Unexpected

Hidden

Asher's POV

" Should I go or not? Gosh Asher, why are you stalling? He doesn't affect you anymore diba? Eh bakit aarte arte ka dyan and hindi kapa pumunta sa house ng mga Manalac. You promised you'll come and now you're having cold feet?"
Asher's talking to herself. She's actually in her hotel room in San Francisco. She could have gone sa house ng mga Manalac kanina pa but she's having second thoughts if she's still going or not. She was able to avoid all the gatherings that she knew she will see him by making excuses but this time her dad asked her to come kasi may important daw na sasabihin sa kanila that is why everyone is there, even him. And now after a long time magkikita ulit sila.

" Gaano naba katagal Asher? It's been what 12 years and yet hindi mo din nakakalimutan what happened. Let it go, he's not interested and he looks at you just like a sister so get over it." Ahhh nababaliw na ako talking to myself, Asher was saying.

She can never forget that day , she felt hurt and humiliated that time. She lost self confidence in her looks and it took her a while to gain it back, but she was never the same again. Well she never felt the same feeling again anyways.

Flashback 12 years ago. One day before her prom.

" Asher, you're kuya Luis have a pink eye, hindi ka nya masasamahan sa prom mo, but Francisco is back from Manila sabi ng tita Marie mo and he's coming over to visit later, maybe just ask him to go with you. Kaysa naman wala kang escort." Asher's mom was telling her. Divine is worried kasi her daughter is excited for her prom, they even got her a very simple and elegant dress two days ago . They were with Marie, Francisco's mother.

Asher suddenly felt excited. She hasn't seen Francisco in a while. He's in the Philippines trying his luck with his band. He always wanted to be a singer so kahit he's almost graduating na sa course na Engineering he's pursuing his singing career. The two of them are not that close on a personal level. He's 7 years older, parang kuya Luis nya and lagi sya nito pinaiiyak at kinulit when they were younger. But he went to the Philippines to study dahil mas mura dun so they lost communication. Minsan hindi rin sila nag aabot sa mga ibang occasion na meron ang families nila. It's either she's busy with school or Bamboo is not around or can't come himself from the Philippines. But they were always civil and she always feel his protectiveness on her.  It's been what almost 5 years ng huli sila magkita it was Bamboo and her kuya Luis graduation in HighSchool, they were 18 years old then and she's just 11. She wonders how he looks now. She had always admired him, well mostly for his voice and his talent for playing the guitar. Oh forget that, she actually developed a crush on him when he started his singing career in the Philippines but he doesn't know. He can never know.

She drove her MiniCouper to the Manalac residence. She got it as a gift for her 16th birthday and for being a consistent honor student. As she arrives at the Manalac residences Pamela was going out of the house and told her that Her mom and Bamboo is in the garden having some snacks and that she could just go inside because she's already late for her duty. She's a medical intern at that time. So Asher help herself into the Manalac residence and went to the garden but she stopped when she heard her tita Marie and Bamboo arguing about something and she froze when she heard her name.

" Asher's a nice young lady Francisco so you better take care of her and promise don't do anything stupid okay, mahiya ka sa Tito Delfin mo at Tita Divine mo. She's not your usual girls na nilalabas mo sa Manila. I'm telling you Francisco alam ko mga kalokohan mo sa Manila." Marie was telling Francisco, she asked him if he could accompany her to her prom because Luis got a pink eye and Divine asked her if she could asked Francisco because she doesn't trust anyone else bringing her daughter to the prom.

" I know mom, don't worry, Asher's like a sister to me. She's not even my type of girl okay? Mas maton pa nga sa amin ni Luis yun eh, so relax okay. And she's way too young for me so please don't ever think that way mom." Bamboo was explaining to his mother. He agreed to go with Asher sa prom because his tita Divine and his mom. But ang dami bilin ng mom nya like such and such because of what she hears about his activities in Manila kaya he has to re assure her. We'll he's not interested in her naman talaga. His last memory of her was when she was 11 years old with her braces pa, it was during his and Luis high school graduation and he hadn't seen her since. Even if he comes home for some vacation hindi sila nag aabot palagi. So he doesn't even have a clue how she looks like at that time and besides he's doing a favor kaya medyo he got irritated.