10

 "No wonder I ghosted you. You're ugly inside and out." Agad naman lumapit si Sky sa akin at hinatak niya ang kamay ko. He sat on my chair and he pulled me towards him which made me sit on his lap. Halos mamula ang buong mukha ko dahil sa posisyon namin! Madaming nakatingin sa amin! I was about to stand up when he wrapped his arm around my waist. I heard Stephanie giggled at agad naman siya umupo sa upuan niya, which is in front of me. Nate shook his head while smirking and sat down on his chair too. The others did the same. Only Avery and Anika were the ones who are left standing on the side.

"C-can you sit there nalang? They are all looking at us. I'm uncomfortable," I whispered. He groaned pero tumayo din naman siya at lumipat sa bakanteng upuan pero lumapit siya sa tabi ko. 

I looked at Avery and Anika. "Anong ginagawa ninyo?" I coldly ask. "Umupo na kayo hindi pa tapos ang meeting natin."

They looked at me. Tinulungan ni Anika si Avery na tumayo at umupo na din sila sa sarili nilang upuan. "Let's continue where we left off," panimula ko. We continued our meeting. Mabuti nalang at naayos na din namin ang mga dapat ayusin para sa UAAP season. We have 3 weeks left to prepare for the event. 

We wrapped everything up at nag ayos na din kami ng mga gamit namin bago kami umuwi. "I'll just send a message sa group chat for our next meeting. Please do your assigned tasks everyone. If there are any problems please messaged me as soon as possible. That is all for today. You may go."

"Al, I have to go na din," Stephanie pouted. I smiled at her and nodded. 

"Sure thing, ako na magsasara ng room. I'll see you tomorrow," niyakap niya ako kaya niyakap ko din siya balik. I double checked everything. Tinignan ko kung wala nang naka plug sa mga saksakan. After checking everything ay lumabas na din ako ng council room. 

"Took you long enough."

I almost jumped when I heard someone talk behind me. Agad ko naman nilingon iyon at nakita ko si Sky naka tayo sa likod ko. "Akala ko umalis ka na? Sabay kayo ni Nate kanina hindi ba?" He just raised his eyebrow at me. 

"Nag-usap lang kami ni Nate sa labas. I came here with you malamang aalis ako na ikaw ang kasama ko," he said blankly. I blinked a couple of times at hinayaan ko nalang siya. He took my bag at sabay na kaming nag lakad pabalik sa mga sasakyan namin. 

It was a quiet walk. I didn't even dare say anything dahil na awkwardan ako sa mga nangyare kanina. We arrived at the parking space and I immediately opened my car after grabbing my bag. Pero bago pa ako maka pasok sa loob ng kotse ko ay agad niya ako hinarangan. 

"Mom wants you to come," he said which made me confused. He rolled his eyes at me. "We are having a family dinner sa bahay and she wants me to bring you there."

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. "Oh no! No! No! No! Sky ayaw ko," pilit na sabi ko sa kanya. Pero hindi niya ako pinansin at tinulak ako papasok ng sasakyan ko. He fastened my seatbelt at agad naman siya naglakad papasok sa driver's seat. 

"Teka paano ang sasakyan mo?" I asked him.

"I'll ask one of my helpers to bring it home for me," bale wala na sabi niya at agad na pinaandar ang sasakyan ko. 

I was nervous the whole ride kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na dumaldal. "Teka nga kasi bakit ba kailangan nandoon ako? Hindi naman ako parte ng pamilya ninyo."

He smirked. "You're my fiancee, Soliel. We will be officially engaged in a few months. Magiging parte ka ng pamilya namin soon enough. What's the point of hiding you?"

We arrived at their house at halos kumawala na ang puso ko sa lakas ng tibok nito. I saw a lot of cars parked inside and seeing how expensive these cars are made me even more nervous than I already was. 

Sky got out of the car at pinagbuksan ako. I was about to go out then I remembered my outfit. "Is this a formal event?" Tanong ko sa kanya. He just chuckled. 

"Don't worry. Simple dinner lang. Kakabalik lang ng Grandparents ko from France so we decided to throw them a simple party." I sighed at lumabas na din ako ng sasakyan. "Mukha akong ewan. Look at my outfit! Halatang galing sa school." Pagmamaktol ko. Tinawanan niya lang ako. 

"It's because we did came from school, miss. Huwag ka mag-alala. I look plain as well."

I rolled my eyes. "Plain. Mukha ka ngang modelo," I whispered. 

"Well thank you," he smirked. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Narinig niya?! I rolled my eyes at him at hindi na nagsalita pa. 

Pagkapasok namin sa loob ay agad kami sinalubong ni Tita Heaven. "Gabriel hijo!" She hugged her son tight and I saw how her eyes twinkeld when she saw me beside Sky. "Alexis!I'm so happy you're here! Alam mo ba, I asked Gabriel kanina if he saw you sa school ninyo because I wanted to invite you. He told me magkasama daw kayo kaya sigurado siya na makakapunta ka sa party," Tita Heaven giggled. I looked at Sky and he just gave me a smirk. This guy! 

"A-ah yes po tita," I was speechless. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong sabihin. "I'm sorry po if I'm under dressed tita," I apologized but Tita Heaven chuckled.

"Of course not! You are not under dressed hijah. Ang mga bisita lang talaga ang overly dressed for this simple occasion," she chuckled lightly kaya medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ko kahit alam ko naman na ginawa niya lang iyon para hindi ako ma insecure. I smiled at her gently at agad naman ako dinala ni Sky sa table kung saan kami uupo. 

"Kuya Sky!" Agad na may sumalubong sa amin na babae. She looks like she's younger than me. 

"Tali," maikling sabi ni Sky. The girl looked at me. Tinignan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. I was a bit insecure with the way she was looking at me. Nginitian ko naman siya. She raised her eyebrow at me. 

"Who is she kuya?"

Sky wrapped his arm around my waist. "She's your Ate Alexis, my bride-to-be. Soliel, meet my cousin. Tali," pag-papakilala ni Sky sa amin. 

"I'm Athaliah Isabella Legrand, 2nd year legal management student. DLSU," simpleng sabi niya sa akin. I smiled and offered my hand for a handshake. 

"Nice to meet you, Athaliah. I'm Alexis. Legal Management student din from DLSU," I said. Her eyes twinkled at agad naman niya kinuha ang kamay ko. 

"OMG! I finally get to know you na! Alam mo ba ate na you are very sikat sa lower years!" She started. "I have a lot of blockmates na may crush sa'yo! I told kuya about it and he told me to get their names daw kasi-" 

Hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil bigla nalang tinakpan ni Sky ang bibig niya. "Okay that's enough chit chat. Let us sit first, Tali." Agad naman siya inirapan ni Athaliah.

"Ate you sit beside me ha!" Sabi naman ni Athaliah sa akin. I was about to sit right next to her when Sky pulled me close to him. 

"You sit next to me, Soliel. I'm your fiancée. Not her," he coldly said. Wala naman akong nagawa kundi tumango. We heard someone chuckle behind us kaya napatingin naman kami sa kung sino iyon. 

"Kuya Zeus!" 

"I haven't seen you this protective, Sky. It's my first time seeing you like this," the guy said with amused eyes. He looked at me and smiled so I smiled back. "Mukhang walang balak ang pinsan ko na ipakilala ako sa'yo kaya ako nalang ang gagawa. I'm Zeus. Sky's older cousin. Hindi na ako makikipag kamay sayo dahil baka hindi ako maka uwi ng buhay," he smirked at Sky. 

"Oh shut up," Sky groaned. Tumawa lamang si Zeus at umupo sa bakanteng upuan sa gilid ko. I was about to sit down when Sky sat first. Kumunot ang noo ko sa gulat. "You sit here between Tali and me." I was confused but Athaliah and Kuya Zeus bursted laughing. 

"Kuya Sky you were never like this before. Hindi ba Kuya Zeus? Kahit sa ex niya... wait sino nga ulit pangalan non?" 

"Tali," Zeus said and gestrured Athaliah to keep quiet. Mukhang natauhan naman ito at agad na humingi ng tawad sa akin. 

"Oh my! I'm sorry po ate! Hindi ko sinasadya!" I smiled at her and told her na walang problema sa akin. I don't know if alam nila na Sky and I are just arranged. Pero based on their reactions mukhang wala silang alam. 

A few minutes later ay nagsimula na din ang program. It only lasted for 10 minutes. Most of the people inside the house were standing and talking to each other. Ako lang ata ang naka upo dito. Kahit hindi ako makinig sa mga usapan ng mga tao sa paligid ko I sure know as hell that they are all talking about business. I looked around para hanapin si Sky and I saw him talking to some middle aged guy. He's probably in his mid 40's. 

Sky's eyes met mine and secretly gestured me to go to him. Tumayo naman ako at inayos ko ang sarili ko bago ako lumapit sa kanya. Bakit niya kaya ako pinapalapit? I was about to go to him when I saw a girl walking towards them. She was about my age siguro.  

Naglakad ako palapit sa kanila at habang palapit ako ay naririnig ko ang usapan nila. "This is my daughter hijoh. Kim meet Sky," sabi ng matandang lalaki. 

"Hello, Sky. I'm Kimmeleah but you can call me Kim," pagpapakilala ng babae. Halos tumaas ang kilay ko. Is she flirting with him?

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Roblez," Sky formally greeted. The old mad chuckled. 

"No need to be formal hijo. I have heard na your are still single kaya naman I wanted you to meet my daughter for you to get to know each other." 

Lumapit na ako sa kanila. "Babe," I said. I did not know what came into my mind when I said that. Agad naman na lumingon si Sky sa akin. He smiled at me at nilapitan ako. He wrapped his arm around my waist as I planted a kiss on his cheek. 

"I'm sorry Mr. Roblez but it looks like you got the wrong information about me. Let me introduce her. This is Soliel Alexis Del Valle, my fiancée," Sky said proudly. Nakita ko kung paano lumaki ang mga mata ng babae at umiwas agad ng tingin sa akin. The old man cleared his throat and apologized to us. Ngumiti naman kami ni Sky. 

"Del Valle? Are you Dominique's son?" Tanong niya sa akin. Tumango naman ako sa kanya. He looked confused. Tinanong naman siya ni Sky kung may problema. "Ah wala naman hijo. Pero I haven't heard of any Soliel Alexis being related to Dominique. Ang kilala ko lang na anak niya ay si Luna kaya I concluded na baka isa lang ang anak ni Dominique."

I felt a slight pain in my chest after hearing those words. Does that mean he never even mentioned my name in front of anyone? Sky noticed the change in my mood kaya naman ay agad siya nagpaalam sa matandang lalaki at bumalik na kami sa upuan namin. 

He made me sit on the chair and he kneeled in front of me. "Are you okay?" He asked, worriedly. Tumango naman ako at ngumiti sa kanya. 

"Yeah. I actually expected that to happen. P-pero I didn't think na totoo nga pala ang lahat ng hinala ko," I tried controlling my tears. Sky stood up and placed my head on his chest. He wrapped my arms around his waist so that I could hug him. 

"I'm here. I'm proud of you, Soliel. Kung hindi kaya ng ama mo na ipalandakan ka sa lahat, pwes ako kaya ko."