Chasing the Wild Waves (Student Series #1)

Kabanata 16

I was staring at myself in my vanity mirror and busy applying makeup to my face when my parents entered my room. Hindi man lang talaga kumatok! Hindi ko sila pinansin at patuloy lang sa ginagawa. Lumapit si mommy sa gawi ko, samantalang si daddy naman ay umupo sa kama ko.

"Your room is in a mess again," puna niya.

Kapag nariyan talaga si dad ay marami talaga siyang masasabi at mapapansin. I looked around my room and saw that some of my things were on the floor. Iyong kumot at unan ko ay naroon na rin sa sahig dahil siguro sa pagiging malikot ko magtulog. I ignored what he said and acted like I did not hear anything from him.

"Araw-araw naman itong nililinisan ng katulong natin at hindi ko alam kung ano'ng pinanggagawa mo rito sa silid mo at bakit ganito kakalat iyon," he said.

"Carolina," mom called me when she noticed that I was ignoring dad. "Pinapangaralan ka lang naman ng daddy mo, hija."

I heard dad sighed. "Sumabay ka sa amin mamaya, kayo ni Ryder. I won't take no for an answer, at kapag hindi mo susundin ako ay hindi mo talaga magugustuhan ang gagawin ko, Carolina."

"Bakit na naman, dad?" Padabog kong binaba ang aking brush at hinarap ang aking swiveling chair sa gawi ni dad. "Bakit kasama palagi iyang Ryder na 'yan? For what?"

Nakatinginan sina mommy at daddy, I looked at them weirdly. Lumapit pa lalo sa akin si mommy at hinaplos ang ulo ko. Si dad naman ay tiningnan lang ako sa salamin. He's still mad at me about yesterday, but he knows me... He couldn't force me to apologize. I continued fixing myself again, putting eyelashes after fixing my hair. Mom is staring at my reflection in the mirror, like she wants to tell me something.

"What is it?" Tumigil ako sa paglalagay ng fake eyelash ko dahil sa titig ni mommy sa akin. "May sasabihin ba kayo? Bilisan n'yo na dahil hindi ko malagay nang maayos ang eyelash ko sa titig ninyo."

Mom shook her head dismally, and dad looks disappointed. Bakit? Kailan ba naging hindi disappointed sila sa akin? I looked at them with annoyance. Ano'ng plano nila? May sasabihin ba sila o wala? Kung wala, mas mabuting lumabas na sila ng room ko! They're distracting me!

"Carolina, do you think..." mom intentionally cut her supposedly question.

"What? What do I think?" I asked impatiently.

"Do you find Ryder attractive?" she changed her question.

"What? No!" mabilis kong sagot. "Mom, ang pangit kaya niyon! Gosh! Baliw lang siguro ang mag-iisip na attractive ang lalaking iyon!"

Mom cleared her throat. "Many girls liked him, Carolina. Masyado kang bulag sa pagiging iritado mo sa kanya kaya sinasabi mong pangit siya. He's the real definition of handsome man, Carolina. He's smart, tall, a man with principles, kind, at masipag din kaya siya, hija. Marami ngang babae ang nakakagusto sa kanya dahil minsan ka lang makakakita ng ganoon katinong lalaki."

Umirap ako. "Oh? Eh ano ngayon? Eh 'di sa kanila na 'yang si Ryder tutal gustong-gusto naman pala nila riyan. Ayaw ko riyan, eh, ang pangit!"

"You don't know a thing about handsome, Carolina," said my dad. "Bakit? Ano ba ang guwapo at attractive para sa 'yo, ha? You're still immature. You haven't bloomed yet. Masyadong makitid ang utak mo sa ganito."

"Puwede ba, dad? If you have nothing good to say to me, leave me alone!" I hiss. "Nanahimik ako rito 'tapos papasok kayo bigla para guluhin ako, and in the end, what? It's my fault for acting this way?"

"Carolina..." Napasentido si dad.

"Dad, please, I have a class today. Huwag n'yo namang sirain ang araw ko, oh," I said, annoyed. "If you have something to tell me, keep it for later, because now my thoughts are preoccupied with something else."