Chapter 57

Hillary's POV

I'm here in the living room with my Mama and Kuya Zeus. I am busy reading a book when Mama called my attention, "yes?" I replied, still my eyes are on the book.

"Where do you want to spend your vacation?" she asked. "On your last summer vacation, you're just here, maybe you have some desired place to visit," she added.

I closed the book and think of a place to go, pero wala akong maisip! Tsk!

"What about Finland, Aeiou?" Kuya Zeus uttered. "That's one of the best countries to spent your summer vacation."

I don't want to go to other countries...alone.

"Sasama ka?" I asked, but he shook his head. "Edi huwag na lang," I added.

"May pasok pa ako, Aeiou. Can't you go there alone?"

"Alam kong matanda na ako. I'm 21 already, pero how can I enjoy my vacation if I am alone?"

"Hillary's right, Zeus," Mama interfered. "How asking your friends?"

"I'm not sure. Pero, baka nakaset na rin 'yong plans nila for this vacation."

"How about..." she paused and smiled, "asking Sky to come with you? 'Di ba he's brokenhearted? Kapag nagpunta kayong Finland, you can forget about the Philippines for the meantime, then who knows, all of a sudden, Sky finally moved on!" she even exclaimed. Tss!

"Nice plot, Ma, you can be a good writer," I uttered, sarcastically. "Paano ako mageenjoy na kasama siya, eh halos 'di nga 'yon nagsasalita," then, I sighed. It's been more than a month that they broke up, but Sky's still so cold. I admit I miss the Sky I fall into.

"Why don't you try asking him, Aeiou, there's no harm in trying, after all," Kuya Zeus said.

"I'll think about it," I replied. "Akyat muna ako," I added and went upstairs.

I get my phone and lay in bed. I searched for his number and...I really am hesitating to ask him!! Pakiramdam ko kasi 'di siya papayag. So, I'd decided to have a video call with the two, good thing they answered it immediately. 

"Hi, Gold!" Clarkson greeted me and so does Andrei.

"What are your plans this summer?" I asked.

"I'll go to Austria, Gold, Grandpa wants to see us," Clarkson said. Oo nga pala, halos lahat ng kamag-anak niya ay andoon din sa Austria and they usually spent their holidays there.

"I see. How about you, Boy Pandak?"

"Nothing, pero gusto kong pumuntang Spain, either Madrid or Barcelona," saad niya.

Spain? Mukhang okay din diyan.

"Ikaw ba, Gold?"

"I don't know?" I replied.

"Kung gano'n samahan mo na lang ako sa Spain, Honey!" said the Boy Pandak!

"Honey your face," Clarkson said, laughing.

"Tss, baka mabaliw lang ako kapag kasama ka," I pulled a joke, but he acted so hurt! Crazy, indeed. Pero, parang gusto kong magpuntang Spain. "Boy Pandak, sige sasamahan kita," and Andrei jumped in happiness. Parang sira!

"Live in tayo?" he asked, smiling so wide.

I and Clarkson replied, "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Kalma, joke lang! Pero, ha, Hillary, go ka, ha," he made sure.

"Oo, sige. Usap tayo bukas kung kailan tayo pupunta. Kailangan ko nang ibaba, dinner time."

"Okay, sige," Andrei said, still so happy. And, yeah, masaya rin ako para sa kaniya.

"Enjoy kayo ro'n, Guys," Clarkson said, then he ended the call, tapos ako na rin 'yong sumunod.

But, before I go downstairs, tinawagan ko muna si Sky. Siguro kapag wala siyang balak puntahan, then I'll invite him. Sana sumama!

He answered the call after a minute, "Hello?" he said on the other line.

"Sky," sh*t, paano ko ba siya tatanungin?

"Yes? Need something?"

"A-Ah...sa'n ka magbabakasyon?" ayan, super easy lang naman, Hillary, eh!

"I thought of going to Madrid this time."

Madrid? Sh*t! Tamang-tama!

"Ahh, okay. Kasama ba parents mo?"

"I don't know yet. I didn't tell them about it. Why? Wanna come?"

Sh*t talaga! Kapag ginaganyan niya ako pakiramdam ko...gusto niya akong kasama!! Sh*t! Since when did I become this maharot?! So not you, Hillary!!!

"Hillary?" Sky uttered again. Tsk, 'di ko namalayan 'di pala ako nakasagot.

"Ah, ano...kasi sa Spain din punta ko," I replied.

"With whom? Your friends?"

"With Andrei."

Tapos siya naman ang natahimik. Weird.

"Ah, I see," iyan lang 'yong sabi niya.

"Gusto mo ba sabay na tayong tatlo pumunta ro'n?"

"Then, I'll be your chaperone?"

"H-Ha?! Hindi ah."

What kind of thinking this man has? Tsk!

He chuckled and said, "if it's fine for the both of you, then I'll come, but if not, I can still go alone."

"Ano ba, syempre okay lang, 'no."

Someone knocked again, "Aeiou, baba na, kanina ka pa namin hinihintay," Kuya Zeus said.

"Andiyan na!" I replied. "Sky, I need to end the call."

"Sige. I'll just call you later."

C-Call me later? For once, he never called my number first!

"S-Sige," I even stammer saying that, then I ended the call.

Andrei's POV

It's quarter to 11 PM when Annie went to my room. Nagulat ako kasi anong oras na tapos bigla niya akong pinuntahan.

"Kuya, may naghahanap sa'yo sa baba," aniya.

"Nang ganitong oras?" tanong ko naman. Sino naman kaya 'yan? Ba't gan'tong oras naisipang pumunta? Hindi na sumagot si Annie at umalis na rin siya. Bumama na rin ako para malaman kung sino 'yong naghahanap sa'kin.

Wait...si Driana? Anong ginagawa niya rito?

"A-Andrei," she called me right after she'd see me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with knitted brows.

She suddenly cried. Nagulat nga 'yong mga katulong namin, eh, baka akala nila pinaiyak ko 'to. Tsk! "Andrei...lumayas ako sa'min," she said in tears.

"Ano?!" gulat kong tanong.

"My parents keep on arguing about this and that! Hindi ko na kinaya," umiiyak pa rin siya nang sabihin 'yan.

Marahan ko siyang hinila at niyakap. Kawawa naman 'to. This is why it's so hard being an only child. Kapag ganito ang nangyayari, walang kang masasandalan. Tsk! Buti na lang andito ako.

Driana's a close friend of mine, but since she started to develop feelings for me, there I began to avoid her. I transferred school, but it's no use, sinundan niya ako. Pero, tinuloy ko 'yong pag-iwas ko sa kaniya. I just see her as my little sister, nothing more. But, I realized, avoiding her is an act of immaturity. Kaya nga last year naging magkaibigan na kami ulit, pero hindi na katulad ng dati.

"You can stay here for tonight, pero uuwi ka bukas, ha," bulong ko sa kaniya.

"Pero, ayokong umuwi," she replied.

"You need to, Driana. Mag-aalala 'yong parents mo niyan."

"They no longer think about me. Their mind is filled with money and business."

Napailing na lang ako, then I thought of an idea...pero, hindi pwede, chance ko na 'to para makasama si Hillary for 4 months. Kaya lang, naaawa talaga ako kay Driana, eh. Tsk! Bahala na! I still can manage to have time with Hillary for sure.

"Driana, sasamahan kita bukas sa inyo—"

"Huwag! Ayokong umuwi."

"Sasamahan mo 'ko. Magpapaalam ako na isasama kita sa Spain for the whole four months."

Kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap sa'kin at agad napangiti. "T-Talaga?" aniya at tumango ako.

I know that she's still into me, pero sinabi ko na sa kaniya na mahal ko talaga si Hillary at okay lang naman daw sa kaniya at mamahalin niya pa rin ako.

Tsk, we really are so alike!