Catmint Series 1: Atty. Keere Alexis Magnus

Chapter twenty two

"How are you feeling?" I chuckled when he asked that.

"I'm fine. Where are we going by the way?"

"What do you think of gate crashing a lunch party?" Ngumisi s'ya. Sandaling nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

"Seryoso ka?!"

"Do I look like I'm pulling some joke?"

"Kaninong party?"

"My cousin."

Napangisi rin ako nang malaki. S'ya na ngayon ang nagdadrive dahil lumabas na kami ng subdivision. Wala pa akong lisensya pero paniguradong makakakuha ako! Keere promised that he'll still teach me though.

"Sinong pinsan?" I asked. "Kilala ko ba?"

"Nope." He glanced at me. "She's from my father side. Hindi pa s'ya nakakapunta sa bahay."

"Ah, okay." Tumango-tango ako. "Maganda?"

"Not really." Tumawa s'ya nang mahina. He kissed the back of my palm. "Mas maganda ka pa rin."

"Weh," I scoffed. "Niloko mo pa ako."

"E 'di sige, pangit ka." He shrugged. "Madali lang naman akong kausap."

"Wow, thank you." Sinamaan ko s'ya ng tingin. "Dama ko ang pagmamahal mo."

"Tell me something about her," pangungulit ko pa. Bahagya akong humarap sa kanya, interesado na ako ngayon. I haven't meet any of his cousins that's why.

"Ah." Tinapakan n'ya ang car breaks nang maging red ang traffic lights at hinilot ang ilong n'ya. "Well, she's like my brother. A very serious and intimidating kind of woman. She's strong and independent. We've seen each other twice and we're kinda close because we have something in common. We both like justice."

"But we're not cousins really."

"Ha? bakit?"

"Her mom is adopted by my grandparents. Pero ayaw nilang ilabas sa public kasi ayaw nilang maapektuhan ang business nila." He shrugged. "They didn't complain though. So basically we're not cousins by blood but we are by heart."

Napatango-tango ako, inaabsorb lahat ng sinasabi n'ya.

"Ano pa ba?" Napatingala s'ya. "She's a little older from us and she wants to study air force."

"Wow," komento ko. "She's so powerful."

"Yes." He nodded. "But then, she may look like she's scary but she actually has a soft spot to those people who treats her good. Magugustuhan ka n'ya."

"I really want to meet a lot of people," I said. "I want to have a lot of friends. As in marami."

"Okay then." He smiled. "Let me grant your wish."

Tumawa ako nang ipaharurot n'ya ang sasakyan. Tinitignan ko ang sarili ko nang may maalala ako.

"Okay lang ba na ganito ang suot natin?" I mean, I was wearing a leggings paired with sports bra which I topped with loose cotton sando and a pair of white converse jogging shoes. And as far as I remember, my outfit is far from the usual wear when attending some party. Tumawa s'ya.

"It's okay. We're about to unexpected gatecrash a party so it's understandable."

"Yeah right. You and your stupid ideas."

He pulled his car in front of an high end hotel. Napatingala ako sa sobrang taas no'n. Mukhang magkakastiff neck pa yata ako dahil sa taas at sobrang gara pa. Mahal siguro ang renta roon.

"Halika." Hinawakan n'ya ang kamay ko at ginaya ako papasok sa hotel.

"Do you have reservation, sir?"