The Hurricane in the Oasis (Hacienda Silverio #2)

Chapter 5

Party
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"Alam mo ba, hinintay kita!" masayang imporma ni Fortalejo kay Jarvis pagkatapos na pagkatapos nitong kumanta sa harap.

Jarvis forehead knotted.

Napahagikhik si Fortalejo doon, "Sabi mo kasi 'I'll see you again.' Eh, akala ko babalik ka ulit doon, hindi na pala! Hays, nalungkot ako dun." sabay musot pa nito, halatang pinipigilang matawa.

Jarvis could only scoffed and left her there. He didn't know that she waited, though. He didn't even know that he said something so ridiculous!

"Pero ayos lang! Nagkita naman tayo ngayon! 'Di ba? Smile ka naman diyan!" pang-uudyok pa nito sa kaniya pero hindi siya natinag.

Nang makarating sila sa puwesto ng magpinsan ay saka naman nagsalita si Crisceana. Tila'y iniimbitahan pa nito ang dalaga.

"Hey, Gab. It's Archi's 9th month today and we'll be having a party this evening. Sa hacienda lang, do come if you can!"

Natanaw ni Jarvis ang biglang pasigla ng mukha ng dalaga sa imbitasyon ng kaniyang pinsan. Bigla itong natuptop ang bibig at nagtitili-tili.

"Talaga? 24th na pala ngayon?"

Crisceana nodded, "Hindi mo pala kinalimutan? Yes! It's the 24th of August now!"

Biglang napansin ni Jarvis ang pagkahinto ni Fortalejo nang may marinig ito. His eyes wandered her face. He saw her mouth hang a little open and her brows shoot up a bit. Her eyes were still in the same radius but if he'll look a little closer, he could say how they losses their excitement. As if they instantly dropped and died.

Napatikhim siya at nag-iwas ng tingin. Dahil doon ay bumalik rin si Fortalejo sa mundo. In his peripheral vision, he saw how her expression went back to being happy. Napakunot ang noo ni Jarvis sa nasaksihan. How did she do that? He asked himself while looking at them.

Fortalejo excitedly nodded her head and reached for Crisceana's hands.

"Pupunta ako! Pero baka hindi ako agad makaabot! Pero pupunta ako!" aniya bago ito hinila na ng kaibigan nitong konsehal at parehong nagpaalam.

Nakatinginan silang dalawa ni Crisceana atsaka ito ngumiti sakaniya. "It's a good thing to invite her para naman may kausap ka kapag nabusy kami mamaya. Knowing Pacholo and Loki, they're probably inviting their friends over. So, I invited one for you! Don't worry, Gabriela is fun to be with. She's noisy and sometimes annoying, but I swear you're gonna love her!" wika pa nito bago siya iniwan doon.

Napamaang nalang siya sa kinatatayuan atsaka napakunot noo. What the heck did he just heard from Crisceana? She's inviting her for who? Him? Eh, pilit niya nga iniiwasan ang kaingayan nito! And now she's responsible of him tonight—no! It's more likely the other way around. Knowing the Gabriela Fortalejo, she's definitely going to be his headache.

Napabuntonghininga ako bago inilapag ang mga bulaklak sa puntod atsaka malungkot na ngumiti.

"Hi, mama."

Mariing tinitigan ko lamang ang larawan niyang nakaukit sa puntod. She was the original version of me. Tall, fair, and innocent. She was the only heir of Mariah and Samuel Fortalejo, and I was their only grandchild.