Art of Serendipity

29

Tumingin muli sa akin si Levi. I'm still standing behind them like an outcast. Dapat talaga siguro hindi na ako sumama rito. Dekada atang hindi nagkita 'tong dalawang 'to sa dami ng kwento ng babae. He gave me an apologetic look but I just smiled at him and nodded.

This time, his sister noticed her brother's look. She slowly turned around, facing me. The shock in her eyes immediately turned into an amused one. She surveryed my body slowly, head over heals ang tingin niya pero hindi ko ramdam ang pagmamaliit no'n. I tilted my head and did the same to her.

Her eyes is naturally narrowed while his brother has his bedroom eyes. Pareho naman sila ng ilong at hugis ng mukha. Her lips is pouty like a tempt to kiss. The eyebrows is not that thick but not that thin too, sakto lang.

"Oh my, brother! Why didn't you tell me that you're with someone?!" She slapped his kuya's broad chest.

"'Cause you're so talkative, Ly," Levi said annoyingly, kulang na lang irapan niya ang kapatid niya.

I feel so awkward here, really. Pareho nila akong pinagmamasdan. I can't even smile!

"Gosh, introduce me to her!" untag niya sa kuya niya.

Binigyan muna ako ng nagtatanong na tingin ni Levi, it's like asking if it's okay. I nodded.

"Ly, this is Aya-"

"Hello, Aya! I'm Laia Victoria, obviously, I'm his precious younger sister." She extended her hand happily to me. Hindi man lang pinatapos ang kuya. I saw her Kuya glared at her but Laia just ignored her. Woah.

"Hi... Uhm... Nice to meet you," I complied and shook her hands also. Nagulat ako ng hilain niya ako para sa isang yakap, mahigpit iyon na halos hindi ako makahinga! God, this woman! Sa pagkakaalam ko ngayon lang kami nagkita, ah?

"Laia, she can't breathe!" saway ni Levi sa kapatid niya.

Kumalas naman si Laia ng yakap sa akin. Bahagya pa akong natawa na inirapan niya ang kapatid niya. Seriously? They are so close to each other! Lumalabas ang pagiging strikto pero hindi naman ito alintana sa kapatid niya.

"Sorry, Aya! I'm just sabik because I'm not used to Kuya introducing his girlfriend to me, you know, Bro is playboy so I'm very shocked that he introduced me to you. It means, he's serious about you!" masaya niyang ani.

Muntik na akong masamid kahit wala namang laman ang bibig ko. Girlfriend daw. Sa dami pala ng nakalandian nitong lalaking ito ay wala pa siyang naipapakila. I must be lucky, huh? but I'm not his girlfriend.

I waved my hands to her. "I'm not his girlfriend. We're just...uh..." I trailed off. Bakit parang ayaw ko sabihing friends lang kami? "Yeah, we're friends."

"C'mmon, Ly. Aren't you tired?" bored na saad sa kaniya ni Levi.

Hinila ni Levi ang kapatid niya para mapapasok sa kotse. I was about to open the passenger seat but Laia opened it and immediately slid inside. Ayaw niya sa tabi ng kuya niya?

"You can sit beside Kuya! Dito na ako, with my things!" Nakangiti niyang itinuro ang mga gamit niya sa tabi. Tama nga, hindi na ako makakasingit doon. Mas gusto niya pa katabi ang mga gamit niya kaysa sa kuya niya? Funny.

Hindi na ako nagprotesta nang buksan ni Levi ang front seat. I walked towards him but stopped infront of him. Hindi muna ako pumasok at tumingin muna sa kaniya. He looks like he want to say something kasi.

"Sorry for my sister's behavior. napaka-kulit niya. I can understand if you're annoyed now," he said sincerely.

I giggled. "Hindi 'no. She looks nice kaya, makulit nga lang but it's fine to me. Atleast, I got to know someone aside from you. Ikaw na lang kasi palagi kong kasama."

His eyes narrowed like I said something suspiciously. "Nagsasawa ka na sa 'kin, kung ganoon?"

Napa-awang ang labi ko. "Sorry?"

"Sawa ka na sa 'kin, 'ka ko?" ulit niya pa, sa mas mariin na tono.

"Wala naman akong sinasabi, ah?" I chuckled a bit. I find his reaction cute. Problema ng pintor na 'to?

"Hindi mo rin naman itinatanggi." Taas kilay niya pa sa akin.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang tawa ko. "What? Hindi, okay? I'm just saying that I should have girl friends also. Pinagsasabi mo r'yan? Tara na nga! Kapatid mo nand'yan oh!"

Hay na'ko, Velez! Napaka-matampuhin mo. Pasalamat ka cute ka!

Natatawa akong pumasok sa kotse niya. Nawala lang ang ngiti ko nang masulyapan si Laia. She's smiling from ear to ear while gazing away. Para siyang kinikilig na ewan. I just shrugged my shoulders.

Pagkapasok ni Levi ay agad niya na ring pina-andar ang kotse. Holding skillfully the steering wheel, I smiled secretly. He thought that I got tired from him, he's wrong. Hindi ako magsasawang kasama siya. I won't get tired of watching him painting stars. I won't get tired of hearing his sentimental words for me. I won't and will never.

"Uh, you can just drop me here. Malapit na rito yung hotel. I can just walk," I told him when we arrived near our hotel.

Sinulyapan niya ako bago tumango.

"Huh? You won't come with us? In the house?" tanong ng kapatid niya.

"Uh...Maybe, next time," I answered with uncertainty. Next time? Hindi ko alam kung kailan iyon. Hindi pa ako nakakapunta sa bahay nila.

"Okay, I'm looking forward for that time then."

I just smiled at her. She's very friendly and pretty too. Bagay sa kaniyang maging model.

I was expecting that Levi will just drop me on where I suggested him but this man, ibinaba niya ako mismo sa harap ng hotel namin. Hindi muna tuloy ako bumaba at humarap sa kaniya.

"Sana roon mo na lang ako binaba sa bridge. Mapapalayo ka pa tuloy kasi walang u-turn dito," I told him the reason why I don't want him to take me here.

"Pumasok ka na," he said boredly. Na-guilty tuloy ako. He looks tired. Galing siyang school tapos kanina pa siya nagda-drive.

I nodded softly and smiled. "Okay, thank you...Uh...Pahinga ka mamaya ha."

I bit my lower lip after saying that. I sounded like a concern girlfriend! Damn!

Hay nako, Aya. Concern friend kasi. Ikaw unang nag-a-assume, e.

He bit his lower lip too. Pinasadahan niya ng kamay niya ang sariling buhok. "Welcome. Take care."

~~~