Faked Attachment (Syclups #4)

08

Annie's POV

[You ready? We're already here, darling..]
She said on the other line with her unoriginal tone of voice.

"'We're'? Who's with you, mom?"

[You'll know it later hun, just hurry up for now]

I sighed when she suddenly hung up the call. I pressed my eyes, closed before letting out a heavy sigh. Napamasahe rin ako sa noo ng wala sa oras dahil sa sakit ng ulong nararamdaman. I stayed up late last night and i barely ate in the morning..i feel so dead.

But even if I'm dying here, my mom still insisted to meet me here in the restaurant. Sinabi ko lang na nasa bahay pa ako at naghahanda, pero ang totoo nasa harap na ako ng pinto ngayon. Hindi ko pa kasi talaga kayang kausapin ng mag-isa si mommy, feeling ko magbubukas na naman siya ng isang topic na hindi ko kakayaning isipin.

"What to do now?"
I asked myself. I hate how cautioned i was whenever I'm meeting her, i mean, she's my mother isn't she? I shouldn't need to prepare myself like this like as if I'm going to be interrogated by her.. I should be comfortable and natural with her..right?

"Haist.."
I sighed before deciding to enter the restaurant's lobby. Hinanap ko agad sa paligid ang mukha niya hanggang sa makita ko na..

Surprisingly..she's with a girl. A maybe-15-year-old girl. Who's she? Don't tell me she's..

"Oh, hun!"
Sabi ni mom nung makita ako at kumaway na parang hindi niya ako nakita ng ilang taon.

"Hello mom.."
I greeted casually.

She's still like before. Countless jewelries, luxury make ups, expensive stuffs.. And she's beautiful.. She's really beautiful.. No wonder, dad still keeps his picture in his bedroom..

"Maupo ka anak.."
She said.

Anak.. Woah, feels so good to heard that from her.. Kahit halatang peke at nagpapanggap, ang sarap pa ring pakinggan. I was badly yearning for my parent's love eh.

"This is?"
I asked while looking to that little girl who has a bad eye to me.

Sinundan naman ni mommy ang tingin ko at ngumiti ng malawak. The 'proudness', and 'appreciation' filled her eyes while looking to that little girl and said,

"My daughter.. My lovely daughter.."

I immediately looked away and scoffed sarcastically under my breath. Hindi ko alam pero nasasaktan ako..nasasaktan na naman ako kahit matagal naman ng ganito ang sitwasyon namin. I just feel..jealous? Kahit kailan, hindi niya ako tinignan ng ganyan, hindi ko naramdaman yung pagmamahal niya kahit sa isang tingin lang.

Sa kamay nilang dalawa ni dad, hindi ko naramdaman na sapat na ako, at proud sila sa akin..

"O-oh.."
Sabi ko nalang at umupo sa tapat nilang dalawa. Pinagmasdan ko yung bata at mukhang spoiled nga siya. She's already wearing make ups and wearing jewelries just like her mother does.

"Hello, I'm Angel"
She straightly said and offered her hand.

"Annie"
I said but didn't accepted her hand. I don't want to be rude but i don't just feel like moving and entertaining people right now.

"Rude. I'm already adjusting here to be close to you for my mom's sake!"
She suddenly freaked. Nagulat pa ako dahil sumigaw talaga siya.

"Calm down, sweetheart.. Sister Annie might just don't feel well today.."
My..i mean, our mom said and massaged her shoulder and back. She's really indulging her.

Bumalik ang tingin niya sa akin at ngumiti pero umiwas lang ako ng tingin. Hinintay kong matapos silang mag-order bago nagtanong. Ayoko na dito, gusto ko ng umuwi sa apartment ko. Napapagod lang ako kahit na wala naman akong ginagawa at nakaupo lang dito.

"What's this dinner all about? Just be straightforward mom.."
I stated while looking into my empty plate.

"Eh you're so really rude huh! Ikaw na nga ang inaayang kumain sa labas-"

"Angel!"

Napatingin ako ng wala sa oras sa kanya at kinunot ang noo. Gusto kong sabihin na, 'did anyone ask you to ask me out?'. Bakit kung makaasta sila ay parang gustong gusto ko ang lumabas kasama sila? I better go home than to stay here!
Hindi ko naman hiniling na ilabas nila ako dito ah!

I offendedly look into her eyes while maintaining my calm body that made her look away. Sobrang bigat na ng loob ko and this is the first time that i got irritated by a kid.

"If you're asking about my grades and social connections, don't worry mom, I'm maintaining it and i would not allowed it to be weakened"
Diretsong sabi ko at kinuha na ang maliit na bag at tumayo. Huminto lang ako saglit para humarap sa kanya at sabihing,

"You don't need to get through all these troubles just to ask me that.. You can straightly ask me, i won't mind.."

Parehas lang naman sila ni dad. Kapag nakikita ko si mommy ay naaalala ko si dad, and vice versa. Agad na akong naglakad paalis doon para makawala na sa landas nila. I even bumped into someone in the entrance because i was badly hurrying up to disappear there.

"I'm sorry, my fault, sorry"
Sabi ko at tumayo para alalayan siya.. Pero laking gulat ko nung makita kung sino iyon.

"Josh?!"

"Annie?.."

Agad ko na siyang tinulungan patayo at pinagpagan ang sariling damit.
"You're here too?" i asked.

"Oo, ikaw din? What a coincidence!"
He said and laugh for a bit. Ngumiti lang din ako.

"You look not good, you okay? G ka sa ice cream?"
Sabi niya bigla sa akin. He's smiling so wide to me now and his eyes were close to disappear. I was about to shake my head but he suddenly held my hands and pulled me somewhere..like what he usually do on our afternoons in school.

"Hey, hey, hey! Slowdown!"
Saway ko dahil halos mabunggo bunggo na namin ang ibang tao.

Tumigil lang kami sa isang ice cream shop at hinarap niya ako. Itinaas baba pa niya ang dalawang kilay niya sa akin bago itinulak pabukas ang pinto. Sumunod nalang din ako dahil wala naman akong ibang magagawa, at umupo sa isang tabi habang siya ay nag o-order sa counter.

He looks so matured without our school's uniform.. I didn't mean na childish ang uniform namin ah, it's just..he looks different off school.

"Anong flavor gusto mo, miss?"
Tanong niya sabay lingon sa akin na kunwari ay hindi ako kilala. Napailing iling lang ako at sinabing siya na ang bahala. Nag okay sign naman siya at bumalik sa pag o-order.

Naghintay lang ako ng ilang segundo bago siya umupo sa harap ko dala ang dalawang sorbetes. Nagulat ako nung makita ang flavor na binigay niya sa akin..

"You randomly chose this?" i asked. Tumango naman siya at nagsimula ng kumain ng sarili niyang sorbetes. "It's my favorite flavor.."

Bigla nalang siyang nasamid at napa ubo ubo nung marinig ang sinabi ko. Natawa tuloy ako dahil kumalat sa bibig niya ang mga sorbetes.

"So messy, Santos!"