Chasing an Angel

C2.3

Theo and Bing arrived just minutes before Leo. The two teenagers headed straight to their respective bedrooms to change clothes while Leo lingered in the living room looking around.

"Where is RJ? I have seen his car parked outside."

"He's at the kitchen."

Leo sat down beside Meng and reached out for the TV's remote control to open the unit and watch the latest news broadcast. After watching for some time however, he commented.

"What is taking RJ too long in the kitchen? Don't tell me he is already eating ahead of us."

Meng just looked up from her book, shrug his head signifying an "I don't know" gesture without verbally answering his question. Leo then stood up and headed towards the kitchen.

There, he saw Alden busy peeling several pomelos lined up on top of the kitchen's working table.

"Whoa! What is that for?"

"Payoff to Meng for offense done."

"What? I told you she's my cousin. Keep her off your league."

"Stop assuming anything. I assure you it is very remote from what you may have in mind."

"Then spill it out or I will throw you out of the house right now."

Alden scratched his head and was forced to narrate to Leo the previous day's incident skipping out Meng's 'overstuffed with food mouth' scenario and the recurrence of an almost similar nature moments ago. Hearing this, Leo nodded holding his face between his fingers and said.

"Now I understand the wholesale purchase of pomelo and mangoosten yesterday and, likewise today's noontime food which is supposedly a lunch for two but would more than suffice a full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) meals. However, I am not aware of any past incident that you exerted much efforts to make amends for a mischief committed."

"I just want to change the impression that she's had on me due to these mis-encounters."

"And I thought you're one who don't give a hoot in impressing women."

"She's your cousin, a family, why so much fuss?"

"Hmmmm! Just asking, you seem to be acting strange since you arrived."

"What is strange in being nice to a member of your family which I considered also mine? As far as I can remember, I had been nice to everyone for more than a decade and you're only wondering now?"

"Ok explanations considered. But, being Meng's guardian my position still stands regardless of friendship and, since you committed the crimes within my domain, you owe me too. It is just fair that I demand payment."

Leo was about to pick two peeled pomelos with his hands when Alden blocked him. "These are for Meng, maghirap ka kung gusto mong kumain."

"Ah so ganon? Uwi mo na kaya lahat yan baka kung ano pa mangyari sa pinsan ko?"

"Anong kalokohan pinagsasabi mo?"

"Bakit ayaw mo akong patikimin at gusto mo si Meng lang ang kumain?"

"Palusot ka pa, kumuha ka na nga."

Leo hastily picked two peeled pomelos and went out of the kitchen laughing loudly leaving a smirking Alden behind.

Bing and Theo enjoyed so much the foods they shared for dinner. Thus, they invited their kuya RJ to spend dinner with them every day with the condition that he would also be bringing food to which Alden readily consented.

Suddenly, Alden ran out of the house and was back within a few minutes with a paper bag in one hand which he handed to Bing. Bing shrieked loudly upon seeing the contents and hugged him. "Thanks kuya for these. You really don't forget my favorites." She dipped a hand inside the paper bag to get two pouches and handed these to Meng which turned out to be packs of dried mango and special utap and declared to Theo and Leo. "These are for ladies only. Any objection is overruled."

"Ang damot damot" was all that was heard from Theo which made the rest including Meng laugh. Unknown to Meng, Alden is watching her discreetly, while Leo's eyes is curiously glued to him, also inconspicuously observing his best friend's actions.

Meng was again maintaining her silence all throughout the evening, talking only when someone involves her in the topic. After dinner she was about to request to be excused but, Leo invited her to stay to watch a movie with them from the newly bought tapes he brought home. She would had love more to pursue her reading session but out of respect for her kuya who had been taking care of her like a real brother, she conceded.

Theo and Bing this time had easily convinced Alden to sleep over not knowing that the later do not need convincing anymore.

Alden had resolved not to be bothered by any possible reaction from Meng reasoning more to himself that he had already been sleeping over with Leo and his cousin's homes long before she entered the scene.

He and Theo shared the latter's bed. Although he may had been more comfortable in his own large bed at their house, but staying with Leo and his cousins had always made him feel relaxed and contented. And he missed this for months now. He slept soundly that night but woke up very early ahead of everyone the next day and left.

Everyone was roused from sleep by knocks on their bedroom doors and someone shouting, "Get up sleepy heads, breakfast is ready".

They came out of their bedrooms to find Alden standing at the door leading to the kitchen. There, they saw the dining table already filled with foods for breakfast.

"Sorry dudes that I had to drag you from bed early. It's just that I want to eat breakfast with you before going home. I need to talk with my father before he leaves for his office as I may not be able to squeeze into his schedules if I'll miss him this morning. This is something important for I need to fix this dilemma I am having now," he said then looked at Leo which seems to be the one he is directing his last sentence to.