Fleeting Moments

Chapter 25: First

#HHFM Chapter 25:

First

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"No phone calls!" Raianne screeched before snatching my phone off the table. Ni hindi niya man lang ako hinayaang mahawakan iyon. Mabuti nga't mabilis ang mata ko at nakita agad kung sino ang tumawag.

She answered the call. "No phone calls, Kuya!" she screamed over the phone. I feel like my eardrums are going to bleed every time she's going to yell. Ang tinis ng boses niya.

Namaywang siya. Akala ko, papatayin niya agad ang tawag pagkatapos bulyawan ang kuya niya. Mukhang umalma't pumatol pa yata si Ryo at may sinasabi pa kaya kunot na kunot ang noo ni Raianne ngayon.

"Whatever, Kuya!" Mukhang may balak siyang padabog na ibagsak ang phone ko sa mesa kaya inilahad ko agad ang kamay ko.

Lucky for me, she placed my phone on my hand. I know she could buy me a replacement within the day, but I wouldn't want her to do that. Ang mga regalo niya nga sa akin, kung hindi niya ako pupuwersahin, hindi ko tatanggapin. Paano pa kaya kapag phone?

Siniguro kong makikita niyang pinatay ko ang phone ko. Mag-aaway pa sila ng kuya niya dahil lang sa tawag. I would see Ryo later anyway. I could wait. Ewan ko na lang sa kaniya. Pero kahit naman hindi niya kaya, he doesn't have a choice. I doubt that Tito Finn would let him go here. Baka mainis si Tatay at sabihing hindi siya makapaghintay.

Our agreement was that we would meet at the multipurpose hall. That was my parents' simple request aside from Ryo staying away from me before the wedding day.

Tita and Raianne arrived here earlier, just before lunch. Nasa ibaba sina Tita kasama ang mga magulang ko at si Raiko. Cali called just a while ago to inform me that she and Nate were on the way. Raianne's here with me inside my room, doing my hair and make-up. Ryo's alone with his father at the place they're staying at.

"Hanggang kailan kayo rito, Ate?" Raianne asked, securing a group of small braids on the side of my head with a barrette. Hindi na talaga nawala ang pagtawag niya sa akin ng 'Ate.'

"Before your grad, nando'n na kami," I answered and smiled. I saw her smiling in the mirror in front of us. Kung sakali mang hindi pa kami puwedeng umuwi at mag-stay roon—because her graduation is in a few days—pupunta pa rin kami kahit para sa araw na iyon lang.

I know Ryo. He and Raianne fight a lot but he wouldn't want to miss his sister's graduation, kahit ano pa ang mangyari.

I let Raianne do her thing as I fidget with the small box in front of me. I have Ryo's ring. Nasa kaniya naman ang akin. I heard the municipality's providing a few pairs of rings, pero hindi na kami kumuha at nagpaubaya na lang sa iba.

"Ate."

Napaangat ang tingin ko sa repleksiyon ni Raianne. "Hm?"

"Bakit mo sinagot si Kuya?" tanong niya at tinagpo ang tingin ko sa salamin. She gathered bits of my hair from the left side of my head to form a braid.

The thought of the shy, charming Ryo made me smile. My fingers traced the lid of the velvet box as I thought of a good answer.

Well, I don't really remember. All I know is that he was nice, and I liked his company. He was vocal yet always taken aback whenever I would be straightforward. Wala naman akong masyadong alam sa pagbo-boyfriend noong napunta ako roon. I wasn't naïve but I was inexperienced. Kahit nga si Ryo, hindi makapaniwala noong bigla ko siyang sinagot. He thought that I was just pressured to say yes. But really, I was just happy, and I wanted to be happy with him for a really long time.