Selfish

Chapter 31

Jethro

Pag katapos ng klase ko ay agad kong tinext si Eris. I asked how was her class went. Ngumiti pa ako ng makita ko ang text back niya­­- Hi honey! Okay naman ang class ko, sumakit lang ulo ko sa surprise quiz namin sa Pol Scie.

Mag ta-type na ako ng panibagong message ng biglang tumunog ang phone ko.

Saglit akong natigilan bago sinagot ang tawag. "Hello?"

"Ready kana sa dinner sa Thursday?"

Nalukot ang mukha ko. It's my sister Jessica."Ikaw ba ready na?"

Natawa ako ng bumuntong hininga siya. Alam kong parehas lang kami ng nararamdaman sa dinner sa darating na Thursday.

"Do we really have to go?" Tanong niya. "I mean, for what? We all know that dinner will be a disaster."

"Kung pwede lang na wag na pumunta tingin mo pupunta ako? If it wasn't for mom I will not face that old man."

"What are we going to do, Jeth?" Hopeless na ang boses ni Jessica.

"Nothing, we need to attend that dinner."

Hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko dahil na rin siguro hindi ibang tao ang haharapin ko sa Thursday. Manuel Tavera Prieto is known for being a basketball legend, a lot of sport enthusiasts respect him. They think highly of him, if only they know him truly because my grandfather is a complicated man.

"Sigurado ka ba na gusto mong pumunta sa dinner kasama ang grandpa mo?"

Eris's sweet voice and gentle expression makes me breathless. Hindi ko alam kung bakit tinatanong niya sa akin iyon. Kasi sa totoo lang, ayoko pero kailangan kong gawin.

Pumunta agad ako sa condo niya at sinabi ang naging pag-uusapn namin ni Jessica. I told Eris how I feel about my grandfather and how worried I am facing him this coming Thursday.

I actually always tell her everything since we started dating again. No more lies this time.

"I don't want to go but I have to," Sagot ko. "Jessica is conflicted if she's coming or not."

"What about Jackson? Is he coming?"

"I haven't talk to him yet, but he is the favorite among the three of us, so I don't worry about him."

I leaned my head against the pillow on her bed. They smell like her. Vanilla and Feminine. It soothed me and made my body to relax.

"Bakit ba kasi kailangan pa kayong pumunta?"

I held her left cheek. "I don't know but one thing is for sure. He wants us to run his business. Especially, Jack."

Hindi ako nag seselos na ang kakambal ako ang paborito ng grandfather namin. Mas naaa-awa pa nga ako sa kanya dahil mas mataas ang expectation sa kanya lalo na at mas na lilinya siya sa basketball.

Umirap siya. "Hindi ko pa siya nakikilala ng personal pero parang ayoko na sa kanya."

Ngumiti ako at hinila siya pahiga sa akin. "Let's not talk about him. I need a distraction right now. What do you want to do?"

"Hmmm...let's watch a movie?" Suhestiyon niya saka nag sumiksik sa leeg ko at yumakap sa akin.

"What movie do you want to watch, honey?" I held her tight and kissed her forehead.

"Wait kunin ko yung laptop ko."

Tumayo siya at kinuha ang laptop sa beside table. She opened it and picked a movie. When she was about to place the laptop between us, I grabbed it and placed it into my lap.