My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

13: Mira

"Ready ka na?" I asked Vren for the last time, bago ako kumatok sa pintuan ng aming bahay.

"Yeah, I think so," sagot naman ng boyfriend ko. Seeing his expression made me suppress a laugh. Vren was trying so hard to look confident, pero halata rin namang kinakabahan siya. Ang cute niyang tingnan, actually.

Just as I was about to knock on the door again, I heard Vren huff. "Ugh, this is crazy! Do you think they'll like me?" Obviously, he wasn't able to hide his anxiousness any longer.

Tuluyan na akong tumawa. "Oo naman. Kung may mga taong napakadaling i-please, sina Mama at Papa 'yon. Si Myron lang ang problema mo," I added with a grin, referring to my eighteen-year-old younger brother. "Kailangan mong huliin ang loob ng isang 'yon."

"Alright. I can do that," Vren said in a resolute tone, more to himself than to me. "Let's have lunch with your family, then."

****

"Mira, anak... sigurado ka bang 'yan ang boyfriend mo? Napakagwapo naman niyan! Baka naman binayaran mo lang 'yan, ha? Alam kong lagi ka naming binibiro ng Papa mo, pero ayos lang naman talaga kahit wala ka pang maipakilala sa amin. Hindi ka naman namin minamadaling bigyan ng apo."

Gusto kong manliit at maglaho na lamang dahil sa sinabing 'yan ng aking dakilang ina, nang unang beses niyang masilayan si Vren. Literal na napanganga ang aking kawawang mudra na para bang hindi siya makapaniwalang may nilalang na kasinggwapo ni Freak na nag-e-exist sa balat ng lupa. It took a couple of moments before my mother could recover, at heto nga't kinukwestiyon na niya kung talaga bang si Vren ang boyfriend na binanggit ko sa kanila ni Papa.

"Ma!" Pasimple ko siyang pinandilatan. "Siyempre naman, 'yan po talaga ang ikinuwento ko sa inyo na boyfriend ko. Saka ano ba kayo, walang bayarang naganap. Kung alam niyo lang kung ilang milyong dolyar ang halaga ng lalaking 'yan. Kayang-kaya niyang bilhin ang buong angkan natin." This time, I threw an exasperated look at Vren, who was trying so hard not to laugh, before facing my mother again. "Ganoon na po ba ako kapangit para hindi kayo maniwalang boyfriend ko ang ugok na 'yan?"

"Hindi naman sa gano'n, 'nak. Naninigurado lang ako." Mama beamed at me before returning her focus to Vren. "Naku, Mirathea, 'wag mo nang pakawalan itong si Pogi! Ang gaganda at ang gagwapo ng mga apo ko kapag nagkataon!"

"Ma!" Tuluyan na akong napatakip ng mukha dahil sa huling sinabi ni Mama. Nakakahiya!

Ignoring my embarrassment, she then asked, "Nakakaintindi ba ng Tagalog itong boyfriend mo, 'nak? Mukhang foreigner, e."

Vren chuckled before answering the question himself. "Opo, nakakaintindi po ako ng Tagalog, ma'am."

I couldn't help but smile as I noted how my boyfriend was indeed trying to impress my mother. Nabanggit kasi sa akin ni Vren na mas sanay siyang mag-English dahil ito ang kinalakihan niyang lenggwahe, at medyo awkward sa pakiramdam niya ang pagta-Tagalog (I know, mega-rich kid problems). So, the fact that he's doing so could only mean that he's set on adjusting for me and my family.

Mama, for her part, looked relieved at Vren's response. "Hay, salamat naman. Akala ko, mapapalaban ako sa English-an ngayon, e. Naku hijo, 'wag mo na pala akong tawaging ma'am. Masyado ka namang pormal. Tita Monica na lang."

"Okay po, Tita Monica," nakangiting tugon ng boyfriend ko.

"Halika na sa loob, para matikman mo na ang aking specialty dish." Before I could even protest, Mama already pulled Vren closer by the arm to lead him inside the house. Wala na akong nagawa kundi umiling-iling.

Once we're in the living area, my mother let me and Vren settle on the couch facing the television, on which a noontime entertainment program was being shown. Pagkaraan ay pumwesto si Mama sa ibaba ng hagdan na daan patungo sa ikalawang palapag ng aming bahay, sabay sigaw ng, "Myron, anak, bumaba ka na rito! Nandito na ang ate mo, kasama ang boyfriend niya. Manananghalian na tayo!"