Hiding Behind the Lenses (Arte del Amor #3)

Chapter 15

"What's taking you so long?" tanong ni Mommy nang makita ako.

Nagmistulan akong bata na nahuling nagnanakaw ng candy. Just a few seconds ago, I asked Nikolai to leave, or hide, basically just get out of here.

I'll just apologize later.

"Bakit namumula na naman ang mukha mo? Let's get you home soon. Mainit nga rito sa gym, are the airconditions not turned on?"

Buti na lang at naisip niyang dahil iyon sa allergies ko. Umiyak lang naman ako pero ayos na rin sa akin ang umuwi na. It's been a long day for me and we're not even halfway yet.

"May lalaking napansin ako kanina. Cheering for you the loudest. He looks familiar, Lumi. I think he was with Gael earlier today."

That's Nikolai for sure.

"Ah... Admirer lang po." sagot ko.

Sobrang normal na ng ganitong pagkakataon. Ang pinagkaiba lang, hindi ko lang basta-basta admirer si Nikolai... pero hindi ko muna sasabihin kay Mommy.

"Really? Sa bagay, Gael would have told me if he's someone else. I asked because the boy's good-looking... but still not someone who would pass your standard, right?"

"Opo. Just like my many suitors out there, Mommy. He'll get tired of it soon."

Sabay kaming pumasok sa CR at sa buong oras nandon kami ay puro tungkol na kay Chad ang tinatanong niya habang nagpapalit ako ng damit.

I honestly barely have news about him to tell Mommy because he's a busy senior high schooler. Kinuwento ko na lang kay Mommy ang mga ganap kay Chad na sinabi niya sa akin noong huli kaming nagkita.

Habang pabalik kami ng pamilya ko sa sasakyan namin ay namataan ko si Nikolai. Kasama si Anika. Sila lang dalawa.

Bago ako sumakay ay nagtama ang tingin namin.

Ayon na naman...

Those distant eyes that I hate whenever he has them, and it doesn't help that he's with Anika.

Hindi ko naman siya masisi dahil hindi ko nasabi sa kaniya kung ano ang iniiyakan ko kanina.

But still... may kirot.

Ayos lang naman kami kanina. Why would he show me those cold stares?

I would have ended up thinking about it nonstop if it weren't for the heavy eyelids slowly pulling me to deep slumber.

Buong maghapon ay tulog ako. Nakauwi kami bago tanghali at gumising ako nang mag-aalas singko na. Agad kong naramdaman ang pagkalam ng sikmura ko.

Oh, right. Wala pa akong kain ngayong araw. I didn't eat breakfast earlier today because eating would risk having to throw up in case I get anxious or whatever.

I was asleep before we had lunch... so any normal person would be hungry, too.

Si Kuya Gavin ang naabutan ko sa kusina. He's by the countertop waiting for the electric kettle to finish heating water. "What's for dinner?" tanong ko.

Napansin ko rin na nakasuot siya ng pang-alis. "Grab some biscuits first. Huwag ka muna magpapakabusog."

Kulang na lang ay ang tiyan ko na ang magrereklamo para sa akin. "Biscuits? That doesn't sound appealing to me at the very least. Gutom na gutom na ako talaga, Kuy..."