-JERIC-
Hindi naman siguro mabibigla sila Mommy kung kasama ko si Gab. Di ba nga, tinulungan pa sya ni Mommy para magkita kami for lunch? At saka, di pagbibigyan ni Mommy nun palang si Gab kung di nya sya gusto.
I smiled as I see her looking outside at mukang tensed.
Akalain mo, kung di ako bored sa buhay noon at di na-curious sa Wattpad, I won't be able to meet someone like Gab.
"Tingnan mo 'to. Grabe ka sakin. Bakit mo ko pinagtatawanan?" Ang tagal ko na sigurong binabalik-balik yung tingin ko sa kanya tapos napapangiti kasi ako eh, kaya nahalata nya.
"Hindi kaya." I denied and looked away.
"Ewan ko sayo. Sinama-sama mo ko tapos pagtatawanan mo ko pag natataranta na ko. Grabe ka."
"Ang hirap kaya ng ganito. Too good to be true." Bumulong sya pero narinig ko naman kaya napangiti nalang ako ulit.
Ganito rin kaya sya kay Gelo? Ipagdadrive pa nga nya dapat sabi nya. Hay. Ano ba naman, Jeric? Kasama mo na ah. Ano pa ba gusto mo?
Kelan pa ko naging possessive na seloso sa fan?
"Pwede pa magbago yung isip mo Jeric. Naka-stop pa. Pwede pa ko bumaba." She said.
Nasa may Rob Mag palang pala kami. Parang ang haba na ng na-drive ko. Parang ang bagal ng oras.
"What do you mean?"
"Family gathering yun tapos magsasama ka ng fan or make that fans if susunod sila Ela."
"They wouldn't mind. Trust me." I smiled to assure her.
She sighed and shook her head. Still in disbelief. She pressed her head on the seat's headrest and there, let go of another sigh. A deep one.
"Totoo ba talaga 'to? Kasi kung hindi, sana magising na ko." She said in a low voice.
"Ha?" Pretending I didn't heard what she said.
"Wala, wala." She said and again, looked away.
When we reached home, her eyes are still wandering. Parang nahihirapan na maniwala na nangyayari lahat 'to.
"Feel at home ha." I told her as I walk her towards the front door.
"Kinakabahan ako. For the nth time Jeric, kinakabahan ako."
"Then don't." Did I just winked at her? Natawa tuloy sya, napailing and followed me with a less nervous vibe.
"Gab?!" Almira exclaimed after seeing us get in. Mas nauna pa nyang pinansin si Gab.
Minsan Achi Gab ang tawag nya minsan naman Gab lang. Same with Shoti.
"Been a while!" Al went near us and grabbed Gab leading her to our couch. Ang daming tanong ni Almira sa kanya. It took sometime for Gab to process what's happening.
"She'll join us later, Al. I'll go upstairs to prep." I told them.
"Alright, then. Ako na muna bahala kay Ach." See. From Gab to Ach.
Pag-akyat ko naman, nasalubong ko si Shoti na pababa na and by the looks of it, had done preparing for the eat out.
"Iba ngiti natin ngayon, Ahia. Kaka-Zumba ba yan with ----"
"Gab's downstairs." I cut him off and smiled again.
"Now I get it. Iba talaga mga galawan mo." He pats my shoulder like I did a great job.
If there's anyone who likes Gab the most from the family, I guess that'll be Jeron. Alam daw kasi ni Gab yung mga tipo nyang babae like partnering him with Ela, Jellaine and Nica in some of her published Wattpad stories. Kaya instant close sila after a few meet ups.
"I'll go downstairs. I'm eager to ask if she'll be writing anything new." He said as if asking for permission.
Sabihin mo, ang itatanong mo e kung sasama si Ela.
"She's with Al." Then I went inside my room to prepare.
Unlike before, Shoti and I have separate rooms na. And the moment I went in, I saw that framed collage she gave me the first time we formally met. Again, I smiled at the thought of making something out of a fanfiction to reality.
I smiled for countless times today, right? Masaya ako eh.
-GAB-
Ngayon, pababa naman si Jeron.
From a very welcoming, Almira to Jeron. Hay naman!!! Jeric, bakit mo naman ako iniwan dito? Mamaya nito mawalan nalang ako ng malay bigla eh. Walang sasalo sakin. Bumaba ka na please. Like right now?
"Bababa rin yun si Ahia." Almira said.
"Ha?"
"Kanina mo pa inaabangan bumaba eh. So... Ano na?" Kanina pa nya ko tinatanong ng "ano na?".
"Ano na, Ach?"
"Ano na bang next?!"
Ano ba yang "ano na" na yan?!
"May bago ba?" Jeron asked and sat beside me. Napapagitnaan nila ako ni Almira.
From "ano na" to "may bago ba"! For heaven's sake alam kong tagalog yon pero bakit wala akong naintindihan!!!
Wǒ bù míngbái de shì! Pati tuloy ako napa-Chinese na. I said, I cannot understand a thing.
"Bago?" I asked him.
Then, he showed me the wattpad app on his phone. For real?! THE Jeron Teng has Wattpad on his phone?!
Paano pa ko makaka-update e yung noon ay fiction lang, ngayon unti-unting nagiging reality?
Kung noon hindi ko alam kung paano ko makikita ng personal si Jeric, kung paano kami magkakaron ng DP-worthy na photo, ngayon naman eto ang mga kapatid nya sa harap ko, kulang nalang si Alysh at sila Tita Susan at wala na talaga! Talo ko pa yung Gab sa Text Message.
-JERIC-
I sent Achi a message telling her to help Almira convince Gab na mag-ayos with them. Ang init kasi sa gym kanina and baka lang mas ok na yung sisters ko yung magyaya sa kanya kesa ako. For some reasons, I want her to be really comfortable later.
Pauwi na rin daw sila Achi from a meeting. Si Ach lang naman kasi yung involved masyado sa family business.
Bumaba na rin ako after ko naligo at nagbihis. The moment I knew that Gab noticed me, she let go of a sigh of relief.
"Nahiya sumunod si Ela. Sila Eunice naman may class pala. Next time nalang kaya ako sumama sa inyo? Nakakahiya kasi talaga. Di man lang ako nakapag-ayos." She said the moment I joined them. More of a child bargaining over something. Feeling ko magmamaktol na 'to in a few.
"Don't worry, Ach. Akong bahala sayo, ok?" Al told her but her eyes pleading at me to tell my sister na wag nalang ituloy yung pagsama nya.
"Al will take care of everything." I told her.
"Jeric..." She said in a pleading tone.
"Trust me." Then, I held her hand and I felt that she was a bit trembling.
"Ehem." Shoti reacted and interrrupts my mini moment.
Gab immediately pulled her hand away from mine. She might've realized na wala na syang choice.
"Lalanggamin na tayo!!! Let's go upstairs na lang to prepare, Ach." Almira said as she led Gab upstairs to her room.
"May pa-trust me, trust me ka pa talaga ha?" Jeron said in a teasing tone.
"Is there anything wrong with what I said?" Kampante ako. Alam kong walang magiging problema talaga. Baka matuwa pa si Mommy.
"Kilala ba sya nila Lorr? I mean your usual barkada?"
"I guess I told them about her stories... And Wattpad. But I guess nakwento ko na rin na I find her interesting." I answered.
"Bakit mo natanong?" I asked him again after feeling bothered with the questions he's throwing at me.
"Wala. Paranoid lang siguro ako since alam naman nating all this time, Mommy wants you and Lorr to ----"
"Hindi naman siguro pakikialaman pa ni Mommy yung part ng buhay ko na yun. No one practices the arranged wedding setup from the family na." Ayoko na kasi marinig yung susunod na sasabihin nya.
Hindi ko pa nga sigurado kung interesado ba ko o there's really something that I feel for her tapos may ganito na. Hindi dapat ganito ka-complicated ang mga bagay at this early stage.
Getting to know palang pareho na may possible third party.
Mayamaya, Ach came in. I was expecting na kasunod nya sila Mommy pero mag-isa lang sya.
"Akala ko kasama ka nila Mommy?" I asked her.
"I was. But they saw a friend from Lucena while we're about to head home. Nagpaiwan sa Shang. They'll be seeing us nalang daw for the eat out."
"Where's... Gab?" She asked after siguro mapansin na kami lang ni Shoti ang nandito.
"Dichi's room." Shoti said.
"She have to try this dress I got earlier. I think this would fit her well." At ayun umakyat na nga sya agad.
From: Gab Pelaez
Sobra naman na to, Jeric. Please, hindi na ko naaaliw sa mga nangyayari. Naiiyak na ko.
I smiled after reading her message. I took a glance of Shoti but he's busy watching random shows on TV so I guess he didn't noticed how I reacted.
To: Gab Pelaez
Relax. Everything's going to be fine.
From: Gab Pelaez
Hindi kasi ganun kadali, Jeric. I shouldn't be crossing the line. I can decline and make up excuses at alam ko I am capable of thinking an excuse that can bail me out of this. But, guess what? Nagpapilit lang ako e. Someone else should be here, but I know that shouldn't be me.
Iba na ang pakiramdam ko after I read her message. Sa bagay, I should've considered na hindi dahil fan ko sya e magiging sunod-sunuran ko lang sya. Na lahat ng sasabihin ko ay oo lang sya ng oo. She has her own life.
And that means, hindi ko pwedeng i-assume na dahil ako naman si Jeric Teng, gusto nyang makasama ako every single time.
I told Jeron that I'll go upstairs to check our sisters and Gab kasi ang tagal na nila sa taas.
"Hindi ka pa ba sanay?" Jeron asked while trying to stop his bursting laughter.
Matagal kasi talaga mag-ayos sila Ach.
"Ach?" I called out while knocking.
"Come in." Al said and I opened the door.
"Ang tagal nyo n----"
I was cutoff the moment that they looked at me. Well, Gab looking at me.
She was wearing a floral dress in blue tones which I believe the one that Ach mentioned earlier. Her hair was neatly straight and a light make up accentuated her face.
"Kaya nga tinext na kita." Gab said and brought me back to my senses.
She let go of a sigh. A deep one.
"Ach, can we talk?"
"Excuse me girls. I'll get back in a jiffy."
Ach and I went out of the room.
"Nǐ juédé māmā huì bù huì xiàng hòulái jiā bù jiārù wǒmen ma?"
I said it in Chinese hoping that Gab wouldn't understand in case she accidentally hears us.
I was asking Ach of her take about Mom's possible reaction once she sees Gab later.
"Wǒ bù zhīdào ahia. Wǒmen zhǐshì shùn qí zìrán, xīwàng yīqiè dūhuì biàn dé hěn hǎo." She said.
Let's hope that everything turns the way we wanted it to be.
We arrived just in time. My parents are already guided to the table they reserved.
"Reservation for six, Mr. and Mrs. Teng."
"Make that seven, Mommy." I said and kissed my mom on her cheek.
Her attention wasn't at me at all. It was all Gab's.
"Gab. Nice to see you again, hija." Mom greeted her right away. See? I knew everything's working the way I see it. The way I wanted it to be.
"Haven't seen you po after ng isang game ng semis nila Jeric."
"Bigla ka ngang hindi nanood eh. Kaya agad agad kong sinabihan to si Ahia."
"Nabusy po kasi sa work."
"Tama na yang kamustahan nyo, Susan. Maupo na muna tayo." Daddy said.
Ok naman yung whole time na kumakain kami ng buong family with Gab.
Nakikita ko na gusto nyang family yung attitude nya. Later on nagiging evident na rin ang sense of humor nya making us laugh heartily.
Gab excused herself when she received a work-related phone call and needed to isolate herself away from us.
"I didn't know Gab's coming." Mommy said.
"I invited her." I said while observing their facial reactions.
I cannot sense anything negative yet. Sana nga wala. Sana hindi ko pinapaniwala ang sarili ko sa mga bagay na di pala nag-eexist.
"Sorry po, urgent lang talaga. They really need me today but they know where I am naman po and what's going on kaya pag sobrang important nalang nila ako tatawagan." She explained. May 5 minutes din siguro syang wala.
"Napaka-sipag mo siguro hija. Wag mo namang upusin ang sarili mo, wag mong abangang mapagod ka at kusang tumigil at magsawa." Mommy said in her concerned motherly tone.
Ganito si Mommy sa mga taong gusto nya. Vocal at transparent din sya kaya alam namin agad kung medyo tabingi ang isang tao for her.
In case some are wondering, we are occupying a round table. Mommy and Daddy, Jeron and Al, Ach, Gab and me. I am between Mommy and Gab. Yung napapagitnaan ka ni Susan Teng at ng pwedeng maging the future Susan Teng 2.0. The best feeling in the world.
-GAB-
Nagulat ako when I felt his hand holding mine. Agad agad? Ang bilis naman talo pa yung mga nasulat at nabasa kong UAAP Fan Fiction eh!!! And I'm so scared I might be blushing like hell right now and huhu that isn't a good thing.
Pulang pula ka sa kilig at sa harap ng buong pamilya ng super all time mega crush mo eh na celebrity basketball player finals mvp? Lord, grabeng pasabog nyo naman po. Nahiya ang trade rumors ni Snow Badua at ni dbuzzketball sa mga nagaganap.
But how can I get away with this? Kanina, he was serving me with food and kulang nalang sya pa magsubo ng pagkain sakin eh.
Hindi ako sanay na may attention towards me, ok? Sanay ako na ginagawa ang gusto ko at hindi napapansin. Ayoko ng compliment, ayoko ng mabulaklak na pananalita dahil feeling pa-consuelo de bobo lang lagi.
Mas ok sakin na direchahin mo ko at wag mo ko idaan sa mind games.
Kaya nagkunwari ako kanina na may tumawag sa phone. Nung nakalayo ako dun ako nakahinga ng super luwag. Tinry ko ramdamin ang hangin ng Kamaynilaan na 90% ay pure pollution para lang labanan ang nag uumapaw na fan girl feels.
Ano ba kasing kalokahan ni Jeric 'to? Does he normally bring fans with him in family gatherings like this? Ok lang ba talaga sa family lalo na sa parents nya na nandito ako o, kelangan lang nila ako itrato ng maayos kesa may masabing masama sa kanila.
Pwede na ko tumakbo at pumara ng cab. Eto yung real plan ko. E naalala ko, nasa sasakyan ni Jeric yung damit ko since binigay ni Alysh tong dress na suot ko.
No way out talaga. Para akong nag-attempt na pabagsakin ang great wall of China.