Twisted

Chapter 14

"Mila!"

Napaigtad si Mila mula sa pagsipat ng mga ingredients sa pantry nang biglang tumalon si Alyanah sa likod niya.

"Yanah," natawa niyang saad. "You scared me."

Tumawa rin si Nanay Andeng na kasama niya sa kusina.

It was the day after Mateo's visit, and Mila was still in knots. To get her mind off the dread filling her stomach, she decided to do some baking in their kitchen. Kaya heto siya at tumitingin ng mga ingredients sa pantry.

Masigla ang ngiti ng kapatid, at sa unang pagkakataon simula nang pasabugin ng mga pamilya nila ang tungkol sa engagement nito kay Mateo, maagang gumising si Yanah at hindi na nakapantulog hanggang tanghali.

Sa halip ay nakasuot na 'to ng maong shorts, sky blue graphic shirt at bright orange clogs. Naka-ponytail din 'to at hindi nakasambulat ang mahabang buhok.

"Mateo called."

Pakiramdam ni Mila ay may sumuntok sa kanyang dibdib.

"He said–"

"Mateo called you?" Hindi niya mapigil ang matalas na tono.

Mukhang hindi napansin ng kapatid ang kanyang tono dahil mabilis lang 'tong umiling. "He called Papa, and Papa just told me. He's inviting us to their resort this weekend. And Likha is going to perform!"

Lalong namigat ang pakiramdam ni Mila.

Likha ang kasalukuyang paboritong indie band ng kapatid niya. Maliit na banda pa lang 'yon at kaunti pa lang ang nakakaalam.

"He knew about Likha, Mila! Can you believe that?"

Of course, she could. Mateo Vidal had known about her own favorite products and jewelry, after all. When Mateo Augustus Vidal wanted to find out something about someone, he was thorough.

Nagawa ni Mila na ngumiti kahit na may hapdi sa kanyang tiyan. "That's great."

"Yeah, and oh, he's dropping by to invite us for lunch in this new restaurant."

Oh, God.

She couldn't do this.

Not right now.

"I'll just go change and–"

"Wait." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ng kapatid.

"Hm?"

Parang ang kapal ng kanyang dila. "He invited our family to lunch?"

"No, just you and me."

She was a chaperone. But she knew Mateo was doing this on purpose. He was rubbing it in her face. "Maybe it's better if Nanay Andeng goes with you."

Napakunot noo ang kapatid. "Why? May gagawin ka ba?"

She had to think of a lie fast. "Uh, yeah. I have this deadline for some product endorsement. I need to bake this cheesecake using their cream cheese, and I need to show them the pictures tonight before I post them tomorrow. Dapat nung isang araw ko pa 'to ginawa. And they sent me the products last week, but I left it in my condo and forgot to bring it here."

Totoong may product endorsement siya para sa isang cream cheese na kailangan niyang i-post sa kanyang social media. Pero tapos na niya 'yon at naipadala na niya kay Ate Geraldine. Mabuti na lang at alam talaga ni Nanay Andeng na magbe-bake siya ngayon kaya hindi halata ang kasinungalingan niya.

"Oh, but..."

"Sige na, Yanah," singgit ni Nanay Andeng. "Ako nang sasama sa 'yo."

Maliit siyang ngumiti. "Go. In fact, I have to leave now. We ran out of cream cheese; I need to go for a grocery run."