Monasterio Series 8: Nights in Casa Vallejo

Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

Terrence ended up bringing me home after we went to the mall. He told me that he needed to attend something regarding business. Wala akong naging tanong tungkol doon. It's not that he is obliged to tell me his whereabouts as we both stay here in Benguet.

Hindi dahil tumitigil kami sa iisang bubong at matagal niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko kanina, may karapatan na ako. We are still strangers to each other. Kahit pa iba ang dating sa akin sa naging paghawak niya sa kamay ko.

Holding hands is just normal nowadays. Kahit sino ay puwedeng maghawakan ng kamay. Maraming beses na akong nagpahawak sa kamay ko sa mga nakalipas kong reaksyon. There's nothing special with it. It's no extraordinary. But when it's Terrence who's holding me...when he's the one kissing on my cheek...it feels different.

"Kumusta naman ang trip mo diyan sa Benguet? Did Michael already introduce you to his family?"

Umikot ang mga mata ko sa naging tanong ni Ruth. She's my best friend since we're college. Sinabi ko sa kaniya ang agenda ko dito sa Baguio. She was excited as much as I was. Akala namin parehas, magkakaroon na ng magandang progress sa relasiyon namin ni Michael. It turned out to be a failure though.

The disadvantage of expecting too much.

"No way! Sugar mommy? The audacity of that guy! At saka, seryoso bang twenty five lang siya? He's too young, Priscilla!" she blurted out after telling her the story.

Naupo ako sa couch at tamad na binuksan ang tv. I wasn't in the mood to watch anything. Ang kaso, wala naman akong gagawin dito maghapon. Wala rin akong gana mamasyal. Mamaya sigurong hapon ay lalabas ako at tutungo sa park na malapit.

"Can you imagine my reaction when he told me his real age? Hindi ako makapaniwalang nagkarelasyon kami! I wanted to punch him in the face that night. Idagdag pa na nakita ko siya kahapon sa SM na may kasama na babae."

"Grabe. You were deceived by that guy. Nakikinita ko na ang reaksyon ni Eula kapag nalaman niya ito. Maybe the reason why she kept on insisting that he's not a good catch for you. Mother's instinct, I guess."

I kept on changing the channel endlessly. I can't choose something that piques my interest. Magtutulog na lang siguro ako kapag natapos ang tawag na ito.

"Wait. Remember the thing I was telling you before you went there? Iyong crush ko na isang Monasterio!"

Those words from Ruth caught my attention.

"What about it?"

"Well, I stalked his Facebook early this morning and found out that he's also in Baguio! I saw a picture that he just uploaded!"

Wait. Monasterio? Is he referring to Terrence? Naaalala ko na ikinukwento niya sa akin na may crush siyang isang businessman pero hindi ko naman nabibigyan ng atensyon dahil abala ako sa kabi-kabilang meetings. Was she referring to that certain Monasterio?

"Okay. What's the name of that guy?" I tried to sound my voice uninterested.

"Terrence Monasterio! He's the grandson of the top banker here in the Philippines, Flavian Follosco!"

Oh, great.

So she likes him? To the extent of what? Bakit ba hindi ako naging attentive kapag nagkukwento siya tungkol doon? Kapag nalaman niyang kilala ko ang binabanggit niya at nakakasama pa sa iisang kwarto, ano na lang ang iisipin niya?