Between Your Lips and Mine (Cervantes Series)

3

113022 #BYLAMwp Chapter 3

No one asked me about why I vanished last Friday. Buong weekend, si Jass lang ang nakausap ko at para lang 'yun sa isa-submit namin sa Ethics. I think he already has an idea on what happened but was decent enough not to bring it up.

My phone is quiet for the whole two days. Not that I was actively checking.

I still don't know how to process the fact that Chio knew about my relationship with Jass, along with what happened last Friday. Ayaw ko nang isipin 'yun, but we're going to see each other later kaya hindi ko mapigilan. Paano na ngayon? Dalawa na silang iiwasan ko?

Nagbe-breakfast si Mommy pagbaba ko. I look at her laptop screen and give Tito Luis, her Spanish husband, a brief smile. They know each other through Mommy's colleague since I was in high school. They hit it off when I was in eighth grade, and have been seeing each other since then. They got a civil wedding last November. Kakaunti lang ang invited; family members lang. Mostly from our side dahil nasa Spain ang mga kamag-anak ni Tito Luis.

I don't even know if my friends have an idea about Mommy getting married. Nakikita lang nila si Tito Luis sa bahay paminsan-minsan last year at alam nilang boyfriend siya ni Mommy, but I never told anyone about their plans to get married and settle in Spain eventually. Kay Jass ko lang 'yun nabanggit dahil, noong kami pa, worried na worried pa ang gago kung paano ang gagawin namin kapag kinuha na ako ni Mommy papuntang Spain next year.

Pero nag-break naman kami, so 'tang ina, wala ring kuwenta yung kadramahan niya. Nagplano-plano pa kami kung paano ang gagawin kapag nag-LDR kami. Nag-isip pa ako ng paraan for Mommy to let me stay here para hindi kami mauwi sa ganun.

E hindi talaga kami mauuwi sa LDR dahil break na kami. Inunahan na niya. Gago siya.

Tito Luis asks me about my studies as I prepare myself some snacks. I have a feeling that I'll have to skip lunch and eat by myself sakali mang magutom ako mamaya. I don't want Sab and Eri to have a hard time choosing kung kay Chio at Jass sila sasama or sa 'kin. Kaya ko namang mag-isa.

"'Wag mong kalilimutan," Mommy tells me as she hands me the payment for my language classes na kailangan ko nang bayaran mamaya. She says it's better if I study Spanish to pass the time habang pending ang appointment niya sa embassy at hinihintay naming ma-approve ang Family Reunion Visa niya. That way, by the time she can have me fly there, may A1 proficiency certification na ako at mas madadaliang mag-adjust sa environment kahit papaano.

"Yes, My." I kiss her on the cheek. I say bye to Tito Luis, na kumakaway sa screen, before getting my things and heading out.

Honestly, hindi pa sobrang malapit ang loob ko kay Tito, but I think that's a me problem. I am more than fine na kami lang ni Mommy ang magkasama hanggang huli, but what matters most to me is seeing Mommy genuinely happy. E doon siya masaya e. She already had a hard time raising me alone; she deserves all the love she can get and I am not going to go against it. Besides, Tito Luis has been a better father than my biological dad. Or least I can feel him trying since naging boyfriend siya ni Mommy hanggang bago siya lumipad pabalik ng Spain. That's more than enough for me.

Wala pa masyadong tao sa room when I arrived. I don't see Chio nor his bag. Wala pa rin sina Eri at Sab. Ang naabutan ko lang ay si Jass na mas maaga pang pumasok sa 'kin. Sinulyapan ko lang siya at hindi na inimik bago lagpasan. 

I look at my chair and contemplate if I should sit there dahil ayaw ko ring makatabi si Chio. There's no way Sab's going to let me switch seats with her, at ayaw ko rin naman sa upuan ni Jass (bukod sa ayaw ko siyang kausapin para makipagpalit), kaya naman lumipat na lang ako huling seat sa last row, malapit sa bintana. Wala namang assigned seats, so sorry na lang sa usual na nakaupo rito dahil aagawan ko siya ng upuan starting today.