Chapter 14

I had been awake for a few minutes now.

Oh, my gosh.

We finally did it.

After all the teasers and the previews, nag-grand premiere na rin finally iyong movie! Nag-encore pa kami ng ilang beses!

I'd pinch myself to confirm that it wasn't just a dream, but I didn't see any need to when Chester was hugging me from behind! And I could feel his skin touching mine.

Gosh.

Oh, my gosh.

"Good morning," I heard him say.

Hindi agad ako nakasagot. I didn't know how to greet him after everything we did last night! It was like... we were different people. Was that the effect of Valentine's?! I wasn't sure!

"Ano'ng oras duty mo?" he asked.

"Gabi pa," I replied.

"Good," he said as I felt him pulling me closer to him. I felt him snuggling against my neck. "Sabay na tayo pumasok. Inaantok pa ako."

I would like to admire his talent na nakatulog ulit siya after niyang sabihin iyon while I stayed awake and tried to replay everything that happened.

My gosh.

Was his floor clean? Because we did it there! For some reason, kahit a few feet away lang naman iyong mattress niya, hindi ko alam bakit hindi kami umabot doon. Hindi na ako magugulat kung sasakit ang likod ko mamaya sa duty.

Chester was breathing evenly and I felt his hot air on the back of my neck. His arms were wrapped around my body. He was so... calm. Why was I overthinking? It's Chester! I love him. And it's not like tatakbuhan niya ako. He's better than that. I should sleep, too, and we could talk like adults mamaya kapag nagising na siya.

Right.

I should do that.

But my overthinking brain wouldn't let me rest. My eyes were just wide open as I was waiting for my boyfriend to wake up from his sleep. And then I got bored. Nakatalikod ako sa kanya kanina and he was hugging me from behind. Humarap ako sa kanya. There was a small distance between us because we're still naked and I'd like to talk first before magka-encore na naman.

"I'm sorry nagising kita," I said kasi bumukas iyong mga mata niya nung gumalaw ako.

"Gutom ka na ba?" he asked.

I nodded. "May food ba dito?"

"Yung pizza," he replied.

My eyes widened. Hindi nga pala namin nakain iyong order namin na pizza and chicken!

"May microwave ba?" I asked as I tried to sit down. I pulled the sheets with me. I love Chester and everything, but hindi pa naman ako dumadating sa point na I was comfortable to be naked around him! But since nakaupo ako, I felt him staring at my back. Tumingin ako sa kanya and frowned.

"What?" he asked, pursing his lips to stop himself from smiling.

"Stop staring at my back."

He closed his eyes. "Okay na?"

I frowned. "If walang microwave, we can just fry it, right? May pans ka ba?"

"Wala din."

"Fine... I guess we'll eat cold pizza and chicken," sabi ko as I tried to stand up. But when I did, Chester opened his eyes. "Chester!"

"What?"

"Magbibihis ako."

"Okay?"

"Kukunin ko 'yung kumot."

"E 'di wala na akong takip."

"Use the pillow," I said.

"Fine," he replied as he grabbed the pillow and pinantakip niya sa thing niya. I made a mental note na 'wag akong hihiga ulit doon until the sheets have been cleaned. Oh, my gosh! Those sheets need to be cleaned! Buti na lang color white 'yun. I couldn't imagine how it would look like kung iba iyong color.

Man...

You'd think that us being both doctors, we'd know better...

"Wag mo akong tignan," I said as I was standing up.

"Nakapikit na ako," he said as he closed his eyes. I looked around and saw my clothes lying on the floor. That's dirty na. Dumiretso na lang ako sa drawer and kumuha ng damit doon. Dumiretso ako sa CR. I took a quick shower na rin. Paglabas ko, nakita ko na nakasuot na si Chester ng boxers and black shirt. His back was facing mine but it seemed like he was trying to make coffee.

"Chester," I called.

Lumingon siya. "Wala din pala akong coffee," he said when he looked. "Order o labas tayo?" he asked. "On the other hand... order na lang," he added when he saw what I was wearing. I was wearing one of his shirts and since it was loose on me, iyon lang iyong suot ko and my underwear, of course.

Ibinaba niya iyong mug na hawak niya and he walked towards me.

"Good morning," he said when he got to me. His hands were on the sides of my waist. He leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips.

"Good morning," I replied although it was already 10AM. "Are you hungry na?"

He shrugged. "Bakit?"

"It's not practical if we'll always have takeouts and deliveries," I said. "Mamaya pa duty mo, right? Let's go to the mall na lang and bili ng microwave and pans," I continued. "And I'll pay half since nandito naman ako always, so gagamit din ako."

I love how Chester took me into consideration when he leased this apartment, but this was definitely more expensive than his old place. And being a resident didn't pay well. Ayoko lang siya tanungin kung saan niya nakuha iyong pambayad dito because that might offend him. I realized that talking about money is offensive to most people. I just don't usually talk about it unless it was brought up by someone else first.

"No, may pera naman ako," he replied.

"But I'm always here."

"Because I want you to be here," he said.

"Okay..." I said, not wanting to push this topic further.

I wore my denim shorts again and wore one of Chester's shirt na tinali ko na lang sa waist part since maluwag sa akin. His place was strategically located, so it was just walking distance from a mall.

"Are you worried?" he suddenly asked while we were walking.

"Huh? About what?" tanong ko.

"My finance," sabi niya.

I drew a deep breath. "I know it's not my business—"

"I plan to have a future with you, so it's your business," sabi niya bigla. My lips parted. I saw him averting his gaze like he was embarrassed. "I know it's still early—"

I immediately shook my head. "No, definitely not!" mabilis na sagot ko sa kanya. "I also think about our future!"

Tumingin siya sa akin. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really," I said. "I just don't talk about it because I was scared that I might scare you off..." I admitted.

I want to fall in love and be in a committed relationship and to get married and to enjoy the married life and then to get pregnant and to live in a house with a white picket fence—the whole package.

And whenever I'd think of that? I think of him.

"You can't scare me off when you're exactly who I want," he said.

"Kasi crush mo na ako nung college pa?" I asked, teasing because if not, I'd just blush to no end!

He rolled his eyes.

I laughed.

"Sorry na," I said as I anchored my arm with his and sinandal ko iyong ulo ko sa arm niya while we were walking. "But since you said it's my business... I'm just a little bit worried kasi mahal iyong rent sa apartment... And we both know that we don't earn as much as we'd like."

"Nung mamatay si Mama," he began. I stiffen a little. It was the first time he talked about his mom without me asking about her. But I forced myself to act normal. I wanted him to be able to talk about his mom. I knew that this was an issue that was bugging him. It would help him immensely if he'd have an outlet for his thoughts. "May naiwan na pera para sa amin. I was still a minor when she died, so it was put in a trust. I never thought about that because I could still get by with my allowance and stipend."

My lips parted. "Ginamit mo 'yung inheritance mo for the apartment?" I asked with my eyes wide open. Gosh... I didn't know what to feel! Bigla akong na-guilty na ginamit niya iyong iniwan sa kanya ng Mama niya para sa akin.

He nodded. "I always told myself that I'd only use that for something important."

"Chester..." I said as my eyes started to water. I didn't even know why I was on the verge of crying! "You know naman that I wouldn't mind kahit sa car mo lang tayo magdate lagi, right?"

He nodded. "Don't worry about it."

"But it's your inheritance!"

"Hindi naman naubos," sabi niya na bahagyang nakakunot ang noo. "Marami pang natira. Gusto mong makita 'yung passbook?" he asked.

I immediately shook my head. "No," sabi ko.

He shrugged. "Okay."

"I still feel bad."

"Why?"

"Basta," I said. "Can I pay half sa rent?"

"Di ka naman dun nakatira?"

"Is this you asking me to move in?"

He shrugged. "Kung gusto mo."

I rolled my eyes. "I wanna believe you when you said na first girlfriend mo ako but then you say things like this and you're so smooth!" sabi ko because we were just talking about his mom tapos biglang magmomove-in na ako?!

"First and only girlfriend lang naman talaga," he said.

I sucked in the insides of my cheeks. "Yeah, right..." I replied. "Hard to believe after everything you did last night."

He looked at me with his forehead creased. "What?"

I averted my gaze because I was shy again. "Nothing."

"Ano sa kagabi?" he asked again, not letting me drop this topic.

"Nothing nga."

"Ano nga?"

I groaned. "It's just that you know where to touch and how to touch," I said, almost whispering because we're still in public!

"I'm a doctor. I'm familiar with the human body."

Gosh darn it.

Why was he so hot when he says things like that?! Kahit doctor din naman ako!

"If you say so..." sabi ko na lang because I couldn't continue conversing about this topic in public dahil talo talaga ako in all aspects. Mabuti na lang and nakarating na kami sa mall. Chester said na magbreakfast muna kami, so that's what we did. After that, dumiretso na kami to buy microwave.

"I'll pay half, ha?" sabi ko while we were looking at different brands of microwave.

"Dun ka na rin ba?"

"Do you want ba?"

He nodded like a kid who was asked if he wanted a candy. I wrinkled my nose because... he really loves me that much? He wanted me around that much? Because I do, too.

"I'll think about it," I said. "I'd have to tell my parents pa."

"Okay," he replied.

"But I'll still pay half sa microwave. And pans! We'll buy pans and pots!"

Mabuti na lang wala kaming duty ni Chester, so nagikot pa kami sa mall. Ang dami namin nabili kaya kahit walking distance lang iyong mall, Chester had to go back to get the car while I waited for him. Isinakay namin sa car iyong mga binili namin.

"Oh, my gosh, so pretty!" I said as I was arranging the things we bought. May matching plates kami na binili. I showed it to Chester. "Pretty, right?" He nodded. "Next sweldo, let's go to the mall ulit. I want matching mugs and utensils."

I busied myself with fixing the kitchen. I should ask Rhys kung paano siya nagsabi sa parents namin na aalis na siya sa bahay. I knew that this time, it would be harder kasi ako na iyong last na anak. I needed to be prepared about this.

"What?" I asked kasi I saw him looking at me nung mapatingin ako sa kanya.

"I love you," he said... but this time, it felt different. Like... he really loved me so much so that it needed to be said because otherwise, he wouldn't be able to contain his love for me.

I put down the pan that I was holding and walked towards him. I sat on the couch and looked at him. I placed both my hands on his shoulders.

"I love you," I replied as I smiled at him and caressed his cheek. I leaned in and kissed him. I pulled back to breathe, but he quickly pulled me back and thankfully, this time, we managed to reach his bed. 

**
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