Chapter 34

Third Person's POV

"Hiiii! Good evening, good evening," bati ni Tomi sa mga bisita na pumapasok sa event. Imbis na si Aser ang gagawa siya nalang.

Mahigit isang buwan na ang lumipas na sina Aser lang at si Elzid ang may alam sa uri ng anak nila, kung babae ba o lalaki.

It's the last week of August. Kaya mahigit isang buwan ang pagprepera nila rito dahil sa tinotopak si Aser. Minsan ayaw niya minsan gusto niya. Napa-oo nalang siya dahil sa sinabihan siya ng kanyang papa.

"Ms. Silvestre! Congratulations!" saad ng babae habang nagbebeso kay Tomi. Hilaw naman na ngumiti si Tomi sa kaniya.

"Hindi po ako ang buntis," sabi niya na may halong halakhak.

"Oh, then who?"

Hindi na nasagot ni Tomi ang babae dahil hinila na siya ni Zord.

"Yes?" tanong niya rito.

"Darling, honey, sweety, take a rest first. Let them be," sabi ni Zord habang hinalikan ang noo nito at ginaya niya ito patungo sa kung saan nando’n si Aser.

Aser is wearing a turtleneck dress with a big V cut back and a slit in her left leg.

Ayaw niya naman sa gano’n na damit wala na siyang pagpilian pa dahil ang iba ay fit at mukhang hindi makakahinga ang bata. Kaya ‘yon nalang dahil hindi ito fit. At saka ‘pag ‘di niya iyon susuotin bunganga ni Tomi ang bubungad sa kaniya.

"Baby, iwewelcome ko lang ang mga guest," saad ni Elzid habang hinahalikan sa noo si Aser. Wala namang sagot si Aser dahil kain lang siya ng kain sa marshmallow na may nutella.

"Be right back, darling, sweetie," saad naman ni Zord kay Tomi.

Marami na ang tao kahit hindi pa talaga nagsisimula ang programa. Sinunod nila ang gustong tema ni Aser na Silver at Gold.

"Aser come with me," wika niya at agad na hinila si Aser patungo sa isang engrandeng lamesa na may bigatin at delikadong tao.

"Romano's..." wika ni Tomi kaya napalingon lahat ang mga taong nakaupo ro’n.

Bigla namang nanigas sa likod niya si Aser. Dahil hindi niya inaasahan ang isang pamilya na pupunta rito.

"Tomi, hija... congrats!" saad ng isang maawtoridad na boses at ang boses niya ay nakakasindak kaya naman napalunok si Tomi.

"Ahh… he, he," nahihiyang wika niya, "Don Leonardo, hindi po ako ang buntis."

"E, sino?" seryosong tanong niya na nagpapitlag sa kaniya. Kapag nakaharap mo siya makakaramdam ka na para bang malapit ka nang mamatay. Sa raming tao isa lang ang nakakayanan siya. Walang iba kundi ang paborito niya.

Tomi moved to the left kaya nakita ni Don Leonardo si Aser.

Agad namang tumayo ang ina ni Aser at lumapit dito upang yakapin.

"Siya? ang pangit," saad ni Don Leonardo. Hindi naman natinag si Aser dahil alam na niyang palagi ‘tong straight forward.

Lumapit si Aser nang kaunti at pinaparamdaman niya si Don Leonardo.

"This is my first time seeing an ugly rich girl," dumadaundong ang halakhak ni Don Leonardo kaya ang iba napatingin.

At dahil sa nairita na si Aser sa kaniya. Pinatid ni Aser ang ilalim ng lamesa at medyo tumalon ang ito. Napatayo naman ang kaniyang mga kapatid at ama.

Galit ang makikita mo sa mukha ni Don Leonardo pero agad naman ‘yong nawala nang naramdaman niya ang namimiss niyang nakakamatay na presensiya.

"A-Apo?" tanong niya. Ngumiti naman si Aser at inilagay niya ang kaniyang hintuturo sa labi bilang tahimik.

Naiwan namang naka nganga si Don Leonardo dahil hindi niya akalain na buntis ang kaniyang apo.

Bigla siyang tumayo kaya agad siyang pinigilan nina Rat ni Ace na nasa tabi niya.

"Sinong ama niyan!" he mouthed without a sound.

Hirap na hirap naman ang dalawa sa pagpigil kay Don Leonardo.

"Si-"

"Baby! There you are."

Agad namang napatingin ang lahat sa bagong dating.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," he smiled and put his two hands on Aser's shoulders. Tumingin naman si Elzid sa paligid, "Oh! Good evening, Mr. Romano," he said looking intently to Don Leonardo’s eyes. He intertwined his hands to Aser, "By the way, Sir, this is Aser, my love," he explained.

Nakataas naman ang kilay ni Don Leonardo.

Elzid bump his shoulder to Aser. Kaya walang nagawa si Aser kung ‘di ngumiti.

"Excuse us," bow ni Elzid sa kanila. Then both drifted to nowhere while Elzid's hand was on Aser's waist.

Acereath's POV

"Enlighten me, young man," Lolo said in an authority voice. Lumunok naman ako and I looked to my mother asking for help.

She smiled at me and sat across us.

"Papa, let me," she giggled. I rolled my eyes.

After how many minutes they talk. Lolo laughed a lot. R and I sighed.

"Well, atleast sa isang Zoroa," humahalakhak naman ‘to.

"Yes! we're so grateful," Mama said.

Bigla namang dumating ang isa kong kapatid na dala-dala ang isang bowl ng marshmallow kasama ang fountain!

Darn! Aser will gone wild!

"Agoeath!" I hissed.

She looked at me wryly.

"Put that back! Aser will get mad," I hissed again.

She just rolled her eyes to me.

"Well, Kuya, I got her permission," she smiled wickedly. This little devil!

"Pa? Ano gusto mo? Lalaki ba o babae?" mother ask lolo whose drinking some wine that tasted like shit but he loves it.

"Of course, lalaki. Ano pa ba," Lolo smiled and then he averted his eyes on me.

Fuck! I feel like I’m on a hotseat.

"Ace?" he called me and I intently looked to his eyes filled with Eye-Tech.

"Po?"

"Ikaw? Kailan mo balak mag asawa?"

Fuck!

Lumunok muna ako. I already got my eyes on someone. And I think you know it.

"Well..." I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"Don Leonardo!" Tawag ng napakagandang boses na sa tanang buhay ko namiss ko.

"Toni, hija," saad ng lolo ko. Then I averted my eyes to her. She's wearing a red mermaid dress with a V line infront. I gulped. She looked at me and smiled.

My heart melted.

"Come, sit," turo ni lolo sa tabi ko.

She then followed what my grandfather said.

"Kumusta ka na?"

"Gano’n pa rin po, maganda," halakhak ni Toni. Fuck! Her voice was beautiful.

"Ace! Stop staring at her. Its rude, young man!" galit na saad ng lolo ko kaya agad akong umiwas ng tingin kay Toni. I just heard her laughed.

"Tss," I mocked.

"May nobyo ka ba, hija?" Lolo asked her that made me look up to her again.

I hope she doesn't have.

"Well... I got my eyes on someone," she said as she looked at me.

"Oh, I think I knew that someone," Lolo said and I saw Toni laughed.

"That someone is probably a jerk," Agoeath said between us still munching some marshmallows.

"I do too," R said lip biting. This brother of mind is gross.

"Lo..." The voice sends shiver down on our spines.

"Apo?"

"Who is she?" Toni leans while asking. I don't mind afterall.

"Aser," I mumbled, and she directly stood up and got to Aser.

Asereath's POV

"Lo..." tawag ko sa kaniya. Kakagaling ko lang sa labas at nagpahangin kasama si Zid.

"Apo?" He raised his brows.

Then I felt someone came to me. I looked at her.

"Aser!"

Toni.

Ibebeso niya sana ako kaso lumayo ako. Lumapit ako kay lolo at bumulong.

"Be ready to find out what gender my baby is," I lift and got some marshmallow from my sister.

Then suddenly Toni popped up. Behind her was my brother.

"Aser! How are you?" She squealed.

I just look at her intently without some expression on my face. I passed behind her not answering her question.

Bumalik ako sa upuan naming apat nina Zid, Zord at Tomi.

"Tomi." Dark aura surrounded me.

"Yes?" She nervously asked me.

"What is she doing here?"

"Whose ‘she’?" I look at her dumbfoundly. Then later she gasped, "I didn't!" she whisper yell.

I rolled my eyes at her when I hear the voice of Zid ringing through all the corners.

"Everyone!" he said happily, "Here you are witnessing my baby's gender," he proudly said heads high.

Then his eyes averted to mine.

"Before that, I will introduce you to my love," he said getting down the stage as he goes towards me.

I rolled my eyes after 10 minutes of him convincing me to get on the stage.

"Everyone, let me introduce to you my wife... Aser..." he stopped mid-sentence, knowing he doesn't know my full name. I got the mic on his hand.

"Aser ..." I looked at him. Do I need to say my real name? Or? "... Zoroa," after I said it I smiled at him and his eyes got wider than ever. I saw him smirked.

Everyone gasped as the spotlight hits the both of us. Maybe they gasped because of my face. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Can we get this through?" I asked Zid irritatedly.

He just fucking smiled at me! This young man! He then leads me to the table full of weapons.

What is this shit?

I think alam ko na ang sinong may pakana nito.

"Is this Tomi's idea?" I asked him bluntly.

He nodded.

"Pick one."

Tiningnan ko ang nando’n. Isang Dessert Eagle, bow and arrows, spike, at iba pa. Pero ang nakakuha ng atensiyon ko ay ang mga baraha.

Kumuha ako ng isa.

"Shoot it at the balloon below. Gold is for a girl while the Silver is for the boy," he breathe. "Can you, do it?" I nodded and smiled at him. He then again got the mic, "So, everyone let's start," he excitedly said.

I smirked, knowing na ang pumili ng baraha ay si Tomi. Siguradong-sigurado ako na para itong isang boomerang na kapag tinira mo kahit saan aabot at aabot ‘to kung sa’n gusto mo ito tumama.

Tinansiya ko ang layo ng mga lobo sa baba. Kahit na bobo ako sa math, but when it comes to this deadly action move active na active ang utak ko.

I got it. Kaya winaksi ko ang baraha na nasa kamay ko at nakita ko itong lumibot sa loob. I heared everyone gasped. Ni isa sa kanila ay hindi ordinaryong tao. Kundi kagaya namin.

A wild lion hiding under the innocent sheep's cloth.

Hanggang sa pumutok ang lobo na kulay silver.

"OH MY GOD!" Bunganga ni Tomi.

At agad namang nag hiyawan ang mga pamilya ko sa dulo. Nagpalakpakan naman ang mga tao kahit na alam kong napipilitan lamang sila.

Tsk! I don't care.

Then suddenly, someone kissed my neck.

"Zid..."

He then kissed my forehead and murmured the words that I cannot give him back.

Yet...