IT WAS simple. The crowd was close to twenty people and everyone was closed with each other. Everyone was roaming around, gathering to talk about serious matters and even laugh at each other. Some of them treated Tito Miguel's birthday as their reunion. These were their friends in school years and colleagues at work.
The event seemed so engaging which made me feel assured that Tita Dominique and my Mom organized this. Tita Seth wasn't present, as well as her family, because they resided abroad a long time ago. Tito Jaxer wanted to live in Italy because his parents grew up there also. When we were kids, they were actually here in the Philippines but when Tita Seth gave birth to their second baby, they decided to live somewhere else.
I smiled at the usher who welcomed me as I reached the second flowered arch. My eyes scrutinized the whole place. The motif
I DRAGGED myself to the couch after I drank a glass of water to make myself calm. The party ended earlier than expected so I got home already but for almost five hours, I couldn't stay still. I kept thinking about them. Meter and Ania. Their parents. Even my Mom.I insisted to stay at home but she forced me to sleep in my unit. I sighed as I gave up on bothering myself about their problem. First thing's first, it's not my business but I was kinda involved since I knew something about it—Meter and Ania told me about it so I couldn't help but feel guilty somehow.My lids suddenly got heavy. I covered my mouth as I yawned.I stood and returned the glass I used to the kitchen sink and when I was about to get back on my seat, someone pressed the doorbell.
THREE DAYS after Tito Migs’s birthday. For that short period, I was able to finish my TBR and sent the commissioned critique paper to the clients. That's"An Analysis of the Communication Styles of Married Couples in Fictional and Real Life Settings"by Mildred A. Rojo-Laurilla. After finishing it all, I was just hanging up, waiting for the salary that I will receive tomorrow. It’s around 17,000 Philippine pesos if you convert it from dollars. Earlier, I was just sitting on the balcony, feeling the morning breeze with the sound of the busy streets while drinking vegetable juice. I was pondering on how I should start my bakeshop business from the initial capital I saved from my ten-month salary. I really wanted a bakeshop. That's the only thing in my head. Earlier. But Now…
IT WAS strange. I gulped and looked away as I realized that his eyes' expressions suddenly changed. Those emotions that I couldn't read before seemed answered by his words and actions that I never gave malice for the whole time. "I love..." He was about to repeat those words but I stopped him. "Let them stay here for a week," I commanded. "What?" He sounded shocked. And with that expression, as he opened his mouth to speak, I smelled liquor. "Are you drunk?" "I drank but I'm not drunk!" he corrected. But I wasn’t convinced. I smiled shortly as I bobbed my head continuously after finding out what's the best thing to do. "Then I will just pretend I didn't hear those words from you," I announced, referring also to his three-word confession. I tried to swift and get away from his arms. I was about to walk away and run to the receiving area where Meter and Tita Doms were waiting, but Rhyme stopped me again. He grabbed
RHYME JOLTED as he saw me brushing my teeth after entering my unit. "Jesus! You scared me," he said while exaggeratedly caressing his chest. I raised my brow. As far as I remembered, he should be expecting me since he trespassed my pad. "You visited." It has been five days since we saw each other and argued about his drunk confession which I shouldn't be remembering by now. Fleet, memories. Fleet. Fleet. And that's it. I really thought he wouldn't come again after his confession. Maybe he wasn't ashamed of that. Maybe it wasn't true... or not? "Miss me?" Rhyme uttered. I just shook my head while looking confused at him, so he just laughed then held up a box which I just noticed. "W
TITA DOMINIQUE'S eyes seemed in between being furious and frantic. She gritted her teeth and her porcelain delicate hands turned into metal fists. She didn't utter a word of anger but her aura shifted to a vaguely monstrous one."Tita. Tita," I almost chanted with stammering voice. I tried calling her attention but she was eyeing Ania.Ania. I glanced at her. You could see how terrified she was just by looking at her eyes. She even gulped couple of times and fidgeted continuously.I didn't know when should I intervene in this conversation or comfort Tita Doms and explain Ania's side. I chose none of the initial choices. Instead, I picked the box on the ground and spoke casually. "Perhaps, come inside first." My voice still shook and so was I as my eyes scanned the cupcakes if the
SILENCE ENVELOPED the place as I decided not to answer or even look at Rhyme. I could feel how uneasy he was even though he was on the other side of the couch. He seemed mischievous. However, I didn't flinch or complain. I was too tired to argue. He was not helping. He was just adding a burden to carry. All my thoughts were piling up, not to mention the situation earlier."How's Ania?" he uttered.Without looking at him, I answered. "She decided to be alone in my bedroom." I gave Rhyme a direct one. Actually, I had no idea what Tita Doms and Ania talked about before I came to them.The reason why I couldn't tell him more of what I thought about their conversation was, I wanted to avoid more speculations as I couldn't help but blame him for the mess he sparked. It might cause him to ask for more details and I would be accountable for that stupid shit.Then Rhyme sighed. He knew that it was his fault but he stood firm on his decision that he only did it for
MY CHEEKS turned red when Meter put down the box he brought in front of me. He was also the one who opened it and as I felt surprised, my lips formed a wide smile and my eyes sparkled upon seeing what's inside."Oreo cheesecake," he informed me with his hesitant monotone voice. He carefully put the cake out of the box. I pursed my lips as I tried to show him that I was excited to eat."Thank you," I uttered with a smile when I threw a gaze on him. "This is the third cake I received from you from the past few weeks," I announced which made him look at me cluelessly. I smiled wider as I saw his reaction. "And tenth cake if you'll count last month," I added and laughed with my statement.Meter looked away, then blinked thrice. "Cinquain told me you love cheesecakes."I just bobbed my head because I could no longer prolong the conversation, thinking about how should I tell him that this flavor was not my favorite. I just like it, as what I told Cinnquain, the
METER SMILED at me the moment I entered his new car. I teasingly narrowed my eyes on him and that made him chuckle even with cold tantalizing eyes."Silly," Meter reacted.When I finally buckled the seatbelt, he started the car engine. We could never be late."The Passage of Spring collection by Paolo Sebastian," he uttered with a smirk which made me gazed upon him with scrutinizing eyes."How'd you know?" I asked with a suspicious tone."I just saw one that was inspired with Botticelli's painting and that also caught my attention." He pointed to my outfit - an embroidered flocked tulle gown with draped bodice and wing sleeves.I couldn't help but smiled at the thought of Meter, being meticulous with things and passionate about art. We were very compatible in that aspect. And it had been weeks, beyond a month, since we started a thing and it was enchanted.He never invalidated me in general. I felt like I was valued and my thoughts we