Loving Heart

KABANATA 12

Kabanata 12

Birthday

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Victoria:

Is Elise doing well at school?

Irene:

Yup! Don't worry. Palagi nya akong kasama.

I sighed. Akala ko hindi ulit nagiging maganda ang kalagayan ni Elise roon kaya palagi syang late umuwi kesa sa akin. Masyado akong nag aalala.

Victoria:

Thanks, Irene. Kita tayo minsan.

Irene:

Welcome! Sure! But we're very busy na this past few days, eh. You know... graduating na so marami na talagang ginagawa. Hindi ko pa alam kung kailan ako magiging free.

Victoria:

That's okay. Busy rin naman ako. Maybe next time.

Irene:

Sure! Sama natin si Elise, ha! And yung ibang friends mo rin! I want to meet your friends there!

Victoria:

Sure. :)

I put down my phone and continued reading. Maaga na naman ako sa school ngayon. Wala pa si Jaz nang dumating ako kaya nauna ulit ako rito. Tahimik akong nagbabasa habang kinakagatan ang sandwich ko. As usual, the cafeteria was quiet again because it's too early.

Pero ilang sandali lang, natigil na ako nang pumasok sa cafeteria si Jaz at Kyle. Malayo palang, naririnig ko na ang maingay na boses ni Jaz. Hindi sya nagtataray ngayon kay Kyle at nakangiti pa habang dumadaldal. Kinawit nya pa ang braso kay Kyle habang si Kyle naman ay tahimik lang at pagod na pagod na nakikinig sa mga daldal ni Jaz.

"Victoria!" Si Jaz nang makita ako.

Ngumiti ako. They sat in front of me. Jaz is happy and she doesn't seem to be annoyed with Kyle now. Napansin ko kasi kahapon na masyado syang iritado sa pinsan nya. May toyo talaga ang isang to.

"Punta ka sa amin bukas! Invited ka!" Jaz said.

"Mmm? Para saan?" Taka kong tanong.

"It's Kyle's birthday tomorrow! You're invited and you can't say no! You need to come!" Banta nya.

"Mmm," I smiled. "Sure. It's my day off tomorrow so I will come."

"You're really working, huh?" Kyle said and looked at me from head to toe kahit hindi naman kita ang paa ko dahil nasa ilalim ng lamesa. "You don't look like a poor girl."

Jaz chuckled. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.

"What do I look like, then?" I asked.

"Your bag is Dior. Your ballpen is Cross Pen. Your shoes is Prada. Your Jade Bracelet looks very expensive. Even your uniform looks expensive. Very different from Jazmine's and other girls uniforms," kumunot ang noo nya. "And then you're working?"

Humagalpak sa tawa si Jaz. Nagtataka syang tinignan ni Kyle. Bumuntong hininga naman ako. Should I stop wearing my expensive clothes? There's... nothing wrong with this, right? Hindi naman halata. Pero nahalata ni Kyle. Hindi ko alam na marami syang alam na brands.

"Yeah, you're right. Victoria is not poor," si Jaz na natatawa pa rin. "She's a Villanueva."

"Villanueva?" Takang tanong ni Kyle.

"Villanueva! The billionaire family!"

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ni Kyle. Jaz rolled her eyes.

"You don't know them, obviously. Basta mayaman sya!"