It's Only Her In My Mind (Hacienda Style)

Chapter 5

Hervacio goes to the house of the Paras, not knowing that Ysmael serenaded Perlita the night before. When he approaches the house, he sees the neighbors crowding in a corner, gossiping and looking at Perlita, who is visible from the window. And Hervacio hears them.

"Did you know? Ysmael serenaded Perlita last night," one says.

"Aba! That is a great scandal! What will happen to Seniorito Hervacio? Isn't Perlita betrothed to him?"

"A girl who rows in two rivers?" another quips.

The gossipmongers see the landlord's son and greet him politely. Hervacio smiles his beautiful smile at them, not minding about the gossip. However, he is disturbed because he feels that Ysmael had made the upperhand.

He does not want to lose though he let Ysmael join the fight. And so, he goes straight to the house and knocks at the door. The door opens, and Perlita emerges out.

"Good... good morning, Seniorito Hervacio," Perlita stammers as she blushes at Hervacio's smile.

"I promise you, you will enjoy our date today," he tells her.

As Perlita steps out, Adobo, her dog, bounces in front and pants gladly at Hervacio. The seniorito stoops down to pat the dog on its head.

"Your dog is adorable," Hervacio tells her.

"Thank you," Perlita says.

Perlita tells Adobo that Helena will come and get him later that day, and that he should behave. The dog looks on its owner in sadness as she walks away with the landlord's son.

****

"What?" Juancho erupts as he screams at a servant. "So, Kuya Hervacio goes out on a date with Perlita? No way!"

"Yes, Seniorito," the servant replies humbly.

"Caramba!" curses Juancho. "I will not allow that! Perlita is mine!"

He storms off the house to stop any move that his elder brother might make. He does not want to lose Perlita to Hervacio, nor does he want to lose to Ysmael.

But his heart is strangely moved again. Ysmael...

He does not want to lose Ysmael too. And he is confused. To like Ysmael, or to continue loving Perlita?

****

Helena is with her cousin Reyna, who is holding a piece of bread for Adobo, who is following them. As they reach the marketplace, they hear Cordapia complaining again while continuing that insane dancing of hers.

"What???? Ysmael serenaded who????"

"He serenaded Perlita," Estefania says.

"NO!" Cordapia shouts.

She jumps in fright when she sees Adobo growling and barking at her.

"Ate! Get her out of here! I hate dogs!" she tells Estefania.

Reyna and Helena arrive to fetch Adobo, apologizing to Cordapia.

"Huh! That ugly dog! She is as ugly as her master!" Cordapia shouts.

"This is a male dog!" Helena tells her before leaving.

Cordapia is fuming, but she continues her dance to attract more customers to her unsold camote que.

"Buy my camote que!!!!!" she shouts in anger while dancing.

Estefania face-palms and tells her to stop.

"Huh! I will not! I will bring that Perlita down!" Cordapia screams.

****

Meanwhile, Hervacio and Perlita are in a museum, looking at antiques. Hervacio smiles as Perlita watches on in wonder, for the poor girl never had any privileges in life.