Project Bata

Chapter Twenty-four: Hues & Blues

A boom of laughter echoes around the table, as Ate Tori comically said something while setting up her professional camera and tripod. Lola Tina and Lolo Ponce grin with pride as Ate Tori told her adventurous triumphs. I couldn't help but admire her for her bubbly, humorous and witty personality.

"Nandito na ang reyna. I better get going," Sir Valkyre got up and pressed his hands on his crisp suit as his glance at Ma'am Kathy. He looked at me and beamed, minute wrinkles were evidently showing justifying his aging, "Van, enjoy the rest of the day and I hope to see you for dinner?"

I flashed a tight-lipped smile, "I will Sir, but I'm afraid I can't I have to work, but thank you for your invitation." He gave me a curt nod but later on smiled, but before he could take a step forward Ate Tori called his attention.

"Pa! Picture, sayang yung suot nyo ni Mommy," Sir Valkyre chortled and called Ma'am Kathy. Reluctant but she did what he was told. The grandparents were seated on the loungers and Vanness's parents stood at their back. The overall background was their beautiful garden and kidney shaped pool. I was overwhelmed at the site I've seldom witnessed. A pang of envy hit me, I remembered a vague memory of my grandparents from both sides-- I was just an unlucky granddaughter who at the ripe age of 4 slowly lost both sets of grandparents. Then 14 years later lost both of her parents.

A sob story, really. Am I cursed?

Vanness then rose up from his seat and stand beside his mom, I, on the other hand, stood up step back a few careful not to block the camera's view. I have never been felt so awkward my life, this would be again the first of first. A warm palm grips my wrist, "Ba't ka nandyan? Good thing I called you and did what I told you."

I look down at what am I wearing. I wore a flowy white sundress that stopped around my mid-thigh. It was the only white dress I have and was a birthday gift from my neighbor last Christmas. A sudden weight was put above my head, instinctively I reach up and touch the thing that was placed. "Flower crown?! Nakakahi--"

"Shussssh!" Without much warning, she pulled me towards the group and literally pushed me beside Vanness. I awkwardly stood beside him, creating a few distances.

Wow? So ngayon ka pa nahiya? You slept with him, even cuddle with him and you created this distance? Hypocritical, very much.

"Ready? Smile fam!" Ate Tori shouted Vanness pulled me closer to him by my waist. I looked up to him, surprisingly he met and held my gaze as he grinned. My stomach flipped as I loudly heard the drumming of my heart. It was erratic, wanting to escape from my ribcage. Calm down little organ, this guy might hear you.

I heard the shutter of the camera, I wasn't even looking! "Another!" This time, we broke off the trance between us and smiled at the camera.

Ate Tori was very much happy about the pictures that she immediately dashes off once her parents excused themselves for work. I was now seated again together with their grandparents.

"Tell me, dear, saan kayo nagkakilala ni VJ?" Lola Tina asked thoughtfully, I pressed my hands on my dress and straightened its imaginary folds. "We're classmates in this elective subject, then we were paired up for a project Ma'am."

"Please stop with the formalities ija! Lola and Lolo will do," A glint of interest sparked in Lola Tina's eyes, as she leaned in on the table. "And what's this project about dear?"

Vanness was beside me chuckling at my predicament as he was focused on his cupcakes. He was a messy eater! He ate the cupcakes wrongly and my hands were itching to correct them.

"It's under Family and Society Sociology, it was one of the peculiar course under every course curriculum in our university," I said as I reached Vanness's cupcake before he could take it. I unpeel the wrapper off the cupcake, carefully cutting it horizontally and not touching the icing on top. After I perfectly cut it horizontally, I flipped the top part and placed it against the lower part-- making the icing -- sandwiched in between the cake.