The Mayor's Girl

chapter 9

My mouth was wide open and my eyes were as big as saucers. I didn't expect this.

"Okay." I breathed out while still in shock. "Okay? As in yes?" His eyes were big like he wasn't buying it. I just nodded and he sighed happily. He hugged me right after that. I was laughing at his child-like reaction. Para siyang batang binigyan ng lollipop.

"Hatid na kita." Binuksan niya ang pinto at dahan dahan kaming lumabas. "Hoy!" May sumambit sa amin and I swear, Vico's face has never been this shocked. "Shit." He cursed. Liningon ko ang sumambit and it was his brother, Oyo Sotto.

He resembled Vico so much but they were different in many aspects. His kuya was shorter and had a more bad boy aura rather than Vico's professional stance. Mas rugged siyang tingnan with his beard and leather jacket while Vico looked like a baby in a pink hoodie.

Vico had no choice pero puntahan ang kuya niya, napakamot nalang siya sa batok niya. He smiled and they did a usual man handshake. "Hi, ganda." His kuya looked at me then winked at me jokingly. Napatawa naman ako. His kuya's a charmer, a very natural charmer. 

"Wag na kuya, may ate Kristine ka na. Ako na nanliligaw sa kanya." Vico looked at me with his boyish smile and my heart fluttered. "Oyo boy." His kuya had the same boyish smile. He handed his hand para maginitiate ng handshake. 

"Yanne po, sir." I said shyly with a timid voice. I shook his hand and he said, "Sir ba? Kuya nalang, future brother in law. Naks, magkakajowa na Baby Co namin oh!" Kuya Oyo winked at Vico and Vico turned around kasi nahiya siya sa pinagsasabi ng kapatid niya.

"Alam mo, Yanne, it's the first time that Vico brought a girl here. It's the first time Vico saw a girl romantically. Palaging busy to sa city hall eh. Wala ngang friends, ako lang." Kuya Oyo nudged Vico's shoulder while Vico glared at him. Dami atang narereveal ni kuya eh. 

"Kain muna. Magluluto ako." Kuya Oyo pulled out a chair and I was about to say na busog ako pero inunahan ako ni Vico. "Payag ka nalang. Di yan nagluluto pag ako lang." Napatawa nalang si kuya Oyo sa sinabi ni Vico. 

Kuya Oyo wore a black apron and started to cook something while kinakausap kami ni Vico. He looked exactly like that charming bad boy from all those K-Dramas. Kaya naman pala nahulog talaga si Kristine Hermosa dito. Iba talaga genes ng mga Sotto, nakakaibig.

"Saan kayo nagkakilala, Co?" Kuya Oyo asked Vico while slicing some meat. Namula ako agad sa tanong kasi naalala ko na naman ang nangyari sa mall. "Nadulas siya sa mall tapos inaway niya ako kahit sinalo ko siya." Natatawang sabi ni Vico na may halong panunukso sa akin. I just glared at him.

"Anong year ka na, Yanne?" Kuya Oyo asked after laughing at how we met. "First year. AB Pol Sci." I answered with a shy smile. Shy nalang ako palagi, nakakainis din tong si Vico eh. Pasalamat to gwapo siya kung hindi sinakal ko na sana.

"Kaya naman pala, matalino. Agad nahulog si mayor." He raised his eyebrows suggestively at Vico while Vico had an irritated look on his face. Si kuya Oyo parang lalaki na Angel. Panay tulak at panunukso.

"Bata mo pa, Yanne, ah. Wag ka patali kay Vico. May edad na yan." Kuya Oyo looked at Vico with a mischievous stare na parang tinutukso siya. Mas namula si Vico sa pagkairita niya sa kuya. "Wag mo ngang bigyan ng ideya. Di pa nga ako sinasagot." Inirapan ni Vico si kuya Oyo at binato ito ng kalamansi na nasa dining table.

"Para ka paring bata, Co. Bagay kayo. Utak ni Yanne pang-19, sayo pang-12." Iniirita na naman ni kuya Oyo si Vico kaya sinabi nalang ni Vico na iuuwi nalang ako. Pikon talaga tong mayor nato. Tumawa lang si kuya Oyo at humiling na pagbigyan siya.

Ang cute lang makita na napakakomportable ni Vico dito at hindi siya nagpapakaprofessional. Vico Sotto lang siya, walang dugtong na mayor of Pasig. 

May tinetext siya sa cellphone niya na parang abalang abala talaga siya. "Sino linalandi mo? Nandito si Yanne oh, mahiya ka naman." Pagbibiro ulit ni kuya Oyo habang linalapag ang pagkain na hinanda niya sa mesa. Napagod na atang mapikon si Vico at inirapan nalang niya ang kuya at tinago ang cellphone niya.

"Yanne, kwento ka naman." Kuya Oyo said while handing out plates to us. "Ako si Maria Yanne Torres ng Bantayan, Cebu. Probinsyana na taga-isla at lumuwas ng Maynila para makapag-aral ng kolehiyo. Tatay ko ay isang OFW at lola ko naman nasa Bantayan. Sila lang meron ako." I smiled casually.

"Bakit Pol Sci?" Kuya Oyo asked while linagay sa mesa ang kanin. Kumuha na kami ng pagkain habang nagkwekwentuhan pa rin. "My mama was a lawyer." I smiled while not looking up to kuya Oyo. Nakita ko sa dulo ng aking mata na sinenyasan ni Vico si kuya Oyo na wag gawing topic as I felt his other hand squeezed mine under the table. That warmed my heart.

"Ano trabaho ng papa mo?" Kuya Oyo diverted the topic habang kumakain na kami. "May architect firm siya sa Dubai." I smiled at the thought of my Dadad. "Galing ah." Kuya Oyo nodded in awe.

"Ma-" Magtatanong pa sana si kuya Oyo ngunit binara ito ni Vico. "Boy Abunda ka ba? Pakainin mo kaya siya." Pikon na namang sabi ni Vico. Cute talaga nito.

Nagkwentuhan naman kami tungkol sa pamilya nila. Ang sarap kausap ni kuya Oyo. Magaan masyado sa pakiramdam at yung tipong di ka magiging uncomfortable. Ang saya lang ng gabi ko.