My Stepsister is Mine [Completed]

Chapter 14

"Celine, where are you?" Atticus asked from the other line.

She gripped her phone while balancing her books on her other hand. Nagmamadali na siya palabas ng school. She just finished her morning class and was walking in the hallway alone.

"Palabas na!"

Mula ng party na iyon a few weeks back, hindi na ulit sumama pa si Celine sa barkada nina Alden. Umiwas na siya dito at hindi na rin naman siya ginambala ng lalaki. Nagulat na lang siya na makitang may black eye ito the week after his birthday party pero hindi na sila nagpansinan.

Michelle, on the other hand, was a different story. Hindi naman sila nag-away or what sa party pero iniwasan na siya nito pagkatapos ng gabing iyon. Hindi niya maalala lahat ng mga nangyari pero sigurado siyang may rason bakit nagbago ang pakakaibigan nilang dalawa.

She's just not sure what it was.

"Okay, I'm waiting by the entrance. Bilisan mo. I need to drop you off in the salon," his authoritative voice said.

They were both going to his graduation ceremony this afternoon kaya maaga siyang umalis ng school. She only attended her morning class and was now being fetched by Atticus.

"Malapit na ako!" sagot niya. "Do I really need to go to a salon? I can do my makeup well."

He laughed on the other line.

"Tinatawanan mo ba ako?" inis na tanong niya.

"No, babe. I'm not. You're very beautiful without makeup. It's just that... tonight is a special night for me and I have to make sure you look great as well."

Napangiti na lang siya sa sinabi nito. "Graduation mo naman. Hindi sakin. Ang arte mo talaga," biro niya. She got out of the campus gate and into the parking lot. Kumaway siya ng makita ang sasakyan ni Atticus.

She ended their call at sumakay roon. "Congratulations!!!" sigaw niya and hugged him. "Finally, you're graduating."

He smiled. "Thanks, I'm nervous for tonight actually."

"Ano namang nakakanerbyos sa graduation eh rarampa ka lang naman suot ang toga mo?" she asked and threw her bag and books at the back.

"You'll see," makahulugang sagot nito at pinaandar na ang sasakyan.

***

Binilhan siya ni Atticus ng takeout lunch at pagkatapos ay iniwan sa salon. Babalikan na lamang daw siya nito after two hours. Nagulat siya ng pagkaguluhan siya ng ilang mga hair stylists at beautician doon.

They did so much with her hair. They conditioned, styled and curled it. Same with her face. At pati nails niya ay pinakialaman ng mga ito.

Parang siya ang ga-graduate mamaya ah!

She was almost done with her treatments ng mag-vibrate ang phone niya. She was expecting it to be Atticus at susunduin na siya nito.

She opened it and saw a message from an unknown number. The message was a photo. Ilang segundo ang dumaan para mag-load ang photo. And she was in for the biggest shock of her life ng makita kung anong laman noon.

It was her and Alden, kissing. It was a dark room pero alam niyang silang dalawa iyon. "Shit!" she screamed at napatayo bigla mula sa high chair niya.

Napatingin sa kanya ang lahat ng mga nag-aayos sa kanya.

"Okay ka lang, Madame?" tanong ng baklang nag-aayos ng makeup niya.

She tried to smile at dinelete ang photo na iyon sa phone niya. "Y-Yes. Pasensiya na. My friend just sent a dumb joke." Umupo na ulit siya sa upuan and tried to compose herself.