Love in the Hacienda [Completed]

Chapter 9

Clara couldn't understand herself. She should be plotting a way to get out of the province and her family's hacienda as much as she could. But right now, she has smile on her face while looking forward to see Hacienda Deogracias and its rightful owner Alejandro. 

Kakahiwalay lang nila kanina matapos siyang ihatid nito pabalik sa bahay dahil nagtour sila sa taniman nito ng kape. Kasama nila si Winnie pero siya ang inalok nito ng dinner sa bahay nila.

Kinikilig ba siya? Ito ba ang nararamdaman niya? Nababaliw na ba siya?

Sinampal niya ng marahan ang sarili sa harap ng salamin. This is all just because of Winnie, she convinced herself. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa biglaang pagpasok ng babaeng ito sa buhay nilang lahat. And she seemed to be stealing everyone's attention, away from her.

As a solo kid growing up, she's not used to do that.

Oo, iyon nga siguro ang dahilan. She's doing this out of spite. Ayaw niyang makuha nito ang loob ni Alejandro.

But while deep in thought, biglang nagring ang smartphone niya.

Tyler calling... 

She was shocked. Ilang araw na silang hindi nag-uusap sila ng umuwi siya sa probinsya. Pero bakit biglang tumatawag ito ngayon. 

"Hello," sagot niya ng wala sa mood. She's about to dump his ass. Well, hindi naman talaga sila in the first place dahil hindi uso ang label sa Maynila. Pero parang ganon na rin iyon dahil palagi silang nagde-date at magkasama.

"Finally, you answered."

She checked her phone at nakitang naka-ilang missed call pala ito ngayong hapon habang nasa tour siya. "What's up?" she replied coldly.

"I'm here! In your province!" anunsyo nito bigla-bigla.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Napatayo siya sa gulat. Is she dreaming? Tyler is every bit a city boy. Anong ginagawa nito sa probinsya niya ngayon?

"I'm here. I decided to follow you dahil pakiramdam ko ay kailangan ko ng kaunting inspiration. I have no muse in Manila when you left. At ngayon, I feel so... bored with life. I feel like I need a little vacation. Kinuha ko ang home address mo sa barkada natin. And I think I'm already parked here in front of your mansion. Kaya lang may lalaking nakatingin sa kotse ko ngayon na para bang gusto akong patayin," sunod-sunod na kwento nito.

Clara quickly checked her windows because her bedroom was facing the front gates and driveway. True enough, Tyler's black convertible sedan was parked there at kumakaway ito sa lalaking nakatayo ngayon sa front porch nila.

The guy was Alejandro.

Anong ginagawa ni Alejadro doon? Akala niya ay 6PM pa siya nito susunduin. It's only 5 in the afternoon at hindi pa siya nakakabihis.

"Stay there! I'm going down!" sigaw niya kay Tyler sa telepono at ibinaba iyon.

****

"Tyler, huh?" rinig ni Clara na wika ni Alejandro. She arrived on the front porch to witness Tyler saying hello to Alejandro. Halos makasingtangkad ang dalawang binata but Alejandro has a bigger built dahil laki ito sa gawaing bukid.

Tyler, on the other hand, was also from a rich family but he never knew hard labor. He has always been into the arts. 

"Tyler!" singit na bati niya at pumagitna sa dalawang lalaki. "What are you doing here? You shocked me."

"Babe, I thought I was lost. Good thing I found you. Nagtanong-tanong ako sa napakaraming tao. Gosh, this place is in the middle of nowhere," kumento ni Tyler at niyakap siya basta-basta.