4

"It's a pity she didn't take fine arts, she's good at painting," napanganga ako. I looked at him with confused eyes but he just smirked at me.

"H-how did you know she's goo at painting, hijo?" Mom asked. Clearly confused. Si Mommy lang kasi ang nakaka-alam na mahilig ako mag paint. Of course, aside from Fiona and Stephanie. Silang tatlo lang ang nakaka-alam. 

He smiled at my mother. Mabuti naman at ginagalang niya si Mommy. Kay Daddy lang siguro mainit ang dugo niya? "There was an art exhibit at our University before and I saw her joining, ma'am," he politely answered. He was there?! Iyong ang una at huling sali ko sa mga live painting competitions! 

"You did what?" Muntik na ako tumalon sa tigas ng boses ni Daddy. He looked furious. "Ilang beses na kitang sinabihan, Soliel Alexis. Tigil-tigilan mo na ang pagsali sa mga ganyan! Painting is a waste of time! Instead of painting, why not focus on our company instead? Did I spoil you too much?" I could feel my eyes tearing up. Pinipigilan ko ang sarili ko na hindi umiyak sa harapan nila. Agad naman hinawakan ni Mommy ang kamay ko. Tinignan ko siya at kitang-kita ko sa mga mata niya ang sakit na nararamdaman niya para sa akin. Ngumiti ako sa kanya. Telling her that I am fine. Dad kept on scolding me in front of the Legrand's. "Heaven, Claudio, I'm really sorry about this. Alam ko hindi deserving ang anak ko na maging parte ng pamilya niyo. She's very useless. Walang alam sa negosyo. Kung sana andito lang ang panganay ko ay hindi tayo magkaka problema." 

"Pathetic."

Halos lahat kami napatingin sa direksyon ni Sky. His deadly eyes were staring at my Dad. Sinusubukan siyang pigilan ni Tita Heaven pero he stood up. "Sir, I beg your pardon. But why would you talk ill of your daughter in front of us?" 

"I-I just want you to be aware hij-"

"Aware? Of what? That you know nothing about your own daughter?" Prangkang sabi ni Sky. Natahimik naman si Daddy. I was panicking a bit hindi ko inaasahan na kayang sagutin ni Sky ang Daddy ko at hindi man lang siya pinigilan ng mga magulang niya. "You haven't even seen her paintings, am I right? Do you even care about your daughter? Alam mo ba na ang baba ng tingin niya sa sarili niya?" Sky scoffed. "Of course alam mo. Kasi ikaw pala ang rason kung bakit sobrang baba ng tingin niya sa sarili niya. Na akala niya hindi siya deserving sa mga bagay bagay."

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isip ko at bigla akong tumayo mula sa upuan ko at agad na hinatak si Sky palayo sa pamilya namin. He did not budge. Ayaw niya umalis kaya naman nilakasan ko ang pag hatak sa kanya. "Fine! Fine! Stop pulling me! You might break your own arm! Geez, woman!" 

Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta basta ang alam ko ay hatak hatak ko siya. We finally stopped near the fountain area of the restaurant. I could finally feel my tears running down my eyes. "W-wait! Why the hell are you crying?" Napapanic na tanong niya. Umiling naman ako at tinignan ang mga mata niya. 

"T-thank you. I didn't think you would even stand up for me," I whispered. He rolled his eyes at me. 

"I can't believe ganyan kasahol ang ugali ng tatay mo," he scoffed. "You're just like her." Tumingin naman ako sa kanya. Her? Does he have a girlfriend?

"Y-your girlfriend?" Tanong ko. Umiling naman siya. 

"My ex."

"I remind you of your ex?" Nagulat ako ng tumawa siya. Kumunot naman ang noo ko. Agad ko pinahiran ang mukha ko. The nerve of this jerk!

"Nah. You're more of an opposite." Simpleng sabi niya. He does not seem affected. 

"Can you tell me about her?" Curious na tanong ko. He raised his eyebrows.  Agad naman siya umupo sa maliit na bench malapit sa fountain. I sat beside him.

"Matigas ang ulo niya. She likes her freedom, kaya naman when her parents wanted her to take over their company she flew to France. She left her family. And eventually, she left me as well." He chuckled. "I'm fine though, it has been 4 months already." I was stunned. 4 months? 4 months palang? 

"I-Is that the reason why agreed to this arrangement? Because she broke up with you?" Mahinang tanong ko. His loud laugh made me confused. 

"Nah. We had our closure so that break up was not the reason. I agreed because just like you, I basically don't have a choice."

"Pero mukhang hindi ka naman pinipilit ng parents mo. At hindi naman nalulugi ang negosyo ninyo. Sobrang sikat nga ng AirFrance na airlines. No wonder my Dad really wants to impress your parents," I looked at the sky. I'm always fascinated by its beauty. The Sun is hiding behind the clouds right now. Kaya medyo madilim ang kalangitan. 

"Yeah, hindi nila ako pinipilit. Pero as their son, it is my obligation to strengthen the foundation of our company. Merging both of our airlines would bring benefits to both of our families," he simply said. 

"Hindi ka ba takot sa parents mo?" Biglang tanong ko. Tumawa naman siya. I feel like my question was super dumb!

"Ano ba 'yang tanong mo?" Natatawang sambit niya.

"No! I'm serious! Your Dad looks super strict!" 

"Of course takot ako sa parents ko!" He continued laughing. Napanguso naman ako. 

"Kasi naman! Kaya mong sumagot ng ganon sa ibang tao sa mismong harap ng mga magulang mo!" He immediately stopped laughing. Tumingin siya sa akin at nginisihan ako. 

"It's because they know I'm doing the right thing," he coldly said. I saw how his his darkened. Probably remembering what happened a while ago. 

Sasagot pa sana ako nang biglang tumunog ang phone ko. It was a text from Fiona! Binasa ko ang text niya at agad naman ako tumingin kay Sky. "C-can you bring me somewhere?" I asked. 

He looked confused. "Where?" 

"My friend's house. Gusto ko lang magpalipas ng oras. You know, magpapa comfort ako," I reasoned out. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Am I not comforting you enough?" He asked. Umiling naman ako. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya mapapayag na ihatid ako sa bahay ni Fiona. I can't go there alone kasi hindi ko dala ang sasakyan ko. And this restaurant is far away. Walang pumapasok na mga taxi or any public transportation sa area na ito. 

He sighed at pumayag na din. "Fine." Nag lakad kami papunta sa parking area. He went near a red ferrari at pumasok doon. I was stunned! He owns a freaking ferrari? "Ano? Akala ko ba magpapa comfort ka sa kaibigan mo?" Sarcastic na sabi niya. Agad naman ako natauhan at pumasok sa loob. Hindi pala siya sumabay sa sasakyan ng parents niya kanina. He brought his own car. 

"So where to?" He asked while buckling his seatbelt. 

"Ah! Fiona's house. Wait. I'll set the location sa waze," sabi ko at nilagay ang location sa waze. He looked at it at mukhang alam naman niya ang daan papunta doon. 

"Fiona, huh. The former Council President?" He asked. Tumango naman ako. Pinaandar niya ang sasakyan at nag drive paalis ng restaurant. The drive was quiet since none of us bothered to talk. I panicked when I remember our parents! 

"T-teka! Sky! Sila Mommy. Hindi nila alam na umalis tayo. Baka magalit nanaman si Daddy," nagpapanic na sabi ko. Hindi ko alam kung hindi niya ba ako naririnig o sinasadya niya na hindi ako pinapansin. I tapped his arm kaya naman nagalit ito. 

"Ano nanaman?" Supladong sabi niya. I told him that we have to call our parents. Kinuha naman niya kaagad ang phone niya sa bulsa at binigay ito sa akin. Tinignan ko naman siya. "Call my mom," he said kaya agad ko naman kinuha ang phone niya. 

"Ano passcode mo?" I asked him. 

"Wala," simpleng sabi niya. I opened his phone and tama nga siya. Walang passcode ang phone niya. Wow ha. Siya lang ata ang kilala ko na walang passcode. 

"Bakit wala kang passcode?" Tanong ko sa kanya. 

"Dahil wala naman akong tinatago? And no one dares to borrow my phone," He smirked. I rolled my eyes. Malamang! Sobrang suplado mo naman kasi! I wanted to say outloud pero hindi na ako nag balak pa. 

I search his mom's name at agad ito tinawagan. After a few ring ay sumagot naman ito. "Yes, hijo?" His mom sounds so calm. Inilapit ko kay Sky ang phone niya. He looked at me as if telling me na ako ang sumagot pero nilakihan ko siya ng mata. He sighed and answered. 

"Hey mom. Soliel is with me. May pupuntahan lang kami saglit. Tell her parents I'll be the one to bring her home," he said. We could here small giggles from his mom. 

"Oh sure, hijo! No problem! I'll tell your tita Ericka. Don't worry! Mag iingat kayong dalawa!" His mom said at binaba naman niya kaagad ang tawag. Moments later we arrived at Fiona's house. We parked outside their gate. Agad naman ako nag doorbell at binuksan naman ito ng kasambahay nila. 

"You can leave now. Thank you sa pag hatid," sabi ko sa kanya. Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. 

"Anong you can leave? I told my mom na ihahatid kita kaya ihahatid kita sa ayaw mo't sa ayaw mo," ayaw niya magpatalo kaya hinayaan ko nalang siya. We went inside Fiona's house. Tinanong ko ang kasambahay nila kung nasaan siya, sabi naman nila na nasa kwarto daw kaya agad naman ako umakyat para puntahan siya. 

I opened her door at nakita ko siyang umiiyak. I ran towards her and hugged her. "Hey. I'm here na. Shh. Tahan na, huh? I'm here, Fio," I comforted her. She hugged me tight and continued crying. Hinayaan ko lamang siya na umiyak. I looked at Sky who was standing outside the door. He was looking at us. I smiled at him gently. Tumango lamang siya. 

After a few minutes ay tumahan na si Fiona. "Are you okay?" Malambing na tanong ko sa kanya. Tumango naman siya sa akin. Agad naman niya nakita si Sky na nasa labas ng pinto. Her eyes widened kaya agad naman ako nag explain sa kanya. "H-he's with me. I mean, he's a family friend. Nag lunch kasi ang family namin kaya I asked him to drive me here," I told her and smiled. Mukhang na guilty agad siya kaya sumimangot ako. "Don't be guilty, Fiona Alyssa!"

Tumayo na siya mula sa kama niya para kumain. "Pasensya ka na. Nakita mo pa iyon," she apologized to Sky. Umiling naman ito at nginitian ang kaibigan ko. 

"Don't worry about it," nakita ko kung paano dumapo ang mga mata niya sa tiyan ni Fiona. Bumaba na kaagad si Fiona para kumain. Agad ko naman nilapitan si Sky.

"I know alam mo na. Please, don't tell anyone about this," I told him. He nodded. 

"Don't worry. Pero hindi ba sabi mo ikaw ang icocomfort? What is the meaning of this, Soliel?" He coldly asked. Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. "You are such a pathetic girl," mariin na sabi niya at sinundan si Fiona sa baba. I sighed. I know. Kahit hindi nila sabihin sa akin. Alam ko. 

But does it matter? I want to protect my friends. My happiness comes after.