Chapter 26

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De Guzman

Nagkatinginan muna kami ni Benj bago pumunta sa dining room.

Hinawakan ko ang kamay nya at nginitian nya ako at sumunod na kami sa kanila.

Umupo kami sa long table ng dining room namin. Si dad ay nasa isang dulo, si Nathan sa isang tabi nya habang ako sa kabila, katabi ko naman si Benj.

Walang umiimik habang nilalapag nina manang ang pagkain.

"So, Benjamin." - sabi ni dad habang nagsisimulang kumain. - "Where did you meet my daughter?"

"Sa school po." - sagot ni Benj at tumango naman si dad.

"Ikaw lang ang nabanggit ni Sam na bagong friend nya this college." - sabi ni dad.

"I'm new po kasi, this second year po ako nakaenrol." - sagot ni Benj.

"So that means na six months na kayo magkakilala ng anak ko?" - sabi ni dad.

"Opo." - sagot ni Benj.

Omg what an awkward conversation. Tinignan ko si Nathan na kalmado lang naman na kumakain ng pagkain. Umangat sya ng tingin sa akin at ngumiti at tinaas ang isang kilay na para bang nangaasar. Inirapan ko lang sya.

"How long have you been dating?" - tanong ulit ni dad.

"3 months po." - sagot ni Benj.

"Before meeting my daughter, how long were you single?" - tanong ni dad.

"Well, what I have with Sam is my first serious relationship." - sagot ni Benj.

"So you were doing flings, huh?" - tanong ni dad kay Benj.

"Yes, sir. But I can really assure you that Sam's not another fling." - sagot ni Benj sa matigas na ingles.

"How can I make sure?" - sabi ni dad sabay inom ng tubig.

"I love her." - sagot ni Benj.

"What do you like about her? Why did you fall in love with her?" - tumigil si dad sa pagkain.

"She's..." - sabi ni Benj sabay tingin sa akin. - "She's different. She's different among the girls I met. Aside for being beautiful, with her long black hair and her dark eyes that makes you feel like she's looking at you profoundly, so deep that it looks like she's even staring at your soul; she's mysterious. And I'm curious. That's why I've been interested on her the first time I saw her. And I don't know why but her evildoing attracts me so much. Lalong lalo na nung nakilala ko sya deep inside. I love her the way she is, Mr. Jimenez. I won't even dare change anything about your daughter." - baling ni Benj kay dad na napangiti naman.

"Good answer." - sabi ni dad. - "I like it."

Natahimik ulit kami hanggang sa tumunog ang phone ni dad.

"Shit." - bulong ni dad. - "Excuse me." - sabi nya at tumayo na para pumunta sa garden.

"That was amazing!" - sigaw ni Nathan.

"Ang alin?" - tanong ko.

"That tense between you three. It should be recorded." - sabi ni Nathan sabay kuha sa cellphone nya.

"Hey! Itago mo nga yan!" - saway ko sa kanya at bumaling kay Benj na nakatitig pala sa akin. - "You okay?"

"Oo naman." - ngiti nya. - "What do you think he thinks about me?" - tanong nya kaya hinawakan ko ang kamay nya.

Remember MeTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon