Broken Boy meets Broken Girl

Chapter 18

Chapter 18- Nail Mark

Kabado akong bumaba sa sasakyan niya nang pagbuksan niya ako ng pintuan. I Was nervous of the thought that his sister won't like me. He held my hand at pinag-salikop ito. I glanced at him, but he just winked at me.

Pinindot niya ang car alarm key at nagsimula na kaming maglakad. Maya-maya ay namataan ko na ang isang matangkad na babaeng naka brown boots, black jeans at button down long sleeve. Her black-brown and long hair was perfect on her angelic face.

She smiled when she saw Apollo, then her eyes teleported to me na nasa likod ni Apollo.

"Baby Caiden!" Bati ng ate niya at niyakap si Apollo.

"Tss. Stop calling me that, Cyrel." Angal ni Apollo sa kapatid.

"Why? Nahihiya ka sa girlfriend mo? Well, care to introduce her?"

Apollo inhaled deeply before facing me. "Luxien, this is my sister, Anastasia Cyrel Atkins." I nodded and smiled at his sister,

"Cyrel, this is the girl I'm courting, Luxien Yvanna Grey." Ate Cyrel nodded and we shaked hands.

"Grey? Her surnames' Grey? Kaano ano niya si L--"

"CYREL!" Pinandilatan ni Apollo si Ate Cyrel.

Lumapit si Ate Cyrel kay Apollo at May binulong. I shrugged my shoulders, but I still want to know what his sister whispered. Ano kaya 'yon? Was it something about me? Or did his sister doesn't like me?

"Anyway, You can call me, Ate Ana." She smiled at me.

I gave her my sweetest smile. "Hello po, Ate Ana, you can call me Yvanna nalang po." I shyly said.

"So, let's have dinner? I want to be close to you, Yvanna."

"Ok, Cyrel, but don't poison her mind." Apollo pouted.

"Haha! I'm not that bad, Apollo. I just hope she's better than L--" Sabi ni Ate Ana, but Apollo cut her off.

"Cyrel." Banta nanaman ni Apollo.

We started walking, magkatabi kami ni Ate Ana at nasa likod naman si Apollo. Kumapit sa akin si Ate Ana hanggang sa maka upo na kami sa sasakyan. Walang umupo sa tabi sa harapan ni Apollo, parehas kaming nasa likod.

"So, tell me about yourself." Paninimula ni Ate Ana.

"Don't bother her, Cryel. Tsk. Just leave her alone." Mabilis na sagot ni Apollo.

"Will you shut up, Caiden? Kung ayaw mong tawagin kita sa pet name ko sa'yo sa harap ng nililigawan mo." Ate Ana rolled her eyes at her brother. Natatawa nalang ako sa kanilang dalawa. They're so cute!

"I'm a painter po. I love reading stories and watching series."

She nodded. "Tell me about my brother."

"Cyrel." Pagbabanta ni Apollo.

I chuckled. "He's a naughty boy, and sweet." Sabi ko. Oh 'di ba? I still complimented something to him. TSK. Libre niya dapat ako.

"Oh. I see, mukhang nalason na niya ang utak mo?" Natatawang sabi ni Ate Ana.

"Cyrel. Don't embarrass me in front of her, please."

Ate Ana ignored her at pinaulanan pa ako ng tanong hanggang makarating kami sa isang restaurant. It's already dark outside dahil nagtagal din kami sa kotse because of traffic. Oh well, Manila 'to.

We entered the good looking restaurant. Apollo picked a three-seater VIP table for us. Everyone kept on looking at the three of us. Siguro tinitignan nila ang mala-anghel na mukha ni Ate Ana. She's really beautiful. With just one move, any boy could drool over her.

Sa square table ay dalawang upuan ang nasa left side at isa ang sa right side. I was surprised when Apollo rested his hand on my waist, hinila niya ako sa dalawang upuang magkatabi sa left side but his sister hold my wrist.

"Na-ah, Caiden. She's STILL the girl your courting, not YET your girlfriend. So, we're sitting there."

"No, Cyrel. I want to serve her."

Ate Ana laughed. "Serve? Bakit waiter ka ba dito?"

"Anastasia Cyrel Atkins." Pagbabanta nito sa kapatid.

Umigting ang panga ni Apollo pero ngumisi lang si Ate Ana. "No, Caiden. Ako ang mas nakatatanda sa'yo kaya AKO ang susundin mo."

In the end, walang nagawa si Apollo kung 'di maupo sa right side kung nasaan ang isang upuan. Para akong mababaliw sa mag kapatid na ito. Lumapit na ang waiter at inabot ang menu books Kinuha ko na ang isang menu book at namili ng pwedeng ma order.

"Huevos Rancheros Salad's mine, Caiden." Ani Ate Ana kay Apollo habang naka tingin padin sa Menu book niya.

"One Huevos Rancheros Salad. One, Lamb Ribs with Honey and Wine. And? What's yours Luxien?" Tanong ni Apollo.

I glanced at the menu book first before I told my order. "Roasted Lamb breast." Sabi ko.

"And three bottles of red wine. Thank you." Sabi ni Apollo sa waiter at bumaling na sa amin.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang mga kumakain. Why the heck are they looking at us? Maya-maya ay lumapit na ang waiter, dala-dala ang tatlong wine. Even the waiter's looking at Ate Ana.

"So, Cyrel, what happened to the SDDJ Awards?" Paninimula ni Apollo.

Uminom muna ng wine si Ate Ana bago nagsalita. "I didn't win the award. Mas magaling kasi 'yung isa."

Apollo raised a brow. "It's so embarrassing, Cyrel. 'Walang natatalo sa Atkins. You're embarrassing our whole family."

Umigting ang panga ni Ate Ana at ngumisi. "Oh? I see... Well, gusto mo sabihin ko kay Yvanna 'wag kang sagutin? It's more embarrassing, Baby Caiden."

Halos maibuga ko 'yung wine na iniinom ko. So, 'Baby Caiden' is Ate Ana's pet name for her brother? Maasar nga 'to.

"So, Ate Ana, you're competing with?" I asked, looking at her.

"Calvin Menezes and Ryder Stewart. But the guy named Ryder Stewart won." Aniya, tumango nalang ako.

"So, Yvanna, you said you're a painter. Nag exhibit ka na ba?"

I nodded. "Opo. But I'm not yet a professional."

Nahihiya ako dahil wala naman masyadong bumili ng paintings ko ng nag exhibit ako. As I said, I'm not yet a professional. Edi kung professional na ako sana ay hindi ko ka partner si Apollo.

"But... She's good, Cyrel." He looked at me, smirking. "Very good."

Tumaas ang kilay ni Ate Ana, "Oh, really? So, may I see one of your paintings these days?" Tanong niya at tumango naman ako.

Kainan, kwentuhan, at tawanan ang ginawa namin sa dinner. 8:00 PM nang napag-pasyahan naming umuwi na, dahil si 'baby Caiden' ay nagrereklamo na baka magpuyat daw ako tapos magkasakit. He's over reacting, that's for sure.

"Caiden, what happened to your arm?" Tanong ni Ate Ana na naka kuha ng atensyon namin.

I can feel my cheeks blushing. I bit my lip.

Na-sense ko na ngumisi ang loko. "Uhmm... Hehe... That's just hmm... Let me think of it..." Lalo akong namula.

"It's like a nail mark." Ani Ate Ana.

Feeling ko ay sasabog na ako anytime. It's my nail mark, Ate!

"Let's just say, it's a nail mark of someone who's very, very, very special to me." Apollo said. Ate Ana's jaw dropped. And me? I can feel like I'm gonna explode anytime.