"Make yourself at home." nakangiting sabi ni Ivan nang makapasok kami sa bahay nila. May sumalubong sa'ming isa sa mga kasambahay nila at tinanong kung gusto daw ba namin ng makakain.
"I'm fine, thank you. Kakakain palang natin, eh." I answered when Ivan asked me.
"Mamaya nalang po siguro, ate." sabi naman niya sa kasambahay. "Sila mommy po, nandiyan pa ba?"
"Ay, nakaalis na, eh. Mga limang minuto na siguro." sagot naman ng kausap niya.
"Ah, sige po. Thank you." he smiled at her. Tumango naman siya at umalis na.
"Ano trabaho ng parents mo?" I curiously asked.
"Si Daddy, business man. Si mom naman, may sariling café." he answered.
Napatango naman ako at tumingin sa paligid ng salas nila. Sa itsura palang, mapaghahalataan mo talagang may kaya sila sa buhay.
"So, let's go to my library?" he asked. Napataas ang mga kilay ko at binalingan siya,
"Library, huh?" I smirked.
"Yeah, come on." he laughed and started walking. Sumunod nalang ako sa kanya hanggang sa makarating kami sa tapat ng isang pinto sa second floor.
"Uhm, this is my room and, uhm... okay lang ba sa'yo na pumasok? I'm just asking 'cause I don't want you to feel uncomfortable... if you get what I mean." he smiled shyly.
Napangiti ako dahil sa ka-cute-an niya but I really appreciate his concern.
"Okay lang. I'm sure you won't do anything that would make me feel uncomfortable." I smiled assuringly. Tumango naman siya at pinihit na ang doorknob.
An oddly familiar scent welcomed us when we got inside. I looked around and I immediately felt a weird nostalgia upon seeing his whole room.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked when he noticed.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm good. Nasaan na 'yung so called library mo?" I asked excitedly. He led me towards another door inside his room and when he opened it, three rows of shelves with different books welcomed us.
"Woah. That's a lot of books." I laughed and looked around.
"Most of them aren't mine, I think. This whole shelf has all of the books I have but don't remember buying. I don't know who owns them. I'm sure I don't." balewalang sabi niya at tinuro ang isang buong shelf.
"May I?" I asked and he nodded.
Tinignan ko ang mga libro sa row na sinasabi niya at napangiti nang makitang puro romance ang genre. Some of them actually looked old which made me more excited 'cause romance novels from the late 90's, I believe, are the best.
"Feel free to borrow as much as you please. Hindi ko naman binabasa." he said when he saw my smile. I smiled wider and started looking at them, flipping through random book pages to see what I like.
"There's too many and I want to read them all!" I groaned. Ang hirap naman pumili! I heard Ivan's chuckle which made me look at him.
"I told you, feel free to take home as many as you like." he smiled at me.
Pumili ako ng tatlo muna. Pinakita ko 'yun sa kanya at tumango naman siya.
"Bakit ta-tatlo?" he asked when we got out of his 'library'.
"Babalik nalang ulit ako dito kapag nabasa ko na." I giggled. He laughed and playfully hit my head with one of the books he's holding,
"Such a bookworm." he shook his head while laughing.
"Hatid na kita sa inyo?" he asked a few moments later.
"Ah, oo." tumango ako at kinuha na ang bag ko at mga librong hiniram ko.
"Ivan, thanks for today. I had so much fun." I smiled at him when he parked his car in front of our house.
"There's no need to thank me. I had fun too, Seah." he chuckled. "Next week ulit?"
"Next week." I smiled and nodded. Bumaba na ako ng sasakyan niya at kumaway sa kanya bago siya umalis.
Pagpasok ko ng bahay ay agad akong sinalubong ni Ella, nakataas pa ang kilay.
"Oh, andito ka nanaman?" I asked her and sat on the couch. Madalas siyang tumatambay dito dahil sa tapat lang naman ang bahay nila, hindi na niya kailangan bumyahe.
"Where have you been?" she asked and raised her brows.
"Nakipag date sa crush ko, bakit?" I smirked at her. She rolled her eyes and made her way to the kitchen, ignoring what I said.
"Malapit na pasukan, bibili na ako ng mga gamit mamaya. Sama ka?" tanong niya.
"Yeah, para makabili na din ako." pagpayag ko. Mamaya pa naman daw, makakapagpahinga pa ako dahil napagod ako sa mga pinuntahan ko kanina.
"Hoy, sa bilihan ng school supplies ang punta, hindi sa mga libro." sita ni Ella at hinila ako palayo sa mga book shelf.
"Magtitingin lang, eh." I rolled my eyes.
"Wow, parang hindi ko nakitang nag-uwi ka nanaman ng tatlong libro kanina." umirap din siya. "Saan ba galing 'yung mga 'yun, parang luma naman?"
"Hiniram ko lang kay Ivan, ang dami niyang libro." nakangiting kwento ko.
"Okay." walang ganang sabi niya habang nagtitingin ng notebooks. Luh? Bwisit 'to. Habang naglalakad kami palabas ng NBS ay may biglang nakabangga kay Ella.
"What the hell?" she hissed. Napatingin tuloy ako sa nakabangga sa kanya at nakitang nagulat din siya.
"Halla, sorry ate. Nagmamadali po kasi." she apologized and helped in picking up Ella's scattered things.
"It's fine, just be careful next time." I told her which made Ella look at me. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata dahil parang may balak pa siyang awayin 'tong babae sa harap namin.
"Pasensya na po talaga. Uhm, mauna na po ako. Sorry po ulit." nagmamadaling sabi ng babae at tumakbo na paalis. Napatingin ako kay Ella at nakitang nag-iba nanaman ang timpla niya.
"Oh, balak mo nanamang pumatol." I told her.
"She should know where she's going. Buti nalang wala akong hawak na liquid." she blankly said. Hinila ko nalang siya paalis doon at hinayaan ang mga sinasabi niya.
Nang makauwi ako ay dumiretso na ako sa kwarto ko at hinarap ang laptop ko para ituloy ang kwentong sinusulat ko. Si Ella naman ay umuwi na din sa kanila.
"Anak, kakain na!" rinig kong tawag ni mommy mula sa baba maya-maya. In-off ko ang laptop ko at lumabas ng kwarto ko para dumiretso sa kusina.
"How was your day?" nakangiting tanong sa'kin ni daddy. Wait, what?
"Daddy!" I squeeled and ran towards him. Agad ko siyang yinakap kaya natawa siya.
"I missed you." he chuckled.
"Oh, kakain na." natatawang sabi ni mom. Nakangiting humiwalay ako kay daddy at tumingin kay mom,
"Ikaw po nagluto?" I asked her and sat down on my seat.
"Yup, nag request ang daddy mo." she giggled and looked at dad who's smiling widely. Napairap nalang ako dahil malapit nanaman silang magharutan. Gosh, these two!
Before eating, my phone suddenly beeped and Ivan's name popped up on the screen.
"Who's that? Parang iba 'yang ngiti mo, ah?" pansin ni mommy. 
"Ha? Just a friend, mom." I smiled at her.
"Hmm, iba 'yung ngiti." asar ni daddy.
"Ngiting in love na ba 'yan?" mom teased which made me laugh.
"Mom, dad, stop na." I covered my face and giggled. They both just laughed at my reaction and started eating.
Napatingin tuloy ako ulit sa phone kong nag ri-ring. In love na ba ako? Ang bilis naman yata masyado, kailan ko lang naman siya nakilala. Crush palang siguro 'tong nararamdaman ko. Admiration. 'Yun lang, hindi naman-
"Aren't you gonna answer that?" my mom suddenly asked.
"Oh, sorry. Excuse po muna." I smiled a little and left to answer Ivan's call.