Across Minds (ACROSS Series 1)

Chapter 12

"Wake up, Love. We're here." I felt someone shaking me.

I slowly opened my eyes. Napapikit naman ako agad nang tumama ang sikat ng araw sa mukha ko. I adjusted my eyes to the light first before looking at Ace.

"Hala. Yuck. Tuloy laway." he said while pointing at my face.

"Huh?" I panicked

Nakakahiya! I immediately opened the window to see myself in the rearview mirror. Wala naman, e. I looked at Ace who was trying to hide his laughter. Hanggang sa Baguio ba naman dala niya pa rin 'yung hobby niya na asarin ako? I pinched his cheeks hard.

"Aray ko! Mashakit!" he pouted.

"'Wag kang magbibiro sa bagong gising." inirapan ko siya.

"Joke lang. Hey, look at me." he ordered.

When I looked at him, he fixed my hair. I saw him holding a comb which he used for the top area of my hair only so that the curls would not be affected. I was just looking at him the entire time. After combing my hair, he smiled and held my chin.

"There. You pretty." he tapped my nose again. "Let's go inside the house."

He guided me as we walked towards the house. I looked around and saw a very beautiful garden in the front lawn. Hindi gaanong kalakihan 'yung lugar at ang bahay but it seems really cozy. The place is situated quite far from the heart of the city. Siguro mga 30-minute drive pa bago kami makarating sa city proper.

When we were already settled, I decided to call my mom para alam niya na nakarating kami ng maayos. When she picked up her phone, I squinted my eyes a bit because it was noisy. Nasa labas siguro siya.

"Anak! Are you already there?" she asked.

"Yes ma. Kararating lang po namin. Nas'an ka po?" I pointed the door of the bedroom to Ace who was just entering the house with our bags.

"Nasa mall ako. I'm with your tita Alicia." she called someone. "Mare halika."

"Hi hija! Buti naman nakarating kayo jan ng maayos." she said energetically.

My mama and Ace's mom were complete opposites. Si mama, mahinhin saka tahimik. While Tita Alicia is very talkative and active. 'Di nga din namin alam kung bakit sila magkasundo but I guess it is because they were already friends way back in college.

"Hi po, tita!" I called Ace when he walked out of the bedroom.

"Sino yan, love?" he nuzzled my neck.

"Si mama saka si Tita Alicia." napatingin naman siya sa cellphone ko at pinindot ang speaker. "Hi sa dalawa kong magandang Mama." he laughed.

I heard the both of them chuckled on the other line because of what Ace said.