Get You Back [Completed]

Chapter 2

Four years ago....

"What's all this?" takang-takang tanong ni Pavel habang papasok sa mansion nila. He just got off from university, holding an award after winning a school competition on Law and Politics. He has always been on top of his class.

But somehow, his father still always finds ways to demerit him.

His stepmother Tatiana suddenly sprung out into the grand foyer at ngumiti sa kanya. "I'm sorry, figlio. The house is just in a rush for a party that we're throwing tonight."

"What party?"

"Your sister just got accepted in her dream university. And we're inviting everyone to celebrate with us."

That explains all the fuss. There were caterers setting up in the garden. Hair and make up artists rushing down the stairs. And there were about a hundred dresses being run around in racks.

But the worst part of all was the painting at the center of the foyer. That was why he felt different as soon as he entered the mansion.

The painting before housed a little boy, a little version of himself, seated beside his mother and his father Alfonso Dostoevsky-Sokolov. But now, the new painting contained a new family. It was that of a new family: his stepmother Tatiana, his stepsister Katerina, his father and a vague figure of himself looking unsure of the people around him.

"You like the painting?" Tatiana suddenly asked.

He just nodded and without any word, left the foyer to go up his room. Marami pa rin siyang nakasalubong na mga taong taas-baba for the party preparations.

Pagkapasok sa kwarto ay ipinatong niya ang trophy sa desk at hinubad ang suot na sweater. Inis na inis niyang itinapon iyon sa sahig.

The little brat just got into her dream university and suddenly, nagpa-party na lang ang ama niya. He never recalled ever getting a party. His birthdays would mostly be a quiet dinner within the family. Ever since his mother died, his father never threw him a glance. Not even once. Only to criticize.

He was busy being mad at the world at hindi niya napansin na nakapasok na sa kwarto niya si Katerina.

"Hey, will you be coming down tonight?"

He shot a glance at the intruder behind him and saw a sweet-looking girl with brown curls going down to her chest. She has that perfect smile that could make any man's knees melt. Perhaps this is how she was able to control their father.

She had the charms of a perfect child, one thing he could never be.

"I don't think so, Katerina. I have exams to prepare for," he coldly replied before going through his closet to look for something comfortable to wear.

She stepped closer to him and smiled. "All my friends are coming over and I promised them they'll get to meet you. You see, one of them kind of likes you and I just want to-"

"I told you, I'm a busy man."

He saw how her eyes darted downwards in just a slight glint of sadness before she looked back at him again with a smile. "It's okay. But I'll try to bring you dinner in case."

He was taken aback by that smile. But he tried to control his emotions as much as possible. This girl in front of her is an enemy. She isn't family.

"Okay, I'll leave now. I might be disturbing you." She turned around to leave, looking a bit disappointed that she won't be seeing him downstairs tonight.

"Which school?"

"Huh?" she turned back around to ask.

"Which school did you get into?"