He Stole My Heart (Heart Series #3)

11

We went to a fancy restaurant. My Dad already booked a reservation. We ordered our food as soon as we sit on the table that's reserved for us. I was quiet while they are talking about stuffs. Si Mama at Daddy ay nag-uusap about sa trabaho nila. Habang si Ate Hillary ay busy sa phone niya. Janella is busy looking around the place.

"Jen, how are you? How's Manila?" Mama asked me.

I looked at her. "It's fine. I had fun a lot." Sagot ko.

"You're not always drinking, are you?" She asked.

I looked away. "Yeah. My friends are always busy."

"I hope you're telling the truth," she gave me a meaningful smile.

I nodded. "Of course. Why would I lie?" I asked her.

Tumango naman ito. Pinagdadasal ko na sana maging maayos naman 'tong dinner namin. Ate Hillary started to talk about herself. Buti hindi nagsasawa sila Daddy sa mga sinasabi niya. Binuksan ko na lang ang phone ko. I took a picture of the place and a selfie so I could post it on my ig story.

The serving here was fast kaya hindi rin kami naghintay ng matagal sa food namin. We started eating na rin as soon as our food arrived. Hindi ako nakikisali sa mga pinag-uusapan nila at tahimik na kumain na lang.

"I heard you went to visit your relatives?" Mama asked me again. "How was it?"

I'm planning to visit them again tomorrow before I go back to Manila.

Nanatili ang paningin ko sa pagkain. "It was fine not until they talked about the past." Sabi ko. Like you always do. "I also visited the house before going there but you're not home. Si Janella lang ang nasa bahay."

Kumunot ang noo ni Daddy. "You left Janella alone at the house?" Tanong ni Daddy kay Mama.

Naitikom ko ang bibig ko at nagpatuloy sa pag-kain. Naramdaman ko ang tingin ni Mama sa akin kaya napatingin din ako sa kanya. She looked at Ate Hillary na natigilan din. Tumingin si Mama kay Daddy at ngumiti.

"We went out to buy something. Saglit lang naman," sabi ni Mama kay Daddy.

"Janella said you went shopping with Ate Hillary," I told her.

Sumama ang tingin niya sa akin. Ate Hillary looked at me, wanting me to shut up. I'm telling the truth why am I gonna shut my mouth? I looked at Mama, bumuntong hininga siya.

"You're not making us fight, right, Fhaye?" Mama asked me.

I smiled at her. "Of course not. Why would I do that? I'm just telling the truth here since we all want the truth, right?" Nakangiti kong sabi.

"Mag-uusap tayo pag-uwi, Mercedes. Alam mong ayokong naiiwang mag-isa sa bahay si Janella." Seryosong sabi ni Daddy.

I looked away and sip on my drink. I didn't bother to talk anymore. Pare-pareho kaming naging tahimik. Ilang beses pang bumuntong hininga si Daddy. Ate Hillary tried to bring up the mood again by talking about her school. Dito lang din siya sa Laguna nag-aaral ng college. Ayaw daw niya sa Manila dahil maraming distraction doon. Pabida talaga.

"Fhaye should really learn her lesson. She needs to realize that her studies are important. She almost lost the inheritance of the company at baka sa susunod, tuluyan na itong mawala sa kanya." Mama said as if wala ako dito sa harap nila.

Ate Hillary agreed. "Yes. That's true. If I have the chance to manage the company, I would grab it. But I know my place here." Sabi pa niya.