Chapter 4

I THINK I just lost all my sanity. It is a huge mistake. Looking at her first thing in the morning is the funniest thing I did since I met her.

What the heck? Is she trying to bring back time, being a jologs and such? She is making things worse!

Ilang beses akong tumikhim and look away. I can’t handle my laughter at sumasakit na ang tiyan ko. I feel like I’m going to throw up my breakfast I just had and die.

“What’s with the outfit, *****?” I asked.

We are in her car. She called me earlier to stop by the school’s parking lot before going straight to class.

“Isn’t this your brother’s type?”

Gusto kong tumawa kaso nakakabanas iyong reasoning niya.

“Ang bobo mo naman. I said may pagkatomboy, hindi may pagkabaliw. See the difference? At isa pa, why would you try to become someone just to win my brother? That’s the worst thing a girl can do, ok? Huwag mong ibaba ang sarili mo, para ka-“

I stopped. Mukha siyang natutuwa sa naririnig. I am not complimenting her.

“You’re such a good little sister-in-law,” she said.

I sighed. So this is what a hopeless romantic looks like? Buti hindi ako ganito, nakakahiya.

“Do you even understand what tomboy means, Miss?”

She rolled her eyes at me and pout.

I give up. Ayaw ko na makakita pa ng bruha. Yup, just do her a favor and let her out of my sight forever.

“Fine. After one date, don’t bother us, got it?”

“KUYA…”

Dinner time at kaming dalawa lang ni Kuya Liam ang nasa hapag. Maybe ang isa kong kuya ay nasa galaan at nawala ang sense of time.

“Remember that girl na kasama ko noong first day of school, nang sinundo mo ako?”

“Oh?”

Like I suspected, he’s not interested at all.

Kuya Liam is the eldest among the three. All he cares about is managing our business na dito pa lang sa probinsya namin kilala. Mula nang mamatay sa car accident ang parents namin, at the age of eighteen, he shouldered everything.

Tumayo bilang magulang sa dalawang makukulit na kapatid at nagma-manage ng business na noon ay kasisimula pa lamang. I think simula noon, hindi na nagkaroon ng girlfriend si Kuya.

He has a well-built body. I’m not sure, pero mukha yatang mas maraming time si Kuya para mag-gym kaysa ang maghanap ng babae. He’s twenty-five this year. May balak pa ba siyang mag-asawa?

Sa kabilang banda, si Kuya Nico is the complete opposite of Kuya Liam. Yes, magkamukhang-magkamukha sila at minsan pang napagkamalan na magkambal, but Kuya Nico is two years younger. He is also a womanizer. Mas matangkad din siya nang kaunti kay Kuya Liam at medyo mapayat.

Si Kuya Nico ang nagturo sa akin ng self-defense. Siguro iniisip niya na one day, maging victim ako ng mga katulad niya.

While Kuya Liam gave his full support sa mga kalokohan namin, hindi siya nagsawa na paalalahanan kami that there is a limit to everything.

And now, I am trying to try my limit.

“Can I give her your number?”

Bahagya niya lang akong tinapunan ng tingin.

“If it’s about business, then go. If not, tell her to get lost.”

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng awa para kay Vyra. Wala pa, pero rejected na.

“She had a crush on you.”

“It’s a given. I am a handsome bachelor, an ideal man for every woman. But sad to say, I am not interested to any girl because I am already engaged at the age of fifteen, to a girl I don’t even know I will…”

Now this is news to me. “Seryoso? Bakit? Paano? Kaninong kalokohan ito?”

“It’s our parents’ decision. I’d rather keep the details for myself than bother you with it.”

“Wait, you don’t mind? What if that girl is kinda crazy or such-“

“It doesn’t matter. I trust our parents.”

Tsk. “As dense as ever.”

Binaling ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa pagkain. Ilang sandali pa ay dumating si Kuya Nico.

“Any news?” bungad sa kanya ni Kuya Liam.

Tumingin naman sa akin si Kuya Nico, at nagkibit-balikat. Umupo na siya at pinaghain ng makakain ng katulong namin.

“I see.”

Nagtatakang nagpalipat-lipat ang mata ko sa kanilang dalawa. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“Don’t concern yourself about such trivial things, Sis. At isa pa, nagpapahanap lang naman ng babaeng maikaka-“

“Watch your mouth, Nico.”

Tahimik na nagsimulang kumain si Kuya Nico.

Binaling naman sa akin ni Kuya Liam ang mata. “Don’t mind him. He’s just trying to put his ideals on me, like you did just now.”

I rolled my eyes at him. I get it.

“It just means na concern kami sa iyo. Matanda ka na tapos wala kang girlfriend. What if bago ka magpaka-loyal diyan sa babae na hindi mo pa kilala pero fiancé mo na, magpakasaya ka muna?”

“See? Even our little sister knows what you should do.”

“Huwag mong gatungan, Nico. Bata pa si Lei. Nagka-boyfriend lang siya. But she knows nothing about the real deal,” sabi ni Kuya Liam at uminom na ng tubig.

Bigla akong nawalan ng gana sa sinabi niya.

Malapit ko na rin maubos ang nasa plato ko but just remembering the past, I’d rather stare at it than put it in my mouth. My insides start to go wild and I feel like I’m going to throw up.

“Iyan, pinaalala mo pa kasi.”

“Drink some water, Lei. Huwag mo na ipilit kung ayaw mo na kumain.”

Huminga ako nang malalim. I cannot let myself be beaten by this heart break at dumagdag pa sa mga pinagkakaabalahan ng mga kuya ko.

“I’m fine,” nakangiting sabi ko.

Uminom na ako ng tubig at tumayo na.

“I’m going to rest first, then.” Paalam ko at pumunta na sa kwarto ko upstairs.

As I lay my body on the softness and bounciness of my bed, my mind flew to the time when our parents met their peace.

I was just thirteen back there. Right after I graduated in elementary, iniwan na nila kami. Tila ba pina-attend lang sila sa graduation ko and just like that, I lost my precious teen years that should be guided by my parents.

Well, hindi naman nagkulang si Kuya Liam at Kuya Nico sa akin. It’s just that, iba pa rin kung nanay at tatay ang pagpapaintindi sa akin ng buhay.

I sighed.

Kung kasama ko nang mga panahon na iyon si Mommy, hindi ako mahuhulog sa kagaguhan ng lalaking iyon.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***