Beauty Beyond Compare

Chapter Six:

A year had passed.

Tuwang-tuwa ako nang grumaduate na kami ng elementary. Hindi man ako kasama sa nag martya noon sa school namin, pinadala naman nila ang diploma ko. Agad akong nag-ayos para pumunta sa celebration na hinanda sa amin tatlong magkakaibigan ni Ate Matet, hindi naman kasi naghanda ang pamilya ko para sa akin. My family hadn't planned anything for me; they weren't even at the mansion, likely unaware it was my graduation day.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my short hair. A smile spread across my face as I admired my white hair again, now cut just above my neck. I tied a white ribbon on each side and slipped into my white dress. Everything I owned seemed to be white—my favorite color.

Heading downstairs, I prepared a basket of food to bring to the celebration. Matapos non ay dumiretso na ako sa bahay nina Seamore. Nakapayong lang ako ngayon at hindi na nakapag jacket pa.

"Isobel!" Ate Sylv greeted me warmly, pulling me into a hug. "Congrats, bebe ko," she said, making me smile. She was the first to congratulate me.

"Thank you po," I replied. She mentioned the twins were still at school with their mother, so I helped her with preparations. Sobra ang tuwa ko dahil sa akin niya unang pinakita ang regalo niya sa mga kapatid niya.

"At ito naman ang regalo ko sa'yo," nagulat ako nang ilabas niya ang isang kwintas na ang pendant ay buwan na kulay purple.

"Salamat po, Ate Sylv," tuwang-tuwa kong sabi. Siya na ang nag-alok na isuot iyon sa akin. 

"Ayan, ang ganda-ganda mo talaga. Sino kaya sa kambal ang para sa'yo?" she teased, making me blush and look away. I was sure my cheeks were turning red. "Hala, may gusto ka ba sa isa sa mga kapatid ko?" hinawakan niya ang pisngi ko at medyo piniga pa nang iharap niya ako sa kanya, nakanguso tuloy ako.

"W-wala po," nahihirapan kong sabi. Binitawan niya naman ako agad.

"Ha? Sayang naman... ang ganda-ganda mo pa naman. Ang cute siguro ng magiging pamangkin ko no'n," agad nanglaki ang mga mata ko nang nakanguso niyang sinabi iyon na parang nanghihinayang pa siya.

Kids with Seamore?

I felt my cheeks burn, shaking my head to dismiss the thought.

"We're still young po," I said, embarrassed.

"Alam ko naman iyon, Bell. Pero kung may gusto man akong magiging girlfriend nila in the future, ikaw iyon. Pero sure ka bang wala kang gusto kay Moore?" talagang nanlaki ang mata ko nang sabihin niya iyon. Parang hinuhuli niya ako nang sabihin iyon. Her knowing smile made me squirm.

"H-h-ha? W-wala po," I mumbled, looking down and gripping my knees tightly. Nakakahiya, nagkanda utal-utal na ako.

"Ang bebe ko, in-love... Crush mo si Moore ano? Kahit hindi mo sabihin, halata ka," she chuckled, ruffling my hair. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, " she added, miming a zipper over her lips. I could only nod in silence.

Nang dumating sila ay tuwang-tuwa pa at may kinakain na ice cream habang nakikipag-usap sila sa nanay nila. Nang makita nila ako sa loob ng bahay ay nag-unahan pa silang pumasok.

"Congrats, Bell," they said in unison. I smiled at the sight of them—they were identical but easy to tell apart if you knew them well.

Seamus had a more mature face, with a charm that instantly attracted girls. He had a dimple on his right cheek and narrower eyes than Moore. His strong features made him seem stern, but he was actually quite playful.

Seamore, on the other hand, had softer features, with a dimple on his left cheek, making it easy to distinguish him from his brother. He was slightly fairer than Seamus, a little taller now, but there were times when Seamus was taller. Seamore had a mole near his lip, which was captivating.