Taste Of Solitude

III

Pagpasok namin ng mismong venue, all eyes were on us. I mean, who wouldn't look at us? Nagsama sama ang nga kapatid ko na feel na feel ang mga titig sakanila.

They just screams authority all over. Kahit si Kuya Leo, na puro kalokohan is also handsome.

The girls were eyeing my brothers, while I was really uncomfortable with the stares from the men that I was getting.

My mom made me wear this peach colored satin dress that fits my upper body, hugging my figure. It's also backless. kaya medyo malamig, the only thing that keeps it falling is these strings sa likod. It reaches my feet. so it's a also a gown maybe? Then I just curled my brown hair na umabot na ng bewang ko sa haba. Since med school, I never had time to take a trip to the salon.

We were assisted sa upuan namin. What made me wonder is, sobra ng limang upuan ang round table namin.

"Mukhang wala pa sila. Kids, sit down." I heard dad say. Umupo naman kami. On my right is Kuya Lyle. Tapos vacant naman ang left ko.

"So how's Med school? 4th year ka na 'di ba? You're close." Sabi ni Kuya Lyle. Tumango ako. "Yup, malapit na Kuya. I'm one of you na." Sabi ko ng nakangiti. He smiled back.

"Yza, doon ka na mag internship sa hospital  ko. Para magkasama tayo lagi." Sumabat sa amin si Kuya Leo na nasa tapat ko lang.

"Tumigil ka nga Leo, sa akin magi-internship 'yan. Baka kung ano ano pa ituro mo diyan eh." Si Kuya Lexus naman ang nagsabi.

"Stop it. Alam nating lahat na sa akin sasama 'to. Kaya stop your nonsense conversation." Kuya Lyle added. I just chuckled kasi nag aaway na naman sila.

Nagtuloy lang ang pag aaway nilang tatlo, when a family approached us. Tumayo si dad kayan ganoon din ang ginawa namin.

One man was very familliar to me. Parang nagkakilala na kami.

"Ezra?" I said, making their heads turn to me confusingly. Ezra smirked at me. He was surprised seeing me at first.

"Hey. Didn't know you were gonna be here." He approached me. Our family's eyes still on us. My brothers were eyeing me suspiciously.

"Yeah, same here." He grabbed my hand and kissed it. " Glad I came. I can see your beauty." I blushed with his remark. I drowned at his green eyes for the second time.

Binawi ko naman agad ang kamay ko nang tumikhim ang isa sa mga kapatid ko. "Leon Yael Acosta. " Kuya Leo introduced himself. Ezra took his hand for a shake.

"Ezraell Maddox Espinoza." I was shocked nung sinabi niya ang surname niya. He was the Espinoza na according to rumor may something sa amin?

" Lyle Yves. " Kuya Lyle did the same. "Lexus Yvon. Nice to meet you." Kuya Lexus also extended his hand. Ezraell accepted it.

There was tension, na hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling. Kaya thank God, tumikhim si daddy kaya umupo na kami.

Ezra sat beside me, kaya medyo naging uncomfy ako. Ang dami rin ng mata na nasa amin ang atensyon.

"So, Ezraell. I heard you're a Law student?" My mom asked him, tumango naman siya as response. "Yes po, 4th year sa Ateneo Law." Napatingin naman ako sakanya. Akala ko hindi siya sa Ateneo.

My mom was also surprised. "Wow, same school pala kayo ni Lauren. That's good." Dad said, na nagpataka sa akin. Kahit si Ezra. With his final remark.

I kept quiet dahil iniisip ko pa rin ang exam ko. They kept talking.

"Hey, you okay?" Ezra asked me. I was taken aback. I nodded. "Of course. I just want to leave dahil I need to review." He chuckled naman kaya tumingin ako sakanya.

"You should loosen up a bit. Who knows, this might be the last time na magsasaya ka. We're getting close sa graduation." Sabi naman niya. I sighed na lang.

He's not wrong, but I still want to go.

Nagsimula na ang event. Turns out, birthday party pala ng isang kilalang business man na kakilala nila daddy.

Ang enggrande. We just clapped after his introduction.

We were eating sa table namin when my dad's remark made me stop.

"So, Ezra. I can see you met my only daughter." I know na kung saan papunta 'to.

"Dad." I said, parang nagsasabi na tigilan niya na. He's going to suggest indirectly that we date. Lagi namang ganito. That's why I stopped going at these kind of events.

Sumulyap lang sa akin si Ezra before answering. "Actually po, we just met earlier sa cafe malapit sa school. She let me sit sa table niya kasi puno 'yung shop kanina." Sabi niya honestly. Tahimik lang ako.

"You're both seniors, studying in the same campus. You don't see each other?" Pinipilit pa ni daddy. Humigpit naman ang hawak ko sa utensils ko to stop myself.

Again, Ezra glanced at me first.

"Uh, no po. I'm either in the library or in my classroom. After class, diretso uwi po ako lagi sa condo ko. So it is unlikely for us to meet." I want to thank him so bad. Dahil mukhang nakakahalata si Ezra sa agenda ng daddy ko.

Tumigil na si daddy after noon. Kaya they continued na lang.  Suddenlt, his mom asked me naman.

"Lauren iha. What field will you take after graduating? Cardio or Neuro? Or like your brother Lexus? A psychologist?" She asked, naghihintay naman sila ng sagot ko.

" General surgery po. " Nagtaka naman siya sa sinagot ko kaya sasagot na ulit ako ng sumabat si Ezraell.

"It's good she's not focus in just one organ. It's a good thing she's curious about the other organs." He answered in behalf of me, before taking a sip of his champagne.

I nodded na lang. " Yup, I don't want to foucs on just one organ. In general surgery, you're in charge of the lungs, the kidneys. Everything." She smiled sweetly at what I said.

Tahimik lang ako the whole event. Si Ezraell naman ay kausap ang mga kapatid ko. Umalis din ang parents namin to socialize.

"Ezraell, single ka ba? I mean, you're good looking. It's impossible na you're single." Kuya Leo asked.

"Ah kaya hindi na kami nagugulat na single ka. Ganyang mukha ba naman ang makikipag date sa'yo. Might as well throw up." Kuya Lyle teased. Nag fist bump naman sila ni Kuya Lexus.

"Kayo ba kausap ko? Hindi naman 'di ba? Kung inggit, pikit." Kuya Leo said, na halatang pikon na at inirapan pa 'yung dalawa. Ezraell chuckled naman.

"Yes, single. Busy eh. I want to focus sa studies ko at the mean time. So dating, hindi pa napasok sa isip ko." Sagot niya na lang.

"Single din si Lauren. Busy ka, busy siya. Same school kayo. Why not date each other? Para sabay kayong maging busy?"