Kelvin's mother is very charming, in a more refined way. Hindi ito kasingkulit ng magpinsan pero ramdam ni Celine na may kulit din ito sa katawan. It's just that, because she's older, she doesn't need to insist or impose. Out of politeness ng mas nakababata rito kasi ay nakukuha nito ang gusto. Kagaya na lang ng pag-imbita nito sa kanya sa bahay nito.

"Mom could teach you how to make fudge brownies."

She couldn't say no. Nahihiya siyang tumanggi. At saka fudge brownies 'yon...

Ayaw pa nga sila nitong paalisin. She told them that they could stay as long as they want. Pwede rin silang um-order ng kahit ano. Libre.

Kylie had to go though.

"Celine, dito ka muna. I'll take her home."

"Huwag na, kuya," tanggi ni Kylie. "I'm meeting Xander here. Gagala lang kami tapos ihahatid nya na 'ko pauwi."

"Xander? Does tita approve?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Kylie shrugged. "She doesn't know naman. You won't tell on me, would you?"

"Of course, he won't," sabat ng mommy ni Kelvin.

Humalik si Kylie sa pisngi ng mag-ina tapos ay yumakap ito sa kanya.

"Bye, ate. It was really nice meeting you!"

Nang makaalis si Kylie ay iniwan na rin sila ng mommy ni Kelvin para asikasuhin ang mga customers nito.

"'I've heard so much about you'?" she quoted. "Kilala na ba ako ng buong pamilya mo?"

"I must have mentioned you a couple of times," he replied, nonchalantly.

"Sino si Xander?" pag-iiba niya ng topic. "Boyfriend ni Kylie?"

Umiling ito. "He's our cousin. Well, sort of. My grandma's related to his late grandpa. Tita Red, Kylie's mom, used to hate Tita Santina, Xander's mom."

Hindi na niya itinanong kung bakit, kasi ayaw naman niyang makiusyoso. Hindi naman bago sa kanya ang magkakapamilyang nag-aaway-away. But Kelvin's a talker and he likes talking about anything under the sun at kahit hindi siya magtanong, basta gusto nitong magkwento ay magkikwento ito.

Nalaman niyang kaya galit ang Tita Red nito doon sa nanay ni Xander ay dahil nagkagusto raw ang Tita Santina ni Kelvin sa daddy ni Kylie. And the woman even named Xander after him.

Ilang taon din bago sila nasanay na imbes na Troy ang itawag sa pinsan ng mga ito, Xander na lamang para hindi nakakalito.

"Hindi pa rin sila okay?"

Kelvin shrugged. "They're civil when they have to be. But I think that Tita Red will forever dislike Tita Santina."

"In love pa ba ang Tita mo sa daddy ni Kylie?"

"No. She's happily married now, to Tito Frey, Tita Red's ex."

Napahawak siya sa ulo. "Teka, sumakit yata ang ulo ko."

Kelvin chuckled. "Yeah. My family history's a lot to take in. I'd love to tell you about my mom and dad, but she might overhear us."

Dahil sa sinabi nito ay hindi na siya nagtanong tungkol sa parents nito.

"Akala ko talaga, kayo ni Kylie."

"Why would you think that? She's only 16."

"Nakita ko kasi kayo. Pagkatapos nating mag-usap dati, nakita ko kayo kinabukasan. Ang sweet-sweet nyo kasi sa isa't isa."

"That's because we grew up together," sagot nito. "Wala pa syang two years old, close na kami. She's the closest to a sister that I could have. All boys kasi kami."

"Wow. Di ba, swerte raw kapag all boys?"

"Maybe? I don't know. Si mommy siguro ang swerte. She's the queen of the house since she's the only woman in the family."

Sinulyapan niya ang mommy nito. She definitely looks like a queen. Parang nasa early thirties pa lamang ito kahit sigurado siyang lampas na ito ng kwarenta. She's one of those women who are aging gracefully.

"She really likes you," dagdag nito. "My mom likes simple girls. She thinks they're prettier kapag simple."

"I'm sure na iba ang magiging impression nya kung nakita nya akong walang ayos."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

"Umayos lang naman ang hitsura ko dahil sa bagong dami at makeup. Pero kapag ordinary day, plain akong tingnan."

"I disagree. I don't know why you don't see it. It must be true that you don't see yourself the way other people see you. Ako kasi, iba ang tingin ko sa 'yo. I find you pretty even with your jeans and shirt on."

Parang sobrang seryoso ng pagkakasabi nito. Bigla tuloy siyang nailang. She awkwardly changed the topic. Hanggang sa lumayo na nang lumayo ang usapan.

--

Celine is pretty. Not the kind na unang tingin pa lang, nakaka-attract na. Her beauty's more subtle, parang tea na kailangan munang ibabad sandali bago makakulay sa tubig.

She's just wearing the wrong clothes, not applying the right kind of facial product, and doesn't have confidence in herself. But Kelvin sees her differently.

At habang tumatagal, mas lalo itong gumaganda sa paningin niya. But today, she looked a bit different. Mas bagay ang damit nito. Mas maaliwas ang mukha...

They might have gone overboard with the clothes. Simpleng karaoke lamang naman ang pupuntahan nila mamaya, but he was glad that Kylie insisted on the change.

It was refreshing to see Celine in a dress.

He doesn't even want to push through with the karaoke session anymore, but it was too late to back out. At alam niyang hindi aayaw si Celine dahil nandoon si Yuan. Si Yuan lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit ito sumama. At sigurado siyang si Yuan ang dahilan kung bakit ito nagpaganda, which hurts a little. He's not gonna lie. Pero wala naman siyang magagawa kundi tumabi and let that love unfold before his very eyes. It just sucks to be the one watching it.

Bago mag-alas siete ay dumating na ang mga kasama nila. They were all pleasantly surprised to see Celine like that. Siya naman ay lihim na natuwa nang sabihin ni Janelle na bagay silang dalawa ni Celine.

He knew that Janelle likes him for Celine. Kaya naman natutuwa rpin siya rito. At least, may isang tao na sang-ayon sa kanya pagdating kay Celine.

--

He doesn't really like karaokes. All over the place kasi ang boses niya kapag kumakanta sya. Pero ang main characters sa love story na nabubuo sa harapan niya mismo, parehong magaling kumanta.

They asked him to sing, a few times, pero alam niya at ni Jake na ipahihiya lamang niya ang sarili kapag sumubok siya. So he ended up sulking while drinking his beer habang panay ang duet ng dalawa.

They started out softy, singing The Gift by Jim Brickman feat. Martina McBride. Then it escalated to Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang. Sinundan pa ng Where Is She by Justin Roman.

There's someone out there for me, Yuan began singing as he stares into Celine's eyes.

I know she's waiting so patiently
Can you tell me her name
This life-long search is gonna drive me insane

And Celine sang her lines with equal ardor.

I'm staring out at the sky
Praying that he will walk in my life
Where is the man of my dreams
Yeah, yeah

And he almost shouted, "Right here!"

How does he laugh
How does he cry
What's the color of his eyes
Does he even realize I'm here

"Do you even realize I'm here?" he muttered.

Nagpahinga sa pagkanta ang dalawa nang bumirit si Jake ng makabagbag-damdaming Pusong Bato na sinundan nito ng Larawang Kupas.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Yuan hand Celine another bottle.

"Nako, tama na!" saway ni Janelle.

"Ja, okay lang," Celine assured her friend, saka nito tinanggap ang alak mula kay Yuan.

Pagka-kanta ni Jake ay iniabot nito sa kanya ang mic. But he refused. So si Janelle ang sumunod na kumanta. You Oughtta Know by Alanis Morisette. Then, back to the duet.

At parang patama pa sa kanya ang kanta dahil si Jake ang pumili. Sinta by Aegis

Nananaginip nang gising
Nakatulala sa hangin
Nagsusumidhing damdamin
Kahit halik lang ang akin

Nababaliw ako sa 'yo
Bawat silakbo ng puso ko
Sa isang sulok na lang
Umiibig sa 'yo
Sinta

He just couldn't take it. Lumabas siya sandali para magpahangin. Naglakad-lakad siya hanggang sa mapadaan sa isang convenience store. Hindi niya nalabanam ang tukso. When he's stressed like this, he just has to smoke.

Just one stick, paalala niya sa sarili.

Pagbalik niya, nakapikit na si Celine sa isang sulok. Tumigil na muna sa pagkanta ang mga kasama at hinayaan na lamang na tumugtog ang mga kantang pinili nila para kay Celine.

"O, san ka galing?" tanong ni Jake.

"Sa labas," sagot niya. "What happened to her?"

"Low alcohol tolerance."

For the next hour, naghalinhinan sa pagkanta ang tatlo habang siya naman ay nakabantay sa tabi ni Celine. Kaya pala pinipigilan ito ni Janelle kanina. Mabilis pala itong malasing.

--

Nang mapagpasyahan na nilang umuwi, he volunteered to take Celine home, which Janelle seconded. Tinulungan siya nitong alalayan si Celine hanggang sa kotse niya.

"Baka magsuka 'yan. Pasensya na in advance," sabi nito pagkalagay ng seatbelt kay Celine sa passenger's seat.

"Okay lang."

Lumapit si Janelle sa kanya at suminghot.

"Nanigarilyo ka ba? Kanina ko pa kasi naaamoy."

"Isa lang," he admitted.

Umiling-iling ito. "Ayaw nya nang naninigarilyo," sabi nito sa kanya.

"I'll remember that," sabi niya na may kasamang tango. "Sure kang hindi ka magpapahatid?"

"Hindi na. Susunduin ako ni Marlon." Inilagay nito ang paper bag sa backseat. "Tawagan mo 'ko kapag naihatid mo na sya ha."

"Okay. Thanks, Janelle."

"Ja na lang," nakangiti nitong sabi. She glanced at Celine then back at him. "Huwag mong susukuan, ha? Gusto kita... para sa kanya."

He smiled back. Buti pa ito, may kumpyansa sa kanya. Siya kasi, nalilito na kung ano ba ang dapat maramdaman.

"It doesn't matter," he replied. "Iba naman ang gusto nya. But thanks."