We joined the party an hour or so later. Henry instantly found me and invited me to sit by him and his parents at a table that was opposite where Renz was sitting, currently looking like a thundercloud.
"Mare, mukhang malapit nang sumunod sa pag-aasawa itong si Henry mo ah." Umandar na naman ang pagiging mapang-asar ni Aling Petra. Komportable talaga siyang asarin ako dahil Grade 5 pa lang lang kami ni Goldie ay magkaibigan na kami. Alam ko naman na wala siyang malisya sa pangaasar sa'kin kaya hindi ko na 'yon iniinda.
"Nasa wastong edad na naman si Henry, Mare. At kung mabait naman ang nobya, bakit hindi?" Henry's mother patted my back meaningfully and it was all I could do to smile without grimacing. Nakakahiya. Baka isipin ng ibang tao, nobyo ko nga si Henry...
"Nay naman, 'wag 'nyo nang tuksuin si Lena," saway ni Goldie. Lumapit siya kay Renz at ipinasa si Marcia rito.
I could only stare at the sight that the baby and Renz made. His expression suddenly softened; his deep brown eyes looked at our goddaughter tenderly as he laughed at a joke that Goldie must have told him at that moment.
"Sino ang kamukha, ako o si Lino?" tanong ni Goldie kay Renz.
"Maganda kaya..." pang-aasar ni Renz sa kaniya.
"Hoy! Ayus-ayusin mo ang sagot mo, Renz ha!" sagot ni Goldie at pareho silang humalakhak ulit.
I caught myself holding my breath as I looked at the very scene my dreams were made of in days of long ago. I had wild dreams and impossible hopes of starting a family with Renz someday. I want a son just like Renz; he'd be a handful just like his father but he would always be tender and responsible. Our daughter would have her father's eyes and smile, and yes, even his strong personality.
Bumaling ako bigla sa Mama ni Henry nang tinapik niya ang kamay ko nang marahan. "Bisita ka sa bahay sa susunod na linggo ha, Lena? Ipagluluto kita ng specialty ko na sisig."
🌿
Halos hindi ako pansinin ni Renz sa sasakyan nang pauwi na kami. Naalala ko tuloy ang asal niya nang unang salta pa lamang siya sa isla. Suplado.
"Masarap ang handa nila, 'no? Ang galing talaga ni Nang Petra magluto."
"Yes," he replied distractedly.
"Iba pa rin talaga ang lutong probinsya. Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakakakain ng —"
"I wasn't aware you're close to Henry's mother," he interreupted me, saying those words so quietly that it took me a few seconds to process what he said in my brain.
"Oh, we're not. I think I've met her a few times when I lived here before but we haven't been introduced to each other until today."
"Kungsabagay, mabait sa'yo ang Mama ni Henry. Hindi tulad ni Mama," the words were said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. There wasn't anything I could reply to that so I merely kept quiet.
"Are you going to their house next week then?"
His jaw clenched this time. I nervously smoothed my skirt unable to decide how I should reply. I don't want to make Renz think that I care about him still but neither did I relish the thought of hurting him.
"Hindi ko alam..."
Ilang sandali lang ay nakarating na kami sa labas ng mansyon. I was about to exit the car when he leaned across me and pulled the door shut again. "Gusto mo ba si Henry, Lena?"
"What?"
"I think my question was simple enough. Do you like him or not?"
"Ano naman ngayon sa'yo Renz kung sakaling piliin ko na gustuhin si Henry?" I tried to force his arm away from the handle of the car door but he didn't even budge.
"Baka nakakalimutan mo na akin ka."
He had to be kidding but there was no hint of mockery or humor in his eyes.
"Nangako ka dati na sa'kin ka lang. Nakalimutan mo na ba?"
And it was true. I did promise him that. But that was before... before everything fell apart. I exhaled harshly and pushed his arm away from me. "I'm sorry, Renz but I'm no longer that stupid high school girl. Oo, matagal ko nang kinalimutan ang Lena na 'yon, lalo na ang pangakong binitawan niya sa'yo. It would do you well to do so too."
"Promises shouldn't be made lightly, Lena. I never took you for someone who doesn't know how to keep her word."
"Bata pa ako no'n, Renz; wala pang alam sa mundo. Puwede ba, tigilan na natin 'to."
In a moment, he had already touched my cheek and pulled it closer to his face. Walang paalam o pagaatubili niya akong hinalikan. The kiss was proprietorial, clearly staking his claim on me. He did catch me by surprise but I quickly recovered and pushed his chest away, reaching to slap him in the face.
"You wanted to kiss me before." His mocking voice infuriated me more. "Am I so repugnant now, Lena? Have we changed that much, both of us, that you now find me so repulsive?"
I ignored his question and chose to answer the query he had about Henry instead. "Hindi importante kung gusto ko siya o hindi, Renz. Aalis din ako ng Aguadulce and I don't plan on coming back. So it's better if I don't form any attachment."
BINABASA MO ANG
Unlike Any Other
Romance|COMPLETED| "Gusto kita. Gusto talaga kita, Renz. Simula pa nang unang dating mo rito sa Guimaras." The summer Lorenzo Peñalver III was sent home to Aguadulce was unlike any other one he had before... It was in that small town that he came to know h...
