Seven: Torete
*Flashback*
"Love, can you sing now?" I asked Jaco.
"Love, my voice doesn't sound so good," He reasoned out.
"It's alright, I still love you even if your voice doesn't sound so good," I reassured him.
"Really? You love me?" He teased.
"Yes, Jaco. I love you, will you please sing for me," I pleaded.
"Alright! I'll sing for you," I smiled. I feel giddy knowing that he agreed to sing for me.
"Wait! What Will you sing?" I curiously asked.
"Hmmm... Torete by Moira, have you heard that song?" He asked.
"Hmm... Yeah, a little. Love, please sing now," I persistently asked him.
(It's a filipino song so I won't be translating the lyrics)
Sandali na lang
Maari bang pagbigyan
Aalis na nga
Maari bang hawakan ang iyong mga kamay
"Babe, are you still listening?" He asked.
"Shh! Babe, don't stop singing" I whined. He chuckled.
Sana ay maabot ng langit
Ang iyong mga ngiti
Sana ay masilip
I can't stop grinning while listening to him sing the song. It makes my heart flutter, and this is one of the things I like about him. He always sings whenever I ask him to, even though he thinks he's embarrassing himself.
Wag kang mag-alala
Di ko ipipilit sa'yo
Kahit na lilipad ang isip ko'y torete sa'yo
"Love," He called.
"Love, please finish the song," I plead.
Ilang gabi pa nga lang
Nang tayo'y pinagtagpo
I slowly closed my eyes and continued listening to him sing.
Na parang may tumulak
Nanlalamig, nanginginig na ako
Akala ko nung una
May bukas ang ganito
Mabuti pang umiwas
Pero salamat na rin nagtagpo
Torete torete torete ako
Torete torete torete sa'yo
"It's done, Love." He said.
"Love, finish the song, pretty please?" I plead.
"No, I'm embarrassed to continue," He confessed.
"Love, seriously, you don't have to be shy. Your voice sounds so good," I confessed. "Promise. I'm not lying," I added.
"Really? My voice sounds good?" He teasingly asked.
"Yeah, now please finish the song, Love." He chuckled.
Wag kang mag-alala
Di ko ipipilit sa'yo
Kahit na lilipad ang isip ko'y torete sa'yo
Torete torete torete ako
Torete torete torete sa'yo
"Love, are you sleepy?" He asked.
"Hmm?" He chuckled. "A little," I murmured.
"Alright, go to sleep now," He says.
"Love?" I called.
"Yes, love?" He answered.
"Love, will you sing that song again? You know, whenever I have a hard time sleeping at night?"
"Yeah, I will as long as it's you, love." I smiled. "Now, go to sleep," He says.
"Love?" I called.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you… I love you, love," I murmured.
"I love you too, love,"
-----
Two weeks later, hosting a housewarming party at my apartment.
Ring ring ri-
My sleep was interrupted by my phone ringing on my bedside table. I lazily grabbed my phone and answered it without looking who's the caller ID.
"Hello?" I answered the phone groggily. The other line was silent. I only could hear his/her breathing on the phone. "Hello?" I repeated.
"Hi, Chloe."
I froze.
I'm completely wide awake after I heard his voice on the other line. Crap! I know that freaking voice! How could I forget his freaking voice?
"Umm.. who's this?" I nervously asked. Trying to act, I didn't know who's calling me.
"It's… Jaco,"
"Ah― where did you get my number?" I questioned.
"I-I A… from S-Sydney," He stuttered. Oh no! Not my freaking cousin slash best friend. Did I hear it right?
"Sydney?"
"Yeah, your c-cousin," He says. Holy moly! Sydney, you're so dead. Ugh! What are you thinking? I exhaled heavily, trying to calm myself.
"Um, what can I do for you, Jaco?" I asked in a business tone manner.
"Can we meet?"
"You mean, right now?"
"Yeah, if that's okay with you…let's have dinner together," He says.
"I― A.. sure. Just text me the address, and I'll meet you there," I said.
"Alright, cool. Let's meet at 7, is it okay with you?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Alright, see you then."
He ended the call.
Holy freaking mashed potatoes! What have I done?! I immediately texted Evelyn and informed her about Jaco.
EVEEEEELYN!!! FREAKING EMERGENCY, CALL ME NOW!! SOS!!
―Chloe
My phone vibrated, and I immediately opened Eve's message. Ugh, I told her to call me and not reply to my text.
What is it?
―Eve
I FREAKING SAID CALL ME NOT TEXT ME, UGH!
―Chloe
I heard my phone rang. I looked at the screen, and I saw Evelyn's name on it. I immediately answered her call.
"Eveeeee!!!" I squealed.
"Damn Chlo, I think you just damaged my eardrums," She annoyingly says.
"Sorry," I apologized.
"So, why are you freaking out?" She asked.
"Well, five freaking minutes ago, someone called me on my phone," I narrated.
"And?" Eve asked in a bored tone. I exhaled heavily.
"Jacocalledandinvitedmetohavedinnerlater," I quickly blurted out.
"You what?!" Evelyn exclaimed. "Can you freaking calm down? I can't understand a single word you said," I sighed, "Just talk slowly," She added.
"I said, JACO CALLED AND INVITED ME TO HAVE DINNER LATER!"
"He, what?!" She exclaimed, completely taken aback by the news.
"What do I do, Eve?" I asked.
"Wait, wait, how the hell he got your number?" She curiously asked.
"Well, my precious cousin slash best friend is behind it," I rolled my eyes.
"What the heck? Why would Sydney do that?" She asked. "Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but technically, I myself have no idea why she did that," I confessed. "What do I do, Eve?" I asked her.
"Did you agree?" She questioned. "Um, I did," I muttered.
"Oh my freaking goodness, Chloe Montes!!" I closed my eyes when she yelled my full name on the other line.
"What kind of help do you want?" She asked.
"You know... help me pick what to wear?" She squealed on the other line.
"See you at twenty!"
Before I could say anything else, she ended the call. What was that? Did she hang up on me? And why I'm sensing it, she's more excited than the latter.
I exhaled heavily.