Threads of Love

Chapter 6

We were both shocked as our eyes met and locked.

Don't tell me..

The room seemed frozen in that moment, everyone wearing expressions of surprise, except for my dad and Lana, my older sister.

"Oh my God," I muttered to myself, the weight of the situation sinking in.

I was jolted back to reality when his mom gently kissed my cheek, "I-Iha, I didn't expect you to be here."

The beso on my cheek brought me back to the present, but I could feel my dad and Lana's questioning stares, silently asking how I knew Aga and his family.

They didn't know about Aga and our relationship, fake relationship to be exact, and their lack of astonishment added another layer of complexity to an already unexpected encounter.

The room hummed with an unspoken tension as I tried to navigate through the greetings and exchanges, all the while aware of the secret I was harboring. The facade I had carefully constructed to keep my relationship hidden now teetered on the edge of exposure.

As Aga's family exchanged pleasantries with mine, I felt a mix of emotions — surprise, fear, and a bit of relief. The unexpected intersection of our worlds left me grappling with the revelation and the looming uncertainty of what would unfold next.

Tumingin ako saglit kay Aga, na gulat na gulat din sa pangyayari, and for a moment, our eyes met again. The unspoken understanding between us lingered beneath the surface, a shared secret in the midst of a gathering that had taken an unforeseen turn.

The room buzzed with conversations, but in my mind, a storm raged. How would my dad and Lana react when they discovered the truth?

We're sat together with Aga sitting in front of me. Thank goodness, making it easier to communicate or signaling with him.

My dad, ever the composed figure, finally spoke, "Lea, you never mentioned you knew the Muhlachs."

I cleared my throat, a nervous laughter bubbling beneath the surface, "Well, surprise?" I tried to downplay the situation, but the weight of their questioning stares was palpable.

Lana, with a raised eyebrow, joined the conversation, "Surprise indeed. Care to explain, Lea?"

Ito na naman siya. Ayaw pa naman nito paawat hangga't hindi niya nakukuha ang gusto niyang sagot.

"Well, you guys never mentioned them either, so how would I know?" I shot back, attempting to deflect the attention away from the real nature of my connection with Aga.

"Hm we thought you're walking out, what's with the sudden change, Sis?" Lana sarcastically asked.

Ayan na nagsisimula na talaga siya.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to butt in, didn't Lea mention her relationship with our son?" Hindi na napigilan ng mama ni Aga magtanong.

I remained calm but deep inside my heart's pounding fast.

Lana shot me with an amusement expression, more like a sarcastically amuse. "Huh, now I got my answer."

"And the reason we came is to disgust things and cancelled the supposed marriage but looking at the situation, guess we'll push through the wedding." Aga's mom added. "Besides, it became easier now."

I looked at Aga, and he silently assured me to continue playing along, signaling with a subtle gesture to keep our secret safe.

I wanted to let out a deep sigh but I had to control it.

As the weight of the situation hung in the air, my hand found Aga's, and we held onto each other for support.

"Dad, Lana, there's something I haven't been completely telling you about," I began, meeting their questioning gazes with a mix of determination and vulnerability. "It's true and we've been dating for a while now."