The doors opening and closing jerked me awake. Amang was already half out, with the help of lola Mely and tito Dan. My mom was getting ready to go out as well and I followed behind her. I looked around, hoping to see Daryl somewhere but he was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, I got off the van. I didn't even know why I was disappointed. I said I wasn't interested. Or maybe, I was trying not to be interested because it will make things complicated if I start something here with someone and end it when I leave. What's the point?
"Ilagay mo na lang yung bag sa loob," (just put the bag inside)I heard tito Dan called out. We were at my amang's beach house in San Fabian and I wanted to just run to the waves and feel the breeze and watch the sunset. It was a little after 5PM and the sun was getting ready to set.
I made my way to the front door and collided with Daryl holding a bag. I stopped breathing for a second.
"Go ahead," I said, gesturing with hand.
"No no, ladies first," he said with a tight smile. What does that mean? Did I do something?
Not wanting to make things more awkward, I got in first.
My auntie was preparing the table for all of us to eat snacks.
"Oh amang, kain tayo ulit. Nagluto ng aroscaldo si tita" I said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. (Oh, grandfather, let's eat again. Tita cooked aroscaldo).
"Merienda time!" My mom exclaimed before diving in.
"Mag merienda ka muna Daryl," tito Dan said. (Come snack with us Daryl)
"Hindi, na salamat. May lakad pa ako," he said (Oh no, it's ok, thank you. I have somewhere to go,"
I was, again, disappointed. He smiled genuinely and waved goodbye to everyone before settling his eyes briefly at me and left.
He didn't seem this cold when I bumped into him at the hospital.
—
"so El, what do you think about Daryl?" tito Dan said when I sat down to eat with them.
"He seems cold, snobby..." I said in tagalog which made everyone chuckle.
"He's serious because you don't know him that well yet. It takes him a while to be really comfortable with someone. You will see once you get to know him, he's really nice and funny."
"Right, okay." I said, but I was starting to not like him... or maybe I was just trying to convince myself that I don't like him. Sigh.
BINABASA MO ANG
Tadhana (Destiny)
RomanceElara had been a flower girl in so many weddings, including her favourite uncle Dan's. Fourteen years later, she is now twenty one years old and currently studying psychology in Canada. When she hears the news that her grandfather was rushed to th...
