I glanced at my wristwatch to avoid his heated stare, “They were still asleep since it’s so early in the morning… like it’s just six in the morning. And I hadn’t gotten far this time…” I trailed off, pouting my lips.
He ran his hand to his hair and shook his head, “Knowing you, you’ll just disobey. And you really did. Don’t do it again next time or else…” He narrowed his eyes on me. I stick my tongue out childishly at him.
He then turned to the old man just in front of me who was looking at us quietly. The corners of his lips turned upwards, smiling. “Mang Ando.” He nodded his head in acknowledgment.
Instantly, as though they were longtime best friends, the old man, who now I know is Mang Ando, beamed at Eion. “Eion! Musta na anak?” (Eion! How are you, son?)
Eion shrugged his shoulders in reply, “Ayos lang po.” Then his eyebrows raised, “Kayo po?” (I’m okay. You?)
Mang Ando chuckled lightly, “Aba’t malakas pa.” He then pointed at me, “Ingatan mo yang girlfriend mo, sa sunod baka mawala.” (Still strong. Take care of your girlfriend, maybe she’ll get lost next time.)
Eion’s hands made its way to my shoulders. I gawked at him at his action. He then gripped it lightly, “Ganito talaga siya-sandali,” He looked disgusted, although his face was reddening. “Di ko po siya… girlfriend.” (She’s like that-wait. She’s not my…. girlfriend.)
At this, I don’t have to understand the language to know what they were talking about. I rolled my eyes and slapped his hand away from me.
Mang Ando rubbed the back of his neck. “Hindi ba? Paumanhin nagkamali lang. Sige mauna na ako. Rami pang isdang hahabulin. Regards mo nalang ako sa tatay mo. Sana gumaling na sya para makapag inuman naman kami.”
(No? Sorry I was wrong. I’ll get going now. There are still many fishes I should chase. Give my regards to your father. Hope he’ll get better now so that we can drink again.)
Eion nodded beside me. “Sige po.” (Okay.)
We watched as Mang Ando pushed his boat towards the sea, lifting himself up as he rowed when the water was enough for the boat to move. When he was farther away, he turned to look at us one last time to give us a wave. I waved back, Eion having this little genuine smile on his face.
“Who was that Mang Ando?” I spoke up when Mang Ando had really left.
He glanced down at me, and averted his eyes, “Like a father to me.” He said in a low voice. He then turned to meet my eyes, “I mean, he’s Mario’s dad.”
I stared back at Eion. I narrowed my eyes while crossing my arms in front of me.
Lately, since we arrived here in the resort, the air around him is different. So much different. He looks calm and more approachable as he has been smiling more. And he respects and treats everyone fairly… so humble. Not like the arrogant, hard headed, cold jerk I knew.
Does this side only show when he is here? Or is it because it’s her mother’s homeland? I suddenly feel jealous. I want to know how he grew up here. I think I should ask that worker, Mario…
I smiled. I think I also like this side of him.
Eion removed his eyes from me. “What are you thinking?”
I shook my head, still not removing my eyes at him as I smiled. “Nothing. I just like this side of you.”
He stopped to look at me at that. He narrowed his eyes on me.
Realizing what I just said, I didn’t regret saying it. It’s from the bottom of my heart. And I think he at least deserves to know it.
“And you’re blushing aren’t you?” I spoke out loud. His eyes widened and looked at the ground.
I smirked. “Now that you know that, take a picture of me.” I pulled out my phone from my dress’s pocket. Eion looked at me dumbfoundedly, “What?”
I rolled my eyes, “I said take a picture of me. I gotta send some to my mother and Nathan.”
“Oh.”
Despite his expression that looked like he didn’t agree, I handed my phone to him, walked to a better spot, and posed for the camera. He won’t have a choice.
He scoffed. “One, Two, Three. There.” Eion counted off and gave me the phone. I furrowed my eyebrows, “That soon? Again! Let me pose for another shot. You gotta make me pretty there.”
There was a pose of me pouting, smiling, laughing, and I even forced him to shoot a candid pose (although it’s more like a scripted pose)
He threw my camera at me and walked ahead, “Come on, we have somewhere to go to.”
Following him from behind, I was still clutching my chest in shock, checking for any damage from my phone. “Gosh, you could have been more careful, can you? If it even got a scratch I’ll demand a payment.” I gritted my teeth in irritation.
“Let’s go to the market. We’ll buy anything.” He spoke up, ignoring my complaints.
I dragged my pace to keep up with him. “Market? No. You almost broke my phone. And maybe you even cursed me and said bad things to me again.”
“There’s nothing to say about you.” He replied. Awe. “Because everything you’re bad at was already shown.”
Wow. Ouch.
I’m used to his remarks way back. But just wow, it still hurts. This guy…
I just looked at my phone, scrolling through the photos he took. The first two were blurry. The second one was hiding my head, just to my neck and below. The third was me, glaring. It was when I was scolding him about another shot. I look like a monster in this.
Wow. Again, Wow. Great.
“Eion! Take a picture of me again! It should be better this time!” I yelled after him, to which he responded with…
“No!”