Kabanata 5.1

"Hi, Helena!" Bati ng mga familiar na mukha. I think they are all working in the vegetable plantation. They are wearing a buri hat and a farm working clothes. g

"Hello, po." ganting bati ko.

Pinatuloy ako ni ate Mela sa kanilang bahay at pinaupo sa pang-isahan na upuan.

"Rico, ipamigay mo to sa mga kapitbahay natin." sabi ni ate Mela. May hinanda siyang mga lagayan na naglalaman ng niluto niya. Agad namang tumalima si Rico.

"Tulungan na Kita." Presenta ko.

"Huwag na, Helena. Maupo ka nalang diyan."

"I insist, Rico. Wala rin naman akong gagawin dito." Sabi ko sabay tayo. Tumango siya at ibinigay sa akin ang ilan.

"Hindi ka naman siguro hahanapin sa mansion?" Tanong ni Rico.

"Hindi naman. Abala ang lahat sa mansion at nandito lang naman ako sa inyo. Parte pa rin ng ranch kaya okay lang." Sagot ko sa kanya. Tumango siya bilang sagot at lumabas na kami sa kanilang bahay upang mamigay ng pagkain sa kanilang kapitbahay.

"Aling Martha, pinapabigay po ni mama." Bungad ni Rico.

"Aba, salamat dito." Nakangiting sabi nito. "Kay gandang dilag naman ng kasama mo, Rico." She complimented me.

"Si Helena po, apo ni Lola Elena." Pakilala niya. Tumango sa akin ang babae at ngumiti. Ngumiti lang din ako pabalik.

Hanggang sa matapos kami sa pamimigay at bumalik na sa kanilang bahay.

"Kumain na kayo bago pa lumamig yan." Saad ni ate Mela. She give me a bowl of minatamis na saging at kamote.

"Thank you, po." Sabi ko.

Sabay kaming kumain ni Rico sa bilugang mesa nila. Masarap naman ang niluto ni ate Mela.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay umupo kami sa labas ng kanilang bahay. Rico is talking about his life with his grandparents and I just listen. As I looked at him, I noticed he had fair skin. Matangos din ang kanyang ilong and he had a clean cut for his hair.

"Rico, may lahi ka ba?" Biglang tanong ko sa kanya. Kahit ako ay nagulat din. "I mean, you don't need to answer it. It's out of the blue." bawi ko.

"Ah, oo. Anak ako sa pagkadalaga ni mama." Amin niya.

Tumango lang ako at hindi na nagsalita pa. I let him do the talk while I just listened. I bet he is missing his grandparents. Ito kasi ang laman ng halos lahat ng kwento niya. We really have something in common. I am also missing my parents.

Hindi namin namalayan ang paglipas ng oras hanggang sa nagsiuwian na ang mga trabahante sa vegetables farm. Gulat sila ng makita ako. I only waved my hand at them. Ngumiti naman sila.

"Ihatid na kita Helena bago pa magdilim." Aya ni Rico. Tumango ako at nagpaalam na sa kanyang mama.

Nasa kalahati pa lang kami ng nilakad namin ng sumalubong sa amin si Alexander na sakay ng kanyang paboritong kabayo. I couldn't read his reaction and I can feel the fast beating of my heart.

"Where have you been, lady?" Alexander in his thunderous voice. My eyes widened when Rico stepped in front of me.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked coldly and it made me shiver.

"Magandang hapon, Sir. Ihahatid ko lang po si Helena."

"Get out of my sight." Alexander in his much controlled voice.

"R-rico. Uh, ako na. Thank you." sabi ko sa kinakabahang tono. I don't know why I felt nervous when I didn't do anything wrong.

"Huh? Ihahatid kita Helena sa mansion. Malapit na rin naman tayo." Si Rico na hindi pa rin pansin ang masamang timpla sa mukha ni Alexander.

I was about to decline when Alexander got off from his horse in an abrupt manner. He then holds my arm and puts me beside him.

"Who the hell gives you the permission to talk to her, to be with her and to bring her to your place?" malamig niyang tanong kay Rico. Rico's forehead creased in confusion, I guess.

"Alexander, that's enough. Let's go." sabi ko sabay hila sa kanya. Hindi siya natinag at nanatiling nakikipagtitigan kay Rico.

"Alexander Reign! Let's go, please." sabi ko sa pagsusumamong boses.

"Tss. This better be the last time." Sabi niya sabay talikod kay Rico at angat sa akin pasakay sa kanyang kabayo. He then positioned himself on my back.

Walang nagsalita sa amin hanggang sa dumating kami sa bukana ng mansion. Tumawag siya ng tauhan upang maghatid pabalik sa kabayo sa kuwadra nito.

Alexander drags me to the other side of the mansion instead of going inside.

"I told you to stay in the music room. Pero pagbalik ko, wala ka na.”

"I'm sorry. Please don't get mad anymore." sabi ko. He stared at me with his scrutinizing eyes. "Ate Mela was there. She invited me to eat with them. That's all."

"Maybe I should fire them both? What do you think?"

"Oh no, no Alexander. Don't do that. They didn't do anything wrong."

"Then, don't talk to that guy again, Hera."

"We're just really friends, they're just being nice to me." I explained.

"Tell me, do you like him?"

"What? As a friend, yes. But I don't like him beyond that, Alex."

"Hmm. Let's talk again some other time, Helena Kiera." His reply before he walked out from me. I sighed and looked at his back.

This is the second time we really had a big misunderstanding. The first one was when it's my two years here on the ranch. Some of his relatives were visiting them and there's this one male cousin of his who tried to talk to me. I forgot his name. But I remember that cousin of his who follows me everywhere I go, then I got annoyed that I confronted his cousin. But that cousin of his is really something, biglang hinawakan ang kamay ko at sakto namang yun ang nakitang naabutan ni Alexander.

Alexander accused me of cheating and punched his cousin in the face. I don't understand why he'd say that. I don't even like his cousin.