Chapter 30: New Deal

Ace's POV

Isa lang masasabi ko sa retreat na 'to! It was so tiring, but worth it! Now, we're at the bus and just waiting for the others before we leave.

Nakaupo na ako sa seat ko, and Tara is beside me since wala pa si Jeffrey and tumutulong pa siya mag-ayos ng mga gamit sa labas. Also, Harry and Chester are seating in front me and they're playing ML.

"Psst!" I whispered habang nakatayo ako para masilip ko sila Harry and Chester sa upuan nila.

"Ano, Ace?" Chester replied.

"Tuloy pa 'yung deal 'di ba? Haha! Pwede pa ko magkaroon ng 10K?" I whispered.

Napatigil sina Chester and Harry sa paglalaro and they both said, "No!" with conviction.

"Grabe naman kayo! Baka naman pwede pa bawiin?" I asked.

"You know what? I have a better deal to propose, Ace. Gusto mo ng 15k?" Harry asked.

"Siempre naman! Ano ba 'yang deal mo?" I asked.

"Tara, andyan ka pa ba?" Harry said.

"Yes? Why?" Tara said and she leaned closer to us.

"Gusto mo sumama sa deal namin?" Harry asked.

"G ako! Anong deal 'to?" Tara asked.

"Tingin ko papabor ka dito, Ace. Nililigawan ka pa rin ba nina Kuya Lucas, Seph and Jeffrey?" Harry asked.

"Yes... I mean no!" I replied.

"Kanino ka boto sa tatlo, Tara?" Harry asked Tara.

"Siempre, Team Seph-Ace ako kahit na love ko si Kuya Jeffrey!" Tara answered.

"How about you, Chester. Who would you pick?" Harry asked Chester.

"Ummm, doon ako sa mahilig manlibre! Kay Kuya Jeffrey tayo siempre! Haha!" Chester replied.

"Okay, kay Kuya Lucas naman ako." Harry said.

"Oh, ako, sino pipiliin ko?" I asked without even thinking.

Then, they all looked at me like I was very suspicious.

"Ace... I thought you were straight and doesn't like guys? Bakit ka nakikipili sa amin? Hahaha!" Tara said.

"Eh kasi... may deal! Ano ba kasi 'yung balak mo, Harry? Tuloy mo na! Andami pang pautot eh!" I exclaimed.

"Okay, ganito, one of us three, me, Chester and Tara will get 5k only. Who ever wins your heart, for example, Kuya Jeffrey did, you'll give Chester the 5k. But, if no one will win your heart, we'll give you 5k each and a total of 15k. Pabor sayo, sounds good?" Harry said.

"Harry, gagawa ka na lang ng deal, 'yung pabor pa sa akin. Ano ba yan!" I said.

"Parang narinig ko na 'yang linya na 'yan, Ace. 'Wag ka masyado makampante! Gagawa ako ng paraan para makuha ko man lang 'yung 5K!" Chester replied.

"Sorry, guys, pero sinasabi ko na sa inyo, I'll have all your 5k. No one will win my heart, ever! So I suggest mag ipon na kayo at i-ready niyo na mga 5k niyo dahil pupunta na 'yan sa wallet ko soon!" I answered.

"Gagawa kami ng paraan para mapunta si Ace kay Kuya Seph!" Tara interrupted.

"Nope, 'yung manok ko ang mananalo! Team Jeffrey all the way!" Chester said.

"'Wag kayo papakasigurado, Kuya Lucas is a strong contender!" Harry said.

"Bahala kayo magpagod. Basta ako, I will wait. Pero hanggang kailan 'to?" I asked.

"One week after your birthday? Sounds good? 3 weeks na lang and it's your birthday already. Isa pa, bakasyon na rin 'yun. Pupunta tayo sa inyo, Ace?" Harry asked.

"Ayoko! Don't! No! Walang handaang magaganap!" I exclaimed.

"Kahit? Kahit na ininvite na kami ni tita Lucille?" Chester interrupted.

"Pic or not true?" I asked.

Chester, then, showed a text message of him and my mom.

"Chester, punta kayo sa birthday ni Ace! Naghanda ako! Bring as many as you can! Pati mga 'manliligaw' niya. Hihi! -Tita Lucille"

My mom... is so embarrassing! Arggghh!

"Hindi! Ayoko kayo na pumunta! Walang mag bibirthday! Hindi kayo pupunta sa bahay namin!" I shouted.

"Sinong mag bi-birthday?" someone just came in and interrupted our conversation and It was Jeffrey.

"Kuya Jeffrey, birthday na ni Ace in 3 weeks, do you want to come sa bahay niya? If yes... sama mo ako please! Libre mo ko ng ticket!" Tara asked Jeffrey.

"Saan 'yun?" Jeffrey asked.

"Sa Antique po, Kuya Jeffrey. Maganda doon! Sama ka, dali! Para makilala mo 'yung batang bata na nanay ni Ace! Magkakasundo kayo no'n! Magkasing edad lang kayo eh!" Chester asked Jeffrey and it seems that sinisimulan niya na gawin ang plano niya sa manok niya!

"Teka, teka, teka, may narinig akong uuwi sa bahay ni Ace. Totoo?" Then, another one showed up... It was Lucas.

"Yes, Kuya Lucas. Gusto mo sumama? Sa Antique, 3 weeks from now. We'll stay there for 1 week since bakasyon naman 'yun." Harry asked Lucas.

Mukhang pati si Harry gumagawa na rin ng move ah?

"Nice!" Lucas said with a smile na aabot hanggang batok.

"How much is the fare?" the person with a deep and husky voice just entered the conversation.

" Around 4K balikan, Kuya Seph. I checked it." Tara answered as she smiles and looks at Seph. As if she's also fighting for her spot for the 5K.

These guys... masyado nila dinidibdib. I can control my own feelings so there's no way na mananalo sila sa akin. They won't know it, and if ever... just in case I did fall in love sa kahit isa sa kanila, I'll make sure na ipapaalam ko sa kanila 2 weeks after my birthday kung kailan expired na ang deal! Haha! Napakatalino ko talaga!

"I'll go, I'll bring Tara." Jeffrey said.

"Ako din! Sasama ako!" Lucas also agreed.

"Don't worry about the plane ticket fare, Ace. You're with me. Sagot ko na pamasahe mo." Seph added.

"Galing galing naman ng manok ko! Hihihi!" Tara whispered to me.

"No he isn't!" I whispered back.

"Sandali lang ah... pumayag na ba ako? Parang hindi pa ako nag agree pero kung makaplano kayo lahat ah? Bahay niyo?" I exclaimed.

"We don't need your approval, Ace." Harry interrupted.

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Her approval is already enough." Harry said while showing his phone and he's contacting my mom thru video call! This sh*t!

"Patayin mo 'yan o ako ang sisira ng phone mo!" I shouted.

Then, my mom just answered Harry's call.

"Hi po, tita Lucille!" Harry greeted my mom.

"Hello po, tita! Kamusta po?" Chester entered the frame.

"Aba, napatawag kayo ah? Pogi naman ng mga 'to! Oh ano, punta kayo sa birthday ni Ace ah?" my mom asked.

"Ayaw niya po kami isama, tita Lucille. Pinipigilan kami ni Ace!" Chester said and Harry included me in the frame so my mom can see me.

"Ace! Bakit mo pinipigilan sina Chester and Harry! Ang bad mo!" my mom shouted.

"Kasi, ayoko! Magulo!" I exclaimed.

"Anong magulo? Magulo kasi maglilinis ng mga pinagkainan? Hindi ka naman maglilinis ng bahay! Ako ang maglilinis!" my mom answered.

"Tita Lucille, may mga isasama po pala kami." Chester said.

"Ay, gusto ko 'yan! Ilan kayo? Para makapaghanda ako." my mom asked.

"7 po, kasama si Ace." Harry answered.

"Kilala ko ba sila lahat?" mom asked.

"Hindi pa po... pero makikilala niyo po sila." Chester answered.

"Wow! New friends ba ni Ace? Eh mailap pa naman sa tao 'yan! Buti may nakatiis d'yan bukod sa inyong dalawa?" my mom said as she laughed.

"Isang friend po, then 'yung tatlo..." Chester said and whispered, "Manliligaw po."

My mom, then, shouted with a very high pitch tone na para bang katunog na ng feedback ng mic or 'yung kumukulong tubig sa takore. My mom is really embarasssing! Ughh!

"Gusto niyo po sila makita ngayon, tita?" Chester asked.

"Don't you dare, Chester!" I whispered while I'm squinting my eyes. "Don't move your phone, Harry, or I'll break it into pieces!"

Dahil mga sira-ulo 'tong mga kaibigan ko, Harry showed the other 3 to my mom!

"Ito po, si Kuya Jeffrey, Kuya Lucas and Kuya Seph." Harry said habang pinapakilala niya kay mom.

I don't know what to do anymore at this point!

"Aba naman, ang gagwapo naman nitong mga allegedly and supposedly friends ni Ace. Ang gaganda ng katawan oh! Kala mo mga model eh!" my mom said.

I looked at the three and they were smiling at my mom! Nakakahiya na talaga! They'll think that my mom is okay with them!

"Mama..." Lucas just said and biglang nanlaki ang mga mata namin... what 'mama'! "I mean, tita po pala, hehe, okay lang naman po na pumunta kami sa inyo?" Lucas added.

"You can call me mama, or whatever you like! It's fine! Sure! Pwedeng pwede! Nakahanda na ang mga rooms na tutulugan niyo. I'll be waiting for you all. Hihihi!" my mom said while she seems so happy.

"Mama..." Seph interrupted and he seems unbothered while calling my mom 'Mama'! What the hell! Pinanindigan na nila talaga?

"Yes, baby boy?" my mom replied...

Really, mom? Baby boy?

"Mukhang team Seph and mama mo, Ace. May 'baby boy' eh." Tara whispered to me.

"Shut up!" I whispered back.

"What do you want po as a souvenir?" Seph asked my mom.

"Winner 'tong manok ko, Ace. 'Yung nanay agad ang nililigawan! Haha!" Tara whispered again.

I gave Tara an eyeroll... really? So annoying!

"Hala, nakakahiya naman! Nako!" my mom answered but I know deep down, gusto niya talaga magpabili ng mga delicacies from manila. And if she has the guts... she might ask for some designer bags! And si Seph pa naman 'yung tipong unbothered and oo lang ng oo!

"Okay lang po, mama, anything you want." Seph answered.

Talagang pinanindigan na ang "Mama" ah?

"Hala... anything I want? Hmm?" my mom asked while she's thinking.

Mom, don't you dare ask for anything expensive, or better yet, don't ask for anything!

"Louis Vuitton na bag! Hihi! Nakakahiya!" my mom said while she's laughing.

"Mom! Nakakahiya!" I shouted and looked at Seph because I know that he'll buy it, "Nagjo-joke lang si mom. Don't take it seriously." I said to Seph while he's looking at his phone already!

"Oo, baby boy Seph, joke lang 'yun. 'Wag mo seryosohin." my mom answered.

"Okay na po, mama, I've already ordered one for you. I'll give it to you once we go there." Seph said... he just literally said it like giving away a candy to a child!

I grabbed Seph's phone to make sure na hindi siya umorder at nag-joke lang siya. But when I looked at his phone... F*ck! Sineryoso niya nga!

"Mom! Nakakahiya! Bayaran mo 'yan!" I shouted.

"Hala, baby boy Seph, joke lang 'yun. Hindi ko naman alam na seseryosohin mo." my mom answered as she was so embarassed. Well, as she should!

"Okay lang po, mama. It's fine. That's also my gift for you for taking good care of Ace and raising him as a fine young man." Seph answered.

"Awe, grabe ka naman, baby boy Seph, thank you! Kinikilig naman ako sa'yo! Kung ganyan ba naman ang mga friends ni Ace, wala na akong hahanapin pang iba! It's a Yes for me! I want you!" mom said with a high pitched tone.

"Mom! You're so embarrassing!" I shouted.

"Winner ang manok ko! May one point na sa mama mo!" Tara whispered.

"My mom...but not mine though!" I answered.

"Mama, massage ko na lang po kayo pag dating ko diyan. Marunong po ako mag massage!" Lucas entered the conversation.

"Oh my, parang kailangan ko nga niyan. Masakit na kasi 'yung likod ko from all of these household chores. Thank you cutie boy!" my mom just agreed! She's not yet done embarasssing me!

"Galaw galaw, kuya Jeffrey..." Chester whispered to me.

"Baliw ka talaga, Chester!" I answered.

Pag itong si Jeffrey, tinawag niya si mom ng "Mama", I'll literally smack him in the face! Kadiri kaya na tatawagin niyang "Mama" si mom since they're at the same age!

Subukan niya lang talaga!

"Hi, Lucille, long time no see." Jeffrey said and we all looked at him as we were shocked!

Jeffrey knows my mom? What the heck!

"Hmmm, wait lang ah, pwede ba ilapit mo sa akin 'yung face mo? I can't see you that much." my mom said.

Jeffrey, then, took the phone from Harry's hand.

"Jeffrey... Reyes? Is that you?" my mom asked.

What the hell? Magkakilala sila? Totoo ba 'to?

"Mom, you know Jeffrey?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, Jeffrey and I had an affair back then. 16 years ago." mom said.

What? If they had an affair 16 years ago... I'm 16 now and my dad left us after he found out that mom was pregnant...

Don't tell me... that Jeffrey... is my long lost dad!

End of Chapter 30