"Yhael, kinakabahan ako." Nakahawak ako sa braso ni Yhael habang papasok kami ng kanilang munting bahay.

Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko at marahang dinampian ng halik iyon. "'Wag kang mag-alala, hindi ka naman kakainin ni Naynay, at Taytay," natatawa niyang sinabi.

Even though he assured me several times that everything would be alright because the people he considers his parents are kind, I still couldn't help but feel nervous.

This was the first time I would be meeting someone else's parents, except for the parents of my former friends.

Yhael and I entered their home. A picture of two people greeted me. It wasn't just an old picture, it was a wedding picture.

They might be Yhael's real parents. He looks so much like the man in the picture.

Yhael invited me to sit on their wooden chair. I looked around their house. It wasn't big, but it was very clean.

There were pictures hanging on the wooden walls. One of them was a picture of Yhael when he was a child on his birthday. There was also a picture of him with a man and a woman who I think are the people he considers his parents. They were all smiling widely at the camera while Yhael was biting the medal hanging around his neck. I think it was a moving up picture if I'm not mistaken.

"Anong gusto mong inumin, o kainin?" tanong niya kaya naman nawala ang focus ko sa mga picture.

"Kahit ano," sagot ko naman.

"Wala kaming 'kahit ano' rito," aniya.

"'Wag na nga lang. Ayos lang naman ako," sambit ko pa. "Syaka hindi ako makakakain o makakainom dahil sa kaba."

Natatawa siyang tumabi sa akin. "Bakit ka ba kinakabahan?" tanong niya. "Sinabi ko naman sa 'yo noong nakaraan na ayos na ayos sila sa 'yo."

"This is my first time, Yhael," I whispered.

"Ang swerte ko naman," aniya.

"Pero hindi ito ang first time mo na magpakilala ng liligawan, hindi ba?" aking tanong.

Nalaglag ang kaniyang panga sa aking sinabi. Umiling naman siya bago hinawakan ang aking kamay. "Kung iniisip mo na pinakilala ko si—'wag na nating banggitin ang pangalan niya—nagkakamali ka," sagot niya. "Kilala siya nila Naynay dahil matalik ko siyang kaibigan."

Tumango naman ako. Hindi naman na dapat ako magselos sa mga ganoong bagay. Pinapakita naman ni Yhael na ako na 'yung gusto niya.

The door swung open just as Yhael let go of my hand. We both stood up as two people entered the house. "Good evening po," I greeted them politely as they approached us.

I was grateful that even though I was nervous, I didn't stumble over my first word.

Yhael's stood up parents stared at me. I couldn't read their expressions. But after they stared at me, they exchanged a serious look.

"Siya ba, Yhael?" seryosong tanong ng lalaki.

Hinawakan ng babae ang braso ng kaniyang asawa. "Opo, Taytay. Si Aphle po, nililigawan ko." Nagningning ang mga mata ni Yhael ng sabihin niya iyon.

The couple looked at each other again before the woman invited us to sit down. Yhael and I sat next to each other, while the couple sat in front of us, watching us intently.

The woman broke the silence.

"Ngayon, ikaw si Aphle, hindi ba?" tanong nito. Mabilis naman akong tumango bago ngumiti sa kaniya.

She looked at me from foot to head before asking again. "Anak mayaman ka?"

Tahimik akong napatango-tango. Walang lugar dito ang pagsisinungaling. Syaka gusto ko nagsasabi kaagad ako sa kanila, para madali silang sumang-ayon sa amin ni Yhael.

Marami pa silang naitanong sa akin tungkol sa pamilyang meron ako. Lahat naman ng alam ko ay aking sinabi. Hindi ko lang alam kung iyon na ba talaga lahat.

Pagkatapos ng usapan sa sala ay pumunta si Tito Slyvester sa kusina para tulungan ang kaniyang asawa na makapag-luto mg hapunan.

Lumapit ako saglit kay Yhael para istorbohin siya sa kaniyang binabasa. "Berde, uwi na ako," bulong ko sa kaniya.

Lumingon siya sa akin. Nakakunot ang noo na parang hindi niya naitindihan ang aking sinabi. "Maya ka na umuwi. Dito ka na maghapunan," sinabi niya.

Kaagad naman akong umiling dahil hindi pa rin napapawi ang kaba sa dibdib ko. "Paalam na lang tayo kina Tito bago mo ako ihatid."

Mariin naman siyang umiling. "First time mo rito sa bahay tapos pinakilala pa kita. Dapat maging feel-at-home ka para sa mga susunod mong punta rito. Okay?" aniya. "Syaka, kakain na lang naman tayo, tapos ihahatid na kita."

"'Wag kang kabahan, kakain lang tayo. Hindi naman ikaw ang kakaini—nevermind." Putol niya sa sasabihin nang may marealize.

Lumipas ang ilan pang minuto. Madalas along kinakausap ni Yhael para maging komportable ako. Effective naman.

"Kakain na." Napatingin kaming sabay ni Yhael nang lumabas ng kusina si Tita Shina para tawagin kami.

Yhael and I walked together into their small kitchen. He pulled out a chair for me and I sat down.  Even though I wasn't looking at Yhael's supposed parents, I knew they were watching us.

When Yhael sat next to me, I smiled at the couple. Uncle Slyvester looked serious, while Aunt Shina gave me a slight smile.

Our dinner began with a short prayer. It was then that I learned that Yhael always led their dinner prayers.

Aunt Shina also told me that they wouldn't eat dinner if Yhael wasn't there. That's how important Yhael was to them.

It was kind of envious.

Yhael served me rice, then he put a large fish on my plate.

I just looked at the fish because I didn't know how to eat it. Plus, I didn't know what kind of fish it was.

I wasn't used to having to dig through my food. At home, everything was ready to eat.

Napatingin ako sa mag-asawang naka-focus sa kanilang pagkain. Dumapo ang tingin ko kay Yhael na nakaka-kamay habang kumakain. Sarap na sarap siya sa ulam. At nakataas pa talaga ang isa niyang paa.

Naramdaman niya ata ang tingin ko kaya napabaling siya sa akin. Tumaas ang dalawa niyang kilay habang ngumunguya.

Napatingin siya sa pagkain kong wala pang bawas. Umiling naman ako nang bumalik sa aking mukha ang tingin niya.

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako bago sinubukang himayin ang isda.

Unang kurot ko pa lang ay mahina na akong napadaing dahil sa kaliskis ng isda. Pinilit ko na lang. Baka isipin nila maarte ako sa ulam. Hindi naman ako mapili sa ulam. Talagang hindi lang ako sanay na i-murder muna ang isda bago ko makain.

Natigil ako sa paghihimay nang mabagal nang may platitong tumama sa aking siko. Napatingin ako roon at nakitang may himay-himay ng isda. Tumaas ang tingin ko kay Yhael. Ngumiti lang siya sa akin bago kinuha ang isda sa plato ko, na kanina ko pa ata minu-murder.

***

After we ate, I said goodbye to them and told them I was going home. Of course, Yhael walked me home.

We were walking silently towards the house when my smile suddenly disappeared as I saw Daddy's familiar car parked outside the gate. It was their hobby. Not parking in the garage.

Yhael and I looked at each other when he noticed the car too. He wasn't stupid, he could see the fear and nervousness in my eyes as I stared at the car.

I wonder how long Mom and Dad have been here.

"Mga magulang mo?" tanong niya.

Tahimik akong tumango bago tuluyang humarap sa kaniya. "Berde, dito na lang. Kita na lang tayo sa monday." I managed to smile.

"Gusto kong makilala ang mga magulang mo, Aphle," determinado niyang sinabi.

No. Hindi ngayon, Berde.

"B-Berde," nauutal kong tawag sa kaniya. "I think this is not the right time to introduce yourself to my family."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Bakit hindi? Ang sabi mo sa akin ay madalas na nandiyan ang Ate at Kuya mo. At ngayon naman ay nariyan na ang mga magulang mo. Ito ang tamang—"

"Yhael, hindi mo naiintindihan," pagputol ko sa kaniya.

Nakita kong dumaan saglit ang pait at sakit sa kaniyang mukha pero kaagad ding nawala iyon at ngumiti siya sa akin. Tumango naman siya ilang sandali. "Sabihin mo na lang sa akin para maintindihan ko," mapait niyang sinabi. "Hindi naman ako tanga para hindi maintindihan 'yon."

Tumingin ako sa aking ibaba bago umiling. Hindi ko dapat sirain ang gabing 'to. Masaya siyang naipakilala na niya ako sa mga tinuturing niyang mga magulang. At ayokong mawala ang saya niyang iyon dahil lang sa masasakit na salitang matatanggap niya sa mga magulang ko.

Naramdaman ko ang kaniyang palad sa aking ulunan. Nagtaas ako ng tingin sa kaniya at nakangiti na siyang muli. "'Wag ka nang malungkot, hindi naman na kita pipiliting sabihin... sa ngayon."

"Hihintayin ko kung kailan ka magsasabi."

Dahan-dahan akong ngumiti sa kaniya. Hinila niya ako para yumakap sa akin nang mahigpit. Ginantihan ko naman ang kaniyang yakap.

***

"Where were you?"  Mommy's question greeted me as soon as I opened the main door.

I looked up at my family in the living room. Daddy was sitting next to Mommy, staring at me seriously. Mommy's eyes were narrowed and she was glaring at me. Ate was looking at me with concern. Kuya was the only one who didn't seem to care about what was happening.

"J-Just around here, Mommy," I stammered.  Ate shook her head because she knew that was the wrong answer.

Mommy laughed sarcastically. "I wasn't born yesterday, Aphle, so don't try that alibi on me. Answer my question... where were you?"

"M-Mommy—"

"We had dinner out, Auntie."  I turned around in surprise when I saw Zade entering.

He walked up to me and stood beside me. He didn't look at me, instead he was staring directly at my parents.

"Check Yhael's message," he whispered.

***

Iniwan ko sila sa sala at dumaretso sa aking kwarto para kunin ang aking cellphone at tingnan ang message ni Yhael.

Pumunta ako sa bintana para tingnan kung nasa labas pa siya. Nakita ko siyang nakatingin dito sa aking kwarto. Nang magtama ang tingin namin ay tumalikod siya bigla bago dahan-dahang naglakad palayo.

In-open ko ang aking cellphone at nakita ang message ni Yhael...

Berde
Gusto kong magtanong tungkol sa relasyon ninyo ni Sir Zade. Pero bakit parang mali?

-iamlunamoon