CROSSING THE WILD WAVES (Familiá Altamirano #2)

CHAPTER 2

I put the tagliatelle noodles on the brand new pink plate before I pour the white sauce. Then, I grade cheddar cheese on top.  I can't help but smile when I saw the finished product. I took my phone to take a picture of the food and posted it on my Instagram story with the caption 'Pasta night'.

Kaagad na akong lumabas sa unit bitbit ang platong may laman na pasta saka dumiretso sa kabilang unit. I knocked three times and plastered a smile when the door abruptly opened, revealing my neighbor.

If I have a superpower, it is probably an x-ray vision because I quickly scanned him from head to foot. He's wearing a white tee shirt and light gray sweatpants. On his head are his grey headphones. Wow. He looked different without his eyeglasses, hotter but innocent.

I cleared my throat. "Hi, here's pasta for you. . ." I offered the pink plate to him.

He didn't budge and just stared at me like I was some kind of alien. I snapped my finger in front of his face, making him blink.

"T-Thanks," he stuttered.

My lips purse before I chuckled. "You're welcome. Ibalik mo na lang 'yong plato bukas," I said and was about to go to next door when he called me.

"Khriz," he called me.

I turned at him, confused. "Yes?"

"A-Are you wearing red?" he asked in a low and weak voice that I almost didn't heard.

"Huh?" nagtatakang tanong ko sabay tingin sa suot ko. "Are you high? Kita mo nang nakasuot ako ng red," natatawang ani ko sabay iling at dumiretso na papasok sa unit ko.

Lumipas ang ilang araw na walang masyadong nangyayari sa buhay ko. Paulit-ulit na lang at walang bago. It was kind of boring! So, when Sunday came, I invited my cousins to the gym. Hazel and Duke immediately accepted my invitation. I'm not sure about the two brothers— Dustin and Dwight.

Mayroon naman gym sa Silvermoon Tower pero mas gusto ko sa Rockwell dahil doon naman talaga ako nag-gym kasama ang mga pinsan ko. Madalas kaming mag gym ng mga pinsan ko. Noong una ay sina Dustin at Dwight lang ang kasama ko hanggang sa sumama na rin sina Hazel at Duke.

Dahil malaki ang age gap namin kina ate Kelsea at kuya Hayes na kapatid ni Hazel ay hindi namin sila nakakasama sa tuwing may mga lakad kami. Si Kryptone rin ay hindi palaging nakakasama dahil siya ang pinakabata sa amin at kadalasan na lakad namin ay para lang sa matatanda.

I was wearing a gray sports bra and a pair of gray workout leggings. Nakapusod ang buhok ko para hindi nakakalat sa mukha ko. Pagpasok ko sa gym, kinausap ko lang saglit ang attendant na nasa front desk bago dumiretso sa locker para ilagay ang aking duffle bag.

Luckily, walang masyadong tao sa gym. While waiting for my cousins to arrive, I did some stretching before starting my cardio and core routine. My eyes grew wider when I saw a familiar car from the glass window. Lumabas kaagad si Hazel kasama si Duke at kinausap ang driver sa harapan bago pumasok sa loob ng gym.

They approached me when they caught my sight. "Khriz! You're here na pala," Hazel gives me a peck on my cheeks, so Duke is.

"Kani-kanina lang. Kayo lang dalawa?" I answered.

"Kuya will follow," Duke says.

"Which one?" I asked and picked a ten-kilogram dumbbell and started doing some squats.

"Dustin, and he's with baby Ashiro. . ."

Napatango ako. "Mabuti naman at hindi na niya kinukulong ang sarili niya sa bahay," I said.

Nagsimula na silang dalawa sa stretching bago nagpatuloy sa cardio routine nila. After doing some squats, I did some sit-ups and plank toe touches. I only stopped when I saw a familiar man enter the gym.