'Til I Found You (COMPLETED)

32

Another winning day for Eli. It's a Math competition, and as usual, she brings home the title. As to her studies, Lea has no problem at all. Eli is granted a scholarship upon reaching fifth grade. She has good grades, and books are her friends. She'd rather stay behind close door with books than gets along with kids at her age. Lea doesn't put pressure on Eli, but her daughter has a brilliant mind. Aside from full scholarship, Eli also receives her monthly allowance in return for maintaining grades with flying colors.

"Congrats, Eli! We should celebrate!", Candyce told her.

Eli looks askance at her watch, "We have enough time pa. It's early dismissal naman eh. Let's come back na lang after buying foods"

"Let's go!", Candyce pulls her closer, and both walk to the exit gate. With laughter and chitchat, they step out the school gate. The two were about to take another step, but Eli is stun upon seeing a man who rings a bell. It's Stephen. Aside from him, Aga as well is present at the scene. The gentlemen arrived together with eyes bore into each other.

"Oh.no", Eli elbowed Candyce to the side, she follows Eli's sight.

"Sh-t! Is that ..."

Eli pulls Candyce back inside, but the two gents called her in unison.

"Eli!"

The young ladies halted, and Eli feels a faster beating of her ticker.

"Mom's gonna kill me", Eli pursed lips upon turning her back. Candyce did the same.

"Eli, right?", Stephen asked.

"H-hey. I ... aah ... I can't ... remember you, Sir"

"It's fine. No need to pretend. Your mom won't know about this", he tells Eli, and Aga affirms the initial meeting of these two.

"So ... you knew her"

Stephen shifts gaze at him, "Of course. I was there the day you turned your back at Lea"

Aga scoffs, "Ang dami mong kuda, wala ka namang alam sa nangyari sa amin"

"Talaga lang ha", Stephen laughed sarcastically.

"I don't want to argue in front of my daughter", he tells Stephen in a pompous manner.

Eli furrowed her brows, "Wh-what?"

Aga took steps forward, smiling. "Hi, baby. I'll be honest with you. I don't have a concrete proof for now that you're mine, but deep in me I can feel it. I'm your daddy"

Eli and Candyce exchanged stares with doubts linger in Eli.

"Y-you?", she asked with goosebumps and disbelief.

The gentlemen asked for Eli's time. She was a hesitant at first, but that buried longingness of a father's love and attention ruminated.

○ ○ ○

"Mommy shouldn't know about this. She'll get mad, and I don't enjoy that", with tremors, she begs the two gentlemen.

"Relax. You can count on me, Eli", Stephen assures her.

"Count me in, baby", Aga smiles at her with happiness he couldn't contain. Stephen sees through Eli's eyes the gladness but with hesitation. He assumes Lea is preventing Eli from knowing even the slightest detail of Aga.

She grins at Aga, but upon calling to mind her mom's words about her dad, it subsided.

"What's wrong?", Aga asked.