Laws in Love I: Grayson

PROLOGUE

Napatingin ako sa malawak na bakuran ng bahay na bago kong titirhan at hindi ko mapigilan na mamangha dahil malayong-malayo ito sa kinalakihan ko sa probinsya. Umikot ako at mas lalo akong namangha ng makita ang iba't-ibang mamahaling sasakyan na nakaparada, kalayuan sa akin.

I swallowed hard, thinking that I might go in trouble if I broke or destroy any of their things. Nasa labas palang ako at hindi ko pa kita ang loob, I am sure that inside had more expensive things.

"Ava...halika na at naghihintay na sa atin si Amell sa loob."

Tumingin ako sa mag-asawa na nakangiti sa akin at hindi ko na rin maiwasan na mapangiti.

Ma'am Lucia reached her hand on me but I shly shook my head. Kaya nagulat na lamang ako ng bigla niya akong hilahin sa kamay at akbayan papasok sa loob ng tahanan nila. Narinig ko pa ang mumunting halakhak ni Sir Elias na mas lalong nagpapula sa pisngi ko.

"Don't worry too much, Ava. Amell is quite hard headed pero mabait naman iyon." Bulong nito sa akin.

Nahihiya naman ako na ngumiti at napatingin sa harapan ko.

And just like what I have said, the inside was much more expensive, halos mapanganga ulit ako habang pinagmamasdan ang malaking chandelier at ang engrandeng hagdanan nila na modernong moderno ang dating.

The house is too modern for me and as someone who has lived in the province since birth, seeing these things first hand and in real time made me question my existence.

Akala ko sa litrato ko lang ito makikita o kaya ay sa T.V., but it really exists and here I am witnessing all of it.

"Nagustuhan mo ba?" Ma'am Lucia caressed my shoulders and slowly, I looked at her and nodded my head.

"I'm glad then. Your room will be on the second floor, magkatabi lang kayo ni Amell." Nakangiti pa nitong saad.

Kaagad naman akong napatingin sa second floor na hindi ko naman kita. Napalunok ako ng malalim.

"Hmmm...hindi po ba sobra-sobra? Katulong lang naman po ako, okay na po sa akin na may kwarto akong hihigaan." I looked at her with concern and shyness.

Her perfect brows furrowed as she looked at me.

"No, you won't, Iha. We owe your Lola Bernadette a huge huge favour. At ngayon lang siya humingi ng tulong sa amin kaya hindi na namin papalampasin."

My Lola was her longest nanny. She is retired already and chose to live in the province with my Mother. Siya ang nagpalaki sa akin kasama ng Nanay ko. I just graduated senior high and I passed my entrance examination in one of the huge universities here so we made a huge decision.

This will dictate my future and even though we do not have the resources, Lola Bernadette made a move and asked for support, which just like they said, they are more than willing to help.

Ang usapan ay tutulong ako sa gawaing bahay, total ay sanay naman na ako. They will pay for everything that I need from food to school allowances. Pero nahihiya naman na ako ngayong nandito na ako at balak ng maghanap ng pagkakakitaan na trabaho kung sakali.

"Cecil, kindly call Amell. Sabihin mong nandito na ang bisita natin."

I looked at the one named Cecil who is probably in her early thirties. Ngumiti siya sa akin ng marahan at kaagad naman akong ngumiti pabalik. She is wearing a made uniform just like what I saw outside minutes before we entered.

She hurriedly took the stairs and Ma'am Lucia pulled me again to sit on the whitest sofa that I have ever seen. I was anxious as I sat on it and even looked at it if ever I caused some stains.