Still You

Chapter Sixteen: Upset

Grandma's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Isa-isa rin naglaglagan ang mga kubyertos ng aking mga pinsan.

Narinig ko pa na may isang nagbuga ng tubig sa kanila.

"Eww!" maarteng sabi ni Sean.

"Ouch! Pumasok ang tubig sa ilong ko, fuck!" ani Jacob.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Seryoso ba 'yan, Serene?!" gulantang tanong ni Yves.

I opened my eyes and looked at her, halos lumabas na ang kaniyang mga mata dahil sa gulat.

"Nananaginip ka ba, 'cous?" nilingon ko si Viel na laglag din ang panga ngayon.

Lianna giggled.

"Kailan pa?" kalmanteng tanong ni Rosh kahit na medyo nagulat din.

Sinulyapan ni Rosh si Aeolus kaya napatingin din ako sa kaniya.

He was looking at me with full of amusement and adoration while slightly biting his lower lip.

Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Ash was smirking while Krisa is looking down at her food.

"Serene, ano na?!" atat na tanong ni Yves.

I heard grandma cleared her throat. Napabaling ulit ako sa kaniya.

"I-is that true, Serene?" she gently asked.

Huminga ako ng malalim at tumango. "Yes, grandma."

She gasped. "Oh my! I-I'm sorry, darling! I'm so sorry! I thought-" sinulyapan niya muna sina Krisa at Aeolus. "I thought silang dalawa dahil madalas nila akong bisitahin dito na magkasama! B-but uh... h-how did that happened? Magkakilala na ba kayo nitong si Aeolus noon pa man?" she apologetically and confusedly asked.

Umiling ako. "We just met last month, grandma... I- I think it just happened..."

She looked at me apologetically and sighed. "I'm really sorry, hija... You should've told me earlier." she gently said as she hold my hand.

"We just got together po. Baka mabilisan kayo sa pangyayari dahil maski ako ay minsang napaisip na parang ang bilis po nito."

Natahimik kaming lahat at nagpakiramdaman lang.

Ilang sandali pa ay marahang hinaplos ni grandma ang aking pisngi. Unti-unti siyang ngumiti. Her eyes were filled with love and they were compassionate too.

"Walang mabilis o hindi sa pag-ibig, hija. Once you feel it, it will linger there forever. It will just start to grow and flourish. If you take care of it well." her voice was sweet.

I smiled at her. Binalingan niya naman ngayon si Aeolus.

"I have no doubts about you being a good person, hijo. But, how will I be sure that you're serious with my grandchild, here?" medyo may pagkastriktang tanong ni grandma.

Napaayos tuloy ako ng upo. Bakit noong kay Lianna at Ash hindi naman ganito?

Mukhang hindi rin naman napapitlag doon si Aeolus. Huminga lamang siya ng malalim. Lahat kami ay nasa kaniya na ang atensyon.

"If someday, fate wouldn't want us together and I'd be given a chance to turn back time to be with her again for a while or to continue my life, I would choose the latter one..."

Nagtaas ng kilay si Grandma. 

"Dahil ayokong maging panandalian lang po itong mayroon kami ni Serene. I'll choose to try again. I could only hope that she would choose me as her endgame because I will always choose a future with her, whatever it takes."  he politely and steadily said.