Habang pababa kami ng hagdan, I tried to pull my hand away from his pero hindi ko magawa kasi he didn't want me to let go.
"Huy, let go." Mahinang utos ko.
"Why? You don't like it?" He stopped in his tracks.
"Hindi siyempre. Makikita ni kuya." I had my eyes wide open, imagining my brothers reaction.
"He won't mind."
"Paano mo nasabi? I know my brother, Noah. Ayoko ng sermon ngayon." reklamo ko pa.
"Trust me."
It took a few more seconds of him convincing me but in the end, he won. Pumasok kami sa kusina na magka-hawak ang kamay namin. Sinubukan ko din na itakas ang kamay ko sa hawak niya, but he was smart enough to tighten his grip in between my fingers.
Hindi kami nagsalita hangang sa nakaupo na kami sa natitirang dalawang upuan.
"Alam mo Lia? I'm kind of upset. You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend." Biro saakin ni mama.
I started stuttering on my words, not knowing how to respond.
"I think, she just didn't get the chance to. I've been keeping her busy the past week." Noah spoke.
Accurate naman yung sagot niya pero hindi ko alam kung tama ba na sinabi niya 'yon. I'm still not sure about how my brother was feeling about this.
"Wait." Umpisa ng kuya ko as he quickly swallowed the food in his mouth. "Kaya ba tinatanong mo kung may partner ako, kasi meron kana?" He asked and I recalled the conversation we had in my room the other week.
"No." Maikling reply ko.
Why is this so weird for me. Hindi ba't dapat natutuwa ako kasi kilala na ng pamilya ko yung boyfriend ko?
Maybe it's the fact that Noah's first impression on my brother was not as good as I hoped it would be. Pero may feeling talaga ako na para akong pinagpupustahan o may itinatago sila saakin.
"I guess I'm the closer parent now." Biro naman ni Anthony. "I found out before you did." Tumingin siya kay mom.
"Bold for you to say something like that after everything you did. Which is nothing." Pambabara sakaniya ng kapatid ko.
"Okay! I didn't realize the time. Tara na? Malelate na tayo." Noah stood up from the table. Madali naman akong tumango para na din makaalis doon. The tension started building up before I could even say a proper sentence.
Noah and I went out the front door together then went straight into his truck. And as always, tinulungan niya muna ako papasok bago siya pumunta ng driver's seat.
And this time, hindi na niya ako iniwang mag-isa sa parking lot. Sumabay na din siya saaakin papasok. He didn't look embarrassed either. Which I thought he was somehow. Akala ko ikinakahiya niya ako kaya iniwan niya akong magisa noong unang beses na sinundo niya ako.
I wasn't even paying attention to where I was going. Nakatingin lang ako sakaniya trying to somehow read his emotions from the side of his face.
_____
The whole school morning went by the same as any other day for everyone else. Pero may iba para saakin. I didn't have such a heavy feeling in my chest na narealize ko na matagal ko nang kine-carry. I actually paid attention in class and even understood the lessons easily. For some unknown reason, a regular day turned into a weirdly eventful one.
When lunch came, hinintay ako ni Noah at tinanong kung gusto ko daw ba na sumabay ako sakaniya. But I told him lunch time is the only really time I have to see my friends at hinayaan niya naman ako. Hinatid niya pa nga ako at sinamahang bumili ng pagkain.
BINABASA MO ANG
Unexpectedly Attached To You
Storie d'amore#1 Keylia Zen Fernandez For Lia, everything in her life was nearly perfect. She has everything she could ever dream about. A loving family, supportive friends, a peaceful neighborhood... But what if behind everything she ever was thankful for was...
