Her Hero

Bonding

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading my story.
I hope to receive your response by voting or leaving a comment. 🤗
Have a nice day!
Enjoy!

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

Although I don't want him to know where I live, I have no choice. This is his demand so, dapat sumunod ako. I tap my keycard sa unit ko and we get it. I place my bag sa built-in organizer at nag tanggal ng sapatos. He did the same.

I gestured him the couch as we entered the living room at dumiretso ako sa kitchen counter. He was looking around at umupo-prenteng upo.

"Organized. Minimalist. Hmmm" tumatango pa sya habang sinasabi yun at tumitingin pa rin sa paligid. He stood up and sat in my piano keyboard. He turned it on and played some keys.
Mukang may alam ang mokong.
Matapos tumipa, binalik nya sa ayos at tumayo. Lumakad papunta sa book shelf ng study table ko. Nagbasa basa ng covers ng libro. Ang likot nya, grabe.

"May inspection pala ng unit ko, di ako informed."

"Sorry...Do you mind?"

"Yes, I do. Bumalik ka na lang sa upuan. What do you want to eat?"

"So, the rumors are true sa quarters. OC ka nga."

"I am not. I'm just organize and I value my space. So what do you wanna eat?"

Imbes na umupo lumapit sya sa akin at tumingin ng laman ng cabinet ng kitchen.

"What do we have here? Hmmm"

Hindi pa nasihayan at pati ref ko binuksan.

"You may sit na lang. Ako na lang magluluto." sabi nya as he pile ingredients in his arms and put them on the chopping board malapit sa lababo ng kitchen counter.

"Ah-ah...Not gonna happen in my kitchen" turo ko sa kanya gamit ang hintuturo ko habang nakapamaywang at nakapikit na iiling iling.

"Sungit. I want to have tuna pasta...or tuna carbonara...whatever they call it...'you know how to cook it?" his other hand on the jar of pasta while his other hand is making some gestures. He looks so relaxed and confident to move around my space.

"I don't think I have tried that before. But if it's carbonara, I guess I can cook it." I directed my attention to the ingredients and line them up on the counter para mas madali kong makuha pag kailangan ko na while I cook.

He doesn't look convince. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes while looking away.
"I don't mean to offend you or your cooking skills but I too have a...picky buds...when Nanay Soli had me tried it back home I loved it and I tried cooking it so I asked for her recipe. So, I think we should just do this together. You prep the ingredients and then I'll cook. K?" he put my apron on and grab my wooden ladle.

"I thought you know how to cook. Bakit hawak mo na yan?" I pointed the ladle with my can opener and grab the all purpose cream.

"Just making sure you won't insist on cooking." he wiggled the ladle and tap it on my head. Urgh! He really knows how to hit a nerve.

He told me the ingredients and I prepared it. He demonstrated the procedures with explanation pa.

Habang ini stir ko ang pasta, pinatikim nya sakin ang luto nya...

"Hmmm...sarap nga...ang galing ng cook nyo..."

"What?! Babe...ako ang nagluto and you complimented Nanay Soli? Why don't you just admit na magaling ako?" His hands both stretch out. Proud na proud. Hindi ko natiis at tinuktok sa ulo nya yung sandok na kahoy na hawak ko.

"Wag mo kong tawaging 'Babe' hindi ako baboy. Fine, you cook well..."

We set the food sa sala. We also made some toasted bread with garlic and have pineapple juice. Sa carpet na lang sya umupo para mas kumportable habang naka stretch ang binti ko sa mahabang couch at nagbabasa ng notes. He was reading his notes too habang kain ng kain. Hindi naman sya nagtatanong. Mukang gusto lang tumambay dito sa unit ko at makikain.

He's now reading his second subject when my door opened. It must be Meera.

Si Meera nga at napahinto sya, kasunod nya si Kuya at napahinto rin at palipatlipat ng tingin samin ni Xavier. Si Xavier naman binaba ang platito nya at notes sa center table.

"Hi..." kaway nya kay Meera at sa kuya ko habang ang isang kamay ay nakapamulsa.

"Hhiii..."bati ni Meera at dahan dahang dumapo ang nagtataka nyang tingin sa akin.

Hindi pa nakakabawi si Meera when my brother spoke.
"Sorry for barging in...We were worried, hindi kasi sumasagot si Yara sa messages namin at tawag. May usapan daw kayo na magrereview sa unit nya pero two hours na wala ka pa. So we decided to check on her here. We didn't know that she has a visitor. I better go."

"Oh no! I'm sorry. We were busy. I didn't think of checking my phone. I also forgot to look at my planner. This just came in." Napa hagod ako ng noo. I'm starting to be upset.

Meera hurried at my side at hinagod ang likod ko, "Don't be upset. Hindi naman ako galit. It just caught us by surprise. But this is a good thing. I can join you here if that's ok." Tumingala sya kay Xavier.

"I don't mind. This isn't my place." and he went back sitting in the carpet.

"Oh! Meryenda! What did you cook this time?" Biglang tayo nya at pumunta sa kitchen at kumuha ng utensils.

Sumunod si Kuya kay Meera sa kitchen at humalik sa pisngi, "Love, mauna na rin ako...mukang settled naman na kayo dito."

"Don't you want to eat first?"
Kumuha si Kuya ng tinidor and twirl at sinubo. "Hmmm...masarap ah...nice one Yara...As much as I want to join you, Papa would be mad if I won't come to his office. I'd better go." kinuha ni Kuya ang hawak ni Yara at tinulungan sya papunta sa center table.

"In fairness, masarap nga sya. Ano tawag dito Yara?" Hawak nya ang platito at umupo sa tabi ko.

Lumapit si Kuya sa akin para bumeso at tinapik naman si Xavier.

"Actually hindi ako nagluto. Si Xavier. Tumulong lang ako."

Napahinto si Kuya sa paghakbang. Nagkatinginan sila ni Meera at si Meera naman ay napatingin kay Xavier.

"She let you use her kitchen?"

"Yeah..." Xavier answered shortly and continued reading.

"I'll be going na." at dumiretso na sya palabas.

Kumain muna si Meera at sabay na kami nagreview. Nagtanungan p kami at nag brainstorm matapos magbasa basa.

Gabi na rin, pero imbes na magluto dahil apre parehonh pagod na rin, tumawag at umorder na lang si Xavier ng dinner sa restaurant ng condo sa baba. Umorder din sya ng popcorn.

Our dinner came shortly. Nag aya ng isang movie si Xavier.
Today, I forgot about my plans. I just let Meera and Xavier do whatever they want. I have counted some firsts today. We had a great time. We bond like we knew each other for years.

It was almost 10 when Xavier head up. He asked for my number and I gave it to him.

I'm glad he forgot about his argument with his brother and I forgot about my troubles about my untold plan to my parents.

Dito na natulog si Meera and before I turned my lights off, I received a message from Xavier.
> I had a great time. Good night!

Sumagot din naman ako.
>Same here. good night.