where will destiny take us?

☆ 24 ☆

"So..." Mom smiled at me, raising her brows. "Boyfriend?"

I took a deep breath. "Mom, I can explain"

After that messy encounter with Ivan's mother and my Mom, we looked awkwardly at each other. This time, it was Ivan who ended the talk.

"Can I ask you something, Mom?" Ivan held his mother's arm, pulling her away. He gave me a glance, worry in his eyes before they were gone.

Nagpaalam naman agad si Mom sa mother ng bride bago niya ako hinarap. Hindi na ako nagtangkang umalis. I just stood there, staring at my mother. When she finally faced me again, looking at me with those eyes asking for answers, I knew how big this lie had become. And the retaliation is hitting me hard.

Mom pulled me aside so we can talk. Lumabas kami sa simbahan at sa isang gilid nag-usap.

"You... have a boyfriend?" nag-aalangan pa niyang tanong.

I pursed my lips, unable to answer. I want to say no but what will I tell her if she asks me what Ivan's mother is talking about earlier? Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na it's just a lie because why would I say yes to such a lie? Me? Valeria? Am I that desperate? For what?

Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na dahil lang 'yun para mapapayag ko si Ivan na mag-take ng quiz and he threatened to go to Dad's house that time noong 'di pa alam ni Ari na kakilala ko siya. That would just show how the punishment Nana gave me is doing its work. I don't want them to see me struggling. I don't want them to have the last laugh.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Mom asked again.

I sighed, some words slipping with my breath. "This is getting too much..." I whispered.

Napataas ang isang kilay ni Mom. "Val?"

Hinarap ko siya nang buo at tinignan siya nang diretso sa mata. "Can you not tell anyone muna, Mom?"

"Why?" confusion on her face with the dip of her brows.

"'Cause..." I scrambled through my mind for a lie but with so much going on, wala na akong naisip. "J-Just 'cause." I shrugged casually to make it seem that I wasn't panicking.

"Are you not ready to tell us?"

With no choice, I gave her a nod.

"But they already know you. And it looks like it's not the first time they met you."

Grabe na talaga. This has really become out of hand. What a coincidence that the bride's family is a family friend of ours that my own mother even decided to come here herself.

"Were you afraid to tell us?"

Heaving a deep breath, I answered, "Yes."