The runaway heiress

4. Out of goodbyes

"Let us welcome the debutante – Yza Joan Ybarra – Consunji!"

I held on tightly to Yto's arms as we climb down the stairs of the function hall that night of my eighteenth birthday. I was feeling so nervous and at the same time uncomfortable. The heels are killing me, the gown was suffocating me. I couldn't breathe.

"Yza, ngumiti ka naman." Bulong ni Yto sa akin. I tried to do what he said. I was smiling pretty wide that night. I looked at Yto. He was smiling too – bigla ay parang gusto kong sumigaw ng "Himala!" nang makita kong nakangiti ang kakambal ko. He was wearing a gray suit with – a suit that matches my yellow sparkly – talagang sparly – debutant gown.

I looked around again. I could see my friends and of course my family. Tatay and Nanay were standing near each other holding hands. I saw Nanay wiped her tears as she looked at me. Si Tatay naman ang wide din ng ngiti. He looked so proud. Tito Adam and Tita Aura were at the next table – and just like my parents they looked so proud. I saw Uncle Luke and Auntie Apollo sitting next to Uncle Julian and Tita Laide. They were all looking at me with happiness and warmth in their eyes.

Yto and I stopped walking when we reached the middle of the hall. Tatay walked towards me and took my hand. He kissed my cheeks and smiled.

"You look so pretty, baby..." He said. My eyes watered. Ang tagal-tagal na noong huli akong tinawag na baby ni tatay. Sabi niya kasi malaki na ako. I remembered the first time he called me baby – I felt so happy, so complete – at iyon din ang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

Inihatid ako ni Tatay at ni Yto sa debutante's chair – in the middle of the room. Nang makaupo ako ay iniwan na nila akong dalawa. Tatay sat beside nanay again and Yto sat beside Yna. Yna looked so cute too – she was wearing a tiny version of my gown.

Nagsimula na ang program. The host asked me to stand up so that Yto could pick me up. The cotillion dance started. Kami ni Yto ang magka-partner. Halos lahat naman ng mga kaibigan ko ay sumasayaw.

When we got to the point where we had to change partners – noon ko lang napansin si Xander. As I held his hand, nakadama ako ng pag-aalala.

"Xander, anong nangyari sa mukha mo?" I whispered while we dance. Ang dami niyang pasa, namamaga pa iyong labi niya but despite all of that, he managed to give me a smile.

"Okay lang ako, happy birthday, love." He smiled at me. I blushed.  Xander called me love – in my dictionary para na rin niyang sinabing gusto niya ako. He was just smiling at me. Nagpalit ulit ang partners, nakabalik na ako kay Yto. He held my hand then he sighed. Bigla siyang tumawa.

"Bakit?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Nanliligaw na si Xander sa'yo." Napapalatak siya. "Wala na akong magagawa doon, Yzang. Basta kapag sinaktan ka niya, ako ang iharap mo ha?" Ngumiti siya sa akin. Namula lalo ang mukha ko. I know for a fact that Yto loves me as much as he loves our other siblings. Noong kaming dalawa pa lang – palagi niya akong pinagtatagol kapag may umaaway sa akin. He's my knight in shining armor and right now I feel like he's giving me away already and I kinda want to cry.

Yto is my twin – we have this connection that no one could ever understand – kaming dalawa lang and also it has something to do with the way Nanay had raised us.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?" Tanong niya.

"Pinapamigay mo na ako eh. Ayaw mo na akong alagaan." I wiped my tears. Yto smiled.

"Hindi kita pinapamigay. It's just that... " he siged. "I have to keep my part of the deal. Anyway, I will always be with you, Yza. No matter what happen."