WRITER'S PEN

CHAPTER FOUR - "I've already seen your true self"

Tumayo na ako at humarap sa kanila. "Nice to meet you," I said full of seriousness while bowing my head a little."Gabriel, don't be too serious about your daughter! tinatakot mo ang bata ehh." Sabi ng ina ni Niklaus habang pabiro syang hinahampas. Pumunta sa harap ko si Mrs. Villafuerte bago nakipagbeso sakin.

"Come here, dear. Meet my son and daughter" Nakangiti nyang sabi bago ako hinila papalapit sa direksyon ng isang babae na kamukha nya pero mas bata pa ang itsura at syempre, sa fiance kong walang kwenta.

"This is Eunice Isabel Villafuerte, my daughter. She's twenty years old" Pakilala nya habang nakangiti ng malawak sakin, Maganda ang nanay ni Niklaus, I can see now why she is still a top actress at her age. She's in '40 but her appearance looks ten years younger. Tiningnan ko ang kapatid ni Niklaus. Hindi niya ako pinapansin at patuloy na nakatutok sa kanyang cellphone, nagte-type ng kung ano. Kahit isang tingin man lang sa akin, hindi niya ginawa. Sa kanyang pag-uugali, maliwanag na hindi niya ako gusto.

"Isabel," Tawag ng mommy niya sa kaniya. Parang nagtayuan bigla yung mga balahibo ko sa katawan ng biglang mag-iba ang tono ng boses ng Mom ni Niklaus. Hindi kagaya ng kanina na malambing at malaanghel... Naging nakakatakot at malamig.

Parang lumamig bigla ang hangin, sobrang natahimik ng paligid. Miski sila Dad hindi nagtatangkang magsalita. What's with her? Her attitude suddenly changed. Kita kong natauhan bigla si Eunice ng tawagin sya ng mama nya. "Why?" She asked, I can feel that she's hiding her fear.

"This is your sister-in-law. Give her a kiss" Malamig at may otoridad parin nyang sabi. Inis akong tiningnan ni Eunice bago lumapit sakin at hinalikan ako sa magkabilang pisnge bago nagtsk. Nung bumalik sya sa pwesto nya. Napakunot bigla ang noo ko, why is Niklaus's Mom doing this? But Eunice's behavior toward's me is weird.

Lalong kumunot ang noo ko ng hinawakan ng Mommy ni Niklaus ang braso ko. "Cat, baby" Tawag niya sakin ng malambing na boses. Nagtaka ako, hindi ko alam kung saan ako magtataka, sa pagbabago ba ng attitude nya o sa pagbibigay nya ng nickname sakin. Cat? This is the first time someone called me that. My name sounds like a cat.

"This is Niklaus Lorenzo Villafuerte. My firstborn child and your fiance! From what I know, He's two years older than you. Now give him a kiss." Malambing nyang sabi habang nakangiti sakin, dahil sa lawak ng ngiti nya sakin halos hindi na nakita yung mga mata nya, napangiwi ako wala sa oras. What? I looked at him, I noticed him gazing at me, but he quickly tilted his head and turned away.

What was that?

"Ahh-" Hindi na'ko nakapagreact ng tinulak ako ng mommy ni Niklaus sa direksyon nya, matutumba pa sana ako sa kanya pero kaagad kong binalance ang sarili ko, at kaagad siyang nilayuan. I looked at his eyes. It's Hazel-Brown... Most of the girls fantasize a guy who have brown eyes as charming, warm, and friendly. But since I'm not that kind of girl who judge others by his looks. I won't fall for that.

"Mom, I'm hungry why don't we just eat?---" Reklamo ni Eunice.

"Not a chance hangga't hindi nasusunod ang gusto ko" Napasilip ako sa direksyon nila ng bigla na namang lumamig ang pakikitungo ng mom ni Niklaus. I think, I kinda understand the situation. Earlier when dad treats me coldly, then suddenly her attitude changed... She seemed to be telling my family not to be arrogant. She's keeping them in check.

Pansin kong kanina pang tahimik sila Dad, maybe they understand the situation. Umusok sa inis ang kapatid ni Niklaus habang nakatingin sakin ng masama. I raise my eyebrows, what did I do wrong? Inalis lang niya ang tingin niya sakin bago nag--"Hmph!!" Tiningnan niya ang kapatid niya bago nagsalita.

"Kuya! Why don't you just kiss her? I am hungry! Alam mo kung gano kachildish yan si Mom, di tayo titigilan nyan!" Rinig kong inis niyang bulong habang umuusok sa galit. Yumuko si Niklaus at napakamot sa batok, napakunot ang noo ng kapatid nya at napanganga nalang sa reaksyon niya. I take deep breath. I want to get out of here. Is this marriage really happening? I will spend the rest of my life with this weird people.

"I'm waiting" Pakinig kong sabi ng Mom ni Niklaus sa likod namin. No, she can't be serious here. I sigh deeply.

"Tita, Tito. I'm here." Deveraux. Tila nanigas ang katawan ko ng marinig akong pamilyar na boses. Kinagat ko ang labi ko. Why is he here? I didn't notice him walk through the door. I clenched my fist.

"Child, what took you so long?" Dad.

"I met an old friend on my way here" He explained. Thank you for saying that. Atleast hindi ako magdedelusion mamayang gabi na nawala siya kanina para hanapin ako, tsk.

"Reaux, where have you been I missed you" I heard Eleonor say to him. Makikinig pa sana ako ng maramdaman kong naging pabulong na ang conversations nila kaya---I take a deep breath and try to focus. Nagulat ako ng may tumulak sakin ng malakas.

"Just kiss come on!" Rinig kong inis na nasabi ni Eunice. Naglanding ako sa dibdib ni Niklaus, I clench my hands. I want to asked her... Are you that hungry? No, no, take a deep breath, Geneviève. Don't lose cool. Sinubukan hawakan ni Niklaus ang braso ko pero agad ko siyang tinulak pero hindi naman ganon kalakasan. Ayokong gumawa ng eksena kahit gaano ko kaayaw sa lalaking 'to.

"My patience is wearing thin." Parinig ng Mommy ni Niklaus samin. Just why are you doing this?! I don't remember offending her before. This is our first encounter. Why is she making things harder for me?! I looked at Niklaus. He was gazing at me as if he was wondering what I was going to do.

Tinanggal ko ang tingin sa kanya bago sya sinubukang halikan ng mabilis sa pisnge dahil hindi kami titigilan ng mommy niya pag walang nagkusa. Mahahalikan ko na sana siya sa pisnge ng bigla syang lumingon, mabilis naman akong umiwas at napakunot noo. He gave me an innocent look, as if he was puzzle as to why I dodged. Is he serious?

Umiling ako. Kailangan kong tapusin ito agad. Sinubukan kong halikan ang kanyang kaliwang pisngi, ngunit tila iniisip niya ring halikan ang aking kanang pisngi, kaya't we almost kissed for real. Mariing ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata, at tiningnan siya habang lumalayo ang kanyang tingin sa akin. Nagkakataon lang ba talaga o sinasadya na niya?

No wait, he's a playboy. Is he expecting that I will fall for him after we kissed? I scoffed in silence. I looked at him, while he was distracted. I kiss him quickly on the side of his lips then immediately back away and head in my chair. Niklaus Lorenzo Villafuerte... Do you think that I will fall for your tricks? I've already seen you're true self.