Illegitimate

Part 2 : A Secret

• Julian •

"Nice" sabi ni tito Alvin. He stood from his office chair and clapped his hands in front of the television. "Mga kabit na yan, tapos na mga araw niyo"

I just smiled. We just watched a breaking news. Pirma na lang ng pangulo yung kailangan. Mukhang masayang-masaya siya. Ilang beses na niya nakwento yung nangyari sa mama at papa niya, the usual story of betrayal.

I can really sense how happy he is. This time meron na siyang laban dun sa kabit nung naging mama niya.

Well wala namang bago tungkol dun, normal naman na 'tong nangyayari. Ginawa nilang normal, pero ngayon...

I heard the door open. Tiningnan ko kung sino, she's here, in a white blouse and black slocks, nag-ayos siya ngayong araw.

"Julian" she called me, then three knocks on that wooden door. "Henlo"

With a slight giggle, and she's getting cuter and cuter as time goes by. Bakit di ko 'to napigilan?

"Danica" I called her. I adjusted my seat on the couch to face her. Yung leather kumakapit sa balat.

"Oy, iha baka marinig ka sa labas, isara mo na yan" sabi ni tito Alvin as crossed me and walkes towards Danica. "Nako, nako, kapag lang talaga nakita kayong dalawa, magkakagulo ang mga buhay natin"

"Hahaha, sorry na po" sabi ni Danica. She entered the room, cold a little dim room dahil sa blinds sa mga bintana. She walked towards tito Alvin, na naka hawak sa bewang niya, then sit over the couch next to me. "Happy Birthday Julian"

And she hands me a bracelet, a dark gray chain bracelet. I'm just about to buy this, pero nauna siya.

"Labas muna siguro ako ha, nakakahiya sa magjowa kailangan ata ng privacy" tito Alvin said and lumabas na siya ng room. "Usap lang ha, Julian, usap"

"Tito!" I yelled at him before the door shut. Well that's a normal thing, okay lang magsigawan. "So, usap lang daw, usap lang Danica"

"Ugok ka Julian, ano pa bang ipupunta ko dito?" Danica said and she squinted her eyes at me. "Ikaw po ay magpakabait ha, linisin ang isip at kaluluwa, twenty ka na, puro ganyan yung nasa isip mo. Oh eto, di ba eto yung gusto mo pero hindi mo pa nabibili? Alam ko naman kaya mong bilhin yan, pero wala na akong maisip na ibang regalo eh"

"Okay lang naman na wala kang regalo" Sabi ko sa kanya, nagkasundo na kami na hindi mahalaga yung material as form of love. Pero kinuha ko  pa rin sa mga kamay niya yung bracelet tapos sinuot ko sa kaliwa kong kamay. "Paano mo nalaman? Binabalak ko pa lang 'to bilhin"

"Noong nag-view ka sa online shop, yang ganyang design yung sinesearch mo, tapos puro ka add to cart" sabi niya, eto yung last week.

"So kaya ka sumisilip ha" sabi ko.

"Oo haha"

"So bakit naman kaya pupunta si Danica dito" sabi ko sa kanya. "Eh parangmay usapan kami na magkikita naman kami mamaya. Bakit kaya?"

"Ano kase" sabi niya tapos humarap ako sa kanya "Pumunta na ako agad dito dahil tumawag si ate"

"Oh? Si ate Camila mo?" I asked, maybe on a too fascinated tone "Ano daw? Nakita mo na siya?"

"Mamayang gabi, kaya pumunta na agad ako dito" she said. "Julian, baka hindi ako makapunta sa dinner natin mamaya eh"

Kung ate naman yun mapagbibigyan ko naman siya.

"Okay lang, mahalaga yan" I told her. I just smiled to try make her not to feel bad. "Seryoso, okay lang. Move na lang natin bukas yung dinner. Maybe this is your only chance na makita mo ulit yung ate mo"

"Thank you talaga and sorry" she said and she hugged me. "Promise babawi ako, di na 'to mauulit, sorry talaga"

"Okay nga lang, ano ba? Sige nga, pano ka babawi?" I told her and she look at me, her arms still embracing me, her face close to me, and I smirked. "Excited na ko kung pano ka babawi"

"Hay nako Julian" she said and removed her embrace and lean on the couch. "Kahit birthday mo, sorry, hanggang sa isip mo na lang muna yang iniisip mo"

"Bakit ano bang iniisip ko ha?" I teased her and move a little closer to her. "Ikaw yung nag-iisip niyan hindi ako"

She stood up from the couch hastily and walked towards the balcony. She moved the blinds then open the glass door to reveal that cloudy sky.

May nagbabadyang ulan.

"Huy Danica, wag diyan masyadong open diyan, sa loob na lang" I joked and followed her pero nakatayo lang siya dun. "Anong ginagawa mo?"

"Kita pala lahat dito sa taas no?" She said and looked me, smiling. "Tapos mahangin"

"Oo first time mo lang dito 'no?" I told her, our set-up is not that simple. She needs to stay behind the curtains for me. "Pwede ka namang dumalaw dito kung gusto mo"

"Wag na, baka mahalata pa tayo" she said. "Uulitin ko, okay lang sakin, dahil alam ko namang ako yung love mo di ba?"

"Siyempre naman" I told her hold her hand resting on the railing. "And thank you din sa pag-unawa"

"Kaya subukan mo lang magloko, malilintikan ka sakin?" She threatened me and grabbed my hands more tightly it hurts. Then she smiled again and lighten her grip. "Pero seryoso, wag mo gagawin yun. Di ko alam yung mangyayari"

Why is she being so dramatic right now? May nangyari ba?

"Oo, promise" I told her. I know what she's saying. I came when she's so down, I'm the one that brought that smile from her again, she told me that so many times I couldn't count. "Hindi, promise. Bakit ang drama mo ha? May nangyari ba?"

"Wala lang, nagsesenti lang ako dito" she said. "Gusto ko lang, bakit ba?"

I heard the doors again opened and we instantly removed our hands on each other.

Sila lang pala.

"Julian" Kyle called me, bestfriend ko mula nung bata pa kami. Kasama niya yung personal assistant ko, si Rachel, childhood friend din namin. Mukhang sasalang na kami. "Uy may bisita ka pala. Hi Danica"

She waved her hand, no worries naman dahil alam ni Kyle yung sitwasyon.

"Julian ipinapatawag na kayo ni direk" sabi ni Rachel, she's holding the water na pinabibili ko sa kanya. "Hi Danica, hiramin ko muna si Julian ha"

"Huy tawag ka na daw" Danica said and she walked back to the room, then I followed. "Uuwi na ako Julian, baka anytime soon mamaya, tumawag na si ate"

Kyle looked at me. And is gesturing me, pointing his look at Danica. Gets ko yung sinasabi niya.

"Wala pa namang tao dito" sabi ni Kyle. And wala ding camera sa hallway na 'to, kaya ligtas naman siya. "Ingat kayo diyan, baka mahuli kayo, magagalit sa'yo fans niyo Julian"

"Ingat Julian" sabi ni Danica. "Galingan"

She kisses me on the cheek. And kisses I her back at her cheek as well.

"Ikaw din ingat ka sa pag-uwi" I told her. She took my wrist, I'm wearing the bracelet she just gave me, and she seems happy about it. "I love you Julian"

• End of Chapter 1 •