Theodore

AINE 17

"Are you done?" Pang-ilang tanong na ito ni Theo sa kanya. Andito siya ngayon sa kwarto niya at naghahanda sa magiging dinner nila ng mga magulang ni Theo. 

She sighed. She's nervous as hell. 

"Babe?" Tanong ulit ni Theo na may halong pag-aalala. "Please open the door. Kanina ka pa. Are you okay there?" Sabay katok sa pinto. 

She did not speak. She can feel her whole body tensed. Ilang taon na niyang kilala ang pamilya Martins pero bakit ngayon pa siya kinabahan ng ganito?

"Open the door or I'll destroy this." He said with finality.

Maingat naman niyang binuksan ang pinto at ngumiti sa binata. He sighed in relief when he saw her. "Sorry it took me so long to prepare." Sabi niya dito na hindi man lang tumitingin sa binata. She just gripped her hand to calm her at napansin 'yon ni Theo.

"You're not okay." He said that made her looked at him. His looked so serious. 

"I am okay." She answered in a soft voice.

"Listen to me angel. You don't need to force yourself to meet them today. Yes, we've known each other for years but that's because you are our lawyer. This is a different story. I am gonna introduce you to them as my partner and if that scares you or makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. Hindi kita pipilitin." He gave her a reassuring smile. He held her hands and kissed her. 

"I am very sorry."

"For what?"

"For messing this up." 

"Oh no angel. Don't say that. You are not messing anything." 

"I know your parents are waiting for us."

"Yes but they will understand. I'll call them." Aalis na sana siya para tawagan ang mga magulang pero hinawakan niya ito.

"No."

Kunut-noong napabaling ito sa kanya. 

"What?"

"Don't cancel it."

"And why not? I told you-"

"I am okay." She smiled pero hindi pa rin maalis ang kaba niya. 

"No, baby, we are not going to do it tonight."

"I am fine, I promise." She smiled, this time medyo sure na siya sa nararamdaman. She's nervouse pero alam niyang magiging okay lang ang lahat. 

Hindi naman siya takot sa mga magulang nito. Her tito and tita are good people. In fact, they treat her as theirs. Kinakabahan lang talaga siya sa magiging reaksiyon ng mga ito kapag ipinakilala siya ni Theo bilang partner. Not that she doesn't want it but because they kept their complicated relationship just by themselves.