The Third Side of a Love Story

Chapter 2

"Thank you for the dinner, Tita... Tito."

Justin said as we prepare to leave. Hinatid kami ni Mom sa main door.

Justin and Dad had a quick wine after dinner in the garden. But my dad had an urgent online meeting so they had to cut it off. Hindi na rin siya nakasama dito sa baba para ihatid pa si Justin. They just bid goodbye to each other after drinking.

"You're always welcome, Hijo. So..." Mom looked at me. "Where the two of headed?" She asked.

Justin told me to hang out with him after dinner. It was our plan the day I invited him for my birthday dinner. I changed my clothes to something casual just to fit his. I don't know where we will go so I just assume Justin had one in mind.

"We'll have a few drinks with friends to celebrate her birthday on my cousin's pub. They want to celebrate with us and I also think Ven will love it. Would that be okay?"

"Yes ofcourse. I'll let her dad know. Just take care of her and make sure she will get home safe and sound. Isa pa, I don't trust her alcohol tolerance. Kaka eighteen niyo pa lang. You guys should drink moderately."

Tumango si Justin bilang pagsang-ayon.

Bumeso kami kay Mom at sumakay na sa sasakyan ni Justin. I open the car window to bid mom goodbye.

"Drive safely!" that's the last thing I heard before we left.

Tahimik lang si Justin habang nagmamaneho gamit ang isa niyang kamay. And I think it may go for a while kapag hindi pa ako nagsalita. Hindi pa naman malapit dito ang pub na tinutukoy niya. I need to break the silence.

"I'm sorry if dad decides so fast about the things we should not deal with yet." I said. Naisip ko na kasi na baka talagang nabigla siya sa sinabi ni dad at tulad ko ay hindi rin iyon komportable.

Justin and I are not together in a romantic relationship yet so it made things more complicated. Jumping into a misunderstanding relationship to engagement is no joke. It is our future they are talking about. At kahit pa gusto ko si Justin, I am not ready for that either.

They should let the things between Justin and I go smoothly. Hindi iyong pilit o pinilit lang nila.

Tumikhim si Justin na tila nag iisip kung ano ang sasabihin. Pareho lamang kaming naghahanap ng salita na kung saan hindi masasaktan ang damdamin ng isa't isa.

"It's fine to talk about it because I kinda expecting it either. But..." he glanced at me and go back his focus on the road. "I'm not okay with whatever they have decided already."

"I know...it's too early for that. I will just suggest that I am not ready for it and I have more things to achieve before settling down."

"They'll ignore that excuse Ven. You know that." He said and in my mind, I couldn't agree more.

They will just say that it's just an engagement not marriage. And we can still achieve and do our own thing while being engaged.

Alam ko na ang isasagot nila pero pinaniniwala ko pa rin ang sarili ko na tatanggapin nila ang kung ano mang sasabihin ko o ni Justin. Mainly because everything's worth a try, right?

I can make up other excuses and if they can see that I am not really ready maybe they will believe and listen. My dad loves me. Kahit ganoon ang ugali niya, alam ko namang ginagawa niya lang ito dahil alam niyang gusto ko si Justin. Maybe, I can still convince him.