Chapter 27

"It sounds silly but I thought I fell in love with you the first time I set my eyes on you. Sa dinami-dami ng mga babae sa concert, ikaw ang nakakuha ng atensiyon ko. Sabi ko walang love at first sight. Love didn't exist in my vocabulary at all. After my dad left us and I saw how my mom broke down into pieces, naisip ko na mas mabuting huwag na lang ma-in love. Baka makasakit kasi ako tulad ni Daddy. And I was too focused with myself that time. I don't even write or sing love songs because I never believed in it. Until I saw you in the middle of the crowd.

"Sa unang pagkakataon, nakapag-compose ako ng love song. I wanted to sing it for you. At nang kumanta ako sa harap mo at inabot mo sa akin ang kamay ko, hinawakan ko iyon kahit na alam kong bawal. Even if it would cause trouble. It was the first time that I wanted to hold someone so badly. I wanted to touch you to know if it was real, if you were real. You touched my heart and I felt so vulnerable. Ni hindi na ako nakapag-isip."

"You risked your life just to hold me?" She could still imagine the mix horror and heaven she felt that day. Habang dinudumog sila ng mga tao, yakap siya nito. And nothing else mattered. Not even her own safety.

"I told myself that I should just treat you as a fan. An ordinary fan. That you weren't any different from other girls who want to get my attention. Pero nang yakapin kita, alam ko na ikaw ang babaeng gusto kong protektahan. That I would even risk my life for you. And I'd give up everything to be with you."

"I thought you were just being nice to me because I am your fan," she said sadly. "Na ganoon ka rin naman sa ibang babae, di ba?"

"I sent you flowers and gifts since you went out of the hospital. Nagtaka ako nang di mo iyon natanggap. Nang pormal na sana akong manliligaw sa iyo noong mag-fashion show ang school ninyo, nagpaalam ako sa ate mo. She told me that you were still too young. She wanted you to grow up and mature more."

"Sinabi niya iyon sa iyo?"

Tumango ito. "Hindi ka sigurado noon kung gusto mo lang ako dahil sikat ako. You might be infatuated with a rockstar. You might not appreciate the real me. At pareho lang tayong masasaktan kapag hindi nag-work out ang relasyon natin lalo na kapag na-realize mong hindi mo talaga ako mahal. So I took my time. Lumayo ako. I also want to make sure about how I feel. Pero alam ko ang lahat ng nangyayari sa iyo. Kung paano ka unti-unting naging successful. After six years and I still can't get you out of my head, I joined the riding club. Pero nang magkita tayo ulit, galit na galit ka naman sa akin."

"Maraming nangyari, JED." Those memories could ruin them together.

Ginagap nito ang kamay niya. "I am sorry. It was my fault. I made you feel deserted." Kinintalan nito ng halik ang kamay niya. "But I'll try my best to make you fall for me again. Kahit na mahirap. Kahit na matagal."

She touched his face gently. She could see so much love in his eyes and it made her weak. So weak. "No matter how much I teach myself to hate you, you can always find a way to melt my heart. I hated that rockstar who left me and made me feel worthless. Pero nang bumalik ka, ipinaramdam mo sa akin na ako lang ang pinaka-importanteng babae sa mundo. You showed yourself as a mortal. Hindi ang rockstar na tinitilian ng marami. And I can't seem to shake you off my head. Tama ka, infatuated ako noong fan mo pa ako. But I love you now. I like you more when you are off the camera with no screaming fans at your back. As if you are mine."

He put his arms around her. "I am yours. Always yours, my fairy. Ibig bang sabihin girlfriend na kita?"

"Of course. After that kiss… obvious naman na in love ako sa iyo, di ba? Ni wala ngang take two ang eksena natin kanina."

Humalakhak ito. "Ikaw lang ang hiningi kong kondisyon kay Neiji para ituloy ang commercial. At hindi iyon alam ng bandmates ko. Ang alam ng lahat, kasama talaga iyon sa eksena. At sinadya ko na hindi mo malaman ang magiging eksena natin dahil baka umurong ka o kaya magalit ka lang sa akin."

She stared at him with so much love in her eyes. "Mukha ba akong galit?"

"I think you are the happiest girl in the world right now."

"You got it right," she said as she pulled her nape and their lips met.