Everything About You

Chapter 35

"Get your luggages anak, we will go to the airport. Baka malate na tayo." Pangatlong ulit na ni Mommy sakin dahil akala nya'y di pa rin nakaayos ang mga gamit ko.

"Lets go." Aya ni daddy ng maayos na ang mga gamit namin sa sasakyan.

"Oh I'm excited! I miss your tita Carmela." Mommy says giggling about us leaving Philippines for a week.

"I'm excited to see Kayden mom!"

"Right! You will take care of him for one week. Isn't that exciting princess?" Mom says still giggling.

"He's about 3 yrs old na right? Last year ko pa sya huling nakasama." I asks.

"Yes Anak and your tita Carmela says Kayden is too smart for a three year old." Pagkwento ni mommy.

We are going to California for a week to be with Tita Carmela, mom's sister.

2 taon na naming nakagawian to. Sinasamahan namin si Tita kada dadaan ang all soul's day to go to Tito Arden's grave.

2 years narin pala ang nakalipas simula nung iwan ni Tito Arden si Tita Carmela. 2 years na ring nagluluksa si Tita because up until now it is still hard for her to accept tito's death.

But I know Tita is coping because of Kayden's help though sometimes Kayden is longing for her dad too.

"Anak we are with the Smith's baka gusto mong makipagkwentuhan kay Cloud?" Dad asks and looks at me questioningly. I frown. Smith? It means Cloud?

"Why are we with them po?" I ask and looks at dad confusingly.

"I forgot to tell you but they want to go with us. Kilala nila si Carmela especially Cloud's mom and they want to check on her personally." He explains. "Kaya nung nalaman nila na pupunta tayo, they ask us if they could join, pumayag kami and then call it a vacation too." Mom adds and I just nodded at them.

-

"Ang tahimik mo naman." The man beside me spoke and try to get my attention. Hindi ko ito nilingon at hinayaan lang.

"Its our first vacation together hermosa." He said as if I care.

"I'm excited. Hope this one will help us get closer." He spoke again as if he knows that I am listening to him.

"Aren't you happy?" He asks and looks at me waiting for my response.

"I'm excited to be with my 3 years old cousin." I answered.

"Oh. Kayden right?" He asks confirming if he is right and I nodded and gave him a timid smile.

"I'm excited to see him too. Its been 3 months already since I last saw him." Pagkukwento nya na parang inaalala ang huling pagkikita nila ng pinsan ko.

"Are you close?" I ask curiously.

"Yeah. I kind of take care of him ng kapitbahay pa namin sila doon." He said and gave me a shy smile.

"Sa tingin mo naaalala pa kaya nya ako?" I asks wondering if he remembers me as his ate and nervous that he might not remember at all.

"Yes. Ikaw siguro yung ikinukwento nya sakin. That he has an Ate in the Philippines and his ate is pretty and kind daw." Ani Cloud na nakatawag ng pansin ko.

"Talaga? Kinuwento nya yon?" Tanong ko na halatang may tuwa sa boes at makikitang saya sa mga mata.

"Yep. He says he misses you. That he has no one to play with ng umuwi ka na. And he is right about you being pretty and kind." Cloud said looking amusely at me.

I smile. "I miss him too."

"Wala manlang thank you kasi sinabihan kitang pretty and kind?" Natatawang asar sakin ni Cloud.

"Shut up, Steffan." I chuckled a bit and slightly hit his chest.

"Cute. Chansing ka ha. And you're comfortable calling me Steffan other than Cloud huh." He said teasing me for hitting him. I glared at him and he just laugh more.

Sabay kaming tumayo ng marinig na tinawag na ang flight namin. I look at my phone and turned it off ng ma-isend ko ang text kay Zky na nagsasabing flight na namin at magtetext nalang ako ulit kapag andoon na ako sa Cali.

-
After 12 hours of being in a plane, we arrived safely at our destination. Tumingala ako at bumulong ng munting pasasalamat kay Lord. "Lord thank you for this successful and safe flight." I wisphered to the wind and smile.

We traveled 1 hour again to reach tita Carmela's huge house.

"Rafi! Oh my god you're so beautiful anak!" Tita Carmela shouts when she saw me aproaching her house's door.

"Thanks Tita Cams! I miss you!" I says and hug her tightly.

"I miss you more, my favorite pamangkin." She wisphered and hug me back tighter.

"How are you po? Where's Kayden by the way?" I asks as we face each other after hugging.

"I can say I'm getting better than last time. Kayden's still asleep anak you can wake him and surprise him. He's been waiting for this day to come!" She says excitedly pulling me inside the house with my mom and dad following us.

Tita Cams stops walking when she notices that she
saw someone she knew. "Cloud!" She shouts and run to Cloud for a hug. I smile, oo nga close nga sila talaga.

"Hi tita I miss you." Narinig kong sabi ni Cloud kay Tita.

"I miss you too pogi. Halika ipapakilala kita sa pamangkin kong maganda. Bagay kayo!" She giggles and pulls Cloud to where I am standing.

"Rafi this is Cloud, Cloud this is Rafi." She introduces us as if we don't really know each other.

"Nice meeting you." Cloud extends his hand for a handshake and I just look at him. Napailing iling na tinanggap ko ang kamay nya. "Same." I say and gave him a timid smile.

"And by the way tita, we already know each other. We're classmates." I say ruining whatever Cloud's plan.

"That's good then. Tell your mom to visit me after she rests I miss her. And you can visit Kayden if you want to Cloud." Tita Carmela says and pulled me again inside the house.

I heared Cloud's chuckles and footsteps. "I will tita." He said.

Tita Carmela looks at me meaningfully and gave me a malicious smile. "You look good together Rafi." She said and I just shrugged it off.

My phone beeps and I look at it curiously.

From: Unknown Number
Ganda mo! Kagigil.

My forehead creased after reading the text and ignored it.

From: Unknown Number
Sakin ka nalang? Please.

At sino namang baliw ang magti-text ng ganito sakin?

From: Unknown Number
You seem so familiar. I think I know you from the past.

Hala nakakairita hindi sya tumigil ng kakatext!

From: Unknown Number
Can I court you?

From: Unknown Number
Or if not allowed, can we be friends?

Gigil akong nagtype sa cellphone ng reply.

To: Unknown Number
Who are you?!!!

I heard someone chuckle from a far.

From: Unknown Number
Look at your back babe.

Naiinis na bumaling ako sa likuran ko at nakita ang isang matangkad na lalaki na nakatayo sa harap ng isang bahay. He is smirking at me when I look at him. Nakatitig ako ng masama sa kanya ng biglang tumunog ulit ang cellphone.

From:Unknown Number
I'm handsome right? Save my number hermosa. This is Cloud.

I rolled my eyes after reading his text.

To: Unknown Number
You wish! Stop texting me!

Narinig ko syang natatawa habang nakatingin sa cellphone kaya naman padabog akong sumunod kay Tita Carmela papasok sa bahay.