My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

5: Mira

"Ang cute mo no'ng maliit ka pa!" Ngiting-ngiti ako habang sinasabi 'yan kay Vren, after kong makita ang isang framed photo na naka-display sa kanyang living room, showing him as a toddler. "Bakit ngayon ko lang nakita 'to?"

Vren threw an unconcerned glance at the direction of the photo. "Probably because I put it on display only a few days ago. I don't even remember having it, until I tidied up my room and found it among some other old stuff."

"Ah..." I nodded. "Grabe, iba na talaga ang hilatsa ng mukha mo kahit noong bata ka pa. Alam na alam kaagad na gwapo ka paglaki," I commented with a chuckle.

He grinned at the compliment. "Sa'yo na nanggaling 'yan, ha? It makes perfect sense, though. I won't grow up to be as handsome as I am now if I were an ugly kid back then."

"Pfft. Feel na feel mo namang sinabihan kita ng gwapo." Umismid ako. "Napakahangin mo rin talaga, 'no?"

Well, sabagay, kahit anong yabang naman ng isang 'to ay okay lang, dahil talaga namang may ipagyayabang siya.

Looks, intelligence, riches — name it, Vren has it. Kaya nga lang, nang magsabog yata ng kasupladuhan sa mundo ay sinalo rin lahat ng boyfriend ko. At nang magpabaha naman ng confidence, hindi lang siya basta lumublob, kundi magdamag yatang nag-swimming.

I snuck a glance at Vren, who was now busy reviewing another business proposal. I already tried convincing him several times to stop working once he's home, pero magkakasakit yata ang mokong kapag hindi nakapagtrabaho for several hours straight. And I wasn't in the mood to argue about it tonight, so I just let it pass.

Tapos na naming panoorin ang "The Fault in Our Stars", at habang ako ay namumugto pa rin ang mga mata hanggang ngayon, siya naman, ni isang luha ay wala man lang pumatak. Heto nga at nakuha niya pang intindihin ang mga take-home work niya.

Just then, I caught sight of another framed photo, displayed a little ways from Vren's solo picture as a toddler. It showed three kids — two boys and a girl. The youngest one was obviously Vren, and with a smile, I also recognized Vince, who's just several inches taller than his younger brother.

But who is the little girl?

"Vren!" muling pagkuha ko sa atensyon ng workaholic kong boyfriend.

"Yeah?" sagot naman niya, na ni hindi man lang iniangat ang tingin mula sa binabasa niya.

"Sino 'to?"

"Who?"

I rolled my eyes. He was still reading the business proposal intently, kaya kinuha ko na lang ang frame at ipinakita ito sa kanya, sabay turo sa batang babae.

"Oh, that's Vira."

"Vira?" I echoed.

"Yeah. Our elder sister."

"Ha? May ate ka?" gulat kong sambit. "Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin?"

Pambihira naman itong si Vren!

Lahat na yata ng mga kamag-anak ko, naikwento ko na sa kanya. Pati nga aso ng kapitbahay ng lolo ko, nabanggit ko na sa kanya. Samantalang siya, may ate pala, at ni hindi man lang niya naisipang ipaalam sa akin?

"I don't remember you asking anything about me having a sister," he answered cooly.

"Ayos ka rin, 'no?" I glared at him. "Siyempre, kahit hindi ako nagtanong, dapat sinabi mo pa rin sa akin. Girlfriend mo ako, hello? Natural, kailangan kong malaman kung sinu-sino ang members ng immediate family mo!"

"What's the big deal?" he asked, eyebrows raised innocently. "Okay, so I have an older sister named Vira. I don't see why it's relevant to our relationship."

"Ewan ko sa'yo, Vren Andrei! May topak ka talaga."

He chuckled, amused at my anger. "I'm sorry, okay? From now on, I'll tell you everything about my family. Hang on, I'll just look for a copy of the Montevilla family tree..."

"Bwisit." Tumawa na rin ako. "Sige na, pinapatawad na kita. Basta, kwentuhan mo ako tungkol kay Vira. Or should I say, Ate Vira?"

He smiled, obviously pleased with the way I referred to his sister. "Okay. Her name is actually Vira Amanda. She's four years older than me."

"Tapos?"

"Why, is there anything else you wanna know?"

Pinigilan ko ang sarili ko na bigyan ng flying kick si Vren.

"Kwento na ba ang tawag mo ro'n?" I asked, annoyed again.

"Uh, yes?" There he was again with his innocently-raised eyebrows. "I'm not a diary, Mira. I don't know every detail about Vira's life, for God's sake."

Aba't namilosopo pa nga ang mokong!

"Wala ka talagang kwentang kausap!" I hissed, which only made him laugh again.

And speaking of worthwhile conversations, I suddenly remembered a phone call I had with my mother, days earlier. "Vren, naalala ko lang. Gusto kang ma-meet nina Mama at Papa."

"Really?" His smile widened.

"Yup." I smiled back at him, finding his reaction adorable. Halatang excited siya na makilala ang pamilya ko, which is a good thing. "Baka pwede ka raw this coming Saturday. Sumama ka sa akin sa pagbisita sa kanila."

"Of course. Tell them we're coming. And thank them for me, okay? It was so nice of them to invite me."

"Okay."

Ako kaya, kailan ko mami-meet ulit ang parents ni Vren — and this time, bilang girlfriend na niya?

Vren told me that after the Medialink Canada Annex launch, kung saan unang beses kong nakita sina Mr. and Mrs. Montevilla, pumunta sila sa Spain at hindi pa rin bumabalik hanggang ngayon.

Anyway, at some point ay napansin ko ang oras mula sa wall clock ni Vren, kaya napagpasyahan kong umuwi na. "Pasado alas-nuebe na pala. Uwi na ako, Vren."

"Are you sure? It's still early."

"Early pa ba ang ganitong oras? Ihatid mo na ako pauwi!" I chuckled. "Tsaka ano pa ba ang gagawin ko rito — panoorin ka habang nakatunghay ka riyan sa business proposal?"

Vren's expression turned naughty, causing me to narrow my eyes.

"Well, we could do something else," he said alluringly, even inching his face closer to mine for full effect.

Shet na malagkit, ang gwapo talaga ng mokong na 'to!

"H-hoy!" saway ko sa kanya habang unti-unting bumibilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko. "Anong something else ang pinagsasabi mo riyan, ha?"

"You know very well what I mean, Ms. Custodio," he replied in the same low voice.

Napalunok naman ako.

Ito na ba? Ngayong gabi na ba mangyayari ang...

No! Hindi pwede! Hindi pa ako handa!

"Layuan mo ako! Isa kang malaking temptasyon!" Pinaghahampas ko ang braso ni Vren. "Mama, where are you? Come and take me home!" parang timang ko pang dagdag.

Humagalpak naman ng tawa ang loko. "You look funny when you're freaked out," komento niya habang sige pa rin sa pagtawa. "I'm only kidding, Mira. Stop crying for your mother."

Lalo ko pa siyang hinampas dahil sa sobrang inis. "Bwisit ka! Tuwang-tuwa ka talaga kapag napagmumukha mo akong tanga!"

He was still sniggering as he wrapped me in his arms. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

"Che! Magta-taxi na lang ako."

"High blood ka na naman. Binibiro ka lang, e." His eyes still gleamed with amusement as he cupped my face with his hands. "Did you enjoy our time together?"

I nodded, smiling grudgingly. "Thank you sa effort na ipagluto ako. I really appreciate it."

"Anything for you," he replied before bestowing a kiss on my forehead.

Best ending to the best date night, I thought giddily, with the best boyfriend, ever.