"Congratulations, Engineer namin..." I greeted Ethan while hugging him. His arms wrapped around my back while my arms are on his shoulder and wrapping around his neck.
He chuckled before replying. "Thank you, Architect."
We hugged for a moment before letting go of each other. May narinig naman kaming kunwaring umubo kaya pareho kaming napatingin sa nanay at kapatid niya, pati na rin kay lola. Neisha smiled teasingly at us before she went closer to her kuya Ethan.
"Congrats, kuya!" she also hugged him.
Ethan gently caresses her sister's back bago ito nagpasalamat. Pagkatapos ay lumapit naman na si tita Shirley. Agad itong yumakap sa kaniya.
Pinagmasdan ko lang silang mag-ina. I saw how Ethan closed his eyes for a moment while hugging his Mom.
Ngayon kasi ginanap yung oath-taking nila Ethan. His family came here in Manila, pati ako sinabihan niyang pumunta. And who am I to refuse? Wala ako sa tabi niya nung nag-aaral pa siya, nung graduation niya, nagrereview para sa boards, hanggang sa makapasa siya. At least kahit dito sa oath-taking man lang, kasama na niya ako.
"Ito na talaga, Nay. May Engineer ka na." he said afterwards their hug.
Tumango ang mama niya habang nakatitig sa kaniya. I know tita is so much happy right now to see her first born slowly reaching his dream.
"Proud na proud ako sa'yo." his mom told him.
I just smiled at the sight of them.
"La, salamat talaga... Kung hindi po dahil sainyo, wala pa ako rito hanggang ngayon." sabi naman niya kay lola.
"Ano ka ba? Stop thanking me, pang-ilang beses mo na 'yan." tumawa nang mahina si lola tsaka tinapik si Ethan. "Congratulations. Masayang-masaya kami para sa'yo." she said.
"Let's go? This calls for a celebration. It's on me." I told them.
"Ari,"
I raised a brow at Ethan when he called me. Parang tumututol pa siya nang marinig niyang libre ko ang para sa celebration.
"What? You can't refuse." I said.
Kagaya na nga rin ng sinabi ko, hindi lang siya ang bumabawi sa aming dalawa kundi pati na ako. Kasi sa totoo lang, sa aming dalawa, ako talaga yung mas kailangan bumawi. He's just being too nice to not blame me for what happened to us.
"Wow, ate, ang ganda ng kotse mo. Binili mo ba 'to ate nung nagtatrabaho ka na?"
Nasa kotse na kami nang magsalita si Neisha mula sa likod. I looked at her on the front mirror. Nasa likod kasi sila nakaupo, silang tatlo ng nanay niya at ni lola, habang si Ethan naman ang nasa shotgun seat.
"No. Regalo pa 'to sakin ng parents ko nung graduation ko. Matagal na rin, four years na." sabi ko bilang pagsagot sa kaniya.
"Regalo? Wow," saad nito kaya mahina nalang akong natawa.
Nagmaneho na rin ako paalis. We're on the way to a restaurant now to celebrate.
"Arianne? Nasaan pala yung mga magulang mo? Alam ba nila yung sainyo ni Ethan? Tsaka, alam ba nilang kasama mo kami ngayon?" Tita Shirley suddenly asked.
Base sa boses ni Tita ay parang nag-aalala siya. Alam ko naman na kung bakit.
"Yes, Tita, alam na po nila yung tungkol sa amin ni Ethan. And don't worry po, they won't mind this incase they knew." sabi ko naman.
"Tama, hindi rin naman na nila papakialaman si Arianne na parang bata pa. Pinagsabihan ko na rin naman ang mga 'yon noon pa." sabi naman ni lola. "Nasa bahay nga pala ang mommy mo, Anne. Shirley, baka gusto mong tumuloy para magkakilala na rin kayo?"
BINABASA MO ANG
When We Met
General FictionArianne, the manila girl who enjoys living her life to the fullest with her friends partying every week to different places they can think of, meets Ethan, the hard working and selfless province boy that always think of other people first especially...
