The runaway heiress

1. Soon

 "Birthday din naman ni Yto, bakit siya walang party?"

It was an ordinary Sunday morning and I was having breakfast with my family. I was sitting at the chair next to my nanay – who was putting some sugar on tatay's coffee. Tatay looked at me as if he was feeling somewhat – alienated with what I just said.

"Yza," His calm voice always made me feel like I did something wrong kahit wala naman. Siguro iyon talaga iyong epekto ng pagiging Sancho Consunji ni Tatay. I sighed.

My family – we'll tatay's family is very powerful. They own the most influential empire in the country.  Also, my tatay is one of the most influential men in the corporate world, he's ranked number two in the Forbes list.

He sighed. "Ayaw mo bang mag-debut? It's your will. You'll be turning eighteen next week. We should celebrate that."

"Si Yto..."

The truth is, I don't want to have a party. I was thinking of something else. I wanted to do something else – like a charity work. I wanted to feed the homeless kids o kaya man pumunta sa orphanage na madalas puntahan noon ni Lola. I haven't visited that place since she died and I really want to give back.

But I guess my parents had something else their minds. Nanay smiled at me.

"Maganda iyon, Yzang, magsususot ka ng gown."

"Oo nga naman ate." Singit pa ni Yna. She was sitting beside Yllak who was busy eating his toast. Yllak looked at her then he made a face.

"Oo nga naman ate..." He mimicked. "Inggit ka lang eh!"

I rolled my eyes. Nagsimula na naman silang dalawa.

"Nanay oh! Si Kuya niloloko ako!" Sumbong ni Yna kay Nanay. Yna is the youngest among all of us. She's only nine years old, while Yllak is ten and Yvo is twelve.

"Kids, stop it." Bawal ni Nanay sa kanila. I shook my head. Hindi yata nabubuo ang araw ni Yllak kapag hindi niya napapaiyak si Yna. Kung gaano kami kalapit ni Yto noon, kabaligtaran naman naming sila. Yvo was just eyeing the two of them. Ganoon lang naman siya, palagi siyang tahimik pero kapag nagsalita naman siya talagang makikinig ka sa kanya.

Yvo is so much like tatay – tahimik pero kapag nagsalita malaman. Unlike Yto, he's becoming like Tito Luke each day and I'm really wondering why.

Tito Luke is tatay's brother and like what Tita Apollo – his wife – always tells me – parang naging mini me ni Tito si Yto.

"Pero kasi..." Napakamot na lang ako ng ulo. Hinawakan ni Nana yang kamay ko.

"Sige na, please?" She said to me. I bit my lower lip.

"Papayag na iyan, nay." Sabi pa nit Yto.

"Sige po..." Wika ko na lang. Nanay smiled wide. Mukha namang natuwa din si Tatay sa sinabi ko.

"So, mag-isip ka na kung sinong escort mo sa debut, Yza Joan." Sabi ni Nanay. Napatingin kaming dalawa kay Tatay at kay Yto nang pareho nilang bitiwan ang hawak nilang kutsara.

"Bakit mag-iisip?" Tanong ni Tatay.

"Oo nga." Sabi naman ni Yto. "Ako iyong escort. Ako lang."

I rolled my eyes again. Gumana na naman ang pagiging overprotective ng kakambal ko. Okay lang naman sa akin, pero minsan kasi parang o.a. na.

"So it's settled. Si Yto ang escort. Walang iba." Tatay confirmed. Napailing na lang si Nanay.