Grace

Chapter 3

Enjoy!

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C H A P T E R T H R E E

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The ceremony has ended and we are currently taking pictures with our classmates and batchmates. Nang matapos ay aalis na sana kami ni Alicia because Francis and my father ay kanina pa naghihintay sa parking lot.

Habang palabas ay may mga nakasalubong kami na mga professors and kapwa estudyante and they greeted us, congratulations. I smiled and said thank you to them and greet them back.

Nasa exit na kami ng stadium pero bago kami tuluyang makalabas ay may nahagip ng paningin ko si Arcko kasama ang kanyang fiancé sa isang parte ng stadium na malapit lang sa kung nasaan kami, agad ko namang iniwas ang paningin ko when our eyes met. His eyes hold nothing, it was an empty stare, the emotions in his eyes earlier has vanished like he did not look at me with full of different emotions.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"Huh?" napalingon ako kay Ali at nakita kong tiningnan nya saglit ang kaninang tinitingnan bago bumaling sakin.

She looked at me with concern as she touched my left cheek and caressed it. "Okay ka lang?" She asked me softly.

"Oo naman." I smiled, trying to convince myself rather than her.

"Sigurado ka?" She didn't believe me.

I sighed.

"Oo nga. Bakit naman hindi?" I said chuckling.

She looked at me seriously kaya naman napatigil ako sa pagtawa at binigyan sya ng maliit na ngiti.

She sighed "okay." she said before dragging me papunta sa parking lot.

I know, she didn't believe me. Pibalagpas na lang nya because she knew na wala syang makukuhang sagot sakin.

I immediately smile ng makita ko si Papa. Na naghihintay samin habang kausap si Francis. I called him kaya naman napalingon sila sa direction namin.

Nang makalapit kami ay agad nya kong pinagbuksan ng pinto sa passenger seat. "Thank you, Pa." I kissed his cheek before sumakay at agad ko namang inayos ang aking seatbelt.

"You guys, good?" He asked Ali and Francis na nasa likod after he settled himself in the driver seat.

"Yes, Tito" ani Francis that's was my father cue para paandarin ang sasakyan.

We arrived at our favorite restaurant to eat lunch and at the same time to celebrate.

"Good day, Mr. Cruz and Miss Cruz!" Masiglang bungad samin noong attendant na syang bumabati sa mga customer na dumadating. She knows us because Papa and I always eat here every time na umuuwi sya dito sa Pilipinas.

She led us towards our reservation in a VIP room. We thank her before she leave para bumalik sa kanyang position. We start ordering ng dumating ang isang waiter to get our order after namin sabihin sa kanya ang aming mga order ay inulit niya ito for confirmation na tama ang mga nakalista, umalis na din sya agad after that.

"How are you?" ani Papa habang palipat lipat ang tingin saming dalawa ni Ali na syang katabi ko lang.

"I'm good naman po, Tito." nakangiting sagot ni Ali bago bumaling sakin.

Ngumalumbaba ako before I look at my father na nakaupo sa aking harapan. "I'm happy... overwhelmed... I don't know what I feel or what I should feel." I pouted. "Pero sa palagay ko, mas nangingibabaw ang kasiyahan dahil finally nagbunga na rin iyong paghihirap namin for how many years." I smiled.