Chapter 5: Goddess

"So sa Manila pala ang campus mo?"

I nodded as I took a bite of the hotdog. Ilang talaga ako kapag bago pa lang ang kausap ko pero mukhang mabait naman si Prince at kakilala pa siya ni Kuya Adam.

"Nag-cross reg lang po ako for the summer"

"Ayaw mo bang mag-shift dito sa Diliman?" he asked with a smile.

I gently shook my head. "Okay na 'ko dun. Wala naman po akong maisip na ibang course na lilipatan for now."

"Gusto mo bang tulungan kita with your paper sa KAS?"

I grinned at him. Halatang nagpa-pa-cute siya sa akin. Ayiiie... ano ba yan hindi ko mapigil ang kiligin. Parang effective nga yung pag-ayos ni Sab sa buhok ko kanina at pagtanggal ko dun sa hoodie ko.

"Okay, Kuya" I replied. 

"Kuya?" he frowned.

"Kuya Prince. You're the same age as Kuya Adam, right?"

"Ang sagwa... Prince na lang. Don't call me Kuya." Shocks naman ganito pala ang feeling. Nakatitig siya sa akin at naramdaman kong nag-bu-blush ako.

Binawi ko yung tingin ko kasi feeling ko mas mapula pa ako sa kamatis, "Sige po, Prince."

He laughed, "Bakit may po? Prince lang, okay?" 

"Hindi kasi ako sanay. Sorry...Prince." I said slowly, testing out his name and it felt right. 

"It's okay Goddess"

"Goddess?" Teka tama ba rinig ko? Nyaaah! Ayoko nga ng Diosa tapos Goddess pa?

"Oo, di ba Diyosa ka? You're a Goddess." Nagwala yung lahat ng cells ko sa kilig. Ano ba naman yan? Tapos katabi ko pa si Kuya Adam kaya ang hirap tuloy kiligin.

"Hoy Prince, wag mo nga pinaglololoko si Diosa." Kuya Adam remarked with a frown. He pulled me against him at parang inilalayo talaga ako kay Prince. Halatang lumalabas na naman yung brotherly instincts ni Kuya. Lahat ng Kuya ko ganyan everytime may mga lalaking gustong kumausap sa akin. Actually, sobrang na-cute-cutan ako sa kanila pag ganyan sila ka-protective. Minsan kasi talagang hinahanap ko yung atensyon nila dahil nga sa ako yung pinakabata at lumaki ako na halos si Kuya Alphonse na aming panganay ang tatay ko. Alphonse is nine years older than me at may asawa na siya ngayon at dalawang anak kaya na-mi-miss ko siya.

"Mukha naman talaga siyang Goddess, bro." Nakangisi niyang sagot. 

" 'Loko kapatid ko yan!" Binatukan siya ni Kuya Adam pero tumawa lang si Prince.

"Sorry! Ay hindi pala ako dapat mag-sorry kasi totoo!"

"Diosa, baby wag ka magpapaniwala diyan ha?" Kuya Adam draped his arms around my shoulders. Natawa lang ako sa expression ni Kuya. 

"Okay, Kuya" I nodded solemnly, "Di na po ako maniniwala kay Prince." I grinned mischievously and I saw his expression fall.

"Goddess wag ganun. Ansakit naman," he whined, "Saksakin mo na lang ako pwede?"

"Tae, ang OA mo!" Binatukan ulit siya ni Kuya Adam. "Tara na nga, uwi na tayo madilim na."

"San ka naka-park Kuya?" I asked.

"Wala, coding ako. Nag-cab lang ako kanina." Tumayo na si Kuya Adam and he slung his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hatid kita, okay?" I smiled up at him, "Prince may sasakyan ka?"

"Wala eh. Nag-commute lang ako." He smiled sheepishly.

"San ka? Hatid na kita."

"Diyan lang sa Teacher's Village yung dorm ko."

"Sige, hatid ko kayo." I stood up and started walking.

"Nakakahiya naman sa'yo, kami yung lalaki pero ikaw maghahatid." Prince muttered as he walked beside me.

"Ano ka ba, s'ang panahon ka ba galing? Hindi naman tayo nineteen kopong-kopong no." I joked. We arrived at the parking lot and I unlocked the doors. Kuya Adam opened the passenger side and got into the backseat.

"Uy, hindi ka ba sasakay?" I asked him. He was staring dumbfounded at my car.

"Seryoso ito kotse mo?" His face held wonder.

"Bakit? Ayaw mo?" I pouted.

"Hindi naman kaya lang I didn't take you for a race car driver."

"Pasok ka na dali." I slid inside the driver's side and he closed the passenger side.

"Regalo namin kay Aya 'tong kotse for her graduation." Kuya Adam explained, "Si Alfredo kasi nag-insist. Siya ang racer sa aming lahat."

"Parang mas bagay kay Aya yung Mini".

"Hay naku, bro naisip rin namin yan kaso si Alfredo ang may pinakamalaking share kaya siya ang nasunod."

I started the car and we went first to Teacher's Village to drop Prince off.

"What time class mo bukas? Gusto mong mag-lunch together?" he asked before he got down.

"May 10AM ako. Then yung next is at 2:30PM"

"Great. Kita tayo ng 12nn sa Lib steps?"

"Sa AS parking na lang."

"Basta manlilibre ka Prince." Kuya Adam laughed. "Hindi ako mag-be-breakfast para madami ako makain."

"Kuya!" I scolded him, "Grabe ka!"

Prince laughed, "Oo sige. Sa Maginhawa tayo kumain." Kuya Adam slid out of the car and sat on the passenger side as Prince waved at us bago umakyat sa dorm niya.

We drove quietly for awhile before Kuya Adam started talking.

"Diosa, hindi kita pagbabawalan na makipagkilala sa boys ha. You're already eighteen and I believe na matalino ka pero sana you take care of yourself." he said in a serious voice.

"Opo Kuya." I smiled at him, "I'll take care of myself".

"I've known Prince since second year nung nag-shift siya from FA to Eng'g. He's a good guy pero still hindi mo maalis kay Kuya yung pagiging protective. Lalo na ako ang pinakamalapit sa age mo, I understand na you need to get to know people pero sana you tell us, especially sa ibang siblings natin and kay Tita Delia. Wag kang magtatago pag may boyfriend ka na."

"Grabe naman Kuya, boyfriend agad? Wala ngang nagkaka-gusto sa akin eh. Well except yung stalker ko nung highschool" I quipped. Nararamdaman kong nag-bu-blush na naman ako. Si Kuya Adam naman kasi sobrang serious!

"Diosa, lalake ako at nakikita ko kung paano tumingin sa'yo yung mga ibang lalake. Believe me, Prince is definitely interested in you."

"Kuya, ipagtatanggol mo naman ako pag niloko ako di ba?" I tried to joke to lighten the mood.

"Oo bubugbugin ko siya pag niloko ka niya." 

"Kuya naman, nakakatakot ka naman eh. Baka mamaya tumanda akong dalaga pag ganyan kayo lahat na Kuya ko eh."

"Oo, kaya dapat wag kang magpapa-api. Isumbong mo sa amin na mga Kuya kapag may nag-bo-bother sa'yo. We love you so much Diosa." Na-touch ako sa concern ni Kuya Adam. Kahit half-brother ko lang siya pero sobrang close kami kasi siya ang pinakamalapit sa edad ko.

"Dito na ko. Ingat ka sa pagmamaneho." he said as he got down from the car.

"Good night Kuya! See you tomorrow ha." I waved at him. After a few minutes nag-ring yung fone ko. Si Sab tumatawag. Sinagot ko gamit yung bluetooth controls.

"Hi Sab!"

"Girl ano na? Nag-meet ba kayo? Gwapo ba? Ano kayo na?" tuloy-tuloy yung mga tanong niya.

"Sab slow down! Grabe ka naman!" I laughed as I entered our village.

"Magkwento ka na kasi dali! Excited na ko super!" naririnig kong parang tumatalon-talon pa si Sab sa kabilang linya.

"Nag-meet kami. Org mate pala siya ni Kuya Adam. Kasama namin si Kuya kanina."

"What the freak! Ano ba naman yang Kuya mo panira!" I laughed at her reaction, "So gwapo ba?"

Natigilan ako. Syete, kinikilig ako masyado at parang sumisikip yung dibdib ko, "Parang prinsipe."

"Ayiiiieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! Ayanna Diosa Zabala finally may lovelife ka na! I'm so happy for you!!" Ang lakas ng tili ni Sab at pasalamat na lang ako na naka-bluetooth siya kung hindi baka nabitawan ko na yung phone.

"Sab tawagan kita ha, papasok na ako ng gate."

"Bilisan mo girl ha, nakakamatay ang suspense!"

"Loka-loka!" I dropped the call and took my bag out of the compartment. Hindi pa ako nakakapasok ng bahay ay tumatawag na naman si Sab. 

"Hi Yaya Maring!" I greeted my Yaya with a kiss on the cheek. I saw my Kuya Ali going down the stairs. Alistair is four years older than me and he works as a consultant at a BPO.

"Diosa, alis na ko," he bent to kiss my cheek. 

"Bye po Kuya Ali, pasalubong ko bukas!"

"Sige, I'll bring you some breakfast." He smiled before he went out. I answered Sab's call as I was going up to my room.

"So dali kwento ka na!" bungad niya sa akin. Grabe mas kinikilig pa sa akin si Sab. Napakahilig niya talaga sa mga destiny at fate chuchubells.

"Ayun, mukhang mabait naman siya. He offered to help me on my KAS paper."

"Ohemgee, definitely type ka niya. So type mo ba?" I couldn't help but grin as I reached my room and laid down on my bed.

"Sabi niya Goddess daw ako..." I said dreamily. I could hear Sab shrieking uncontrollably from the other line and I had to bring the phone away from my ears. Grabe ang ingay!

"Aya! I'm so happy for you!"

"Sab, ngayon lang ako naka-feel ng ganito. Wala, kinikilig ako. Hindi ko mapaliwanag." I brought my hands to cover my eyes "Sab nakakaloka pala parang ayoko na!"

"Loka-loka! Normal lang yan! At least napatunayan na natin na babae ka nga!"

"So hindi pala ako babae? Ouch ang sakit naman." I joked.

"Hindi sa ganun pero nag-wo-worry na kami ni Kiko na baka hindi lalaki yung gusto mo kasi wala ka namang crush nung highschool at walang nanliligaw sa'yo."

"Grabe kayo! Ganyan pala tingin niyo sa'kin!"

"Pero girl ha, promise to take care of yourself. Basta enjoy lang wag masyado serious."

"Opo mother Sab," I jokingly replied. "Sige na Sab, mag-di-dinner muna ako. See you tomorrow."

"Sure! Ipakilala mo kami kay Prince ha? Para naman makilatis namin ni Kiko."

"Harhar! Sige na, babush!" I ended the call and stared dreamily at the canopy of my bed. Suddenly my phone rang again. Thinking it was Sab, I immediately answered.

"Uy pakainin mo muna ako. Di pa nga ako nagpapalit ng damit eh."

"Sorry Goddess, I just wanted to know kung nakauwi ka na ba." I stared at the unknown number. Goddess? OMG.

"Goddess are you still there?" his voice got panicked.

"Yeah... sorry akala ko si Sab ka, yung bestfriend ko. I was just talking to her."

"Ah, okay. Sorry din."

"How did you get my number?" I smiled sheepishly. Nyaah! The butterflies in my stomach started erupting again.

"Kay Adam. Kinulit ko..." he laughed. I realized I like the sound of his laughter.

"Sige, kumain ka na." I heard him say.

"Okay. Good night Prince."

"Good night Aya." I could still hear him at the other end of the line.

"Prince?"

"Sige ibaba mo na. Girl's first."

"Okay."I pressed the end call button.

I realized that I can't stop myself from grinning.

-end chapter 5-

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