HULING SANDALI (SEQUEL)

06

Family

Chapter 06

9:05am Philippines // 9:05pm - Canada

I was staring at my phone waiting for Aden to call. It's weekend there and he promised me that he'd call me to catch up. Kahapon kasi ay di ko nakaya siyang kausapin. I can't let him see me crying tho.

My phone rang...

A.R calling

"Hi bub!"

(BUB! I MISSED YOU! GUESS WHAT?)

"Hmm? What?"

(CLASSMATE KAMI NI BIANCA. INASAR PA KO.)

I giggled, "Nag chat nga siya. Kanina ka pa bwiset noh?"

(Sinabi mo pa. Ay by the way bub, diba dating mo na next week?) He never forgets ha..

"Yes, bub. Why? Busy ka ba non?"

(Nope naman. Naka cancel na po ang mga lakad ko sa araw na yon noh.)

"Ah di ka naman excited?"

(HMPPPP-)

I asked him about their summer vacation sa tagaytay. Aden's grandparents lives there kaya naman ay meron silang natutuluyan don. Swerte nga ihh. Tagaytay yon ah.

(Alam mo bang naikwento kita kanila Lolo at Lola? At tinatanong ka nila sakin.) He suddenly told me and I blushed.

(Natahimik ka, kinikilig ka?) He asked. And I bit my lip. 

Secretly, I nodded. And maybe he noticed that I ain't answering. Kaya naman ay narinig ko ang tawa nito.

(Bub, seriously nandito ka nung birthday ko.) 

"I know, bub. Pero nung nagpunta ako sa inyo hindi naman nia alam na ano eh."

(Na ano? Na nanliligaw ako o may gusto ako sayo? Which one my shy bub?) 

"Aden naman eh!" Suway ko dito. Tumawa lang siya at sinabing,

(Believe me, even if I don't tell them, they already knew.)

Pero nakakahiya pa din. 

"Why are they looking for me?" I suddenly asked.

"First, they like you and whenever they see me they think about you too. Second, walang dumadaldal sa kanila bukod sakin. Third, mukha daw akong aligaga sa phone ko." Paliwanag nito. I went to my bed and lay down. 

"Ayan kasi puro ka cellphone!" Suway ko ulit. 

"Eh kung ikaw naman ang inaantay ko bakit hindi ako tututok sa phone ko? Atsaka bub di ako puro cellphone noh. Nung natutulog ka, dinaldal ko sila ng dinaldal kaya todo hanap sayo." Depensa naman nito. Umiling naman ako at bumaling sa kabilang side ng kama ko.

"Oo na." Nakangiti kong sabi.

"They see you as a family now. Mas gusto ka na atang apo." Naiimagine kong naka pout ito kaya naman ay mahina akong tumawa.

"Silly. You are still the spoiled grandson." I jokingly teased him.

"Bub!" Suway niya. 

Bahagya kong narinig ang boses ng Mama ni Aden. She was too thrilled to hear from Aden na we are talking kaya naman ay pinipilit nito si Aden na ibigay ang phone at ipakausap ako sa kanya. Tita Maricel and I are close. I have met her many times before lalo na kapag pasaway si Aden at madalas na napapaaway.

(Ma, naman. Next week ka na please.) 

(Ah basta pakiusap)

"Aden, let me talk to Tita Ems." I told him. I heard him sighed at alam kong hindi niya kaya makipagtalo sakin. Madamot talaga to minsan eh.

"Ayana!" I heard she slightly shouted my name. I can hear Aden's voice fading means Tita go farther away from him.

I greeted her back, "Hi Tita Ems!"

"Kumusta ka na?"

"Eto tita, nagaasikaso na po para next week."

Nag-usap pa kami ni Tita tungkol sa pinaplano niyang coffee shop. I told her na it's good! It's a brilliant idea since yung mga kabataan nowadays lalo na yung mga same age namin mahilig magsitambay sa mga cafe or such for group projects. Yung iba nga tumatambay lang for instagram feed, which for me mababaw, pero for business kita din yon and free promotion.

Mukhang napatagal ata ang usap namin dahil naririnig ko na ang boses ni Aden.

(Mom, mag-uusap naman kayo next week. Ako naman po ulit.)

(Oh eto na apaka seloso mo.) I heard Tita Ems laugh kaya natawa rin ako.

"Oh paano, Ayana? Next week na lang ah? If ever na hindi ka komportable sa bahay niyo, you could stay with us. You are a family now so don't feel shy ha." She reminded me and I got shy with it. Buti na lamang ay binigay niya iyon kay Aden.

"Family, huh? Kilig?" He teased me and he keep on reminding me that word until I told that I was too sleepy na.

I'll see you my Aden. For now, in my dreams muna. Kasi abot langit ata ang saya ko pagdating sayo.

~ imiddlemistred