I arrived in Los Angeles at exactly 2pm in the afternoon of Tuesday. As in non stop flight. Kailangan ko pa kasi na bumalik agad agad for the exam week next week.
My lolo's house is not that big, yes, not that big. It's not a mansion like Allen's, pero it's just a house. BUT he has a lot of maids and guards. That's my lolo, very humble kahit pa mayaman siya. He doesn't enjoy the luxury of having a mansion daw since dadalawa lang kami. And besides, si Granny ang namili sa bahay na ito and dito sila unang nagkaron ng swerte.
Nasa outskirts siya ng Los Angeles, far away from the noisy city and 1 kilometer away from the house ang bakod kaya kung may magnanakaw man, hindi nasila umaabot sa gate kasi nahuhuli agad sila ng mga guards.
"Allexandria! it's nice nice to see you again" said my personal maid nung binuksan ni Uncle yung gate.
"Nina! wow, you look so old now" I said
"you rude, rude little brat. It had been a month since you disappered from the face of the earth!" sabi niya while taking my carry on bag.
Nina is a 65 years old woman and she's from Mexico kaya iba yung accent niya, tulad ni Uncle, kasakasama ko na siya mula pa pagkabata.
Before my mom married my dad, nagkasundo sila ni lolo na she should give her first child to him. Dahil gustong gusto ni mom noon na kumawala kay lolo, pumayag agad siya.I don't blame her though. Pero lolo is allowing them to visit me for a week every month. Mabait naman si lolo kahit papano.
"your granfather had been always been so grumpy since the day you left and boy, believe me if I say he called all his mafia friends just to locate you"
I rolled my eyes. yeah, that's my lolo.
"how is he?" I asked nung nasa door na kami.
"he'd been better when he found you in the Philippines."
"where is he anyway?" I asked at saktong may nadinig akong ingay mula sa sala.
"what's..that?" I asked at binilisan kong naglakad.
"we have some company, they've just arrived this morning." sabi niya.
"visitors?" sabi ko.
"go check them out, I'll put your bags in your room" tapos umakyat siya sa wooden stairs namin.
Mukang madaming tao sa sala, so I just peeked first. My eyes popped out of their sockets and my jaw dropped when I saw the people sa sala ni lolo.
"what..the..frog" I whispered, "I must be dreaming" I pinched my cheeks, ouch!
"oh look! My prodigal granddaughter has arrived!" sigaw ni lolo.
"what are you guys doing here!!!!???" I screamed.
"ang tagal mo naman!" sabi ni Jason na nasa bar counter at kasama niya si Kurt.
"oi! kumusta ang trip mo?" asked Nathaniel na nanood ng chess sa middle ng sala malapit sa firplace.
"Ate!" sigaw ni Allen na tuwang tuwa na nakikipaglaro sa Pug at Beagle namin sa carpet sa paanan ni lolo.
"shh! nagcoconcentrate ako!" sabi ni Bryce na nakafocus sa chessboard at kalaro niya si lolo.
No..freaking..way.
"am..am I dreaming?" tanong ko, "paanong..?" I said, hindi padin ako makaalis sa kinatatayuan ko.
"ha! Check mate! You loose for the ninth time buddy!" sigaw ni lolo
"urg!" sabi ni Bryce na sinabunutan yung sarili niya, "o Allexa, ba't antagal ng flight mo?" tanong niya nung tumingin siya sa akin.
"what are you guys doing here!?" I repeated at sawakas nakapasok na ako ng tuluyan sa maliit na sala ni lolo. Hindi naman ganun kaliit, American type lang.
I felt a hand over my shoulder and I looked up at him, "surprise?" tanong ni Kurt habang nakangiti.
"inuulit ko, what are you doing here!?" tanong ko
"jeez, you don't have to shout honey, we're all young here" sabi ni lolo and I glared at him.
"you hired someone to mess with my life?" I asked in gritted teeth.
"nnno.." sabi niya na umiwas ng tingin.
"really? Collin Santiago? that's the best you can do?"
"that's better than sending mafias in the Philippines" sabi niya at inabutan siya ng coffee ni Jason, "thank you son" sabi niya, "And I wasn't the one who chose the young lady, it was my friend. He did mention that that lady works harshly" sabi niya na parang ngayon lang niya narealize yung bagay na yun.
"but-!"
"chill ka lang" sabi ni Jason at inabutan niya ako ng Iced tea
"did you..make this?" I asked.
"obvious ba?" he said while raising his eyebrow.
Then it me like a tsunami. They are here! My friends are here!
"oh..my god, you're.. you're really here" I laughed a little, nababaliw na ata ako, "but how? I mean.."
"maupo ka nga dito" sabi ni Nathaniel na itinulak si Bryce at bumagsak siya sa carpet saka hinila niya ako para umupo sa space dati ni Bryce, "hayan, tapos, magrelax ka." Utos niya.
"they came here this morning with guns and we had a gun fight" sabi ni lolo nung humigop ako ng iced tea kaya naman I spat the ice tea out in surprise. Mabuti nalang malayo sila sa akin kundi basa sila.
"what!?" sigaw ko and they all laughed!
"gotcha!" sabi pa ni lolo and I facepalmed. Some things do not change.
"can someone explain to me what's going on?" I asked habang nakafacepalm padin ako.
"nakalimutan mo bang may two geniuses tayo?" tanong ni Jason
"you're talking about me, right?" tanong ni Nathaniel and we just looked at him, "okay fine, sina Rod at Elias" at nagpout siya.
"yup, see Allexa, matagal na naming alam na may itinatago ka. And we know na you come from a rich family, I mean, duhh, lahat ng gamit mo mamahalin at sa condo ka pa nakatira" sabi ni Jason na umupo sa armchair sa right side ni lolo at umupo naman si Kurt sa carpet at sumali din sa kung ano man ang ginagawa ni Allen sa mga aso namin.
"yun nga lang, hindi na namin pinakealaman kasi we respect you and we were waiting for you para sabihin sa amin" sabi ni Nathaniel.
"hinanap ka nina Rod at Elias sa internet at accidentally na lumabas ang muka ng lolo mo" sabi ni Bryce
"akala namin umalis ka na kaya lumipad kami agad agad dito para sunduin ka pero nauna pala kami" sabi ni Jason.
I looked down at my iced tea, "I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to pretend -"
"hindi ka naman nagpretend" sabi ni Bryce.
"ni hindi ka nagsinungaling" sabi ni Kurt.
"you were just being..you" sabi ni Nathaniel and he touched the tip of my nose.
"I don't know what you are talking about kids, but Jason son, this coffee is the best coffee I've ever tasted, do you want to work-"
"no he doesn't!" sabi ko agad, naku pag may sinabi tong matandang to, kailangang matupad, "this is all your fault Grandpa, if you could have just let me be!"
Nagsigh si grandpa at parang nalungkot siya, tsk, drama king, "I'm sorry, I just want to see you again."
"awww! Ate! You're making lolo sad!!" sabi ni Allen and my jaw dropped.
"oo nga Allexa, hindi ka na naawa sa lolo mo" said Kurt na nasa likod na ni lolo- at mukang malungkot din siya ah!
"magsorry ka" utos ni Bryce.
"whuuuuuht?" I asked looking at them na parang tinubuan sila ng sungay. "you want me to say sorry-!" huminga ako ng malim before; "bakit naman ako magsosorry eh siya nga itong may kasalanan ng lahat lahat!!?" I screamed.
"my god! I thought that loud voice of yours tuned down" sabi ni lolo habang kinakamot ang tenga niya.
"sige na! magsorry ka na! mamaya di pa tayo papayagang uuwi" sabi ni Nathaniel.
I sighed, yeah, I shouldn't blame lolo, ako naman ang tumakas in the first place.
"I'm sorry" sabay naming sabi ni lolo.
"I shouldn't have left in the first place" I said as I looked down sa iced tea ko.
"no, it's totally my fault, if I shouldn't have been so strict to you, maybe you stayed" sabi ni lolo while looking down.
"I forgive you" I said.
"and I forgive you too" sabi ni lolo.
"awwww!" sabi ni Allen at niyakap niya yung pug ni lolo.
"*sniffles* that was..very touching *sniffles*" drama ni Nathaniel na nakayakap sa braso ni Bryce na nakaupo sa armchair sa side niya.
"please lolo, I don't want to leave the Philippines, please let me go back there"
Hindi sumagot si lolo.
"uhm, Lexa, actually.." sabi ni Jason na hindi makatingin sa akin.
"guys..what did you do?" I asked.
"they signed a contract" sabi ni lolo at binigyan niya ako ng papel.
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