A Marcos

expectations

The room was filled with different topics; politics, business, Entrepreneurship, Education, livelihood, friends of friends and kids. It was just me and Andre who can't relate to each conversation so instead we played along with foods while secretly throwing it away with each other. Murmurs surrounded the room and some were added with laughter.
I sat back straight and continued to eat when Dad noticed what I was doing. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and he successfully did.
All eyes were on him probably waiting for what he was about to say, "Maxine has decided to personally work in the company. She will be the next one to run the business."
Mom smiled. "She'll start working by Monday."
Everyone was about to clap their hands not until my two kuya's let out a response.
Kuya Luis and Kuya Alfonso's face changes, "What? Immediately?" Kuya Luis reacted.
"Uh, you're not rushing her naman siguro dad ah-no?" Kuya Alfonso chimed.
Dad faced his direction to them, "Is there any problem about it?"
"Indeed dad, she just came home. Give her a break." Kuya Alfonso couldn't calm down together with Kuya Luis.
"Plus, she's just done getting exhausted of aiming the valedictorian spot. Can you at least let her breathe?" Kuya Luis lent out.
"Well, precisely son. That is why she'll start off by Monday to have some extra days on getting ready." Mom expound.
Kuya Luis tapped the table intentionally, "Kuya!" I scold him.
"It is not the precise point Mom, You are pressuring Max to an immediate job." He protest.
"Can we stop fighting in front of the food?" I silently spoke trying my best to calm everyone. It was very much obvious that Dad's already piss on the action that my Kuya's were pulling and I don't want to ruin this day just by that. It offends me to think as well that it's all because of me.
"We've talked about this already and it was made a few months ago." Mom continued.
"Guys can we just talk about this later?" I plead, I just couldn't endure the stares of everyone as they were shouting at each other.
"And you agreed into it?" Kuya Luis looked to me.
I got tightlipped, "uh-.." no words can exactly come out cause whatever it will be someone will be offended.
"Well ofcourse, she'll agreed on to it. She has no choice." He gestures sarcastically, answering his own question.
"I don't see any problem if Max will start the business by Monday." Dad calmly voiced out.
"I can manage it naman kuya, Just don't fight." I begged desperately.
We all look to Kuya Sandro when he spoke up, "delegating and directing agendas, driving profitability, managing company organizational structure, strategy and communicating with the boards."
He pause from eating and went to look at me, "That's a lot of learning to do, are you sure you'll manage it?"
I was stunned. "Uh-.."
"What's the purpose of training then?" Kuya Simon never responds to some quarrel but I was surprise when he stood for me.
"I'm sure she'll be trained by the best one that they can offer," he resumed. "And Max is very much of an easy learner."
"Easy learner huh?" Kuya Sandro scoff, "she can't even do such public speaking, how would be that easy?"
I almost gonna choke on my food after that statement from Kuya Sand.
"Certainly she'll just learn from it." Tita Imee inserted. "I mean, she always finds her own way to make the job easy though, I'm sure Max will be able to stand on this one too."
Kuya Sandro let out a sarcastic chuckle, "Tita, we all know business company will be so much different. Things doesn't go easy there."
He looks to me, "It takes hard work, determination, patience, courage and self confidence to be on that spot," it's like everytime Kuya Sandro speaks english, he's rapping. He's way too fast to pronounce it clearly.
"Wala pa nga, inuunahan mo na eh." Tito Bong criticize him. "She's just starting, give her the enough motivation naman."
"I just don't want you guys to expect more and end up getting disappointed." He answered, "It happens every time, right Maxine?"
"Maybe we could try to help her improve from things she's not good at, instead of putting her down. How come she'll be able to apprehend when you are already predicting a negative outcome." Kuya Simon once again vented.
"Hey! I'm not the villain here, okay?" Kuya Sandro raised both of his hands. "I just want Max to know the upcoming duties she'll be facing without sugarcoating anything."
"Pano yan magmamature if you keep defending her from her impulsive behavior?"  He added.
"Plus, she'll be marrying Vincent at no time. Have you even think about the standard of Vincent and hers?" everyone exchanges stares.
"No one said she's going to marry Vincent," Mama LAM applied. "I mean we were just predicting it may be Vincent or hoping about it but...it wasn't really a final decision. It's still depends on Max's choice."
"There's still a second option sand and she can choose that anytime." Tita Imee discussed.
Kuya Vincent speaks, "I have a girlfriend....I can't marry max." he stuttered.
"Well, I hope you won't regret that." Tita Imee said that confidently.
From all the energy I was receiving here suffocates me a lot. I thought being embarrassed in school was the worst but it was a complete x2 of it if you are the one getting debate in the family. I was really about to cry and I tried my very best to stop it. How Kuya Sandro spoke to me at this moment was very different. Yes, he may be tough to me before but not like this. It made me feel like I'm really much of just a mistake in this family. What would I expect ba? I'm just adopted. Not legally pa nga eh.
My body's already shaking, I can't take it anymore. "Excuse me." I stood up and rushed to leave the hall.

Since our house was so big, I expect that they'll be having hard time to find me.
My eyes flicks wide when I saw an opening at the hall with a small hole that can fit by two people. It was a way too far from the entrance of second floor so it'll be a perfect room to hide. I squeeze myself inside and sob there, luckily echoes aren't made on the room which possibly means they can't hear me cry. I sob them with all my heart, reminiscing every words Kuya Sandro was saying earlier.
Why did he change?
Why he has to do that?
Why do I felt like a different person to him?
A knock destructed me so I look to the hole on where I went in, it was Kuya Simon peeking on me.
"Can I join you?" He asked, standing and patiently waited for my answer.
I sniff and nodded, wiping my eyes and my nose.
He went in and sat in front of me. He looked all over room, like he was scanning something or he finds it familiar.
"I used to hide here when I was a kid." He shared. "No one knew this place, until you did."
I remembered mom telling me that Kuya Simon was like their adopted son. He and dad always borrows him since they have the same interests at some certain point and they find Kuya Si as some reflection of them when it comes to critical thinking.
"I'm sorry, I have to leave kanina." I said.
"Who could've take those energy naman ba?" He replied. "Good for you, you're strong enough to stay and taking those harsh words until it is finished." He was smirking the whole time he said those.
That made me chuckle.
Kuya Si changes into a serious expression, "Sandro..he's just a little too uptight."
I shook my head. "I'm used to it naman to Kuya Sand kuya eh.."
"I wasn't just ready for that kanina. I thought kase we'll refrain from talking about it since it's my special day."
I laugh. "I was wrong pala. No exemptions."
He just stared at me. "I'm sorry Max."
"You don't deserve that." He says.
I started to blubber again. I never get shy if it's just Kuya Simon I was facing. I always do that to him every breakdowns on video calls.
He came closer, placing both of his palm on my cheeks and wiping away my tears.
"Listen to me, okay?" I just nod.
"You." "Can." "Do." "It." He announce it each by each.
That made me stop from crying. Kuya Simon will always be the that one person who knows how to calm me down.
He still didn't remove his hands on my cheeks. "And as long as I'm here, you'll always have someone."
I nod again, hearing his words certain.
"I will not leave your side, not even a second. Okay?" He proceed.
I smiled and pulled him for a hug. "Thank you so much, Kuya Si," he press his body on mine to hug me back too. "I will never get tired of you, I promise that."