All Over Again

CHAPTER 32: I Choose You

Venice's POV

"See? That wasn't so bad."

Napatingin ako kay Jerwin. Balik na pala sa'kin ung atensyon nya.. We just finished our little impromptu show, and people are giving us a deafening applause. I guess they liked it. Wahahaha. Nag-bow kami sa audience a couple of times. Someone took the guitar from Jerwin, and after waving to the audience one more time, Jerwin and I walked back sa table ni Lola..

Jerwin: Well, Grams? What did you think?

Umupo na ulit ako dun sa upuan sa tabi ni Grams.. Grams beamed at me.Natuwa yata si lola..

Grams: You have potential. Okay. I'll accept you into the family.

Ako: Ehh?!?

Grams: Hijita, ladies don't answer like that. Merryl?

Tita Merryl: Yes, suegra?

Grams: You see hijita often, yes? You should correct her way of talking.

Tita Merryl: Not so often, suegra, but I will point out her mistakes whenever we meet.

What the quack is this?? Pinagtutulungan nanaman nila ako.. T-T Tumingin ako kay Grams. She looks very pleased but still scary.. -__- Pag kumontra siguro ako, baka ipaluto niya 'ko sa malaking kawali... I sighed in defeat..

Grams: Next time I see her, I want her to be able to answer properly, and--

She swatted my back with her fan.

Grams: Proper posture. Don't hunch, hijita.

I immediately straightened my back. Na-interrogate na nga ako't lahat, ngayon, posture ko naman ang topic?!?

Jerwin: Okay, Grams, we'll be going back to our table now.

Grams: Very well. Oh, hijita?

Ako: *gulp* Yes, ma'am?

Grams: Call me Grams. I'll see you soon.

Ayy Lola.. kahit wag na ulit tayo magkita. T_T

I stood up -- making sure na straight ang vertebrae ko -- and walked next to Jerwin. Jerwin slightly bowed his head to his grandmother. Lumipat ung tingin sa'kin ni Grams. I started to feel myself panic.Straight ba ang posture ko? Masama yata pag sinabi kong "Ok, Grams! Vavush!" She's still staring at me like a queen waiting for one of her subjects to do something. What am I supposed to do?! Baka mapuna nanaman ako...

Grams: Hijita?

Sa sobrang panic ko -- I curtsied! CURTSIED!

C-U-R-T-S-I-E-D!!! CURTSIED!! ndhwbdbdhjdjhvaerjlk!!!!!WHO CURTSIES IN THIS DAY AND AGE!?!??!?! Nung na-realize ko ung ginawa ko, I immediately grabbed Jerwin's hand and dragged him away. I can feel my face heating up! Lahat na yata ng dugo ko, lumipad sa mukha ko! And it's not helping na mamatay na sa kakatawa tong kinakaladkad ko!

Jerwin: HAHAHAHAHAHA What was that?!?!

Ako: Shut up! I panicked, okay?!?

Jerwin: So you curtsied?

We were just a few feet away from our table when I turned to glare at him. There are people walking around us, pero busy sila sa pag-uusap at pagpunta dun sa dance floor para magsayaw. I don't think they notice na Jerwin is laughing like a maniac, and I'm just about to show him my mad ninja skills.Naturingan pa namang "Fiancé" ko. -__-

NAPAHIYA NA NGA AKO, PINAGTATAWANAN PA AKO!?

Ako: Mabulunan ka sana.

Jerwin: But.. HAHAHAHAHA you curtsied

Ako: Will you stop laughing already?!?! O gusto mong makita sa front page ng mga dyaryo bukas ang pagngudngod ko ng mukha mo sa sahig!?!

Jerwin glance at my expression and then cleared his throat. Finally, tumigil na sya sa kakatawa. Pero ang laki pa rin naman ng ngiti niya. -__-

Ako: Haayy.. I can't believe I did that! You're grandma probably thinks I'm stupid.

Jerwin: You kidding me? She loved you!

Ako: Weh!?

Jerwin: She called you "hijita"..

Ako: What does that mean?

Jerwin: It's Spanish for "little girl" "little dear" or something like that. It's a term of endearment. AND! She even wants to see you soon!

Ako: Haayyy.. Probably to make sure I keep my posture straight... and I don't reply with "eh?!" T_T

Jerwin threw his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer so that he can whisper something without anyone else having to hear it.

Jerwin: You'll be alright. Grams isn't that cold-hearted. My cousins and I absolutely love her.

Napatingin ako when Jerwin's voice trailed by the end of his sentence. His arm slowly dropped back to his side. Sinundan ko ung tinitignan niya and I should have known..

Geena... It's either Geena or the big bowl of punch na katabi ni Geena...

Ako: You should go.

Jerwin: *napatingin sa'kin* Huh?

Ako: You want to talk to her, right? I'll go bother Nicole or Jean---or both.

Jerwin smiled and gave me a quick pat on the head.

Jerwin: I'll come back soon.

Jerwin's POV

I grabbed a small cup from the buffet table and walked over to where the punch bowl is--where Geena is quietly sipping from her own cup.

Me: How was Paris?

She glanced up at me, and smiled.

Geena: Same old, same old. How about you? I was just gone for a month, and when I came back, you're engaged already.

Me: Hmm.. yeah...

Geena: And to someone who's not Santos material at that. She's not an actress, not a singer, not a model, not a business tycoon. NOT the ideal heiress to the Santos dynasty, may I say. I'm surprised your parents allowed you date her.

Me: *chuckled* Everything is mom's idea, after all.

Geena: Your mom's idea?

Me: Oh, ha? Nothing..

Geena peered at me under her heavy eyelashes.. Yeahh, I know.. Nadulas lang ako.. But I guess, she chose to just let it go.

Geena: And you? What attracted you to her?

Sumandal ako dun sa dingding, and I turned my eyes to watch Venice. She's talking to Mr. Lopez, one of the big bosses in a TV network I often work with. Nicole is sitting beside her, parang may kung anong ino-offer si Mr. Lopez kay Venice. I can tell by Nicole's excited exclamations, and Venice's horrified reactions..

She's so easy to read. :D

Me: Venice... She.. She's completely unexplainable. You think she's a good girl, but when you get to know her, she's actually everything. She's crazy. She's funny. She's honest. She's caring. She's impatient..

Naalala kong bigla yung pag-curtsy nya kay Grams kanina, and in spite of myself, I started chuckling.

Me: And you'll never know what she's gonna do next.

Geena: You sound pretty fond of her.

I blinked and reverted my attention back to Geena. She's staring at me sharply. I know that look.. She uses it when she's not happy about something.

Geena: This is a set-up, isn't it?

Me: What?

Geena: Dustin told me that this girl just appeared out of nowhere. Is she pregnant?

Me: What?!? No!

Geena: So what.

She stepped closer to me and ran her hand over my arm.

Geena: Are you using her to make me jealous? Isn't this a bit too much? Being engaged and all. Everything just to get to me?

I sighed. I gently stopped her hand from traveling anywhere else, and even more gently, I pushed it away.

Me: Geena.. You'll always be special to me..

She smiled.

Me: But---

I looked at Venice, who just then, turned to look at me too. She smiled, and I smiled back. She turned away to pay more attention to whatever Nicole was blabbering. Kunwari seryoso yung pakikinig niya, pero halata namang konti na lang, kakaripas na siya ng takbo.. Fame scares her, I don't know why.

Me: I'm lucky.

Geena: Lucky?

Me: Yeah. I feel lucky I didn't end up with you.. Instead, I found her.

I met Geena's astonished gaze. I can tell she didn't expect me to say that. I never thought I'd say something like that either.. But now that it's out there, it somehow feels "right".. Wala nang bawian

Me: I have to go--

Geena: Jerwin--

She suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me back. She's holding on quite tightly.

Geena: Why are you leaving me? Is it because I didn't want us to be official? I'll change that! I'll make us official! You and me.. Just leave that.... that.... that nobody!

I pried her fingers off my arm. She didn't try to hold on. She just let me make her let go.

Me: I would have given anything to hear you say that before.. But it's different now..

I met her eyes.. those intense brown eyes..

Me: I'm engaged now. Geena, anytime you'll need me, you know you can always give me a call. I'll always be here for you--as a friend.

I let go of Geena's hand, and gave her a small smile. I looked back at the table and found that Venice left her spot. I wonder where she went. I turned my back on Geena and walked away to look for Venice. I never thought I'd turn my back on Geena--but then again, I never thought I'd be engaged to a "Nobody" either.