Den's POV
Today is the day na mami-meet ko yung kapatid ni Aly, though nagkita naman na kami noon pero di naman kami nag usap? Remember?
"Den.."
"I know, Aly. I won't force her to talk to me."
"Good." He sighed.
I smiled at him. Nandito kami ngayon sa bahay ng mom niya, wala yung mommy niya, sabi niya lang nagbakasyon daw and si Maddie lang ang naiwan dito. Pero ngayon, nasa school pa daw si Maddie and pauwi na.
Nagluto si Aly, carbonara and steak. Akalain niyo yon, marunong pala siya. Pero yun nga, ang bango nung niluto niya, for sure masarap din 'to.
"I'm home." Bungad ni Maddie.
I smiled at her nung napatingin siya sa akin. Di naman ako nag e-expect ng kung ano galing sakanya pero she smiled back, a weak smile.
"Go ahead and change your clothes first then we'll have dinner." Sabi naman ni Aly.
Umakyat na si Maddie papunta siguro sa kwarto niya. Tinignan ko naman si Aly.
"Ngayon alam ko na yung resemblance niyong magkapatid."
"What?"
"Parehas kayong di mahilig ngumiti, ayaw niyong nakikipag-interact sa ibang tao."
"Yeah. Sabi nga nila." Sagot naman ni Aly.
Maya-maya lang, nandito na si Maddie sa dining area at naka upo na. Nag start na kaming kumain. Tahimik lang, grabe. Nakakabingi.
"Mads, I want you to meet Dennise."
"This is the first time you introduced someone here." Maddie said.
"Yeah. She's my friend."
"Just a friend?"
"Maddie..."
"I'm just.. you know? Curious?"
"Yeah, we're friends for now." I chuckled.
Napatingin naman sa akin yung dalawang magkapatid. What?! Sasabihin ba nilang chuckling is for dumb people?
"I'm amazed." Maddie said.
"What?" Aly asked.
"I never expected you to come here and let me meet a FRIEND. Sabi na eh. Should've made a bet with Brent." Maddie said.
Grabe ha? Pero wait, talaga bang nag uusap sila ng ganito sa harap ko?
"Maddie.."
"I'm not mad, Kuya. Nabigla lang ako because of this."
"Ate Den, I really hope matiis mo yung Kuya ko." Maddie said with her face smiling.
Wow! Did she just smile at me? Ibig sabihin ba nito boto na sa akin itong kapatid niya? Joke! Hahahaha! Joke lang naman, clown kaya ako!
---
The dinner went smoothly, after nga non, nagpaalam na si Maddie na mag stay sa kwarto niya. Di ko naman pinigilan baka kasi di na siya comfortable? Wala rin akong idea gaano sa mga introvert kasi extrovert ako, tapos ganon din yung friends ko, si Aly ewan ko kung introvert ba 'to o may topak lang eh. Pero feel ko introvert din siya.
Anyway, nandito kami ngayon sa living room nila, nanonood ng movie. Ayaw ko pa umuwi dahil nga sa parents ko.
"Thank you." Umpisa ni Aly.
"Baliktad yata? Ako nga dapat mag thank you kasi you let me meet your sister." Nakangiti kong sabi.
"Thank you kasi you never tried doing something dumb." He said.
"Baliw? Ikaw lang naman talaga kinukulit ko." I said.
"I have a question. Actually I have a lot of questions in mind."
"Okay, I have lots of questions too." I smiled at humarap sakanya.
"First one. Why did you approach me?"
"Hmm. Let's say, I'm interested with you."
"Be specific."
"Ewan, mula kasi Grade School, kilala na kita, pero iniisip ko lang if ikaw ba, kilala mo ako? Or minsan ba naging interested ka makipag friends sa akin? Mga ganong question, so I shoot my shot."
"I see."
"Remember at the rooftop? When your dad mentioned about Maddie? Are you guys kinda fighting for inheritance? Kayong dalawa ni Maddie?"
"Hindi. Yung hospital ng Dad namin, kay Maddie talaga mapupunta yon, since wala naman akong interest sa business. Lagi lang sinasabi yon ni Dad sa akin if may nagagawa akong nakaka disappoint sakanya. Which is, always siyang disappointed when it comes to me, to us ni Maddie." He explained.
I nod my head, siguro mainitin talaga yung ulo ng Dad ni Aly. Pero, bakit niya sinampal si Aly?
"Are you really just friends with Yeye?"
"Ano ka ba? Oo naman! Friends lang kami non, nag confess siya dati but I rejected him kasi I want us to stay as friends pero ngayon, okay na kami. Best of friends with Ella."
Bakit ba siya curious? Hahahaha!
"Anyway, lagi ka bang sinasaktan ng Dad mo? Kasi sa rooftop, yung nawitness ko, parang alam mo na yung gagawin niya sayo, parang sanay ka na sinasaktan physically?"
"Ever since I was a kid. Okay naman siya nung una, pero nung naghiwalay sila ni Mom and ako lang yung naiwan sakanya, that's when he started to hit me if ever may magagawa akong mali." He breathed shakily.
"Ikaw? Your parents never tried to hit you?" He asked.
"Never. Lagi lang silang nagagalit pero never kami pinagbuhatan ng kamay. Ano yung pinaka grabe na ginawa sayo ng Dad mo?"
Masyado na yatang personal yung tanong ko? I mean, pwede niya namang hindi sagutin yon.
"R-remember when I was wearing a turtle neck sa school? He beat me the night before dahil sa daughter ng investor niya. I said kasi na ayaw ko na i-setup niya ako sa blind dates, he got mad. Pero hindi naman siya nag stop sa pag setup sakin ng blind dates and wala na rin naman akong magagawa, Den. I'm tired.. I'm tired of being his punching bag, I'm tired of hoping na one day, magbabago siya. Good thing rin na nag divorce sila and I can't let him go near my Mom and my sister." he said.
I hugged him. Sobrang higpit. I want to make him feel na I am here.
"Hindi pa tayo tapos sa questions." He said.
I chuckled, napaka talaga nito.
"Remember what you said earlier kay Maddie? Are you really looking forward to having a relationship with me? Romantically?"
"I-uh... I think so."
"Den... Let me tell you something... I like you. Always keep that in mind." He whispered.
"H-ha?"
"Wala." He said.
Then I felt his arm snake around my waist. The hug that I am waiting for?!
"Hold me, Ly." I said.
"I am holding you."
"Hold me tighter, please? I guess I really need your hug, too." I said.
Then he tightens his hug. Why does this feel so comfortable? Bakit? Tell me.
