"Yhael, kinakabahan ako." Nakahawak ako sa braso ni Yhael habang papasok kami ng kanilang munting bahay.
Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko at marahang dinampian ng halik iyon. "'Wag kang mag-alala, hindi ka naman kakainin ni Naynay, at Taytay," natatawa niyang sinabi.
Even though he assures me several times that everything will be alright because the people he considers his parents are kind, I still can't help but feel nervous.
This is the first time I'm meeting someone else's parents—aside from the parents of my former friends.
Yhael and I enter their home. A picture of two people greets me. It’s not just any old photo—it’s a wedding picture.
They might be Yhael's real parents. He looks so much like the man in the photo.
Yhael invites me to sit on their wooden chair. I look around the house. It’s not big, but it’s very clean.
Pictures hang on the wooden walls. One shows Yhael as a child on his birthday. Another photo shows him with a man and a woman—likely the people he considers his parents.
They're all smiling widely at the camera while Yhael bites the medal hanging around his neck. I think it's from his moving-up ceremony, if I'm not mistaken.
"Anong gusto mong inumin, o kainin?" tanong niya kaya naman nawala ang focus ko sa mga picture.
"Kahit ano," sagot ko naman.
"Wala kaming 'kahit ano' rito," aniya.
"'Wag na nga lang. Ayos lang naman ako," sambit ko pa. "Syaka hindi ako makakakain o makakainom dahil sa kaba."
Natatawa siyang tumabi sa akin. "Bakit ka ba kinakabahan?" tanong niya. "Sinabi ko naman sa 'yo noong nakaraan na ayos na ayos sila sa 'yo."
"This is my first time, Yhael," I whispered.
"Ang swerte ko naman," aniya.
"Pero hindi ito ang first time mo na magpakilala ng liligawan, hindi ba?" aking tanong.
Nalaglag ang kaniyang panga sa aking sinabi. Umiling naman siya bago hinawakan ang aking kamay. "Kung iniisip mo na pinakilala ko si—'wag na nating banggitin ang pangalan niya—nagkakamali ka," sagot niya. "Kilala siya nila Naynay dahil matalik ko siyang kaibigan."
Tumango naman ako. Hindi naman na dapat ako magselos sa mga ganoong bagay. Pinapakita naman ni Yhael na ako na 'yung gusto niya.
The door swings open just as Yhael lets go of my hand. We both stand up as two people enter the house. "Good evening po," I greet them politely as they approach us.
I'm grateful that even though I'm nervous, I don't stumble over my first word.
Yhael's parents stand and stare at me. I can't read their expressions. But after a few seconds, they exchange a serious look.
"Siya ba, Yhael?" seryosong tanong ng lalaki.
Hinawakan ng babae ang braso ng kaniyang asawa. "Opo, Taytay. Si Aphle po, nililigawan ko." Nagningning ang mga mata ni Yhael ng sabihin niya iyon.
The couple looks at each other again before the woman invites us to sit down. Yhael and I sit next to each other, while the couple takes the seats in front of us, watching us intently.
The woman breaks the silence.
"Ngayon, ikaw si Aphle, hindi ba?" tanong nito. Mabilis naman akong tumango bago ngumiti sa kaniya.
She looked at me from foot to head before asking again. "Anak mayaman ka, hindi ba?"
Tahimik akong napatango-tango. Walang lugar dito ang pagsisinungaling. Syaka gusto ko nagsasabi kaagad ako sa kanila, para madali silang sumang-ayon sa amin ni Yhael.
BINABASA MO ANG
Forbidden Relationship (Forbidden Series #3) (Completed)
RomantizmBeing the youngest daughter isn't really easy. That's how Aphle always feels but never expresses to anyone. Aphle Xierinah Poniente, the youngest daughter of the governor in their town. She is intelligent, obedient, innocent, reserved, generous, and...
