There's a universal thing where everyone hates Monday. I mean, it's just like every other days, gigising ka ng maaga to go to work or school not much has changed except that it just starts the week.
I changed into my uniform and went down to have breakfast. Mom immediately shifted her mood ng bumaba ako, she's always grumpy kapag umaga and Dad's just silently sipping his coffee. Typical mondays. Humalik ako sa kanilang dalawa then I ate breakfast with them. Walang nagsasalita dahil wala naman kaming pag-uusapan.
"Sir? Ma'am? May naghihintay po sa kubo para kay Ma'am Atalia."
Kumunot ang noo naming tatlo. Who's waiting for me at 6:30 in the morning? Lumabas kaming tatlo. I saw Toby sa kubo holding a tray of coffee and a rose. Dad immediately furrowed his brows while Mom even though grumpy, squealed like a little girl. Questions ran through my mind getting near his smiling face. Wala naman kaming napag-usapan na pupunta siya. Or meron? Hindi ko lang nabasa?
"Larena, what are you doing here, again?" Dad asked. Hinila niya ako sa likod niya.
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Del Fuego. I brought so--"
"Get to your point, kid." Dad said annoyed.
"Babe," Mom rolled her eyes. Ngumiti ito kay Toby. "Thank you, Toby, and to remind rules we want Atalia here before 9pm ulit. Is that clear?"
Toby smiled. "That's enough time Ma'am, you won't be disappointed. Thank you very much."
Litong-lito kong nililipat ang tingin sa kanilang tatlo na parang wala ako sa harap nila. "Hello?"
"Ay!" Mom laughed. "Kumain ka na ba, Toby? Ihahatid mo ba si Atalia?"
"I learned that her dad takes her to school so I won't meddle with that Ma'am, I'll just take her out after school."
Mom smiled at pumalakpak which earned an eye roll from Dad. "I always knew I like you. Anyways, call me Tita."
Ngumiti si Mommy. Toby gave his coffee and rose for me tapos ay umalis na rin. Mom's mood shifted 360° dahil tuwang-tuwa na siya ngayon. She gave me suggestions on what I should wear later and she even called Ate Harper at this time para lang sa susuotin ko!
"Ma, that's not necessary."
Mom placed down her phone, ngumiti, at nangalumbaba. "You're a Fajardo! Ofcourse it's necessary!"
"She's a Del Fuego, babe, may I remind you." Dad interrupted.
I laughed. "I'm both of it, 'wag na po kayong magtalo."
Mom just mocked Dad at nainis na naman muli. "Wag mokong simulan, Ion!" Lalo lang tumawa si Daddy pati ako tumawa na rin.
Umalis na kami ni Daddy para hindi siya malate, medyo may kalayuan ang opisina nila mula sa school but still he insists on driving me everyday.
"Dad?" tawag ko. "Why is it that you still drive me to school everyday even though it's far from work?"
He tapped his fingers while thinking. "I'm practicing..."
"On?"
"On giving you away," tawa niya. I'm not sure if I should laugh about it. "You'll be 19 soon and every year you get older I get scared more that you'll find a guy who's going to love you more than I do."
"Dad..." hinawakan ko ang kamay niyang nasa shift gear. "No one can ever replace you in my heart. You're my first love."
Hinalikan ni Daddy ang kamay ko at ngumiti. This week isn't starting bad, huh?
Binati ko ang mga taong nakakasalubong ko sa hallway, some of them returned it some didn't pero ayos lang, I can't force them to like me after all. Nasa banyo ako ngayon, pinapakinggan ang rants nila Wendy tungkol sa akin, she hates me and I don't know why.
