Brownie

I laugh at that. "Mukhang nagkakamali ka ata ng tingin sakin, Phoenix." I said when I regained my confidence and remove his hands from caging me. Anong pinag-iisip ng lalaking to? "Stay here? Anong pinagsasabi mo?"

He stopped at that. "You called me Phoenix.."

"Yeah? Why? Yun naman diba ang pangalan mo? Oh bawal kitang tawagin sa pangalan mo?"

"Nothing." He was avoiding my eyes.

Napailing nalang ako. "Anong tinutukoy mo sa stay? Look, I'm staying for the night."

Umiling sya. "No. What I mean is ng matagal. For days."

I snorted. "at ano, pag mag stay ako dito, ipapaalipin mo ako sayo? Ganun ba?"

"Paalipin? Well, I was not thinking about that but if you want, you can do it." He winked. I gagged. This guy!

"Nagkakamali ka siguro, Mr. Phoenix...I am Sereia Philomena Isolde, maraming lalaki ang nagkakandarapa sakin."

"At sino nagsabi sayo na nagkakandarapa ako sayo? Wow assuming." He said. "Ang ganda pa naman sana." I heard him mumbling. I smirked.

"For your information, mahilig ako sa mga shy type, not to guys like you."

"Bakit? Ano bang klaseng lalaki ako?" He caged me on the wall. again. I rolled my eyes. I've had enough with guys like him back in my school.

"Maingay. Magulo. Sira ulo." Ayan, sinabi ko lahat ng naisip ko tungkol sa kanya. Tama naman ako eh. Judgemental na kung judgemental pero magsisinungaling pa ako? Liars go to hell.

"For your information, wala akong pakealam. I don't even like you. And if I will, then I'm blind. Nung sinabi ko na stay here, pinagtri-tripan lang kita. Ang assuming naman ng babaeng to."

I gawked. No one said that to me. To a beautiful face like me.

"At kung ganyan ang isip mo tungkol sakin. Maingay, magulo, siraulo. Trust me, sweetheart. Mas marami ka pang magandang katangiang makikita sakin." He leaned in. "Pag tumira ka dito at ipantunayan mong kaya mong agawin sakin ang lupain."

Agawin? Eh akin naman yang lupain in the first place! "I need to leave. I have work, hindi lang ang lupang ito ang mundo ko."

"Then you can't get it." he said.

He smiled. "Damn, woman. Mas lalo tuloy akong naganahan. May ideya na akong naisip. I'll change that heart of yours and make you fall for me.

Gusto ba ng lalaking to na ichallenge ako? Puwes. I snorted. "Try me."

"I'm Phoenix Mason Hill. Nice to finally officially meet you."

"The pleasure is mine."

"Ilang days ba kailangan mo para mapatunayan ko ang sarili ko?"

"No. Mali ang tanong mo. Ilang days ba ikaw mafafall sakin? In one week."

***

The next day, I called my boss saying I will be absent for one week at buti na lang, pumayag naman sya. Thank god.

"Hi baby." It was dad. He called me.

"Hi dad."

"Musta ka jan?"

"Akala ko ba galit ka sakin? Sa pagtrato ko kay lolo?"

"Well, yes baby. But you know me, I can't get mad at you for so long. But what you did was so disrespectful. Hindi ka namin pinalaki ng ganyan." Dad is now abroad. May negosyo kasi si Tito Samuel doon kaya nagtrabaho na doo si daddy.

I sighed. "Alam ko. Mag sosorry nalang ako pagbalik ko."

"Pagbalik mo-andyan ka pa sa mansyon?"

"Opo. I'm gonna negotiate."

"Take care. Love you."

"Love you."

I made another call. "Mom?"

"Yes anak?"

"Pupunta ka pa ba rito?"

"Oo. Mamayang tanghali. Why?"

"Pwede pakidalhan ako ng damit? Like-clothes enough for one week maybe?"

"Bakit? Para san-wait...magstay ka jan?"

"Opo. I have my ways, mom. I'll get it, one way or another."

"Oh sige. Bye na." Mom ended the call and just in time, Lola Nanding was standing by the door. "Iha?"

I didn't heard her entering the door earlier..."Kanina pa po ba kayo naghihintay, Lola Nanding?"

Uniling sya at nginitian ako. "Bago bago lang...Tara apo, kain tayo ng almusal."

Tumango ako. "Sige po, lola."

Sabay kaming pumunta sa kusina. Nagulat na lang ako ng may umupo sa tabi ko. It was Phoenix. "Hintayin muna natin si Phoenix. Nasa labas lang sya nagdadamo. Pero kung gutom kana, kain kanalang iha." Ani Lola Nanding.

"Okay lang po, lola."

"Maayong buntag, lola." Bati ni Phoenixna bago lang dumating sa hapagkainan at umupo sa tabi ko. Magandang umaga lola.

"Maayong buntag apo." Aling Nanding greeted back. Magandang umaga apo.

Phoenix turned to me, "Goodmorning, Ms. Sereia."

"Morning." Tipid kong sagot.

"Sige kumain na tayo." Aya ni Lola Nanding na mukhang ang saya saya. Nang magsimula na kaming kumain, nagtanong si Lola Nanding.

"Ilang araw ka dito, Sereia apo?"

I quickly swallowed the food in my mouth, drank water and gulped. "Mga isang linggo po siguro Lola. Okay lang po ba sa inyo?"

She chuckled. "Syempre naman! Sinabi na rin sakin ni Phoenix."

Nang mag tanghali na, dumating si mommy.

"Lola Nanding!" My mom yelled and hugged Lola Nanding. "Gabriela!" Lola Nanding yelled back. Para silang mag ina na ngayon lang nagkita.

We stared at them. I spotted Phoenix looking at them with his eyebrows furrowed, naguguluhan rin tulad ko.

"Apo, si Tita Gabriela mo. Anak ni Lolo Alfredo." Lolo Alfredo? Kilala na ba ni Phoenixang lolo ko?

"Hello po." Bati ni Phoenixsaka nagmano kay mommy. Mom looked at him up and down, shocked. "Ay, ito na ba si Phoenix? Ay pagkagwapong bata!" Yelled mom. I cringed. Gwapo nga, pangit naman ugali.

"Hindi naman po." Sabi pa ng mokong, nakatitig sakin. He smirked. "Konti lang."

"Siguro marami na yan girlfriend no?" Sabi pa ni mommy.

Lola Nanding chuckled. "Ay ewan sa batang yan. Pagkatapos makagraduate, trabaho lang inatupag."

"Ay tinuod jud. Pareho sila ni Sereia! Puro trabaho rin." Mom agreed. Ay totoo talaga.

"Siguro sobrang pagod mo sa byahe, gusto mo ng kape? Dali mananghalian na tayo."

We went to the dining table. Pinagtabi ulit kami ni Lola Nanding, na syang ikinatuwa ng mokong.

Tinignan kami ni mommy at nagtaas sya ng kilay. "Ang cute nyo naman magkatabi!" Ani mommy. I glared at her. Binalewala nya lang ako at tumingin kay Lola Nanding, parang may iniisip at biglang napatawa. "Parang may naiisip ako, Lola Nanding."

"Ako rin nga." Napangisi sila. I stared at mom. Really mom? Does he really think we look so good together?