The Gift

Nhel's Point of View

IT'S been ten days nung huli kaming magkasama ni Laine.Since then hindi na ulit ako nagpunta sa kanila.

I respect tito Franz 's decision.

Yes, kinausap ko sya ng palihim habang busy si Laine sa pag-aayos nung mga pasalubong nila tito from Baguio.

Ayoko kasing maglihim kay tito. Malaki ang tiwala nya sa akin at ayaw kong sirain yun.Kaya naman kahit kinakabahan ako, naglakas loob akong kausapin sya tungkol sa feelings ko kay Laine.I just want him to know that I am so damn serious with his daughter.

Flashback

" What is it Nhel?  " tanong ni tito Franz sa akin .

" Ah, eh tito I'll go straight to the point.

It's about my feelings for Laine.Ayoko pong maglihim sa inyo.Kahit alam ko po na magagalit kayo gusto ko lang malaman nyo na seryoso po ako.Bata pa po kami pero hindi naman mapipigilan ang puso na tumibok di po ba?Kaya ko pong maghintay kahit gaano po katagal basta sa bandang huli kami rin po.I have a high respect on you and tita Paz kaya po nagpapaalam ako sa inyo.I would like to ask for your permission para ligawan ang anak nyo.Alam ko po na bata pa kami para sa ganitong bagay but I love her tito."

Matiim syang nakatingin sa akin,tila  pinag- aaralan ang mga sinabi ko.Kalmado lang sya.Ilang minuto pa akong naghintay bago sya sumagot.Hindi tumitigil ang kaba sa dibdib ko.

" Alam mo Nhel bata ka pa lang kilala na kita.I even treated you as my own son.Masaya ako na best friends kayo ni Laine.Sa narinig ko sayo ngayon hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o hahanga sayo.You know what? ikaw pa lang yung kauna- unahang naglakas loob na kausapin ako ng ganyan at sa totoo lang kahit bata ka pa, nakita ko yung determinasyon sayo na mahal mo nga ang anak ko.Tama ka,hindi kayang pigilan ninuman ang nararamdaman mo.At walang pinipiling age si Cupido pag pumana.Hindi ako nagagalit, naiintindihan kita.Ive been there done that...ang totoo nyan natutuwa ako na naging honest ka sa akin at hiningi mo ang permiso ko na ligawan ang anak ko.Pero anak, bigyan mo muna ako ng sapat na panahon para ibigay ko yung go signal ko sa permisong hinihingi mo at hanggat hindi ko pa naibibigay, limit yourselves na magkita muna.Maliwanag ba Nhel?"

"O- Opo tito.Salamat po." nag shake hands kami ni tito bilang tanda ng pagsang-ayon.

Kaya hindi ako masyadong kumikibo nung umuwi ako.Okey lang sa akin yung request ni tito kaya lang nalulungkot lang ako dahil hindi ko muna makakasama si Laine ng madalas hanggat wala syang go signal.

Pero nakahinga ako ng maluwag dahil hindi nagalit si tito Franz sa akin at naintindihan nya ako.

At ngayon nga paalis sila papuntang Baguio, nalaman ko kay mama dahil nuong isang araw hinahanap nya raw ako para magpaalam pero nasa school pa ako.

Nung dumaan yung kotse nila nasa bintana ako nun, nakita ko nung tumingin sya sa bahay namin na parang may hinahanap.Maybe to bid goodbye.

Nung alam kong malayo na sila, lumabas na ako ng gate namin at nakita ko si tita Baby na sakto naman na papunta sa amin.May dala syang paper bag at inabot sa akin.

" Nhel, pinabibigay to ni Laine sayo.Hindi ka raw kasi nagpupunta kaya iniwan na lang nya sa akin." si tita Baby.

" Busy lang po sa school.Salamat po dito tita." sabi ko.

" Sige, uwi na ko." paalam nya.

Nagmamadali akong pumasok sa room ko pagkaalis ni tita Baby.Excited kong tinignan ang laman ng paper bag.May gift at sulat.

Inuna kong tignan ang sulat.Excited eh!

Nhel,

  Missing in action for 10 days! May problema ba tayo?Care to explain when I come back?

Anyways, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Behave while I'm away ha, Keroppi?

                                               Laine

Ps. Hope you like my gift.

Napangiti ako sa sulat ni Laine.Kung pwede ko lang sabihin sa kanya yung reason kung bakit ako missing in action.God, nami-miss ko na sya ng sobra pa sa sobra.Grabe!

Nung buksan ko yung gift nya, natuwa ako ng sobra ng makita kong dalawang polo shirt iyon na favorite color ko at yung pabango na ginagamit ko.Alam na alam nya talaga yung mga gusto ko.Sarap sigurong maging girlfriend ni Laine, napaka thoughtful.

At yun na, kahit papaano naging happy nako.At ng gabing iyon natulog akong katabi yung letter ni Laine na paulit- ulit kong binasa.Sayang hindi ko sya makakasama ng simbang gabi.Susubukan ko na lang mag-enjoy sa pasko at bagong taon kahit wala sya.

Who knows baka next year magkasama na kaming mag celebrate hindi lang Christmas at New Year kundi lahat ng special occasions sa buong taon.

With that thought, matutulog na ako ng may ngiti sa labi.

Haay! Alyanna Maine, I'll be dreaming of you tonight.

Laine's Point of View

NAKAUWI na kami ng family ko from our Christmas vacation in Baguio.

Medyo nakaramdam ako ng saya kahit pagod ako sa byahe kasi may gift akong nakita na nakapatong sa bed ko.And my guess is right dahil kay Nhel nga galing.

Binuksan ko yung box at sobrang natuwa ako nung makita kong books at cd tapes ang laman.He really knows my interests and when I opened one of the books may letter na nakaipit dun.

Excited kong binasa yung letter nya.

Laine,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year prinsesa ko.

Sorry kung missing in action ako these past few days kasi I need to do that for you.I will explain it to you soon.Anyway, thanks for the gift.I really appreciated it especially kung galing sayo.I miss you Laine..sobra pa sa sobra.

Iloveyou,

Nhel

Hindi ko alam kung anong nararamdaman ko nung mabasa ko yung letter nya.Sobra nya kasing ine-express yung feelings nya.Sobra rin akong naguguluhan sa halo-halong nararamdaman ko.Mixed emotions.Parang may mga paro-parong nagliliparan sa tyan ko.What is this I'm feeling, parang bago na naman sa akin to.Oh, Lord ! It can't be! Not yet.

Kaya nung dinner nahalata ni dad na may gumugulo sa isip ko.

" Baby can we talk after this?" tanong ni dad sa akin.

" Yes dad! But, what about?"

" About you, you're physically present but mentally absent."

" Haha.dad you really are a keen observer.Okey let's talk later."

Then after dinner.....

" Okey spill it out baby"..sabi ni dad.

" Well, dad it's about Nhel"

" What about him?"

"Eh dad I don't know how to start, I have this feeling that I think it's not yet the right time for me to feel.You know I'm too young for this kind of ...oh how do you call this? God it's not me.Can you tell me dad what to do? I can't think straight and..and..grrr.I don't even know what to say..ang gulo ko po di ba?" naguguluhang sabi ko kay daddy.

" Hahaha..you know baby, you're over reacting.You look pissed."

" Dad?! I just don't know what is this I'm feeling,it's all new to me.I know dad that it's not just a simple admiration, it's beyond that! Are you mad that I'm telling you this?"

" Why would I get mad baby?"

" You know, I'm still young for this kind of thing."

" Oh yes you're still young,but what can I do? Hindi ko hawak ang puso mo anak..And I'm so overwhelmed that you tell me this instead of your mom.You're so honest just like Nhel."

" Nhel?! What about him?"

" We talked about his feelings for you.

He's brave enough to tell me about his sincere intentions.And I admired him for that.But I asked him na limitahan muna ang pagkikita nyo until I'm ready to give my go signal."

So that explains why he's missing in action.He respects dad's decision.

Now I understand and I'm quite happy that GOD granted the very first sign that I'm asking.Ang bilis naman.

" Are you mad dad?"

" Oh why should I, baby? You're just being honest but please don't take it seriously, okey? ...just for now."

Napangiti ako sa sinabi ni daddy.Yeah, for now...

I have now my first sign and two to go, and I think it takes years before GOD grants it all..Well, I can wait and I'm willing to wait as long as Nhel is at the end of it.

Time flies fast.

And Nhel, true to his words, madalang na nga syang pumunta sa bahay.Dad allowed him atleast once a week.

I went to his 17'th birthday party and gave him a backpack bag as my gift.

And on Valentine's day he gave me a very big stuffed toy and we named it Lainel..Cute!

And then came our recognition day.

Sobrang proud ang parents ko dahil ako ang first sa klase at sa buong freshman year.I got eight gold medals sa mga sinalihan kong quiz bee sa mga inter-school competition and I gave one to Nhel.Tinanong nya kung bakit, sabi ko I'll tell him the reason when the right time comes.

And on that same day, GOD granted me the second sign I'm asking.( If Nhel will give me something religious as his gift on any special occasions.)

Kaya nung iabot nya yung gift nya sa akin, talagang nagulat ako.It's a medium size Bible..

Oh God, 2 down and one more to go.And I'm so excited for that last sign.....and I've got something in my mind at sisimulan ko yun this summer.