The Opposite of Hate (Upper Crust #1)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11
"Forgive"

"I am not sorry for lying... But I am sorry that it upsets you. Laviña, it means nothing."

"Nothing?" Mas nagalit pa yata ako sa sinabi niya.

"Let's not make a big deal out of it, please."

"Nothing, huh... Yeah, it's nothing dahil you always have it easy. Palagi naman!"

It seems like he doesn't know what to say anymore. Maybe he realized na kahit ano pa ang sabihin hindi ako mapapakalma no'n. Tama naman. Nothing will calm me down knowing that he once again made me feel a sore loser. He is best at it. Fucking always.

"You better pursue it, Aris. That's better. We'll be on separate paths from now on then."

Umiling ako at tinalikuran na siya. Umalis ako ng garden at bumalik sa loob ng bahay. Diretso ako sa kwarto ko tuwing dito natutulog. Actually, I am sharing the room with Laverne. Nauna na pala siya. Hawak niya ang Ipad habang may kung anong binabasa.

She raised her head to look at me. Agad din niyang binalik sa screen ang tingin, not minding my presence.

Dala ang mga pamalit pumasok na ako sa comfort room. I have to take a deep breath and stare at my reflection on the mirror. Napailing na lang ako at mabilisang naglinis para makasuot na ng pantulog. Paglabas ko nasa ganoong posisyon pa rin si Laverne.

"Kuya Aris got in, so what's your say, Ate?" tanong niya nang hindi tumitingin sa akin.

I halted at tiningnan ang kapatid na parang wala lang sa sariling tinanong 'yon.

"What do you expect me to say?"

She shrugged her shoulder. Now she is looking at me.

"Wala akong pakealam, Laverne."

"I don't believe you."

Napakunot ang noo ko. What's wrong with this kid?

"What made you think so?"

"Ayaw na ayaw mo kapag he gets ahead of you. Kaya I don't think na wala lang sa'yo 'yon."

Damn. Ito ang rason kaya madalas kong makalimutang bata pa lang siya. She is too observant.

"It doesn't really matter. You want me to act bitter about it?"

"Hindi pa ba?"

I groaned in annoyance. She is just staring at me blankly. Inaasar niya ba ako? Dahil it's definitely working.

"Matutulog na ako," I said and marched towards the bed.

Why do I need to share a room with her gayong marami namang bakanteng kwarto rito? Well, si Mama naman ang may pasya nito. We need to share dahil kung magsasarili kami maaabala at dagdag sa trabaho ng mga katulong. I understand her point, but sometimes Papa's annoyed by her principles and decisions. But he loves her and thinks she knows better kaya wala namang problema. I can't remember my parents having fights. Siguro naman mayroon there is no such thing as perfect. Hindi lang siguro sa harap namin. At sadyang they resolve it fast.

Hindi pa naman talaga ako inaantok. Nakapikit lang ako, naghihintay na makaramdam na ng antok. Then what happened earlier made me think. Tama si Lola. Aris made it kaya para sa kanya. He better fly to Oxford, and probably comeback after he is done?

Yeah, he better leave nang sa ganoon ay tuluyan na ngang matapos ang connection sa amin. That's crazy and impossible knowing na itinuturing siya ni Papa na anak and his precious boy, but the far distance will serve it's purpose. Ang paglayuin ang landas namin. Oh, I can't wait for that day. When it happens, I will finally reclaim my own identity. Just Laviña.