KISSING MONSTER

QUATORZE

"OH MY GOSH! HUDSON! MARI! I MISS YOU!" I shouted as I see them to the living room.

"Hello ate Ganda! We missed you too!" masayang bati din nila habang nakayakap sa akin.

By the way, Hudson and Mari is my twin cousins. They were Calix' stepchildren from her older sister, Tita Jayda. They were seven years old.

"Where's Tita Jayda? Are you with her?" pagtatanong ko.

"She actually left earlier before you arrived." pahayag ni Calix habang nakatayo sa hamba ng pintuan ng kusina.

"Oh? Nagmamadali ba siya?"

"Yes. Hinahabol niya ang flight niya ngayon. Ate Jayda and her husband, Roel, they have a business trip to Paris for two weeks."

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti sa mga bata.

Nakita ko naman si Carter na pababa ng hagdan kasama si ate Kleng.

"Hi Carter!" masayang bati nung dalawa sa kanya.

"Ate Mari! Kuya Huds!"

"Carter! Be careful! Please!" hysterical na sambit ni ate Kleng nang mabilis na bumaba sa hagdan na si Carter.

Sinalubong naman siya nong dalawa at nagyakapan.

Hinayaan muna namang maglaro ang mga bata sa garden habang kumakain kami ng agahan din doon.

*beep*
Ryan: "See you soon, darling."

Napataas naman ang kilay ko roon.

"Problem?" bulong ni Clark sa aking tabi.

"Nothing." simpleng tugon ko at ngumiti sa kanya.

"Hey Seri, you will be our maid of honor." Ate Kleng said.

"Sure!"

"And Clark will be our bestman." she added.

I smiled at him as he does.

"No violence reaction, Calix?" biro ni August.

"Why would I? As if my parents allowed me to says no to the wedding." masungit niyang tugon.

Nagtawanan naman sila.

"Kailan ba ang kasal niyo?" ani Valentin.

"Two months from now." Ate Kleng answered.

"Saan naman kayo ikakasal?" ani Pablo.

"The Calixtro Beach Hotel and Resort. We will be having a beach wedding but a private one." masayang tugon ni ate Kleng.

"Wala nang atrasan, Calix. Mababawasan na ang bachelor sa atin." biro ni Eusebio.

"Tsk." Calix react.

"Sino kayang susunod sa atin?" ani Fritz habang nakatingin sa amin ni Clark.

Napailing naman ako.

Hindi ko pa nga sinasagot si Clark, kasal agad? Hahaha!

One week later...
Nagkayayaan kaming mag-swimming sa private pool ni Calix sa hotel dahil sa mga bata at gusto din nilang makapagrelax dahil nag-umpisa na ang construction ng pinapatayong school building para mga bata malapit sa resort.

Habang binabantayan ko ang mga bata sa mababaw na part ng pool ay biglang tumabi sa akin, yumakap at humalik sa pisngi ko si Clark sa harap ng mga bata.

"Tito Clark, girlfriend mo ba si ate Ganda?" pagtatanong ni Mari.

"Not yet." nakangiting sagot nito.

"Bakit niyayakap at kinikiss mo na si ate Ganda?" tanong naman ni Hudson.

Ngumiti lang siya at tumawa.

"Love mo si mama, diba papa?" inosenteng tanong ni Carter.

Nakangiting tumingin naman sa akin si Clark bago sumagot kay Carter, "Of course Carter. I love your mama."

-dug-dug-dug-dug-

Hey heart! What was that?! Are you crazy?! He just said that because of Carter. He just like you, okay?!

Napailing naman ako at nakipaglaro sa mga bata.

Another one week passed...
Naging masaya ang buong dalawang linggo ko dahil sa kambal pati kay Carter dahil may kalaro siya pero ngayon kailangan na ulit nilang magpaalam at magkikita ulit sa kasal nila Calix at ate Kleng.

"Carter, are you sad?" biglang tanong ni ate Kleng.

Tumango siya at biglang naglalakad paakyat kaya sumunod naman si ate Kleng sa kanya pati si Manang Lisa.

"How about you, mon amour? Are you sad because Hudson and Mari leave?" bulong ni Clark habang nakayakap sa akin mula sa likuran ko.

"Yeah. I missed them already." malungkot kong tugon at humawak sa mga kamay niya sa tyan ko.

Naramdaman ko naman si Clark na lumingon sa direksyon ni Calix.

"Hey Cal, can I borrow Serinity for today?" biglang tanong ni Clark kay Calix.

"And where the hell you will take my niece?" masungit na tanong nito.

"We're just going to the beach and if you want to keep watch over us, you can asked them," Clark answered and look to the other boys, "...if they are not busy." He added.

"I can't, I will going to the town to buy some stuffs." Pablo stated.

"Yeah, me too, August and I will visits the site today." Valentin said.

August nodded.

"I'll go to hotel to check the deliver of new furniture." suddenly Eusebio said.

"Let them be, Calix, sometimes you should trusts them both because not all the time, they need to be watch over and Seri knows her limits." Fritz frantic statement.

"Did I tell you to watch them?" masungit niyang tugon kay Fritz saka lumingon sa amin ni Clark, "Tsk, you take my niece and take care of her." He added.

"Thanks!" Clark responsed and he look at me, "Let's go out now!"

"Can you let me change my clothes first?" maarteng tugon ko.

Natawa naman siya at hinayaan akong umakyat sa taas para magpalit ng damit.

One hour ago...
A bare face and braided bun. I picked a mint green floral maxi dress, a white bow sandals and a black phone pouch. Plus a turqoise scarf.

"Clark," I called him.

"Hmm?" and he look at me.

"What if someone will kidnap me then bring me somewhere away from here, they tortured me until merely died but someone help me to get out from that place and then I got traumatized for what happened to me, so, I forgot everything about myself and all of you. I lived as other person up until you found me but I don't recognize you, what will you gonna do?"

He grabbed my left hand and then he hugged me so tight.

"Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari iyon, Serinity. I will never leave by your side. I won't let someone to take you away from me. I won't let them do it to you. And I won't let anyone to touched or torture you." seryosong paliwanag niya.

"Hey, what if lang iyon hahaha imposibleng mangyari dahil sobrang bantay-sarado ako ninyo." natatawang paliwanag ko at yumakap na din ako sa kanya.

To be continue...