Chapter 18 | Decision

My mom screamed in excitement as she saw us walking toward the house. Lukan was smiling widely and I couldn't help but to feel good about it.

My mom announced, "Nandito na sila!"

Nang nakalapit kami kay mommy, Lukan grabbed her hand at nagmano.

Lukan greeted, "Hello po..."

Mom let us in and guided us toward the dining room.

She asked Lukan when we were near the room, "It's been a while since the last time you visited. Kumusta ka na?"

Lukan chuckled.

"Ayos lang po-"

My mom partly turned around to get a glimpse of Lukan.

"Ayos ba 'yang may pasa? Bakit ka may pasa?" mom asked.

"Wala po ito," sagot ni Lukan nang nakangisi upang hindi na mag-alala si mom.

Nakarating kaming tatlo sa dining room and what I saw made me speechless. Nandito si papa at ate Serin, what stunned me was Eros who looked well-groomed and clean.

I wanted to roll my eyes in annoyance but awkwardness first consumed me. If I knew earlier that this would happen, I would've acted ill so I won't witness anything.

"Magkasama sila, tita?" Eros asked my mother as if he couldn't digest what he saw.

"Ay, oo. Tuwing Linggo kasi pumupunta si Mia sa ampunan. Sinasamahan ni Lukan," mom answered.

"Sacristan po si Lukan sa simbahan," I informed them, "at nagkikita kami roon dahil nga sacristan siya."

My mom looked amused while dad stayed calm.

"Wow... sacristan ka, gwapo? Kailan pa?" Lukan's number one fan, my mom, asked.

Ngumisi si Lukan.

"Bata pa po ako noon," he simply answered.

"Oh siya... magkwentuhan na lang tayo habang kumakain," dad announced.

We sat on our chairs. Lukan was on the left and mom sat on my right, close to dad. Seated in front of us were Eros and Serin who weren't talking to each other.

Mom led the prayer and we all bowed our heads.

"Bakit po nandito si Eros?" tanong ko nang natapos ang dasal.

"Ikaw ang sadya. Akala ko nga si Serin, e," mom answered.

"Hiwalay na sila," si papa.

Alam ni papa?

"Oh? Bakit mo sadya si Thera?" mom asked Eros.

"Yayayain ko po sana sa park..." Eros answered.

"Oh, pinopormahan mo ba itong si Thera?" mom directly asked Eros that almost choked me.

"Ma..." I whispered to my mother.

Ngumiti si Eros ngunit agad ding nagseryoso, "Kung pwede pa po niya ako pagbigyan, bakit hindi?"

"Gano'n ba? May Lukan na 'yan, e," mom stated like we were officially together.

"Huy, ma! Ano ba 'yan?" I hissed, hindi ko na napigilan.

Bakit ba nagsabi si mama ng ganyan? I felt shy all of the sudden.

Lukan laughed at mom's remark like no one was around us. Nilingon ko siya nang masama ang tingin. Pinisil niya lamang ang kaliwang pisngi ko. Kasabwat talaga ni Lukan si mama, hindi na ako nagulat.

"Oh bakit? Bagay kayong dalawa! Mabait naman itong si Lukan—"

"Tita, hindi ako mabait. Gwapo lang," singit ni Lukan.

"Hindi. Mabait ka! Hayaan mo iyong mga taong nagsasabi sa 'yong hindi ka mabuti," mom encouraged Lukan.

"Oo nga," bulong ko kay Lukan.

Lukan only smiled at me and continued his food. Hindi sumali sa usapan si papa tuwing si Lukan ang pinag-uusapan na aking ikinaba at ikinataka.

It was so unusual and I couldn't remember Lukan doing anything bad to get pissed about. I noticed dad entertaining Eros more than Lukan. He would always find a way to divert the talk to Eros as if we were curious.

They talked about Eros' family of doctors. His ancestors owned a hospital too at sila na ngayon ang humahawak. I wasn't listening so, I didn't get all of it... plus Eros sounded boastful which I disliked.

Natapos ang dinner at nagpaalam na si Lukan na mauuna. I volunteered myself immediately to accompany Lukan outside.

"Uuwi ka na?" I asked when we were alone.

He smiled.

"S'yempre," sagot niya.

"Saan ka ba naninirahan? Kasama mo ba ang mama mo? By the way, anong pangalan ng mama mo muli?" I asked continously.

He chuckled and answered, "May iisang unit kami ng tropa at doon kami tumitira. Ayaw ng mga 'yon sa bahay nila. Si mama naman, sa dati nilang mansyon na nakatira. Her name is Alendrina."

I slowly nodded as I processed his words, "Your mother's name is beautiful..."

"Bakit ayaw mo siyang samahan sa mansyon?" I asked.

"Dinadalaw ko siya araw-araw... may kalayuan ang mansion sa paaralan kaya..."

"Pero mas maganda kung may kasama si tita Alendrina," I said.

Nagmukhang walang kwenta na ang pinag-usapan namin. Ang totoo ay ayaw ko lang talaga siyang umalis. I planned to talk with him the whole day yet hindi nangyari dulot ng pangyayari sa gabihan.

"Ayaw mo pa ba akong umalis?" tukso ni Lukan.

"Oo," agaran kong sagot.

Well, there was no sense in hiding the truth anyway.

Natahimik si Lukan ng ilang sandal.

"Bakit?" he asked.

"I want to talk with you more," I answered.

He laughed like it was the funniest thing he ever heard. I wanted to punch his face for his sudden reaction.

"Ganoon mo ba ako ka-miss?" he teased more.

"Sige, ako naman ang hindi magpaparamdam sa 'yo," I joked.

As if I could afford to distance myself from him.

"Huwag!" he came back into his senses.

"Tapos magpapakita na lang ako nang may pasa na sa mukha," I joked more.

"Natututo ka ng mang-asar, ha," natatawang puna ni Lukan.

"Kayo ba naman ng mga kaibigan mo ang lagi kong kasama," I said.

"Babawi ako sa 'yo, prinsesa ko," Lukan said.

I made a face to hide my raw reaction.

"So mais," I commented.

"Gusto mo naman," he teased.

I rolled my eyes and forced myself not to smile. Lukan really knew how to make me feel different emotions.

"Sige na nga, alis ka na," I commanded.

"Talaga?" tanong niya na may halong tukso.

"Oo nga! Alis na!"

Hindi ko na kaya pang pigilan ang aking emosyon at kung hindi pa siya aalis ay maaaring dito na ako mismo kiligin.

"Ang taray bigla," tawa niya.

"Alis ka na," sabi ko gamit ang mahinahon kong boses.

Natawa siya at sakto namang may sasakyang dumating. Bumaba ang bintana sa front seat at nakita ko ang mukha ni Gierro.

"Nako, ang tagal magpa-alam, ha?" tukso niya sa amin.

"Hinihintay lang kita," Lukan said.

Humarap si Lukan sa akin at tinuro na ang pinto ng sasakyan. Tumango ako at doon lamang siya pumasok.

Pumasok na rin ako sa loob n gaming tahanan bago pa man sila naka-alis.

"Nak, aalis na si Eros," dad informed me as I entered.

"Oh, okay. Ingat ka, Eros. Sana hindi ka na nag-abala," I said.

Ngumiti si Eros, "No problem. Sa susunod na lang kita yayayain."

I didn't say anything and I darted my eyes to my father. His stares were like commanding me to accompany Eros too.

"Ah, tara, ihahatid na kita sa gate," I offered to Eros.

I didn't to go out anymore yet I could also take this chance to talk to Eros about his trip.

I started with a calm tone, "Ah, Eros, may gusto sana akong sabihin."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Ah... gusto ko sanang itigil mo na ang kung ano mang ginagawa mo. I mean, hindi kasi ako sanay na alam mo na, may umaaligid sa aking lalaki, kay Lukan pa nga lang ay stressed na ako. Saka hindi ko pa kayang magpaligaw o anoman. Pagkakaibigan lang ang kaya kong ibigay," I said.

"Hmm, bakit si Lukan hindi mo pinipigilan sa anomang ginagawa niya?" he asked.

"Wala naman siyang ginagawa, e. We're friends," I answered.

He pouted as if he was avoiding to say something.

"Hindi ko yata kayang itigil—"

"But it is still my decision to make, hindi ba? Ayaw ko talaga kasi, e. I'm sorry," I cut in.

God, this was getting more and more awkward than ever.

"Ganoon ba? Then, we're friends. Puwede na ba iyon?"

"O... oo naman," dalawang isip kong sagot.

"Then, we're all set. Good night, Thera," pagpa-alam niya.

Tumango ako at agad nang pumasok pabalik.

I was staring at the floor when I walked in. I got distracted when I saw my family waiting and staring at me. Mom looked fierce, ate Serin was serious and dad didn't look in a good mood.

"Thera, tapatin mo nga ako. Anong namamagitan sa inyo nung Lukan na iyon?" my father asked me.

"We're friends po," I immediately answered.

Tinignan ko si ate na hindi nagbago ang expression ng mukha.

"I believe, he is a son of a maid?" dad asked.

"Uh, yes, I think, I'm not sure. Bakit, pa?" I asked back.

"I know his surname is famous because of his ancestors. They had the most successful and big hospitals in the world yet those weren't operating for almost a decade. Eros told me that his mother didn't go to college kaya wala iyong alam... and Lukan is in the lowest batch of his grade. Thera, ganoon ba ang gusto mo?" dad hissed.

What was my father trying to point out?

"Pa, magkaibigan lang kami—"

"I know. Eros also said na Lukan's living with his friends. Hindi rin tinatanggap ng lalaking iyon ang tulong ng ama nila dahil masyadong mayabang. Their father even paid for their old mansion para lamang sa ina nito pero wala pa ring utang na loob ang lalaking iyon," dad said more.

How could he invade Lukan's life by asking someone else? My father had no permission to know these things... and now, he tried using these against me.

"Sa mga impormasyong natanggap ko, pinagbabawalan na kitang makipagkita o makipag-usap sa lalaking iyon. Ititigil mo na rin ang pag-gym sa gym ng kaibigan niya," he commanded.

He even knew about the gym... what the?

"Bakit naman, pa—"

"Because he is a bad influence," my father immediately answered.

"Pa, hindi naman... you're being irrationally judgmental-"

"Tignan mo, sumasagot ka na," Serin cut in.

What?

"I'm sorry pero mawalang galang na po. Pa, ganoon man ang buhay ni Lukan ngayon, for sure he'll be great in the future—"

"Paano mo nasabi yan kung bagsak nga siya sa highschool?" dad hissed.

"Pa, the things you current know do not describe his whole personality. Kahit noon, ayaw ko sa kanya dahil naka-iirita but I found out something else that turned my thoughts of him upside down." I pointed out.

"Pa, let's be considerate and understanding. Tao rin naman siya. So what if he doesn't have the money? Ano naman kung hindi perpekto ang kanyang pamilya? You know things about him but do you know his real life behind?" I added.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko iyan nasabi, basta ang alam ko, nagalit ako. Nagalit ako dahil sa biglaang panghusga nila kay Lukan. I was angry because they wanted me to avoid Lukan based on their opinions.

"He's good. Ngayon na lamang ako nagkaroon ng kaibigan—"

"At sa loko-loko pa. Thera, ganoon ba ang gusto mo? Hihintayin mo pa ba ang araw na ikaw naman ang lokohin niya?" Serin asked.

Bakit pakiramdam ko ay pinag-iisahan nila ako?

"Kilala mo ba siya, ate?" I asked with a mocking tone.

"Kilala mo ba?" she asked back.

"Yes. He's Lukan Behemoth Fortelleza," pagpilosopo ko.

"Tignan mo? Nagiging pilosopo ka na dahil sa kanya," dad pointed out.

What the hell?

"I made my decision. Hindi ka na puwedeng makipag-usap sa lalaking iyon o makipagkita. Tinawagan ko na ang simabahan at ang ampunan na bawal ka na roon. I'll cancel your schedule sa gym ni Gierro Montesor," dad said with authority.

I wanted to say more to prove him he got it wrong but the innocent me didn't want to. I was mad and I might say something that could make the situation worse.

I tried to calm myself. If I wanted to be understood, then I must say it rationally... hindi ngayong galit ako.

"Si Eros ang kaibiganin mo, at least siya'y may silbi," dad said and finally went upstairs.