Once In Katipunan

Chapter 21

"Daddy, do both of you already know each other?" Rhianne cutely asked her father.

I looked at France's hand which is raised for a handshake. When he maybe noticed that I don't have any plans on taking that handshake, he revoked it and looked at Rhianne instead.

France looked like he's weighing if he'll tell the child the truth or just blabber a lie. He maybe doesn't want his child to know what connections we had before.

Why? Oh, maybe he's afraid that his wife might know that I'm back. Okay, I understand.

"No, we just met today Rhi," France returned his gaze to me and plastered a disapproving look. I tried to equal his stares and tried to suppress the tears that are verging to fall. "N-Nice meeting you... Mr. Almario," I offered a handshake to show more formality. 

I was afraid that he might notice the shaking of my hands, that's why I tried to calm myself more. He looked at my hands and my eyes back and forth.

His eyes were as expressive as before. They never changed. They are still the same eyes who captivates me. His eyes were like talking to me. They are still trying to connect with my soul. But there's something different with them. His eyes tell a different story now. They imply anxiousness, regret, longing, pain, and grimace. His eyes were so lost, yet so deep. They somehow resembled what I felt before. Broken and devastated.

His gaze stayed on me and never went to other directions. He's looking at me as if he's afraid that I'll be gone again.

He looked so surprise with my advances, but he took it nonetheless. He took my hands and shook it casually.

With the sudden linkage of our hands, my heart felt the throbbing pain again. The memory of how we first met flashed in my head. It feels unreal whenever I remember how it happened. It was nostalgic especially that we met again in the same shop where we first saw each other. before. Fuck destiny, aren't you done with me?

I quickly removed my hands on his because I felt myself trembling. I thought his existence would not affect me anymore, but I was wrong. I was completely wrong.

"Teacher Ara, this is my Dad. Daddy, this is my teacher Ara. Daddy she's my favorite teacher that I'm telling you. Remember?" Rhianne was so energetic while introducing me to his dad.

"Really? I think... I think she really is a great teacher and... And a nice person," France looked at me again so I had to look on other direction. 

Nice? Nice.

"It's nice meeting you, teacher. I've heard so much about you." he added, emphasizing the word 'teacher'.

It feels so awkward while having a conversation with my ex and his child. It's suffocating and stifling. It's also kind of intriguing if she knows a little bit of our past, or she knew who am I in her father's life before.

France's eyes met with mine when I looked at their direction again. It seems like he wanted to say something, but he just couldn't speak.

"Ma'am, here's your oder," the woman in the counter caught our attention.

I'm silently thanking her for interrupting the scene, 'cause I couldn't keep up with France's stares anymore.

I turned to her, ready to speak, but Arni got to speak first.

"Ahh, miss, sorry but can we just take our orders out? I had a sudden emergency, we need to go na agad," Arni politely asked the favor. She really knew how to save me from different situations.

She really memorized my tendencies and she knew that this sudden meet up wasn't good for me, so she had to save me.

"Ah okay, ma'am, please wait for a while," the woman said and prepared our orders according to our request.