Alive in Summer

1

Kabanata 1

"Mommy, I'll just go upstairs po." 

Mommy didn't reply, though. She was busy talking to some investors kaya baka hindi niya lang ako narinig. I tried finding my brother but he was nowhere to be found, saan na naman nagpunta yun?

Pumunta nalang ako kay daddy para sa kaniya magpaalam, baka kasi ipahanap ako ni mommy kaya kailangan ko talagang mag-paalam. 

Daddy was in the middle of a conversation with the old man kaya nagdalawang-isip pa ako kung lalapit ba o hindi. Just when I was about to leave, daddy called my name kaya lumapit ako sa kaniya. He put his hand around my shoulders and introduced me to the old man beside him.

" Fred, this is my daughter, Arielle," The old man smiled at me and offered his hand for a handshake. "A, this is Fredo Delluso. He's my good friend from Hawaii."

"Hello, po. Thank you for coming to my birthday." I smiled at him and shook his hand.

"You have good genes, Brian. You were blessed with such a beautiful angel." Mr. Delluso complimented me. I just laughed at him, tumawa rin si daddy at tumulong pa sa pagpuri sa akin. Nakakahiya pero totoo naman.

When the old man left, nagpaalam na rin ako kay daddy. He kissed me in the cheek, wished me a happy birthday before talking to the group of old men.

I lazily graced our staircase and went to my bedroom. I locked the door and sat on the bed, facing the mirror. I stared at myself. My mid-length blonde wavy hair still looked perfect. My pointy nose, arched eyebrows, and curved thin lips really looked like my mother's. Only that she had black protruding eyes, contradicting my soft liked brown hazel eyes. Hindi ko nga lang nakuha ang kutis niya, nakuha namin pareho ng Kapatid ko ang morenong kulay ng aming ama. 

Malawak ang koneksiyon ng aking pamilya sa buong lalawigan ng Iloilo, lalong-lalo na sa Estancia. Maybe it was because of my mother... or my father.

Francesca Louviere is well known when it comes to handling businesses. She can easily develop a business strategic plan that helped our fish processing plantation rose to the top. Mas lalo lamang bumango ang pangalan niya nang nagawang isalba ang school ng kaniyang kapatid na malapit nang ipasara.

Dumagdag pa ang reputation ni daddy bilang isang mabait at matulunging Engineer.

I glanced at my red sequence designer dress. The strapless dress perfectly hugged my body, emphasizing my medium-sized bust, while the side slit of the dress emphasizing my long legs. The dress alone screams elegance, dinagdagan pa ng suot kong diamond drop earring and necklace.

Maraming nagsasabi sa aking ang swerte ko dahil lahat ng bagay nasa akin na. 

Maybe having a strict and controlling mother is lucky, maybe having fewer friends is lucky. Maybe waking up every day with a heavy heart is lucky, then, I would gladly call myself the 'luckiest' woman in town. 

I was in the middle of deep thoughts when I got distracted by my phone, it was my best friend, calling me on Skype. I immediately accepted the call.  

"Happy birthday, A!"

My two best friends, Sophie and Scarlett, greeted me.  Sophie's holding a simple cake on the other screen, and Scarlett, beside her, having a hard time holding a party popper. Narinig ko pa ang mahinang mura niya ng hindi niya ito mapaputok. 

"RIP diyan sa party popper mo, Peklat." Sophie teased Scarlett.

"Yawa, na scam ata ako ng nagtinda sakin nito." Pagdadabog ni Scarlett.