Arctic Heart [#Wattys2018 Winner]

Chapter 16

Chapter 16
Courtship

Jace's lips slightly parted to speak but he pursed it again. He looked so uneasy and tensed. It seemed like he didn't even know what to do. Tila ba parang nag-iisip pa siya ng malalim at nagsimula na rin akong hindi mapalagay.

Agad akong ginapangan ng kaba. Tama ba ang ginawa kong hamunin siyang ligawan ako?

Pero ano ba, Zarina?! Dapat lang na magpaligaw ka muna. Tingnan mo kung hanggang saan ba siya tatagal. Siguraduhin mong mayroon talaga siyang nararamdaman para sa'yo. Let's be wiser even if it was already a stupid move to give him a chance in just a blink of an eye.

Bumuntong hininga naman ako at saka humalukipkip. Nakuha kong muli ang kanyang atensyon kaya naman humalukipkip na rin ako bago siya tinitigan.

"May problema ba?" Nagtaas ako ng kilay sa kanya.

He closed his eyes tightly for a second before exhaling a deep sigh. "I..." he trailed and breathed once again. "I don't know how to court a girl..."

My jaw literally dropped with his statement. Though, I shouldn't be surprised if he didn't know how to court a girl. It was not in Jace's nature to be sweet and all. He was naturally cold even to his twin. I've seen it at first hand.

"But I'll try my best to court you!" he immediately took back what he said. "I'll do whatever it takes to make you say yes."

Parang may mainit na kamay na humaplos sa aking puso nang masilayan ang determinasyon sa kanyang mga mata. Mukhang handa niyang pagsikapan na makuha ang positibong sagot galing sa akin.

"Okay," tipid kong sabi bago siya tinalikuran.

As soon as I turned my back on him, a smile that I've been hiding showed itself. Kahit pigilan ko ang sarili ko sa pagngiti ay hindi ko magawa. My heart can't even contain the happiness that I was feeling right now. It was overflowing.

I was still amazed how the pain was completely replaced with euphoria in an instant. He managed to turn everything upside down. Ganoon siya kagaling sa pagmamanipula ng aking buhay na kaya niya itong baliktarin.

I didn't know that it was possible to feel warm in winter. I can't believe that my burning love that perservered was able to melt his arctic heart.

Sino ang mag-aakala na ang isang Zarina Cashe Rivadelo ay mabibigyang pansin ni Jace Lael Sy?

I bet Elle will not even believe me right away if I'd tell her about what happened tonight. She will think that I'm just daydreaming and making up things. Well, I can't blame her if ever that will be her initial reaction. Ako mismo ay hindi makapaniwala sa nangyayari. Pakiramdam ko ay nakulong na naman ako sa isang magandang panaginip at maya-maya rin ay magigising na ako sa katotohanan na isang kathang-isip lang pala ang lahat.

He was the dream I never thought that I'd be able to reach. He was the impossible dream that became possible. He was the imagination in my reality.

Nalalapit na ako sa kanyang sasakyan na nakaparada nang mabilis akong lagpasan ni Jace upang maunahan. He opened the door for me and waited for me to settle inside his car.

Ang akala ko'y agad na siyang iikot patungo sa driver's seat ngunit nang yumuko siya upang pumasok sa loob at ayusin ang aking seatbelt ay nagwala ang aking puso na hindi man lang nakapaghanda. Sa sobrang lapit niya sa akin ay pirming dinikit ko na lamang ang aking likuran sa backrest ng upuan hanggang sa matapos siya at lumipat sa kabila.

Isang malalim na paghinga ang aking pinakawalan nang lumayo siya sa akin. Naging tahimik lamang kaming dalawa sa loob ng sasakyan habang pinapaandar niya ito.