Sa madlang people:Pasensya na at natagalan ang update. Mabait kasi ang mga professors ko.. Sabay-sabay na essays at projects ang tinambak para nung Tuesday.. at lahat ng finals exam ko, nangyari nung Thursday..
Nag-evaporate ang utak ko. -___-
Fortunately, nasa winter break na ko ngayon. (HURRAY! 
) Isa sa mga goals ko ang makapag-update as much as possible sa story na toh. Sana makabawi ako.. heehee..
Maraming salamat sa pasensya. At maraming salamat sa mga comments.
Hindi man ako nakaka-reply, binabasa ko silang lahat. Aloha at welcome-ness sa mga bagong daan~! ♥ irish
::Chapter 57::
Rushing Back
♫.~*~..~*~.♫
(Venice's POV)
---------------- ♥
Nagising ako kinabukasan nang halos mamilipit na ko sa gutom. Dahil sa mga drama kagabi, hindi nga pala ako nakakain ng hapunan. No wonder nag-wewelga na ang mga alaga ko sa tyan. -____-
I rolled out of bed and halos gumapang papunta sa pinto ko. Then I stopped.
Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ung pinto.... Pasimpleng tingin-tingin sa labas..
Tahimik... Tulog pa kaya si Jerwin?
Napatingin ako dun sa relo sa likod ko. 11:30 na.
May trabaho ba sya ngayon?
Di ba birthday nya?
I tiptoed to his room and pressed my ear dun sa pinto. Walang nahilik.
I opened it slowly, and peered inside. Walang tao.
Wala talaga sya. San nanaman kaya pumunta un??
I went downstairs para tignan kung baka sakaling nakahilata sya dun sa living room.. or sa patio sa labas. Kung anumang trip nya sa buhay..
I checked the living room, the patio, the bathroom, the dining room. Wala.
Finally, I stumbled in the kitchen. Dun ko nakita ung plate na may cover, nakapatong sa counter. There's a stick-it note.
"
Sardines,
I had to go and have lunch with my family. I wanted you to come, pero tulog na tulog ka. I felt bad waking you up.
Anyway, I cooked you some scrambled eggs and may tinapay pa dyan. Don't forget to eat since you didn't eat last night.
I'll be back as soon as possible. I hope you're not mad anymore. See you later. -- Jerwin"
-_____-
Tama bang sardinas ang itawag sa'kin?!? Sa ganda kong toh, anong mukhang sardinas, ha?!?Binasa ko uhlet ung note, tapos sinilip ko ung scrambled eggs na sinasabi nya.. Dapat pala inaaway nang mas madalas tohng taong toh... Nagiging sweet pag feeling guilty eh.
I raced up the stairs papunta sa kwarto ko, and hinalughog ung buong kama para sa cellphone ko. Tawagan natin para mabawasan naman ang stress ni kuya kakaisip kung nagpaplano ba kong sagasaan sya ng truck o lalagyan ko ba ng thumbtacks ung kama nya.
---♥♥---
(Jerwin's POV)
---------------- ♥
This must have been one of the most awkward lunch I've had in a while.
It's an annual thing. Every time someone in the family celebrates a birthday, most of the Santos clan gather in a fine restaurant for lunch. Not everyone is able to make it all the time though.
Sometimes, one of my parents won't be able to make it. Sometimes, I won't be able to make it. Sometimes, Nicole and her parents won't be there. Grandmother has her own business most of the time.
With the line of work we ventured into, this family is always too busy for little gatherings like this.
But... today is different. Everyone's here. -___-
Nicole is looking at me as if she's going to start biting my head off in a minute.
Jean is trying to kick my leg under the table, constantly nagging me about Venice.
My parents are looking like they'd wring my neck as soon as we finish dessert.
My aunt and my uncle are shooting me questioning glances.
I don't think I've ever wished so hard for the floor to swallow me whole.
Suddenly, Grams cleared her throat. The tensed atmosphere broke and everyone turned to look at the old woman sitting at the end of the table.
Grams: Did someone die? Why is everyone so quiet?Nicole: I'm ready to kill somebody right now.Tita Lina: Nicole.Nicole mumbled something to her mom, then she went back to murdering the poor chicken on her plate.
Grams: *sigh* Since everybody seems to be preoccupied with the issue, why don't we talk about it right now?Napatingin akong bigla kay Grams. She can't possibly mean to put me in the spotlight right here, right now. O___O
Ako: Grams...Grams: Where is Venice, Jerwin?Oh. Her eyes are ready to drill holes on my forehead. O_O I'm in trouble, aren't I?
Ako: She's at home. She's a little bit exhausted from yesterday so I decided not to wake her up.Jean: Exhausted? From what, kuya?Nicole: Coz Venice saw the article and got really upset. She ran away from home.I shot Nicole a look. I don't know why she's so pissed. Bakit ba sobrang affected sya sa mga nangyayari?! Nagkasama lang silang dalawa sa kulungan, close na kagad sila?!?
Dad: Why did you go out with Georgina Schmitz, Jerwin?Ako: It was just a friendly dinner. People just blew it out of proportion.Jean: Oh! That's what Ate Venice said too!Ako: You talked to Venice? Jean: No. You didn't see the interview?Ako: What interview? Nicole: The interview where she covered up for your dumb--She suddenly looked at Grams.
Nicole: -- self.Jean: It was all over the news last night, kuya.Mom: We didn't expect her to speak out either. But she did good. At least hindi na lalong kakalat tohng scandalo na toh.So she covered up for my mess... Lalong lumalaki ang kasalanan ko. -__- I knew I'd be all over the news that I just didn't want to watch TV last night. How was I supposed to know Venice did that for me?
This birthday sucks.
Grams: Jerwin, are you having an affair with this Georgina?Ako: What?! No! We're just friends, and I wouldn't dare cheat on Venice...Jean: Oohhh kuya~ Is it because you loovvveeee her na~? Ako: S-S-Shut up! 
Nicole: WAH! You're blushing! Ai, Grams! My little cousin is in la la love! What's this?!? 360-degree mood change nanaman?! Nicole really needs to get her brain checked up by a therapist.
And why are they ganging up on me anyway?!
Ako: Tigilan nyo nga ako. Mainit lang dito noh kaya ako pinagpapawisan noh..Nicole: Uh-huh... 
Excuses.Grams: Hijita, stop teasing your cousin.Nicole: Sorry. My little cousin is just too cutteeeee! Ako: Grams just told you to stop it!Nicole just laughed at me. She focused her attention back on her plate. This time, at least, she's not murdering the chicken anymore. She's actually eating it now. Lucky chicken.
Dad: So, Jerwin, are you absolutely positive na walang namamagitan snyo ni Georgina?Ako: Yes.Mom: And you'll never cheat on Venice?Ako: Yes.Grams: And this scandal was just blown out of proportion?Ako: Yes.Jean: And that you love her already?Ako: Yes--- Hey!Nagtawanan sina Nicole tsaka si Jean. If Nicole wasn't sitting all the way at the other side, pinag-untog ko na silang dalawa!
All of a sudden...
Sunshine? Oh, Sunshiiineee~WTF?!?! Venice?!?The table got quiet nang narinig din nila ung boses ni Venice.
I looked around the restaurant searching for her.
Sunshine! It's me! Answer your phone!Phone?!!? O
oO
I frantically jammed my hand in my pocket. Halos mabitaw-bitawan ko pa ung cellphone sa sobrang pagmamadali kong makuha sya.
Sunshine!! Anak ng---Ako: Excuse me.I jumped out of my seat and practically ran out of the restaurant. I could hear Nicole and Jean cracking up again.
What the hell was Venice thinking changing my ringtone to something like
that?!?!
Ako: Hello?!?!?!Venice: Hurray! You answered your phone! Ako: How can I NOT answer my phone!?!?Venice: Oh, so my personalized ringtone worked? Ako: You were practically yelling "Sunshine"!!!!Venice started laughing on the other line. I was about to yell at her again, when I realized something: She's
laughing. That means she's not angry anymore, right?
Ako: Sardines... you're not mad anymore?Venice: Hmmm.. I heard it's bad for someone's health to remain angry for a long time.I couldn't help but smile. Kung may makakakita siguro sa'kin ngayon, mapapagkamalan akong baliw sa laki ng ngiti sa mukha ko.
Bahala sila sa buhay nila.
My birthday is just improving more and more by the minute.
Ako: Does that mean I'm forgiven?Venice: You will be.. in one condition.Ako: Consider it done.She paused for a while, as if looking for the right words or calming her nerves down. Who knows? But then, finally, she whispered something. I barely caught it, but I'm glad I did dahil as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she hang up.
I waltzed back inside the restaurant. All eyes were on me since there's probably this ridiculous grin still plastered on my face.
Ako: Grams, I hope you don't mind, but I have to go now. 
Jean: Eh?! We haven't even had dessert yet!Ako: I know. But I still have a few things to do, and I have to -- or rather, I want to go home as early as possible.Nicole: Ooohh~ Coming home to the missus eh? Ako: I'm gonna ignore that just because I'm in a good mood now. Nicole: *sigh* It must be so nice to be in love. Grams: Hijita...Nicole clammed her lips at the sound of Grams' warning voice. Grams then looked at me and smiled.
Grams: Go ahead and go home, hijo. Patch things up with your fiancée. Tell hijita I'll visit her some time.Ako: Thanks, Grams.I gave a quick hug to everybody in the table -- even my parents, whom I've always felt awkward hugging. They actually looked surprised.
When I reach Nicole, she practically jumped in my arms. And this is the same girl who was on the verge of killing me just a while ago..
I gave Grams a quick kiss on the forehead and then I ran out of the restaurant.
I just need to drop by somewhere real quick and then I'll go home.
"
Umuwi ka kagad ha..."
Those were Venice's last words before she hung up. Of course..
If she said so, uuwi talaga ako kagad.
I did promise I'll make it up to her.
