Your Smile Mga Nobela at Kwento

Hindi ko na tinignan kung magkano. Usually, I’d walk away and forget — pero hindi ngayon. May kung anong kakaiba sa kanya. Something in her face. Something in the way she smiled after giving her thanks. That smile… It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t desperate. It was soft. Familiar. Parang ‘yung ngiti ko sa tuwing tinititigan ko si Ayah — ‘yung tipong masaya ka lang kasi buhay pa siya.

Ramdam ko ang tensyon sa bawat galaw niya. Bigla siyang humarap. Matalim ang mga mata niya. Galit. Pero may kung anong hindi ko maipaliwanag sa ilalim no’n. “You were smiling.” “Ha?” “You were smiling at your phone.” Natahimik ako. “Bakit? Bawal na ba ngumiti?” “Don’t do that.” “Don’t do what?” “Don’t smile like that for someone else.” Parang may kung anong bumagsak sa dibdib ko.

I can’t believe that I look like this when I smile. Despite the sweat and disheveled hair, my face looks bright. It was shining. And I know that it’s because of the smile. Ganito rin si Oxem sa paningin ko kapag ngumingiti siya nang totoo. Nag-iiba ang aura niya. Mas nagiging attractive siya sa paningin ko sa tuwing ganito ang ngiti niya.

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay lihim niyang binati ang kanyang sarili. “The magic of your smile is heaven sent.Masaya ako dahil nakakangiti kana ngayon, after all deserve mo ang maging masaya,” nag-init man ang mukha niya sa sinabing iyon ng binata ay minabuti parin niyang sumagot. “S-Salamat,” maikli niyang tugon.

Thereafter, a warm smile drew on his face. At that moment, pakiramdam ko, na-estatwa ako. His perfect white teeth showed as his lips parted to form a captivating smile, which made me want to melt like ice crème under the hot summer sun. His smile is the kind that other people would call a “Killer Smile.” Ito ‘yong tipo na makikita mo sa toothpaste commercial habang may kumakanta sa background ng, “nothing can come between us, nothing can separate us.” Ganern! “You should be more careful, medyo madulas dito sa pool area,” muli niyang sabi.

Yung tingin niya ay parang may nabuo sa utak niya na hindi ko pa gets. Then he smiled. Yung kind of smile na hindi loud, pero solid. Supportive. Reassuring. Almost… proud?

And for some reason, that simple smile made her happy. “Uyy ngumiti ka...” “What’s so amusing about seeing me smile, Amara?” Sabi nito sabay bumalik sa dating masungit na mukha. “Wala, hindi ka kaya madalas na ngumiti, parang masyadong mahal ang tawa at ngiti mo, so I think seeing you smile even just a little is already a big achievement.” “Ngumiti rin naman ako kanina sa kusina, wala ka namang sinabi.”

We shared the snacks while chatting. Just like that, bumalik na ulit sa axis ang mundo ko. Everything's normal and I feel warm and fuzzy with just one smile. The dimple on his cheeks makes everything fine.

“Nakikiusap ka ba sa akin or nang-iinsulto?” He smiled—hindi iyong nang-aasar na smile at mas lalong hindi iyon smirk—and it made my heart go crazy and wild. Bahagyang umaliwalas din ang gwapo niyang mukha at natawa siya. “But I really think you’re a brat, though or am I wrong?”

Damn, pag mapapangiti ko itong high-end, million yata ang makukuha kong pera dahil sa mga magazines na sold out. Ngunit ang perang inaasam-asam ko, naging bato no'ng hindi man sila ngumiti kahit isa lang. What the hell is wrong with smiling? Hindi ba sila happy sa mga nararating nila? "Everyone? Smile for me, please." Marahang sabi ko.