Four Letter Word

Chapter 29

DANIEL'S STORY

HUMINGA ako ng malalim at lumayo kay Kathryn, nasa magkabila kami ng couch at magkaharap na nakaupo. This is it I guess, I'm bearing my soul to her.

Napapikit ako, handa na akong sabihin sa kanya lahat-lahat but telling her everything means going back to that dark days when I feel lost and all I can feel was the pain of losing the person you treat as your own brother.

"E-Eleven ako ng una kong makilala si Ace, hindi maganda una naming pagkakakilala because he called me nerd and a bore." Napangiti ako ng maalala kung paano kami naging magkaibigan.

Eight years earlier...

Westchester, New York

"HEY nerd! Want to play ball?" a boy in his teens asked me holding a basketball.

"I'm busy and I don't play basketball." I was in our garden sketching.

"What? What are you? You're a boy you're supposed to like basketball."

I ignore him and continue sketching my favorite superhero, batman.

"Tsk what a bore."

I sigh, why can't he just leave me alone? There's a lot of guys his age in this village probably playing basketball in the near park why bother me?

Naupo siya sa tabi ko, "You know what? You remind me of my sister, she's around your age."

My forehead knotted and looks up from my sketch pad. "I'm a boy and I remind me of your sister?" that's insulting.

He smirked, "Whoa! You're a boy? That's news."

My lips tightens, I picked up my sketchpad and starts to leave.

"Hay! Bakit ba kasi ang tagal namin bumalik ng pilipinas? Namimiss ko na kulitin kapatid ko." He said out loud but more on to himself.

I look back at him, "Di umuwi ka na hindi yung ako kinukulit mo dito."

His eyes widen from shock, "Nagtatagalog ka?!"

I shook my head, "Malamang Filipino ako." And my mom made sure that I know our own language.

"But still a nerd and a bore." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and leave him to go to my room I even heard his annoying laugh from the stairs.

I WAS about to knock on my Ninong Carlos's door to give him the lasagna that my mother made when I heard voices.

"What do you mean we're not coming back to the Philippines yet?!" I heard Ace's voice. He's the boy who annoyed me a week ago.

"Ace you have to understand your lola's is sick and she need us." That's my Ninong's voice.

"But Channy needs me too!"

"My decision is final Ace, I will enroll you in high school."

"But Dad! What about Channy and mom? You promised me! You promised we will come back once Lola is better."

"Your lola is still sick she still needs us." There's a resignation in my Ninong's voice.

"But I need my little sister!"

"Do not raise your voice on me Ace!"

"You know what? Mom is right, you're never really planning on coming back to Philippines and she made a right choice of picking my sister over us!" I heard a footstep coming.

"Ace! Come back here!"

The door swung open and Ace leave the house without even noticing me. I stare at his retreating back, pulling his hoodie over his head.