"Everyone knows that getting hurt is more real than being cared for. But we must love anyway. We are humans, you know." -Unknown

Tanch can be really unpredictable, after telling me that she loves me, she then kissed me passionately. Just perfect! Our eyes closed, knees feeling weak, steady breathing, loud pounding of our hearts. I could smell the sweet ropy fragrance of her favorite scent, then her red, irreverent, so delicate, lips were on mine. Not really moving, just feeling the oneness of two immortal souls overwhelmed by what they feel. Ah! Love, so foolish but conquers all.

"Babe, tutunganga ka lang ba jan? Masyadong nasarapan eh. Gusto mo take two pa?" pukaw na sambit sa akin ni Tanch.

Napakamot nalang ako ng ulo ko when I realized na kanina pa pala niya tinatawag ang pansin ko. Ghad! Sino bang hindi mapapatunganga sa ginawa niya? It was not only a kiss, it was a moment of eternity.

"Let's go! Hindi na ako makapaghintay na libutin tong Paraiso mo." pagmamadali niya sa akin habang inaalalayan ko siya palabas ng boat.

I couldn't hide the smug on my face, success yow! She loves my surprise for her.

"Wait lang po. Need I remind you that it will be my first time here also. The place changes so much, way too different from the last time I've been here."

"Grabe! Ano ba itsura nito noon? Lake Como inspired parin ba? Bakit mo pinarenovate?" sunod sunod niyang tanong.

"Lake Como inspired parin naman, but the former looks more laid back, like a 15th century Roman garden."

"Eh bakit mo naman pinarenovate when it has the perfect old Italian ambiance?" curious niyang tanong.

I smiled briefly in her direction. Am I ready to speak about the past and let her know about my story? I am contemplating right now, if I should or I should not. If I would choose the former, it means that I have to revisit deep old cuts from the past.

Basta bahala na, I would tell her my story.

"Tanch... you know..." I started. But I was stopped midway when I saw the d*mn topiary of bay laurel hedges in our initials as M&S.

"What the!" I couldn't hide my irritation with this prank that a certain someone pulled. I need to have some words with him.

"Sorry, Tanch. Will you excuse me for a minute? I just have to call someone." pagpapaalam ko sa kanya before I dialed something on my mobile phone. After several rings the person from the opposite line picked up.

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"Ciao!"

"Alessandro! Do you want a death wish?"

"Mia Cara, I miss you. Why so murderous, huh?" The devil on the other line merely chuckled, probably enjoying my outburst and irritation.

"Do you want a death wish, do you?" I repeated.

"Before you kill me or something, can you please tell me what I am guilty for?" The devil asked innocently.

Nakakabwisit talaga tong lalaking to, bakit ko ba pinagkatiwala ang villa sa kanya? Gosh!

"I am here in the Villa, what is the meaning of the topiary initials in the bay laurel hedges?"

"Uhuh, well it means Marks & Spencer." he answered while laughing on the other line.

"P*tang*na ka talaga! Do you really think that I am that fool to believe that it stands for Marks & Spencer?"

"Why? What else does it stand for?"

"Stop playing games with me. Have this change or else I will personally end your life with my bare hands." pagbabanta ko sa demonyong kausap ko.

"Uhmmm. Does it stand for something like Maaa- Matt... throw..."

"Uggh! Just stop it. You're not helping."

"Scusa, okay? I'll ask Gianno to change it. Sorry for the small error, Tesoro. I promise it won't happen again."

"Call me with that blasted endearment again! You know what, I'm hanging up, you already had enough of my quota. Just make sure to change the damn trees Alessandro. I'm telling you!"

I didn't wait for his reply and ended the call. I really don't know why talking to him is so d*mn difficult! Well... maybe he misses you, what else do you expect? He loves to annoy you to death when he misses his best girl.

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After ending the call, agad akong bumalik kung saan ko iniwan si Tanch. Buti nalang at nag eenjoy siya ng sobra sa garden namin. Sobrang saya niyang tingnan, naabutan ko siyang kumukuha ng selfie na parang bata, sobrang carefree at walang problema sa buhay.

"Tanch, good thing that you're enjoying the place. Sobrang saya mong tignan habang nagseselfie." sambit ko sa kanya para makuha ang attention niya.

"Oh! You're done with the phone call? Is everything okay? I heard you shouting." sunod sunod at alala niyang tanong.

Bigla naman lumundag ang puso dahil sa concern niya sa akin. Tanggal lahat ng inis na nararamdaman ko kanina, it feels like I am home. My happy place, my safe haven, my comfort zone.

"Come here, please." Pag ayaya ko sa kanya. Agad naman siyang lumapit at inabot ang nakalahad kong palad.

"Saan mo ko dadalhin? May secret hiding place kaba dito?" tanong niya habang hawak kamay kaming naglalakad patungo sa paborito kong spot dito sa Villa.

"Wala naman. Just a favorite one... Uhm, I'm sorry about kanina huh. Someone is pulling a prank on me."

"Ahh. Ano ba ginawa niya? Do you wanna share it with me?" she asked shyly not to sound too interested.

"Well...before I'll tell you my story. Let's go there first muna."

She only gave me a slight nod while she continued to appreciate the beauty of the place.

"We're here."

"Wow! Babe, hindi ka ba nauubusan ng surprises for me? Ang ganda naman dito!" nakakamangha niyang sabi.

"Yeah. This is my favorite place here. Tarah?" I asked her as I guided her to the waiting canoe boat.

Dinala ko si Tanch sa pinaka gusto kong part sa villa. We're heading to Altapiani as I dubbed it, but before we reach there, we have to ride a canoe although pwede naman talagang lakarin but mas prefer kong mag canoeing with Tanch. Duh! Walang basagan ng trip.

"Sobrang ganda naman dito babe! Really perfect for a weekend getaway or to unwind...

This canoeing thing plus the still water in this small lake, stress will really bid goodbye." sabi niya sa akin as I help her to ride the boat.

"Yeah, sinabi mo pa, kaya gustong gusto ko dito talaga." I said agreeing with her.

"How did you manage to grow those trees like that? I mean sobrang tangkad na nila, for sure it took several years to grow that one, diba?" curious niyang tanong habang nililibot ang mga mata sa nakapaligid na malalaking kahoy.

"Well before ako magkwento sayo, let me help you get settled first." Sabi ko sa kanya habang tinutulungan ko siyang maupo sa opposite side. "Teka, marunong ka ba dito"? dagdag kong tanong while I handed her a paddle.

"See for yourself, babe." she said and a smile fitted in her face.

"Wow! Are you challenging me, maam? Ano pagalingan ng pag sagwan?"

"Hahaha. Deal! Kahit nga hindi ako sigurado sa barko ko kung maglalayag ba eto, eh patuloy nga ako sa pagsagwan, ship lang ng ship." masaya niyang sabi.

"So mahilig ka palang kumapit at sumugal niyan? Sana all."

"Anong sana all uy? Tarah na nga simulan mo na pag sagwan mo jan." sabi niya in her commanding voice.

"Aye Aye Captain!" Sagot ko sa kanya habang sumasaludo.

"Baliw! So what now, Sarah?" she started.

"Well, I'm not really quite sure about the trees here, nandito na sila even before ako nakarating dito. So maybe, the trees around here are about a decade old na siguro or more. 8 years ago, noong una akong mapunta dito at hindi na sila bagong tanim nun. So I guess mga ganun na nga siguro ang edad nila." I explained to her.

"Akala ko kasi ikaw talaga ang mga nag patanim ng mga yan." dagdag pa niya.

I shook my head. "No Tanch, hindi ako ang nag patanim ng mga yan. I don't even know that this place exists not until one day." Panimula ko sa kanya habang humuhugot ng lakas ng loob.

"You know, this place was a gift - a beautiful gift, maganda ang location, may magandang lake, maganda ang climate, lahat maganda. The topography is just amazing. Noon wala ito lahat, just a raw land, no structure or anything." Tumingin muna ako sa maganda niyang mukha bago ako magpatuloy.

Nakita niya siguro sumeryoso ang mukha ko at parang hesitant kaya...

"Go on, babe." pag eencourage niya sa akin.

Sinagot ko lang siya ng tipid na ngiti. Gosh Sarah! Old wounds here we come...

I released a deep sighed...

"This Villa is built by love. This was a gift from my former love when we're about to graduate then. Imagine my surprise when he brought me here with him and asked me about how I think of the place, then he presented me with the lot title with my name on it. He told me that he wanted to build our future home here. And with this situated in a lake plus my addiction to Lombard and Neoclassical Architecture, so we have it designed to look like a 15th Century Roman garden of Como. I was so happy then, on how the Villa turns out to reality from what I have imagined it. Just perfect! Spectacular! At first look, I fell in love a thousand times because of its beauty which is why I previously named this place as Villa Amore. A home estate built of love, by love and for love." I narrated to Tanch happily, because I really am right now.

She gave me a shy smile before I went on.

"So yeah! Welcome to our supposed home." I said reluctantly.

"I really thought we would end up together. We were young and in love, dreaming and realizing our future together. But fate played with us, they said that when you finally find that one person, the stars in the universe aligned. But what if the universe is wrong? On the eve of our engagement, we met in a car accident on the way home. We lose our memory of each other, like literally, from my fiance to a stranger. Long story short, we parted ways and moved on with our separate life. Heck! I didn't even bother because I really don't know him, not until one day on his wedding day with my best friend..." I smile slightly as I glanced at her.

"My love story was one hell of a tragedy, I know." I said laughingly.

"He married my best friend and I was there, as the bride's maid of honor when the memories are pouring hard like rain. I cried throughout the entire ceremony, I watched my fiance marry my best friend. F*cking shit, right? So I run away abroad and continue my masters, trying so hard to not to lose my sanity because of the memory that I finally regained. And the funny thing is that he regains his memory too, a month after his wedding. Fate is so cruel right? Why only then, when we can't be together anymore?" I asked her while wiping the tear on my cheeks.

"That's why I have this place renovated because I just can't be here with the same look as we have built and weep for the love that I can no longer have. For the last 5 years I try to avoid all the places that we've been to or the things that we usually do because I just can't help but to miss him." I admitted.

"I bet since you've come here today, does it get better now?" She asked curiously.

I sighed. "Yeah..."

"With you this time, it's really better. This is actually the first time that I looked up again. Thanks for coming with me today."

"It's a beautiful day and still a beautiful life, right?" She asked without hesitation.

"Of course! It's a good life, Tanch!" I give her an assuring smile.

"You're such a brave woman, Sarah. Letting go is never really easy." she said seriously.

I nodded. "You know what, at first I was really having a hard time, because I don't know who to blame for all the tragedies in my life. I went partying, drinking alcohol like in the hospital, got wasted but no it all didn't work. There's really no escape from the pain of the past. But there's also no reason for me not to find peace within my heart. I realized that moving on doesn't really have to involve other people or any other form of distraction. It's all about me, realizing my mistake, my lack of motivation to see life as it is, and my blindness as to the fact that I can't really fall in love and be happy again. I have to pick myself up, not really because I owe it to myself but because it matters to live. Indeed, real happiness is all about knowing what truly matters in life."

"It's a beautiful day indeed, Tanch! Thanks to you! Thank you for bringing happiness to my life." I said straight to her then I broke the romantic feels with a wink.

"Does it mean to say that you feel the same way too?"

"Nem, Habibti!" I answered her as I got off from the canoe boat and marched through the dock leaving her to avoid further interrogation.

"What was that supposed to mean?" she asked, shouting.

"Come on, Habibti."

"Hoy Sarah! Ano ba! Bumalik ka nga dito! Sigaw pa niya ulit habang pinipilit na humabol sa akin.

"Nem, Nai, Hum, Si, Oui, Ou in every languange - Yes. So come on. Our dinner date is waiting right above us."

She only remained silent, probably debating if she was just hallucinating or not...

I gave her a soft kiss on the cheeks to tell her that everything is real.

"Mi sto innamorando di te, Tanchellie." I admit to her as I turn my back and run uphill!

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Ice Queen Meltdown is real 😀

Much Love.