Professor's Pet Series: Quinn Ellis

XVII. Guilt and a Truce

"What?! NO!"

Kunot-noong napatingin sina Mom and Dad sa akin. Shocked by my sudden outburst.

"I-I mean, kaya ko naman mag self-study,  Mom. Just give me a week. Makakahabol ako sa mga lessons." I pleaded with them.

"And, Leighton will be there to help you out, honey. Para hindi ka na mahirapan. It'll only take a few days." Mom insisted.

"But, Mom.." I want to make any plausible excuse that her idea is the worst ever and how it's not going to work out, but my mind can't seem to think of anything right now.

Just the mere thought of us alone in a room is enough to send shivers of electricity through me. Bigla akong pinag-pawisan ng malamig sa mga naiisip.

"It's all for your own good, Quinn." Dad said with finality. At, tuluyan na nga akong hindi nakapag-protesta.

I sighed in defeat. Mukhang wala na akong takas. It's all her fault. I looked at the "her" in question. She's just watching me with her intense eyes, and looking satisfied. I rolled my eyes at her.

I wanted so badly to reach over and wipe the little smirk off her sexy lips.

When it was all settled, they started to talk about the surprised engagement. I wanted to excused myself, pero para naman akong napako sa kinauupuan ko. Wala tuloy akong choice kundi makinig sa pinag-uusapan nila.

"Congratulations again on your engagement to Greg, iha. I must say, you two make a good couple. Although, for a while, I was hoping he'd end up with Ellis." Muntik ko ng maibuga ang juice na iniinom ko sa sinabi ni Mommy.

"Mom?! What the.." Protesta ko pero hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin ng tignan ako ng masama ni Dad. I took a peek at Miss Mendez, wanting to see her reaction to what Mom said pero nakatingin lang ito sa dessert na nasa harap niya.

"So, kailan ba ang kasal?" Mom asked again.

'Um, we haven't planned anything, yet, po. The engagement itself was a surprise, even to me." Sagot nito bago nag-angat ng tingin saka mabilis akong sinulyapan.

"Oh. But, if I were you, bibilisan ko na ang magplano. Greg's a good catch, baka maagaw pa sya ng iba." Sabi pa ni Mom na ikinaikot ng mga mata ko.

I was busy making up excuses in my head to leave, because I can no longer stand listening to all this Greg talk when my phone rang. It's Kelsey. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Nakapatong ito sa table sa tabi ko. Nag-excuse muna ako bago tumayo at sagutin ang tawag. Hindi naman nakatakas sa paningin ko ang mabilis na pagsulyap ni Miss Mendez sa screen ng phone ko bago ko ito damputin. Napangiti ako ng makita kong nangasim bigla ang ekspresyon niya.

Lumabas ako ng dining area to answer Kelsey's call. Nai-kwento ko rin ang nangyari, thinking I'd get her sympathy, and she'd help me come up with a good reason para hindi na matuloy 'yong tutorial. But, she ended up agreeing with my parents suggestion, citing it's all for my own good. Geez, I should've known.

Bumalik ako ng kitchen after the call para mag-paalam na aakyat na sa kwarto, but I regretted it the moment I heard my Mom.

"Ellis, ihatid mo na muna si Leighton sa labas." Utos nito. Kaya wala na akong nagawa kundi bumuntong hininga saka nauna ng naglakad palabas ng kitchen.

Nasa sala na ako when she caught up to me. I opened the door and motion for her to go ahead. Ihahatid ko na lang sana siya ng tingin mula sa pinto, but she stopped a few steps ahead and looked back at me, seemingly waiting for me to follow. I sighed before closing the door behind me.

We stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds. The night is bitterly cold, too, kasing lamig ng taong katabi ko. Conciously, I wrapped my arms around my body.