sila ni Kuya Hyron. Ayaw niya roon sa kapatid naming iyon, he once told me that Hyron Demitri should have stayed dead. Mahabang kwento ang tungkol kay Kuya Hyron – mga seventeen chapters tapos ang pangit ng ending talaga.

"Look, I know I messed up big time because of that, but I am trying to live with the consequences of my actions, Kuya Hunter. Sana naman h'wag mo nang masyadong ipamukha sa akin. Alam ko namang nagkamali ako, nasaktan si Mama at si Daddy, nasaktan ko kayong lahat pero hanggang kailan mo ba ito ipamumukha sa akin?"

Hindi na kumibo si Kuya Hunter. Nginisihan niya lang ako, he took one toast and then he left me at the gazebo. Kasabay ng pag – alis niya ay ang siyang pagdating naman ni Daddy. Dad noticed my saddened expression kaya nang umupo siya ay tinanong niya ako.

"What happened?"

"No... nothing..." Ako naman ang tumingin kay Dad sa pagkakataong iyon. "You said when we had this deal that this is sort of a punishment, how is it a punishment Dad? You chose Theo and he's one of my dearest and closest friends."

"I didn't mean punishment that will hurt you, Hailey, I don't even know what I meant at that moment, but all I want is for you to see your worth as a woman." Nagbuntong – hininga si Daddy. "Theo and I had a talk even before all of this. Hindi ko pa naiisip na ipakasal ka sa kung kanino at sa pagkakataong iyon ay talagang mabigat ang loob kom nakaramdam ako ng galit sa'yo, nagtatampo ako, I was questioning my worth as a father, where did I go wrong, what did I do to make you decide to be with Perseus although you know that it's wrong?"

This is the first time I am hearing Daddy's thoughts about what happened. Ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko at habang naririnig ko siya ay ganoon na lang ang nararamdaman kong sakit.

"I was also thinking about your future, how people will look at you after the news about you and your cousin..." He paused. "Ama ako, Hailey, at sa dami ng masamang ginawa ko sa buhay ko noon, alam ko ang pakiramdam ng pinagtitinginan at pinagbubulungan. You are my precious little princess, I don't want you to feel that way, I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want people looking down at you because you are my daughter, you are important for me. Nasaktan lang ako noon, anak, pero hindi ako nakaramdam ng galit, oo nagalit ako pero nagalit ako sa sitwasyon kung nasaan tayo. I never though about any punishments and Theo... Theo..." Daddy paused again, this time he heaved a deep sigh. I could see a certain calmness in his face that somehow managed to make the sadness in my heart fade just like that.

"Theo talked to me and in the minutes I spent listening to him explain to me how you deserve every single wonderful things this cruel world has to offer, I saw his heart and I want him for you because I know that Theo will take good care of you, Hailey, and from that moment on, I became determined to get the two of you together. You might not realize it yet, he might now know it too, but I knew that both of you are in love with each other – or at least that was what you Mom told me that day you took Theo here when you were only sixteen."

My tears started falling. Tumayo ako at lumapit kay Daddy, he was sitting on the chair Kuya Hunter vacated and I just hugged him tightly. I want him to feel how sorry I am for doing what I did, I also want him to know how grateful I am that despite of all the mistakes I made, he still accepted me as I am. I kissed his forehead, dad closed his eyes, pahigpit naman nang pahigpit ang yakap ko.

"Dad, thank you." I mumbled, but it was loud enough for him to hear it. I used to think that no one could know what's best for an individual but himself, but now I realized that indeed, our parents know what's best for us – in my case, my father knew that Theo is a good man and that he is the best for me.

"I love you, Hailey. I want nothing but perfection for you, may baby girl."

"I am far from perfect but thanks!"

xxxx

"IT'S just a week."

Theo chuckled when my arms around his neck tightened. We were in his unit, he was on his bed, I was sitting on his lap with my arms around his neck while I busied myself inhaling his homey scent by burying my face in the crook of his neck.

I've been in a relationship with Perseus, we had our good times, but I was never this clingy to him, pero ngayon na alam kong aalis na si Theo bukas para magpunta sa Lucena kasama ng pamilya niya ay ayoko siyang pakawalan. I'm gonna miss him. I want to tell him I love him, but I want to wait for the right time. Hindi ko alam kung anong eksakto kong hinihintay pero alam kong hindi ang mga oras na nakaraan o ito ang tamang oras para sabihin ko sa kanyang mahal ko siya. I am trying my best to make him feel that he is important and that I love him.

"You're going to Greece for a month, mas matagal iyon." Bahagya akong lumayo sa kanya pero hindi ko naman inalis ang pagkakapalupot ng braso ko sa leeg niya. I made a face. "You're leaving tomorrow afternoon. I'm leaving the next day."

"You're rich." I deadpanned. "You can fly to Greece after a week. I'll miss you." I even pouted and I made sure he sees it. Theo shook his head, I clutched in his shirt tightly. "Fly to Greece!" I know I sounded like a spoiled little girl but I really want him there. "I promise I'll show you around and then we'll have a good time! We can kiss while watching the Greek Sunset, then we'll walk around the market holding hand while I am eating ice cream. Come on! Wouldn't that be fun?!"

"Oh, Hailey, you will be the death of me." Napapailing na wika niya. "I cannot promise you anything, but I will try. Hindi ko kasi talaga alam kung isang linggo lang kaming magtatagal roon. Graduate na rin kasi noong dalawa pang kinakapatid ko, every one of mom's best friend will be there, so it's sort of a mini family reunion. Pwedeng one week lang kami, pwede rin namang isang buwan kaming naroon, but I will try to call you every day."

"Really?" Para talaga akong bata.

"Yes. It's just a five-hour difference, Hals. I'll call you. Promise." Nagtaas pa siya ng kanang kamay. Napangiti ako. Theo always does as he promises.

He graduated with honors tonight and after celebrating with his family, sinundo niya ako sa bahay and he asked Dad if I could sleep over tonight. Ihahatid niya ako bukas nang umaga kasi tanghali ang flight naming. I'll be leaving with Mom and Dad, bukas susunod si Ate Hyan at Kuya Abel kasama ang mga anak nilang dalawa. Hyron will be flying too pero hindi ko sure kung kailan. Kuya Heath won't be coming kasi may reunion ang high school batch niya. I don't know about Hunter, hindi kami nag-uusap since two days ago, at wala rin akong kagana – ganang kausapin siya.

By that time, I was already smiling. Nakagaan sa loob kong tatawagan pa rin niya ako kahit na ilang dagat ang pagitan naming dalawa.

"Okay, now let's make out." Sabi ko sa kanya. Biglang naubo si Theo. Napanguso naman ako. Nagme-make out naman talaga kami, well he kisses me and I make sure that we do something more than that. Nakarating na kami sa mga halik sa leeg, he nibbled my earlobe the last time and then, he put a mark on my collar bone – which I am proud to parade to people for them to see that I am taken and this man right here is my rightful other half.

"Hals, you'd be the death of me." Tumawa naman ako.

"I want to kiss!" I hissed at his face. He laughed before claiming my lips. I sighed in delight right after feeling his hot and wet mouth over mine. I closed my eyes, and I opened my mouth for a bit, I was taunting his tongue, and that was enough for him to invade my insides. A moan escaped my lips, I had to hold onto him tighter because I felt like drowning.

Theo's hand was caressing my back repeatedly and it's making me feel hotter. Our tongues were engaged in a dance that only we could hear the music of. It feels so good, he feels so good – never thought that being kissed like this would be so good. I couldn't even compare him to the guys I've kissed before, even to Perseus because Theo's kisses makes me feel fireworks all over my body.

We only parted when the need for air became necessity again. I was looking at his eyes, I noticed him looking at my lips and I understood why some seconds later, there was a string of saliva connecting our lips and it made me hot and bothered. I kissed him again, this time, deeper, harder and hotter. Our lips and tongue were again engaged to a sloppy, unsynchronized kiss but it doesn't matter, as long as it's with him, everything is just good.

"Oh..." I moaned when his lips found my chin, then he made his way to my jaw, he was nipping and sucking softly until he reached for my earlobe. "So... so good..." My mouth was parted, I am finding it hard to breathe. I want Theo to take it further. Sinabi naman niyang hindi siya nagmamadali pero gusto kong magmadali na siya. I feel so hot and needy.

"You're so beautiful like this, Hals." He whispered in my ear. I shivered and I knew he saw that. He licked my earlobe which gained him a moan from me. I want him so much. I moved closer – if that's even possible now. I started grinding on his lap, I could feel him getting harder and it turns me on so much.

"Mark me here..." I pointed out the skin right down my collar bone. It's his favorite part, he always leaves mark in that place and I am willingly giving it to him now. I want to have his mark now so I can take it with me to Greece. Oh, how I will miss him so much.

I felt Theo's lips on the part. I sighed in relief. Hindi ko alam kung bakit napakasarap sa pakiramdam ng ginagawa ni Theo sa akin. I had never felt so wanted in my life. I have done more than this, but Theo was the only person that could make me feel like this.

I moaned again when he bit me, I moaned louder when he licked the bruise that he made and I moaned the loudest when his tongue found mu cleavage. It was the first time he ever did that and I had to arched my back to give him a better access.

Hindi ko namalayan ang mga sumunod pang pangyayari. Ang alam ko lang, mas malakas ang loob ni Theo ngayon. His kisses, his touches became bolder, hotter and more demanding. I liked it and I kept telling him that I like it so he won't stop.

"So... ahhh... so... good." His mouth found my right nipple. He kissed it first before licking it and eventually sucking it like his life depended on it. I kept on shivering, I could feel that lovely waves of electricity in the pit of my stomach. I want more.

"Theo... ahhh... more... more..." I almost sound like I was begging. His left hand found my other breast and he played with my nipple with his fingers. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam, gustong gusto ko ito.

I suddenly felt the mattress on my back. Noon ko lang rin napansin na nakababa na pala ang dress ko, lahat ngayon ng damit ko ay nasa baywang ko na and Theo's tongue are doing wonders in my upper body. I was writhing in pleasure. Theo... Theo... Oh how much I love this man.

"I love you, Hailey." My eyes were closed that moment, I was feeling his touches, his kisses, but I had to open my eyes when I heard him say those words. It is the first time he'd ever say that, the first time I heard it. He smiled at me and touched my face oh so lovingly, with that stare that made my heart flutter. I felt tears coming down from my eyes.

"I really do. I don't know when or how, it doesn't matter, I just want you to know how much I love you. I cannot let you go to Greece without saying that."

"Theo..." I wanted to tell him that I love him too – that he changed my life, and that he brought out the best in me.

"Shhh..." He kissed my lips again. "You don't need to answer me now. Let's just..." He swallowed... "Sleep. I love you. Hals." He kissed my forehead. Wala na akong nagawa. He covered us with the blanket, he didn't even let me get dressed, but it's not like that I mind, I love our naked warmth together. Theo's hand found my waist, he pulled me closer and kissed my shoulder. Hinawakan ko ang kamay niyang nakapalupot sa baywang ko.

"You smell so nice, Hals."

"Hmmm... thank you, Theo."

"For what?"

"For loving me..." I sighed dreamily.

The next morning, I woke up with Theo beside me. Pinanonood niya akong matulog, the first thing he did when he see my eyes are open is he smiled at me, hinalikan niya ako sa noo tapos ay tiningnan niya muli ako. In my head, I was thibking that this is the view that I want to wake up too every morning for the rest of my life.

We had breakfast, we make out a little, he took a shower, I did too and then he sent me home. He walked me to our front door. Alas ocho nang umaga, alas onse raw kami aalis ng pamilya ko. Habang nakatayo kaming dalawa sa may front door ay nakatingin ako sa kanya, nararamdaman ko na namang na-mi-miss ko siya. I pouted my lips.

"I'll see you in a week."

My eyes widened.

"You finally made you mind! Oh my god!" I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck. Pinugpog ko siya ng halik hanggang sa matawa na lang kami pareho.

"Bye, Hailey!" He waved at me.

"Bye, Theo!"

Pinanood ko siyang umalis. I have made up my mind, I'm gonna tell him I love him when he arrives in Greece next week. It's about time.