Moonage Daydream (Ciudad de Escalante #4)

Phase 10

"But you promise me Kuya! Why did you have to do that? Did you really hit them?" naiiyak kong sumbat dahil nangako siya!

Silang dalawa!

"What do you want us to do, baby? Sit here and watched everyone make fun of you? Is that what you want? Do nothing and accept what they did?" si Kuya Zeren ang unang nagsalita at hinagis ang susi ng kotse sa mesa.

He let out a harsh exhale and loosen up his necktie. Marahas niyang tinanggal iyon kasama ng blazer. Labis ang pag-iinit ang nararamdaman gaya ng ulo kaya naghubad na ng tuluyan ng damit pantaas. He unfastened all the buttons in his shirt until he's only wearing his slacks. Kuya is like that when he's pissed.

My eyes watered in dismayed at them.

They broke their promise!

For sure someone is suffering in embarrassment like what I feel right now. I'm not happy nor delighted. Knowing other people also experience how painful it is, there is no reason to celebrate. Si Kuya Zelan ay tahimik lang dahil siya ang nangako talaga na walang mananakit pabalik sa mga nang-aasar sa akin.

"Melody is a girl, Kuya..." nanlulumo kong saad habang nanlalamig ang kamay na lumapit kay Kuya Zelan.

Kuya Zeren took care of the guy student who filmed and uploaded the video. Melody is the mastermind where they pulled a prank at me in the science lab yesterday. I don't know exactly what my brothers did, but I think threatening and public humiliation are involved. May video kasi na nakaluhod silang anim sa quadrangle kung saan humihingi sila ng patawad sa akin.

Iyon ang laman ng group chat namin kanina. Melody, Reinier, and my other four girl classmates were also suspended.

"Yeah? And so what? She's a girl and do you think gender matters to us if they hurt you?" Kuya Zeren mumbled in irritation. Naiinis niyang sinuklay ang buhok at hanggang ngayon ay nakayukom pa rin ang kamao dahil sa nalaman nilang ginawa sa akin.

Kabalik ko kasi galing sa STEM kahapon, inatasan nila ako na kuhanin ang mga photocopy ng mga take-home quiz na nakalimutan nila sa lab. Pero karating ko roon, pinakawalan nila ang mga palaka na ipe-preserve at gagamitin para sa experiment ng mga STEM students.

And after that, they locked me there, screaming in fear as five frogs jumped on my feet.

Frogs scares me the most.

Halos maiyak ako at mahimatay sa lab habang naririnig ko ang tawanan sa labas ng mga kaklase ko. My endless pleadings at them to open the door while crying in anxiousness is included in the video.  They weren't satisfied until I lost my voice and my consciousness. Kumalat yung video kaninang umaga sa Facebook kaya siguradong nakarating sa mga Kuya ko ang nangyari.

Bukod sa wala akong maihaharap sa mga tao dahil sa nakakahiyang reaksyon at sigaw ko sa video, it traumatized me so I decided to not attend school today.

"It's not a mere prank anymore, Azariah. Those bitches and asshole tried to kill you!" singhal ni Kuya Zed at sinipa ang maliit na cushion ng aming aso kaya tumilapon iyon sa gilid.

"But she's still a girl, Kuya. Did you... hit her?" kabado kong tanong dahil kahit alam kong hindi niya iyon magagawa...

But what if he did? I know they will not have second thoughts. I can sense that they did something more than humiliating my classmates! My brothers are like my cousins. They're oblivious to other people's feelings sometimes.

"Hit with my fist? No, baby... I won't do that. What if it happened to you?"

Lumambot ang ekspresyon ni Kuya Zed habang kinakalma ang sarili. Maging si Kuya Zeren ay ganoon rin kaya bumalot muli ang katahimikan sa aming sala. Mommy is outside doing the grocery so she didn't witness our arguments.