Kim never left Gerald side........ from Gerald's Dad's therapy....to his appointments.... laging sinasamahan ito ni Kim.....

"Is she your girlfriend?"...tanong ng Daddy ni Gerald...while they're waiting for his therapist.... Kim was on her way to the restroom....

Gerald look at Kim... "I don't know Dad... I'm scared to ask her.. baka bigla na naman siyang mawala!"...he said... "i think this is better... yung nandyan lang siya... yung hindi siya matatakot...at tumakbo ulit!"...

"But Son.... life is not always about "Okay na!".... you need to know...kung may panghahawakan kang commitment... What if someone started to claim na he's the one for her... would you let that happen?"...his Dad ask...

Gerald grinned... "Dad... what do you think?... is it time for me to claim her?".....

His Dad smiled... "Son... you should have done that long time ago.... Wala yata sa pamilya natin ang papatay-patay... Plus...you wouldn't found another girl like that... she's one of a kind!"...

"I know Dad... she's one of a kind!!"...His Dad is probably right... it's time.....

Ng ihahatid na niya si Kim sa kanila.....

"Sabihin na kaya natin kay Nathan na alam mo na..... naaawa na ako sa tao eh!!"...sabi ni Kim...

"Wag muna.... nageenjoy pa ako.... aba...pinasama nyo yata ng husto ang loob ko.... pagbayarin muna natin siya!!"....Gerald smiled...

Pagdating kina Kim.... They could hear Auntie Pokie and Nathan were arguing on something.....

"hoy baklitang mukhang matrona......si papa Fred..akin yun no!!"...hirit ni auntie Pokie...

"Eh Mother.....para na kayong lola nun... dehins kayo type non.... atsaka... Mother... dun na lang kayo sa magpapandesal sa kanto...yun ang mga bagay sa inyo!!"....

"Aba't......"...Hindi naituloy ni Auntie Pokie ang sasabihin...dahil narinig nitong dumating si Kim...

Nathan stand straight....na kanina lang ay nakapameywang pa.... "Kim.... ehem... Gerald!!"....bati nito sa lalaking boses...

"Pare!!...".... bati ni Gerald ...sabay hampas sa tiyan nito....

"ouch!!".. Nathan whispered....while massaging his stomach....

"Oh bakit Pare....mukhang kulang ka sa workout... gusto mo magjogging tayo bukas....isama natin si Fred!"....

"Si Fred.."...piyok nito... "ehem..... Si Pareng Fred... oo ba!!"....

"Ayy...sama ako!! Nandun yata si Papa Fred!"...nanlalaking mata ni Auntie Pokie...

"Ay Auntie....wag na... kasi baka rayumahin pa kayo don!!"...hirit ni Nathan!!

Bigla siyang binatukan ni Auntie Pokie...."Hinayupak kang bata ka...... anong akala mo sa akin....matanda na? Aba... baka di mo alam....kasali ako sa mga track and field noong kabataan ko!!"...pagmamalaki nito...

"Mother...panahon pa iyon ni kopong-kopong!!"....hirit ni Nathan na nakalimutang nandon si Gerald..... "aay... Ibig kong sabihin.... sige po...sumama kayo..!!"....balik nito sa pagboboses lalake....

IIling-iling si Kim...habang naghuhugas ng pinggan sa kusina.... Ano kaya ang gagawin niya kapag ang mga ito ang nawala sa buhay niya.....

Lumapit si Gerald.... "Kim....can I invite you for a dinner tonight?"....

Kim look at him..."dinner?"...

"yap...dinner...just the two of us!!"...

"S-sure.."....she mumbled her words....this is it.... she knows....this is the time.....

"I'll see you at 7 sharp..."...he said.... nagpaalam na ito kay auntie Pokie.... at Nathan....

"pare...bukas ha!!"....sabay hampas sa dibdib nito!!

Nagkandaubo ito...."o-o.. sige!!"....Pagkaalis nito....."Kimberly....... larot-larot na ang katawan ko dahil diyan sa boylet mo....baka pwede na nating sabihin ang totoo...tutal..wala na rin naman sense na magkunwari pa ako no!! Grabe....my whole body si sore!!"........

"Pati mukha mo sore!!"...sigaw ni Auntie Pokie mula sa CR....

"MOther....pagbutihan niyo ang panganganak diyan sa CR.....kaya mo yan!!"....he said...

Kim hugged Nathan.... "He asked me for a date tonight..... this is it friend!!"....

"OMG........"...tili ni Nathan... "This is it... this is it.... thank God.... i'm free!!"....

Binatukan siya ni Kim.... "Loka...anong free?"....

"Free na akong magpaganda ulit..... kasi magiging kayo na!! Halika na...dali.... makeover time... kailangang magandang-maganda ka!!".....tili ni Nathan...

Paglabas ng banyo ni Auntie Pokie...."hoy anong nangyayari?"....

"Mother....bagsak ang bataan mamayang gabi!!"...kindat ni Nathan dito....

---------------------------------------

Gerald was waiting on the living room..... para itong groom na palakad-lakad... He couldn't stay still... naiinip na siya...

Kim went down the stairs....wearing a red minidress....she was stunning...the color of the dress brightens her skin color...lalong nakita ang porcelain skin niya....

Gerald mouth dropped... it reminds her the first day he saw her in just a shirt.... she's like a goddess that landed on earth.....

"Anak...pasukan ng langaw yan!!"....Auntie Pokie said.... tapping his chin....hindi man lang niya napansin na nakalapit na ito sa tabi nya....

"Halika na!!"...yaya ni Kim... Kim was also pleased of Geralds look... He's wearing a black slacks and a black polo.... Black fits him right... lalo itong nagmukhang knight and shining armor...

Gerald guided her in the car.....

"Gerald....ibalik mo ang anak ko ha!! wag mong itatanan!!".....Auntie Pokie said....with teary eyed....

Naiwang nakadungaw sa pinto si Nathan and Auntie Pokie.... "Dalaga na ang anak ko!!"...sabi ni Auntie Pokie...

"Mother...wag kang magalala....pagbalik ni Kim.... Dala na siya!!"...hirit ni Nathan....

Binatukan niya ito.....

"Aray naman mother......that's child abuse na ha!!"...angal ni Nathan...

"ano bang child.... eh matrona ka na no!!".....

-------------------------------------------

Gerald brought her back to the tagaytay golf course.......

Kim look at him...."akala ko ayaw mo ng balikan itong place na ito?"...she asked....

Gerald just smiled at her..... when they arrive to their favorite spot.... nagulat si Kim...when she saw a table set for two...the place was filled with rose petals.... heart balloons are everywhere.... "you did this?"...she said...

"Anything for you!"....he answered...

he guided her to the table..... He cleared his troath...."kim...before we start our dinner... i would like to talk to you first..."

"Gerald...before you start.... pwede bang bawasan mo ang pagiging seryoso mo.....kasi natetense ako eh!!"....she said...trying to breath some air....

Gerald smiled...."sorry...tense din kasi ako eh!!".... he held her hand...."Kim... i don't know kung anong mangyayari after this night..... I don't know kung paano mo tatanggapin ang sasabihin ko.....but please..before you answer me back...gusto ko galing sa puso mo ang sagot!!"...

"Gerald... may tanong ako sayo?".... agaw ni Kim....

"TEka....ako muna ang magtatanong!!"....hirit ni Gerald....

"Nope...ako muna!!"....she cleared .... "Will you promise to stay?....will you promise to love me forever?...will you promise to keep me safe?.... will you promise not to hurt me?"....

"YES! I promised!"...he said...

"Wrong answer!!"...she pulled out her hands...

"Pano naging mali yon.... I just said I promised na I will stay....I promise that I will keep you safe.... that I will love you forever?....bakit mali?"...he's confused.....saan ka naman nakakita ng babaing pinangangakuan mo na ng forever…..mali daw!!

"GErald........ you can't promise me anything..... You don't make promises.... na hindi ka sigurado kung makakaya mo nga... I'm not asking you to make a commitment with me...just because you have to fulfilled your promises... I don't want you to stay...just because you have to....or love me...just because you have to!! We are living in the real world where promises are meant to be broken... and that's a fact!!"...

"So what do you want me to say?"....still naguguluhan pa rin siya...

"Ask me the same questions I asked you earlier!"....kim said...

"Will you promise me that your not leaving again?...will you promise me na you will keep me safe?....will you promise me na you will love me forever?...will you promise me...na hindi mo na ulit ako sasaktan?"....

"Nope... i can't promise you.... but I dare you to stay with me forever........ I dare you to make me safe forever....... I dare you to love me over and over again forever........and I dare you....not to hurt me forever!"....

Gerald smiled.... "so you're daring me?"...iiling-iling na tanong nito....

"Yes.......life is a gumble... either you win or loose.... pero kung pipilitin mong manalo.... you know you will win.... even if you loose...atleast alam mo...you fought the game right...and you did what you can to win the game!.. So...do you dare me too?"...

"Yes.... I dare you!! Pero...teka........ pano if hindi ko nagawa ang dare mo?".....tanong nito...

"Then you owe me a kiss!"..she said...

"Ang daya... what if I wanted just a kiss!!"....he asked...

"Then I dare you to kiss me now!!"...she said...

Biglang tumayo si Gerald sa upuan....pulling Kim against his chest.... "Never dare me!!"...he whispered....and Kiss Kim passionately.....

Kim finally loving the Dare game.....and she knows.... this Daring game will be on.....for a long....long.....long.....time...

------------------------------------------

The two finally got home at midnight....nagulat sila ng makitang bukas pa ang ilaw sa bahay...

When Kim open the door.... nakita nila si Nathan and Auntie Pokie waiting on the living room... The two are standing in the middle of the living room with arms cross over their chest.......

"Anong oras na?"...tanong ni Auntie Pokie...

"Yah...what time is it?"....hirit ni Nathan...

"Bakit ngayon lang kayo?"....

"Yah....how come your late?....hirit ulit ni Nathan...

"Kamusta ang bataan?"....tanong ni Auntie Pokie....

"Yah....how's the volcano?".....

Biglang binatukan ito ni auntie Pokie...."Para kang translator na echo eh!!"....

"Aray!!"...Nathan tried not to show his other side... Pinanonood kasi ito ni Gerald....

Kim pulled Gerald...paakyat ng hagdanan....

"Hoy...saan kayo pupunta?"....tanong ni Auntie Pokie...

"Yah...where do you think your going?"....hirit ulit ni Nathan...

"Nathan.... di ka pa matulog...magpaganda ka para kay Fred tomorrow!"..sabay kindat ni Gerald....

Naiwang nakanganga ang bibig ni Nathan.... "That girl... pinahirapan lang ako...alam naman pala ng boylet niya!!".... hinabol ni nathan ang dalawa sa kwarto.....Nakalock ang pinto.... "hoy...Kimberly... YOu witch... gaano mo na ako katagal pinapahirapan!! Lumabas ka diyan... HOy Kimberly... you owe me big time!! I mean big time!!"....nanggigigil na sabi ni Nathan...

Kasunod niyang umakyat si Auntie Pokie...."hoy!! buksan niyo ang pinto.... Geraldo..... Kimberly... anong ginagawa niyo diyan... buksan niyo ito!!"....

Kim pulled Gerald in front of his Daddy....."DaD.....remember my wish before... it came true!!"...she said....looking at Gerald...

"Sir... I will dare myself everyday....to love your daughter eternally!"... he said...

They kiss for the dare....ng marinig nila ang pagkatok ng dalawa sa labas... Kim open the window.... "Tara!!"...

Gerald look at her... "Anong tara?"...

"Let's go...may hagdanan diyan pababa.... I dare you to bring me in the private beach...and make love to me all night!!"..kindat ni Kim....

Nanlaki ang mata ni GErald..."Baka magalit si Auntie Pokie!!"...pero excitement was on his face...

"Pakakasalan mo naman ako diba?"...she asked...

"Kahit saang tindahan...."..he smiled...

Hinampas siya ni Kim sa sikmura...."Anong tindahan?"...

"sabi ko ...simbahan!! Tara!!"....he said...pulling Kim...out in the window....

Nasa kotse na sila...."kim...pano sila Auntie and Nathan.."...

Kim smiled... "Mapapagod din sila kakakatok!!"...she said leaning her head to Geralds shoulder...

"Kim.... I love you!!"...he said...

Kim smiled..... "I love you too!!"...she closed her eyes........

What more can she asked...... no more running away...no more hiding... no more pretending............ only DARING....

"Please....dare me!!"..........she said.............

"every day...my princess....everyday!!"....he said...kissing her in the fore head....

The End.