Sayang

Chapter 4: What? With him?

After that evening, my cousin and I just sat outside and talked for hours. We catch up on those days that I'm not there for them. When the sunlight from the sun hit my face abruptly and immediately covered me, I groaned in frustration.

"Mira! It's already ten! All your cousins are already outside, why are you still sleeping like a bear hibernating there?" I awoke to the sound of Manang saying something, and I chuckled half asleep. Since I had arrived in New York, my body had not yet adjusted to the time difference in the environment.

"Manang, can you grab me a coffee?" I asked her after lowering the comforter that was just below my eyes to reveal my face. Despite her scrunched-up nose and blazing eyes, she looked me in the eyes.

"I can do that, only if you're going to let me pour it to you." It sent shivers down my spine when she said it lovingly. She laughed at my groaning and I threw my comforter to the side, smiling and rolling my eyes at her in amusement.

"Change before going out of your room. A lot of people will come by today as it is time for their weekly report," she said and I nodded at her before hugging her and giving her a kiss.

"Iww, Miraya!!! Go brush your teeth first," she groaned at me, which prompted me to lavish her with kisses. After a few kisses, she pushes me away with such force that it almost makes me feel offended. If I remember it correctly when I was a kid, she was the one who kissed me first thing in the morning. Tsk.

I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, but I didn't take a bath because we have plans to visit a resort later. I changed into a white tank top and a long, white pencil skirt that fit perfectly around my lower body, and underneath them, I was already dressed in a white two-piece.

"Good morning!" When my cousins were watching a Netflix show on the couch, they burst out in exasperation. I yawned as I descended the stairwell and dashed to meet with them.

"Morning," I simply said to them after I slumped myself between Jebette and Kuya Basti. It made me laugh internally when I saw Kuya Basti's frown when I hugged him and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. Now that I just woke up, he doesn't want a kiss from me anymore?

"M- Mira!" I looked at Jebette, while I was still tightly hugging Kuya Basti, and noticed that she was looking at me with uneasiness.

"L- Let's go. I'll make you a coffee," She volunteered, which prompted me to release Kuya Basti and go directly to her.

I gave her a childlike smile, and she chuckled in response. Jebette had a wonderful knack for combining different elements. She is a talented cook and baker, and she can even make the most amazing cup of coffee on the planet. That's why I've been gaslighting her about her course, urging her to change to culinary school, but she refuses. She expresses a strong desire to be involved in the arts.

"You know, Lola said you should go to the horse stable after you wake up," she whispered while focusing on brewing the coffee. My eyebrow immediately furrowed in confusion while looking at her. What? Why does she need me there?

"Here. Go to Lola now, we'll wait for you at the Kubo," she said and I nodded at her before kissing her on her cheeks and walking out the back door. We have a small Bahay Kubo outside near the small river that flows from the hills, and that's where we mostly wasted our time as a child.

"Lola!!!" I shouted and just stood outside the hoarse stable as I don't want my skirt to get dirty. I sip my coffee and waited for someone to come out, but it's almost been a minute since no one went to me. Maybe Lola's not here...

"Who's that?" I shouted as I started walking inside, I swear I saw some shadow run from one horse boarding to another. Oh god, don't tell me that ghost started living here because this place is so old-

"Ahhh!!!" I shouted after throwing my coffee in the air and sitting on the dirty floor covering my ear when all of the sudden, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. Fuck, I don't want to see a ghost! I don't like ghosts... Wait...

I started pulling away from my hand from my ear and started hearing laughs. I looked up and saw my Lola standing up from the distance and leaning at the wall while snickering at me.

"What the fu- gde..." I shouted when I saw a familiar man standing in front of me while looking at me with serious eyes, but his lips are all curved up. I was about to cuss when I saw my Lola send daggers in my direction with her eyes.

"What are you thinking? Why did you do that?" I asked Lattrel and he just shrug his shoulder before walking with his back to me. I was about to follow him and punch him in his bicep when Lola suddenly appeared in front of me.

"What the?" I said after putting my palm on my chest from surprise. Lola leaned closer to my face like she was examining something. What?

"You... When are you leaving again? Don't you have classes?" Lola asked me suspiciously and I the only thing that I did was swallow hard. Lola thought that I was just visiting but the truth is... I have already requested my transfer paper and they are about to send it to the university here.

"U... Umm..." I looked around to see someone who can save me when I saw Lattrell arranging the rope from distance but obviously listening to us. I was about to tell her the plan I made when my gaze landed on my skirt.

"What the!" I shouted making every worker inside look at me in confusion. I immediately squatted while trying to touch the dirt in my skirt thinking it would come off. I glared at Lattrel who immediately looked away from me.

"I'm going now. I need to change, we're going to the resort," I said with an annoyed tone and turned my back to them when I suddenly felt a hand on my elbow.

"What, Lola?" I asked her after sighing. Now that I noticed the dirt on my skirt, I already feel so sticky.

"My birthday was in a few days," she reminded me and my eyes immediately widened. What the hell? I forgot about it!

"I know you forgot, no need to act like you don't," she said making me bite my lower lip in embarrassment, how could someone forget such an important date? My Lola's already turning eighty!

"We will hold it here, and I want you to arrange it." My head automatically lifted to her in surprise while handling a paper.

"It doesn't matter how much it will cost, just make sure that it will be enough for everyone on the list. And, oh, you'll do it with Lattrel," she said abruptly which made my face turn sour. What? With him? I don't need him-

"You'll need him. He knows where to get things and you still don't have your car here so he can drive you around." My Lola said like she was reading my mind. Is it possible that she has a superpower?

"Ok. But, did you ask him?" I whispered at her when Lattrel walked past us. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that he's not going to agree-

"He volunteered for the job," Lola said while shrugging her shoulder. I stood there and watched Lattrel who just come out holding a bucket from one of the horse's stables.

"What you looking at?" He said sassily when he noticed my eyes following him around. I looked away and started walking outside not answering his question. Maybe, he's not bad at all. I mean, he looks surreal but sometimes, his attitude is like trash.