Plethora: ABUNDANCE

chapter five.

you are art,
In its purest form.
few line and a
million metaphors.
__dt__

CHAPTER FIVE

tumikhim ako at iniwas ang tingin ko, may inabot siya mula sa isang cabinet na nasa likuran ko, he placed two plates on the counter and a fork, ipinaghati niya ang paella na dala ko sa dalawang pinggan na iyon at bahagyang itinulak ang isang platong may tinidor sa gawi ko.

"here" i jumped a little nang umupo siya sa gilid ko, "kumain ka na rin"

his attention is now back at his laptop screen, ngunit nakalapag lamang ang pinggan na may paella sa gilid niya, i took the fork and tasted a bit of the dish that i have prepared for him.

It tastes, okay, actually. Hindi naman ito nangangamoy sira, it's a bit warm also.

I silently took small bites beside him, he is still busy, na parang napaka importante talaga ng nasa laptop niya, ngunit hindi ako makatiis, i leaned a little to get a peek of what he was doing on his laptop, wala akong naintindihan, just some charts and business words I cannot comprehend.

"felicia, are you done?"

Napabalikwas ako nang magsalita siya, i bit the fork and placed it on the plate.

"i cooked this, busog na ako, you're supposed to eat it" bahagyang reklamo ko.

He looked at me, "okay"

hindi ako nakagalaw nang inabot niya ang tinidor na gamit ko kanina at nag umpisang kainin ang nasa pinggan niya, he was almost finished when he took my plate and transferred my leftovers on his, after that he was smothering the sauce on the plate.

"thank you for the food, felicia"

"t-that was my fork, it's dirty" that was my response.

Tumayo siya at inilapag ang pinagkainan namin sa lababo, "yeah, isa lang ang nandito, and besides i don't really mind"

dios mio! I shared a fork with Theo, and I don't even know why this is so much of a big deal for me.

"a-anyways, i am now joing the culinary club, that's why i brought that dish" paliwanag ko.

He nodded, "oo, pwede ka nang mag-asawa"

"i'm seventeen!"

"so?" tanong niya, na para bang walang mali sa sinabi niya.

But this is Theodore Felipe Ignacio, this man, he is always serious, he looks serious, kahit na siguro ay birthday niya, seryuso pa rin ang mukha niya.

"w-well, i am just diecesyete, i just can't get married just because i can cook..." pilit kong hinanap ang boses ko.

Trying to sound unintimidated by him, "besides, i don't want to get married just yet! I need to graduate! And work, yes, uh work" estupida!

Theo nodded, "yeah, tama ka,"

He leaned on his seat and stared at me, as if scanning me, "you're just child to even get married"

"you are not capable of giving your husband what he needs" his mouth lifted to a smirk, hiding a subtle insult.

"what do you mean?"

"nothing, when you become a woman, you will understand" he said, dismissing me.

I glared at him, "hindi ako bata! Stop talking to me as if you know way more better than me, you are just years older" i snapped.

theo's that kind of a guy na sobrang seryoso kapag kaharap mo, ngunit ang mga salitang lumalabas sa bibig niya ay kung hindi bastos ay nakakainsulto. His choice of words, they all felt like mockery for me as a de Marco. No one, no one! Has ever addressed me the way he does, kahit na nakakatanda pa!

"bakit? Ano ba sa tingin mo ang kaya mo pang gawin para sa asawa mo bukod ang ipagluto siya?" he taunted.

I gulped, staring back at him, telling him that i am not backing down to his insults, "o-ofcourse, I will give him the love he deserves, that's what Abuella always tells us so"

He did not speak for a moment, seryoso ang mukha niyang nakatitig sa akin, his eyes painfully gazing at me makes it harder to breath, kahit na vintilated ang cabin, his lips in a thin line. Lumapit siya, inching closer the gap between us.

"you can never always make a man stay by just giving him love"