Maybe This Time

Chapter Thirteen.

ELLIE

"Congratulations, Shobe!" the whole family greeted me after I entered Xela. I gave each of our relatives a hug and daddy reached out to give me a beautiful pink bouquet of peach-colored roses.

"Aww. Thank you, daddy!" I gratefully said and he kissed my forehead in return.

He and my mom filed a leave from their hospital duties so they could be present for this surprise family gathering for my graduation and for passing law school.

I opted for a simple celebration after my graduation rites last month, but our relatives wanted to congratulate me and celebrate so here we are now.

"Where is Allix and Neo?" tanong pa ni Mommy.

Sina Ahia kasi ang kasabay ko papunta rito. Sabi nila ni Neo, lunch out lang. I did not know na may surprise party. Kaya pala ang sketchy ng mga kapatid ko sa sasakyan kanina.

"They're parking the car lang, Mom," I answered before my cousins pulled me away from my parents.

Ang ingay sa buong Xela dahil ang dami naming relatives. It's more on my mom's side—the Padillas, Ruiz, and a few Chuas from my dad's.

"Ellie, congrats!" Ate Addie said after kissing my right cheek. She is holding the hand of my five-year-old niece, Thalia.

"Tita Ellie!" she giddily shouted while reaching for me. I held her little hand and went down to her level. "You look pretty. Like a princess."

"Thank you," I laughed while pinching her chubby cheeks. My hair is just in a messy bun and I'm only wearing a light makeup, but my niece probably thinks I look nice because I am wearing a dress.

"But... where is your prince? 'Di ba there is this guy who is always with Tita Ellie... where is he? Si Kuya Zen po?" she innocently asked while looking for someone behind my back but it's just Neo.

"Zen is not my prince. He is my best friend," I clarified before looking at Ate Addie. "Invited ba sila, Ate?"

"Yes. Nasabihan sila, Ellie. Papunta na yata."

"Oh, okay," I nodded and then I leveled down to my niece. "He will come here later."

"Tita, I'm confused. What's the difference between a prince and a best friend?" she curiously asked.

I wanted to tell her that a prince is the one who always saves the princess from the dragons, witches and curses. That a prince is supposed to sweep the princess off her feet and Zen is not that—not one bit.

Zen is like a wave of calmness and assurance. Someone who does not make my heart skip a beat but makes it feel at ease. Someone who I am comfortable with.

"Ahia!" my niece shouted when I was about to answer her question. Suddenly, her full attention is on my brother. Like how I was during my younger days and Kuya Axel—her dad, was the apple of my eye.

"Hello, Aia!" Kuya Allix fondly called her by her nickname. We pronounce it as Aya.

"Crush ng anak ko si Allix. Bayad utang," tawa ni Kuya Axel nang lumapit siya sa amin. He was at the other table earlier, with some of our cousins.

"Yeah," I laughed. "For breaking my little heart."

"Hoy Ellie, anong pinagsasasabi mo? I was loyal to you but you liked Ethos better," irap niya at sabay kaming tumawa ni Ate Addie.

Way back, I used to have a little crush on Kuya Axel when I was younger. I didn't understand our relationship as cousins back then, but I remember getting mad because I saw him on TV once and he was playing with another little girl. My dad calls it my first heartbreak because I cried and hated Kuya Axel for a little while.