Her Heart's Desire

HER HEART'S DESIRE 15

"Do you think they'll like it, mommy? It doesn't taste bad naman?" I asked my mom who was chewing on one of the cupcakes I baked. She had a soft smile on her lips as she looked at me.

"This is delicious, anak. They will love it for sure." Nagalak naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"Stay safe, ha?" Habilin ni mommy bago sinarado ang pinto ng sasakyan ko at pinaandar na ng driver namin ang sasakyan para makaalis sa bahay.

Holding two boxes of cupcakes in my hand, I carefully pressed the doorbell of a now familiar place in front of me.

Nasa harap na ako ng bahay nila Crimson. I went here to get the books that I left, and I didn't want to go empty-handed so I decided to bake some cupcakes.

I smiled as a familiar figure of a woman showed herself as the gate opened. "Vivienne!" Bakas ang gulat at tuwa ni manang Lucy nang makita niya ako.

"Naku, pasok! Pasok!" Imbita niya at sinabayan akong maglakad papunta sa loob ng bahay.

"Buti naman at naisipan mong bumisita! Naku, matutuwa sila sir Crimson kapag nalaman nila."

I just chuckled, too shy to even form words.

Nang makadating sa sala ay iniwan muna ako ni manang Lucy dahil may aasikasuhin pa daw siya sa kusina.

Tahimik akong naghintay habang nakatayo lang, nilibot ko sa paligid ang mga mata ko.

The interior still stayed the same. Sa bagay, dalawang linggo pa lang naman nang una akong pumunta rito. Nasanay kasi ako sa bahay na kada second week ay may mga nagbabago sa bahay.

"Vivienne?" Napalingon ako sa boses na nagmula sa likod ko.

I smiled as a man made his way in front of me. He was looking rather fresh today even though he was sweating.

He's wearing a jersey. Like, you know, the ones basketball players wear.

"Hi kuya Oliver!" I greeted.

"Napabisita ka, ah!" Nakabungisngis niyang saad at lumapit sa akin, his eyes drifting from me to the cupcakes I had in my hands.

"Uyy, cupcakes. For Crimson?" He asked curiously. I could only nod, feeling my cheeks redden.

"A-Ah, opo. Hindi ko po alam kung ano gusto niya eh." I honestly replied. The only thing I know about Crimson is that his mom bakes a lot, so maybe he's used to getting cupcakes...?

Kuya Oliver nodded in understanding, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief. He even had a sigh as his eyes stayed glued on the cupcakes.

"Hoy, maligo ka na." Kalmadong asik ng bagong dating lang na si kuya Julian. Where he came from, I don't know. But he's wearing a simple blue shirt and cream shorts, and he's here in the living room with us now.

And as soon as our eyes met, his slightly frowning face turned light as he smiles at me.

"Oh. Hi Vivienne, napabisita ka ata."

I blushed in embarrassment, parang nakakailang na yata na nandito ako.

"You're here for Crimson?" I nodded.

Kuya Julian smiled and looked up to where the stairs are and...did something I didn't really expect from him.

"CRIMSOOONN!!" He shouted on the top of his lungs, making me slightly flinch in surprise.

"Tulog pa rin ba 'yon?" Tanong ni kuya Julian, he was now looking at kuya Oliver who just furrowed his eyebrows.

"Tulog pa siya no'ng tinignan ko eh, but that was before I went to play basketball." kuya Julian sighed at kuya Oliver's words.

"Aba, 'tong bata na 'to." Napakamot nalang si kuya Julian sa batok niya.

"HOY CRIMSoN!" Sigaw ni kuya Oliver, napiyok pa siya.

"GISING NA, TANGHALI NAA!" Sigaw niya ulit. Ang lalakas ng boses nitong mga kuya ni Crimson, pero siya halos walang imik.

"CRIMSON RED!" Sigaw ni kuya Julian, nakatutok kaming tatlo sa taas ngayon para makita si Crimson kung lalabas man siya.

"CRIM—"

"WHAT?!" Sabay ng bulyaw ng boses ni Crimson ay ang tunog ng marahas na pagbukas ng pintuan, he looked down at us with an annoyed expression, and by the looks of it, mukhang bagong gising nga siya.

Agad naman na nag-iba ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya nang magtama ang mga mata namin.

"O-Oh, nandito ka na." He muttered as he started to walk down the stairs.

"Nandito na 'ko." I waved at him.

Tamang-tama naman ang pagdating niya sa baba nang may isang boses nanaman na nag-ingay.

"Boys, what is going on?" Isang malambing at mahinhin na boses ang narinig namin kaya napalingon kami sa kung saan nanggaling ang boses na iyon.

My eyes slightly widened at the sight in front of us, standing at the other side of the living room is a splendid looking woman. She looks like she's in her 40's yet still looked young in a way. Her soft features and slim figure gave out the radiance of class and elegant beauty. Her grey eyes showed signs of worry and a bit of annoyance.

"I heard shouting, what was that about? Hm?" Her silky smooth voice was laced with concern as she scanned her three sons. She's their mother, by the way her eyes and her features resembled the three boys beside me, I can already tell.

Then our eyes met and it seemed like my breath hitched. Kinakabahan ako bigla, napakapit ako nang mahigpit sa box ng cupcakes ko.

She looked surprised and confused at first before she smiled at me.

"Oh, hello there sweetie. Who might you be?" She now started to walk towards me with a warm smile that could make a person melt at just how bright she is.

"U-Uh, I'm Vivienne po. C-Classmate po ako ni Crimson." I slightly chuckled at the end of my words, feeling awkward.

"You're Crimson's classmate? Ooh, a new friend of my bunso!" She excitedly clapped her hands at her own thought.

I just smiled, too overwhelmed with the fact na I finally met one of Crimson's parents.

"Oh wow, cupcakes. Gawa mo ba 'to sila, hija?" Tanong ng ginang nang makita ang hawak ko. Tumango ako at nahihiyang napangiti.

She laughed slightly, probably sensing my awkwardness. Paano ba naman at hindi naman ako sanay sa mga ganito? Ang tanging parents lang naman na naka-interact ko ay mga kamag-anak ko at ang mga magulang ni Kathleen.

"Oh, where are my manners?" She scoffed and held her chest. "I'm your tita Julianna. Call me 'tita' from now on, ha?" She giggled and patted my head as she took the box of cupcakes from me.

She then roamed her eyes from me to her sons. "Come, kids. Lunch is ready." And with that, and we followed her to the kitchen.