"Are you sure we're in Quezon City?"
Kanina pa kami paikot ikot dito, i've seen the same building a few times already.
Kararating lang namin ni Z dito sa Pilipinas and he is supposed to be driving us to Lolo Leonard's house, pero mukhang hindi kami makakauwi ngayong gabi dahil sa katangahan ng kambal ko.
"Yes, I'M SURE A." sabi ni Z, frustrated.
Paglabas namin ng airport, mayroong naghihintay na BMW para sa amin and apparently, kotse ni Z yun, at bigay ni lolo sa kanya. Not surprised I wasn't included in the usapan.
"Alam mo Z, kaya nga may GPS. You're the only person I know who doesn't use it, ang old school Z. How are we even twins." I said and rolled my eyes at him. Then I typed in the address sa built in GPS ng car niya.
I would've done this sooner if only I knew the situation would end up like this. Nagtiwala ako sa kanya na alam niya ang ginagawa niya at kung saan kami pupunta kaya natulog ako agad pagpasok ko ng kotse. Nagising nalang ako nang narinig kong nagmumura ang kambal ko.
"SEE?! We're 23 kilometers away from our destination. Nasa Pilipinas tayo Z, signs aren't really that reliable here." Inis kong sabi sa kanya.
I'm tired. I wanna take a bath already and he's taking so damn long to get us home.
"Okay, fine! You drive." inis niya ding sabi, trying his best to focus on the road.
"Pagod ako, ikaw inutusan ni lolo," simple kong sagot at pinikit ang mga mata ko.
"Bakit kasi ako lagi ang inuutusan, i'm younger than you." complain nalang niyang sabi.
Ang feeling! Ngayon pa talaga gagamitin ang bunso card. As if ang layo ng agwat namin ah.
"You're only younger for 7 minutes Z. 'Wag ka ngang mag drama diyan, kasalanan mo din kung bakit ikaw ang inuutusan. Bilisan mo nalang kaya para makauwi na tayo." Inis kong sabi.
Tumahimik siya for a good few seconds tapos, biglang sabi niya, "You still get to be dad's successor though."
I rolled my eyes. Ito nanaman, kailan ba ako titigilan ng buong pamilya ko tungkol dito. Ever since me and Z turned 18, they would not shut up about it.
"Z, you know how I feel about that and I already told dad and lolo my opinion on this so many times. Paulit-ulit nalang." inis na sabi ko.
"There's actually a lot of good things that come out of business like--"
"Focus on the road Z." Pinutol ko na siya agad bago pa siya ma-carried away kasi he's never going to shut up about it at ma-distract pa siya. I love him, but it's annoying, and I'm not even interested in the topic.
After 40 minutes siguro, nakarating na kami sa bahay ni lolo. I missed this place, it is the biggest house our family owns and I cannot wait to live here.
Pero pinark ng abusado kong kambal yung sasakyan sa harap ng gate.
"Why here? Can't you bring it in? Mas malapit sa garage, I have so many things to carry kaya," sabi ko at tinignan yung malaking gate na nagbukas.
"Exercise. Driver masusunod." sabi niya tapos lumabas na ng kotse at kinuha ang mga sarili niyang gamit and said hi to the guard.
I groaned and got my things out of the car. Ang layo pa ng lalakarin ko, hindi ito exercise, mapuputol ang mga kamay ko kakabuhat ng mga bagahe ko.
The guard was going to help me, but Z stopped him, dahil bumalik din naman ang aking kambal para tulungan ako.
"Kunware ka pa kasi eh, alam ko naman na hindi mi ako matitiis" bulong ko, smiling in a mayabang way.
"Iwan ko kaya ito sa labas." sabi niya habang bitbit yung dalawa kong maleta.
Ngumisi nalang ako at nag shower agad pagpasok ko ng bahay.
Also, remind myself to get a personalized golf cart because it takes too damn long to walk from the gate to the entrance of the house.
_______________
Kinaumagahan, nagulat kami at biglang may babae sa living room.
"Is she your new girlfriend? Please don't tell me you got her pregnant," bulong ko kay Z habang bumababa kami sa hagdanan.
"I dont have a new girlfriend," bulong niya pabalik.
"Then who-
"Goodmorning Mr. and Ms. Garcia. Sorry to bother you this early in the morning." She said with a british accent. Umupo siya at nilapag niya sa lamesa yung mga folder na hawak niya.
"I am here to assist you regarding your enrollment in Princeton Philippine University. As you both know, you passed the admission requirements and interview, all that's left is filling out the forms and signing some confidentiality papers." Sabi niya samin.
Nagtinginan kami ni Z and smirked at each other, this is why we came back home. Of course I got accepted, with my beauty and brains? Magtataka nalang ako pag hindi ako nakapasok dito sa school na ito. After a year of going to Princeton in America, it was boring and it wasn't fun for me, tapos andun pa sina lolo at daddy, lalo na yung second wife ni daddy. Wag na lang.
Umupo kami ni Z at binuksan yung mga folder.
"Despite the school giving both of you special permission to start the semester a little later than the rest because of family circumstances, I need it back as soon as possible because of your late start," explain niya samin.
I rolled my eyes when she said family circumstances. What a shitty excuse. Truth be told, kasalanan lang naman ito ng magaling na asawa ni daddy.
I started filling up the forms tapos biglang sabi ni birtish lady, "I'm also staying here with the two of you."
Napatigil kami sa ginagawa namin at tumingin sa kanya, para tignan kung seryoso ba siya o hindi.
"Your lolo asked me that I have to watch the both of you while you're staying here. I'm going to be your secretary/assistant for the meantime, while also reporting directly to him." Balita niya samin.
I looked at Z, he's just as upset as I am. Pati siguro ito, sinuggest nung pesteng asawa ni daddy.
"It's okay. I'm not that strict, you can just treat me as an older sister....." she trailed off nung nakita niya mga mukha naming nagdilim ng masabi niya ang 'older sister'.
"Or maybe, just pretend I'm not here," she said quietly.
After a few minutes, tumayo na ako at sinabing, "Okay, i'm done. Thanks again. Um?--" naputol yung sasabihin ko kasi she never introduced herself and I have no idea what to call her.
"Ms. Blanchard. Claire Blanchard."
I said "cool", gave her the filled up forms and then went upstairs sa library.
I heard Z and British talking. Then, after a few minutes, sumunod na din si Z dito sa taas.
"I don't like the fact we're being babysitted." sabi ko agad sa kanya.
"Can't do anything about it, lolo's orders," sagot naman niya sakin at umupo sa couch at nagbasa ng libro.
He's right. Wala talaga kaming magagawa pag si lolo na ang nagsabi.
His words are absolute in the Garcia household.
No one has ever went against him.
___
arrived,
m
BINABASA MO ANG
Worth Falling For
Fiksi RemajaWhy fall for someone when you're already perfect by yourself? Why do you have to sacrifice things for love? At what cost? Is it worth it? How do you know if a person is worth falling for? That's what heir to one of the most successful corporations...
