SECRET LOVERS

Here We Are, The Two Of Us Together

KAILENE

It has been raining non stop kanina pang 2 pm. Hindi pa dumadating si Mang Roger para sunduin ako. 3 pm pa lang tapos na ang class ko. Tiyak na traffic yun kasi sa lakas ba naman ng ulan ngayon. Huhuhu pano ako uuwi nito? May rehearsals pa kami ng para sa debut party ko. I told my parents na huwag na lang akong ipagparty at gusto ko pumunta sa Europe magbakasyon, but Mommy won't hear any of it. Gusto niya mag 18th birthday daw ako. She wants to show me off daw and introduce me to the society. Sabi naman ni Dad bakit kailangan may ganun and she said ganun daw talaga. Kaya may debut kasi nga para i introduce ng mga magulang ang kanilang anak sa mga kaibigan nila at kasosyo sa negosyo. Parang look this is my daughter, she can be a good wife for your son and we could be good business partners. See that diamond on her finger. I bought that for $1M. See her tiara? That's a family heirloom. Mga ganyan talaga ang rason bakit may debut hindi dahil gusto mo lang magpa sosyal sa mga kapitbahay mo na ayaw magpatalo.

Nung unang panahon and still is happening now sa mga rich families, once the daughter turns 18, there will be a "showing" off party where the daughter will wear the most expensive jewelry and clothings. She will be shown off and before the night end, some parents would have agree to marry their child to a business partner's son.

I already have an escort sa debut ko, my cousin Jino who just graduated from college at Harvard. He took up Electrical Engineering just like his Dad. Mga inventors kasi sila. Auntie Silk wants Jino to take ups Medicine just like her but Jino wants others stuff. He said cooler stuff like inventing, so siya ang nasunod. Jino and I have been the best of friends since I was still very young. We have never been separated but when he went to college, I was left behind. we only get to talk over the phone na lang or video calls, or when he came home for the holidays. Now hindi ko pa siya nakikita. My Mom told me he arrived this morning. Kaso I was rushing to go to school kaya I did not get to call him na. I will go to his house later after school.

JINO

I am back.

College is done and hello business world. Dad just told me to report for work on Monday so I could start feeling the ropes and he said let's start 'em young. Actually he started training me when I was still in high school. I worked for the company during summer vacations and Christmas breaks. HE would bring me to meetings and conferences staying at the background taking note of everything. Dad is a slave driver when it comes to the business. He actually wanted me to excel in everything I do. He graduated Magna cum laude at Harvard and he told me before I enrolled there that he expected me to get the same honor or more. He was a martial arts champion, I am too. He graduated magna cum laude, i graduated summa cum laude. At 44, he is the richest man in the country adn I intend to be the one when I reached that age too. Well, it is now a competition Dad, who is better between us.

My Dad maybe a slave driver when it comes to career but he is a loving Dad who makes it a point to be there when you needed him. He attends every events in school no matter how small it is. When I was at Harvard he would frequently come visit me with or without Mom. He would just be Dad. He provides too. Like Hanep ang tatay ko. He would visit the three of us just right after the other. Josh is studying in London and Jerome is at the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and he would visit them just after he come visit me.

I am the eldest of five, Si Josh 22 is taking up Business sa Oxford, he will be graduating next year. And Jerome is also graduating next year from GWU, he is taking up Psychology. He wanted to be a doctor like Mom and has no interest in the business. Our youngest sibling Jullienne is 6 and studying at the International School in Manila.