KEEPING UP WITH HER CHEERFULNESS

CHAPTER 10:"THE FIRST PLAN"

"What!?.." - Clayden

"huh?.." Sabay kaming Napa sigaw SA gulat ng banggitin ni Clara Ang mga salitang Yun..

"I like ate Zhy for you!..

I want her to be my future sister in law!."

HUH!?...

"Here we go again, Clara!?.. Are you acting childish again?.."

"I'm not.." - Clara

"te...Teka lang.. ahmm hehehe..

mag break fast na tayu.."

pang distract ko..

"Woww!.. Ang sarap nito..

Hali na kayu kain na tayu.."

Agad akong nag hanap ng paraan para ma distract sila..

BUT... I JUST SUDDENLY ENDED UP TOUCHING THE PAN CLAYDEN WAS USING TO COOK THE OMELETTE..

"ouch..."

daing ko na ikina tingin nila sakin..

"Ate Zhy?.. are you alright?.."

Nag-aalalang Tanong ni Clara sakin..

"Why didn't you take it slow?.."

Isang malamig na boses mula Kay Clayden..

Nilingon ko ito, pero laking gulat ko nalang ng subrang seryuso pala ng tingin nito sakin..

Hinablot nito Ang kamay ko at tinignan yung paso..

"Come.." - Clayden

He pulled me over to the sink.. and washed my hands right away.

ANG OA HUH?..

"Okay lang.. ayus lang.."

Saad ko Ritu..

"it's not fine to me!.."

Malamig nitong sagut na ikinatikom ng bibig ko..

Nakaramdam Ako ng takot..

GANITO BA TALAGA SIYA?..

~ ~ ~ ~F. O. R. W. A. R. D~ ~ ~ ~

"Okay naba kayu ng kuya mo Clara?.."

Tanong ko Ritu habang kumakain..

Nasa kusina kami ngayun ni Clara..

kami lang dalawa kumakain..

Bigla nalang kasing umalis si Clayden pagkatapos Niya kaming bigyan ng break fast..

"I know him very well..

Hindi Siya magagalit.. I'm just teasing him earlier.." Naka ngiti nitong sagut na ikina tawa ko..

MARUNONG RIN PALA SIYANG MANG INIS..

I THOUGHT, GANON LANG TALAGA SIYA MAG ISIP.. PERO I'M WRONG.. SHE'S MATURED SOMETIMES..

SOMETIMES LANG..

"Sa tingin mo?.. bakit Hindi Siya sumabay satin?.."

"I don't know..

pero don't worry ate!..

okay lang Yun...

sure akong kiniklig payun Hanggang ngayun.."

"h..huh?.."

GANITO NABA TALAGA AKO KA LUTANG?..

"Kanina.. I saw kuya's eyes..

He's so worried about you!.. And I knew right away... that he has feelings for you but he's just hiding it.. I swear, ate!.. 'Cause eyes never lie!.."

"H..haha.. napaka pala biro mo pala talaga!.."

Sagut ko SA kanya at tumawa..

BUT DEEP IN SIDE?..

I'M A BIT CURIOUS TOO..

"I'm saying the truth..

and kanina.. Yung sinabi ko na gusto kita para Kay kuya.. Tutuo din Yun!..

I like you a lot ate Zhy....

kung Ako si kuya?.. liligawan na kita.."

* * *PWEEE!..* * *

Nailuwa ko Ang tubig na iniinom ko..

Dahil sa mga sinasabi ni Clara..

*cough!.** cough!.**

"Ate Zhy?.. are you alright?..."

nag aalalang Tanong nito

"O...okay lang..."

• • • • •

"Get ready, Zhy Reil..

because we're going out..

we're going to buy your new things.."

Biglaang Sabi nito na ikinalingon namin ni Clara sa kanya agad..

"What?.. how about me?..

kuya?.." - Clara

"of course you're going with us!." - Clayden

"I changed my mind kuya.. I'll just stay here nalang.." - Clara

"What?.. why?.."

Nag tatakang Tanong Naman ni Clayden, pati Ako ay nag tataka rin SA sagut nito..

"I mean!.. ayus Yun!.. mag ingat kayu..

You two will have time together then.. btw!.. kuya, take ate Zhy anywhere! so she doesn't get bored.."

Clara said..

"Clara?.. are you teasing me again?.."

Seryusong Tanong nito,

"No I'm not.. Gusto kolang talaga ditu.."

sagut Naman ni Clara at kinindatan Ako..

DINAMAY PA TALAGA AKO?..

"Fine!.. if that's what you want, then fine!..

I won't force you.." Anito at tumalokod na..

"Btw.. Zhy Reil.. I'll wait for you downstairs."

I nodded right away as a sign of agreement.

"see?..

kuya really likes you.. " - Clara

Anito at nag patuloy na kumain..

"Bakit?.." I ask, and I was about to stand up, but I stopped at what she said..

"Because he didn't force me to come along..

hahaha.. I know Kuya so well..

Maybe he also wanted you two to have some time together.. ayeii!.. kinikilig Ako.."

WHAT?..

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~F. O. R. W. A. R. D

Papalabas na Ako.. I immediately saw Clayden's car outside.. so I ran right away..

"Sorry.. natagalan.." Bungad ko ritu ng pumasok na sa sasakyan Niya..

"You took so long, didn't you?.." Seryusong Sabi nito na ikina tingin ko SA kanya..

"Did Clara keep chatting with you?..

is that why you took so long?.."

Anito at tumingin sakin..

"ah..haha.. sorry.."

"Don't apologize..

I should be the one saying this to you..

sorry about my sister.."

He said, at pinaandar na Ang sasakyan..

"Hindi naman..

She's kind.. and yeah, she's a bit chatty..

but she's not that mischievous.."

.........

"Do you want to get your things from the condo?.."

Agad napabaling Ang tingin ko ritu..

"s..sege.." Tanging sagut ko..

pero parang nag dadalawang isip Ako..

"Don't worry...

We won't be in any hurry whatsoever..

if there's still people around, we'll skip going in for now.."

He said, while still keeping his eyes on the road..

"S.. salamat.."

WHAT WOULD EVEN HAPPEN TO ME IF HE WASN'T HERE?..

SUBRANG DAMI NG NAITULONG NIYA SAKIN..

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Clayden.."

I whispered, which made him turn and look at me..

"You're the only person who does this for me..

The only one who helps me like this..

You're so kind..

I don't know how to thank you..

"All I can say is..

thank you so, so much Dr.Clayden.."

I said, and I was surprised when he suddenly smiled and stared at me..

PANIRA..

KITA NIYA NAMANG SERYUSO YUNG TAO EHH..

TAPOS NGINITIAN AT TITITIGAN NIYA LANG AKO?..

"What?..

why are you smiling like that?.."

kunot kilay kong Tanong Ritu..

"How long are you going to keep calling me

Dr. Clayden?.."

(He laughed softly and turned his attention back to driving)

"A..ano ba dapat e tawag ko sayu?.."

"Just call me Clayden, or whatever you like.."

Napaisip Ako agad sa sinabi Niya..

"alright!.. from now on.. kuya Clayden na Ang tawag ko sayu.."

I said and smile genuinely..

"What?.." Gulat nitong Sabi at tumingin sakin..

"Sabi mo, pwedi kitang tawagin kahit Anong gusto ko?.. mas comportable Ako SA kuya.."

GUSTO KORIN MARANASANG MAGKAROON NG KUYA..

"I already have a sister, I don't want to add one..". My smile from earlier faded right away when he said that..

"You can call me whatever you want.. except 'kuya'..

it just feels like... I don't know... different.."

He seriously said

"So ano?.. "

"Whatever you like.." - Clayden

Napaisip Ako ulit...

at kalaunan ay napangiti rin sa naisip..

"Clay nalang.."

Pagka banggit ko palang ay agad siyang napalingon..

"Huh?.."

"Bakit?.. ayaw moba?..

sege.... pano kong...

den-den?.."

I said, and smile..

"What the..

Is that all you could think of?.."

"Ayy!.. hehe.. pangit ba Yun?..

fine.. how about den nalang?..

Hindi na den-den?.."

Pag papatuloy ko..

He ran his hand over his face..

"W..Wala na akong maisip.."

Saad ko Ritu at tiningnan Siya..

"Just call me Clayden.. that's it..

enough thinking another nicknames again.."

Ayy.. hahaha.. oo nga.. Tama Siya..

° ° ° ° °

Napa dapo Ang tingin ko sa mga sasakyang kulay itim.. at sunod sunod pa Ang mga ito..

Yung pang huli..

Nakita ko Yung familiar na tao SA loob..

"p..papa??.."

Hindi makapaniwala kung sambit Ritu..

° ° ° ° °

[BREAKING NEWS]

"Mr. Zamour Chavez's men are already everywhere..

He's already looking for his daughter, Zhycarich Reil Chavez..

his eldest child..

He offered a reward to people..

that whoever finds his daughter will receive five million.."

° ° ° ° °

Napabuntung hininga nalang Ako sa nakitang Balita sa malaking TV ng mall..

"Why do you think he's having you looked for?..

what does he want from you?.." - Clayden

"I don't know.."

Walang gana kong sagut..

"You need to find out, Zhy Reil..

because he's still your father after all..

what if.. what he has to tell you is really important?.. what if he's really worried about you?..

don't be scared.. because if something bad happens again?..

I'm here..

I'll come get you from there right away.."

"but what if he's only having me looked for to scold me again..

to hurt me again..

to make me feel like I'm the most worthless child again?.."

I didn't even realize tears were already falling from my eyes..

"If that's the case...

that won't happen anymore..

because I won't allow it.."

I looked at him when he said that..

"We have to put the first plan into action now..

you ready?.."

Nagulat Ako sa sinabi nito..

kaya hindi Ako naka imik agad..

"What plan?.."

I ask..

"You need to go back..

but you'll leave right away..

you need to scare him..

tell him you're cutting ties with him as his daughter..

and if he agrees..

that's when we'll find out if he's really looking for you for real...

we'll find out what he wants from you...

we'll find out why he's looking for you..

you'll also find out if he really loved you as his child..."

IF HE REALLY LOVED ME AS HIS CHILD?..

"If he's really worried about you..

he'll beg you not to leave anymore.."