"How did that happen?" I kept on walking back and forth whilst holding my chin with my one elbow above my other arm.
Letty, who was arranging the things I brought, was focused on what she was doing. She has been silent for a long time now. Probably because she got tired when we were walking. Plus, she was arranging my things.
When I saw her sitting on the pallet with foam, I approached her and sat beside her. Their house only has three bedrooms and it wasn't as big as my bedroom, but the space is fine with me. I can still move freely. Abel said that the third room was for their parents, who rarely went home. Especially Mang Ben, because he was busy with his job.
The pallet slightly squeaked when I tried to lay my body on it.
"This is sturdy enough, so you don't have to worry at all. Also, if you are not comfortable with sleeping with someone else, I can sleep in the living room."
She knows that even before, I am not comfortable sharing a bed with someone else. Even my parents, I don't want to sleep beside them, unless there is thunder and lightning.
But in Laguna, I don't have anyone to share a bed with when there's thunder and lightning, so what I did was to wait for my fear to fade before I go back to sleep. It'll be my luck if my parents visit me at my mansion. They'll both sleep with me during those times, so that I won't be scared anymore.
"I won't be picky nor stagy. It's part of my vacation." I kept on moving, that's why the pallet kept on squeaking as well.
"Before I forgot, Piper. How did Cade and you meet? Then you were acting like you have amnesia. That's why I really admire you, you're such an excellent actress! But it was indeed obvious that you were feeling excited upon seeing him. Yummy?"
I wanted to laugh at her words but I stopped myself to do so.
"Yummy indeed, and I won't lie. He's very handsome! I don't know what skin care products he's using to have that kind of beauty. I even wonder how many times he has been doing gyms in a day. By the way, we met because of Abel." I hemmed at myself after saying that, while looking above.
I felt the wind brushing through my skin. I thought she left the window open to make the room fresher, but I was wrong. Letty switched on the electric fan. It's really hot here, but I have to endure it.
"He doesn't go to the gym, and he doesn't have any time to do that. Maybe his body turned like that because of farming."
Maybe she's right.
"Let's go to the terrace. It's more windy there."
I didn't hesitate to follow her.
I almost tripped when I saw the person whom Abel was talking with. They stopped laughing when they saw me standing near the door jamb.
We stared deeply at each other when our eyes met. We both averted our gazes when we heard Abel faked a cough.
I sat beside Letty, and my position was far from the guy whom I stared at.
"Are you not feeling hot anymore?" I nodded as a reply to Letty's query.
She's right, it's more windy here than inside. The fresh air because of the trees was making me feel good. It's been a long time since the last time I've gotten some fresh air from nature. The last time I visited a woodland was when I went with Brother Wyn.
"Right! When will you start teaching at the public school?" Abel asked the guy he was with.
"I still haven't taken the exam yet. I am still reviewing."
It only means that he graduated with a degree of education. I wonder what major he took? Maybe he took elementary?
If he chose secondary, I'm sure all of his students will love him.
"Brother, is your mind floating? Cade is a fresh graduate, how can he take the LET immediately?" Letty asked.
"It's probably the effect of him drinking last night," Cade stated.
"Hang over. Right!" Abel scratched the back of his head.
Letty slightly leaned on me. She also slightly turned her body, so that it'll be not obvious for her to whisper.
"He graduated as a magna cum laude."
I stopped myself from being shocked, so as not to let the other two notice us.
I feel ashamed. I wasn't able to finish my degree. I finished my studies before the second semester of my third year.
"Piper, Cade brought this. You might want to try it." Abel moved forward the banana leaf towards Letty and I.
Letty hurriedly took a fork and gave it to me. I stared intently to identify what it is.
My forehead was creased as I kept on touching it using the tip of the fork.
"What is this made of? It looks like clay that has rice in it?" Abel scratched the back of his head.
"It's called sinukmani," Letty said.
"That has no poison in it."
I looked at the person who said that. I didn't even think that it was poisonous. I was just confused because of its appearance.
"Dude, let's exchange seats."
He took the fork from my hand and then took a slice of the food he brought. He put that inside my mouth. I don't know how he made his movements fast. I was left with no other choices but to eat it instead, since it was already inside my mouth.
The siblings were watching us whilst laughing. I hurriedly took the fork from Casimiro. I fixed the few strands of my hair that were blocking my face.
"I can do this. Thank you." I tried being mean to him. The corners of his mouth slightly moved upward.
"It's delicious, no?" Letty asked.
I wasn't certain as to what she was referring to. Maybe it's the sinukmani.
I gulped because of what I was thinking.
I can't believe he cooks very well.
"Yes. You try."
She did what I told her and gave me a thumbs up.
"Abel! Cade!" a guy shouted. He was standing outside the wooden gate of Abel and Letty's house. He was also wearing something formal.
"Lecio, dude! Get inside," Abel said. Cade stood up from his seat.
When the guy finally reached our position, he immediately greeted the two with a hug. He took off his lid and used it to fan himself.
He smiled at me. One of his teeth was missing. He was still the same.
If Cade was skinny, Lecio, on the other hand, was chubby and he loves to eat suman.
"Wow! You're really on another level now." Abel tapped his shoulder. It was obvious with the clothes he was wearing, he was feeling hot. Well, he was wearing a tuxedo.
"It's a good thing that you visited. We thought you would never go back here, after you were gone for a few months," Cade said. He offered the sinukmani he brought to the guy. The latter just shook when Cade handed him the plate.
"I'll still visit but moderately," he said chuckling.
"So, what brings you here?" Cade asked.
He's talkative. But when it comes to me, it seems like he was unwilling to speak.
He kept on asking Lecio, yet he didn't ask me anything.
"I was having a conversation with the buyer of our house and lot. The buyer finally decided to buy them." His smile widened even more.
"You too Abel, America's waiting for you. Work there instead or in Singapore. The income for Engineers there is great, not like here. You instead did the same as Cade who focused all his attention at farming," he laughed. He seems to have forgotten that his parents were also farmers.
"It's difficult to plant grains, your income for harvesting the crops is not even good enough. Plus the addition of your land's collateral. Also, most of the land now was made as a subdivision."
He's right though. Those who were farming on our lands were paying as well. If they will not pay, then the land will be solely ours. I really can't understand why others will insist that the land was theirs.
That land has long been out. It was still from the generation of my great-grandparents.
"I don't know what did Cade eat that he decided to take a degree for education and he can't even leave this place," Abel added.
Cade hemmed and was about to say something.
If he became an Engineer, surely, there'll be a lot more ladies that will be attracted to him. Well, him being a teacher is already attractive enough, and at the same time being a farmer