Between The Lines

The Mysterious Man

"Other man? Ano naman sayo ngayon? Alam mo you look like a f*****g creep. Umalis ka na nga lang. You are so random!!! After everything you have done pupunta ka dito na parang walang nangyari, you even have the guts to talked so casual"

Tumayo ako at nilapitan si Eliza, "Don't trust anyone here around you, Hindi mo sila lahat kilala please, i know you don't trust me, but i know you're starting to develop a feelings to that man." He paused. "Alam mo kung sino ang tinutukoy ko so please be cautious don't repeat the same mistakes of loving someone that much masasaktan ka ulit"

"Ano naman sayo ngayon?" I asked as i turned around and face him. "Do you really think, i will go back to you with an open arms again?" A tear escaped from eyes and i shook my head. "Sorry but i can't, don't make me mad, Levi. Afteral this years, i never tried to be one so don't make me one"

Tinalikuran ko na siya at inutusan si Eliza na kuhanin ang aking bag and cellphone.

Umalis na ako at umuwi sa bahay ng aking magulang. There i found its not just a famiy dinner, but there is also a guess, the Ponce Family. But who's the other guess? It seems that its an intimate dinner but there is another family here that i do not know.

"Hija? You are here!!! Greet your soon to be mother in law and you father in law." Mom said as she greet me.

I just rolled my eyes and do what she wants me to do. After that i run over to the unknown lady together with her husband. "Hi Hija, How have you been?"

"Not so good, tita."

She smiled weaakly. "You're so beautiful, naalala ko tuloy nung kabataan ko. I use to be like you, take care of yourself, okay?"

"I''d take note of that tita, Thank you so much, i just hope i could chose a husbnad just like yours." Haalos pabulong ko ng nasabi ang pahuling mga salita but i guess she heard me.

"You know what, Hija. If things not go on your way, why not take a little risk? Life shoud be enjoyed, and If they remove you from the family registers, i'll accept you as my daughter, but i'm sure hindi nila kaya yun"

I smiled. "I wished..." And then, i remembered him again, Rhyster.

"Hija, Amiga!!! Let's eat." Pagtatawag ni mama kay tita. She hold me and pulled me towards the dining area whike smiling. "You should eat, in my stressful days i just eat and eat"

I chuckled and gazed at her. I just felt the comfort i need on a mother. A comfort i never felt on my mom.

Nang makaupo na ako sa hapagkainan ay nakita ko si Zachary na hindi umiimik. I cleared my throat and just focus on picing my food. "Do you eat shrimp?" Tita asked.

"I'm allergic. How about you Tita?"

She giggled. "I am too. I guess we are the same huh?"

She put the plate down and took another. "How about----" Hindi n natuloy ni Tita ang kanyang sasabihin ng magsalita si Papa. "Where is Archi?" Dad asked.

"You know, doing his job. Halos hindi na nga kami nagpapangita at laging wala, but you know, he loves multitasking. Andami-dami niyang gustong gawin."

"That's good that he earns money by himself and lives independently, right?"

Tita nodded proudly. "Yeah, we can never be on this level of life if he's not here, he is the one making money for us. Our business wouldn't be build if he wasn't that good, sayang lang at wala pa siyang napapangasawa. He's getting older"

"Hmm, how old is he?" Tita carmen asked, mother of zach. "getting 34 next month"

Tito ray exclaimed, Father of zach. "He's the adopted right? The illegitimate chilf of rios that you adopted?"

Tita looks flustered and glances at his husband. "He's been with us for 30 years and you know, for us, he is our child. It's disrespectful calling him illegitimate and adopted we treat our son ours, he's not a someone elses son, i hpe that makes us clear"

tumikhim naman si mama at si Tita Carmen naman ay hindi makatitig ng ayos.

Oh so they are realated to Rios Marschal? So are they Marschal too? The one who owns an airline here, and outside of the country. They also have a tech company, a security type of technology which is really famous because it passed the aesthetics trends for minimal or even modern or so type of houses , and building.

"Then why is he not seeing someone? Naunahan pa siya ni Zach magpakasal. Zach is 30 years old."

"Well, we are not dictating his dating life, we are waiting for him to look for the woman he loves and love him back, that's how marriage works, remember? As i heard, it's an arrange marriage"

"They love each other, Margareth" Tita Carmen response in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Right, Hija?"

Binitawan ko ang aking hawak na kutsara at tinidor. "Busog na ako. I'll be leaving first Tita" I patted her shoulder and smiled at her. "Mauna na ako Dad, i need to rest."

Hindi na ako nagpaalam kay mom at diretso na na umalis sa dining area. Damn it. Pumasok na ako ng aking kwarto at malalim na bumuntong hininga. "Damn this life, gustoo ko na lang mawala"