He's Never Getting Enough Of Me

First Meeting

"You've grown so big na. How old are you again? 19? You look so much like your father. This son of yours is definitely a head turner, Mare." Dinig kong sabi ni Mom habang pababa ako ng hagdan.

Kinakamot ko pa ang magulo kong buhok at bahagyang nakapikit pa ang isa kong mata habang papalapit ako sa kung saan nanggagaling ang boses ni Mom. Kagigising ko lang. Nagtoothbrush lang ako at hindi na nag-abalang suklayin ang buhok ko. I'm still in my pajamas.

"Good morning, Mom." I greeted as I walked towards her and kissed her cheek.

Para siyang nakakita ng multo at dali-dali akong tinulak palabas ng dining room habang medyo kinukurot pa ang tagiliran ko. Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya kaya nanlaban ako at sapilitang nanatili sa loob.

"Go fix yourself up." May diing bulong niya sa akin.

"Omo is that Chloe?" Napatingin ako sa direksyon nga nagsalita. "You're beautiful even if you're still in your pajamas."

Nanlalaki ang matang alinlangan akong ngumiti sa kanya at nagpasalamat.

Mom looked so defeated like I embarrassed the hell out of her. "This is my bunso, Chloe. Please excuse her look, she's just used to roaming around the house looking like this kasi minsan lang talaga kami nagkakavisitors." Pinaupo niya ako sa harap ng isang binata.

I got stunned for a minute. Mas nakaramdam pa ako ng matinding pagkapahiya at for the first time of my entire life ay nagsisi akong lumabas ako ng kwarto looking like a mess. I shut my eyes close at tahimik na hiniling na sana ay kainin ako ng sahig ngayon na!

"Chloe, this is your Tita Sabrina and her son, Joshua." Mom introduced them.

"Good morning po Tita and uhm J-joshua. Nice to meet you po." O to the M to the G! Seriously? Nautal pa talaga ako?! Pero super awkward kasi banggitin ang name niya kasi he's so intimidating. Hindi man lang siya ngumingiti.

Hindi nakatakas sa paningin ko ang bahagyang pagbatok ni Tita Sabrina sa kanya kaya napabuntong-hininga siya at sapilitang ngumiti sa akin. Pero hindi siya nagsalita kaya mas lalo pa akong nabalisa.

"Please excuse me po. I'll go to my room and I'll just go back downstairs to join you for breakfast."

Naglakad ako palabas ng dining room at nang nasiguro kong hindi na nila akong nakikita ay tumakbo ako paakyat sa hagdan habang ang sinasabunutan ang sarili kong buhok. Nakasalubong ko si Ate Angel sa hallway at na weweirduhan siyang tumingin sa akin. Dumikit pa talaga sa dingding at iniharang ang mga palad sa harapan niya na para bang isa akong baliw.

"Mooom! Chloe has gone mad!" She screamed and ran downstairs.

Isinalampak ko ang katawan ko sa couch pagpasok ko sa aking kwarto. My heart is racing kaya bahagya akong hinihingal. Good heavens why am I feeling this way! I've been with a lot of handsome guys back in Manila. I'm even friends with most of them. I've never been this nervous and intimidated in front of a guy despite their seriousness. This is the first time ever that I stuttered while talking to them.

After I showered, I put on my baggy shirt, nike cycling shorts and a pair of flipflops. Saktong pagbaba ko ay nakahanda na ang breakfast. Naabutan kong nag-uusap at nagtatawanan sina Ate Angel at Joshua sa dining room. They seem close. Ang gwapo ngumiti ni Joshua.

"I still remember nung nadapa ako sa field. Imbes na tulungan ako nitong Joshua eh tinawanan lang ako." Natatawang kwento ni Ate Angel.

Malapad ang ngiti na tumingin si Joshua sa kanya. May kakaiba sa paraan ng pagtingin niya sa kapatid ko. "You looked epic. Alam ko naman na hindi mo kailangan ang tulong ko, kaya mo naman tumayo mag-isa. You were just so clumsy back then."

I sat across Ate Angel at agad niya naman akong pinansin. "Have you met my sister? This is Chloe."

Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ni Joshua at bumalik sa pagiging seryoso. "Yeah. Your Mom introduced us earlier."

Nang hindi ako umimik ay nagpapalit-palit ang tingin niya sa aming dalawa ni Joshua. "Hey, you're scaring her. You're back at it again ha. Frowning in front of people you just met."

Ate Angel stopped talking when the elders came in. We greeted Granny good morning and kissed her.

"Look at this handsome boy right here. How are you, Joshua? Nagkita na rin ulit sa wakas ang magkababata." Granny said with a warm smile. She placed her hands on both Ate Angel and Joshua's shoulders.

So they were childhood friends? Why didn't I meet him before? Nang nagsimula na kaming kumain ay nagkukwentuhan pa rin sila tungkol sa kung gaano sila ka close dati. Lagi daw silang magkasabay pumasok sa iskwela dahil magkaklase sila noong grade school.

Tahimik lang akong kumakain habang nakikinig sa kanila at nanghihinayang kung bakit hindi ako nakasama sa kanila. Sana ay nakakasabay ako ngayon sa kwentuhan nila. Hindi naman sa naiinggit ako pero parang ganon na nga. Kung naging magkaibigan din kami noon edi sana nakakausap ko rin ng ganon si Joshua ngayon.

But why am even thinking this way? Bakit ko naman gugustuhing makausap ko siya ng ganon eh I don't even know him naman?

"I studied highschool abroad. I just returned this year. I'm planning to continue college in ADMU." Kwento ni Joshua.

Granny asked him why he was not able to visit here for the past four years.

"Ay wow sosyal. Samantalang ako dito lang sa probinsya." Nanunuksong sabi ni Ate.

"For what I know, you enrolled in the most expensive university in this province, Angel. Tito won't agree with the idea of you studying in an ordinary school." Joshua said then wiped the side of his mouth because he was done eating. "You're living in a province but not just an ordinary one. This is a province where filthy rich people live." He stated the obvious fact.

Hindi lang kami ang may malaki at engrandeng villa sa lugar na ito dahil sa totoo lang ay marami. Probinsya lang ito pero may malalaking malls pa rin at maraming pasyalan. It looks totally like a city but I don't know why they still call this rural area. The only difference is a real city has way bigger population and chaotic. Just exactly like Manila. It's a place where almost all kinds of people live.

"I'm taking law. Yun lang naman ang paaralan dito na nag-oofer ng ganoong course." Ate answered, still trying to be humble.

Joshua rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just accept the fact that you're rich? Filthy rich." The elders laughed because of what he said.

Pabiro siyang inirapan ni ate. "Likewise."

"Let's go guys! Go, go, go!" I excited chanted.

We're going to the beach today. Mom, Tita Sabrina, Joshua ang Granny are going to join us. Pinayagan na ni Doc Caleb si Granny na sumama pero isinama namin ang nurse niya at pinaalalahanan siya na umupo lang siya doon at mag-relax. Hindi muna siya pwedeng lumangoy.

"Bilisan mo, ate!" Hinila ko siya at tatawa-tawa naman siyang nagpatianod.