FIRST SNOW
Lingering Stares (Zeus & Seige)
"Good morning, milady." he heard Asher said, tone playful.
Gusto man niyang sumilip pero siya ang designated chef for that particular morning, hindi niya pwedeng iwan ang kusina.
He just learned how to cook without; one) burning everything inside the pan, and two) setting the kitchen on fire and flooding the entire house from the fire sprinklers.
His mom, Adrianna, was his sous chef— his mom's words, not his.
"Grabe!" Asher exclaimed, his voice now sounding nearer. "Ang lamig na ng panahon, makikisabay ka pa."
Mukhang alam na niya kung sino ang kinulilit ni Asher. Napailing nalang siya at ibinalik ang pansin sa niluluto.
He was already on the zone when something sharp hit his side. With a frown, he turned to look at his mom; a knowing look on her face.
"Selos ka?"
"Why would I be jealous, Ma?"
Adri shrugged. "Kasi kausap ni Ash si Seige."
"Ma," paninimula ni Zeus, nasa niluluto ang atensyon. "Masasayang nalang ang laway ni Ash, wala siyang mapapalang sagot kay Seige."
"Naks naman!" his mother playfully smacked his arm with the ladle she was holding. "Kumpiyansa siya sa girlfriend. Sana all."
Napapailing nalang si Zeus habang pinapahinaan ang apoy ng stove.
A moment later, Asher finally came into view: both hands inside his pants' pockets, walking towards them all the while shaking his head.
"'Yung girlfriend mo, Pare," Ash told him in disbelief, "hindi man lang ako kinausap. Para akong kumakausap sa hangin." naiiyak na dagdag nito. "It really hurts."
Adri laughed softly. "Wala naman pala talagang ikaka-selos itong panganay ko. Kahit 'yung charms mo hindi effective."
"Tita naman," kakamot-kamot sa ulong tugon ni Ash.
Ezra marched inside the kitchen, Seige trailing just a little behind her. "Admit it, dear cousin, you're slowly losing it. Diba, Seige?"
Sabay-sabay silang tumingin sa direksyon ng dalaga na ngayon ay may nagtatakhang tingin sa maganda nitong mukha.
"What?"
His mother chuckled and sauntered to where Seige and Ezra was, before Adrianna put her arm around the former's shoulder.
"I know what," Adri beamed at Seige widely to the point that Zeus thought it was starting to scare his girlfriend. "Why don't you and Zeus go out after breakfast? Have a date, a blast. Go on an adventure. Tour Seige around. What do you say?"
"Um.."
"Ooh!" nagtaas ng kamay si Ezra, "Ma, sasama kami. We'll go on a roadtrip!"
Binaba ni Asher ang nakataas na kamay ng pinsan. "Huwag kang third-wheel. Lumabas kayo ni Aiden ng kayo lang."
"Tse!" Ezra flipped her hair as she glared at her cousin.
