My Nerd Mafia Queen

Chapter 06: After Party

Chapter 06

Zeke Pov

Sabay sabay naman nag palakpakan ang iilang bisita na halos puro kamag anak lang din namin. Pagkatapos ng welcoming remarks ni Dad nag umpisa na mag served ng food sa bawat lamesa.

"I hope you like Japanese food Hija" pag sasabi ni mom kay Iris.

"Yes tita, actually it's my comfort food" pag sagot ni Iris kay mom.

Sumabat naman bigla si Bri "Wow ate! Same pala kayo ni Kuya Zeke, he also loves Japanese food!" buti nalang hindi puro pang aasar ang alam ng babaita na ito, nagulat naman ako ng bumaling sakin si Iris at nag salita.

"I guess we had a lot of things in common right Zeke hmm?" Sabi niya na tila may himig ng pang lalambing f*ck! bakit ba pag dating sa babae na to natata-meme ako? hindi naman ako ganito! Wake up Zeke lalake ka!

Nang makabawi ako sa sinabi niya inipon ko lahat ng lakas ng loob ko at tumingin ako direkta sa mga mata niya, dahan dahan ko naman hinawi ang naka harang na buhok sa gilid ng mukha niya at nilagay iyon sa likod ng tenga niya, then I smiled at her sweetly bago nag salita.

"Tienes unos ojos preciosos mi amor"

Which means 'your eyes are beautiful my love' noong una hindi ko alam kung maiintindihan niya ba ang sinabi ko, pero knowing that she's a Rossi it's no surprise noong makita ko na bigla siya napa tigil sa sinabi ko.

That's when I knew, she understands it.

Nakita ko naman kung paano kiligin ang kapatid ko at bahagya naman ngumiti ang mga magulang ko. While on the other hand bigla naman sinira ni Leo ang momentum ng mga oras na iyon.

"Wow dude di ko alam na ang sweet mo pala!" Sa inis ko sakanya inapakan ko bigla ang paa niya na ikina igik naman niya, he really loves getting into my nerves!

The dinner continued, may iilan din ang lumalapit na kamag anak namin sa table para mag pakilala kay Iris, na maayos naman niyang tinatanggap.

I didn't expect her to be this approachable, especially knowing what kind of family and profile she has, but I guess, I judge her too soon, but she being too nice weirded me out in some ways, it's like it is not what she really is.

Magaling siya makipag usap, makikita mo talaga na may pinag aralan siya at ang antas ng buhay niya sa kung paano siya sumagot ng maayos sa mga kamag anak namin.

After we ate pumasok naman kami sa dinning hall sa loob ng bahay para doon ituloy ang pag uusap at para uminom na din ng alcoholic drinks.

Pag upo namin doon, nag paalam naman agad si Zabrina.

"Mom, Dad, Kuya and Ate Iris ma-uuna na ko mag pahinga I'm too young to drink alcohol" she's right she's still 16 years old and she isn't allowed to drink not until she's 18.

Sabay halik niya sa pisngi ni mom and dad at sakin huli naman siya lumapit kay Iris at may binulong pa dito na narinig din naman namin.

"Good night ate Iris, I can't wait for you to be a part of our family and be my official sister in-law" sabay halik niya din sa pisngi ni Iris.

May iilan pa kaming mga kamag anak na nag ii-stay, alam ko na hinihintay nila ang official announcement sa pag papakasal namin ni Iris kaya talagang hindi pa sila umuuwi.

Kagaya ng mga magulang ni Leo na sila Tita Leanne at Tito Zach na kapatid ni Dad. Pati na din ang mga pinsan ni Dad na sina Tito Hulio, Tito Francis at Tito Sherkan pati na din ang mga anak nila na pinsan ko nandito pa din.

Habang busy mag usap ang matatanda napansin ko naman na nag paalam si Iris na mag papahangin lang daw saglit at sinundan ko naman agad ito.

She goes into the dark part of our gazebo at naka sunod pa din sakanya si Alister may distance pa din, tama lang para hindi ma-invade ang personal space ni niya.

Then I suddenly saw her getting a cigarette stick in her clutch and that's when I smirked.

"What a really interesting girl" I said to myself while smiling.

Nakita ko na parang nag hahanap siya ng lighter, mag uutos na sana siya kay Alister ng lumapit ako sakanya at inabot sakanya ang lighter ko.

"Here..." I said to her habang inaabot sakanya ang lighter.

"Thanks" sabi niya sakin at agad sinindihan na ang cigarette na hawak niya.

Ikina tigil ko naman ng buksan niya ulit ang clutch niya at kumuha ulit ng sigarilyo doon.

"Do you smoke too?" she asked me habang inaabot ang stick ng sigarilyo na walang pag aalinlangan ko namang tinanggap.

"Yeah thanks"

Nag sindi na din ako ng sigarilyo at nag umpisa ng hithitin ito, tahimik lang kami parehas ng bigla siyang mag salita.

"Is it a turn off if a woman smokes?" nagulat ako sa bigla niyang pag tatanong, but I stayed in my composure before answering her.

"Nope, it's kinda attractive for me actually" I said in a normal tone.

"Really huh?" sarcastic niyang sagot sakin.

Mas lalo kong ikina gulat ang sunod niyang itinanong sa akin, na biglang pag babago ng tono ng pananalita niya, dahil sobrang seryoso na nito.

"Can you be honest with me Zeke? What do you think about this arranged marriage? You can answer it truthfully it won't affect my decision for it." I paused and asked myself the same thing she asked me, ano nga ba ang tingin ko dito?

Nang mapag tanto ko sa sarili ko ang isasagot huminga ako ng malalim bago humarap kay Iris.

"I'm not good with it at first to be honest, lalo na nung out of nowhere yun sinabi sakin ni mom and dad. I stormed out of this house without even knowing kung sino ba yung ipapakasal nila sakin. Basta right after ko marinig na sinabi ni mom na ikakasal na ko, that moment I knew already na pinag kasundo nila ko although I do have the idea about it, matagal na din kasi nila pinag-uusapan ng buong pamilya namin iyon. But not until my cousin Leo talked to me, it shocked me to know na ikaw pala yung ikakasal sakin. Sinabi ko pa kay dad na for sure hindi ka papayag, but when they told me na babalik ka dito sa Pilipinas for this and to meet us personally that made me think about everything. I told myself that maybe this all happened for a reason..."

Bahagya akung huminto sa sinasabi ko, hindi ko namalayan na naka tingin na pala sa akin si Iris habang nag sasalita ako.

"What reason?" she asked me directly.

"Na baka kaya tayo nandito sa ganitong situation is for me to straighten up the f*ck up things that I've done in the past, I'm sorry for what I did back then Iris, I was young and naive and obviously an assh*le too." pag sasabi ko sakanya habang naka yuko, sumagot naman siya agad na ikinagulat ko ng sobra.

"Wala ka naman ginawang masama sa akin noon bukod sa pangungulit mo, I already know that you're not serious with me back then, especially when I looked like a stiff nerd. Alam ko na din noon that you're only using me to make your projects and thesis and I fully obliged, pumayag naman ako kaya you don't have anything to apologize for" diretsahang pahayag niya.

Napatigil naman ako dahil sa isinagot niya.

"What?! You knew? Bakit pumayag ka pa din?" I asked her with disbelief.

Ngumisi siya ng bahagya sa tanong ko bago tuluyang nag salita.

"I find going to school boring actually napag aralan ko na lahat iyon. I finished school when I was only 15 years old, pumasok lang ako doon sa school na iyon for some personal reasons. I also need to act like a normal vulnerable nerd girl" she paused and looked at me.

"You see, I didn't have a choice back then, it's my dad's command, so I obliged. Kaya pumayag ako sa gusto mo noon to fully act in character, and nawawala yung pag ka bored ko tuwing nag uumpisa ka ng mangulit sakin, it made me want to go to that school. I've been bullied a lot that time cause of how I look, it's funny cause those bullies suddenly vanished from school. I may portray being that stiff nerd, but at the end of the day I'm still a Rossi hindi ako papayag na ma bully ako that's why I decided to bury them alive."

I'm totally out of words sa mga sinabi niya, especially on the last part, kaya pala before that school year ends 5 students in our class suddenly vanished and hindi man lang naging big deal sa school iyon.

A vogue smile forms to my lips at umiling iling nalang ako, I'm just happy right now knowing na hindi pala masama ang loob niya sakin dahil doon.

Most especially she's not what I think she is, she really fits to be a Mafia Queen.

"Akala mo siguro naging big deal sakin iyon tama?" pang huhula niya sa iniisip ko.

"Yes, I thought you hated me. Masiyado akung pasaway noon. Isa din yun sa dahilan kung bakit ko nasabi kay daddy na hindi ka papayag mag pakasal sa akin, cause I'm expecting you to be mad at me but I guess I was wrong."

She chuckled a little, sobrang saglit lang noon na kung hindi ka naka focus sakaniya hindi mo iyon basta basta mapapansin and it became music to my ears.

"Ha! That explains why you look tense earlier, well let me tell you something Zeke I don't hold grudges against people. If I hated you back then, you won't even be alive here right now talking to me." pag papaliwanag niya sakin na ikinatigil ko naman, her sudden change of character almost made me shiver just by listening to her voice tone. Hindi ko na iyon binigyan ng pansin, I shrugged my shoulders before answering her.

"Well you can't blame me now do you, lalo na sobrang dami ng nag bago sayo. I don't think I can approach you the same way as before anymore" tinignan niya ako mata sa mata bago nag salita, she's so composed and calm again.

"Why? because I'm not that nerd girl anymore? Do I intimidate you now hmm Mr. Guerrero?" she asked me, pero bago pa ko maka sagot sakanya bigla ulit siya nag salita.

"You can still approach me as before, I may look intimidating but don't worry, I won't bite Zeke. You can act casual with me, I won't mind friends?" I'm lost for words, is she really making the first move to get close to me? Jeez! I should be the one doing that Iris!

"I should be the one asking you to be friends with me Iris, you really surprised me so friends?"

inabot ko sakanya ang kamay ko upang makipag shake hands, tinanggap naman niya iyon agad sabay usal niya.

"Friends..." then an angelic smile formed through her lips pero kagaya kanina sobrang saglit lang noon.

This is a good new start for us, ito ang magiging dahilan para mas makilala namin ang isa't isa. Lalo na para mas makilala ko ang totoong siya.

Bigla naman natigil ang tinginan at pag kakamayan namin ng biglang sumigaw si Leo na nasa veranda namin.

"Hey love birds! Pinapa tawag na kayo sa loob masiyado na kayong nag e-enjoy sa company ng isa't isa!" pag sasabi ni Leo na may halong pang aasar nanaman.

Bumaling naman ako kay Iris at in-offer ang braso ko para kapitan niya na tinanggap naman niya.

"Let's go?" tumango lang siya bilang pag sagot at sabay hawak na din sa braso ko na lihim ko na ikina-ngiti.