Her words stab me in the chest and I look down. Her cunning personality doesn’t really suit her beautiful appearance. She has a voice and a face of an angel but her attitude is very ugly. Such a shame.
Meanwhile, Bryle who has been busy putting a Pad Kapraoh in my plate halts his movements and drops the utensils harshly that make a clanking noise.
He inhales sharply and looks at her menacingly. “Keep pointing your finger at my boyfriend and I won’t hesitate to cut your pointer finger,” he warns her in a very serious tone.
Nika’s fake smile falters and she immediately puts back her hand to her side before smiling at Bryle fakely again. I bet she got scared of his threat. Huh! What a sore loser!
“Bryle...” I call out his name and put my palm on top of his hand to calm him down and he immediately intertwines our fingers again in front of everyone.
Bryle’s mom smiles widely and starts giggling again seeing our interaction before going back to eating her food. Meanwhile, Bryle’s dad just eats in silence and didn’t bother talking at all. He’s just keeping his stoic face while munching on his food.
Even though he’s not talking, his mere presence alone is making me feel nerve wracking. But it calms me down a little bit that he’s not making any violent reactions towards us and I’m glad.
I then let go of Bryle’s hold and start eating my food in silence. But after a while, his mom starts asking me some questions.
“How old are you now, Alwin?”
“Ahmm... I’m already eighteen, ma’am,” I humbly replies and she gasps in pure happiness.
“Really? Bryle is older than you for one year,” she says and turns to look at Bryle, “Honey, you’re older so you should take care of him, okay? He’s so cute like a baby! Where did you even find him?! I wish my husband is as cute as him too,” she rants to herself and I can hear her husband emitting a sigh in the background. I giggle internally.
Bryle smiles proudly at his mom, “Of course, mom! I take good care of him everyday. And you’re right, he’s still a baby— well, he acts like a baby when we’re alone. His dad also agrees on to that.”
His mom laughs inwardly at his remark and I pout. They’re ganging on me again, I know it.
I decide to stop listening to them anymore and turns my attention to Bryle’s dad who’s been putting on his stoic facade. I scan his features and I can really say that he’s handsome except that his face already has wrinkles all over because of his age. And then I turn my attention to Bryle’s face. He really have a very similar resemblance to his father — from the shape of his face, the sharpness of his nose, the lips— everything! Except for their eyes because Bryle’s eyes are more expressive than his fathers’.
Almost a month of knowing Bryle, I can already tell what’s his true self. I can now even point out if he’s faking something or not. Everyday, he would show me different side of him and it makes me happy that he’s slowly opening up to me. I am now also starting to open up to him. I can be my true self whenever I’m with him because he never judges me like some other people. I don’t think of him as a stranger anymore but a friend. But this past few days... is very confusing.
I flinch when Bryle suddenly turns to look at me and catches me staring at him. I look down in embarrassment. ‘Oh my gosh! I’m caught staring at him! This is so embarrassing!’ I think to myself.
I then hear him chuckle beside me so to save my self from the embarrassment, I decide to excuse myself for a bit. “Ahmm... Can I use the restroom for a bit?” I ask.
“Yes, of course, you can, dear. Go ahead,” Mrs. Kraisee says.
“Do you want me to accompany you?” Bryle offers me but I turn it down instantly.
“No, thanks. Just tell me the direction please.”
“Use the bathroom of my room. Upstairs, third door on the right,” Bryle says and continues to eating his food and I nod.
I follow the direction he told me and reach his room in no time. I face the mirror and look at my own reflection. What the hell?! I look like a tomato! I immediately turn on the faucet and sputter my reddening face with water to wash away the crimson color on my face. Then I pat my cheeks repeatedly before wiping my face dry with the handkerchief I brought with me just in case I sweat a lot but what I didn’t expect is to use this because of my blush.
I do an inhale exhale and is about to go out when Nika suddenly barges inside the bathroom and locks the door before facing me with a glare.
Oh, no! What is she doing here? I bet she has something up her sleeve! This sly bitch, really!
I put on a strong facade and face her with undeterred emotion. I can’t let her see how nervous I am inside or else she’ll feel superior towards me. ‘She’s just a girl and you’re a boy, she can’t harm you, Alwin,’ I assure my self.
“You!” She angrily exclaims and points her pointer finger at me again.
“What about me?” I ask her innocently and I think that riles her even more.
“You’re a leech! You took Bryle away from me, do you know that? We were supposed to get married at the end of this month but you just have to ruin it!” She accuses me and I raise a brow.
“Excuse me? I didn’t took Bryle from you, Nika. I’m sorry to burst your bubble but I am the boyfriend while you— I don’t even know what you are in his life,” I bravely rebutts her.
“That’s not true! Even before you showed up to us, he already cared for me but now he doesn’t even want to talk to me anymore just because of you!” I can now see smoke going out of her nose and a flame on top of her head. Oops!
I chuckle dryly, “He just did that because he pities you. by the way, that’s his words not mine.”
“Why, you!” She was gonna slap me in the face when someone suddenly knocks outside the door that makes her freeze in her spot and I sigh in relief.
“Alwin? You there? You’re taking so long! It’s dessert time!” It’s Bryle.
I clear my throat before answering him, “Ah, yes! I’m coming! Wait a second!”
“Why did you lock the door?” Bryle asks and the doorknob starts to twist from side to side indicating that he’s trying to open it.
I turn to look at Nika with a sarcastic smile and sees her looking so pale. Huh! If I open that door, Bryle will see her. And I know that kind of look, she’s literally scared Bryle would get angry at her again.
“What now?” I ask her tauntingly and walks to the door to open it.
“Babe—” Bryle stops mid sentence when he spots Nika standing behind me. His face then shows anger. “What the hell are you doing here?” His voice is dark when he speaks and Nika didn’t reply to him but just looks down at the floor. And now she’s interested at the floor. How fake.
“She didn’t know that I’m using this bathroom, that’s why she’s here. Now, come on. I wanna taste the dessert your mom prepared for us!” I say and start dragging him towards the door of his room.
“But—” He cuts off his own sentence when I look at him with an I’ll-tell-you-later look and he immediately nods his head like an obedient child.