Auntie Talia and Uncle Julio welcomed us and lead towards the table. Halos manikip ang dibdib ko nang hindi manlang ako dapuan ng tingin ni Tim because his attention is on Claire, pinaghilahan niya ito ng upuan habang magkahawak pa ang kamay nila.
I rolled my eyes at nakasimangot na tinungo ang upuang nakalaan para sa 'kin, kainis bakit sa harap pa nila? "Mukha kang ewan," bulong sa 'kin ni Kuya Badong na umupo sa left side ko habang sina Mom and Dad sa right side kaharap sina Uncle and Auntie.
I suddenly remembered yung sinabi niya kanina, act normal. Fine. Act normal kahit pa may naglalandian sa harapan ko at wala silang pakialam dahil may sarili silang mundo, act normal Mary.
"Mabuti naman at nakarating kayo," panimula ni Auntie Talia.
"Yes of course. Minsan na lang tayo magsama-sama ng buo eh so why not?" Mom spoke up. Hindi na ako nakisali dahil usapan naman nila iyon, kumain na lamang ako. "By the way who is that pretty girl beside you Tim?" Mom giggled but there's a confusion in her tone.
"Oh, Tita. She's Claire, my girlfriend." Malaki ang ngiti niyang pagpapakilala. Patago lang akong napangiwi. Parang kinurot ang puso ko sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan.
"Wow! You already have a girlfriend?! Mary bakit hindi mo sinabi sa 'kin?" Damn, bakit kailangang kasali pa ako sa usapan eh nananahimik ako rito? Alam din naman ni Mommy na may something not so good happening between us bakit kailangan niya pa akong banggitin.
"I don't know," sambit ko na lang and focus my attention sa food. Saglit akong napasulyap kay Tim pero agad ding napaiwas nang makitang nakatingin siya sa 'kin. Wow ah? Tingin-tingin ka riyan ngayon?
"Ops... Talia look, my daughter and your son have a misunderstanding or what." Si Mom talaga kahit kailan, pahamak at mapang-asar. Damn it.
"Let them talk about it, they can fix it," Uncle said, I'm thankful to him for saving me, us. Mukhang hindi rin komportable si Tim na pag-usapan ito sa harap nila lalo na sa harap ng nakataas na kilay na si Claire. Tsk.
Dad spoke, "Okay let's move on. We actually decided to have a vacation, I mean no work, no meetings or what. We want to focus our time to our family until after new year, we want to spend our time together, is it okay if you guys are coming with us?" he invited, that's fine with me pero sana walang Claire. Damn.
"Nice idea, saan tayo ngayong Christmas?" Auntie asked. They're talking habang kami ay tahimik at medyo awkward na kumakain. I mean who's not? Kaharap ko lang naman itong magkarelasyon without even Tim my best friend telling me the whole story and ignoring me afterwards. Then beside me was Kuya Badong who knew all my feelings towards him.
"Pinag-iisipan pa rin namin eh pero if may suggestion kayo na magandang beach or place just tell us. You know naman, Mary wants beach." Yeah. Water is a mood. Even though I had a trauma, the view still gives good mood to me. I'm waiting for Tim to tease me like, 'go to the shower, there's a lot of water'. But he didn't, not this time.
"I have a suggestion, what if in our resort? Oro Valley Beach Resort?" Claire speaks up. Oh damn. No, she can't be with us. I don't want, call me selfish but I don't want her there. She's not even a part of the family ang lakas ng loob niya. Kahit pa may resort sila rito wala akong pakialam.
"Oh! You're the daughter of Oro? I heard their resort a lot, marami silang resort all over the Asia right? Wow." Mom spoken. Tsk. So what.
"Yup, it's not just an ordinary beach as well. We have hot springs which is perfect for the weather, since... it's cold here." I secretly chuckled. Yeah it's cold, the atmosphere.
"So mark our destination." Dad spilled the final decision. Oh my, no. "I hope we can meet your parents," he added. Napapikit na lang ako, okay wala naman akong magagawa. My parents are business woman and man they love to met someone like them.
"Sadly po, they're in Thailand and they have something to do there so they can't be with us." Nairapan ko tuloy ang pagkain, ewan ko pero naiinis talaga ako sa kaniya at ayaw ko talaga sa kaniya.
"Aw sad. Paano iyon? Hindi mo sila makakasama this holiday?" Bakit ba nakikipag-usap pa si Mom sa kaniya? Ugh kairita.
"Hindi po, kaya nga po ako sumama kay Tim para may makasama po ako kasi if I stay with them para rin po akong walang kasama because they're busy." Hinimas pa nito ang braso ni Tim na mas nagpasama ng mukha ko.
"Oh, sometimes my baby was also feeling that so we spend our time with her especially in these special occasions." She smiled at me so I smiled back. Medyo na-touch ako kasi kahit pa tutok sila sa trabaho for my future, they're still finding time para makasama ako.
"Stop calling me that here, it's embarrassing." I secretly rolled my eyes. Tanggap ko pa if kami-kami lang pero may kaharap kami ngayon, lalo na yung Claire.
"Chill, cutie baby," bulong ni Kuya Badong sa tabi ko. What the? Mas okay pa sa 'king tahimik siya simula kanina.
"Eh? It's not the right time to tease me." I rolled my eyes at binaba ang mga utensils na hawak ko. "Excuse me, CR lang po ako." I stood up at tumalikod para pumunta sa comfort room but hindi ko pala alam kung saan. Ngayon lang kasi ako nakapunta rito sa bahay nila sa Singapore, well first time kong makapunta here sa Singapore.
"Tim, guide her to the comfort room," I heard Uncle said. Napalunok ako at napalingon sa kanila. Bakit ba kasi walang maid?
"Ako na," I heard Claire suggested to Tim. So? Siguro siya nga ang dahilan ng paglayo sa 'kin ni Tim ha? Sasamahan lang ako, aangal pa. Best friend ko naman iyon at mas matagal kaming magkakilala tapos kung umasta siya parang hawak na niya ang buong pagkatao ni Tim? Tsk, my hates toward her increases.
"No, stay here. Just give me some minutes," he said kaya patago akong napangiti. Well, she can't stop him, that's an order from his father. Tumayo siya at naunang lumabas ng dining room. I just silently followed him until we reach the hallway where one door was in. "There," he said nang hindi manlang tumitingin sa'kin.