Chapter 16 Going back

"Thank you so much for attending in our last seminar..." I just smiled while the others applauded.
This is our last seminar, it is also the last month of November. The weather was so fast and we barely realized it was our last day. We also take care of a lot, especially Patricio who is already computing the grade. I m already helping him because of the amount of section he holds.
Our fellow teachers went home first while we would spend some time here at the hotel and we would pay for it because we only had a limited stay.
"I just order ah," Pat let me know when we got to the bedroom.
I just nodded and then sat on the sofa. I carefully placed my foot on the sofa and then lay down on it. I feel like I just now felt tired from almost a month of seminars. We'll be here until tomorrow night so I'll just put up with it. I picked up my cell phone, hesitating whether to call my uncle or my sister to let them know I couldn t go home now.
I told them I could go home now but I couldn't go either. In the end I was still more compliant than my laziness. Uncle and I answered my call quickly.
"Good afternoon uncle—"
[Where have you been?]
My eyes almost widened when I heard what was said on the other line. I even stared at the number and I knew I had called correctly. "Veron?! What the hell! Why did you answer?" I wonder.
[Uncle is busy, he is already taking a bath. He left his cell phone here in the living room. What will you say?]
"Please tell me I'm not going home—"
[Can not! Come home here! Aunt Ez's birthday, we're going to have a party with auntie's birthday. You just don t have a gift, e.]
"Excuse me? I can sell you to the drug lord I know if I want to. Pat and I have something to finish," I said irritably.
I heard laughter on the other line. That phone is on loudspeaker.
[Then work here. Just put Pat to sleep here, just go home. You will expect uncle again. Go home, a?] Carving it.
I will never forget that day. One of the reasons why I woke up late when I met Maru, was that my uncle called a few times just so I could talk.
I caught sight of the clock, it was only four o'clock in the afternoon, usually a three-hour flight to Manila. So just in case.
"I'll try. I'll say—"
[Go home. No temptation, go home rit—]
"Okay fine! I'm going home! Oh my god Veron! Give that phone to uncle!" I annoyed and I was even more annoyed because of its laughing out loud.
Rude, I hung up the phone. She's always like that. Too strong to get angry, she thought I was joking with her. Annoyed, I went to the bedroom and then packed up, I arranged my belongings before myself. Some time later, there was a knock on my door, it was Patricio. It smiled at me as I held the two coffees we often drank.
"What's with that look?" he asked when I got the coffee.
"I'm being sent home," I said softly then drank. I noticed the frown on its face.
"You mean I'm just alone here?" he asked obviously really sullen.
"Dunno. But you can come with me to the mansion. There are rooms there, we can continue what you are doing. There was a little party," I explained and then his appearance changed.
"Are you sure? Can I stay there one day?"
"Pack up. Let's just go to the mansion. I'll just fix it." He ran quickly to his room, regardless of whether the coffee he was holding would be thrown away.
I was just shaken here and then entered the room again. Maybe I won't change my clothes. I picked up my cell phone again and noticed three messages there. My cell phone was muted because we were in a meeting earlier. I quickly opened that up because it might be important.
Uncle Matt:
Hey, Zeke will pick you up there. He's going home now too. Take care Annika.
Veron:
Hey! Zeke will pick you up there. Don't be silly ah! You get on board with him right away. In his car.
Mr: Zenos:
I proposed to Zeke. Be careful. I love you.
I just sighed because I could only see Zeke. They really hack me because I usually ignore it. I pulled out the suitcase because I had already heard the scream of gay in the living room. It's easy for me because it's just a little bit. He just smiled at me then decided to leave the room. While we were in the elevator I felt the vibration of my cellphone. One message.
Zeke:
I'm already here. Don't be in a hurry to fix it. Take your time.
To Zeke:
On the way.
When I replied, I could clearly see how Patricio averted his eyes, he even laughed when I hid my cell phone and shook it to say Zeke's name. After we paid, Zeke showed up immediately. It was obviously playing because his two hands had his cell phone and every touch seemed to rush. It did not notice us even though we were close to his face.
"Sis?" pattted me by Pat.
I looked at it and then frowned. "What?"
"Papa Zeke is handsome right?" Patricio's reason for Zeke to look at us.
He quickly lowered his grip and looked at us in shock. "Are you still there?" its sweaty question.
"Nope. Just arrived," I stared at my answer.
"I'm sorry," he whispered then opened the door.
I don t know who he wants to sit next to him. But Patricio was about to walk when I immediately went inside. I heard Patricio stomping and calling my name. I knew he just wanted to tease. But I'm better. When Pat came in, he raised his eyebrows at me. I just asked for it because Zeke had already entered. I could feel Pat looking at the two of us Maru so I turned my gaze outside. The car is running. We were just quiet and I still kept looking outside. Some time later my cell phone vibrated again.
Patty:
I'm thrilled
I couldn t help but smile and shake, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Zeke turning around and simply avoiding it.
To: Patty:
What? Why?
I heard the accent of a scream in the background but as much as possible I did not look back.
Patty: I don't know, as long as I'm thrilled. my heart is throbbing.
I didn't answer it and chose to just shake my head. We are like fools because we are in the same car. At because we are in the Philippines we have almost a few minutes of traffic. I noticed in the front mirror Partricio winking at me.
"Are you quiet? Is there a problem with Papa Zeke?" Patricio's introduction so Zeke quickly looked in the front mirror.
Zeke frowned and then smiled a little. "Nothing, maybe you have," he said laughing.
I couldn t help but crawl my gaze to its big arm, down to its hand holding the steering wheel. Its green root is conspicuous and beautifully cut. My uncle and some of our colleagues in the Mansion also have these, but why do I change when it comes to Zeke.
"What's up? Papa Zeke's root color has changed? Has it turned black? Pink? Red? Or maybe it's white?" Patricio suddenly replied that it was a reason for me to panic and notice Zeke's laughter.
"I just noticed something. No big deal," I lead here.
"Anyways! Give me some advise," Pat said softly with his head slightly bent between the two of us.
"What for?" Zeke asked looking in the front mirror.
"It's like my friend's guy, he likes a girl who's a bit mean. But until now that guy still doesn't admit it because his sister might avoid him, what do you think the man should do then?" storytelling and questioning it.
I don t know if he s teasing or what. I m sure he didn t read the paper because I picked it up right away and set it aside. Yeah, exactly, maybe what Pat was saying was just coincidence. Zeke frowned and slightly looked out at the still traffic. Friday today, so hassle. Every day.
"You think Annika, what can a guy do?" Pat turned to me. I gave a smirk but kept my gaze outside.
"If I were that guy, I'll admit it. I'll tell the girl how you really feel. It's up to the girl whether to avoid him or not. If ever to avoid him, he has to accept the consequences." I looked at the way the two of them looked at me. "I'd rather hold on to the scarce chance. Who knows, maybe they just feel the same way. I'm just afraid to speak," I concluded and Zeke's gaze hovered over me.
The ride was quiet until we reached the mansion, it was almost eight o'clock when we arrived and everything was complete there. I could clearly see Zeke quickly hugging her mother and kissing her on the cheek several times.
"Just come here first. I'll just rest," I whispered to Patricio who nodded as well.
He is no different from the people here. He closes them aunt and uncle as well as their children. No one noticed my climb because they were all busy. I also didn t notice tito and my two siblings that I didn t know where. When I closed the door to the bedroom, my study table with gifts on it opened up to me. Everything is for me because my name is written on those gift wrappers. But instead of opening it I chose to sleep. I wanted to rest and get rid of my tiredness, I felt even more drowsy when I remembered again what Zeke wrote on that paper and he immediately took it back from me.
Why do they do something they can't stand?