"You have gotta be kidding me."

        Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Slade nang makita ang iba't ibang potahe na nakahanda sa malapad na mesa. Kambal nga talaga sila ni Silver. Ganitong-ganito rin kasi ang reaksyon ni Elemento nang dalhin ko siya rito at nakasalo namin siya sa Sunday Lunch date namin ni Lolo. 

      "Gramps isn't kidding around. You got yourself in this mess so you gotta eat your way out. He doesn't like it when we waste good food," pabulong kong sambit sa kanya lalo't nasa likuran lang namin si Lolo at namimili ng non-alcoholic cider mula sa cabinet niya.

       Napalunok si Slade at nagpigil ng ngiwi. Tinulak ko na lang siya patungo sa upuan niya.

      "Ikaw po ba ang nagluho nito lahat, Attorney?" tanong ni Slade. 

      "Oo. Nagluto ako kaninang umaga bago ako nag-bike sa labas. Alam kong darating 'tong si Reika eh. Kung alam kong may bisita siya edi sana mas dinamihan ko pa," aniya kaya kapwa kami nagkatinginan ni Slade. Nakita ko ang gimbal sa mukha niya.

        Natawa si Lolo at naupo sa unahang bahagi ng mesa,  gaya ng dati. Nakapili na rin siya ng isang bote ng non-alcoholic cider at walang kahirap-hirap niyang natanggal ang cork nito.

       "Damn your strong," Manghang sambit ni Slade kaya kapwa kami natawa ni Lolo. 

       "Young Man, don't be fooled by my wrinkles and white hair." Natatawang sambit ni Lolo. 

        "Duly noted sir," Slade nodded while jokingly showing a defeated look on his face.

        I thought Grandpa would be all Shady towards Slade since he's in a band but he was surprisingly enthusiastic. They actually got to talk about lots of stuff. Matanong din naman kasi si Slade and Grandpa likes to show off kaya todo kwento ito ng kung ano-ano tungkol sa past achievements niya.

        "So, how's your week Reika?" tanong bigla ni Lolo sa akin.

         How's my week? Hmmm... I was busy plotting and terrorizing Slade's destruction but here we are now, having lunch with him.

        "Awesome!" I smiled and nodded. "Magno and his friends are still hunting girls at clubs again." Pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

         Humalakhak si Lolo. "Those boys.. When will they learn."

         "Don't get your hopes up Gramps. I mean look at my Dad," biro ko pero hindi tumawa si Lolo. He actually didn't react. He just resumed eating. May mali ba sa sinabi ko? Eh totoo naman ah? My Dad is an asshole.

         Tumingin ako kay Slade, wala rin itong kibo habang kumakain.

         Ano bang mali sa sinabi ko? 

         Tumingin si Lolo kay Slade. "Young man, if you're  planning to date my Granddaughter, quit that band of yours."

          Halos mabuga ko ang kinakain ko dahil sa sobrang gulat. Kahit si Slade ay nasamid din.

          I swallowed hard and laughed. "Matakot ka nga sa sinasabi mo, Gramps."

          "We're just friends, Attorney," Slade laughed as well. 

          "Word!" I smirked in agreement.  

          "Reika's in love with someone else."

          Agad naglaho an ngisi sa mukha ko at agad akong napatingin kay Slade. If my eyes could only shoot lasers, he'd be a roasted devil right now!

          Naglaho rin ang ngiti sa mukha ni Slade nang mapagtanto ang kamalian niya. "I wasn't supposed to say that right?"

          Mariin akong pumikit saka umiling.

           "You're in love with someone?!" Grandpa beamed in delight. I looked at him and I actually saw excitement in his face. Oh God.

           "No, Gramps." I quickly dismissed as I forced myself to laugh. "Slade is just kidding around. Right Slade?" Pabiro kong pinalo ang likod ni Slade pero nilakasan ko iyon dahilan para bahagya siyang mapa-abante patungo sa mesa.

           "Y-yeah! Joke lang!" Bawi ni Slade habang iniinda ang sakit ng palo ko. 

             "Well then--" Natigil sa pagsasalita si Gramps nang tumunog ang cellphone niya. I couldn't help but sigh in relief the moment he stood up to answer the call.

            I looked at Slade's direction and glared at him again.

            He raised a peace sign and smiled sheepishly.

           "Just help me eat all of these so my grandpa wouldn't be disappointed." I rolled my eyes and pointed the rest of the food laid out of the table.

          "Rei, andami niyan. Busog na busog na ako," pabulong niyang reklamo.

         "Well sorry ka, this is what happens when you have lunch with Gramps. Kahit si Silver, napilitan ding ubusin ang ganito karaming pagkain nang dinala ko siya rito! You should've said no to him, now help me finish all of these." I rolled my eyes.

        "Naubos ni Silver ang ganito karaming pagkain?" Hindi makapaniwala si Slade.

****

       "Shit, masusuka na ata ako," reklamo ni Slade habang nasa loob kami ng sasakyan at paalis na sa subdivision. Inabot kami ng alas dos dahil sa haba ng kwentuhan nina Gramps at Slade. Sinadya ring pahabain ni Slade ang usapan para maubos niya ang mga pagkaing nakahain sa mesa. 

        "Stop being such a whiny baby." I rolled my eyes.

        "How can you manage to eat all that?!" Bulalas naman niya.

        "Got used to it I guess?" I shrugged. "Don't worry, if it makes you feel any better, Silver threw up the first time she went here. My cousin's friends too."

          "Ang laki ng bahay ni Attorney, bakit parang mag-isa lang siya doon?" tanong pa niya.

          "Gramps got lots of helpers kaso pinapauwi niya every sunday for family day. Minsan lang din naman kasi si Gramps diyan. He's traveling most of the time with his buddies, they have this crazy bucket list. Minsan lang kami nagkikita kaya bumabawi siya ng todo sa pamamagitan ng pagluluto para sa akin," I explained.

          "What about your Grandma? Is she...uhm..." Slade couldn't even finish his question.

          "Heart attack five years ago. God bless her beautiful soul." I smiled. "Gramps was never the same after she passed. Sucks when two people find true love in each other, but then death decides to rip them apart." I shook my head in disappointment. 

          "S-sorry..." he said.

           "Nga pala, diba may lakad ka? Ano nang nangyari dun?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

            "They're just rehearsing as usual. And Rei-rei, this guy needs no rehearsing." Slade smirked as he glanced at me kaya natawa na lang ako. Yabang!

         "Just drop me off at the mall," sabi ko na lang.

         "May date ka no?" Panunukso niya.

         "If it's with Riley Bognacia, I wish," biro ko.

          "Riley Bognacia? Are you serious? 'Yan talaga apelyido niya?" Humagalpak siya bigla sa katatawa. Mabuti na lang at nakatuon parin naman ang tingin niya sa kalsada.

          "Why? What's wrong?" My eyes turned into slits as my knuckles turned into fists. 

          Tumawa siya nang tumawa. "You don't get it?"

          "Don't get what?" tanong ko.

         "Damn, woman blinded with love." Manghang sambit ni Slade at umiling-iling pa.  "By the way we're playing tonight at Rosepike's Pep Rally at the beach. Want to hang?"

          "Nah, I'll pass," I was quick to answer.

          "Riley could be there," he said.

          "It's a Rosepike Pep Rally. Why would he be there?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

          "May 6th sense yata ako!" Pagyayabang pa ni Slade sabay ngisi. 

           "Dude, wala kang 6th sense, may sa demonyo ka!" Pabiro ko namang pagtataray. 

          "Okay, but if Riley shows up in the party tonight, you'll owe me one," he said in full confidence as he glanced at me with a grin. There goes his devious eyes again.

           "Are you trying to wage a bet with me?" I gasped sarcastically. "Okay! Let's have a bet then!"

            "Condition?" He asked. Well it was more like he was challenging me.

            "I get to slap you or you get to slap me!" I laid out the first idea that popped in my mind.

           "Oh come on! I can't slap you! I'd go to jail for that!" Reklamo niya. Ugh. Such a whiny baby!

           "Okay fine! Whatever!" I rolled my eyes as I tried to come up with a condition. I flailed my hands when an idea crossed my mind. "How about a dare? Bawal humindi."

           "Make it 2 dares!" aniya.

           "3!" Hindi ako nagpatalo.

            "Okay, three dares on whoever loses," Slade announced with a tone of finality. 

END OF CHAPTER 13

Note: Sorry for the short update. Something came up so had to cut it here hahaha

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