Behind Her Shadow

Chapter 18

Maria Adelaida's POV

I chuckled. But there was no humor in it. All I could sense within that chuckle was anxiety... and fear.

What did I just hear?

The twins were hers?

"Huh..." I feel like I lost all my words. Hindi ko na alam pa ang sasabihin.

The first twin I saw earlier was still holding the end of the red string, meanwhile, the other one was holding an end, too, and it was too late to realize that they were holding the same string. They were holding both ends. The first twin was with me while the second was with Miss Amaranth.

Hindi maalis ang tingin ko sa kanilang tatlo. God, sa unang tingin ay magkakamukha talaga sila. They go after her a lot. Parehong kulay ng mga mata, pareho ng hugis ng ilong, at lalong pareho ang hulma ng mga mukha.

"Twins, what did you do? Did you run away from them again?" sa mahinhing boses, kinuha ni Miss Amaranth ang atensyon ng dalawa. The twins looked at her at the same time, pursed their lips together, then shook their heads, indicating a no kahit pa ang totoo ay halos kapusin ng hininga si Miley at Rijanna sa kahahabol sa kanilang dalawa.

"We weren't," pagdadahilan ni Niki? Or was it Nicole? "We were just playing!"

Miss Amaranth chuckled, and I swear I heard the angels' harp playing when she chuckled. It was so gentle, so gentle I felt my kness wobbling. Iyon ulit ang unang beses na narinig ko siyang tumawa nang ganoon.

"Playing hard to get, I supposed, baby," She said, tucking their hairs behind their ears. "Please say sorry, kids."

The kids pouted, obviously caught that they were lying. In unison, they said, "Sorry po..."

I stood frozen on my spot, don't know whether to talk, to feel adoration on the kids, or to entertain the confusion I'm feeling right now. If these kids were hers, which did come from her mouth, then...

She's taken.

Pero sabi ni Miss Lia, she's single! The professor said she has no interest with love, hence, what she said and what I saw today is clearly contradicting!

Miley and Rijanna wholeheartedly accepted the twins' apology. Binigyan pa ni Miley ng lollipop ang dalawang bata, na siyang ikinangiti naman nila.

"What will you say?" Miss Amaranth crouched down on their level and fixed their collars. "Hmm, kids? What did I teach you?"

"Thank you po!" Sabay na namang sagot ng dalawa at saka nagunahang magpabukas ng lollipop sa kanilang... mommy.

"You can go now, Rijanna... Miss Adams. Thanks for looking after them." The two nodded understandingly, matapos ay makahuluhang tumingin sa akin si Rijanna, tapos si Miley ay may malaking ngiti habang nakatingin din sa akin. "You can go now, Montecer."

I gulped, hesitant to follow what she just said, but I did. Because if I didn't, I'd definitely ask the heavens tons of why's. I'd be asking questions I never knew I had, or the ones that has been going around but was never spoken aloud.

Why did I have to like someone who's clearly taken?

Sabi ko sa sarili ko, kahit kailan ay hindi ko papangalanan ito kahit pa kaya ko dahil una sa lahat, ilang buwan ko pa lang siyang kilala. At sinong nasa matinong pagiisip ang magkakagusto sa Professor ng pinapasukan niyang eskwelahan?

I said I'd never name it... unless I'm sure. But I'd be lying to myself when I say I am not sure. I am a hundred percent sure. Hindi ko lang magawang tanggapin nang buo sa sarili ko kasi...