Hues After The Rivalry (Achievers Series #1)

Kabanata 43

Hues After The Rivalry

Kabanata 43

Maaga kami ni Adiel umalis ng bahay para mag-grocery. I'm still wearing my tracksuit because I went jogging in the morning.

"There's Hydrogen and Helium! Then Lithium, Beryllium! Boron, Carbon everywhere! Nitrogen all through the air! With Oxygen so you can breathe! And Fluorine for your pretty teeth! Neon to light up the signs! Sodium for salty times!"

Maingay na kumakanta si Adiel habang tulak ko ang cart. She's the only noisy one in the aisle. Napapatingin at natatawa tuloy ang ibang namimili.

"Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus! Then Sulfur, Chlorine, and Argon! Potassium and Calcium, so you'll grow strong! Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium! And Chromium and Manganese! This is the Periodic Table! Noble Gas is stable! Halogens and Alkali react aggressively! Each period we'll see new outer shells! While electrons are added moving to the right!"

I laughed while putting powdered milk into the cart. Ginagawang tambol ni Adiel 'yung mga pagkain doon sa gilid kaya hinila ko na siya bago pa kami makasuhan ng Damage to Property.

"Mommy, alam mo ba, si Chant, sinabunutan niya si Randy kahapon!"

"Bakit?"

"E kasi inaasar na naman ni Randy si Chant na sipunin e!"

Chant and Randy are among her playmates. They are our neighbors.

"You should tell Randy not to bully her, and you should advise Chant that it's not good to hurt somebody. Ano'ng ginawa mo?"

"Wala po. Tinawanan ko lang. Sabi ko pa nga suntukan sila e. Kung sino manalo, 'yon ang mabango."

Wow. Gaga.

I stopped to reach for the baby wipes on the top shelf.

"Hindi ko nga makita 'yung pinapahanap mong brand ng tissue! Kleenex, right?! Hindi ko makita!"

Natigilan ako nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses.

"Ang arte-arte mo! Nagpapasabay na nga lang!"

Nang balingan ko ang nagrereklamong babae, nakita kong nakalapit na sa kaniya si Adiel.

"Uhm, hello, Ma'am. I think this is what you're looking for," Adiel showed the pack of Kleenex to Violet.

Violet's eyes widened. Napatakip siya sa bibig nang kunin kay Adie ang pack ng tissue. Patakbo namang bumalik sa akin si Adiel habang sunod pa rin ang tingin sa kaniya ni Violet.

Her eyes widened even more as she saw me. Para siyang nawindang. Her gaze kept shifting between Adiel and me.

"Rai, ikaw pala," halos mautal siya.

Ngumiti ako. "Kumusta?"

Nabalitaan ko noon na pareho na silang isang ganap na doktor ni Ryhs. May pagkakataong nagkikita kami sa bar pero hindi na kami nag-uusap. She had never met Adiel. Ngayon lang sila nagkita.

"I'm f-fine," awkward siyang ngumiti at tumingin ulit kay Adie. "Is she your daughter?"

"Yup."

"Oh," she nodded in disbelief. "I didn't know you started a family."

I just smiled and held Adiel's hand. "We'll go ahead. Take care, Let."

People who look at Adiel always assume that she's my daughter. Hindi na ako nagtaka nang tanungin ni Violet. Of course, it's obvious that we share the same blood.

"Babye po!" Adiel waved at her cheerfully.

Let nodded, stunned. She gave us space, but before Adie and I could pass, she asked a question.