"Hey?"
"Para kang nakakita ng multo saakin ah."
She was teasing me.
"I miss you, little sis! Did you miss me ba?" She wento to me and hugged me so tight.
I hugged her back, but my mind was on the president.
Hindi niya dapat itong makita. Magkakaroon ng palaisipan kung sakali.
"Are you okay, Clarey?" Ate Steffy asked me so worried.
I just tried my best to act normal.
"Hmm, umuwi ka pala? Bakit?" Natawa naman siya at hinampas pa ako.
"Yeah, kanina lang... pero parang ayaw mo akong umuwi ah! I told you, pupuntahan kita... diba?" Ayaw talaga! Hindi man lang nagsabi na ngayon ang uwi.
"Steffy, alam ba nina dad to?" Baka ako ang maipit na naman. Baka sumunod sila rito, magugulo ulit ako.
"Yeah, ang paalam ko sa Singapore lang ako." Tangina! Alam niyang malakas ang radar ng mga Berkan!
"Do you really want to make my life in mess again? Paano kung malaman nila na nandito ka pala?" inis kong baling sa kanya.
Napairap siya. "Relax! I already know that... I settled everything before going here. Hindi nila malalaman, depende na kang kung gusto mog ipaalam sa kanila."
This woman is making me insane. That family is a total mess. They will just ruin me again.
"Hindi mo ba ako papapasukin? Ano ba, Clarey? Ganyan ka ba tumanggap ng bisita?" Akmang papasok naman na siya pero pinigilan ko.
"You should book your hotel room or you should buy your own hotel! I'm not allowing you to stay here." I directly said to her.
"Sige, bukas... bibili na akong hotel. Pero, ngayon... I want to rest first. Galing pa akong Turkey, Stella Clarey! Please, akala ko naman iba ako. Also, I spoke to Tito Greg... he told me that I can stay here. Hindi mo bahay yan, huwag kang OA!"
Nagpumilit naman siyang pumasok pero talagang pinipigilan ko siya.
"Ano ba?! Steffy... please."
Nakapasok naman siya sa gate at nahinto nang mapunta ang mata sa sasakyan na nandito sa parking.
"Oh my? You owned this? You bought a Land Cruiser? Akala ko ha naghihirap kana? Or baka... ginamit mo na ulit yung nasa bank mo?"
Napapikit ako sa inis na nararamdaman ko sa kanya.
"Hindi saakin yan! Pinapark lang nung kapit-bahay tsaka isa pa... hindi ko ginamit yung nasa account ko. Hinding-hindi ko na gagamitin yon." Mukhang hindi naman siya satisfied sa naging sagot ko.
"Park ng kapit-bahay? Bagong business mo ba? May parking fee ganon?" Pang-aasar niya.
Hinawakan ko naman ang isang maleta niya at hahatakin ko na sana siya palabas pero mabilis siyang naglakad papunta sa bahay.
"Nauuhaw na ako! Pumasok na tayo!" aniya at patakbong pumasok.
"Steffy!" sigaw ko.
Pero, huli na...
Nakapasok na siya sa loob. Nadatnan kong nakahinto siya sa may sala kung nasaan ang oangulo.
Gulat ang makikita sa mukha ng Ate Seffy ko pero kaswal lamang na nakatingin ang pangulo sa kanya.
"You are... the president? You're Bongbong Marcos, right?" she asked Bong.
The president stood up and greeted her formally.
"Bongbong Marcos..." He introduced himself and offered a handshake.
With so much confusion and surprise on her, she also greeted the president.
"What are you doing here, Mr. President? Well, on my sister's house?"
The president looked at me. His eyes are telling me something. It feels like he wants me to tell Ate Steffy what's true behind what he's doing here.
"A-Ah... he just came here to talk and discuss something." palusot ko.
I saw how Bong smiled a bit, like he was trying his best to ride on what I said.
"Yeah, I just came here to discuss some matter with your sister, miss." Bong answered him in a very formal tone.
"And what matter, Mr. Marcos?" My Ate Steffy sounds investigative.
Bong smiled a bit. "About my son's relationship with her."
I am so shocked. I don't expect that answer coming from him.
"Your son? Oh, I got it! Congressman Sandro Marcos?"
Tumango lamang ang pangulo. Sa pagiging seloso niya lalo na pagdating sa anak niya, alam kong nasasaktan na siya ngayon.
"Yeah, nababalitaan ko nga yung tungkol sa kanila. Nasabi rin ni Clarey yung tungkol sa anak niyo... na nanliligaw yata."
I saw how Bong's eyes became cold. He's hurting so bad!
"Ate please... baka nadadaldalan na sayo ang pangulo." pagsuway ko.
"Ano palang pinag-usapan niyo, Mr. President? Balak na po ba nilang magpakasal ng anak niyo?"
Tumingin ulit saakin ang pangulo.
"No, I just asked your sister, Ms. Stella... about my son Sandro." Jealousy, I smelled it.
"How sweet it is! Sir, my sister is so lucky for having a father in law like you." I want to get Steffy out now.
This is not good anymore!
"Steffy! I think the president will go now."
Bong smiled again at her before going out without even saying a piece of word or giving me any reaction.
"Mahiya ka naman sana... you didn't respect the president for all your damn questions." pagalit kong sabi sa Ate Steffy ko at hinabol ang pangulo.
Nakalabas na ang sasakyan niya at isinasara niya na ang gate. "Mr. President!" pagtawag ko sa kanya.
Tumingin lamang siya saakin at nahinto.
"Take a rest, love. Magkita na lang tayo mamaya sa burol ni Nicole." pabulong niyang sabi saakin.
Nakaramdam naman ako ng ginhawa dahil mukhang hndi naman siya galit o nagtatampo.
"Akala ko nagtatampo o galit ka eh." mahina rin ang pagkakasabi ko.
Tumawa siya ng bahagya. "No, love. Don't worry, okay? It's okay if you deny me or what, as long as I know you love me and you're really mine. Isa pa, sanay na ako eh."
Gusto ko siyang yakapin ng napaka higpit. Sabihin niya man kasi na okay lang at huwag akong mag-alala, ramdam ko na nasasaktan siya.
"I love you..." I whispered and held his hand quickly.
"Mauuna na ako, Stella. Will message you if I get home." He went inside his car and smiled at me before closing the window.
As usual, he beeped three times. For him, it means "I love you." His lowkey way of saying I love you to me.
"How I wish I could say to the world how much I love this man. How I wish I could hold his hand in front of all the people. How I wish we were free."
The situation was so hard. It's so hard to pretend and tell everyone that we are just nothing and simply know each other when in fact, we are deeply in love with each other. Well, we are engaged.
I looked at my engagement ring and caressed it.
