Cascading Waters

Chapter XXIV

The garden improved kasi mas marami na ang  mga bulaklak at mga halaman na nakapaligid sa lugar. I noticed the Manta falls as we stride towards the back of the house kung saan rin kami kumain when I came back here years ago.

The then muddy place transformed into a beautiful lanai connected to the back door of the pool's side and the glass canopies shielding the rough cemented surface of the place alongside the green bermuda grass near the fences. With white couches surrounding a long rectangular wooden table, cactis and succulents placed hanging on the white wall, and the gorgeous fairy lights in the ceiling, the place looked magical.

Tito sat on his usual seat while tita, Lexa, and then Axel sat on the right side of the table. Papa sat in front of tita while mama is in front of Lexa. Ang bakanteng upuan sa harapan ni Axel at tito, na tabi rin ni Axel, ang bakante. They all settled in at uupo na sana ako sa tabi ni mama nang naramdaman ang kurot ni Tyler sa tagiliran ko.

"Aray," I reacted, glaring at Tyler. He smiled shyly at me and gave me a pleading look. He looked like a little puppy kaya natawa ako at tumabi nalang para maupo sa upuang tapat ni Tito.

With a smile still on my face, I watched the whole table. They were busy talking kaya walang naka pansin sa alitan naming ni Tyler except Axel. Our eyes met and it was still cold.

I went to the seat beside him and looked at Axel. I smiled but he looked away and drank on his glass of water. Hinayaan ko iyon at napansin ang parang tutang si Tyler.

Hindi kalaunan ay dumating na ang pagkain so we started eating. Nakita ni Tyler na hindi ko masyadong maabot ang rice na nasa tapat ni Mama kaya naman ay binuhat niya ito para lagyan ang pinggan ko. Napansin kong napatingin si Lexa sa ginawa ni Tyler at tinapunan ng tingin si Axel. Axel glanced a bit at kunot noo ring binalik agad ang tingin sa pinggan niya.

Hindi napansin ni Tyler ang tingin ng magkapatid at tinanong pa ako kung gusto ko ng scallops at kinuhanan ako ng ilang piraso. Kukuha rin sana siya ng barbecue ngunit nahirapan, malaki kasi ang hapag. Nasa harap ito ni Axel at natigil si Tyler nang magsalita ito.

"I'll do it," malamig na tugon ni Axel. Tumango naman si Tyler at tumingin sa gawi ko.

"Sure, bro."

Napansin ko ang tensyon ng nilagay ito ni Axel sa pinggan ko at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

Kakain na sana ako ng biglang nag beep ang cellphone ko.

Tyler:

That was intense. It's positive, he still likes you.

Me:

Lol. You needed the help so he offered. Duh.

I was about to eat when it beeped again. Titignan ko na sana ngunit nakita kong kumuha ng isa pang piraso ng barbecue si Axel at may pwersang nilagay ito sa plato ko.

I looked at him, raising a brow with curious eyes but he showed me no emotions bago nagsalita,

"The beep is annoying. Eat."

"Oh, i'm sorry," I reacted, already smirking. Siya naman ngayon ang tinaasan ako ng kilay, naghahamon. 

Iritado ako sa inasta niya kahit alam kong may punto naman siya so I took the barbecue and sexily, slowly took a bite off my barbecue stick while still staring at him. I saw him glance a bit on my lips before staring at my eyes again and clenching his jaw.

If he thinks i'll look away just because he's staring at me intensely now then he's wrong. I saw his annoyance kaya pinagpatuloy ko ang panunukso sa kaniya at inismiran siya. Beat that, annoying person.