Me : You should work with the FBI.
hugocarvajal : Thank you.
hugocarvajal : Cute name, by the way.
I shut my eyes. Umakyat ang init sa pisngi ko.
Well, who wouldn't? Icing sa ibabaw ng cheesecake ko?
Nagmamadali akong pinalitan iyon ng maayos. I changed it into my nickname. Nakakahiya!
Bago ko pa isarado ang cellphone ko ay nakita ko ang bagong palit din niyang pangalan sa Twitter.
Cheesecake sa ilalim ng icing ko.
Oh my god.
I didn't know how I slept peacefully that night. Ang alam ko lang ay magdamag akong inulan ng halo halong emosyon. Kahihiyan ang nangunguna, ngunit taliwas ay magdamag akong nakangiti.
I didn't want to tell my mother about Hugo. Ayaw ko dahil pakiramdam ko, gugulo lang ang nangyayari. There's nothing sure about what's happening. I don't know what's going on. I don't want to assume and also it just brings confusion to me.
Natapos ang buong linggo. Halos madaliin ko ang oras para lang umabot sa Sabado. Mommy was nagging me about the Carvajals. Kalaunan naman ay nilulubayan niya ako.
Nagmamadali akong magbihis. I wore a yellow flowery dress and curled the ends of my hair. I did a very light make up just to justify the dress.
My mother, curiously, watched me as I walked down the stairs.
Binaba niya ang newspaper na hawak niya.
"Are you on a date, Nichoella?"
"Huh? No, Mom. Pupunta lang ako kila Alonna."
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "You never dressed like that before. Are you sure you're with Alonna?"
"Madam," extra ng isang maid.
I adjusted my shoes while listening.
"May naghahanap kay Nichoella sa labas," our oldest maid said.
My eyes widened. No, no, no! Don't tell me...
"Sino?"
"Hindi ko po alam, Madam. Gwapo."
"Anong gwapo?"
"Mukhang mabango na maganda ang sasakyan tapos matangkad na—"
"That's Alonna's boyfriend!" I grabbed my bag. "Aalis na ako!"
Umirap si Mommy. She murmured words. "Kung kailan third-wheel lang, tsaka maayos manamit."
Tumakbo ako palabas.
Dadalhin ko sana ang sasakyan ko ngunit hindi ko naman alam na susunduin niya ako. He didn't say anything.
I saw his red car parked in front of our gate. Naroon siya't nakatingin sa cellphone. He was wearing this short-sleeved black polo and a faded blue ripped jeans. Inalis niya ang itim na wayfarer nang makita ako. May itim na relo at yellow string bracelet. The maid was right, he looks mabango.
"Hi, Mr. Carvajal..." bati ko at lumapit sa kaniya.
He checked me out with his amused eyes.
"Hi, Madam..."
I smirked. "We should go. Baka makita tayo ni Mommy."
Humalukipkip siya at itinaas ang isang kilay.
Ngumuso ako.
"So?"
"I just don't want her to know."
Kabanata 11
Start from the beginning
