Into Her Book 1: Clyde Hernandez

01

01

I look at myself in the mirror, heaving a deep sigh as I am about to face almost like a new chapter in my life. From clothes and how I appear right now, I can already feel how my life will be once I live in this city. There will be no simplicity already and I have to embrace how my real family lives because that… their life will be mine as well now starting today.

Dressing in branded clothes and expensive shoes that my real parents got for me feels so unfamiliar. I am not used to wearing such branded ones because I always settle with those things that are less expensive. One of the reasons as well is because we can’t really afford such expensive clothes and we can’t afford to spend much money just for a single pair of clothes, it’s not really worth it for us considering we are not really financially stable.

I am dressed in a fitted short sleeve white shirt under a knotted fit and flare black dress that ends on my mid thigh. I also put on sneakers to complete the outfit while wearing the same necklace I have on since then with an earring and watch. Everything that I put on right now came from my parents. I wanted to wear the comfortable outfit that I have but I think they would appreciate my presence more if I dressed up like them.

“Fitting in, Bella… fitting in.” I whispered to myself before letting out another nervous deep breath.

I roam my eyes around my room that will be my old room now. It’s not big like my sister probably has but it’s enough for me because I can fit all of my things inside and I have a comfortable bed to sleep in. Most of my things and clothes are kept in their usual spots because I didn’t bring much clothes with me.

I know that most of them will be replaced with new ones. Mom even told me that she did an advance shopping for me with my sister so I will have clothes to wear once I arrive. That is the simplest thing to say to not bring the clothes I own here. It’s fine with me as well anyway since I still have some things here that I can use once I visit and keeping my things here would make lola feel like my presence here is still alive.

After looking around more in the house, I went down the stairs with a slightly heavy heart. I know it’s time to leave but my heart really wants to stay here still. I’m just still in denial because lola was the one who told me to come and be with my real family. I understand her point but maybe I’m just still in denial that she actually told me those.

When I arrived downstairs, a familiar car that my parents keep using whenever they visit is parked in front of our shop. It surely caught our neighbor's attention. My bag is being loaded in the trunk by the driver and the same person who was with dad when he first appeared in front of me will accompany me on my way to Manila.

“You really are very fitted in those kinds of clothes.” Tito says, which I can’t really point out if it meant to be a compliment or a sarcastic comment.

“It’s uncomfortable.” I honestly commented, making him shake his head in return.

“That is because you are not used to it. You will get used to it soon too apo. Don’t worry.” Lola approached me, eyeing me adoringly. Even though she tries to hide it, I could still see the sadness in her eyes. “You should take care of yourself there, okay?”

I put on a smile, trying to show that I am really fine so she wouldn’t feel too down. I can’t really show her that I don’t want to leave. It will only make it harder for all of us. “I will, lola. Don’t worry too much about me.” I said softly.

“I can’t help it, apo. You have been on my side for so many years.” I caught the building tears forming in her eyes that she is trying to prevent from falling down. “I should be happy that you finally found your real family but… I just can’t help but be sad because you won’t be here anymore.”

For almost a decade, I have been by their side and acted like their own blood related family. It wasn’t really an act because I enjoyed being surrounded by wonderful people. If there is actually someone who should be glad that one meets another, it should be me. It’s because even though I almost lost my life already back then, I was lucky because the people who found and saved me really treated me like their own. I’m already lucky just in that part.

“It’s not like she can’t visit us, mama.” Tito butted in, shaking his head as if my leaving is not a big deal for him as well. He turns to face me with a sarcastic smirk but I could see in his eyes that pleading look. “You will visit us, right?”

“Of course I will, tito! Shouldn’t that be automatic already?” I said, trying to make it sound cheerful so our partings wouldn’t be that sad. “I promise to come here every holiday if they allow me to… but I’m sure dad won’t say no anyway since he understands things.”

Ever since tatay left us, it is actually tito Benjo who stood as my father as well. The two of us are pretty close and I could really feel how much he cherishes me like tatay and lola. Though he is not very expressive through words, he shows it to me through his actions. It’s almost like I have my own bodyguard because of how much he protects me.

“You, tito!” I called for him. He arch his eyebrows at me in confusion because of the sudden call. A smile slowly forms in my lips. “Take care of lola, okay? I won’t be here to look after her on your behalf while you are working on the crafts anymore.”

He lets out a scoff. “I know that, Bella! I looked after her and you for the past few years anyway. With you leaving, it will be easier for me because I only need to look after one ol-” Lola immediately furrowed her brows, giving her son a look before giving him a smack on his shoulder. Tito let out an awkward and teasing smile while massaging the spot he got hit to. “I mean beautiful woman! Why are you hitting me right away?”

“You and your pranking,” Lola only says, shaking her head.

That’s what he gets for always being a prankster.

“But really tito, look after yourself too! I know you have always been the one to look after us that you have already forgotten about yourself.” I reminded him that made him smile.

“If you want your tito to be taken care of properly, you should push him to get his own wife already!” Lola butted in before tito could even defend himself. She turns to her, crossing her hand to her chest. “I am not getting younger, Benjo. I also want a grandchild to meet before I leave this world.”

Here we go again…

“Lola,”

“I’m just telling the truth, Bella.” She defended in a convincing tone. “Your tatay already gave you to me before he left us but your tito Benjo hasn’t given me one yet. Even a girlfriend is nowhere to be found!”

It is always like a music to my ear whenever lola and tito actually acknowledge that I am tatay’s daughter even though I really am not. That must be the reason why I really had the best time of my life while being by their side to the point that I didn’t worry much about my real family. They really made me feel welcome into a family I don’t really belong to.

“Ma, if I will have a girlfriend now that means I won’t be able to look after you properly anymore. If Bella will be here with us every single day like she used to be, then I will get one right away.” Tito defended himself. He reaches for lola’s hand and gently holds it like a gentleman that made me raise a brow while stopping myself from laughing. “I need to take care of you properly or else kuya will haunt me in my dreams. Don’t you like it? You are the only woman in my life?” He glances at me before nodding in my direction. “And also this kid,”

“Tito, when I was still here you won’t even find yourself a girlfriend. I bet you will find one for yourself even if I stay here.” I tease him sarcastically, making him eye me from head to toe in disbelief.  “Do you even want to get married?”

I bet he is already tired of hearing the same discussion about him. Tito is actually just three years younger than tatay and really is in the marriage age but he just won’t go and find a wife for him. I don’t know if it really was us who are preventing him from getting married or it really is just himself because his previous girlfriend even blamed us that they broke up.

“Of course I want to! Who wouldn’t even want to get married?” He says, avoiding my eyes.

“Then why don’t you find yourself a girlfriend?”

“How about you? Why don’t you find yourself a boyfriend again?” I hissed, glaring at him. He puts on an innocent smile. “I’m just kidding!” I purse my lips as he kept smiling, teasing me. “I need to make sure you find yourself a better boyfriend first and not an asshole one like that boy before. That way, kuya won’t haunt me and I can finally find my own lovelife.”

“You’re talking as if I will find a guy for me in Manila.” I said, trying to escape from that conversation.

I think it has been like a year since I had my first relationship. He was my first love but at the same time… my first heartbreak. He might even be the reason why I hated relationships now and some guys. I just don’t find it fun liking someone again after what he did to me.

“You don’t think so? Manila is a big city, Bella. You will find one, trust me!” He nodded his head to me as if he was so sure about it. I shake my head in return. “Besides, there are so many handsome looking boys in there and you will study in an elite school right?”

If the school I used to go to is a public school, now I will be transferred to an elite school. It’s not actually just a simple elite school but an international school where I’m sure there are a lot of rich kids in there. I don’t really have much choice about my school because they already had it fixed that I will be studying in that school considering my siblings are studying there as well.

I raised a brow at him in confusion. “What handsome boys even got to do with my school?”

“One thing, rich and handsome. It’s an international school so I’m sure there will be a lot of foreigners.” A sigh escapes my lips as tito just can’t really stop with this kind of thing. “Get yourself an American guy so you can fly to the States soon.”

Without any hesitation, lola smacked him once again. But this time, it's already on his head that made me laugh hard to the point that I can’t hold it anymore. He glares at me but I only return with a mocking expression.

“You and nonsense pranks just won’t change, are they? Do you really want to be haunted by your brother in your dreams?” Lola says, scaring him.

“Don’t you want her to find a handsome and foreigner boyfriend, ma? Won’t that be better for her?” It made me look at tito.

Why is it that everyone keeps saying that I should find a boyfriend already? Is it a requirement? I’m only 16 and I still have two years left before I become legal. I already made a mistake choosing the first guy I opened my heart with because of my foolishness. Once is enough for my young age, I don’t need another mistake. Besides, I have more things to handle now.

“What do you mean better? Bella’s family is rich and they can afford giving her everything she needs. She is smart too so she doesn’t need the kind of guys you keep describing!” Lola turned to me, reaching for my hand. “Bella, listen to me.” I nodded my head, curious about this talk again. “If you will find a guy, I want you to find someone who will accept you as who you are. The kind of person who won’t drag you down into your lowest peak and instead will help you become better. I want you to meet a guy who will be kind to you and treat you like you are the most valuable thing in the world, just like your tatay treats you.”

That would be too ideal. I’m not even sure such loyal guys still insist now, not especially after JC. If he probably didn’t do what he did to me, I would still believe that loyal guys and the description of a guy that lola told me about actually exist up until now. But now, I’m not really sure if it is worth believing in anymore… not unless they can show me one right now.

“Why are you both even talking about boyfriends? I won’t find anyone out there!” I said, convincing them. “I will study and focus on it so I can give the two of you a better life. I will keep my promise even if I already found my real family now.”

My big smile disappears when a tear escapes lola’s eyes that makes me panic. “Be good to your family, okay?” She said while trying to hold her tears as much as possible. “Give them a chance to get inside your heart like you accepted us in yours. Don’t pressure yourself too much, okay?”

“I will, lola.” I can even barely open my lips now because I’m afraid that I will cry. “Thank you for looking after me all these years. I will always remember it all.”

“It’s me who should be thankful to you, Bella. You are the one who gave light in our family again after we lost your tatay.” A relief smile forms my lips as my vision starts to become blurry. I can’t cry, not now! “I’m sure he is really happy now that you will come home to the people you have been wanting to meet since then.”

From what I remember, tatay would always tell me that once my real family shows up, I should be happy. That the only thing he wants for me is to find and meet them because that is the only way to know and complete myself as a person. Knowing my real identity and the life I really have, it is his last wish for me because he left. And now… I’m doing it for him already.

“You brat! Come here,” Tito opened his arms wide, so I didn’t hesitate to come and hug him. “Take care of yourself out there, okay? You will live in a big city and a different environment starting now. It will be hard to adjust but I know you can handle it.” He put his hands on my shoulder, distanced me from him a bit so he could see my face. “Just call me whenever things are already too hard, okay? Tito Benjo still got your back every time.”

I couldn’t help but… smile. “Thank you tito… for treating me like your own nephew.”

“You don’t know how lucky I am because you became my nephew, Bella.” He puts on a warm smile as I could really feel how glad he is through his words. I wanna tear up because it was the first time I heard it directly from his mouth but I have to hold my tears. “Don’t worry about us too much, hmm? We will be fine and you will be fine out there as well.”

I nodded my head and went for another tight hug with him. This type of comfort, I will really miss this so much. The kind of hug where I wouldn’t hesitate accepting and would immediately feel fine once I felt it.

“Bella, you need to remember, the place you will be in won’t adjust themselves for you. It’s you who should adjust yourself. I want you to remain strong in the midst of that, okay?” Lola reminded me as I nodded my head, remembering all of her words. “Starting now, forget about Arabella Joaquin already.” My lips parted with that mention. “You are now Arabella Fay Santiago, a person who is much better than the Bella that we know.”

Is it the truth? Is Arabella Fay Santiago much tougher than Arabella Joaquin? Because if she is then… why did I end up breaking down the moment the car drove away from my old house and away from the family I used to only have? Why… why did it hurt so much to leave them when I am on my way to meet the family that I have been wanting to meet?

“You can’t be like this, Bella.” I whispered to myself, trying to use reverse psychology to myself by whispering things that will help me calm down.

Maybe it really is the time to forget about Arabella Joaquin. It is time to accept the new me now. The moment I arrive at the airport and have my bags check in, my thoughts are slowly being filled up now with the new life that is ahead of me. A new beginning ahead of me. As the plane takes off from the ground, that is where my new life begins.

My life as Arabella Fay Santiago… begins here.

“Miss Santiago,” Dad’s lawyer called for my name. I glanced at him before looking outside the plane window where a view of the city downstairs is seen. “Welcome back to Manila.”

It’s been four years since I have been here but it’s my first time riding a plane. When we moved to Ilocos, we rode a bus instead of plane. It was a great feeling though and not really that uncomfortable. Maybe because it’s only a two hour ride.

“There will be a driver that is waiting for us outside to drive us to your new home and to meet the rest of your family.” He told me while we waited for my things. I look up to him in confusion, hesitating whether to ask or not. When he probably felt my eyes, he glanced at me. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Uhm… what about mom and dad? I thought they would pick me up.” I asked carefully as a smile formed his lips.

“Mr. Santiago has some things to handle in your family company while Mrs. Santiago is preparing things in your house herself for your arrival. That is why they can only send a driver to pick you up here.” He explains.

Before I could even ask again, he cut me off by picking my bag on the baggage carousel. I was about to tell him that I can get it but he didn’t even let me speak so I just let him do it. Since it’s only one luggage, we didn’t get a cart anymore and he just pulled it himself.

“Is my father… always busy with their business?” I asked again when we started walking.

“Well, Mr. Santiago is your company’s CEO so he has some workloads to do. He has a lot of business trips and meetings to attend as well. But if you are worried that you won’t be able to spend some time with him, then you don’t have to.” He waved at someone in the crowd when we reached the waiting area before looking at me again with an assuring smile. “Mr. Santiago always makes sure that he has allotted time to his children. I’m sure he will make much effort now considering that they have already found you after countless tries.”

I think I get what he meant with that considering that dad always finds time to visit me back in Ilocos after they found me. My siblings must be lucky then because dad is like that unlike those fathers in the dramas where they don’t have any time for their children. Speaking of my siblings, I wonder what they are like and their personalities.

When we met the driver, he immediately greeted me and took my luggage from dad’s lawyer. I was just following the whole time, feeling a bit uncomfortable because of the treatment but I can’t really say anything at all. The moment we stepped out of the airport though, I found myself frozen in the spot and feeling nervous as I stared at the car I will get in order to meet the rest of my real family.

It’s time for a new beginning Bella… a new beginning.