#BTSEp32
When we woke up, the first thing to flash before our sleepy eyes was Avryl. She really bitched us out. Pinaghahampas niya pa nga kami na para bang Nanay na galit na galit at gustong manakit! Mabuti na lang talaga at nasuotan na pala ako ni Liv ng pang-ibaba!
Avryl, being the baby of our group, really gave me a hard time to reconcile with. Para naman kasing bata ito kung magtampo! Iyong tipong kailangan mo pang lumuha ng dugo!
But because she's my Baby Avryl, I know the formula of gaining her heart back. Potchi. This girl is addicted to that candy. Mabuti na lang at may baon ako n'on. Just in case sana na may bumaba ang sugar sa amin habang nagha-hike.
"Sarap?" I am chuckling as I asked Avryl. She only pouted as she nodded. Matapos ay napansin ko iyong butil ng pawis sa kanyang noo. Agad ko iyong pinunasan.
"Penge ako." Sambit ni Liv na kasunod naming lumakad. Avryl only rolled her eyes at him. Natatawa akong napatingin kay Liv, he is giving me a what the hell is wrong with her? look. I only shrug at him.
Ngayon ay nagha-hike na uli kami patungo sa Nagpatong Rock Formation. The trail to that tourist destination is a bit deadly. Ilang oras na kaming nagha-hike ngayon. Ilang beses na rin kaming tumigil para magpahinga. The hike here is really physical. But I know the moment we reach the summit, it will be really worth it.
"Okay?" Ezra told us when we reached the rock formation. Napapakurap kaming tumingin sa itaas noon. "So, paano tayo makakaakyat diyan?"
I also don't know.
Sa nakikita ko kasi ngayon, it was a plain massive rock without any edge for us to climb up with. Matutulis din iyong mga batong nakapaligid dito. Delikado ito para sa isang clumsy na katulad ko.
"H'wag ho kayong mag-alala, Sir. May hagdan ho tayo papunta doon." The guide told us politely.
"Are you sure that it's safe there?" Liv asked with his usual cold tone.
The guide nod at him. "Oho, ilang beses na rin ho namin itong nagagawa, Sir. Wala kayong dapat ipag-alala." Nag-thums up pa si Kuya. "I got you!"
"Ay bongga!" Pagak na tumawa ang baklang si Hendrix. May pag palakpak pa ito na para bang napa-standing ovation.
Ginatungan naman iyon ni Jopay. Ngayon ay nagba-vlog pa rin siya. "Mga ka-jokla, bongga pala dito sa Nagpatong Rock Formation?! Poreynjer ang tour guide!"
Lahat kami ay nagtawanan. Pati si Manong ay patuloy na nakipagkulitan sa amin habang isa-isa kaming umaakyat.
Dahil si Lechel ang pinaka-malaki ang katawan sa amin, siya iyong nauna. At sa ginawa niya, parang ang dali-dali lang ng lahat. Nalaman lang namin na mahirap talaga iyon nang sinundan siya ni Hendrix. Ang bakla, tili nang tili! Nakanamporchop! Kinabahan tuloy kami!
But everything went smoothly. Sinundan si bakla nina Avryl at Jopay. Kaming mga girls ang pinauna nila. Ngayon, it's my turn. Umaakyat na ako sa hagdan. It was actually made of vines.
Hindi ako nahirapan sa pag-akyat sa hagdan. Pero kinabahan talaga ako noong sa isang level naman ako nag-tungo. Wala nang hagdan doon. Ako na mismo ang dapat mag-rock climbing para makaakyat.
Noong una ay nahirapan ako. Nag-aalangan din kasi ako sa tulis ng mga bato. But it was really easy. Maarte lang talaga si Hendrix kaya may pagtili pa! Before I knew it, I reached the summit.
And the moment my eyes landed to the sea of green infront of me, I smiled widely.
This place is indeed breathtaking.
The wind is waving my hair as I continue to admire the view. Kitang-kita dito ang asul na Laguna de Bay. But what highlighted my view the most was the top of the trees around us. Nag-we-wave iyon alinsunod sa hangin. Nakaka-relax itong pagmasdan.
Sinamahan pa ito ng ilang mga bundok at ang asul na langit na para bang kaylapit lang sa amin. Para ngang abot-kamay lang namin iyong mga ulap, eh.
A few moments after, nakaakyat na ang lahat. We had a group photos first. Isinama namin si Kuya Tourist Guide. Matapos ay saka namin in-enjoy ang view.
Kaming mga girls ay abala sa pagpipicture. Habang ang mga boys naman ay nag-uusap at nagtatawanan maliban kay Liv. Nag-iisa siya ngayon na nakaupo sa harap ng view. Para bang ang lalim ng iniisip. Naisipan ko tuloy picture-an!
Little by little, I started to move my feet near him. I grabbed my cell phone and captured his view. Agad ko iyong ipinost sa IG.

AsyaGrasya the best view 💗
Katulad ng inaasahan, dinumog iyon ng comments mula sa fans namin. I am smiling as I shove my phone on my pocket. Lumapit ako kay Liv. Tumabi ako sa kanya.
He smiled at me the moment he noticed me. Agad niya akong inakbayan at pinaunan sa kanyang dibdib.
That moment, no one's talking.
Tha moment, I am enjoying the sound of his heartbeat. It was fast and as well, loud and clear. Just like a word with conviction, I know that it was beating fast for me.
That moment, I hug him tightly. Wishing that our love won't last just like the view infront of us. Sana, hanggang dulo na ito. Sana talaga, siya na ang dulo ko.
***
Two weeks went in a blur. Before I knew it, Liv and I are almost at the latter of the shoot for our upcoming movie.
Sa nagdaang dalawang linggo rin na ito, Liv and I grew closer than before. He started to show his true colors. I already unravelled that there was still a yellow within him. Na hindi lang pala puro black ang namamayani sa sistema niya.
Right now, I am in the middle of my one on one interview with Tita Girlie for the anniversary of her late night talk show. Walang audience na nanonood sa amin dahil ang set up nito ay sa dressing room ko. We are sitting infront of my huge make-up mirror with all of the lights touching our faces.
"In one word, Grace. How would you describe Liv?" Matamang nakatingin sa akin si Tita Girlie. Her eyes were strictly stabbing me but not dangerously. This is her thing. Natural na sa kanya ang mapanuyang tingin.
"Hmm," I started, I was not ready for that question. Pero sinabi ko pa rin ang pinakaunang word na pumasok sa isip ko the moment I heard my man's name.
"Tita Girlie, mahalaga po." I am smiling at Tita. That earned me a small smile from her. She was a fan of our loveteam since day one.
"And why is that?"
I bit my lower lip before I answer. And then, I sighed to calm myself. "Kasi Tita, Liv has became my daily doze of happiness already. He is my own definition of valuable. Lagi po akong naglu-look forward nang kasama siya sa isip ko. And . . ." I slightly shook my head as I smile genuinely, "I just don't see my future without him, Tita. I already planned my happy ending to land on his hand."
Tita smiled at me with pure admiration. "Me as well, hija-- no, we. We are all looking forward for the happy ending of LivAce."
"Thank you po." I shyly smile at her. A bit overwhelmed and glad at the same time.
Nagpatuloy ang interview. May ilang mga katanungan na madali lang sagutin. At may mangilan-ngilan ding mahirap but thankfully, I was able to deliver the right words to Tita. I was quite satisfied with my answers.
"For the last question, hija." Tita's neutral expression started to appear again. "Gaano mo kamahal si Liv?"
Then, it hits me.
The moment I started to think of my answers was also the moment I felt my tears growing on my eyes.
My heart started to beat faster than before. This is the effect of Liv on me. He can still control my heart without him on my side.
"Kaya ko pong ipagpalit ang lahat para kay Liv." The first thing I thought of. I tried to swallow the growing lump on my throat. "Even my family. I will fight for him, Tita. I will fight against the world-- against the odds just for him. Ganoon ko po siya kamahal." My tears are starting to do its escapade away from my eyes. Segu-segundo akong humihinga ng malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili ko.
"How sweet." Tita Girlie stood up and gave me a hug. It was a tight one that made my tears to avalanche more down my cheeks.
Ilang minuto ay pinakalma niya muna ako. Czearine started to appear with the tissue on her hand. Like a little sister, she was really worried for my make-up. Gustong-gusto kasi ng batang ito na lagi akong maganda sa TV. Nakikipag-away talaga 'yan kapag may nagsasabing pangit ako sa social media.
A few moments came, Tita Girlie started to do his iconic closing remarks. And then right after that, the shoot is over. She hugged me one more time before she bid her motherly good bye at me.
***
Ngayon, nandito ako sa lobby ng network. I am waiting for Liv na nag-guest sa Noon Time Show. It was already three o'clock in the afternoon kaya naisipan kong hintayin na lang siya. Pinauna ko na sina Czearine at Manong Boying sa Las Piñas.
Maya't maya ay may mga artista na dumadaan dito so I had to greet them nicely. Hindi naman ako napipilitan. That's just my habit. Kapag may kakilala ako, binabati ko talaga agad.
I was busy scrolling on my cell phone right now. Binabasa ko lahat ng mentions ng fans ko about me and Liv.
Suddenly, I was halted by a message from an unknown number.
It has a photo attachment.
And because I was born to be a curious person, I opened it without any hesitations. I opened it without expecting for something to explode infront of my eyes.
That exact moment, I can clearly feel how my eyes turned from happy to blinking for mutliple times. I found my hands trembling because of the photo that's dreadfully flashing before my eyes.
Nabitawan ko ang cell phone ko. Nalaglag iyon sa sahig.
Nanginginig, hindi ko inalis ang tingin sa screen noon. I am hopelessly wishing that I am just seeing things differently. That all I have to do is to just blink and reality will hit me back again.
But no, that photo didn't change at all.
It was Liv.
It was him.
It was really him. Kissing Ysabelle, my best friend.