"This place really looks amazing. I am glad you choose this as 'our place'," I said to Henry while looking at the night sky.
"Our place sounds so romantic. I like it," he said then kissed the back of my hand.
I kept on breathing deeply because my heart is pounding really fast. The place where we are at the moment is dark and only the moon and the stars giving us a little light. But still, I can see how handsome he is.
I cleared my throat. "It's getting colder, I think we should go. And I need to go home by now. Cristel's parents might be worried this time."
I think it is almost nine in the evening. In my time, it would be too early to come home. But this is 50's, it is very different in a good way.
We found Cristel and Alfredo sitting at that one bench in the middle of the park. When they saw us, they immediately stood up. Cristel greeted me with a guilty smile. I creased my forehead, guilty for what?
"It's time to go," I said the looked at Henry who is waiting for my attention.
"Can you come to send me off?" he asked.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I can't. Sonia will be there, I'm sure. As much as possible, I am avoiding seeing her or meeting her, I am feeling guilty about what we are doing behind her back."
He lowered his eyes then slowly nodded. "I understand, I will call you every day. And send you letters if possible. Back then, I can easily leave this town, and it doesn't matter to me if it takes years before I can go back. But now, you gave me so much reason why I should stay. Now, I can't even leave this town for a week." He chuckled.
I pinched his right cheek. "It is only for a month, and I am not going anywhere. See you next month, I will wait for your calls and letters." I kissed him on the cheek where I pinched him.
He and Alfredo sent us home. He kissed me on the forehead before letting me go inside. I will miss him for sure. I should stop thinking about the time, a month is just a short time.
"Aliyah, Henry is on the phone." Cristel handed me the telephone. It's been a week since Henry went to that training and I thought he would never call me. Good thing, Cristel was the one who answered the telephone. It will be a very big problem if one of her parents answered it.
"Hello," I said to the person who is at the other end of the line.
"Sweetheart," he said in a deep voice.
I bit my lower lip. Just a word from him, just a word, and he already made my heart beats fast. Damn this lieutenant!
"You said you will call me every day. It's been weeks, mister!" I faked my anger.
I heard him chuckled. "I'm so sorry, darling. I never had a chance to call. Sonia kept calling me this past week. I wanted to call you so bad, but she is using all my time for a call in a day. I needed to say an alibi to prevent her from calling me again this day."
I nodded. "I never knew. I'm sorry. What if she asked who you called this day?"
"Don't worry, I already talked to the cadet leader. He will never spill a single bean," he said and we both feel the silence.
"How are you?" I asked first.
"I miss you already. Can I kiss you once I came back?" He laughed softly.
I laughed too. "I can't wait to see you then," I jokingly said.
"Y-You want me to kiss you?" He stuttered, surprised at what he had just figured out.
"We don't have any relationship. Why would I let you kiss me?" I raised my brow.
"Once I came back, I will court you for real. No more hiding, Aliyah. You can never force me again to do something I don't want. This will make Sonia furiously mad, but I don't care. I will make you mine, Aliyah." His voice was very serious while saying those words.
"Court me then," I said, unconsciously.
I am really out of my mind. I forgot what I need to do. I became blind to this love. Love? Do I love him? I am not very sure yet, but I am almost there. This is so wrong, I know!
"Really?! You will never stop me? I love you, Aliyah," he said.
I can't hide my smile. Even Cristel can see and can tell how happy I am right now. This is the first time I felt this kind of feeling. I don't want to end it right away; I want to cherish every moment. Henry is the man I prayed and wishing. I know that I will never find another man like him. I promise that I will give him up to Sonia, I will make him love Sonia more than me.
"I am excited to see you." I smiled, widely.
"Me too, my sweetheart. My call time is already done. I sent you some letters, read them, please. I love you." Then the line ended.
I sighed. Cristel went to me, she is smiling from ear to ear. She handed me some white envelopes. "Letters for you, darling." She teased me more.
I suddenly became worried. I went to my room to read Henry's letters for me. His handwriting is so amazing, this neater than mine. His letters are more in a poem-type of writing. He is so sweet, his efforts and time for doing this. Should I write him a letter? I am not used to writing love letters. I once sent a letter to many people through snail mail but not a love letter. How should I do this?
Can I ask Cristel for help? No, no, no! She will just tease me nonstop. I must do it by myself. This is for Henry.
I dressed in something decent, I will go to the market and I must find the post office. I kept the letter I wrote for Henry in my tiny sling bag. I will buy too an envelope.
In the market, I saw Sonia and her group of friends talking and laughing. Sonia is holding envelopes that I can say a letter. I went nearer to them to hear them talking.
"Really? Henry sent you these letters written on a scented paper?" one of her friends asked her.
She blushed. "Yes, he is so sweet and very romantic. I never thought that Henry will be this so persistent to me. I will answer him with a 'yes' once he came back. And I will ask my parents if we can marry, immediately."
Her friends intrigued her more. I felt someone just pinched my heart. I suddenly felt some jealousy. Mine was not written on scented paper. The paper looks like dirty scratch paper. Now, I don't know exactly what to believe, he said that Sonia is using all her time. Or it was just an excuse?
Did he send me that letters because he wanted to? I can't believe that he deceived me by his flowery words. He really Sonia, so why he still wants to court me? He even said that he will stop courting Sonia once he came back. I am such a fool. He is an asshole!
I just went back to Dela Fuentes' house. I sighed; I can't send him a letter with me feeling like this. I am so disappointed.
"Why your face is like that?" Cristel asked.
I told her what I found out and then she just laughed at me. I rolled my eyes.
"I can't believe that you believed in Sonia, obviously, she's just faking it. Where the hell in the training camp will Henry get a scented paper?" She smirked.
My whole body just stopped functioning for a moment. Then, I realized what Cristel is trying to tell me. I immediately smile.
"Thank you, Cristel."
I really need to send these letters to Henry. I am such an idiot!