Chasing Lance |PUBLISHED UNDER VIVAPSICOM|

CL#8.

Picture at the side for reference later on. ;)

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CL#8.

 

“Chantel?” I groaned inwardly. Hindi ko kailangan ng kausap ngayon. Kung kailangan ko man, nasa huli ng listahan si Lance Caine. Inangat ko ang ulo ko at nakita ang nagtatakang mukha ni Lance. Wearing just a plain three-button down grey shirt and a black pants and black ball cap, Lance could be mistaken as a runway model. I’ll probably appreciate more the way he looked tonight if I wasn’t feeling down. But no. I’m not feeling sociable right this moment. “Y-yeah?”

 

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay bago umupo sa tapat ko kaya napilitan na akong umayos ng upo at sumandal sa upuan ko. I feel stiff. Halos isang oras na din ata akong nakaub-ob dito sa lamesa sa labas ng Café Montero. “What are you doing here?”

Suminghap ako nang maalala ko kung bakit ako nandito. “Nothing. Nagpapahangin lang.” He stared at me, gauging my facial expression. “Ikaw?”

 

“Bought some snacks.” Tinuro niya ang isang cup ng kape at chocolate muffins. Tumango ako at hindi na sumagot. I don’t want to be rude, so I can’t tell him to leave me alone. “Hey, are you okay?” Concern etched on his face.

I chuckled. “Do I look like I’m not?”

 

“You don’t look like your usual self.” Humalukipkip siya sa harap ko.

Tumawa ako. Yung tawang bigay na bigay. Yung makapunit labi at sakit sa tiyan na tawa. Yung parang wala ng bukas. Nakatitig lang sa akin si Lance habang tumatawa ako. Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ako tumawa. “You’re not okay.” Lance said quietly, and that was my cue to break down. Tumungo ako. It started with a muffled sob. Hanggang sa dire-diretsong pagtulo ng luha ko. Hanggang sa humagulhol na ako na para bang nasa sarili ko akong condo at walang ibang tao. I know I look stupid but I just can’t stop the freaking tears from falling.  Tiningnan ko lang si Lance nang inabutan niya ako ng panyo. Nag-aalangan kong kinuha iyon. I can’t even utter a word to say thanks. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nangyari 2 hours ago.

“Come again, Papa?” I asked politely. I don’t think I heard my father right. I think he just told me that we’re meeting his ‘girlfriend’ and her daughter over dinner. Surely, I heard wrong. My father loves my mother a lot and I don’t think he has moved on since she died. So no, I think I need to visit an ear doctor tomorrow.

 

My father sighed, clearly irritated. “I expect you to be in your best behavior with your Tita Yvonne and her daughter.”

 

“Wait. I have an aunt and a cousin that I haven’t met yet? Kapatid mo ba siya Papa? O kapatid ni Mama?” I’m surprised. Hindi malaki ang angkan ng Herrera at Javier. Kilala ko lahat ng kamag-anak namin, at first time kong madinig ang pangalan ni ‘Tita Yvonne’.

 

“Stop playing dumb, Aidnn Chantel!” Sigaw ni Papa. “Yvonne is my girlfriend. You’re meeting her tonight with her daughter.” He said with finality in his tone.