"Hurry up, Dani! Samahan mo ako!" hila sa'kin ni Emerald.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa inaakto ng pinsan ko. Ano na naman ba ang naiisip niyang gawin?

"Where are you taking me?" I asked curiously. I could see her getting impatient with the way I walked. Hindi kasi ako nagpapatianod sa kanya kaya pahirapan pa ang paghakbang namin palabas ng gate ng school.

Several students looked in our direction and tried to hide their laughter. A scene like this is getting ordinary when the last period in the afternoon ends.

She knotted her forehead. "Tell Manong Roy that we're buying materials for our project. He will wait for you."

My driver wouldn't believe us anymore. Pero mabait naman si Manong Roy kaya alam kong hindi siya magsusumbong kay Papa kapag nahuhuli ako sa pag-uwi.

I groaned. "There is no project! Our graduation will be next week. We've been preparing for it this whole week."

"Kaya nga front lang iyon. Sige na. Samahan mo na ako," pamimilit nito.

"Saan nga?" naiinis kong sabi.

She did not respond. I texted Manong Roy to wait for another hour because I could feel that another stalking session will take longer than usual. Nang nakaraan kasi kung saan-saan kami nakasuot. We even witnessed something we're not supposed to see.

Mayamaya ay nasa isang bookstore na kami sa isang mall. I feel relieved that we're in a safe place somehow.

"Ba't ang gwapo niya?"

Napailing nalang ako. I have heard the same line repeatedly from Emerald, and I often wonder when it would stop.

I looked at Joaquin Juarez. Except for his expressive eyes, there was nothing special with him. I'd like to tell Emerald about it but clearly, she was immensely smitten.

Humalukiphip ako. "Emerald Garcia, why are we following an old man again? Don't tell me in love kana sa taong 'yan?"

Isang linggo na yata naming ginagawa ito. Malapit nalang at malalaman na ni Kuya Joaquin na may sumusunod sa kanya. Anyone can sense being followed strangely.

"He's not an old man! He was born on August 5, 1982. So, he's turning 32 this year. At, oo, in love ako. Kaya ireto mo na ko sa kanya," sabi nito at mukhang nanggigil sa sobrang kilig.

"Nagawa mo pang bilangin. You must have a lot of extra time for that. Pero project mo hindi mo magawa." I couldn't hide my sarcasm. I needed to say to her so she would know that we're only wasting our time and energy on a man who's really into his hotel business.

"At anong reto ang pinagsasabi mo? We couldn't even show our faces to him!" I added, hoping that she will give up soon.

"Diba, kakilala mo naman siya? You told me, inaanak siya ni Tito Luis. Kinakapatid mo 'yon, eh," sabi niya na parang dapat kong igalak ang bagay na iyon.

"Oo. But we're not close as you think," tanggi ko.

I don't want to give Emerald any false hope. Kuya Joaquin is already engaged to his longtime girlfriend.

"Pero feeling mo ba may chance kaming dalawa?"

I rolled my eyeballs. I didn't know that Emerald could be this persistent. May mga bagay talagang hindi na dapat pinipilit. People should know when to give up when the situation calls for it. But Emerald doesn't know when.

"I told you, he's engaged!" mariing sabi ko.

"Engaged pa lang naman! Hindi pa kasal. Ibig sabihin, may pag-asa pa ako," she reasoned out. She looked at me seriously and slowly bit her lower lip.

Sandali akong tumitig kay Kuya Joaquin bago nilipat ang tingin kay Emerald. "Stop this nonsense! Mawawala din ang kahibangan mong 'yan pagdating ng araw."

"At ang araw na iyon ay ang araw ng kasal namin," sabi pa nito na sinabayan pa ng halakhak.

Napahilamos ako ng mukha. Sa aming dalawa, nasisiguro kong ako ang mas mature mag-isip. Pero ang bata ko pa para mangunsumisyon sa pinsan ko! She wouldn't listen. She believes that there's always a way to achieve something.

Mabilis kaming nagtago nang makitang sinusuyod ni Kuya Joaquin ang mga mata na tila may hinahanap. Hindi naging pantay ang paghinga ko dahil sa takot na mabuko. Ano nalang ang iisipin nito kapag nalamang nakabuntot kami sa kanya? ...at kasali ako?

"Umalis na tayo!" hikayat ko.

Hindi ako pinansin ni Emerald. She was eyeing him from that small hole on the shelf of books. Umikot siya at sumandal sa shelf sabay lapat sa dibdib ng isang palad. Nakita kong namula ang pisngi niya.

"I t-think h-he s-saw me, Dani!" she said in a trembling voice. Naririnig ko ang marahas niyang paghinga na tila pinangangapusan ng hangin.

"Okay lang 'yan. Hindi ka naman niya kilala, eh," balewalang-sabi ko at tinaasan siya ng kilay ngunit mariin siyang umiling na parang hindi naniniwala.

I'm getting confused about the way she deals with this matter. She keeps a list of her crushes at school both from the high school and college departments. But seeing her like this now made me think that her feelings for Kuya Joaquin were just way over the moon. Her reaction after nearly getting caught by him was indescribable.

"Hi, girls!" Mula sa aisle ay lumitaw ang bulto ng lalake. Napaatras ako. Diretso itong nakatingin sa akin na hindi naman kakitaan ng pagtataka o pagkagulat.

We're caught in the act!

"Hi, Kuya!" bati din ni Emerald sa kanya. Kalmante ang boses niya pero ang mukha ay nagkulay-kamatis na.

Akala ko ba gusto niya ito, bakit siya nakiki-Kuya?

At gusto kong matawa sa ideya na na- "brother zone" si Kuya Joaquin, which is not the case. Emerald should know her place in the world. There's no way she would get him in this lifetime. I'll bet on that.

I pretended looking for a book from the shelf and grabbed one to read. I flipped the book and mouthed the words written on the back cover.

He wouldn't think we're following him, would he? Students normally go to book stores to buy things related to school.

"Dani, are you not going to say 'hi' to me?" Kuya Joaquin asked. He sounded like teasing me for completely ignoring him since he knew that I was aware of his presence. "Your friend just greeted me."

I smiled sheepishly at him. Kumunot ang noo nito at nagmukha siyang matanda. I don't understand why Emerald finds her so handsome when I can only think of him as an old man.

I glanced at Emerald staring at him. Her mouth parted open as she feasted her eyes on his stance. Parang nakakita ito ng higante na imbes na katakutan ay sabik na inaabangan.

"Are you buying things for school?" ani Kuya Joaquin at nagpalit-lipat ng tingin sa aming dalawa.

"No. We're following you, actually," I honestly said. Kinurot ako ni Emerald sa tagiliran na bahagyang nagpaigtad sa akin.

Ngumiti ito. "You always fail at making jokes, Dani," he said and then smirked. "I think I saw your father around here," balita nito.

"What?" I exclaimed.

I can't tell if it was meant to frighten me or warn me.

Sa sinabi niya ay napataranta ako. Hindi naman sa strikto si Papa but I don't want him to see me here inside the mall. I made a promise to him that I should be home right after school to study. The only way he would allow me to own a car is to show him that I'm making progress with my grades. But I don't think he was satisfied with my grades for this school year.

So, the only way to convince him now is to show him that I'm still dedicated to studying even graduation is just around the corner.

Kaya't hangga't maaga pa ay dapat ko nang lisanin ang lugar na ito. I don't want him to think that I've been spending my precious time loitering and hanging out.

"Maybe he left already. Kanina pa naman 'yon," dagdag nito. Humawak ang kanyang kamay sa suot na tie at saka tinagilid ang ulo.

"Bye, Kuya Joaquin." I waved my hand at him, smiling, and pulled Emerald's hand. "Emerald, we should get going."

"Bye, Kuya," Emerald said in a tiny voice. I had to pull her hand with force so we could leave already.

Hindi na ako nag-abala pa na tingnan ang reaksyon ni Kuya Joaquin.

Lumabas kaming dalawa ni Emerald ng book store habang hinihila pa rin ang kamay niya at sumakay ng escalator para marating ang parking lot ng mall kung saan naghihintay ang mga sundo namin.

Madali naming narating ang first floor at kahit kinakabahan ay nagawa ko pa ring ngitian si Emerald nang lingunin ko. Pero hindi siya gumanti ng ngiti sa'kin. Sandali kaming huminto sa paglalakad. Nasisiguro kong tulala siya at naglalakbay ang isip niya sa ibang dimension.

Kailangan na niyang bumalik sa realidad kaya't pinandilatan ko siyang nang husto. Walang epekto iyon kaya't kinurot ko siya sa tagiliran dahilan para mapahiyaw siya.

"Ano ba?" angil niya.

"I know that you're mindlessly walking with me. But will you please focus for once? Kailangan na nating makauwi," paalala ko sa kanya.

"Bakit ka kasi nagmamadali? It's not like we still have homework to do. We no longer need to stay up all night doing that. Remember, graduation na natin! We just keep coming back to school for practice." Nararamdaman ko ang inis sa boses niya. At parang bata na nagdadabog na sumabay ng paglakad sa akin.

"You're lucky you didn't have to prove anything to be sent to your dream school," I uttered.

"Nandito lang naman ang dream school ko sa Pilipinas kaya walang problema kina Mommy at Daddy. Why do you want to study outside the country so much? Tito Luis will surely send you there, kaya bakit ka pa nagkakandarapa diyan?"

Umiling ako. "Papa is not strict, Emmie. But I need to show him that I deserve a nice school. I failed on that one. I have long accepted that I'm no longer going out of the country to study."

"So, why the extreme rush to go home? You should enjoy these things while we're at it. Tandaan mo Dani, minsan lang tayo maging teenager," she replied. Her voice was dripping with bitterness.

"What's fun in following a guy around?" I sarcastically said. Ito ba ang buhay-teenager na sinasabi niya?

"It's not all about that, Dani. You know what I mean. Bakit mo ba pinipressure ang sarili mo? You're rich so you should not worry about anything else. You should stop sweating about anything that money can easily solve. "

Hindi ko maamin kay Emerald na ginagawa ko ito para mabigyan ng sasakyan. If I have my own car, that means everything. I don't know why it feels so liberating to be able to drive a car and go to anywhere I want. Ang sarap mag-imagine pero sana hindi lang hanggang imagination ang pagkakaroon ko ng kotse.

Kung nandito lang sana si Mama, she could have easily bought it for me.

"Emmie, before you say anything, you should worry about your own thing first. Okay? I'm having fun studying," I said, trying to sound optimistic.

"Ouch," nagdrama itong nasasaktan. "Pinagmumukha mo akong tamad sa pag-aaral. I don't see it fun at all. Pumapasok nalang yata ako sa school dahil sa mga crush ko." Bahagya itong tumawa.

"And since you met Kuya Joaquin, excited kana laging lumabas ng school. You must sort out your feelings for him, it will be really painful," naka-iling na wika ko.

I heard her sigh. "I think I have found my purpose." She slightly bowed her head.

"Huh?"

"To be a wife of Joaquin Juarez," seryosong sabi nito sabay angat ng tingin sa akin.

"You're insane!" I replied as I shook my head repeatedly.

"Is that Tito Luis?" Ngumuso ito sa clothing boutique for women sa bandang kaliwa namin.

Napadako ang tingin ko doon at kasabay no'n ang pag-alpas ng munting kaba sa dibdib ko.

It was really Papa, together with a woman.

"Should we surprise him? I think he's buying clothes for you," she added.

"I think not." Hindi narinig ni Emerald ang sinabi ko. Siya na ngayon ang humihila sa'kin patungo sa direksyon ni Papa.

"Hi, Tito Luis!" magalang na bati ni Emerald nang tuluyan na kaming nakalapit sa kanya.

Papa turned around and looked surprised to see us. The woman beside him looked bewildered when her eyes drifted to me. Hindi naitago ng kanyang blush ang pagkawala ng kulay ng kanyang pisngi.

I looked at Papa and next to their hands holding each other. My lips parted and I stepped back. I never though this time would come and seeing it in my own eyes in a very unexpected moment feels so overwhelming.

Napalunok ako ng ilang beses bago ako nagkaroon ng lakas na magsalita. "P-Papa, I didn't expect to see you here."

"A-Ako rin." Papa sighed before staring at the woman affectionately. "By the way, Emmie, Dani, she's Vivian, my fiancée."

Napaawang ang bibig ko. I can see that she's beautiful and sophisticated. Parang magkaedad rin sila ni Papa. You wouldn't mistake them as less than as a couple. Those stares, the hands holding together speak for themselves.

Vivian held out her hand to Emerald and smiled. "Nice meeting you, Emmie."

Bahagyang yumuko si Emerald at tinanggap ang kamay nito.

Then, Vivian looked at me. "Hello, Dani," she gently said as she offered her hand for a handshake.

I plastered a smile and held my head high a little. Tinanggap ko ang kamay niya. Her hand feels soft and warm.

"Pa, Ma, I think I like this one," anang boses ng babae mula sa aming likuran.

Napalingon kaming dalawa ni Emmie.

A girl our age is holding dresses. She handed the other one to the female staff.

"Oh. So, after taking all considerations, you've finally decided on what to buy," sabi ni Vivian, nakangiti. Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa. They have so much resemblance to not make you think twice they're mother and daughter.

"Yes, Mama. I hope Papa won't mind. This one is a bit pricey. Nahihiya po ako," she said in an apologetic tone. She has a very soft voice. Her eyes were brown and almond-shaped. Natural na wavy ang kanyang copper brown na buhok.

And...wait. What? Did she just call my father Papa? That fast?

"Oh. Don't be." Papa laughed a little. "It's all right, Sari."

She smiled as she looked at Emerald and then at me.

"Emmie, Dani," Papa called us that made us turn to him. "She's Sariah."

"Sari, she's my daughter, Dani." I felt Papa's hand on my shoulder. "And...from now on, treat each other as sisters."

A/N

Isa na namang kwento ang hindi matatapos. 🤣