Since He Came

II

QUINN DRION WINTER

A.W.K.W.A.R.D.

I had been socially awkward ever since I was a kid. Having no father while growing up, I was always bullied which may be the reason why I never liked meeting strangers and a large crowd.

MEETING STRANGERS. Yun siguro ang nasa unahan ng listahan ng mga bagay na gusto kong iwasan. And once I enter this room, that's what exactly will happen.

Nang ilibot ko ang paningin ko, dumapo ang mata ko sa figura ni Ms. Dalia na siya ring nakatingin sa akin na parang nag tatanong kung bakit hindi pa ako pumapasok at katabi niya si Ms. Dream na seryoso lang na nakatingin sa kanyang telepono.

"Relax Quinn relax." I sigh. "Well, here goes nothing." I mumbled to myself before I knock and entered the room.

I poked my head in the room. My eyes automatically landed to the girl sitting on her office chair and were looking at me intently.

She's pretty. No scratch that she's GORGEOUS.

Her big eyes were emotionless, her brows were slightly furrowed and her plump lips despite our distance, looks freaking edible. Her long black straight hair highlighted her pale complexion. She's intimidating but nevertheless gorgeous. She looks like a --an angel uh no- a goddess. Yes, definitely.

She just kept her gaze at me while I was trying hard forming words to greet the goddess.

"G-good morning." I managed to say.

Napansin ko ang isa pang babae na marahil kanina pa nakaupo sa ibayong parte ng kwarto.

"Ah-I am Quinn Drion Nielles. Pinapunta ako dito ni Ms. Dalia."

Mas lalo pa yata akong kinabahan dahil pareho na silang matamang nakatingin sa akin.

Nanatili akong nakatingin sa lupa ng pareho pa rin silang hindi nag sasalita.

Mali ba ang kwartong pinasokan ko? But Ms. Dalia saw me go in so most probably tama ako.

"So you were saying, you're Quinn Drion Winter. Right?" Sa wakas tanong nung babaeng nasa couch.

"Uhm. Y-yes." Nauutal kung sagot. I gulp to clear my throat. Why do I have to stutter?

"The illegitimate son of Frederick Hanson Winter?" dagdag pang tanong nung babae sa couch habang palapit sa akin.

Illegitimate? Oo nga pala. Hindi man kasal si papa sa iba ngunit hindi rin naman sila kasal ni mama. Kahit pa nga they are planning to wed soon and had already rekindled their lost love. I am still a bastard huh?

"I think so." Kamot ang batok na sagot ko.

Her gaze never left me but she hasn't uttered any word yet since I entered.

"Hmm." Ngayon umiikot palibot sa akin ang babaeng kanina pa nagtatanong sakin. This feels like an interrogation.

"Well, come to think about it, you resemble Tito Fredson when he was in his mid-twenties though he was a lot, uhm- well -manlier than you look" Nakapangalumbaba niyang dagdag.

Manlier? Si papa? Eh?

"Nice to meet you cousin! I'm Gabrielle Winter Gonzalvo, daughter of Minerva Hanielle Winter-Gonzalvo. Call me Rielle. I heard you're a year older than me but I won't call you Kuya ha. That's awkward." Pakilala ng babae sabay lahad ng kanyang kamay.

It took me a while before I accepted her hands. My dad mentioned about her sister's family pero hindi ko akalaing agad ko siyang makikilala.

Mula sa ngiti biglang naging ngisi ito ng tumingin siya sa magandang babae na tahimik paring nakamasid sa amin.