Chapter Two

Serious

"You already thought that I was probably attracted to you. And you're letting me... Does this mean you're willing to give me a chance?"

"Well, you've caught my interest too," she said.

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa kaniya. At sa huli ay napangiti na lang ako.

I was probably her type too. Kaya naman hinahayaan niya akong mapalapit sa kaniya. Then I'd like to thank my parents' genes for that.

"Sige na. Magkita na lang tayo mamaya. Kailangan ko nang puntahan ang mga estudyante ko ngayon na naghihintay sa akin."

Then I nodded to her. I watched her leave before I went back inside my car and started driving away from the school where she works.

At wala pa naman akong gagawin kaya pinuntahan ko na muna uli ang kapatid ko. My sister lives here in Manila, while my older brother and his family are in Masbate. Kaya hindi ko pa siya agad mapupuntahan. Napag-usapan na nga namin ni Ate Aletheia nang bumalik ako sa bahay nila kasama ng asawa niya at mga anak.

"Akhlas! You're back!"

I smiled a bit at my sister. "I have nothing to do now. Mamaya pa ako may gagawin," I said, referring to picking up Isabeli later.

"That's good. You don't seem so busy now."

"Yeah. I left some of my work to Kuya Alejandro."

"Oh, you did? He's still working so hard, huh. Kailan na ba mag-aasawa si kuya? May nakekwento na ba siya sa'yo kung may girlfriend siya ngayon?"

I shook my head. "No. Mom and Dad can't help but pressure him sometimes too," I said.

Ate Aletheia sighed a bit. "Hmm. Kung wala rin si Kuya Alejandro, ay walang makakatulong kay Daddy sa business niya..."

I nodded at what my sister said. She used to work and help our dad before with his businesses. Pero nagpunta siya rito ng Pilipinas at nakapag-asawa na, so she stays here now. At totoo nga na si Kuya Alejandro na lang ang tumutulong ngayon sa negosyo ni Daddy. Kuya Adam also has his life and family now in Masbate, habang ako ay may sariling negosyo.

"Anyway, until when will you be staying here? Hindi mo pa pinupuntahan ang Kuya Adam mo sa Masbate?"

"Uh, yeah. About that, of course I'd visit him too before going back to Germany." Hindi ko rin alam ngayon kung kailan nga ba ako babalik doon dahil may inaasikaso na ako ngayon dito sa Pilipinas—si Isabeli.

"All right. Do that. I'll get you some snacks first. Your niece is still at school, while your brother-in-law is at the hospital, and your nephew is sleeping."

I just nodded.

My sister and I had some snacks and talked just like the old times. Nakakatuwa rin pala na makausap ko siya uli nang ganito katagal.

"You're still staying at the hotel?"

I nodded.

She sighed. "Ayos ka lang ba doon sa hotel mo? I already told you that you can stay here, Akhlas. Malaki naman itong bahay at may guest room din."

"It's okay. I don't want to bother you and your family."

Umiling siya sa sinabi ko. "You're not a bother, Akhlas. But if you're more comfortable in the hotel, then it's okay. Just take care of yourself, okay? At puntahan o tawagan mo agad ako if you need anything."

I nodded at her.

Then we heard the nanny's footsteps and the baby's small cries as they appeared in the living room.

"Nagising na po sa nap niya, Ma'am."

"It's all right, Yaya. Ako na ang bahala." Kinuha ni Ate Aletheia ang anak niya mula sa nanny.

"Theio, your Uncle Akhlas is here again today."

I smiled at my nephew when he turned to look at me. My sister's children look more like her. I think it's the Rozovsky blood that's strong. The two kids carry their dad's surname, pero mas mukha pa rin silang Rozovsky.

I spent some time with my sister and nephew before I said my goodbyes, saying I needed to leave. Oras na rin kasi para sunduin ko na ulit si Isabeli. Ilang oras din pala ako sa bahay ni Ate.

Pagkatapos kong manggaling sa kapatid ko, binalikan ko naman si Isabeli para sunduin.

Mukhang natigilan pa siya nang paglabas niya sa gate ng school nila at nakita niya akong nandoon, nakatayo at nakasandal bahagya sa pintuan ng sasakyan ko. Nakahalukipkip din ako at may suot na dark sunglasses habang hinihintay ko siya sa labas ng eskwelahan.

Nakita ko na napangiti siya nang makita na niya ang sundo niya—ako. Ngumiti rin ako at tumayo nang tuwid nang makita ko siyang lumapit na sa akin.

"Hi."

"Hi..." she greeted me back.

I opened the door of my car and let her inside. Then I drove us back to their house.

"Do you like being a teacher and teaching children at school?" I asked her while driving.

"Well, yes. I learned to like teaching because of my mother. She was also a teacher and she inspired me."

I nodded and smiled. Tapos sinulyapan ko siya na nasa shotgun seat ng kotse ko. "That's nice."

"And your mom calls you Isabel... Can I call you that too? Or can I call you... Elie, instead?" I finally asked her.

Hininto ko na rin ang sasakyan sa labas ng bahay nila. We have arrived.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at mukhang natigilan din siya sandali, pero sinagot niya rin ako ng pagtango. I smiled dahil pumayag siya sa nickname na gusto kong itawag sa kaniya. Elie's a beautiful woman, but at the same time, she's also very cute sometimes.

Pagkatapos ay lumabas na rin kami ng sasakyan ko. I greeted her mom again.

"Marami na ang sumubok na manligaw sa anak ko dati pa, Akhlas. Pero nag-aalala pa nga ako sa kaniya noon dahil mukhang hindi siya interesado sa pakikipagrelasyon. Kaya naman masaya ako ngayon na mukhang may nagugustuhan na siya." Isabeli's mom looked happy as she smiled while talking to me.

Nagsabi na kasi agad ako sa mama niya na liligawan ko ang anak niya. Sinaway pa nga ako ni Elie kanina, pero nasabi ko na sa mama niya. Medyo masama na lang niyang tiningnan ako.

"Ma," tawag naman niya ngayon sa mom niya habang kinakausap ako nito.

"Bakit, anak? Totoo naman na marami na rin talaga ang nanligaw sa'yo noon." Bumaling ng ngiti ang mama niya kay Elie.

Then Elie just sighed. While I was also just smiling at both of them.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she already had suitors before. Like I said, she's really a beauty. So it's not surprising that many other men expressed their interest in her. And it was only a good thing that she didn't engage herself with any of her past suitors. And now we've met, and I'm the only one she's allowed to be with.

"Ang dami n'yo na pong kinikuwento kay Akhlas, Ma."

Her mom chuckled. "Sige na nga at pupunta na muna ako sa kusina para magluto ng hapunan natin. Akhlas, dito ka na kumain, hijo."

"Oh. Thank you, po."

After that, I was left alone again with Elie in their living room.

"Your mom is really such a nice person. She didn't even question that we just met..."

Elie sighed. "Sinabi ko na sa'yo, may tiwala lang talaga sa akin si Mama..."

"Don't worry, I will not break yours and your mom's trust." I said this to her like a promise.

Maaring ngayon nga lang kami nagkakilala ni Elie. But when I say I'm serious about something, then I am.

Isabeli Flores had caught my attention. At kapag naging interesado at seryoso na ako sa isang bagay, alam ko na hindi lang ito temporary. Since it's also not easy to get my attention. Not any girl can do that, but only Elie.

Nakatingin lang siya sa akin at unti-unti lang tumango.

"Tutulungan ko lang si Mama sa kusina," she said.

And I nodded at her.

But when she was already in the kitchen, I could hear her mother telling her to just get back here. "Ano ka ba? Samahan mo na muna ang bisita mo roon sa sala natin. Nakakahiya kay Akhlas na iniwan mo lang siya doon at baka ma-bored siya. Kaya ko na ang pagluluto rito sa kusina."

Pagkatapos ay lumabas muli si Elie mula sa kanilang kusina. I smiled at her.

"Hindi kailangan ni Mama ng tulong." She sighed.

And I just smiled at her.

And so we spent some time alone in their living room while her mom prepared dinner for us. I had dinner with Elie and her mom, and every time after that, I always had warm meals with them.