So It's You (Villa Martinez Series #4)

Chapter Eighteen

Hello, readers! I read your comments. I don't publish stories kapag hindi pa tapos yung story sa isip ko at least. Mahihirapan po ako kung may babaguhin pa ako sa original plot, sorry. Hope you understand. Thank you for reading my Villa Martinez #4!

Chapter Eighteen

Driver

"You can come home with me to the Philippines." Jeth smiled at me.

Umiling lang ako, may ngiti rin sa mga labi. Jethro was my ex-boyfriend then and has been a friend to me since the day we met again here in Europe. I've been traveling and exploring countries in Europe for more than a year now.

I have learned many and new things that I don't really usually do before through my travels here. I enjoyed taking pictures of beautiful places using the camera I bought. I even studied painting! Sinubukan ko lang isang beses nang napadpad ako sa Italy at ilang buwan ding nanatili roon.

We have the money and means to travel but my family weren't really the usual so we don't really travel growing up. Takot din ako noong mag-travel mag-isa... Kahit gusto ko pa sana. At isa pa ay naging sobrang busy ko sa company namin given that my dad trained me too early I think that I didn't really had the time to explore other things than our business. Kaya nawalan din ako ng panahon.

Two years ago I left everything in the Philippines and chose to stay in Europe for the rest of those years. Trying to find myself... Trying to move on from all the hurt and pain I went through... I left everything--our company, my family... everything. My broken self was the only thing I brought with me as I explored the beautiful and wonderful places in the whole of Europe.

"Come on, Alecxandra. Hindi mo na ba talaga ako bibigyan pa ng chance?" ngisi ni Jeth.

I smilingly roll my eyes at the man in front of me. Jeth chuckled. Nangingiti nalang din akong umiling before I sip on my coffee. We were at a pretty cafe here in Vienna, Austria.

"Fine, I guess I'll just see you in the Philippines then. I hope you'll not be that busy." aniya.

Tumango ako kay Jeth at ngumiti. My busy schedules then with our company was one of the reasons why we broke up. He couldn't understand before but now that he's also managing their family business, I guess naintindihan na rin niya ako noon. We were young when we were in a relationship before at dahil sobrang aga ko nga na train ni daddy sa trabaho ay nagtatrabaho na ako noon while Jeth then wasn't working yet and just having all the time of his life. Kaya hindi niya naintindihan. I can't blame him, though. Naintindihan ko naman... And he's changed now.

People are capable of changes... Maybe we just have to give them a chance... But do we have to give everyone a chance? Kahit pa oo nga at may pagbabago na sa kanila...

"You're a busy businessman now too, Jeth. But, yes, I'll see you when I'm not busy." I gave him a smile.

I liked all the changes in him. He's more matured now and more responsible. He's been a good friend to me since we met again a year ago when I visited Germany at may business affair din siya doon. Since then ay madalas na rin kami magkita lalo at may mga hotels ang family I niya rito sa Europe. Ang alam ko ay European din ang kaniyang daddy. He would always contact me kapag narito siya at nag-o-offer pang samahan ako sa pamamasyal. Hindi ko naman tinatanggihan and I liked his company. After a year of traveling alone hindi na rin masama na may makasamang isang kakilala and from the same county.

"Alright, then." aniya.

Ngumiti lang ako kay Jeth.

Binibiro niya lang din naman ako. We're just friends. He knows I'm still married...

Dad wasn't well. He's old and was becoming sickly. This was what pushed me to go home after two years of just traveling places to places. Dahil kung ako lang ay ayaw ko nang bumalik pa. After all the hurt and pain I'd been through ay maayos na sana ako rito sa ibang bansa...

Mula sa bintana ng sinakyan kong eroplano ay natanaw ko na ang bansang lalapagan ko. It's been two years but still felt like everything from the past just happened yesterday. Nakausap ko na si Sandro sa tawag at alam na niyang ngayon ang dating ko. He was busy with the company so he'll just send someone to pick me at the airport. Siguro ay driver.

"Sandro," muli ko siyang tinawagan nang nasa loob na ako ng airport at palabas na rin.

"Is it Alecxandra?" I heard my mom's voice from the background. "Did you tell your sister to come straight here in our home? I prepared food for her!" Malakas ang boses ni mommy na malinaw kong naririnig.

"Yes, Mom, I did. Dito na sa bahay didiretso si ate." Sandro sighed. Pagkatapos ay tinuon na niya ang atensyon sa akin. "Nasa airport ka na, ate?"

"Yes, palabas na actually. Nandito na ba iyong sundo ko na sinabi mo?"

I heard Sandro cleared his throat a bit. "Ah! Yes, yes, nandiyan na siya."

"All right. Ibaba ko na 'to. I'm exhausted from the long flight, Sandro. Gusto ko nang umuwi at magpahinga. Tell Mom in advance na saka nalang niya ako kausapin after I'm already well rested." bilin ko sa kapatid.

Sa boses pa lang ni mommy sa background ay alam ko nang marami siyang gustong sabihin o gustong gawin kasama ko. But the more than 13 hours flight really made me end up exhausted that I just look forward so much to the comfort of my bed.

"Mom's just excited to see you again after two years, ate. Don't worry, ako nang bahala sa kaniya."

"Thanks, Sandro." Pagkatapos ay binaba ko na ang tawag.

Tuloy-tuloy akong lumapit sa isang sasakyan. Nakatalikod ang driver sa akin at nang humarap ito ay bumagal ang lakad ko hanggang sa tumigil ako sa paghakbang. But I was already standing near and in front of him.

Alessandro!

I cursed my brother in my mind. Ano ba ang pumasok sa isip ng batang iyon at nagawa niya ito sa akin? Alam naman niyang... Ganoon na ba sila kalapit sa isa't isa para magawa ito sa akin ng kapatid ko? But I'm his sister! Damn it!

I knew when I was away sila ni Sandro ang magkatulong na namahala sa company. Minsan kapag nakatawag ako sa kapatid ko noong mga panahong wala pa ako rito ay minsan din niyang nababanggit sa akin... si Ryder! Pero hindi ko iyon pinagtutuonan ng pansin at noong mga unang beses ay nagagalit pa ako sa kapatid ko. Pero siguro nga ay naging sobrang malapit na sila sa isa't isa na nagyari ang mga bagay na ito!

"Why are you here? Nasaan ang driver?"

"Your brother asked me to pick you up here at the airport. Kung hindi kita susunduin ay walang susundo sa 'yo."

Impossible! Nalulugi na ba ang business namin that we can't anymore afford a driver? Sandro is just so impossible!

"Impossible." I voiced out. "I didn't expect you here,"

Tumango si Ryder. "I know, I'm sorry... Ihahatid lang kita sa inyo. Aalis din ako pagkatapos. I won't bother you." he said it like a promise.

Ilang sandali kaming nakatingin sa isa't isa until he looked away first. Bahagya rin akong na conscious sa sarili ko kung maayos naman ba ang suot ko or the long hours of my flight to here made me haggard. But... whatever! It's not my concern.

Pinagbuksan ako ni Ryder ng pinto ng sasakyan. Nagdadalawang-isip pa ay pumasok na rin ako sa loob. I sat behind while he went inside the driver seat and silently drove away.

Totoo nga siya sa sinabi niya na hindi naman niya ako guguluhin. Tahimik lang siyang nagmamaneho na parang isa nga siyang driver na sinundo lang ako sa airport pauwi sa bahay namin. He didn't talk to me or asked me anything. Nanatili lang siyang focus sa pagmamaneho.

Kinuha ko nalang ang phone ko and just decided to listen to music while we're in this long ride. It felt longer in this situation.

Binaling ko lang din ang tingin ko sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan.