A Marcos

" she is already owned by someone else."

Dinner was served and we all gathered around in the dining table to eat. Since I was sitting right infront of Sandro I can't help but to keep on glancing and smiling like an idiot at him. Sandro was so trying his best to maintain his calm. I stopped when I notice Kuya Simon was obviously trying to read us up.
As the forks and spoon are tickling because of the plate, Mama LAM couldnt get herself up from the constant silence so she spoke up. "I hope you guys are already friends now." She each looks at us.
"I think they are already." Daddy bong adds.
I just smiled. "They know how to get me kase mama lam eh. Your sons are so magaling."
"Who could resist you ba, Max?" Kuya Vincent inserted.
Kuya Sandro looks up, "I can." We all laugh.
I noticed Kuya Simon that wasn't even joining so I took all my guts out to insert him. "I think Kuya simon was just the one who didn't say any sorry though."
"'I guess he was the one who can resist me actually." We all cackle but was interrupted after what he said,
"yes, Max. If thats the only wake up call for you." He looks so serious and I have never seen him like this. It looks like he's on a bad mood.
"Cut the bull off si, what's the serious thing all about?" Kuya Vincent scolds him.
"I don't know, maybe you ask Max." He directly answered.
My eyes widely open cause I was as well clueless of what is going on with him.
Sandro forcedly dropped his utensils, "Simon, what's your problem?" He interfered. I immediately stood up to the fact that they are just sitting beside each other and anytime could be a possible fight.
"Hey everyone!" we all heard mom's voice and well all look to see everyone was there.
"my baby!" I immediately ran to her direction. "Ah, i miss you so much!"
I also pulled dad for a hug. My Kuya's aren't here and probably at states.
"Hi ija!" tita Imee approached me so I went for an embrace.
I jump onto Kuya Borgy, Matthew and Michael as they embrace with a very tight one.
"You've grown so fast!" Kuya Michael commented.
"Yeah. And she's so taba." Kuya Matthew teased so I made a face.
And so we all approach each other.
"Why are you here anyway?" I curiously asked.
"Well, missing you was plus points but we're here because-.." mom pause it first.
"We decided to formally introduced you to ilocos as Irene's daughter na max and we're going tomorrow." Tita Imee announced.
I don't know why i'm in a midst of being happy and as well not sure.
"Will that won't you know an addition stress to you guys?" I each look at them.
"Of course not sweety, plus we're doing this because you deserve it." Mom declares. "I wanna tell them all the amzing feeling of having you as my daughter."
"And ofcourse our unica ija." Tito bong interjected.
We all laugh.
"Um mom.." I look at Kuya Sandro. "I want to tell you something.." I smiled and very excited to spill but Kuya Sandro held my elbow. "Uh, tita I'll just borrow Max."
He didnt wait for my mom's reply but instead immediately pulled me while everyone is busy preparing for dinner.
He pulled me to a space wherein a little far from them to hear out our the conversation. I was curios so I started with, "what?"
He looks at them first before he spoke. "You can't tell them okay?"
My heart dropped at that moment. "Why?" I tried my best to laugh it off.
"I just wanna keep this between us okay?" He quietly state while keep on glancing on his surroundings.
"So, you want me to be like what?-a secret girlfriend?" I can't even let out those words. "You want me to hide? And keep all of it all by ourselves?"
"Yes, Max. We can't let anyone know." He declared.
"Why?" I repeat.
"Because- the standards max. The standards." It broke my heart hearing it coming from his mouth. I was tightlipted and couldn't even bother to speak.
"I want you. But I can't tell anyone that I want you. It's just so complicated." He explains.
i was so much offended. So much hurt. So much in pain that I was so stunned to speak.
"do you understand?" I can't even look at him but when he ask me those like somehow I'm a fool made me look at him. I go with the flow by nodding and responds with a "yes, love."
"Okay good. But please call me kuya sandro when my friends, at public place nor if surrounded by family. Okay?" He clarified.
"yeah." I agreed.
"Good. Now let's go before they become curios there." He invites so I followed him a minute after I wipe my tears and breath out.
"Honey, come sit next to daddy and me." Mom demands and so I followed her.
They were already busy talking when me and sandro was late on coming in.
"So sandro, what's the plan na ba about your relationship? Are you still with that british girl?" Tita Imee opened. My heart skips a bit hearing up about the british thingy so thats what he meant about STANDARDS. I look at him focused as he keeps on ignoring my eyes.
"No tita, plus Im too busy to have a relationship at this due. I just need to focus on earning the people lang muna. Those are my girlfriend for the mean time." He was so confident while saying those like he wasn't aware that I'm actually here.
"How bout you, Max?" Tita Imee transfers her question as they all transfers their eyes to me.
"Huh?" I was lost.
She laughs. "When is your plan to enter a relationship ba?"
"Um." Honestly I don't know what to answer on that time.
"Dad's ear are wide open.." mom refers dad. We all cackled.
"Her brothers might bring her to states if she'll do." Dad answers.
"Oh and about the you know making Max as a legit Marcos- me and her brother worked it out to erase the you know wedding thing cause it feels so awkward to them as cousins the responsibility of marrying one of them." Mom discussed. "So pano yun? I thought the court wouldn't agree on those kind of decision?" Tito Bong adds.
"Baka it'll be a hindrance pa and a struggle to Max, irene." Tit Ims says.
"Its possible at states, so we planned to bring her there na lang for it." Dad responds.
"Her Kuya's wants to bring her there kase and just let Max stay there na lang." Mom declares.
I have no right answers and decisions about what they're talking about, all I know is i'm good at anything that my family plans for me na lang. i don't wanna stop it na lang.
I stood up and that caughts everyone attention. "Ugh, I just need to go upstairs lang to grab something. Will that be okay?"
I felt so suffocated in the room and I know thats the best thing that I can credit to myself.
"Yeah, sure hon." mom answers.
"But are you okay?" she asks.
"Yap mom, don't worry Im all good." I confidently responded.
I rush to go upstairs and went to the balcony crying out everything I felt there. I keep in silently as possible, covering my mouth to hid the sound. I breath out heavily, biting my lips and went back crying again.
A handkerchief is all I saw on my sight. I look at it to see Kuya Simon offering it to me. His other hands are on his pocket and his face are all focused on me.
I can smell how fragrant the handkerchief is even before I took it. He sat at the balcony putting his view infront of me.
I wipe my tears while realizing how he just didn't stop from staring.
"Aren't you getting tired of crying just because of sandro?" He was the first one to speak.
"This is not about Kuya Sandro." I clarify.
he scoff and went to sit beside me. "as if I didn't know."
I instantly faced him. "Kuya, you can't tell anyone." That was the first one that came out on my mouth.
"You should've not said yes if you are just too scared to let everyone know." He state.
"Sandro won't like it." I ends bowing down.
He face me, sarcastically laugh. "So, it's sandro now huh?"
"Not kuya na ba?" He continued.
He face back on the view spot, "I might possibly say that Sandro put a spelled on you to make you feel this way."
"Akala ko ba si Vincent yung crush mo?" I slap his arms and look at him sternly. He just laugh.
"So he was the one who told you to keep your relationship?" He questioned.
I sigh and nod, "yap."
"Did he tell you the reason why?" I just sigh.
"Standards." I sadly answered.
"His ex were mostly british, americans who has a high degree.." i look at Kuya Simon only to realise he was already staring. "I'm just somehow a pure filipina who studies nursing, what a joke!"
"Hey nursing is a hard course kaya.. you can't just call it as 'somehow' though." He point out.
"It nothing compared to of all his exe's." I insist.
He fully face his body to me, "hey, you are enough! Always remember that!"
"Stop comparing yourself to them cause they aren't you and they will never be as special as you are." Kuya simon is a walking green flag to the highest level.
I eyed to eyed him. "Whoever you are going to like will be so much lucky to have you."
"No, Max. I haven't started yet but I already lose." He state.
He didn't stop from staring. " she is already owned by someone else." He then lets go.