Chapter 6

LARA VIA

Lola welcomed me with a beaming smile, radiating infectious enthusiasm. Unable to resist her contagious energy, I reciprocated with a smile of my own.

"So, how was it? Did your date go well? What kind of man is he? Did you two kiss? Oh my god! Is he a good kisser? What kind of kiss did you two have!? How does it feel to be kissed by a hot doctor? God, tell me now, Lara, I'm so freaking curious!" Lola bombarded me with a flurry of questions, her excitement palpable. Her tendency to overthink things and her manner of speaking made her seem more like a millennial than me, adding a touch of endearment to the moment.

"Lola, stop being 'OA,' okay? We didn't kiss, our date went well, he's a gentleman, and I find him cute rather than gorgeous. And, Lola, he's sizzling hot! I can say that we can make this work out!"

"Oh my god! I can't believe this; I'm so happy for you, apo! I can't wait to have grandchildren with you!" Lola rushed towards me, enveloping me in a warm hug. I reciprocated, sharing a laugh at the sight of her teary-eyed. Despite Lola's flair for the dramatic, I felt incredibly fortunate to have her by my side.

"Grandchildren already, Lola! We just met not too long ago!" I teased her for being too advanced in her thinking.

"Tsk, you'll get there for sure; that's where you're headed! Don't worry, apo. At first, it hurts, but I promise it gets better as time goes on!" I quickly covered my ears due to Lola's enthusiastic proclamation. Other household members looked over, chuckling discreetly. Lola flashed a peace sign, continuing to playfully hit me.

As we sat down to catch up further, Lola's excitement bubbled over, and she couldn't help but share stories of her own youth, weaving in advice and anecdotes that had us both laughing. In that moment, surrounded by Lola's warmth and genuine joy, I couldn't help but appreciate the unique bond we shared, bridging the generational gap with laughter, love, and a touch of lighthearted teasing.

L-Lola, what are you doing? I'm still not yet graduated, and you're already teaching me these things. My god, Lola, you're unbelievable!" No matter how much I tried to signal Lola not to speak, she kept insisting on sharing explicit details about sx. I couldn't believe it. I was probably turning crimson with embarrassment. Yeah, I don't know anything about sx, and sometimes, I'm a little bit curious about it.

"You know, grandchild, it's better to be knowledgeable about these things. You need to pleasure your husband through oral! He surely won't leave you; just let him go crazy over you!" I couldn't think of any reason to stop Lola from her explicit teachings. I could hear laughter from my parents upstairs, and I knew they could hear what Lola was saying because of her booming voice. It seemed louder than my yelling.

"Hey, Lola, what are you teaching our princess?" Kuya Landon spoke as he entered the room, accompanied by my brother Logan and Lennox. They looked like they just came from somewhere, dressed to impress, probably out looking for beautiful women. Clearly, they managed to escape while Lola was absent earlier.

"Where have you been, you playboys!?"

"Where else, Lola? Chasing women. Lola, we should have come to Spain a long time ago. The girls here are so d*mn hot and more experienced!" I couldn't help but chuckle at Kuya Lennox's comment. He was always such a flirt. He received a light smack from Kuya Logan, while Lola bridged the gap between them.

"For goodness' sake, involving me in your nonsense!"

"You three! You've always been womanizers! When are you going to straighten up, you fools?"

"Ouch, Lola, stop it! Ouch, that hurts!"

"Wahhh, Lola, I'm just joking. Don't ruin my handsome face!" Laughter echoed through the mansion due to the antics of my brothers.

"I wish Lara could have grandchildren soon, and you, when are you planning to settle down? Oh my goodness, what did I just say?" Even I was caught off guard by Lola's sudden admission. She mentioned it should be our secret to my brothers. I didn't know why Lola wanted to keep it a secret, and now I felt like I committed a big mistake in front of them.

"D-don't mind what I said; I gotta go. Lola is tired and needs to rest upstairs!"

"Lola!" My kuyas said in unison. Lola almost slipped due to her hurried exit, catching us off guard. However, she just smiled at us. Once Lola was out of sight, the surroundings became quiet. I also wanted to leave, but I had no excuse to offer them.

"Speak," I just closed my eyes, bracing myself for Kuya Logan's serious tone. This was the challenging part; they were overly protective to the point of being willing to harm my suitors, especially if they didn't approve. Meanwhile, their friends remained silent and even pushed us together, despite the numerous times we were hurt.

"I'm already at my right age, kuya, to know what is right and wrong. And there's nothing wrong with dating someone; it's just natural. Don't worry about me; I've learned my lesson. I won't force myself if I find out he doesn't like me." I heard their heavy sighs, and they scrutinized me; it was challenging to read their thoughts.

"Princess, we know you're now at the right age. We're just worried about you. Care to introduce that guy?"

"Kuya, he's not like your friends; he's a gentleman!" They were shocked by my candid statement. Even I couldn't stop myself from speaking my mind.

"I see. I'm sorry if he tries to hurt you; we're ready to make him the food for Canna!" Canna is their lion pet. I didn't understand why they decided to raise wild animals at home.

"I will introduce him to all of you, kuyas. Don't worry about me; I'll get to know him better." They smiled at me and gave me a warm embrace.

I couldn't help but smile when I saw Drake's message. He wanted to have a date with me. Of course, I agreed; this would be a way for me to get to know him better.

To: Drake

Where are you?

Wala pang isang minuto ang nakalipas ng maka receive ako ng reply galing sa kanya.

From: Drake

At the hospital, but don't worry i will make it faster. Hindi magandang pinaghihintay ang isang magandang binibini kagaya mo.

I can't help but to smile when i read his message i even read it out loud the fudge buti na lang alang tao sa paligid.

To: Drake

I'll just go there.

From: Drake

Tf! Seriously it seems like you want to fetch me! Ako dapat ang gumagawa nyan.

I laugh so hard because of his reply, he really has a sense of humor hindi kagaya nya na laging seryoso. Ohh fudge why do i need to compare drake to him.

To: Drake Where are you?

Less than a minute passed before I received a reply from him.

From: Drake At the hospital, but don't worry, I will make it faster. It's not right to keep a beautiful lady like you waiting.

I couldn't help but smile when I read his message. I even read it out loud, thankfully, there was no one around.

To: Drake I'll just go there.

From: Drake Tf! Seriously, it seems like you want to fetch me! I should be the one doing that.

I laughed so hard because of his reply; he really has a sense of humor, unlike him who is always serious. Oh, fudge, why do I need to compare Drake to him?

To: Drake Silly, I'm not going to fetch you. I just want to see where you are working.

From: Drake Okay, gorgeous, I'll wait for you then.

I don't know why the heck I want to see him in his uniform. I just want to see him wearing his doctor coat. I immediately went to the room and changed. I decided to take a walk since the hospital wasn't far. In less than twenty minutes, I arrived there. The hospital was huge, and I knew it was owned by him. He told me about his properties and plans to move to the Philippines, though he didn't know when.

"Hmmm, do you know Doctor Drake Salazar?"

"Do you have any appointments, ma'am?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that question. Ghad, can't he just say where he is so we can get this over with? I sat in the corner, hoping he would pass by here.

"LARA!" My attention quickly shifted to the guy approaching me; he was smiling widely. I returned the smile. He was wearing his doctor's coat, and I could say he looked even hotter in that uniform. He's a hot doctor, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had a lot of patients intentionally seeking him out.

"Hey, I'm sorry for taking so long. You should have texted me." I wasn't surprised when we caught the attention of a few. Well, he owns this hospital, and he's good-looking. Some even greeted him, and he reciprocated with a sweet smile.

"It's okay, you know you look more handsome and hot with your uniform," he smirked, his lips forming an amused expression. He probably didn't expect the praise I gave him. When it comes to attractiveness, he's undoubtedly not one to be left behind. He's the type of guy who is easy to be with; I enjoy every moment I spend with him. He can make me smile and laugh out loud, so I think maybe he's the perfect guy for me. Well, I forgot, no one is perfect; he has his flaws. He isn't good at dancing, drawing, etc., but he also has a lot of skills that can truly amaze you.

"Really, do I need to wear this everywhere we go so I'll always look handsome and hot in front of you, so you won't look at anyone else but me?" I playfully hit his arm, wondering why it was so hard, yet the pain continued to sting.

"I don't know about you!" We dined at a nearby restaurant in the hospital, talking about our day and life plans. He was easy to be with, and I felt comfortable around him. He often indulged in my antics.

"So, after you graduate, I mean when you pass the board exam, are you planning to go back to the Philippines?" I nodded at him; that was indeed my plan.

"Definitely."

"Then let's go back together."

"Are you serious?" He smiled at me and nodded. Maybe that would be better; we still need time to get to know each other better.

"We should go out more so we can get to know each other better."

"Yeah, that's a good idea, Drake."

"I'll be straightforward here, Lara. I like you, so I want us to help each other make this work out." I wasn't sure how to react to his sudden confession, but I think it's better this way. We need to move on to reach the next level of our lives. If you need to bury something from the past, do it if it's for the better.

"Yeah, let's make this work out."