Camille Syanna
"Would you relax?" Natatawang sabi ko matapos malingunan si ZA na panay ang tingin sa rearview and side mirrors habang nag-d-drive. "Dad is super cool! He wouldn't eat you alive."
"I am relaxed," deny niya. "It's just that I have never met my girlfriend's parents before,"
I rolled my eyes. Didn't I know that? He never had any girlfriend before me. "Oh, you'll be fine."
My father, Benedict Velez, was a retired basketball player. Now, he manages and coaches his own team under PBA. I had never seen anyone as loving and as caring as my dad. He'd put me first before anything else. And never did he make me feel I wasn't his own.
I was still very young when I found out the truth. They sat me down one day and told me everything because they believed that was the right thing to do. They put their hopes inside the bottle of my understanding of everything at a very early age.
I never looked or asked them about my real father. Dad never made me feel the need to look. He'd always been the best there was for me. Oh, he could pass for a saint had he applied.
"Oh, I wished I watched more basketball back in the day." He was still worried about the impression he would make on my parents, especially Dad. "If only I had time,"
I already told ZA about Dad not being my real father. He didn't say anything and just listened. One thing I love about ZA is he lets me talk.
"Baby, I appreciate your giddiness in meeting my parents. But I assure you they're going to like you!" I placed my hand above his thigh and squeezed it.
He groaned. "Keep your hands off me, or we'll take an unnecessary stopover."
Quickly, I withdrew my hand from his lap. Natatawa akong nailing at ibinaling na lamang ang tingin sa daan. I couldn't believe how happy I was these past couple of months. ZA really stood by me and let me navigate my feeling toward him on my own.
Mom was already at the gate when we parked in front of our home in Bel-Air. She was excited to meet ZA, my first-ever boyfriend.
I let ZA open the door for me. I stepped out with my hand still in his. Mom walked up to us with a lovely smile plastered on her face.
"Mabuti at nakarating na kayo," she kissed my cheek and ZA's too.
"Mom, this is ZA, my boyfriend," I told her.
"Good afternoon, ma'am," magalang na bati ni ZA kay Mommy.
"Hello, ZA. It's so nice to finally meet you," she gave me a meaningful glance before returning her attention to ZA. "I've heard so many wonderful stories about you."
"Mom, stop," I warned her as we entered the house. Mom was the only person I could share my kilig with dahil parehong busy si Chiara and Nisha.
"What?" She giggled. "You didn't lie. He has very intense green eyes and a charming smile."
"You said that?" ZA teased, grinning from ear to ear.
He liked that, huh? I rolled my eyes and elbowed his gut.
"Dad!" I ran toward Dad as he waited for us by the front door. "I missed you,"
