"Shut it, Carter," naasar na sabi ko sa katabi kong unggoy na magiging permanenteng parte ng buhay namin ni Mama kung di sila maghihiwalay ni Tito Edward in the near future. "You're annoying!"
"Big bros does annoying things right?" inakbayan nya ako saka ginulo yung buhok ko for the nth time! Kakaayos lang ulit ng hair dresser sa buhok ko! "Perfect!" binitawan nya ako with a proud smug look on his face. "Now you look like a damn shawty."
"Why you—," akmang susuntukin ko sya nang biglang bumukas ng marahas ang pintuan. Napalingon ako doon. "Ota?" takang tawag ko kay Ota na kakapasok lang sa kwarto kung nasaan kami. "What's wrong? You look pale," and hurt.
Ota looked stunning in her dark teal knee-length dress. Her hair was nicely done. She had nothing on her face except a nude shade lipstick and a small amount of blush on. She looked like a real-life princess.
Ota looked at me. " 'Am fine. Didn't know you two are here," she smiled at me and looked over Carter who is currently gawking at Ota. Carter had a little crush on Ota. Can't blame him, Ota is gorgeous lalo na't nagdadalaga na talaga siya.
Lumapit ako kay Ota saka hinawakan ang pisngi nya na bahagyang namumula. "What happened? Did someone slapped you?" agad na uminit ang ulo ko. "Who did this to you, Ota?" I carefully asked.
"No one, Ate. Just bumped into something." Ota smiled at me, but I'm not convinced. "I was in a hurry. I and Ate George had a small fight over something, I walked out and bumped into something. I'm fine, really."
Did George slap her? "Nasan ang Ate George mo?"
"She's with your friend. Ate Belle."
"Gimme a second," I was about to walk out of the room to find George when Ota held my arms. "Let go, dolly."
"Let's fix your hair first, Ate. I overheard the bride is on her way here." ngumiti si Ota sakin but it did not help calm me. Namumula talaga ang pisngi nya as if she was slapped. I saw Ota looked at Carter na tahimik lang na nakatingin sa kanya. "Can you give us a room, Kuya?"
"Uh—yeah sure, was about to head to the bathroom anyways." naglakad si Carter palabas sa pintuan. But before shutting the door he turned to us and said, "Make your Ate hotter, 'kay? She needs to be as hot as me." and then winked before shutting the door with a small thud.
"Yabang nya, Ate, no?" tawang tanong ni Ota habang hinihila ako paupo sa kaninang inuupuan ko nung inaayusan ako ng hair dresser, kaharap non ay ang isang vanity mirror.
"He is," I agreed. Carter is funny.
"Anong nangyari sa inyo nung nakaraan? I heard from Kuya Timmy that you almost stabbed him," sinimulang tanggalin ni Ota yung maliliit na sandrio na nakasali sa maliliit na braid ng buhok ko na mukhang minurder dahil sa paggulo ni Carter. Lintik na Carter! "But it looks like you two are getting along well, have you resolve it?"
"Yeah, we did." ngumiti ako kay Ota.
We really did resolve it. Carter said sorry to me, ayaw kong tanggapin iyon sa unang beses. Kasi nauulit na naman kasi iyon even he promised not to do it pero wala. Nagagawa at nagagawa talaga nya iyon. Masakit sa part ko iyon, iyong minumura mura nya yung nanay ko at tinatawag sa mga pangalang di kaaya aya.
But Nick explained. They told me about their past with their mom, their mom was a psycho. Had no love for them, but Carter adored his mother more than anything in the world.
Their mom tried to kill them before, stabbing Carter's thighs with a knife which left a big scar. Pinakita pa nga iyon ni Carter sakin. Nahawakan ko din iyon. When I learnt about their story nawala yung galit na nararamdaman mo, napalitan iyon ng awa at pagaalala.
Carter found love with Sabrina. Sabrina and Carter met on an online video game and they clicked together. He found love to the point that he cheated with himself for Sabrina. He cheated himself and create chaos.
They really did become a thing before. Kung sa mga linyahan pa ng mga artista ay, "There was an us," kumbaga. Ewan basta yun. But then life is full of mysteries and wonders. Full of adventures and plot twists.
Carter learned that Sabrina was being unfaithful. Pumasok si Yubi sa storya nila. Sabrina loved them both, iyon ang sabi ni Nick sakin. Sinabi daw iyon ni Sabrina sa kanya. Nick and Sabrina were close, Nick was also in love with her pero dahil mahal ni Nick ang kapatid ay nagparaya siya. Cliché, I know.
So long story short, Carter threatened to kill himself if Sabrina chooses Yubi over him. Sabrina did choose Carter, but months later? Sabrina vanished. Hindi nagpaparamdam kay Carter o kay Nick na kaibigan nya.
Carter underwent therapies, they were helpful. Naging stable din si Carter non but it triggered when he and Nick learned that his Dad will marry someone which is si Mama at nang makita nya si Sabrina with Yubi.
But his memories haunted him when I charged at him while holding a knife. Nakita daw niya yung nanay nya sakin, his mother was so angry because he broke a expensive antique vase na si Nick talaga ang nakabasag. It was sweet of kid Carter to protect the kid Nick despite Nick being the oldest. So in return, Nick is protecting him now.
So far, Carter is stable at the moment. Ewan ko nalang sa susunod na araw.
"Mabuti naman kung ganon," kinuha ni Ota ang suklay saka sinimulang ayusin ang buhok ko. "Ate Afternoon was looking all over for you," napaarko ang kilay ko. Ate Afternoon? "Oh, I mean Ate Yubi ba. She's a half Japanese diba? So Hapon siya so ang English ng Hapon ay Afternoon."
"Silly, Ota." napailing ako. Hinahanap ako ni Yubi? Wala syang text sakin kanina pa. "Nasaan siya? Bakit nya daw ako hinahanap?"
"Oh, nagpaalam sya na umalis. Pupuntahan nya daw ang girlfriend nya. Sabrina was her name right?"
