A Close Second

Seventeenth

Kung sila Jake may Party, sila Andrew din.

More kilig scenes here. HAHAHA. Ate Erin, this is for you!

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Keith opens the car door for me, giving out a hand para maalalayan ako. and he gives out a hand para alalayan ako. I smiled at him as I take it, carefully getting out of his car.

It was almost 7PM and we're at the Medrano compound.

I blushed as I see Keith give me a onceover, as if hindi pa sapat sa kanya yung pag titig niya sa akin nung sinundo niya ako sa bahay.

We're both attending his grandmother's party by the way. I knew it was a family event, but I didn't really expect to get an invitation from Tita Jodi herself.

It just happened kanina.

"Hello Tita?"

Kakalagay ko palang ng phone sa tenga ko nung biglang mag launch sa sermon niya si Tita Jodi, obviously fuming mad.

"Bakit moa ko pinapatayan ng phone, Keith Andrew?!" She asks hotly at me, thinking she was talking to her son. "Hindi kita pinalaking bastos, Andrew! Hindi ba binabastos mo naman ako ng ganyan?"
"Tita—"
"Nasan ka ba? Hindi pa tayo tapos sa usapang ito, Andrew! Alam mong hindi kita pinapagalitan ng madalas pero nako naman!"
"Tita Jodi." Mahinahon kong sabi a few seconds after her last word, effectively stopping her from her rant. "Tita, sorry po. Nabitawan po kasi ni Andrew yung phone niya."

That worked. Napatigil si Tita Jodi sa narinig niya, obviously hindi inaasahan na isang babae ang sunod na makakausap niya.

"This is Beatrice po pala, Tita. Pasensya na po at ako na ang sumagot ng phone niya. "

I looked up at Andrew, who seemed to be watching me intently. I gave him a smile saka naman binalikan yung kausap ko.

"I'm afraid po ako po ang may kasalanan kung bakit wala po si Andrew diyan with you right now. He did tell me he had to be somewhere else, pero po kasi nag insist po ako na panoorin niya kami kahit saglit lang. It's our final performance po kasi sa dance competition." I tell her, tone muted and placating. "Pasensya na po talaga. Don't worry po, tapos na rin naman po yung performance namin so he can go now."

It took Tita Jodi a whole minute of silence. Napatingin lang ako kay Keith, his dark eyes boring holes into mine. I bit my lip, fearing the worst.

"Tita—"
"Ah, hindi hija. It's okay." Tita Jodi stops me. "Kayong dalawa naman pala ang magkasama. Akala ko kasi anong kalokohan nanaman ang inaatupag nila Nico at Greg kasama ang batang yan."

I chuckled a bit, drawing a smile from the guy I was with right now.

"I'm really sorry, Tita. Hindi na po mauulit."
"Okay lang, anak." Sabi nito, voice switching into a motherly tone.

My heart stirred at her tone. It was nice and Keith looks at the phone, bewildered, and I had to smile as I nudged an elbow at him.

"The party still starts at 6:30 but tradition kasi that we get together at least 4 hours before any family event para magkakasama kaming pupunta."

I looked down at my watch. Five minutes to five.

"Hindi naman na po kailangang tapusin ni Andrew yung awarding, Tita." I look at Keith, finding him surveying the rest of the Snickers bar I placed at his thigh before answering the call. "He's technically free to go.
I take the bar and then giving it to him. "It's really fine, Beatrice." Tita insists. "He can be late, just this once."