Complicated Love

Chapter 30: Noche Buena

"Diba sabi ko naman sayo bawal ka pa mag-bf? Diba?" Sermon ng nanay ko sa gantong oras pa lang. Guess what? It's just 9am. Pano kasi,umamin na ako sakanya. At ayan. Nagalit. Of course I expectes this. Sinuway ko sya eh.

"Mom,he's my happiness! And i'm doing my best to get high grades. Wanna see my report card? Oh eto!" Then I handed it to her. "Lahat yan pinaghirapan ko habang wala kayo sa tabi ko. Walang tulong kahit kanino! Hirap na hirap ako,alam nyo ba yun? At sya lang ang nagpapagaan sa loob ko pag nas-stress ako."

"Wag mong masagot-sagot ng ganyan ang nanay mo,Zia!" Pag-sabat ng tatay ko habang tinuturo ako. "Di ka namin pinalaki ng ganyan kaya umayos ka dyan ha."

"Anak pino-protektahan lang naman kita eh. Ayokong masaktan ka. Ayokong mapahamak ka. Ayokong may mangyaring masama sayo dahil sa lalaking yun."

"Sa tingin nyo ba kung mahal nya ko magagawa nya yun? Diba hindi?" Then the atmosphere became silent. Walang sumagot. Not until Kuya woke up.

"Ano ba yan? Bat ang ingay nyo? Ang aga-aga eh." He said while ruffling his hair.

"Etong kapatid mo! May ka-relasyon na. Ang bata-bata pa eh." Dad said as he turn the pages of the newspaper he's reading while sitting on the couch.

"Dad,Mom. I'm so sorry I didn't stopped her from doing that because even me,I have a girlfriend." They looked to him. I don't know. Angrily? "Sorry talaga."

Wala nang sumagot. Dad stood up and walked to their bedroom. Also,Mom left me standing there.

Third Person's POV
Mrs. Alexis talked to Mr. Alexis while sitting on the bed as Mr. Alexis is looking afar from the window.

"Ano na gagawin natin sa dalawa nating anak?" Ms. Alexis started the conversation then Mr. Alexis turned to her.

"Just let them. Dyan sila masaya eh. Basta pag nasaktan sila,kasalanan nila yan." Mr. Alexis decided.

"Sigurado ka?"
"Oo. Wala naman na tayong magagawa eh. Tanggapin na lang natin yung mga ka-relasyon nila na parang pamilya."
"O sige."

Both of them went downstairs to talk to Diether and Zia. Diether was eating breakfast while Zia is sitting nervously on the couch.

"Mga anak. Umupo kayo dito." Ms. Alexis said as she sat down at the end of the couch while Mr. Alexis is standing at the back of her,touching her shoulder.

"Napag-desisyunan namin ng Daddy nyo na pabayaan na lang kayo dahil dyan kayo masaya." Ms. Alexis said. "Basta siguraduhin nyo lang na tama ang desisyon naming ito at pagbubutihin nyo ang pag-aaral nyo,ha?"

"Opo Mommy." Zia said.

"Salamat." Diether said.

"Ipakilala nyo samin yan mamayang gabi ha. Magsama-sama tayo sa Christmas Eve." Mr. Alexis said as he walked to the kitchen to get some water.

Zia and Diether stood up and bowed to their Mother and said, "Maraming salamat po." While smiling.

Zia's POV
Hay jusko po. Buti naman okay na ang lahat. Kinabahan ako dun ah.

We had lunch together and a movie marathon until the sun sets.

I dressed up for the gathering. 6pm pa lang,nandito na si Carl. He shook the hands of my parents and said, "Nice to meet you po. Ako si Carl at aalagaan ko po ang anak nyo. Iingatan ko po sya,pangako po yan."

"Mabuti naman." Dad said. Mom rushed to Carl while he is holding my hand. She squeezed the face of Carl.

"Ang gwapo-gwapo mo naman!" She said to him. "Bagay na bagay kayo ng anak ko!"

"Ay maraming salamat po Tita." Carl blushed. "San tayo,babygirl?"

"Bedroom ko,I guess?"
"Okay." Then we went upstairs. We spent the night together while playing some video games,watching movies and just some random talk. "Di ka ba nagugutom? Ilang oras pa bago tayo mag-Noche Buena oh."

"Gutom nga ako eh." Then I pouted. "Teka tawagan ko si Kuya para makapag-drive thru man lang sya sa Jollibee." I called him. He's about to go home with his girlfriend.

"Okay na?" Carl said as I drop my phone on the bed. I nodded. "Good."

We talked about his family and I knew more about him.

Kahit anong titig ko sakanya habang kausap ko sya,kinikilig pa rin ako. Lalo na kapag tinititigan nya rin ako na parang matutunaw na ko.

We went downstairs as I heard the doorbell. It means he's back. With foods. 3 hours left,Noche Buena na.

I took the Jollibee paperbag from his hand and ate it. No. Not the paperbag. I mean the food inside it. Clear enough?

Carl watched me as I eat. "Don't you know it's rude to stare at someone while eating?" He just smiled at me. "Tse. Bahala ka nga."

"Cute mo." Then he laughed. He pinched my cheeks very hard enough to make them red.

We gathered at the living room and played games with Mom and Dad,Ate Kat and Kuya Diether. It's just fun. Knowing that my parents already accepted things like this. We played until 12am struck and we rushed to the dining room.

Mom and Dad sitting beside each other then Me and Carl,then Ate Kat and Kuya Diether. I leaned to Carl's shoulder while linking arms with him.

Foods are already there on the table. We prayed and then we started eating and laughing and talking to each other. Take note,no cellphones.

This is my kind of Christmas eve. Not the ones that i've experienced. The one that i'm just alone,eating,just because my brother is spending it with his friends. Now,i'm happy about what's happening.