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Eyes
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"Why don't you date, hija? Naunahan ka pa ng bestfriend mo magpakasal. You're not getting any younger. Dapat may boyfriend ka man lang." Mom keeps on convincing me to date a guy while we're having a family dinner. I want to roll my eyes in irritation. Seriously, pwede naman niya akong sabihin in private but for pete's sake, we're on a fine dining restaurant with my uncles and aunts along with my not-so-close cousins. Nakita kong natigilan pa ang iba sa kanila at napatingin sa akin.
This is great, Mom. Great!
"Your mom is right, Annielle. You should date. You're on legal age." sabi ni Aunt Rona na kapatid ng Dad ko.
"Your Aunt Rona is right. Kung gusto mo , I can find you a date mula sa mga bachelor na kilala ko." nakangising dugtong naman ni Aunt Deliah.
Now, I'm pissed yet I'm trying so hard not to be obvious about it. I show them my one of a kind fake-smile.
"No need, Auntie. I can find my own man. I'm just. . .uhm, well. . .I'm waiting for the right time."
Kahit peke ang ngiting pinakita ko sa kanila, I gave them a sincere answer. I don't want other people messing with my way of living. If I don't have a boyfriend, then that's not their business anymore. If I'm still single , they have no say on that. I don't want any advice from other people kahit pa kapamilya ko sila. And last but not the least, I don't need their help. Kagaya nga ng isinagot ko kanina, I can find my own man in God's given time.
"My daughter can handle herself, Deliah. She doesn't need your bachelor friends. She'll date if she's ready." mariing sagot ni Papa. Napalingon kaming lahat sa kanya. For the first time in my whole existence, ngayon lang ako sumang-ayon sa mga binitawan niyang salita tungkol sa pagiging single ko.
Ayoko rin namang maging single habang buhay. But if I'm going to have my own love life, I want to decide by my own. Hindi yung maraming nangingialam.
Ngumiti ako kay Dad. He smiled back at me. Lumingon ako sa dalawang tita ko. Si Tita Rona ay nagkibit lang ng balikat. Si Tita Deliah ay umismid.
"Don't you have any consideration to your own daughter, Daniel? I understand your protectiveness over her because she's an only child but for pete's sake, she's twenty eight! Anne must have a boyfriend! Ito ngang mga pinsan niya na mas bata sa kanya ay may mga asawa na. Dapat siya rin. Babae pa naman siya." naiiling na sabi ni Tita Deliah. "Nagka-boyfriend ka na ba, Annielle? I mean, serious boyfriend?" tanong pa niya sa tonong parang awang-awa siya sa akin.
Muntik na akong mapaubo. Not sure if I'm going to give her a yes or a no for an answer.
I've been into different kind of relationship when I was still on US but I can't consider those relationship as serious ones. I don't fool around. Nagpapaligaw rin ako sa tamang proseso. Pinapakilala ko rin sa mga magulang ko and when the guy have their approval, parang kusa na akong magsasabi ng 'oo.'
