I woke up way earlier than I'm used to. And I mean waaaay earlier. Not because I had something to do but because my girlfriend decided to wake me up. Ni hindi pa nga sikat 'yung araw.

"Ga, I love you and all but I need my beauty sleep." I moaned sleepily, letting my head fall down on my arms habang nakaupo ako sa dining table.

"Love mo pala ako edi halika na tumayo ka na dyan at may pupuntahan tayo."

Hindi ako tumayo. Antok na antok pa ako.

"Risa, kapag hindi ka pa tumayo dyan iba na lang isasama ko."

"Ay hala. Risa reporting for duty, President Robredo!" I jolted up and immediately went out the door. She laughed at my silly antics and promised that we'll get coffee on the way.

Nag-drive thru kami to buy coffee and we were on the way to wherever we were going. "Mahal, alam mong mahal kita pero isa pang tanong mo ng 'are we there yet' ibababa kita sa gitna ng daan." She warned after I asked kung nakarating na ba kami for the nth time.

I glared at her and she laughed, "Syempre joke lang, sungit kapag bagong gising. Nakapag-kape naman na."

"Ikaw kayang gisingin nang gano'n kaaga. 3 AM, Pangga, really?"

"Maayos naman gising ko sa'yo ha. Ingay mo nga eh."

I turned bright red at her remark and hit her arm. "Ang kalat mo! Ang aga-aga."

"Luh siya, anong makalat sa sinabi ko eh totoo naman?" She was laughing at me and I felt fuzzy inside. I love her laugh.

Higit isang oras na nagdadrive si Leni. Nakatulog ako sa kalagitnaan ng byahe namin and until now, I still have no clue where we're going.

I felt someone shake my body lightly to wake me up. "Gising na, Pangga. We're here." Dumilat ako and saw Leni smiling sweetly at me. A sight I'll never get tired of seeing tuwing gigising ako.

"Huy, gaga ka. Binook mo 'to tapos hindi mo ako sinabihan?" I asked, shocked that we were in a private beach resort in Batangas.

"Gaga ka rin. Surprise nga 'to eh."

"Wala akong damit! 'Yung yoga mat ko hindi ko dala." Halos sabunutan ko na si Leni ko kasi wala naman talaga akong dalang kahit anong pang-beach. Parang wallet, phone, makeup, alcohol, ballpen, saka glasses ko lang laman ng bag ko.

She motioned for me to come closer tapos binuksan niya 'yung compartment ng sasakyan. "Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto mong pang-swimming na dalhin kaya dinala ko lahat. Ito 'yung yoga mat mo. Skin care, here. Pambahay at pang-alis na damit, check. Slippers, check. Sandals mo, suot mo diba? Your white shoes are here din. Karamihan sa damit mo for beach ha. Toiletries and skin care, check rin...Hmm, what else? May nakalimutan ba ako?"

My mouth fell agape. "Y-you had everything planned until the last detail?"

"Please, mahal. Para namang hindi mo ako kilala. Hayaan mo akong bumawi sa'yo." She kissed my forehead and carried my bag tapos pumasok na sa loob. Ang sweet naman, binuhat pa 'yung bag ko.

"Risaaa!" She shouted from inside. "Dinala ko 'yung bag mo pero nakalimutan ko dalhin 'yung akin. Paki-dala please hehe."

Ang galing sana kami na lang nagbitbit ng sarili naming bag diba.

I went inside and placed her bag on the living room. Ang ganda kasi open 'yung living room and it overlooked the beach. Masyadong malaki 'tong place for the two of us pero hindi naman ako nagrereklamo. It's not always that we get to have this privacy after all.

Biglang hinablot ni Leni 'yung kamay ko and she led me to the beach outside. "I woke you up early for this!" She said excitedly.

We watched the sunrise spread its light on the horizon, slowly illuminating the vast sea, rising in between the mountains in our view. "It's been a while since we last watched the sun rise together 'no?" She asked.

"Oo. I remember 'yung huling beses. We watched it rise over the balcony sa hotel room na pinag-stayan natin when we were invited in an international convention overseas."

"Hmm, I remember that clearly. Sinuot mo 'yung button up shirt ko na ginamit ko the day before kasi tinatamad ka magbihis."

"Hindi pa naman ako naliligo no'n kaya I picked up what was on the floor. And you said I looked hot."

"You did. You always do."

We sat down on the sand and she laid her head on my shoulder habang pinapanood naming sumikat 'yung araw. The sunlight hit my skin and I closed my eyes. Saglit na oras pa lang kami dito pero ayoko nang umalis kahit kailan.

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"Bacon, tocino, hotdog. Which one gusto mo?" She asked from inside the kitchen. Nasa sala kasi ako doing yoga.

"You," I replied. She poked her head out of the kitchen doorway and gave me an unimpressed look. "And bacon."

"Bacon now, me later." She returned cheekily and went back to what she was doing.

We ate as soon as I finished my routine and she finished cooking.

"Do we have plans for today?" Tanong ko.

"Actually, wala. Hindi ako nag-set ng kahit anong activities. Gusto ko lang talaga sulitin natin ang pahinga na 'to."

"Good idea. Mas gusto ko 'yun."

Nag-decide kaming mag-swimming after. Wala masyadong tao dito sa beach resort. Parang dalawang tao pa lang nakikita ko maliban sa amin – the housekeeper and the staff who assisted us with our things. Mukha ngang maiging plinano ni Leni 'to.

Muntik na akong humimlay when my girlfriend stepped out of the room in a black one-piece swimsuit and a flowy, white coverup. "Lord above," I whispered under my breath.

"Kalma. Ako lang 'to." She said and sat down on my lap. Her arms circled my neck and she kissed me. I hummed happily and placed my hands on her waist. Ito na ba 'yung me later niya?

"Bihis ka na. Swimming na tayo dali, ang init."

"Hindi muna natin itutuloy 'to?"

"Nope. Later pa."

I groaned in reply. Akala ko ngayon na eh. Bitin.

"Sorry, Ga. We'll have all the time in the world to do that later naman. Pero ngayon halika na, swimming na tayo." She gave me a peck and stood up. Pumasok na ako sa kwarto and changed into a hot pink two-piece.

She raised her eyebrow as she saw me walk towards her. "Hot pink? Really?"

"It looks good naman diba?"

"Very good." She said in a low voice, eyeing my body. Bago pa kami madala ng mga damdamin naming, I pulled her to the beach and got in the water. She removed her cover up and joined me soon after.

"I love you, Ana Theresia."

"I love you too, Maria Leonor."

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Besides swimming, we spent the day sunbathing and relaxing. I cooked lunch for the two of us and she joined me in the kitchen. We sang along to the songs playing on the radio, giving each other a taste of the food na meron na, and occasionally exchanging soft kisses.

It was nighttime now and we were sprawled out on the veranda, wearing our pajamas, and stuffing our faces with the sweets and snacks that she bought with us.

"Alam mo ba, Kiko once told me na I look at you like you put the stars in the sky," Leni was looking up and staring at the stars.

"What did you say to him?"

"I admitted na may feelings ako for you."

We were feeling nostalgic tonight, reminiscing everything that we went through together. I shifted my position kaya nakapatong 'yung ulo ko sa lap niya while we both looked up at the stars. Tinuro ko 'yung gummy worms and then opened my mouth tapos tumawa siya. "Wala ka bang kamay, Risa?"

"Meron pero ayoko gamitin. Reserve energy para mamaya."

She tapped my forehead and put the gummy worm in my mouth. "Sino kayang makalat sa'tin sa lagay na 'to?"

Leni's fingers combed my hair and I almost purred with delight. She knew how much I loved it when she soothed my hair like that.

"Kailan sinabi ni Kiko 'yun sa'yo?" I asked.

"I think 6 years ago already."

"Six? Pero 5 years pa lang tayo."

"Yeah. I've been in love with you far longer than you think."

I caressed her cheek and she looked down at me, meeting my eyes fondly. "Thank you for doing this, Leni."

"Kailangan kong bumawi sa'yo after what happened."

"Mahal na mahal kita," I told her, lifting my head up so I can kiss her. She met me in the middle and kissed me. I repositioned myself so we were both sitting up, lips still connected and moving in sync.

She held the back of my head with one hand and took my hand in the other. We parted kasi we ran out of breath, pressed our foreheads together, and laughed.

I look at our hands laced with each other in the space between us. "Do you still look at me like I put the stars in the sky even after what happened, Pangga?"

"I always would. Kahit anong mangyari."

Peace and tranquility enveloped my body as I stared into my lover's eyes. Punong-puno ng pagmamahal ang bawat tingin niya sa'kin. A book I once read said that we accept the love we think we deserve. I think, no matter how many lives I live, I'll never deserve the kind of love Leni gives.

I may have proved that after what happened but she still offers it to me willingly anyway.

"You told Kiko I deserved all the good things in the world." She said, easing my thoughts away.

"Oh, I remember that. San Mig nights with the party way back then."

"Oo ayun. Sabi mo I deserve all the good things in the world and you know what, Ris?"

"What?"

"You're the epitome of all the good things in the world. So stop thinking na hindi mo deserve ang pagmamahal ko. You deserve the love that I give, the same way that I deserve yours."

Five years ago, before my birthday, pinagdasal kong ibigay na sa'kin ni Lord si Leni as my birthday gift. Little did I know back then that it would mean having so much more than what I could ever ask for.