Hey, Cohen (COMPLETED)

GDL x Suarez (Preview)

I felt like my heart was already in my throat when my van pulled over. Dad opened the door and assisted Mom. Nang ako na iyong pababa, naka-kunot pa rin iyong noo niya.

"Are you having a nervous breakdown?" he asked, looking concerned.

"Probably," I replied. Nababaliw na ako kakaisip kung ano ang solusyon sa problemang pinasok ko!

Dad rested his arm on my shoulder. "You want to talk to me? Or to someone?"

Umiling ako. "No... I'll be fine," I assured him. I knew he's just worried since I'm his only daughter. I knew Dad had always wanted a huge family because he came from a huge family... Pero ano'ng magagawa kung ako lang ang binigay sa kanila?

Dad kissed the side of my head and told me he loves me and my emo phase. Napa-iling na lang ako. Nag-eyeliner lang, emo na agad?

The whole place was packed. Hopefully, hindi ako mapansin—

"What in the world?" Amaris asked.

"I need my cam!" Gali shouted before he ran away.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

Tumawa si Amaris. "But seriously... what's up with this?" she asked and then pointed at my bangs. Tuwid naman iyong pagkaka-gupit ko!

"I look cute, okay?"

I should just claim it. Principle of attraction. Cute ako.

I spent the next hour telling my cousins that I didn't lose a bet and my titos and titas that I wasn't in the middle of some nervous breakdown. My God! Ito talaga ang hirap kapag sobrang tight ng family... Although I'd never exchange them for anything.

A little while later, nahati na ang mga tao. There's a huge table for all the adults and the cousins. Unfortunately for me, hindi ako maka-relate kaya tahimik lang ako habang nag-uusap sila about work and stocks and all adult stuff.

"Is it true that he's gonna stay here for good na?"

"Yes."

"Why? What happened to his work in Cali?"

"Don't know... but maybe they just asked him to come home na? I mean, he's been there for so long! I was just 14 when he left. I'm 23 na!"

My head automatically snapped at their direction. Were... they talking about him?

I wanted to pry some more details, but I was afraid that they'd catch on to me... Ayoko talaga na malaman nila iyong mga kalokohan na ginawa ko dati! My God! They'd never let me hear the end of that! Baka kahit sa kamatayan ko, isama pa nila iyon sa eulogy.

Remember that one time when Seffy did—

Ugh! Imagination, stop it!

"What does he look like na? I forgot what he looks like already! He doesn't even have facebook!" Cornelia said. See?! It wasn't my fault that I didn't recognize him when I went to Cali! I was 11 when he left! And he never came home to the Philippines dahil laging siya ang pinupuntahan doon. Tapos hindi pa siya magamit ng SNS... and hindi pa ako friends sa FB ng mga Tito and Tita ko dahil duh... privacy.

I really had no clue that it was him! Ano ba naman kasing name niya na 'yun?! Sobrang common! Malay ko ba na siya 'yun?!

"You know how he is," Jeanne said. "His head's always buried in a book."

"Well... That's true. When we visited him before, we had to go to his lab pa because he was so busy that he couldn't take time to see us," Amaris added. "But we knew he didn't mean to offend... That's just who he is."