Chapter 9

"Okay ba 'to?" sabi ni Tofer tapos pinakita niya sa akin yung plate na kinuha niya mula dun sa kitchen. In all fairness, maganda 'tong restobar ni Tofer! Hindi ko nga lang makuha kung bakit nagpakahirap siya ng four years sa NY sa degree niya na Adverstising din kung sa food industry siya magvventure. Sometimes, ang hirap talaga intindihin ng logic sa utak nitong si Cristofer, e.

Tinikman ko yung crepe and it tastes good. Pwede na din.

I gave him a thumbs up. May mga crew na din dito sa restobar, actually puro sila babae. Weird. Wala man lang lalaki dito.

"Uhh, Tofer, why is that all your employees are girl?"

Nagsigh si Tofer then he pulled the chair in front of me. Nagpout din siya at nagcross arms. See? He's such an annoying cutie pie! "Si Dad kasi, e. Sabi niya pag nakakita daw siya ng lalaki dito, itatakwil daw niya ako."

"Hahahaha! Di nga?!"

He nodded. "Mukha ba talaga akong bading?"

I tried to suppress my smile but I just could not. Super adorbs ni Tofer ngayon! Para siyang problemadong problemado! Minsan lang mangyari 'to. If I were to say, sa four years na kilala ko 'tong si Tofer, one time ko pa lang 'to nakita na genuine na malungkot. He's all flowers and rainbows. Palagi lang good vibes. Medyo nakakapanibago pag ganitong seryoso siya.

I patted his head. "Kulang ka lang sa masculinity but you'll live."

"Alys!!"

I gave him my sweetest smile. "Why, Baby Tofer?"

"Ugh!! Kainis naman, e! Porke ba mahilig akong mag dress up at mag lip balm, bading na agad? Judgmental!!" then umalis na siya pero bumalik siya. "Wala kang crepe!" at kinuha niya yung crepe ko... Binayaran ko yun, e... Bakit niya kinuha? Tsk. Ilalagay ko sa blacklist ko 'tong restobar niya, e!

Hinabol ko siya papunta sa kitchen. 

"Oh, no. You just didn't do that!" I exclaimed. Tinapon niya ang crepe ko sa trash can! This jerk!

Nagmarch siya papunta sa labas at naupo sa stool sa bar.

"Tofer, really, what's the problem?"

He gave me a sigh. "Wala lang 'to. Nakakapressure kasi maging pinsan sila Drake at Tripp. Ang taas ng expectation sa akin." he explained. I placed my arms around his shoulder and gave him a half-hug. "Kasi naman, alam mo..." he said and then the tell tale continued. Here he was, telling me tales I have never heard before. I did not need to ask. With Tofer, the scoop would pour out eventually.

Apparently, bata pa lang pala si Tripp at Drake, may competition na sa kanilang dalawa. It started way back sa time palang ng parents nila. It was between Tito Steve and Tito Tristan pala, and then it continued up to date? No, hindi siguro. As far as I am concerned, walang communication si Drake at Tripp ngayon.

Since si Drake ay gifted, si Tripp ay may above the average na IQ, si Tofer pala ang left behind. Aww. I feel for him. I know how it feels kasi. Si Dane kasi, sobrang talino din but that did not stop me from loving him. We still share the same blood and I love my brother to bits. Anyhow, my point is, hindi naman siguro ako lang talaga ang reason ng pag aaway nila. Maybe.

"...tapos ngayon, si Drake, mas ayaw niya na akong pansinin..."

I raised a brow. "And so? Akala ko ba si Tripp and favorite cousin mo?"

"Oo naman! Kaya lang... ay basta, wag mo ng intindihin yun."

"Ikaw bahala. Sige, alis na ako, okay? Call me."

--

"Where's Mommy?" I asked the woman on the front desk. She gave me a smile. "And you are?"

I gave her a smile. My professors said that you should establish boundaries between you and other people so that they would know where to stand. Not that I've grown an extra head pero I have learned it the hard way, sometimes, you just gotta use your connections. After all, what's the use of money?

I leaned it. "She's my mom," I repeated. Mukhang narelaize niya na yung sinabi ko kaya pinapasok niya ako agad.

Wala pala si Mommy doon, may pinuntahan sandali kaya naman naghintay muna ako sa waiting room. I was reading some wedding magazine when suddenly, Cristine appeared out of nowhere. No, she emerged from the fitting room, wearing a majestic wedding dress.

Wow.

Hindi niya yata ako napansin kasi busy siya sa pagtingin sa sarili niya sa salamin. She really looks... great. No wonder Drake will marry her. She looks awesome and she's good with kids. Naalala ko na naman yung nakita ko sila ni Drake the other day. They really look like a family.

"It's kinda loose here," she said then tinuro niya yung sa waist part. Nag usap sila sandali nung babae then, nakita niya ako. "You're here," she said as if ayaw niya akong makita.

Is it really just me or parang ayaw niya talaga sa akin?

"Well, yes. Good to see you."

"Good to see you, as well," she said, with some spite. Am I just paranoid?!

Bakit nung nakita ko sila ni Drake, she seems so bubbly and stuff pero ngayon na kaharap ko siya, sobrang stiff and snob ng aura niya sa akin. Does she hate me?

"So, how's the wedding preparation?"

She turned around and gave me a smile. Mukhang nagbago ang mood niya kasi bigla siyang naging mabait. "Medyo stressfull but it's pushing through. Good thing Drake's really hands on with all these stuff."

All I managed to give was an 'oh.'

"Good thing na hands on si Mr. Palma, right?"

She nodded. "Yes. Even though he has so many things on his plate, he still finds time to help me with all the arrangements. One in a million, that he is. Good thing I found him."

Suddenly, I grew interested with the conversation. I put down the magazine and pushed her to go through with the conversation. "So, how did you two meet?"

I patiently listened to her story. Medyo nakakagulat lang kasi their anniversary is the same with our anniversary! So, nung time na sinagot ko si Tripp ay time din na naging si Cristine at Drake? Wow.

They met through a common friend dahil nasa iisang organization sila. She told me stories I have never heard before. Nagkaroon pala ng madaming kaibigan si Drake, good for him. Wala kasi talaga akong balita sa kanya. I don't know any college stories about him because I totally cut him off from my life. It worked. The longer I don't hear anything about him, the easier it was to move on.

Best friends din pala sila, and she's Ethos' favorite playmate. Kaya naman pala, she's always in their house. 

I could not help but compare. What's with her that Drake dropped on his knee na wala sa akin na nakayanan niya akong iwan dati?

And, does she know that I dated Drake for almost a year?

Does she know about Tita Katrina?

Does she know anything about him prior to the time she met him?

"So, cutting the story short, Drake and I are really meant for one another. Don't you think so, too?"

I just nodded. "You'll make a great couple."

"We'll surely do, Alys Perez. We'll surely do."

--

The next couple of days, I was busy as hell. Grand opening na kasi ng Cupcakes by Alys and it was epic! 

I slumped back on the couch. Man, I was exhausted!

"What time is it, Dane?"

"3 pm."

I stood up and prepped up. Pupunta ako kila Tito Steve ngayon. Since naging masama akong ninang, plano kong makipag bonding kay Ethos. I checked Drake's sched na din through Tofer (seriously, he knows everything!) and he said Drake's gonna be in his office for the whole day so I'm safe.

"Tita Katrina?"

She gave me a warm smile and hugged me. Aging seems to be doing a good job with Tita Katrina. She looks really good!

"Oh, Alys! Nabisita ka. May kailangan ka ba?"

She motioned me to sit down so I did. Nakita ko si Ethos na nagpplay sa gilid. He looks really adorable!

"Just visiting Ethos," I answered. We both looked at Ethos. There's no way in hell na anak siya ni Drake. He looks like Tito Steve.

Nagpakuha siya ng snacks then we chat for awhile hanggang nakarating kami sa most dreaded topic ko. "So, did Drake invite you to his wedding?"

Suddenly, my mouth went dry. "A-ano po?"

Tita Katrina held my hand. "Alys, I know I have no right to say this to you pero, Drake has patiently waited for you. He waited for you, Alys. And now that he's happy with Cristine, please don't ruin this for him."

"Wait, what? Ako pa yung nanggugulo?" I can't help but ask! Ako pa ang nanggugulo?! Ako pa?!

She held my other hand and nodded at me. "You're messing with his head again, Alys. You always does."