To Love or Not

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Pagkatapos nang araw na 'yon. May news kaagad na nag-pop sa Internet.

"Daniel Buenavista and Lara Lee, caught on Autumn's with Daniel's Parents."

May article pa doon at pictures kong saan hinalikan ko si Tita Alyana.

At 'yon ang rason 'kong bakit nawala 'yong Daniel xx Niña. I'm glad it vanished. Mabuti na 'yon. Nababanas na kasi talaga ako sa Article na 'yon.

Our issue is way better than that.

"You were with Mom and Dad?" tanong ni Erin sakin, at pati si Einah ay nag aantay sa sagot ko. Kinabukasan ay halos sabay-sabay kaming lahat sa Canteen.

Sa amin ang pinaka mahabang table and I will not deny the fact that we're really loud and noisy.

"Yup." I shrugged.

"Paano, Dan?" asked by Einah. Liningon naman sya ni Daniel na kasalukuyang tumatawa dahil sa binubulong sa kanya ni Darren. He's beside me.

"Akala ko ba, girlfriend mo ang hinahanap nina Mommy by that moment?" Dan was on the hot seat because of Erin's question. At dahil tabi kami ni Daniel at kasama ako sa topic, ako din ay nasa hot seat. Great.

"Lara's my girl." Dan shrugged at napatigil si Darren sa pant-trip sa kanya. Ngumiwi ako. Walang magawa sa buhay.

"Your Mom and Dad met me as his friend." I cleared.

"Talaga? Hindi disappointed sina Tito na friend mo ang dinala mo?" Marrol asked Dan.

"They like her. Hindi naman 'to ang first time na wala akong dinalang girlfriend ko when they're asking one." Daniel explained and shrugged.

"Gusto ka ni Tita Alyana?" tinaasan ako ni Ghayle nang kilay.

"I think so." I answered.

"Wow! Its so hard to impress the older Buenavista's ,you know? Lalo na 'kong meeting the parents stage." ngumisi si Myralex sakin. Sinulyapan ko naman sya at kumain na nang spaghetti.

Hard to impress the older Buenavista's? Seems not.

"Hindi naman 'yon ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nakita sya nina Mom. Pinakita ko sa kay Mommy 'yong pictures nyo last summer." ani Erin. "Plus, sa mga parties, last time. They've seen her."

"Oh."

Hindi pala alam nang karamihan na nakilala ko na sina Tita Alyana and Tito Derrick. Its just between me, Daniel, Einah, Erin and Kuya Ysmael.

So they've thinked that I'm lucky enough. Umiling nalang ako.

"Eh kailan mo balak mag dala nang maayos na girlfriend mo pag magtatanong sina Mom, Kuya?" usisa ni Erin. Dan chuckled at sinulyapan ako bago sulyapan si Erin.

"Soon." he simply uttered.

"How long is that soon?" tanong ni Marrol habang naka ngisi sakin. My jaw clenched. Seriously?

"Short enough," naghiyawan sila dahil sa sagot ni Daniel. Liningon ko sya and he just shrugged at me.

May plano syang ligawan? May plano syang i-girlfriend? And who is it?

On the other way around. Sumakit ang sintido ko dahil sa sinabi nya.

Sino? Who's the girl? At kailan 'yong soon nya? Malapit na? Bakit hindi ko kilala? Dammit! Its annoying! I'm pissed! Hindi ko alam 'kong anong gagawin ko!

What Daniel said bothers me ,a lot.

"La, hatid na kita sa klase mo." Dan cajoled as we finished our snack.

"Kuya, sabay na kami ni Lara. Kayo na nga magkasama the whole time eh! We have the same building." says Erin at tinaasan sya nang kilay ni Daniel.

"Oo nga naman. Sumabay kana kina Darren." says Marrol at tumayo na din. I guess they'll be with me.

"Bakit? Sumabay nalang kayo samin 'kong gusto nyo." masungit na sabi ni Dan, I looked at him.

Baka may alam sina Marrol at Erin tungkol sa soon na sinabi ni Daniel. God, I'm really curious.

"Sumabay ka nalang kina Darren, Daniel. I wanna be with them," kumunot ang noo ni Danel dahil sa sinabi ko. His jaw clenched.

"Lintik na Darren," he whispered. Almost a hissed. Hindi ko nalang sya pinansin at umalis na kami sa Canteen.

"Uy! Who's that soon, La?" agad na tanong nina M. I faced them.

"I was about to ask you that." liningon ko si Erin, "Er, you know something, right?" kumunot ang noo nya.

"Weird, akala ko ay alam mo?" tanong nya that made my brows to met.

"Akala ko alam mo din ,La." says M. "'Cause we really dont know. Ikaw ang malapit kay Daniel," she cajoled.

No one knows?

"Pakantahin mo si Darren or Kean." suggested by Erin.

"Kean? Hindi sila close nang kuya mo, Er. And Darren? Kalokohan lang ang alam 'non." I muttered. Tumigil kami sa Corridor. We sat on the benches.

Minor lang naman ang subject namin ngayon, and our teacher is always late kaya ayos lang na tumambay muna kami.

"Si Tyron kaya?" ani Marrol.

"He've been so busy. Ngayon nga lang sumama satin 'yon. And Jerome, has his own world." patuya ang boses ni Erin.

Yes, Tyron Buenavista has been busy this past few weeks. Simula nong may klase na. And there's this gossips na may pinopormahan ata sya sa kabilang school.

Jerome is busy either. Sina Darren at Daniel nalang ang madalas mag kasama. They're not friends with Kean kaya kahit hindi busy ang hayop, hindi din naman sumasama samin.

Kaya imposibleng may maayos nang nakausap si Dan tungkol dito.

Tyron can be the one— sya lang kasi ang matino eh, ang kaso, iilan na nga lang nag paparamdam 'yon.

Aside form his sisters. Einah and Erin. Sa akin nalang din sumasama si Daniel.

Wait— si Kuya Ysmael kaya?

"Si Einah kaya?" tanong ni M habang kumakain ,ulit. Nagawa pang mag take out nang donut eh.

"Hindi naman madalas si Kuya sa bahay this past few days eh. Saka lang sya umuuwi sa bahay pag matutulog sya." liningon ako ni Erin at nag hagikgikan sila ni Marrol. I rolled my eyes.

Of course she knows where his brother is. Sa bahay lang naman.

"Why dont we directly ask Dan ,instead?" suggestion ni Marrol at sumulyap sakin

On the other hand, hindi mahirap gawin 'yon. Lalo na sa side ko. Ang tanong-kakanta ba sya?

Anong magiging reaksyon ko? I guess-its just a bad idea after all. Umiling ako sa sinabi ni Marrol.

"Si Kuya Ysmael." I muttered and they both grin.

"Can be!" says Erin. I smirked at them.

Operation: Know Who's that Soon Is.

But seriously speaking— I'm afraid. Natatakot ako 'kong sino 'yon. I'm afraid of being left. I'm afraid of being replace.

Sino nga kaya 'yon Daniel? Is she back? Did you find her? Or someone took your heart already? Ito na ba 'yong panahong tinamaan ka na nang pana ni Kupido?

Damn that kid with a diaper and vow and arrow. Ang sarap nyang suntukin! Why Daniel Buenavista? Why now? Why so soon?!