Love Above It All

Chapter 12

"Ma, pinaiyak mo ba?"

Inabutan kami ni Connor at Calvin na pinupunasan ni Tita Caroline ang luha sa mga mata ko. Nagmamadaling tumungo siya sa tabi ko at nagtatakang tinanong ang kanyang ina. His mother looked at him flatly while I shook my head and chuckled.

"We were having a moment, you just ruined it."

"Oh," he just said. Calvin chuckled and draped his arm around Connor's shoulder. He smirked and look at me.

"Happy holidays, Solanna." Pormal na bati niya. Nginitian ko lang siya dahil hindi ko maisip kung bakit siya naglayas noon? Gosh, huwag kang chismosa, Solanna! Utang na loob!

Magkatabi sila ni Connor at parehas pa ng suot. Tanging ang dress shirt lang ang naiba sa kanilang dalawa. Connor's was black and Calvin's is white. Parang mas nagmukha silang kambal ngayon dahil nagtabi pa sila. They even have the same built. Their eyes are the same, though Connor's eye color is much lighter than his brother's. Tinigilan ko ang paninitig nang makitang bumaba ang ama nila. He's wearing a gray tuxedo, much formal than the two younger Hernandez. Parang pinag-usapan nila ito, ah?

A photographer appeard out of the blue and took their family portrait. Napakaseryoso pa nila. I can sense the photorapher that he wants to tell them to smile but he's afraid. Napakamot siya sa batok niya.

"Can we make this quick?" Calvin demanded. Here goes his scary aura. Nataranta ang photographer at bumiilang.

"Smile!" I beamed. Imbes na sa camera sila tumingin at sa akin. Holy shit, this is embrrassing but... I pointed my fingers at the edges of my lips and motioned them to smile.

Napakurap si Tito Ignazio at umirap si Calvin. Attitude. Connor then followed me and smiled, Tita Caroline let out a hearty laugh.

"Isa pa po, smile!" The photogpraher said. I sighed in relief when I saw their father smiled this time. Calvin only raise the side of his lips but that'll do. Please be happy.

Connor offered his hand to me while smiling. Napa-atras ako ngunit walang nagawa nang hilain niya ako at pinilit na sumali sa kanila for pictures. Hinapit niya ako sa baywang at ngumiti.

"Sana nandito si Astrid, ano?" he asked me innocently, but I know exactly what he's doing. I saw how it affected Calvin's ears. He shook his head and threw a soft punch on Connors arm. Natawa kami pareho.

Hindi ako mapakali sa mga sumunod na oras dahil panay ang pakilala sa akin ni Tita Caroline sa mga kaibigan niya bilang kasintahan ni Connor. Connor never left me though, thank God. Kung hindi niya ako hawak sa kamay, sa siko naman. Minsan sa braso, madalas sa baywang. Nagtataka na nga ako, ang sabi niya hindi siya sanay. Pero kung makakapit parang mawawala ako o ano.

Tarsier ka 'te?

"This is Solanna Cariazo, Connor's girlfriend!"

Bumitaw ako kay Connor para tanggapin ang pakikipagkamay nila kaya lumipat sa baywang ko ang hawak niya.

"Cariazo? Are you the heiress of the Cariazo shipping lines from Switzerland?" a woman asked. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at umiling.

"Cariazo from Visayas then? The owners of the construction company-" Ngumiwi ako.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. We'd like a private moment." Connor interefered and pulled me away from them.

Good thing. Because it was so uncomfortable answering them that I'm not as rich as they thought I would be.

Bakit ganoon? I felt small all of a sudden. Kung mayaman ba si Connor kailangan mayaman din ang kapareho niya? I'm not his real girlfriend, but if ever someone would be with him in the future that is not matched to his financial status and something like this happened, I'd be offended. Do they expect him to find a match for his status?