‘Sweet taste of cudberry and strawberries…’
‘Fragrance like lemon and ivory… ’
Is my lips, taste like that? I feel crazy thinking about that words for a days. Do I caught your attention because of that kiss, Mr. Magnus? I wanna laugh with your answer.
There's a party on Drichannes' mansion, my mother's kinship. It was a huge celebration for the returning of my cousin Meican, the heir of the Drichannes' wealth. He's the only son of my uncle Eliad, the eldest child among the four siblings and the only son of our Grandfather, Galiard Drichannes.
(Drichannes read as Drikeyns)
My mother, Verene Amanda was the second child among the siblings. Third is aunt Renelia and the youngest was aunt Victoria.
We're all 8 cousins and I'm the fourth among of them. Meican is the second eldest among us after ate Serafine.
Uncle Eliad's children are ate Serafine, Meican and Zelene Drichannes. Auntie Renalia's children are Ariel and Maxine Craine while auntie Victoria have Ahria and Neon Blake. I'm the only daughter of Verene Drichannes and I'm Zsol Natasha, one of the Drichannes and Hudgens-my father's kinship.
Sa buong linggo ay inexcuse ako ni mama sa Mathadeus. We've been traveling in almost 3 days. Sa ngayon ay ayaw ni mama na manatili sa bahay. They have argue with papa. Sa hotel lamang kami nagpapalipas ng gabi ni mama and after that, we're going somewhere. Magaling magwaldas ng pera si mama. She always have ways to go shopping kahit na minsan ay hirap siya. That was the root of their argues with papa.
Nang mapunta kami sa Makati na malayong malayo sa amin ay doon na niya ako naisipang pagawan ng dress para sa gaganaping party. I told her to just buy somewhere. Sigurado naman kaseng may hinahanda ng dress para sa akin si lola.
I won't deny the fact that we have favoritism in family and my cousins got jelous when they noticed that lola cares about me so much more than them. Not like lolo, he likes all his apo.
It's 8:45 of evening, friday of the week when we finally got home in Drichannes Mansion. Si lola ang sumalubong sa amin sa pinto. Yumakap ito sa amin pagtungtong palang sa loob ng bahay.
"My beautiful grand daughter. Ang laki-laki mo na apo." Napayuko ako para abutin siya sa pagyakap. Dahil na rin kase sa katandaan ay medyo lumiit si lola. Lalo na’t hindi siya katangkaran noong mas bata pa siya.
"I miss you lola. Where's lolo?" tanong ko.
"Nandiyan sa kusina. Nakikipag-osyoso sa mga nagluluto ng hapunan," sagot niya.
Kumaway ako sa kaniya at ngumiti bago magtungo sa kusina.
"Wala paba sila Renalia, mama?" rinig ko pa ang boses ni mama bago ako umalis.
Nang magtungo ako sa kusina ay nadatnan ko si lolong naghihiwa ng repolyo. He look the same as before. Parang hindi na tumatanda. The Old Man's Drichannes still jolly and energetic! Like his old fashion clothes, he's still fomd inn wearing his white polo shirt and suspenderpants.
"Why so handsome, grandpa?" May ngiti sa labi siyang lumingon dahil sa mga tinuran ko.
"Natasha! Apo, you're finally here. Why so beautiful?" He said and embrace me tenaciously.
"I miss you lolo."
My lolo is sweeter than my lola. Kung si lola ay ayaw niyang maging spoiled brat ang mga apo niya, si lolo naman, masyado kaming ini-spoil. Madali siyang hingan ng kahit anong bagay.
It was 9:30 pm when aunt Renelia and aunt Victoria finally got home. Ariel look taller than before. Namana niya ang lahi ng mga Drichannes, I won't shock if he's taller than tito Eliad next year. Neon is just 12 years old but look so mature like 15 years old because of his height. The two look handsome.
I'm more taller than even though she's one year older than me. Ahria is tall for being 14 years old. Magkasing tangkad sila ng kapatid niyang si Neon. At kung tatanungin niyo kung saan nagmana ng kagandahan ang mga pinsan ko, of course on their mother! Lalo na si Ahria.
I am more fond on talking to my boy cousins than the girls. To think the fact that girls had their different feminine bad atittude, like our mothers, I won't deny the fact that I have it too. We are all blood related!
Maxene and Zelene have the same atittude. They both concieted and kinda warfreak, kaya sila ang magkasundo.
While Arhia is kind of this girl, acting like more mature than her age. Mas kritical itong mag-ayos ng sarili kesa sa amin. She have this atittude, na titingnan niya ang isang tao mula taas hanggang baba at tsaka iirapan. She's fond of belittling others quietly in her mind.
Among my girl cousins, ate Serafine is the only I can relate for. I think we have the same atittude. Yea, we’re concieted, I won’t deny that, but I think, it defends to the person. If you aren't treating me nice, I won't treat you nice too. If you want an argue, then let's have an argue. If you're such a warfreak b*tch, sorry girl I'm warfreak and b*tchy than you're expecting.
Ang pagkakapareho lang naming lahat ay ang pagiging spoiled brat.
Boys have unique atittudes. Minsan lang ay nauuwi sa pangangaral ang family reunion namin dahil sa mga kalokohan nila sa mga babae.
I am sleeping around 3 on the morning when the clamor began to rise. Nang imulat ko ang aking mata ay nagsisibangon na ang mga pinsan ko mula sa paghiga at nag-iingay na nagtungo sa pinto. Nahirapan ako sa pagbangon ng makita kong naka-unan sa akin tiyan si Neon. I tried to wake him up but he can't. Dahil dun ay dahan-dahan ko na lang siya ipinahiga sa sofa ng mag-isa.
Ate Mexene didn't let us to sleep early last night. Excited siya masyado sa pagdating nila Meican kaya’t naghintay kami hanggang madaling araw. We just played spin the bottle all night na nauwi din sa gaming dahil sa mga lalaki. Si Ahria itong irap na irap sa akin dahil hindi niya ako matalo sa paglalaro ng chess.
"Tito Eliad!" Ariel and Arhia yelled when they hug tito Eliad.
Si ate Maxene itong nagbukas ng tuluyan sa malaking pinto at sumalubong sa tatlo naming pinsan. Kuya Meican look to formal on his french coat. Looking more handsome when he take off his humborg hat like her father.
"How are you spoiled brats?" He smiled at me. Agad akong lumapit para yakapin siya.
"We’re not spoiled brat anymore! Ikaw nga itong napayagang mag-aral sa ibang bansa." I defended and we both laugh.
"Who wants chocolates?!" Beautiful Serafine yelled as she enter the house.
Because of exuberance, I quickly run at her and embrace her tight.
"Hey! I miss you so much." I almost cried.
"Bakit parang mas matangkad ka na sakin, Natasha! I hate you." she exclaimed. Natawa na lamang ako.
I saw how Zelene Felicity Drichannes enter the house with a delightment look. She got the most angelic face, mas lalo pa siyang gumanda ngayon. Ate Maxene hug her, ilang years din silang hindi nagkita.
When the moment reach us to hug each other, I feel something different inside my soul, halting me to hug her. Am I shy on you, Zelene?
"How are you, Natasha?" She didn't hesitate to hug me.
"I…I-I am fine." I'm stuttering.
"Are you nervous, cousin? Ako lang ‘to."
I felt awkward of what she have said.
"How’s Zindriach? Nagkikita ba kayo sa Mathadeus?" she suddenly asked in an energetic intonation. Halos hawakan niya pa ako sa kamay ng mahigpit at parang gustong tumalon.
"Yea…she looks fine." I answered and smile frugally.
"How about Zad? May ipinalit na ba siya sa akin? How's my Zad?" she asked.
She held all her hair and put it to her right shoulder. She smiled at me.
Why are you asking about him, Zelene? Anong ipinalit? Anong meron sa inyo?
"What do you mean? Boyfriend mo ba siya?" Did I ask her rude?
"Maybe. So how is he?"
Anong maybe? Huh?
I can't help but to swallow. There's something inside me want to ask something more on her about that maybe. Maybe ano? Maybe they're on. Boyfriend niya na, maybe… Maybe.
"Maybe." I answered.
"What maybe?" siya naman ngayon ang naguluhan.
"Maybe he's fine." I said smirking. "I don't care if he's fine or not." I turned my back on him and find my way out of our conversation.