Two

I greeted my three aunts, my father's brother, my grandmother's son, and their children. Zenn was so cute with his chubby cheeks, my Aunt Asharon's three years old son was the youngest of the four. Aunt Dianne has twin children, a boy and a girl. Shanna and Haze. Mikaella's mother, Aunt Victoria. I embraced their husband. They are so wealthy. My parents? They're not rich though they just had a nice comfy life.

And lastly kissed grandma on the cheek. "Happy birthday grandma," I whispered at her.

"Thank you, my sweet granddaughter." Grandma held my two hands. "Let's start my celebration," she exclaimed with excitement.

"Yeah!" I struggled to exclaim excitedly. If ever my grandma knows I'm not a Catholic anymore what will be her reaction? Will he get angry? Annoying? Or have a heart attack? I hate the third one. I should have kept it, right? Exactly!

I went back to my parents. Zach and Dad had fun with each other. What were the two talking about. Grandma's celebration has begun. Everyone sang happy birthday t and lastly Grandma blew the cake.  Mom was next to me as we all looked at grandma smiling.

 We sat at one of the tables. I'm next to my mother while Dad and Zach are taking the food for us. I'm not in the mood to eat  and had eaten at my friend Alice's house for lunch. Mama and I talked while she was eating. Grandma was busy talking to her children. Until now, papa still doesn't seem to greet her. I don't know why. The reason that grandma never told me.

"Ma, it's not like that. I don't have a you know." I was not pleased with my mother's question. She asked me how many iffin boyfriends I have. I felt uncomfy with those questions whenever someone asked me. It's too personal.

"Don't be shy, Cairen," mama said softly with a smile.

"Ehhh, nothing really. Even if you asked grandma." I pouted. Despite not seeing them nor meeting them I am comfortable with my parents as though I am me when I am not. Then I averted my gaze and took a deep breath. Blinking my eyes to get rid of my tears.

"Why nothing? Didn't you like to have one?" Mama raised her voice so my father and Zach looked in our direction. Embarrassing! Burned me! Why did they want to know about my love life? Would they give me a lesson about it when I told them the truth? Am I being me?

"Ahm, it's not that I don't have. Just I don't like it. Excuse me, we'll just talk to my cousin. They are calling me, Ma," I lied, I wanted to stay away for a while. Maybe my mother will persuade me at the end to tell her about him.  For Cairen won't do what I am doing. She is the best daughter they had and know. They didn't know me, and it hurt but true. I didn't wait for mama's answer, I quickly kissed her on the cheek before leaving.

"Hey, Kay Kay!" Mikaella called me by my nickname. She was with our two twin cousins.

"Hi Cuz!" Shanna greeted me with her wide toothy smile. Haze simply nodded his head towards me.

"Hello." I sat in the vacant seat next to Mikaella. 

I took a glass of wine brought by the waiter on his serving tray. Mikaella has beautiful blue eyes and long blonde hair. She had a butchy side but was emphatic. Shanna, her eyes are so beautiful that they match her innocent face but bratt to the person she doesn't like. 

Haze had a bad boy look because of the thickness of the black eyeliner in his eyes and a black earring in his left ear. His long hair is layered with side bangs. Shanna and Haze are both twins. He had a very nice eye color, a faint green. Yet he was cagey and rude. Sometimes I disliked him. Hate his attitude. Cutie Zen was sitting at grandma's feet, he's three years old and loves singing anything he feels even if it is not understandable.

"Who's the guy with you, Kay?" Mikaella hawk-like look at Zach's behavior.

"Zach Archer Mendez, highschool schoolmate," I answered as I tasted the wine in my mouth.

"He's handsome," Shanna exhaled. The four of us are graduating next year. 

 College wasn't easy, I was more in pressure in everything especially since I'm taking a business related course.

I met them when I was in college, not until, and I should not be here if Cairen is here. And I would not have a chance to see my parents.

"Zach Archer Mendez ... Handsome name." A sly smile on Mika's lips. Totally a playgirl.

"Zach Archer Mendez, an international model of Queen magazine. He had a damn gorgeous body. I wanted to taste it. Look, his parents are damn rich, more richer than us," Shanna said and showed Mika what was on her phone.

"Gosh! Six pack, shit!" Mika exclaimed when she saw the picture of Zach.

"Your abs fetish." I rolled my eyes at Shanna and ate the slice of cake on the saucer.

"Tsss, why are you fvcking like abs?"

"Shut up your damn mouth, Haze." Shanna widened her eyes at her twin.

"Tss, whatever!" Then he plugged her earphones into his ears and listened to some music on his ipod.

"Your boyfriend? Kay?" She looked at the man. I smirked

"Of course not!" I crossed my legs and looked at my phone. There were three messages from Alice and Katana, who were my friends and we're taking the same course, and they were the ones who know me, the real me.

They have been my best friends since grade school.

"Really? Would I believe that?" To the tune of her voice she didn't believe it. I lift up and stare at her.

"If you don't, just don't but for heaven sake! I'm not lying." I rolled my eyes and suddenly I puffed a smell of lechon chicken. I turned my gaze to the waitress who's holding a tray of two chickens. I like those. I licked my lips and I had only eaten one of it and it was so long, once then Alice and Katana and I went to the Philippines when we were still in high school. And grandma allowed me, my plan is to see my parents but I don't know where they live, though.

"What's on the lechon chicken that you crave?" Shanna asked. She's playing the pancit on her plate. She doesn't like to eat very much, I am sure she was on her diet. Why was she so big a deal in making herself hungry?

I smiled. "It's so yummy, it tastes good."

"Exactly," Mika agreed with me. It's not that she wants it but she does like its taste. 90's music was played on the stereo. The ambience felt more comfy and relaxed, especially the chitchat of people around us. I feel like I'm back to the 90's kind of motif in every fete.

"He's staring at me, Kay. Gosh! His features. I'm melting from his hotness. I want to see his shit 6 pack abs and touch that." Mikaella could barely breathe. She just likes abs but in relationships she's good at shutting it.

"Pfft, funny." Shanna laughed.

"What's funny?" Mika asked with her two eyebrows arched upward.

"Your face. You're obvious," Shanna replied sarcastically.

"As what Haze said, Whatever!" Matching flipped Mika's hair.

I got up from the seat and went to the table where the lechon chicken was. It didn't bother me, since people were busy talking. I took the knife to slice the two pieces of chicken before I put it on the plate with my big smile set on my face.

"Thanks!" I was surprised as Zach took half the half of my slice. I plan to take it first.

"It's my ..." I just didn't continue what I was going to say.

"So tell me, how's your life here?" He whispered to me as I put the salad in the plastic cup and took the other half of the roasted chicken.

"Fine, so? Then, how's Grace?" I eagerly asked.

A few seconds before he answered. "She's fine, I think," he didn't seem sure of his words..

I looked at him. "In your tone, it looks like you haven't seen each other?" I asked suspiciously.

"Ahm ... That's it." He laughed awkwardly. "Let's eat together, why not introduce your cousin to me?" He's asking for my permission if I will.

"Sure," I shrugged. He followed me to my cousins ​​table. Only now have I noticed the look of my relatives on the two of us including my parents and grandma. I just ignored it.

"Introduce yourself to them," I whispered at him, before I sat down in my chair.

"Hi!" Is he embarrassed?

"Hi, Zach. Sit down." Mikaella stood up and assisted Zach as though did not know how to sit  "Mikaella Syre Verdan, by the way. She is Haze Rain San Forte and Shanna Rose San forte. The only twin in our family"

I just eat quietly. Only twins? Hah! The two talked and they became close immediately. Shanna was already busy on her phone and sighed because of the boredom she was feeling. Haze on the other hand with his eyes closed leaning on the seat seemed to be drenched in the music he was listening to.

I excused myself to them when Alice called. Here I am wondering. I left the hall and went outside the house before answering the call. In the garden, I sat on the swing facing the fountain.

"Hello, Alice."

'Hi, Ren. Sorry if I happened to disturb you. Can you give me the concept notes files? I lost my flash drive.' Her voice was troubled. We're not super close with Alice because maybe, she's geeky and she's into things I can't relate to.

"Sure, I'll send it this evening. Don't worry." I heard wild music in the background. "Where were you, Alice?"

'I'm in the club with Katana. We're spying on her boyfriend. Text you later. And thank you, Cass.'

"Ok, no worries." I smiled at the end of the call. I glare at my watch. It's already five pm and I'm too lazy to go back inside. I end up surfing with my phone until I'm on a blogger site, scrolling down but I stopped when a familiar name struck my eyes.

Grace Lopez blog. I opened the site provided. The site has a pinkish theme and has a cute cartoon rabbit design. I secretly smiled. My eye stopped at a blog post of his.

I opened it and read. Five worst yet best things with me in 2013. There are two female photos on top of its blog. I refrained from crying, because I knew how much she missed her friend.

I read that to the end. What if I go back? I want to meet her, to hug her and to fulfill Cairen promise for her. Of course, I promised Cairen that I would but never did I make it a big deal. And now the guilt is crushing me, and this time it's large enough to drown me.

For a minute I was stunned in emptiness, staring at the sky when something popped out of my brain.

"Right! I hope it will work." I got up from my seat and turned around, I was about to take a step when...

"Iffin ape!" I almost lost my spirit in myself from the shock of seeing that it was Zach.

"Huh?" He looked at me in confusion with his two eyebrows furrowed. Just now I noticed he was holding a brownie.

"Why are you surprised?" I admit I'm a little annoyed.

"Your mom gives it to you, she says it's your favorite." She handed me the plate. I just looked at what he was holding. It Cairen favorite, not mine.

"Thanks." And took it from him. "Hey, Zach, I had a favor?" I look at him with his eyes fixed on the garden.

"What favor?" he asked without interest and not even looking at me. 

"Don't you ever tell my parents about this. I'm going to the Philippines with you. When is your flight back?" I hope he agrees. I won't tell lola about this, surely she won't allow me if I asked her permission. And the main reason I can't fulfill her wishes.

"Why?" He frowned. I leaned over next to him and whispered. There were two maids just passing by. If they heard, nah! They'll surely tell grandma about it. My plan will be put in vain. I will also tell grandma when I'm in the Philippines that she can't do anything else but agree. And I mentally laugh in a maniacal tone.

"Well, Zach, I want to surprise my parents not knowing them that I was there. You know," I reasoned. He looked at me as if I had two heads.

I sighed. "Fine! If you help me, anything you want I will give it to you as long as I can." I have saved a lot in one of my bank accounts that my grandmother did not know. "Or you— "

I didn't finish what I was saying when he said, "Anything I ask you'll do?" I didn't like the smirk on his lips.

"Yes, depends what you want me to ask."

He looked back at the garden. "Then be my wife then I will."