Love in the Hacienda [Completed]

Chapter 9

Clara just stood there in shock.

"This is not nowhere. The house just happens to be in the middle of hectares-worth of land," pagtatama ni Alejandro at lumapit para hilahin siya sa kaliwang braso. 

"Woah," Tyler blurted out ng makitang pinaghiwalay sila ni Alejandro. 

"Who are you in her life?" mariing tanong ni Alejandro na ngayon ay hawak-hawak si Clara sa kaliwang braso. 

"I'm the boyfriend," Tyler proudly said. 

Clara couldn't handle it anymore kung kaya't binawi niya ang braso kay Alejandro at hinarap si Tyler. "For the record, we don't have any label at ilang araw mo na akong hindi nire-reply-an."

"But I'm here now, babe. I'm back!" pagmamakaawa nito. "Won't you let me in para makilala ko ang mga magulang mo?"

Alejandro just gave him dagger stares. 

"And who is this guy?" Tyler asked Clara. "Head ba siya ng mga magsasaka ninyo?"

Alejandro's eyes turned into slits and Clara knew Tyler hit a nerve. "Tyler, Alejandro. Alejandro, Tyler."

"Nice meeting you, dude." Tyler extended a hand.

But Alejandro refused to take it.

So Clara introduced Alejandro herself. "He owns the hacienda beside us and he manages our land along with my dad."

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry, bro. My bad. I didn't know," paumanhin ni Tyler na hindi rin pinansin ni Alejandro. "Anyway, won't you let me in and show me around?"

Alejandro looked at her unbelievingly. 

She just mouthed 'I'm sorry' to him dahil mukhang hindi yata matutuloy ang dinner na pinag-usapan nila. She walked inside the house while the men followed. Their house was pretty big pero alam niya kung nasasaan lagi ang mga magulang niya.

True enough, they were at the pool-side at nagme-merienda ng mga oras na iyon. 

"Ma, Pa," bati niya sa mga ito. 

Isabel and Anselmo looked up from their cakes and coffee. 

"Hello, Ma, Pa!" Tyler greeted them both. 

Anselmo looked at him weirdly. "Who are you?"

"I'm sorry. I'm Tyler, your daughter's boyfriend."

Gulat na gulat ang mga magulang niya sa sinabi nito. So Clara intervened. "I'm sorry, Ma, Pa. Palabiro talaga si Tyler. But yes, we're dating back in Manila. And he's here... surprisingly... to visit me."

"Well..." Isabel tried to look for words. Tumayo ito para i-welcome ang bisita. "Our daughter's friends are always welcome here. You came all the way from Manila, hijo?"

"Yes po. You look so beautiful. Now, I know where Clara got her looks," malambing na kumento ni Tyler sa Mama niya.

"I'll be in the sala waiting for you, Clara, if you're done with... this," Alejandro suddenly interrupted, looking slightly disappointed. 

"Okay," sang-ayon niya. Nakalimutan na niyang nasa likod nga pala si Alejandro at susunduin siya dapat. Pero paano na ngayon?

Just then, out of nowhere, lumabas bigla mula sa bahay si Winnie. "Oh, Alejandro, you're here again?"

Kitang-kita ni Clara ang saya sa mukha ni Winnie ng masalubong ang binata. Oh, no! No! She can't have Alejandro. Not tonight!

So before Tyler could say another word, she told everyone out loud, "Ma, Pa, Alejandro and I agreed to have dinner tonight sa bahay nila. I'm sorry Tyler, but I think I have to leave for now. If you wanna stay around, my mother can show you the guest room where you can stay."

Clara turned to look at Alejandro to signal that they can leave now.

But Winnie was quick to ask, "Oh, dinner! Wow, where?"

Clara didn't answer dahil ayaw niyang sumama ito. But Alejandro, being the polite gentleman that he is, responded, "I'm bringing her to Villa Deogracias."

"Oh, your house?" Isabel asked. 

"Yes, Tita Isabel. My mom hasn't seen Clara in so long. She was asking about her so I decided to bring her along for at least one dinner."

"That's great! Go ahead, hija. Enjoy. Say my regards to Mercedes," patuloy na mensahe ni Isabel.

Thank God! Clara internally exhaled. This afternoon wasn't what she planned at all. Ni hindi man lamang siya nakapagbihis ng maayos. She was just in denim shorts and a white shirt dahil 5PM pa lamang pero hindi na niya balak pang mag bihis dahil baka makasingit na naman si Winnie.

"Yeah, let's go, Alejandro!" yaya niya sa binata at naglakad na papalabas. 

She heard Alejandro follow her judging by the footsteps behind her. 

At nang makalabas na ulit sila sa harapan ng bahay, she walked towards his pickup car at hinarap ito.

"Nice dinner outfit," ngising-ngising puna nito.

"Just open the damn door," iritang wika niya.

He opened the door for her. "You know you can change, right?"

"I don't want to," sagot niya. "Let's just leave bago pa may makahabol na naman sayo."

"All right. But to be clear, hindi ako ang may boyfriend na naghahabol dito."

"I didn't even know Tyler was gonna be here! We haven't been talking for days now. And he is not my boyfriend," deklara niya. 

"He better not be," seryosong wika ni Alejandro and stared at her intently. And after a few seconds, isinarado na nito ang pinto at naglakad papunta sa driver seat.

*****

A/N: Hello!!!!!! I'm back. Hehe kamusta naman kayong lahat? Eto na ang update na pinakahihintay ninyo. <3

Pero bago ang lahat, just wanna know. Are you guys team Winnie or team Clara? HAHAHAHA