29: Dancing while Sunset

"Happy Birthday!"

We greeted her as soon as she opened her eyes. We had a simple arrangement for her while she was with Lyv on the beach. They're soaking wet. I didn't expect them to swim in the ocean.

Mark's holding her cake with the number 24 lighted on top while we clapped our hands along with the Happy Birthday beat.

Her eyes began to sweat, while her hands were covering her mouth. She walked first to Mark to blow out the candles and gave him an embrace, crying in his embrace. And we made loud applause, and someone even screamed. And then she pulled others with them for a hug.

"Happy Birthday," I whispered to her since she was beside me.

"Thank you,"

Lyv and Angelo took Mika from us and took a picture with the banner we hung on the wall. I sat beside Peter, who started eating, we sat beside Carter and Isac's table, so I could hear them arguing, but I didn't mind them. As long they don't start punching each other.

My stomach began to feel hungry after seeing Peter eating spaghetti on his plate.

He noticed how I looked at his plate, so after he twirled it on his fork, he showed it on my mouth with his palm under it, "Hmm?"

Holding both sides of my hair, I opened my mouth and eat. He began feeding me, and also wipes my mouth. After a while, stood up to get us water.

"Aren't you taking pictures with them?"

He chuckles at them before giving his attention to me, "I could use my photograph skills," he starts making camera post with his fingers.

I hug the chair to watch them at the banner taking pictures, "Maybe later,"

His arm was pulled by Mika before he could say anything else. We enjoyed the whole afternoon in the room. And with Isac and Carter's help, they dunk Mark's face into the cake. We couldn't stop ourselves from laughing, and Mika placed the headband with the number 24 on his head.

They also pulled me to dance, but I kept refusing them. Last time I remembered my dance was when it was our prom.

I still doesn't want to dance but Lyv pulled, and right on time, Peter grabbed my other hand, "We're going to watch the sunset,"

Lyv's hand slips on mine as it loosens, so I'm walking out of the room with Peter.

With crossed arms on my chest that hug myself, we're walking in the grass to the beach, "It's 4 in the afternoon,"

"You hate dancing" his hands stay inside the pocket of his swim trunk.

"And I don't know how to dance," I added.

"Your dance is good,"

"Please. Don't bring the prom night. I don't want to remember it, I don't even know what got me, and I danced like that," I chuckled.

We had just stepped foot on the sand when someone came running. It was them. They got out of the room.

Lyv pulled me with her as she runs and stopped in front of the bonfire. Isac and Carter dropped the case of beer on the sand.

"What's this?"

"We're getting drunk 'till midnight?" she replied.

I sat with Lyv and Angelo, and they opened the first bottle. Lyv offered me one, but I shook my head. She insists on opening my palm and giving it to me.

She gets her phone from her pocket and plays some music, "You know what?"

"What?"

She had a sip on her bottle, "I like him. I like Engineer Selviro for you,"

"Stop it," I push her shoulders barely.

"Even when I'm drunk, I'm proud you find your man. Don't lose him, Sue. I'll take him for you, surely 100 percent,"

Sometimes, Lyv and Angelo were already drunk before sunset. They were singing in their drunk voice, while Lyv was swaying the bottle of beer along the rhythm.

She opened another bottle, but Mika snatched it from her to drink. I tried getting it from her, but she pulled it back, drinking it like water.

I shake my head and get another bottle.

"You're drinking," Pete said, no surprise at all. He's already here.

"She's drunk!" I pointed at Lyv.

With the music they were singing, we placed our arms on each other shoulders and swayed our bodies. Mika joined us too.

"What happened?" I heard Mark's voice, but I'm too drowned with the alcohol, so I didn't mind him or them and continued jamming.

Someone fetch Mika from us already. But we continued until the voice of our band was fetched too. In my blurry vision, I saw Lyv assisted by Carter. It's just Angelo and me.

"No, no!" he used a Spanish accent when someone tried to get him, "I'm fine!" he left by himself, but if my eyesight is right, he fell, face first, on the sand.

I was left alone sitting on the log, but I still finishing my third bottle.

"That's enough,"

Peter tried to get it while I was finishing the second bottle, but I won't let him and threw the bottle in the sand after. I tried getting another bottle when he placed the case away from me.

"Hey! Give it back!"

No matter how I tried, he won't give it until my head fell on his shoulder.

I felt his palm on my cheek, slapping it lightly, "Sue? Sue,"

He lifted my head when I didn't answer, but I ran to the ocean before he got hold of my legs.

"Look! The sunset will almost end! Come on!"

I walked back to him to pull him with me, standing between the ocean, and the shore. The waves keep slapping our feet, and birds won't stop coming by without chirping.

"Let's dance?"

I get hold of his one hand and dance and murmur a song by myself, moving backward then forward. Backward then forward.

"Come on!" I giggled.

Sometimes I sang the song I was humming, "Though I always lose, cause you'll watch the TV. While I'm watching you,"

After a while, of dancing alone, he moved with me until I twirled by him. Hugging myself by him while my back could feel his topless body. We synchronized swaying our bodies.

He won't let me a while ago remove my top to real the bikini I wear, but I told him I would remove my maong shorts if he still won't let me. So my maong shorts remain, and I'm wearing a bikini bra.

"Dumb conversations. We lose track of time. Have I told you lately,"

He turned me around another time to face him, then I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his is enveloped in my waist.

"So shut all the windows. And lock all the doors. We're not looking for no one,"

He pulled me close until I felt our skin collide with each other. I rest my head on his chest while our bodies remain dancing.

"Mmm, no, there's nothing..."

My smile widened when he sang with me, "Like doing nothing. With you," we sang looking at each other.

"I love you, always," I heard him whisper before I felt his lips on my head.

I'm drunk but still got herself together. And so, I started moving my jaw, "Peter?"

"What happened to you during those 8 years?" I asked with my eyes shut.

He rests his head on mine before answering, "I become the Engineer you wanted me to be. I went home 2 years ago,"

"You mean me? I'm your home?" I questioned.

"Hmm-mm," he replied, and I chuckled, "How about you? How come you started a business?"

I let out a sigh, "It's all because of Mark. He builds that business for me. And you know, I'm so thankful I become his friend," I giggled, "Why? I failed the BAR exam to become a licensed Architecture. And I don't want to try again,"

I don't know how to react after I remembered those times I cried while reviewing and after knowing the results.

"Let's try again,"

"What?"

"Why don't you give it a second try? Then, stop if you still fail,"

I slowly moved my head from side to side, "I don't think I want to. I'm happy with my cafe, maybe being Archi isn't for me,"

"Give it a second try,"

I still shake my head at him, "Don't worry, it's been 3 years. I accepted my fate,"

He release me from his embrace and gave me another twirl, and brought me back to his embrace.

"Peter?"

"Hmm?"

I let my head rest on his chest, closing my eyes again, "I think you've waited for enough," I whispered, with my eyes close enjoying his touch on mine.

"Take your time, Sue, don't rush... Even if it takes another 8 years or one decade or more," he keeps himself from laughing, "I want to let you know that whenever you're thinking, you're taking too much of your time. If ever you're thinking, you're making me tired of waiting for you. I will never ever feel that way, not just because I promise but also because I love you. Always,"

"Always," we said his last word together. I get out from my embrace on him to hold his face, "You've waited for enough, stopped waiting for me. Let's rebuild our relationship that's full of love and promises,"

I stopped dancing when he stopped first, but his arms remained on my waist. He shoves my hair, looking me in the eye, "You're drunk. Just tell me you're ready when you're sober. Anytime, no limited time,"

"Even if I'm not drunk, I'm going to tell you the same thing," I chuckled.

"I promise you're my last piece in my heart,"

"I love you. I love you, please--," I began to have a pool of tears in my eyes.

He pulled me back into his embrace, "Shh, hey. Don't beg, I love you always. Stop crying, love, " he left a kiss on top of my head, "Thank you for your love,"

"Thank you for waiting and finding me,"

"Even in another reality, I would always do that... Stop crying now,"

I get out of his embrace, "It's tears of joy. What can you do?" I chuckled, trying to retain these tears.

Our eyes locked on each other. But over some time, I think he isn't looking in my eyes anymore, and at the same time, we have the same feeling.

Gently. Our lips met, but it was not for seconds. It's full of passion. I had a heavy breath after his rosy lips finished devouring mine. And I felt his lips next on my nose and to my forehead.

"I love you,"

"Let's adopt a dog in the future," I joked, chuckling.

"A dog?"

"Hmm-mm, dogs,"

MY HEAD IS THROBBING WITH pain, I don't think I could get up from bed.

"Painkillers?" Lyv handed me a pill with water she used.

I sat on the bed, and I accepted it.

"Where's Angelo? Mika?"

She dropped back her body to the other bed, "I think they left. It's getting late," she said, while her hands are resting on her stomach.

"Did we drink last night?"

She turned her head on her side that's toward me, "Pretty much," she chuckled.

"Who takes me back to the villa?"

I stretched out my arms to place them on the side table before answering her, "Carter, I think"

"That guy again,"

"Yeah," I said, laying back on the bed.

"That explains the new bandage on my nose," I saw she touched the bandage.

I didn't notice it change. I'm not yet drunk when I last saw her bandage, and it was just plain. But today, it has a design of stars.

"I look like I got botox in my nose,"

I laughed with her, "What happened between you and Peter last night?"

"Huh?"

"Come on, for sure he takes you back to our villa. He keeps on snatching you from us. Such a possessive boyfriend,"

I flipped my body, and now my chest's resting on the bed, "Hey! He's..."

["I think you've waited for enough,"]

[I love you, please]

Our kiss.

"What? Not yet your 'boyfriend'?" she quoted, "I bet you said yes to him last night," she also flipped her body, looking at me, "I'm beyond proud, my best friend has a boyfriend," she giggled.

"Finally! You two are awake!" Angelo surprised us in our room.

He's with Mika, Carter, and Mark. And I could also see Peter behind them. They're dressed in their swimming attire.

"Speaking of the devil," Lyv rolled her eyes.

I'm still laying in bed and lyv has already done wearing her second swimsuit.

"Are you going?" she invited.

"Will get ready," I stood up in bed.

I watch her first go out with the others, and I called Peter before he left the door. I caught his attention before closing the door.

"Yes?"

Holding my swimming attire, I walked towards him, "Wait for me, love you," I flashed a smile after leaving a peck kiss on his lips.

I rest my back on the bathroom door, releasing a heavy breath. He had changed. He starts showing himself that's the first thing I noticed.

He isn't the Peter I used to know before, and I like this version of him, but I always love every version of him. He never fails to make my heart skip a beat. He gave me assurance which caused a whirl on my stomach.

He never fails. He never does. He's just lost that time, and we're young and still have something to learn about ourselves.

Today, we're old enough, almost going into our 30's. I don't think I will regret this decision in another 8 or 18 years of my life.

I can see my future with him. I can see how much more memories will make after years of being together. And I'm looking forward to it.

If ever we fail in our relationship, at least I gave it a try and let myself love the same man who I love and love me even after 8 years of being apart. He would stay the best thing that had to happen with no regrets.

Not because I'm threatened, I have him, he's finally here with me. I don't think I would ever let him go again. And I'm filled just by his love and presence.

Enough with the wait.