Always, In All Ways (Change Series #4)

Chapter 8

I caught Gio staring at me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganoon siya tumingin sa 'kin ngayon. It's weird.

"25 years ago, my wife and I got married..." panimula ni Daddy sa speech niya. Nakatayo lang kami ni Maureen sa gilid at sila naman ay nasa harapan. Patingin-tingin ako kay Gio dahil nararamdaman ko ang mga tingin niya.

"Thankfully, I married someone who loves the thing that I love. Ladies and gentlemen, Doctora Janice Verdadero, my wife." nilahad ni Daddy ang kamay niya, tinatawag si Mommy. Mom got his hand and walked towards him.

"I supposed, future Doctora rin ang mga anak niyo." said by one of the visitors.

Napahinga kaagad ako nang malalim. Why are people assuming that the child will love the things that the parents do? Hindi naman ganoon kasimple 'yon.

"Unfortunately..." tumingin sa akin si Daddy. "Unfortunately, no... but I hope my youngest won't disappoint us."

Nagtawanan sina Daddy at ang mga bisita as if what he said was a joke. It's obvious that they're making fun of me. Dad insinuated that I'm a disappointment and they could afford to laugh?

Mapait akong natawa dahil sa pagtawa-tawa nila. Napatingin ako kay Gio dahil siya lang yata ang hindi tumawa. He raised his brows and raised his thumb finger, asking if I'm okay. I just shrugged.

"Happy anniversary, Alexander." bati ni Mommy kay Daddy.

Peke akong ngumiti sa bisita bago itaas ang wine glass ko. Tinanong pa ako ng organizer kung gusto ko raw ba mag-speech but I immediately refused.

After that, pumunta na lang ako sa garden namin dahil kumakain na rin ang mga bisita. Sina Mommy at Daddy, patuloy sa pag-entertain sa kanila.

I sat in one of the chair in front of our pool. Nakatanaw lang ako sa mga bituin. Mas okay rito, tahimik. I never really love noise after all.

"You okay?" napatingin ako sa lalaking nagsalita at nakita ko si Gio na umuupo na sa isa pang upuan.

I shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Bahagya siyang gumilid at tumingin ng diretso sa 'kin. "I now understand why,"

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Why what?"

"Why you have a dejected eyes."

"Do I?"

Tumango siya. "You told me that you don't cry, but it's very evident how sad your eyes are." tumingin siya sa harap. "I may not know much about emotions of other people, but for some reason..." muli siyang tumingin sa 'kin. "I can see yours."

I scoffed. "I'm not sad."

"But you're not happy either."

Natahimik ako. That's true. I'm not sad but I'm not happy. It's complicated.

"You know what, Natalia, for what it's worth..." he looked at me and I looked at him with the same intensity. "You're not a disappointment."

"But they say I am." sabi ko habang binabalik ang tingin sa pool.

"Just because you didn't meet their standards, doesn't make you a disappointment. You have your own priorities and it's for you to decide your meaning of success."

Natahimik ako at napatingin sa kaniya. Nakatingin siya ngayon sa mga mata ko.

"You're not a disappointment," he whispered, staring at me.

I gulped. I didn't expect that my heart will beat this fast just because this man is looking at me.

And his words... why am I feeling this way?