Romeo and His Many Juliets [Romeone & Juliétte]

Simula

Simula
Juliétte Conte

Romeo and Juliet.

Malapad ang ngiti ko habang binubuksan ang nasabing libro. Ipinatong ko iyon sa aking kanang hita at saka hinaplos naman ang buhok ng batang babaeng nakahiga sa aking kaliwa—Stellaluna, or Luna, my twelve-year old half-sister and my father’s daughter from his second wife. Samantalang sa ibabaw naman ng tiyan niya ay naroong nakapatong at mahimbing na natutulog si Pomee, my cute and adorable pet dog. A Pomeranian breed, hence, her name.

“Tapusin mo na, Juls, please? Gusto ko nang malaman kung ano na nga ba ang nangyari kina Romeo at Juliet!” she excitedly said.

Mula sa kaniya ay napalingon naman ako sa isa pang babae sa tabi naming dalawa. Evérlysse or Evé, my fifteen-year-old sister, giggled and also excitedly squealed. Just like Luna and I, she also loved to read books, especially epic love stories. I guessed it was safe to say that we three were all hopeless romantics.

I suddenly frowned and couldn’t help but notice her short jumpers. They were too tight and too short I could almost see her panties from my view.

“Evé, pupwede bang umupo ka nang ayos? Ilang beses ba kitang pagsasabihan na huwag kang uupo nang basta-basta, huh? Dalaga ka na! At bakit sobrang ikli naman yata ng shorts niyan?” puna ko.

“Huh? What’s wrong with my jumpers? At anong maikli? Juls, sobrang manang lang kasi ng fashion sense mo kaya akala mo ay maikli itong suot ko,” aniya na animo’y hindi labinglima.

I squared my shoulders and sighed. She might be saying the truth, pero hindi na maaalis pa sa akin ang maging ganito sa kaniya. I was just concerned for her, because unlike the teenagers her age, she was so advanced in the physical department. She grew up too fast. Her curves, bust, and butt would give a man a reason to take a second glance at her. Ayoko lang naman na nababastos siya. At isa pa ay parating may nakabuntot sa aming mga security guards. Mga pawang lalaki. Mga hindi ko kayang pagkatiwalaan pagdating sa kaniya kahit pa iyon ang trabaho nila.

“Come on, Juls! Don’t mind my clothes. Ituloy mo na lang ‘yong pagbabasa sa amin. We can’t wait to know if they finally get their happily ever after,” aniya habang niyayakap ‘yong paborito niyang stuff toy—a dog with a yellow hoodie that she called Chimmy. I honestly had no idea, but Evé was a big Korean pop culture fan. In fact, she had an entire collection of their merchandises, at kaunti na nga lang ay maiimpluwensyahan na rin niya si Luna.

I opened my mouth to speak and to give them a little spoiler that the story would not end up the way they were expecting it to end, na hindi ito tulad noong mga love stories na nabasa ko na sa kanila noon, when suddenly, a curly, blonde-haired, and freckled girl butted in our conversation.