Elysian (Samantila Series #1)

14

The week came and I informed Stage days before the dinner. Mabuti na nga lang at pumayag si Daddy noong sinabi ko sa call.

He was even proud and said he'd cook his specialty. Mag-uuwi din siya ng mga huling isda na galing sa Batangas.

"Dear, Haze, what does your friend wants? Does he have any request?" si Dad, hindi magkanda-ugaga sa luluuin. It's friday and they're going home by the late evening.

"Hon, don't pressure yourself over that." rinig kong tawa ni Mommy sa background. Tumawa rin ako. Hindi naman umimik si Daddy at hinantay lang ang sagot ko.

"He just said he wanna taste your cooking, Dad. Kahit ano naman daw ay pwede." I answered.

Tumikhim si Daddy sa kabilang linya, "He?"

Nawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko, I didn't mention that he's a he?

"Yes, dad. He."

Silence is all I can here on the phone. Mabuti nalang ay nagsalita rin naman agad si Daddy kahit na halata ang pagka-seryoso sa boses, "Who's that 'he', Amaterasu?"

Napalunok ako, "Stage Ezequiel Lacsamana, Dad."

I heard Mommy's awkward laugh, "Oh? Stage Lacsamana? Hindi ba't anak yan nila Eliott at Koios?"

"You know them, Mom?" I'm actually quite shocked that my mom knows Stage's parents. Yeah, we're family friends but my family focuses on marine related things. Habang ang mga Lacsamana naman ay.. medyo nalalayo sa business na'min.

"Of course. They sometimes use our marine lines to export and import products."

Tumango ako. Our businesses are hard to understand. We're tangled by blood kasi that's why the ownership of our companies can be sometimes confusing. All of our family relatives have their own expertise, though. Katulad ng pamilya nila Briseis, they also focus on marine or sea related businesses but they're more on resorts or tourism. Kaya kung gusto mong makalibre sa mga resort, si Briseis ang lapitan mo.

Mahinang umubo si Daddy, "That's enough. Sige, anak. Just tell.. Ezequiel? To go there on sunday."

"Okay, dad. I'll hang up na po." then I ended the call after few goodbyes. Bumuntong hininga ako at tinignan ang mga frames sa harap. Ngayon ay nakaupo ako sa isa sa sofa na'min sa living room.

I can't help but think of dad's reaction. Is it really rare for me to have a guy friend? Maybe they thought that I'm a tomboy or something? But being not that attracted to guys not related to me by blood doesn't mean that I am suddenly a tomboy, right?

That stereotyping is wrong.. Kahit anong klase naman siguro ng pag-ii-stereotype ay 'di tama. You shouldn't judge someone by how they act, where they're from, how they socialize or how they dress up.

Ganon lang talaga sila. You shouldn't conclude their sexuality or personality by those things.

Natigil lamang ako sa pag-iisip nang mag-vibrate ang cellphone ko.

Stage:

I'm nervous

Kumunot ang noo ko habang binabasa ang text n'ya. Is there something to be nervous of?

Ako:

Why?

Baka naman may test sila? Surprise recitation? Or research na ginaganap at nahihirapan siya?

Agad kong tinignan ang ni-reply n'ya.

Stage:

I'm meeting your parents on sunday..