The Ex-Marine

13

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"Hindi ka din makatulog?" Nakatayo si Leandro sa kanyang harap, nakapamewang. Alas dos na ng umaga pero heto siya at nasa sala.

"Thought I'd make myself an orange juice while I couldn't sleep." She shrugged, kumuha siya nang isa pang baso sa kusina at bumalik, she poured him a glass.

"This tastes really good, Rex. Natural oranges from the farm?"

"Ang rinig ko, si papa pa daw ni lolo ang ang nagtanim ng ibang prutas... that old man's got a green thumb, hanggang ngayon nandito pa ang mga tinanim niya."

Humalakhak si Leandro. "I think every Di Marco's got a green thumb. I can still remember noong fresh man, sa environmental engineering na activity natin, you planted some bonsai trees in a pot, hanggang ngayon nandoon pa rin yun sa school garden."

Oh that wasn't her first time planting, elementary pa lang yata eh tinuruan na siyang mag tanim. Agriculture's the reason why they're well off, dapat lang na ang bawat Di Marco ay marunong.

"We're getting board exam together." Pag-iiba ni Leandro ng usapan dahil hindi siya sumagot. "I'm jittery about it."

"Kinakabahan din ako, Ley. Everyone is..."

"Oh, you're gonna nail the board exam all right? It's already given that you'll pass, lalo na't you're running for Cum Laude. You know, La Salle's already expecting you'll gonna top notch it."

Rexes groaned. "That's the pressure I'm going through, Ley. I had to really focus on the board exam because the school is expecting a lot. Kahit si dean..."

"Like I've said, you'd do well. Of course dean would expect, ilang taon na ding walang nakaka 1.15 GPA sa chemical engineering... damn, Rexes. Ano pa ba ang wala sa'yo?"

She rolled her eyes. Itong isang to, ang galing talagang mambola. "Are you gonna accept the offer, iyong offer sa'yo ng F1 team?"

"Hindi ako sigurado," bumagsak ang kanyang balikat. "Lolo wants me to take over the company, and the only reason why he let me race is because he wants me to do all things I want to endulge on while I'm still in college. After this, he expects me to focus on the company once I'm already a licensed engineer. I don't think he'd support."

"Have you decided?"

"Not yet, Rex. Hindi ko pa talaga alam. Bakit, ikaw? Would you support me if I wanted nothing to do with the company?"

Rexes took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "You know I would."

Maaga pa lang ay inilibot na ni Rexes ang mga kaibigan sa Hacienda. They had to make the most of the time dahil in two days, babalik na din naman ang mga kaibigan niya sa Manila.

They looked like they were having so much fun, well, mga laking siyudad ang lahat ng kaibigan niya. This whole farm thing really excites them.

"Who wouldn't fall inlove with Hacienda Di Marco..." ani Eva. "Gusto kong dito nalang tumira."

"Di pwede, di papayag si Boss Brad." Pang-iinis na sabi ni Apple. Oh god, eto na naman siya sa kanyang kapilyahan.

"Babe, umagang umaga..."

"Oh bakit?" Apple raised an eyebrow, tiklop din agad yung boyfriend.

"Wala..."

"Good morning." Rexes almost jumped when she heard his voice. Kahit hindi siya humarap, kilalang kilala niya ang nagmamay-ari ng ganoong boses.

Kalma lang, puso.

"Uno, ikaw pala. Good morning pare." Si Travis ang bumati.

"Hey, Uno."