Let Me Court You

"Dar, thank you for giving me this chance. Im so happy now! I hope you can accept me in your heart soon. Please let me court you and show how much I love you."

"What... what did you say?" Her eyes were. awakened and her ears perked up. She thought she was sleepy and hearing some wrong words.

" No, no, let me love you now and court you for the rest of our lives together" He said as he gathered her hair that was almost hiding her face tucking them to her earlobe. He looked at her eyes but saw confusion there. 'Never mind, maybe she is just a bit confused this time' he thought as he smiled and studied her face. 'She is so lovely tonight!' He wanted to kiss her forehead already but thought it was too early to do so.

"Why do you sound like the great president?" He looked back at his face. Her eyes darting to his lips then to his eyes which were obviously admiring her. She studied them. Indeed, she saw a genuine affection and longing in them. 'What should I do? How should respond to him?' she thought. She wasn't sure of her feelings. She just have respect and admiration for him. 'Can this turn into love?' She smiled and held his hand gently.

"Please give me sometime, Charles."

"It's okay Dar, I'll wait." He nodded and reached out to touch her chin. "But in case I cannot wait, let me just tell you that I'm deeply in love with you." His words was almost like a whisper.

Almost everyone finished sharing their regrets and it was Charles' turn. His heart was busy caring about this lovely lady beside him so he was caught a bit off guard when it was his turn.

"My biggest regret as a student.....? Was .... that.... I didn't find the courage to court this suma cum laude and become my college sweetheart. You know, I should be proposing right now." He said wrapping his left arm around Daryle's back and squeezing her against him.

"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!" Everyone came in chorus. They seemed to have known what they should say. Some of them pretended to fall at their backs lifting their feet up in the air.

"Let's all toss to that!" Vance rose up to pour each one's glass with rice wine. You'll wait till I'm done okay? Let's give a toss together!" He said a loud as he hurriedly served everyone.

"Okay! toss for the new lovebirds! one,two,three!!!"

"Toss for the new lovebirds!!!" There was again a short chorus under the tent followed by some coughing and laughters.

"Thank you, but we are not in that stage yet. For now, it's a one-sided love." He said as he looked at the lady in his embrace.

Charles was clear headed man. He always acted in consideration. He takes responsibilities seriously and honors his words like a real matured man. He neither spills senseless words unless it is pure joking time. He is the son of Mayor Nino Marquez, a former car dealer but ran for municipal office and had won three consecutive terms. Charles himself has garnered the Jerry Roxas Award and is an outstanding candidate for public service.

They all drunk their fill until the two jars of rice wine were drained. They could have wanted more but there's no way they can mix rice wine with commercial alcohol. Otherwise they will vomit. They shared more memorable moments and plans in the future until they realized that some of them were slumped on their seats and were sound asleep.

"Charles, you can help them go inside. Let's go to sleep now. Our drink is gone." Daryle suggested.

"Okay." Charles rose up and helped each one on his feet and led tgem inside. He lined them up like real sardines in can then covered them with the blankets that were placed at the side.

"Dar, how about you? Your room is upstairs, right?" He asked.

"Yup! But I want to sleep with you here. Let sleep on this couch together." She said lazily.

"Are you sure? Your dad might check on us later." his tone a bit worried.

"Do you know I sleep like a chicken, I can actually sleep standing with an eye open." She grinned.

"Ha ha! Silly! Let's sleep sitting down then. This couch is enough for us." He said as he pulled her down the sofa.

"I have a better idea though. I can sleep while sitting down. You can use my lap as a pillow. I wouldn't mind." She said patting on her lap.

His eyes grew wide. 'Am I hearing right? She us actually offering her lap for me to sleep' He thought as he looked at her intently.

"Should it not be the other way around?" He suggested.

"No, because when I lie down, I need to sprawl my body. That'd be shameless." She said with a teasing tone.

Her voice and her words were stuck in his eardrums and his heart was tickled. His mind imagined her sprawled on the bed. "Oh, goodness myself!" He muttered to himself but his words did not escape her sharp ears.

"Charles, sleep now. It's already two thirty AM." She said as she glanced at her wrist watch.

"Okay, I'll try to behave then. Goodnight Dar... and thank you for tonight. Can I kiss your forehead?" He bargained.

"Oh! No problem." She nodded.

He leaned close and held her head close to his heart before pulling her apart and stared at her alluring face. He planted a deep and long kiss on her forehead before he laid himself on the couch with his head in her lap.