Beneath The Surface

Chapter 7: Things We Didn't Know

"Ate...does Nat know?" The Robredo family were all seated in the living room after dinner. At Tricia's question, Aika gave her sister a confused look.

"Know what?" Tricia took a deep breath before answering Aika.

"Who mama is?" Aika's mouth formed an 'o' at the realisation of what Tricia was referring to. The fact that mama was the Vice President of the country.

"I...assume not?" Aika was hesitant but based on her conversations with Nat, it seemed like he had no idea.

"Aiks, are you going to tell him?" VP Leni stroked the hair of her eldest.

"I don't know...I feel like I should but I don't know when will be a good time to." Aika leaned back, running her hand through her hair.

"What's stopping you? Nat doesn't seem like someone that would see you any differently..." Being the daughters of the late Sec Jesse and the current Vice President natually meant that friendships were difficult to maneuver for the Robredo sisters. People often approached them with underlying intentions...

"I know. I trust Nat too..." Aika sighed.

"But you're worried that he'll think that he shouldn't be around you?" VP Leni finished Aika's sentence. Aika nodded.

"I have a strong feeling that he'll think of himself as a ticking tabloid time bomb and the last thing I want is for him to distance himself because of that..." VP Leni and Tricia fell silent at Aika's words.

"Do you want this friendship to continue?" VP Leni spoke up after a minute of silence.

"I do. I really do, mama." Nat was a friend that Aika didn't want to lose.

"Then trust in the friendship you have with him. Whatever happens, as long as you and Nat have clear consciences, nothing the tabloids say will matter." VP Leni assured her daughter. She had always felt sorry to her girls for making them semi-public figures. 

"Mama's right. The tabloids and trolls are going to find things to talk about anyways. Don't let them get to both of you." Tricia pulled her Ate into a hug. 

~

"Hey...I was wondering if you were free after work tomorrow?" Nat and Aika had just finished their usual morning run routine. 

"Tomorrow? I should be free...what's up?" Aika checked her schedule and nodded.

"Uh...would you like to have dinner with me?" Nat turned beet red as he carefully asked. 

"Dinner with you and Jamie? Sure!" Aika grinned at the thought of seeing her best friend again. 

"With me, alone. The nanny offered to take care of Jamie for the night..." Nat didn't dare to look Aika in the eye. 

"Sounds equally good to me." At Aika's answer, Nat cracked a smile. 

"Great! I'll pick you up at 7pm tomorrow?" After Aika left, Nat did a little dance of excitement.

~

"Daddy! Are you going on a date with tita Aika?" Jamie was watching Nat get ready for his 'date'.

"It's not a date, Princess. It's just dinner." Nat corrected Jamie's words. Although Jamie wasn't technically wrong.

"Whatever. You look handsome, right yaya?" Jamie turned to her nanny.

"Ang pogi mo!" The elderly lady gave Nat a thumbs up. Nat wasn't sure what that meant but he assumed it was something good. He made a mental note to Google it later.