"Richard, this is the youngest of the De Salvo triplets, Laurent Andrei," my mother's voice rang in my ears as she introduced my father to LA.

LA nodded at my dad with polite indifference, his expression unreadable as usual. But before I could say or do anything else, my gaze drifted to Saint De Salvo, the second of the triplets, standing just a few feet away with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Bahagya akong napaatras at agad na pinamulahan ng mukha. Saint knew. He had to know about my relentless pursuit of his brother.

Saglit niya lang naman akong pinasadahan ng tingin at agad rin ibinalik sa aking mga magulang ang kaniyang atensyon. I could feel embarassment creeping under my skin. It was impossible to tell how much Saint knew, but that smirk made it clear he found the whole situation entertaining.

Standing beside him was the eldest of the De Salvo triplets, Yves, who offered my parents a polite smile. Mas nauna kasing maipakilala ang mga ito kaysa kay LA. Hindi ko nga lang sigurado kung alam ni Yves ang ginagawa kong paghahabol sa kaniyang kapatid o sadyang wala lang talaga itong pakialam.

"A pleasure to meet you, sir," tipid ngunit magalang pang sabi ni LA pero ako ay hindi man lamang niya nagawang balingan. Pinigilan ko ang mapanguso dahil alam kong agad iyong mapupuna ni Mommy.

My stomach twisted with frustration. He was doing it again—ignoring me.

"And this is my daughter, Kali," my mother said, her voice bright as she turned to Gabbana De Salvo and her husband, Oxygen De Salvo. "She's very excited to be here tonight."

Lie. Kung ako ang masusunod ay nanunuod kaming movie ngayon ni Stella sa silid ko.

Gabbana smiled warmly at me, her eyes drifting down to my dress, clearly noticing the effort I'd put into my appearance for the evening. Hindi dahil excited ako kundi dahil ito ang gusto ni Mommy.

"What a beautiful young lady," she said kindly, her voice full of grace. "I love your dress. It's stunning on you."

"Thank you po," I managed to reply, feeling the warmth of her compliment.

Oxygen, LA's father, smiled as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kali. You're a credit to your family."

"Thank you, sir," I replied, offering a polite smile.

But my mind was still on LA, who stood just a few feet away, his eyes seemingly focused on something—or someone—else entirely. He remained distant, aloof, as if he were counting the minutes until he could leave this event. It was maddening.

Bored rin naman ako pero mukhang mas bored siya.

"Have you met my sons yet, Kali?" Pagkuwa'y tanong ni Gabbana De Salvo nang marahil ay mapansin ang ginagawa kong paninitig sa bunso nitong anak.

I swallowed hard, doing my best not to stutter, especially since I noticed LA glancing at me coolly from the corner of his eye. His gaze was indifferent, like this whole conversation didn't concern him. It made my heart race for all the wrong reasons.

"Y-Yes, po," I managed, forcing a steady smile. "We're in the same school."

Gabbana raised her eyebrows, clearly interested.

"Oh, how wonderful! Well, I hope my sons are behaving themselves." She glanced over at LA, and for a brief moment, tapos ay kay Saint naman. Mas masungit ang tingin na iginawad. "LA is quite focused these days with his studies, though I wish he'd socialize more."

Bigla akong napalunok. Ganoon nga siguro kahalata na sa bunso lang ako interesado kaya ito lang rin ang ikinukuwento nito. I looked away, pretending like I wasn't really invested kahit pa nga ba pasimple ko nang itinatala sa aking isipan ang mga impormasyon na nakukuha sa mismong mommy nito.

"Behave naman ako sa school, ah." Mahinang apela ni Saint sa naunang pahiwatig ng ina.

Gabbana De Salvo just rolled her eyes. Si Mommy naman ay plastik na tumawa, habang ang kay Daddy ay mas totoo ang tunog ng halakhak.

"Ganoon talaga. Normal 'yan sa ganyang edad. Puro kalokohan." Dad said.

Oxygen De Salvo chuckled, placing a hand on Saint's shoulder. "Iyan nga rin ang sinasabi ko dito kay Gabby. Ngayon lang 'yan. Mga bata pa kaya normal na puro kalokohan. Pasasaan ba at matututo rin naman ang mga ito sa buhay."

"Keep going, Oxygen. Iparinig mo pa sa anak mo ang pag-tolerate mo sa kalokohan niya para sa next week sunduin mo ulit sa detention." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm just thankful that we're not having much problem with the other two. Yves was accelerated by a year kaya hindi kasabay ng dalawa sa pag-aaral. While LA is actually very dedicated to his studies. He wants to pursue law."

I blinked, caught off guard. Law? That was something I hadn't known. For all the times I had followed him around school, trying to catch his attention, I hadn't once heard that he was interested in law. I mentally filed the information away, trying not to show how much it piqued my interest.

Agad rin na nakuha ang interes ng aking mga magulang. Lumapad rin ang pormal na ngiti ni Mommy at sinipat ng husto si LA. Sinulyapan ako saglit bago muling ibalik ang tingin sa mag-asawang De Salvo.

"Well, now that is impressive," my mother said. "It's wonderful to hear that you're considering that path, LA."

My father nodded in agreement. "It's not an easy profession, but it's incredibly rewarding. If you ever need advice or guidance, magsabi ka lang. Gustong-gusto kong may mapagpapasahan ng kaalaman."

Nanatili akong tahimik na nakikinig sa usapan ng mga ito until I felt my mother's critical gaze drifting toward me. It was subtle, a glance that carried more meaning than any loud reprimand, but it was there. I could almost hear what was coming before she even spoke. Mas lalo akong nanigas sa aking kinatatayuan.

"It's good that LA already knows what he wants to do with his future," she smirked, her voice light but loaded with implication. "I just wish I could see that same enthusiasm from my Kali."

The jab hit hard, even though it was delivered in such a soft, casual tone. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks, embarrassment and frustration mixing together. Kailangan ba talagang sabihin iyon ni Mommy sa harap mismo ng mga De Salvo? Kailangan bang masaksihan pa talaga ni LA ang ganito?

My mother's words were always carefully crafted, designed to sound like passing comments but to leave a mark. And tonight, she was making sure I knew that, in her eyes, I wasn't measuring up. Sa tinagal-tagal niya na kasing pinagdesisyunan ang mangyayari sa buhay ko ay hindi ko pa rin magawang tahasan na ipahayag sa kanila ni Dad na gusto ko ngang maging abogado tulad nila. Simply because I knew I didn't like that for myself.

Nakita kong natuon sa akin ang mga mata ni LA. Hindi naman siya umiimik pero naging mariin ang ginagawa niyang paninitig sa akin. For a brief moment, all I wanted was to disappear, to sink into the ground beneath my feet. I forced a smile, trying to pretend that her words didn't bother me, but inside, I was fuming.

"Oh, Kali is still young," Gabbana De Salvo said kindly, ngumiti pa ito sa akin na para bang nararamdaman ang tensyon sa pagitan namin ni Mommy. "There's plenty of time to figure things out. Life is long, and it's important to explore and discover what truly makes you happy."

I looked up at her gratefully, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. Did you hear that, Mom?

Pero mukhang hindi iyon narinig ni Mommy dahil tumaas lamang ang kaniyang kilay kasabay ng pagsilay ng isang pormal na ngiti para sa mga De Salvo.

"Yes, well, sooner or later, that clarity will be necessary," she said, her tone firm but not harsh. "It's good to take time, but you can't drift forever. It's important to have goals. At iyon ang gusto kong magkaroon sana ang nag-iisa kong anak."

"I know, Mom," I said quietly, my smile faltering just a little. I wasn't about to start an argument in front of the De Salvos, but I could feel the weight of her expectations settling even heavier on my shoulders.

"Kali will be just fine, Alice," she said, giving me a small wink. "Sometimes the best paths take a little time to reveal themselves."

Sinuklian ko ang kaniyang magandang ngiti, bahagyang napanatag. Sana kapareho niyang mag-isip si Mommy. Nagpatuloy pa ang usapan ng mga ito, may ilang mga bisita rin ang huminto sa amin upang bumati. But as the conversation continued, and more guests approached to greet my parents, the weight of my mother's expectations began to settle back in. I felt it—heavier than before. Gusto niya ng anak na maipagmamalaki. Katulad siguro ni LA. But I didn't feel his parents were more proud of him than the other two. Kahit ang matigas na ulong si Saint ay nakuha pa rin purihin ng mga magulang nila at ipagmalaki sa iilang kakilala na bumabati at nangungumusta.

Hindi ko na kinaya pang tumayo at manuod lang sa palitan ng matatanda kaya naman tiningala ko na si Dad at nagpaalam na sasaglit lang sa bathroom. Hindi na ako nagsabi pa kay Mommy dahil baka hindi lang ako payagan, itinaon ko rin na may kausap siyang Mayor ng kabilang lalawigan para hindi niya na ako makontra. I loved my mother so much, but sometimes, she was so suffocating!

I moved swiftly through the crowded ballroom, my heels clicking softly against the marble floor as I made my way toward the exit. Hindi naman kasi talaga cr ang punta ko. Once outside, I was greeted by the cool night air, and I exhaled, finally able to breathe a little more freely. Malaki at malawak ang lupain ng mga Santelmo, but what drew me now was the stretch of beach just beyond the garden. Nasabik tuloy ako. Sa city kasi ang mansion namin, malayo sa dagat. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was faint, but it called to me, nagmamadali akong bumaba sa hagdang bato patungo sa dalampasigan. Sa pinakahuling baitang ko hinubad ang aking stilettos dahil hindi iyon magandang ilakad sa buhanginan.

The sand beneath my feet was cool and soft, kahit paano ay napapakalma nito ang aking kalooban. I took slow steps, making my way to the shoreline, bigla akong nilamig lalo pa't wala namang manggas ang suot kong bestida. I breathed deeply and let the salt air fill my lungs.

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at hinayaang lunurin ng bawat hampas ng alon sa dalampasigan ang tinig ni Mommy sa aking isipan. She was the only person who could make me feel worthless. Ang akala ko noon ay normal iyon, na lahat ng mommy ay ganoon sa mga anak nila. But when I got to see how my friends were treated by their mothers, that was when I realized that it was different for everyone. Hey, I loved my mom. At alam ko rin na masuwerte ako lalo na kung ikukumpara sa iba na pinabayaan ng magulang. But sometimes, it was just suffocating to be around her.

Just as I began to relax, I felt a presence behind me. Agad akong nagmulat ng aking mga mata upang lingunin kung sino ang naroon. I gasped softly when I saw LA standing a few feet away. His hands were shoved casually into the pockets of his slacks, and his expression was the same distant, unreadable one he always wore. Para bang naroon ito na wala naman.

Pinagmasdan ko siyang maigi sa dilim, wala sa akin ang kaniyang mga mata kundi nasa mga alon na lumalapit at lumalayo ring agad sa aming kinatatayuan. They were focused on the waves, as if he hadn't quite decided whether or not he was actually part of this world.

"Laurent," mahinang tawag ko sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam kung ano pa ba ang dapat kong idugtong roon. Should I ask why he's here?

For a long moment, he didn't say anything. His gaze remained on the horizon, distant and thoughtful. At nang magsalita ay para bang ang dagat ang kausap niya at hindi ako dahil doon siya hustong nakabaling.

"Not knowing what you want..." Bulong niya sa namamaos na tinig. "It's not as uncommon as people make it seem."

I swallowed. Hindi ko inaasahan iyon mula sa kaniya. Was he here to talk about how my mother embarrassed me in front of his parents? In front of him? Gustuhin ko mang tumugon dahil sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay siya ang nagbubukas ng usapan, hindi ko naman magawa. Hindi ako makahanap ng tamang salita na iuusal.

LA's eyes flickered briefly toward me, but he didn't meet my gaze for long. "Everyone expects you to have it all figured out. But sometimes, it's not that simple."

The weight of his words hung in the air, and I could feel the meaning behind them. He wasn't just talking about me—he was talking about himself, too. Ganoon rin nga ba ang nararamdaman niya? Pero bakit? Mukha namang hindi kagaya ni Mommy ang mga magulang niya, ah?

"Is that how you feel?" Kuryoso kong tanong.

LA's eyes remained fixed on the waves, his hands still deep in his pockets. "We're still young. It's only fair not to know what we really want yet."

"I guess," I murmured, shifting my feet in the sand. "But it feels like everyone expects us to have it all figured out already, right?"

"That's the problem," he sighed. "People think just because you're born into a certain family, or you're given certain opportunities, that you automatically know where you're headed. But that's not how it works."

Exactly what I was thinking! Na dahil may ganito at ganyan kang pribilehiyo ay dapat alam mo na kung paano mo patatakbuhin ang buhay mo. Regardless of how you still are. They would expect you to live life just how they lived it.

"Everyone has their own idea of who you should be, what you should become. It's suffocating sometimes." Mahina kong sabi. Hindi ko sigurado kung ganoon rin ba sa lagay niya dahil mukhang hindi naman kung ang pagbabasehan ko ay ang kilos ng kaniyang mga magulang kanina.

Hindi ako inimikan ni LA, nakatingin lamang sa kawalan. Ayaw ko. Ayaw kong matapos ang usapan naming dalawa kaya naghagilap pa ako sa aking isipan ng maaari ko pang sabihin.

"My mom wants me to follow in her footsteps. Be a lawyer, just like her. And sometimes... I don't even know if that's what I want." Parang bata kong sumbong kay LA. At kahit pa nga ba gusto ko lang pahabain ang usapan ay nakaramdam pa rin ako ng gaan sa aking kalooban nang kahit paano ay naisatinig ko ang kaisipan na iyon.

Nilingon ko si LA nang manatili siyang tahimik na nakikinig lamang sa akin. The cool breeze carried the sound of the waves crashing gently against the shore, filling the space between us. He looked so calm, so composed, that it was hard to imagine he ever dealt with the kind of inner chaos I was feeling.

"Do you really want to be a lawyer? Or is that something you're being forced into?"

Naisip ko lang kung napipilitan lang ba siya doon dahil iyon ang sabi ng mommy niya kanina, 'di ba? LA wanted to pursue law. Nasisigurado ko naman na kaya niya iyon, kahit gaano pa kahirap ang tatahakin niya. I had followed him around the past years, kaya alam ko kung gaano siya katalino... kasipag.

"I've always known what I wanted," may kasiguraduhan sa kaniyang tinig na bigla kong kinainggitan. Alam kong mas matanda siya sa akin ng ilang taon pero may palagay akong hindi ako magkakaroon ng ganoong klaseng kumpyansa kahit pa umabot na ako sa edad niya. "I had to."

Had to...

Sandali akong napaisip sa sinabi niyang iyon. Maging sa paraan niya ng pagsagot, simple at direkta. There was no drama, no hesitation, just that statement: I had to. But something about the way he said it made me feel like he was buried in something so deep he couldn't get himself out from it.

"Alam mo talaga? Palagi mong alam?" Pang-uusisa ko pa. Sana tumagal pa... sana humaba pa ang usapang ito. "Like, you never doubted it? Never thought about doing something else?"

"It's not about doubting," he said. "It's just... some people figure out what they want early, and others don't. That's fine. It doesn't mean there's something wrong with you if you don't have it all figured out."

"But you've never questioned it? Being a lawyer?"

LA finally turned to look at me, his green eyes steady but distant.

"It's what makes sense for me,"

I was quiet for a moment, processing what he'd said. There was something comforting about his matter-of-fact tone, but at the same time, it left me feeling like there was more to his story than he was willing to share. At naiintindihan ko iyon dahil hindi naman kami close. Well, boyfriend ko siya sa aking isipan at mga malalayong pangarap pero hindi ngayon, hindi sa pagkakataong ito, at lalong masaklap na hindi sa tunay na buhay.

"So, you don't think it's weird that I have no idea what I want yet?" I asked, kicking the sand again, more gently this time.

Umiling siya. "You don't have to know everything now. You have time."

His words felt like a lifeline. Pinanghawakan ko ang naging usapan namin na iyon ni LA sa dalampasigan. Kahit na sobrang kinilig ako dahil iyon ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nagkausap kami ng ganoon kalalim at ganoon katagal, well, saglit lang iyon pero dahil suplado si LA para sa akin ay matagal na panahon na iyon. Hindi ko pa rin kinuwento ang gabing iyon sa kahit kanino. Kahit pa nga ba gusto ko sanang ipagyabang kanila Feli at Cece na walang tiwala sa akin pag dating sa mga pagpapapansin ko kay LA ay hindi ko pa rin magawang sabihin. That conversation I had with LA felt too special, too important, and too valuable to share with anyone. Akin iyon. Sa akin lang.

Hindi na nasundan pa ang naging pag-uusap namin na iyon ni LA. It was as if it hadn't happened at all. After that night, LA went back to being the same distant, aloof person he always was. Tulad pa rin noon, hindi niya ako pinapansin sa school. Kahit pa nga ba panay pa rin ang bati ko sa kaniya sa tuwing magkakasalubong kami. He never looked my way, never acknowledged me in any of the subtle ways I hoped he would. It was like I didn't exist to him.

Buti na lang ay alam kong hindi iyon totoo. Ang gabing iyon sa bahay ng mga Santelmo ang pinanghahawakan kong patunay na nakikita, nararamdaman, at napapansin niya naman ako. All my efforts weren't in vain. I just had to try harder.

I held onto the memory of that night—of his voice, calm and steady, speaking words that had stayed with me since. Even though LA acted like nothing had changed, I knew something had. He had talked to me, really talked to me, and in his own quiet way, he had understood me. He had made me feel less alone in the confusion of not knowing what I wanted for my future. For once, it wasn't just me desperately trying to get his attention; it was him, standing beside me, sharing a small piece of himself, whether he realized it or not.

"Pinagkakalat ni Catherine na inimbitahan daw siya ni LA sa prom," iyon agad ang ibinagsak na balita ni Cece nang daluhan niya ang aming lamesa during one of our breaks.

"Catherine? Catherine Merced?" Felicity raised a brow, maging si Marc na katabi nito ay naintriga rin sa biglang pasok ni Cecilia. Ako naman ay kunwari hindi gaanong apektado, niyuko ko lang ang libro na aking binabasa.

Dammit! Kailangan ko na kasing matapos basahin ang librong ito na pinapabasa sa akin ni Mommy dahil bukas na ng gabi ang balik niya mula Manila. She would get mad if I still hadn't finish it by now. Kung sana kasi ay binigyan niya ako ng something in the Romance-Thriller genre, baka isang araw lang ay tapos ko na agad. But this? A Civil Action? This wouldn't make me want to pursue law, kung iyon nga ang inaasahan niyang mangyayari matapos ko itong basahin.

"Oo! Pero maniwala ka naman doon? Eh, 'di ba pinagkalat rin dati noon na nililigawan siya ng Kuya Edison mo. Tapos hindi naman pala!" Cece laughed, sumiksik sa akin habang ang dalawa ay nasa harapan namin. Nang malingunan niya ang ginagawa ko ay agad na umasim ang kaniyang anyo. "Ano 'yan, Kali? Masyado mo naman kina-career ang ginagawa mong pagpapapansin kay LA! You're actually reading? At hindi Vogue or Cosmopolitan, ah!"

I pursed my lips, staring at the words on the page, but I wasn't really reading anymore. My mind had already drifted to the image of LA dancing with Catherine Merced. That bitch. Did he really ask her out to prom? The thought made my stomach twist. Hindi tuloy ako makapagbasa ng maayos kaya isinara ko na lang ang libro at binalingan si Cece.

"It's for my mom. She wants me to finish it before she gets back from Manila,"

Cece's eyes widened as if I'd just admitted to a crime. "A Civil Action? What's next? The Constitution?"

"Trust me, this isn't by choice," I muttered, glancing back at the book, but all I could think about was LA and Catherine. Hindi ko man aminin ay masyado akong nababahala sa kaisipan na iyon. Hindi sila bagay! Walang ibang bagay kay LA kundi ako!

"Wait, let's go back to what Cece said earlier," Felicity interrupted, her eyes narrowing. "Do you really think LA asked Catherine out?"

"Ako? Hindi. Malabo! Ito ngang si Kali ay hindi pinapansin. Kali na 'yan, ah?" Cece shrugged, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "That's what she's been saying lang naman. Hindi naman galing kay LA ang balita na iyon. And besides, we know Catherine. She likes to exaggerate. Maybe they talked once, and now she thinks he's obsessed with her."

"Yeah, that's ridiculous," humalakhak si Feli, biglang may naalala. "Catherine's always making stuff up. Remember how she swore Kuya Edison was in love with her? Sinusundo pa kamo siya sa bahay nila kahit hindi naman talaga. Pero iyon ang pinagkakalat niya sa class nila. What a joke."

Marc chuckled beside her. "Oo nga. Parang kailan lang iyon, ah? She got all dramatic about it too. Even posted some cryptic poem online when it didn't work out."

"Ah, yes! Natatandaan ko nga 'yan! Feeling broken, kung anu-ano ang shini-share sa FB tapos ay hindi naman pala talaga siya gusto ni Kuya Edison dahil si Penelope Dela Torre naman pala talaga ang pinopormahan nito." Cece laughed with them. Ako naman ay tahimik lang. Ayaw ko kasi talaga ng ganitong usapan, ibang tao. Pero dahil kuryoso ako sa kahit anong tungkol kay LA ay tahimik lamang akong nakinig sa kanila.

Come on, guys. Feed me more information!

Tuluyan ko nang hindi pinansin ang libro na kanina'y nag-aangkin ng buong atensyon ko. I needed to know if LA really asked her out dahil gusto kong magalit kung ganoon nga!

"LA doesn't seem like the type to ask anyone to prom. He probably doesn't even care about going." Si Marc iyon. Tumango ako at bumaling rito, sa buong panahon na kilala ko ang boyfriend na ito ni Felicity ay ito na siguro ang pinakamaganda nitong sinabi na buong puso kong sasang-ayunan.

"Exactly," I chimed in, trying to convince myself as much as I was trying to convince them. "LA doesn't care about these things. He'd rather skip it, or if he does go, it's probably because someone forced him to."

"But you're still thinking about it," Cece teased, nudging me again with a knowing smile. "You're picturing LA dancing with Catherine, aren't you? Huwag mo nang subukan itanggi, Kali. Alam kong iniisip mo 'yan sila."

I tried to act unfazed, flipping open the book again even though my mind wasn't on it. "Hindi, ah. Kung totoo man ang sinasabi ni Catherine wala rin naman tayong magagawa. It's not like I can go to the prom anyway. It's for juniors and seniors. What do I care?"

"You care," Felicity said, grinning. "You care because it's LA. Admit it."

I didn't reply, biting my lip in frustration. The prom wasn't supposed to matter to me, not until they brought up LA and Catherine. Now it was all I could think about. Was Catherine telling the truth? Was LA really going to the prom with her? The thought lingered in my mind, and no matter how much I tried to focus on anything else, it gnawed at me.

Because, deep down, I cared. More than I wanted to admit.

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