Gulat kung gulat. Sadyang hindi lang talaga kapani-paniwala ang mga bagay na nasaksihan ko. Never did I think that Israel would have a monster mother like Gretchen. No way!
"Ma, what brought you here?" I saw Israel come closer to where the both devils are standing.
Nakatingin lamang ako sa kanila, still hiding my wrath to show. Si Stacy naman ay pinipilit ang sarili na labanan ang talim ng mga titig ko sa kanilang mag-ina. Nagawa niya pa talaga akong ngisian. This is what I really hate about her, e… ngisi pa lang ni Stacy ay talagang nakakaasar na. She's been winning to tease me effortlessly just by smirking.
"We just want to drop this." At nakita kong may inabot na kung anong papel si Gretchen kay Israel.
Pinili ko na lang na tantanan na ang katitingin ko sa kanila at pakinggan ang pinag-uusapan. Wala naman akong mapapala, masasayang lang ang oras ko sa mag-ina na 'yon.
I hate to admit it but… yes, nagulat talaga ako sa nalaman. It's so surprising to know about Israel's relationship with someone I hate the most. Sa dami-rami ng pwede niyang maging magulang at maging kapatid, why it has to be that two?
"Are you okay, Corrine?" I heard Cindy asked matapos niyang makabalik sa pwesto namin kanina. Nanggaling kasi siya roon kina Magi to give them bottled water. "What's with the long face?"
"I'm fine, Cindy." Napahinga na lamang ako nang malalim.
Sinadya ko talagang bahagyang lumayo sa kinaroroonan ng reunion ng family ni Israel nang kahit papaano mabawasan ang masamang amoy ng nangangamoy na basura.
"Mauna na siguro tayong bumalik sa office-"
"Hija, nandito ka pala!" At ang pilit kong iniiwasang pangyayari na lapitan ako ni Gretchen ay nangyari na. "Sa anak ko pala ikaw nagtatrabaho-"
"Yes." I smile as genuine as I can. "I'm his 'temporary' employee. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Why are you still acting so entitled, Corrine? Alam ba ng mga fans mo na ang hinahangaan nilang artista… sobrang taas ng tingin sa sarili?"
Kung wala lang talagang mga tao rito, kanina ko pa sinugod itong si Stacy para kalbuhin ang ulo niya. As if I'm not aware that she's taking the advantage of having tons of people now here… kaya alam niyang kailangan kong magpigil ng inis sa kanya.
"And what do you want me to do instead of that, Stacy? Gusto mong tingnan ko nang sobrang baba ang sarili ko? Are you starting to convince me to be delusional as you? Do you want me to embrace myself with so much negativity? Is that what you mean?"
"Nagtatanga-tangahan ka ba-"
"Rich people don't use that term. We call it 'sarcasm,' okay?" Naipikit ko nang mariin ang mga mata ko just to hold my temper.
"You never really changed, Stacy. Since then, you're so good at wasting my time." At dumapo ang tingin ko sa nanay niyang nagdala ng basura sa bahay namin noon. "Both of you and your mother."
"W-What did-"
"Magkakakilala ba kayo?" Israel suddenly asked, and so the battle that was about to begin ruined just like that.
"Kilala mo si Corrine, ma? Kayo ni Stacy?" Hindi makapaniwala ang mukha ni Israel, and that's too late for me to realize the action I just made.
Israel surely doesn't know about anything with regard to his mother's second family… or wait? Does he have one?
"She's the one I'm telling you last time, anak." Sandali akong pinasadahan ng tingin ni Gretchen bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Israel. "Iyong bumili ng salon ko."
BINABASA MO ANG
Euphoria: Dosage of Rhapsodies
Ficção AdolescenteLOVE YOURSELF: THE SERIES 2 For long years of moving on from the death of her first love, Corrine finally find the courage to open her heart again. She thinks she has moved on... not when one day, her first love came back to her life.
