Chapter Three

I can only imagine my mom getting married again.I mean,is that okay.She's still married to my father.

Well,yes Azazel it wasn't okay until they got an annulment first...So Ansel will be the other man?But... that's the bad guy in books.

Though my impression of him is ..not that bad ,not that good .I feel like there's still something missing from all of my ideas.So, it's really good to know that i'm not actually connected to him.My guess is right all along.They were a couple.

Pagkatapos ibilin sa akin iyon ay pinauwi rin ako kaagad.Alas siyete na din naman no'n kaya naman wala na din akong naabutan.Usually ang library ang bukas pa ng ganitong oras dahil alas diyes ang sarado no'n.

Doon ako naglagi at hinanap ang hiling topic sa AP at tsaka inaral mag-isa.

"Miss Torres magsasara na po"

Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa Librarian na nagsalita.Nakahawak siya sa isang libro at nakahanda kaagad ang ngiti niya.Tumango ako at ngumiti bago tuluyang isara ang libro.I take note as i read so i should be ready for tomorrow.

Siguro hindi muna ako pupunta sa office dahil kailangan kong humabol sa mga ginawa nila.

I plan to get out atleast 9:30 para sana makakain pa ako pero hindi ko nanaman namalayan ang oras .Tinahak ko ang daan papuntang dormitory.The guards made me log before i resume going in my room.Inabot ko ang switch ng ilaw pagkatapos kong isara ang pinto ng napasinghap ako sa nadatnan ko sa loob.Naibato ko kaagad ang libro sa mukha niya.

"Ow!"she throw dagger look at me habang hawak ang natamaang noo.She stands up with her ruffled princess dress in white (this time).

"Hoy!Caza bakit mo ako binato?"i eyed her for a warning bago ibinaba ang bag sa upuan.

Nanahimik siya sandali bago bumalik sa pagkakaupo hawak parin ang noo.

"This isn't the first i came here to sleep.Why are you so startled"she pointed at me.Lumakad ako sa harap niya bago pumameywang.Patay ang ilaw at hindi man lang siya nagsalita kahit na naisarado ko na ang pintuan tapos nagtatanong siya ngayon?Umiling ako at inumpisahan na i-untie ang necktie ko.

"What are you doing here?"she knows there's a curfew.Kailan lang kami lumabag doon, na mabuti na lang pinalampas ng Head Mistress.

"Nawala ako ng isang araw ,tapos kanina ikaw naman ang wala.I was just here for some news ,nothing else"

She finish massaging her forehead, this time she grabs her blower and tried to dry her long curly hair.It just looks so wet na iniisip ko ng binasa nanaman niya ang higaan ko tapos doon siya mahihiga sa parteng tuyo.I recall what's my room look like the last time that i got here.Surely,i won't leave some chips on the side table.I won't leave empty plastic of junk foods and a can of soda.My slippers is out too,my closet failed to protect my clothes as i saw something picking out from it.I grab out a lung full of air but then i smell something familiar.I close my mouth and gave her my poker face after u realize what was it.

"Haha"that was an awkward laugh from her as she continue drying her hair.She just use everything!Alita Soledad Dominguez is rich too,as far as i know,but she always does this.Hindi nagtagal ang ganoong mukha k dahil nasanay na'rin ako na mas magulo siya sa akin sa kahit na anong bagay

"I plan to stay here for the night so that means we'll have to talk about everything until i say so"she flood her hair to the other side and began working with another.I blink as i remember that i need to tell her something.What could be a great start so i can end it without follow up questions?

Uh,Ada i actually own this school now.I'm the new owner.You know i always hope to stand on my own and just be with myself and it's finally coming true.It is my 18th birthday present came from my mom's newly acquired husband!Yes!She's getting married!

"Caza?.."my soft pillow end up on my lap after she threw it on my face.Inayos ko 'yon at ginamit na sandalan kahit na malambot naman ang kinauupuan.

"Ano na?My classmates told me na nagsabi na ang head teacher na iba na ang may-ari ng School.Do you happen to heard that too?"tanong niya tapos hindi pa nagtatagal ay tinignan na niya ako ng parang di naniniwala.

"That would be impossible right?Running valedictorian ka di'ba.You've probably heard that"she gets the end of her hair.

"Who do you think it is?Or whoever that is sana mabait siya"I'm certain about that. Though i still need to tell her it was me? But ..i told myself i won't take it right? My mind got entangled with weather to tell her simply that it was me and it came from my  soon-to-be stepfather?Pero alam ko rin naman na hindi talaga kakayanin ng isang paliwanagan  'yon.Being Ada as herself perhaps we will need to stay up all night talking about this.

I look at the clock.Mag-aalas onse na.

Tumayo ako at inumpisahan.

"Ada , actually....i-it was me"i drop the bomb.

Then heard the crickets talking to me.Ada is finishing what she's doing on her hair so her attention is actually on its ends.

I got irritated."Ada did you hear me?"

She finally turned to me ,asking me using her eyes.I sighed and get near me her. I sat comfortably on my bed facing her.

"Ada.."then i rattled everything about it.

"You are the owner...it is from your mother's soon-to-be husband...gift from your debut"she enumerated.I sighed and nodded my head.I feel exhausted all of a sudden.That wasn't even a half or maybe 1/4 of what we discussed.As i told her the first sentence there are a couple of questions she already ask me.And then she will remembered about the scenario from the movie she watched.Not even on half she made another topic again,it was an issue from school that i never heard of.We discussed a lot of things before we even came up to the last sentence she heard from me at kahit doon nakagawa pa siya ng ilang tanong.

"So ...owner ka na nga"she's smiling widely.I nod for a hundred times at her.

"So,mayaman ka na?!"it was a little loud that i stared at the door hoping for a knock.She close her mouth and put her hand on it.We both watch the door for a moment before i sighed.

"What should in all you then?"she giggled but i gave her a death glare.She seriously wanted me to think about that?

"Did you forgot the part where i told you I'm not going to take it?"Suminghap sya sa sinabi ko kaya dinugtungan ko kaagad.

"This wasn't part of the plan"she gape at my reason for a second before returning my glare.

"You said ,you wanted to be free and independent,this is a sign,you just have to start"i bit my lips.That sound so simple when it came to her.But i should've done similar to that if that's what i really all want.

I look at the time again before standing up.

"Where are you going?"tinanong niya kaagad Inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa orasan."It's 2:00am.I'll take a shower and go to sleep"i walk to where i hang my robe.

"But we're not done talking about this."i get a pair of undies and dress.

"Yes.But we can do that tomorrow.You have an early class right?"

"But what if you forgot it?"umiling kaagad ako at inumpisahan ng tanggalin ang butones ng suot na blouse.

"I won't"

"But you said you have a plan of not taking this.What if you still didn't answer every question that i have?" seriously?i turned to her and saw that she's already lying flat on her stomach.

"Ilan pa bang tanong 'yan?Did i already answer them all?"i whined at her annoying expression and words and finally get in the bathroom to take a shower.

Hindi ako nagtagal

"It's a family meeting .Si tito daw my co-founder na doon sa kompanya .Medyo namomroblema sila dahil baka daw tuluyang iyakan sila"

"Bakit naman"nagkibit balikat siya

"Ang alam ko higit na makapangyarihan ang taong nakabili.Hindi naman sila mag-aalangan ng gano'n kung hindi"

"Nangangamba sila na baka sa susunod wala na sa pangalan nila ang kompanyang pinaghirapan nila"

Wala din naman.For sure my mom will get it from me kapag nagtagal tagal lalo na kung makakasal sila.Nagbuntong hininga ako ng kahit ang pag iisip ni Ada, humaba din.

She's probably been in a relationship then ,dahil mas na-explore na niya ang mundo kaysa sa'kin.

Hindi pa kami nagtatagal sa pagtulog ay may kumatok na sa pinto.Napakunot noo ako at nilingon si Ada na mabilis na nakatulog.

I scoffed at her sleeping figure before taking the knot on my forehead.I double tap my phone to check the time.

23:34

Who would knock in this kind of hour?Umulit ng dalawang katok ang kung sinuman sa labas habang ibinababa ko ang isa kong paa sa sahig.That will be the head mistress.

Walang pag-aalinlangan na binuksan ko iyon pero hindi ko alam kung napakatanga ba ako dahil nasa likod ko lang si Ada na baka nagpapanggap lang na tulog o iyong pinag usapan namin kanina ay nandito na sa harap ko.I didn't know when is the time that i out myself out of the door.Hinila ko iyon pasara.

"Mr.Millano?"i look at his body.May kaunting ilaw pa naman galing sa mga ilaw na nakakabit talga sa mga pintuan ng kwarto para mayroong ilaw ang head mistress kapag gusto na niyang i-check na wala na ngang gustong tumambay sa hallway.

His tie is loosed pero kahit na ganoon ang ayos pormal parin ang mukha niya .Napamulagat ako kaagad ng makaisip ng itatanong.

"Ano pong ginagawa niyo dito?"

Did the head mistress let him in?Diba lalaki siya at all girls dormitory to?Linunok ko rin iyon dahil oo nga pala siya nag may ari nitong school.But then my eyes still drifted down to where the head mistress posts.

"She took a picture of me ,made me write an essay and lets me signed it before i came here"

"Oh?"yeah?He did that?Nilingon ko ang kamay niya kaya naman itinaas niya iyon sa harap ko.

"Nagsulat ako Azazel"hindi ako makapaniwala .Parang wanted ang mismong papasok sa dorm.Kriminal na yata ang turing sa mga owner ngayon.Nilunok ko ang kagustuhan kong tumawa.Kahit sino pala ang makaharap ng head mistress gano'n pa'rin siya.But really...why is he here?Bigla kong naalala ang mga sinabi ng mama ko.He already gave me the school and made me rich in just a snap.Nanghihingi na ba siya ng kapalit?So is this the time when i need to give my blessing?I mean to the both of them?Hindi ba heto ang dahilan ng lahat?

Hinanda ko ang sasabihin ko."Who gave you that pink ruffled dress?"

"Huh?"nag init bigla ang pisngi ko I didn't bother to change clothes because i didn't think that it could be a guy.Bumaba ang tingin ko sa suot ko.E'to yung isa sa mga binigay sa'kin ni Ada na termino bestida at pajama na pink .Ang white ruffles ay sa dulo nakalagay.

I look at him i notice that he's been eyeing my whole attire.Does it seem

strange to him?O pinaplano niyang bilhan ang mama ko.

"Uh?My friend "i answered hoping to swallow a laugh.Nanatili nga lang ang tingin niya at ngayon pati buhok ko pinaparaanan niya ng tingin.

"Ada"dagdag ko.I plan to tell him i approved of him as a.... part of the family and my stepfather?I still don't know where to turn with all of this though..I start to think it was really a bad idea that I'm wearing this dress.Magpapalit pa ba ako ng damit,yung mas angkop sa kailangan kong gawin...pero isa na lang naman 'yon so let's just end it fast? It'll be good.I'll approved of him and then give him back the school.

"Really.Mr. Millano.I already approved of you"hindi mo naman kasi kailangang bumili ng kahit na ano i will still agree.just like what my mom said.

However,not the smiley face nor the excited voice i expect him to give or show sa halip binigyan niya ako ng nagtatanong na tingin.

"Approved of me?"sa paraan ng pagtatanong niya parang hindi nya alam kung bakit ako nagkakaganito.

"I approve of you as my mother's boyfriend"it felt strange to say that. In books i can only hear and echoed this on my head that parents should be the one saying things like what i said..at me.

"Your mother's what?"he said and cough a laugh.He look like he finds all of this ridiculous and that i don't know what I'm talking about.I gave him a puzzled look .He looks amazed amused ,i don't know.Inreturned his look at him.

"My mom's boyfriend?"ngayon patanong narin ako kung magsabi sa kanya.Isn't that why he's doing this?

Inayos niya ang damit .He run his eyes to the lamps and smile at me.

"What? You're doing this because of that right?"

Lumaki ang ngisi niya sa akin .Nagtagal ang tingin niya sa buong mukha ko.

"Mr.Millano?"

"No I'm not doing this for the sake of your approval of the same reason that you expect."He really find this all ridiculous.

"I was there because i want to close some deal"

Tumaas ang dalawa kong kilay.

"I was not there to be your....'tuluyang kumawala ang mahinang tawa sa kanya.Napanganga ako at tinatanaw ang ngiting 'yon.I grip the fabric on my back.Isn't that it?Bakit ba siya tumatawa? Isn't this is what my mother told me?

"To be your mom's boyfriend"he finished.

"I was there to close a deal,with your father"he chuckled again and shake his head.

"You won't marry my mom?"unti unting nawala ang ngiti niya at nagseryoso.

"No.I won't marry your mom"