Foreword
Packing things up has never been this light before, knowing that these things will be placed there for quite some time.
"You ready?" Papa asked when he saw me coming down stairs with my brother and our baggage. I don't know if he's asking about my things to bring or me but...
"Yup! Ready as I am always!"
No reason to be afraid now. This is what I have been waiting for.
I'm leaving the city for the province! Yey!
"Mag-ingat kayo. Emie, always watch out for your brother, alright? We'll be there in a month for a visit," bilin ni Mommy before we took off.
This will be my first time travelling with only my little brother Joss. But I don't really find him little anymore since he is already 13. May nililigawan na nga raw siya, eh.
We are only having a 45-minute flight to the province but it seems like it's taking forever. Gosh, Emerilia. Excited much?
San Carlos, at last!
It's good to be here once again. Buti at pumayag na si Mommy na dito ako mag-aral for my senior years in highschool. San Carlos is the hometown of my Dad. My ancestors from his side are all born probinsyanas and probinsyanos. But since my Dad married a city girl which is my mother, kami ng mga kapatid ko ay naglaki na rin sa syudad.
It's a hot summer morning in San Carlos when I and my brother arrived. The province never fails to amaze me with its beauty everytime we come around. It's green anywhere you glance! It even always gets more beautiful every time we step foot on this place. It always feels like I am so loved and welcomed in here, and that's one of the reasons why I want to be here.
Binitbit ng kapatid ko ang iba naming bagahe mula sa tricycle na aming sinakyan papunta sa aming ancestral house where I will be staying throughout the rest of my highschool years, and, how I wish, for the rest of my life.
Aside from the province itself, I also can't wait to see my cousins again, especially the one I'm closest with, Betty.
My cousins did not believe me when I said I'm going to stay here for highschool kaya hindi ko na rin sila pinaalam sa aming pagdating ngayon. Reason why they got so shocked when they saw us coming in the living room. Naroon kasi halos lahat ng pinsan namin together with Tita Remilia, the mother of Betty. They were all smiles when they greeted us.
"Bro!" bati ni Chain, the eldest among our cousins. He's 19. We hifh fived and hugged "You serious?"
Tumawa ako sa kaniyang reaksiyon. Oo naman!
"Ate Emie!" Lily, the youngest, hugged me as well.
Everybody greeted us with joy at sobrang nasurpresa talaga namin sila! They didn't want to believe me kasi ang dami na naming failed attempts of asking my Mom to let me live here even for just a school year. Kaya tila pantasya pa rin sa kanila ang pagpayag ni Mommy sa akin.
We were in the dining area chatting while the maids prepare our lunch.
"You really staying here for good?" Jeo asked.
"I wish! Na-convince ko lang naman si Mommy because of that one-school-year contract. But she can't do that, right? She can't just transfer me to another school again just because we have a contract," depensa ko from my Mom's mindset.
"Well technically, she can, hija. I have known your Mom for quite some time at nagagawa niya ang gusto niya," hatol naman ni Tita Remilia sa aking sinabi. Tama naman siya. I'm just really hopeful that Mommy will consider this one of these days.
"By the way, Tita, saan po ba si Betty?" Seriously, ngayon ko lang napansin na wala siya. I guess it's because I was too busy making chika with my other cousins.
"She's with her boyfriend. Date daw," Tita rolled her eyes which made us all laugh.
"New guy?"
"Hay nako, Emie. Maniwala ka sa hindi, same guy from last year," ani Liela without taking her eyes off her phone.
Still Lucas, huh? Still that super masungit guy from summer last year.
