Fool's Gold (Summer Series #3)

Kabanata XLVI

"Have you packed your things? Baka may nakalimutan kang ilagay—"

"Ayos na, Ma. I've already packed everything. Tatlong araw pa bago tayo uuwi, pupunta na ako kela Shaya," tugon ko sakaniya at saka dumiretso na palabas ng kwarto. After my date with Sebastian yesterday, when I got home, everyone was in weird states. Greeting me endlessly and all, it wouldn't be weird if it was Charles and Charlie or some of my cousins but it was my aunt and uncles.

That's really how elder people apologize, don't they? Instead of lowering their pride and mutter their 'sorrys', their treatment towards you will change drastically. And in a swift moment, boom... forgiven and forgotten.

But it did not work that way, well...for me. Hindi ko na namalayang nakarating na ako sa tapat ng mga Fuentebella. Alam na rin nilang paalis na rin kami, kaya inaasahan na nilang pupunta ako ngayon. I waved at them, they seemed to be having fun as I spotted them running around outside their house.

"Faye! Just in time!" sagot sa akin ni Shaya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Just in time for what? At mukhang sinagot ako nang may bumungad sa akin ang pamilyar na lalaki.

"Grayson," I greeted him in a very odd way, not to mention our last meeting. Nginitian niya ako at saka biglang tinapik sabay sabing—

"Taya!" he shouted then grinned leaving me dumbfounded. What the?

"Bawal balik-bayan Faye! Ha, ikaw na taya!" tatawa-tawang sagot ni Kuya Reschian. Okay, so I'm playing tag with people who are in their mid twenties...You've got to be kidding me.

"Dali na, uy!" sigaw sa akin ni Kuya Reynan. Wala na naman akong naggawa at saka kumaripas ng takbo para tayain ang kung sino man ang malapit sa akin.

We ran in endless circles with endless laughter and panting as the hours passed. It was already passed five when we finished.

"We ran for an hour and a half?!" I exclaimed, but they just laughed their heads off.

"I assumed we burned calories between two and three hundred," Grayson concluded that made me laughed as well. Nakaupo na kami ngayon sa nilatag na blanket ni Kuya Reschian sa tapat lamang ng bahay. The perks of having the sea near your house was overwhelming. Rinig na rinig ang mga alon magmula dito habang pagod kaming nakaupo lahat sa inilatag na kumot.

"Mamimiss ka namin," tugon ni Shaya. I smiled and hugged her.

"Ako din naman! Especially your fluffy cheeks," I pinched her cheeks so hard that it turned pink. She scowled at me and massaged it.

"Babalik ka next year?" tanong ni Kuya Reschian sa akin. Bumagsak ang balikat ko at saka tipid na ngumiti.

"Matatagalan ata Kuya," sagot ko sa kaniya. Shaya tilted her head and meet my gaze.

"It's something to do with your college, isn't it?" Her Highness asked me. Tipid akong tumango at nangalumbaba.

"Pero ayun, maya ulit tayo mag-usap, paalis na rin tong si Gray, gusto ka rin atang kausapin," Shaya said with a chuckle before inviting her brothers.

"Dito muna tayo, makikitsismis ako—Aray ko, Reynan!" angal ni Kuya Reschian.

"Napakatsismoso mo, halika na, unggoy!" asik ni Kuya Reynan. Binatukan naman ni Shaya ang dalawa niyang Kuya bago hilahin palayo. Naiwan naman kami ni Gray na nakatingala lang sa mga naglalakihang puno sa gilid nang bigla siyang nagsalita.