From Anonymous

CHAPTER 13

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"Sauce."

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GIANNE

We all sat down around the dining table with Kylie and Tita Marianne, Mysiah's mom also sat with us and placed two paper bags on the table. I tilted my head in confusion and Kea's eyebrow furrowed, both our faces showing confusion.

" What's this, Tita?" Kea asks, gesturing to the big paper bags infront of us.

" Sabi ko diba, tawagin ninyo ako na Ma, ayaw ko sa Tita. Ulitin mo." She says, crossing her arms in a childish manner and that made me laugh a little.

" What's this, Ma?" Kea asks again, emphasizing the last word.

" Gifts ko at baka kayo puro take-out o pagod kayo sa pagluluto. Ulamin ninyo bukas o gawin ninyong baon." Ma explains, Kea smiled sarcastically at me at the middle part. I smiled back and heard Siah trying to cover a laugh and Russ was just quietly listening.

" Hala, yan lang naman yung sasabihin ko. Balik na kayo sa ginagawa ninyo kanina, tawagin ko na lang kapag luto na pagkain." She says, pushing the bags to us and we quickly reached for it.

" Thank you po."

" Salamat Ma." Me and Keatte both thanked Tita when she handing us the bags. I took a quick look-and-shuffle inside the bag and I immediately regretted it. I saw something under the tupperwares of food Ma prepared for us.

" Wow Mama, Spicy ka ah. So unexpected of you." I joked when I felt the small box on my fingertips, an amused smiled on my face. Tita or Ma just smiled and even winked at me, a wink that clearly confused the boys. Tita just walked out the dinner table and started cooking for dinner with Russ and Mysiah's help, while me and Kea were just going through the bag.

" Kea, may SAUCE sa bag oh." I say, pointing to the small visible box when I peaked inside Kea's bag, she looked confused for a second but she froze when she saw what I was talking about. I wanted to laugh so hard but I hid it by pretending to cough, but she got revenge by jabbing my other side. I just laughed it off again and gestured Kea to walk with me to Tita Marianne or should I say Ma.

Ang unfair talaga, why does Tita look so young at her age? Sana ganyan din ako pagtanda. Pero why would she even give us condoms? Wala naman kami use for it and clearly no plans on using it.

" Bakit ka tawang tawa? May problema ba?" She asks, looking at us up and down holding the paper bags. We were standing near the kitchen hallway and saw Mysiah, chopping ingredients and Russ washing the ingredients.

" Ma, I think mali po ata yung sauce na binigay nyo." Kea whispers, pointing inside the bag.

" Ma, mukha nga, napasobra yung sauce, bawasan na lang namin." I say, discreetly pulling the box out and placing it in a open cabinet. Ma saw what I was doing and quickly stopped my hand.

" Hay naku, hindi, sakto at tama yung nasa bag." She says, guiding my hand back in the bag and putting the box of condoms back in the bag. I think Kea tried to do the same but stopped when I was stopped.

" Russ, we meet again, what a coincidence." I was about to speak but got cut off when I heard Kylie enter the kitchen, clearly fresh out of the shower.

" Kylie, we meet nga ulit. What are you doing here?" I hear Russ ask, taking a break from washing the vegetables.