Chapter 3.3

"Ma'am Gerlie", I looked behind me as someone spoke, I was still holding my arm which was bitten by a mosquito

"Ah, yes?", I asked Manang Daisy, the chief manager or caretaker of the house with a smile.

"You're supposed to come in and eat", she replied while smiling back, huh? What about dean? Will I not wait for him?

"Uhm, I'm still waiting for someone hehe", I said with a forced smile

"This is how you'll do, just go inside, and I'll just wait for whomever you're waiting for. I'll tell you right away when he arrives", will I accept Manang's offer? Ehh, maybe dean will be displeased if I don't wait for him

Manang convinced me a lot of times before I agreed, I'm also hungry huhu if I'm at home at this time we're already finish eating, and I'm just doing my social media, or maybe I'm already asleep

I immediately entered the house and as soon as I arrived at the door, another of their housemates was supporting me to the dining room, as if I just wanted to sink into my position, being embarrassed, especially since I was the only one whom they are waiting for, I hurriedly approached Uncle Fred and kissed his cheek, a cheek to cheek greeting, because he doesn't want to give him a 'mano', a typical gesture of young Filipino people to the elder ones, because he says he's handsome, and it's not appropriate to hand him a hand, especially since he's a baby face, I don't know if he's just joking or what

"Good evening Uncle", I greeted with a smile and kissed Alexa and Nicole on the cheek, who I was still staring at, she was holding back her laughter “I'm very sorry if I came here late, I was just waiting for someone outside”, I can't afford to look at my uncle because I'm too shy to let them wait for so long

"It's okay hija sit down first, we're still waiting for someone", I followed what Uncle said, I sat down next to Mom then quietly waited for whoever they were waiting for maybe it's dean, in all fairness they know who's with me, it's embarrassing that he's making us wait especially me, we should have just come here together instead of making everybody wait

I looked around their dining room, their dining and our dining doesn't have a lot of differences, they also have a big portrait of our grandmother posted, they also have their big golden chandelier which was obviously very expensive, how could they clean that? If I'm the helper I would be hesitant to clean it since it's really big and if it might be broken I have nothing to pay for it

When I looked around, my attention was focused on the plate and cutlery in front of me, staring carefully to see if there was any dirt, I took the wine glass and then wiped it carefully for fear that the dirt would touch my lips. I was about to put it back to its former place when—

"I'm sorry, I'm late", his voice was pleading, I turned to him and at the same time I dropped the wine glass I was holding, so all the attention and eyes that had been staring at the man are now diverted on me

The housemates cleaned it right away, I smiled at them and repeatedly apologized, oh, another shame.

"I'm sorry for that it wasn't my intention to break anything here, I'm so sorry", I said shyly to everyone, why did I react like that?

"That's fine hija", Uncle said laughing, he was obviously laughing at my tense face "Anyway sit where you're comfortable", he talked to the newcomer

He first looked at Nicole who was busy talking to Alexa before he looked at me, what else could I expect? I looked away and then sneezed, tsk I'll stab your eye with a fork

"Mind if I sit here?", I didn't realize that he was already close to me, I don't why I'm like this again, I'm anxious that I don't know, was that because he's handsome while wearing his blue polo with a black necktie stuck-in in his black jeans, I don't know, but he looks different for me now, really.

ATTRACTIVE, my mind contradicted, did I ask you? My mind was really an attention seeker

But well he's attractive, I appreciate the features of his face more now so much that I think I'm really focused on one person, so I can't notice him

I was also able to think about what mom told me last time, could that possibly be true?

"Hello?", He said while waving his hand in front of me. I didn't realize that I was dumbfounded by him.

"Ah yes, sure.", I formally said then he sat down beside me, I looked at Yuniza when I heard her weak laugh, I raised an eyebrow at her and at the same time she stopped but is secretly laughing

With just a wave of Uncle's hand, the food came out, of course the food shouldn't have flown. Uncle doesn't have any special powers, what I mean is because the food came out or arrived with the help of the helpers, or they were the one who's delivering the foods in the table, wait, why am I explaining? Ehem didn't even explain when he left our beloved author, just joking

When all the food was ready, they opened it one by one along with the chef explaining what kind of dish it was and what its name was, they still have to do so many things, I thought it's just a simple dinner? I didn't know that Uncle is also stagey

I feel bored while staring at my plate, Chef has been saying a lot for how many minutes now, every time Chef laughs, the old people also laughs, they have a world of their own, I'm really bored, I'm starving

"Last but not the least, shrimps with—", I immediately looked up because of that, if lately I was bored, now I am even more bored when will it end? My excited to taste the shrimps

"Your uncle purposely include that shrimp just for you, are you that special?", My mom whispered to me, I just secretly laughed

"Enjoy the food, call me if you wanted to have more of these dishes, or you wish to have a different dish, I'll be staying in the kitchen", wow, the chef was an english speaker I was amazed

"Let's eat", Uncle announced

I would have already taken the shrimps when I was remembered something, wasn't I waiting for dean? Pity him, when I ate first then he has no one to be with while eating later, but why did we start eating if he hadn't come yet?

Meaning?

O_____O

This man, right here, the one next to me? Was the person they have been waiting for? When else has he been special to our family, huh?

I automatically turned my attention to him and would have fought him when I saw him putting shrimps on my plate.

"Eat it, whoever you're waiting for, he won't come, do you think he can still come at this time? And do you really think he's going to come with you?", He said softly, looking straight into my eyes, and it was only then that I realized we were so close to each other

*cough *cough *cough

"Hon, please give me some water", said dad as he was blindfolded, and he was also the reason why Dom and I moved away from each other, I was able to sit up, and I could see in my peripheral vision that Dom have done the same thing, mom immediately handed the water to dad

"Are you okay Dad?", I asked worriedly

"Ah yes, maybe I just enjoyed my meal, so it turned out like that HA-HA", he even scratched his neck obviously that's not the reason, daddy really, he will just make an excuse, but he had given me the unrealistic one

We have eaten really well after that, Dom and I still don't talk with each other, and also no one have dared to talk and all of our attention was focused on what we are eating

The dessert came and nothing changed, everyone were still quiet, it's not really fun to have dinner here at in Fred's house because of the atmosphere they have, very serious, no one is trying to break the silence, only the sounds of cutlery is all I can hear, if we were there in our home a very loud laugh would definitely prevail the whole household, I just sighed and ate the pie that I had not half-eaten

"We'll proceed on the conference room, finish your dessert everyone", uncle said seriously, you can really rarely see him smile ever since Auntie disappeared, he was like a rock who couldn't feel anything, after a couple of minutes Nicole and Alexa had finished their dessert and here I am, still had a bit on my plate, but obviously I can't finish it, I felt like I lost my appetite

"Hey there lovebirds!"

Why didn't dean show up? This is the first time I will be with him for a family dinner with our whole family

"Lovebirds?"

Is the rumor at school even true, that dean has a girlfriend before that he has been waiting to return for a long time now?

"GERLIE ZUAREZA!", I was thrown back in my seat and brought back to reality when I heard my name from the very loud shout

"Ha?", I wonder what Nicole Eunice is saying?

"Ha-shit, I said lovebirds?"

"Who?"

"You idiot, you and the one next to you", this girl won't really get tired of calling me idiot

"Okay", I didn't feel like talking at the same time as I ate my last piece of pie, finally I finished my dessert

"So you guys are already together? You two already have a relationship?"

"Yes?", Dom replied, still laughing

"Of course we've been friends even before"

"I mean, did he already court you?"

"Not yet, she's still into someone”, Dominic replied

"What?! I thought so—Dom!"

"Tss, shut up Nicole"

"What are you saying? Dean didn't come over. Maybe the rumors at our school were true"

"Eh?", The siblings said at the same time while Dom frowned while looking at me, I looked at him at the same time pout

"Dom, I thought you were close with him? Aren't you introducing me little by little?"

"And why would I do that?", He raised an eyebrow, stagey

"Maybe it would be clear to him that I'm the right one for him"

"He has his own feelings, he's the one who's going to choose who to love, we can't dictate our feelings", oh, eh why is he like that? I'm just asking, right?

"Why are you angry? Then why are you annoyed? Are you hurting?", I said while slapping his arm, it's so hard shems kidding HAHAHA

"I'm not angry or annoyed, I'm just telling the truth", he defended

"Tsh, you whisper in your ass"

"He doesn't like you"