Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 48

Kabanata 48

"Wait, ano? Make it clear, Chary!" si Sora at napatayo na rin.

Paano hindi matatakot? E, parang gago 'tong kapatid ko. May pa suspense pang nalalaman. Nag-aalala na rin ito dahil sa sinabing patay ni Chary.

"What happened to my son?" Tita Lavina asked at lumapit na talaga sa amin.

Chary showed her the cellphone nang dumiretso ito kay Chary. Tiningnan ni Tita Lavina kung ano'ng mayroon sa screen ng cellphone ni Chary. Bigla itong suminghap at napatakip ng bibig.

She extended her hand to Chary's arm for support. Her body shook and tears were already in her eyes.

I shook in my seat. Demetrio calmed me by holding my hand under the table. Bigla akong kinabahan dahil sa naging reaksyon din ni Tita Lavina.

"What's going on? What happened to my favourite nephew?" Tita Theora went to Tita Lavina and Chary.

A small smile formed in her lips when she finished looking at the screen of Chary's phone.

Tita Theora looked at all of us while still smiling. She raised the wine glass she was holding up to the cold air.

"Let's cheer for this night. It's a triple celebration for this family." She smirked and finished the wine in her glass.

We didn't move. Naiiyak na rin ako. Is he dead? Bakit ang saya ni Tita Theora kung patay na nga ito?

Taka kaming tumingin kay Chary.

"What is it, Chary?" Ako na ang nagtanong dahil hindi ko na kaya ang nangyayari. I stood up and went to Chary's place. Hindi pa rin kasi ito nagsasalita.

"Ano ba 'yan? Bakit ayaw mong sabihin?" tanong ko nang makalapit. Tumingin lang ito sa akin at napailing-iling. I grabbed the phone from his hand.

Tiningnan ko ang cellphone at laking gulat sa nakita. I don't know what to feel. Excitement, shock, and happiness were mixing. Binalik ko ang tingin kay Chary at binigyan ako nito ng tango, na para bang sinasabi nito na totoo ang nakikita ko.

Umatras ang luha sa mga mata ko! Natigil na rin ako sa panginginig!

The picture was a picture of Ely and a girl whom I didn't know. Ely was wearing a tuxedo and the girl was wearing a bridal gown. It was from Ely's IG story a few minutes ago. Ngayon niya lang ibinunyag. He didn't say a word to all of us. Kahit na sa akin na ako ang pinaka-close niya sa aming magpipinsan ay wala itong may sinabi.

I smirked at my cousins who were waiting for my words. Lumapit ako sa upuan ko at kinuha roon ang kopita ko na may laman na wine.

"Cheers?" I raised the wine glass above. "Let's also celebrate the wedding of Ely and his mysterious girl for tonight!"

A series of gasps and 'what' was all that I heard as I drank the wine empty from my glass.

"Check his IG story," si Chary.

They all get their phones. Naniwala rin sila nang makita nila ang IG story ni Ely.

"Damn! Someone did pronounce his name correctly!" si Tobias.

"Shit!" si Toden. "I know this girl!"

"Who?" si Calla.

"Who?" si Nova.

"Sino?" si Sora.

"I don't want to say it. Let's wait for Ely to announce it to us. Let's be happy for him now," tanging sinabi ni Toden.

"Lavina, you know this?" Nagsimula nang mag-usap usap ang mga magulang namin. Naririnig mula sa puwesto namin dahil hindi namin kami malayo sa isa't isa.