For All That It Takes

CHAPTER 26

"Gael, anak, are you ready na?" Lingong tanong ko sa anak ko.

Nakita ko siyang inayos ang shorts na suot niya bago ako nilingon at ngumiti sa akin.

"I'm done na po, mommy! See!" He beamed and showed me how he fixed his short pants.

I smiled and showed him a nice sign. Malawak na ngumiti si Gael nang makita niya iyon. He walked towards me.

"We'll go shopping po, mommy?" Kuryusong tanong niya.

Agad akong tumango.

"Uh-huh, we need to buy some groceries. Your Papa Harold didn't seem to buy your milk. Nakalimutan yata," ani ko.

Tumango-tango si Gael at nauna nang maglakad patungo sa pinto habang ako naman ay kinuha pa ang susi ng kotse at bag ko bago sumunod sa anak ko. Kinuha ko ang kamay ni Gael bago ko buksan ang pinto.

But to my shocked, I saw Kier leaning on the wall of the hallway while making sounds using his mouth and hitting the plastic bottle of a mineral water that was on the tile floor. He was wearing a printed breeze sweatshirt on top with a wayfarer put on the neckline of his shirt. A midnight black chinos pants and a pair of black espadrilles to complete his outfit.

Parang natigil sa hangin ang mga kamay kong nakahawak kanina kay Gael nang makita ko si Kier na nakahilig doon. He seems to be confident not minding about the people who were taking glances at him.

Humakbang ako papalabas ng room namin. He probably felt it because he quickly lifted his head to look at us. Nang makita niya kami ay agad na bumalandra sa mukha niya ang ngising pakiramdam ko ay hinukay ang tiyan ko.

What the fuck, Haier?!

I instantly shook my head. Ashamed for what I had thought.

But his grin look so handsome! Kier look so handsome!

"Good morning, little boy," dinig kong bati niya sa anak ko.

Doon ay bigla akong napaayos at tumayo ng diretso. Napapikit pa ako dahil sa hiya sa sarili ko sa kung ano ang iniisip ko tungkol sa kanya.

I'm complementing him inside my head yet I had the guts to tell him that we should be friends?! Oh, my god! This is beyond the thickness of my face!

But it was really a captivatingly handsome grin...

"Haier..."

"Ha?" Blankong tanong ko.

Mas lalo ko lamang nakita ang ngisi niya nang magtanong ako sa kanya ng gano'n. Iyon ang tipo ng ngisi na pakiramdam ko ay pati panty ko ay kusang aalis sa katawan ko-

What the hell is happening to me?! Nakakahiya!

I hit my head using my palm for a couple of times to erase that worldly thought I have on my head.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" Kier asked me.

"Ha? Ako?" I asked him absentmindedly.

"Yes, you. Alangan namang ako, Haier?" sarkastikong aniya sa harap ko.

Inirapan ko siya, "Psh!"

"Mommy?" I heard Gael called me.

Inilihis ko ang tingin ko mula kay Kier patungo sa anak kong nakatingin na sa akin habang nakanguso.

"Bakit, anak? May problema ba?"

Ipinilig ni Gael ang ulo niya bilang sagot na wala bago magsalita.

"No, mommy. But..." Huminto siya.