who am i to you?

5.2

My arm never healed properly in the time frame the doctor said it would heal. That's not surprising since David and his gang would always find ways to make it worse.

Luckily, as if their guardian angels whispered to them, I didn't get sent to the hospital again. I got there on my own for the regular checkups but I never got injured again. Major injuries, I mean.

Soon, the dreaded last days of my high school ended. It ended with my arm still in a cast.

Shi, Santi, and Drix had their graduation two weeks ahead of my school. I attended it with tita since it was a weekend. And I also ate lunch with them to celebrate their awards.

Shi stayed on the stage for a long time receiving his awards. Santi, too, and surprisingly, Drix had a couple of awards of his own.

Then when they attended my Moving Up Ceremony, it was - how should I say this - dry. I had nothing but a Loyalty Award for not transferring in high school like Shi did. Well, I wasn't able to transfer because it was that time Dad died.

"Okay, let's take a picture."

Viktor gave his phone to Shi who gladly took pictures of me and my cousin. Tita Naomi was also there so I also had pictures with her. Then Shi, Santi and Drix took pictures with me too. So much for just one award.

One thing important, they insist I take solo pictures with Shi. He was fine with it. I am fine with it. Santi wouldn't shut up about it.

Viktor reserved a table for celebration in a restaurant so he drove all of us there. A lunch celebration then later, Violet said we'll go somewhere, just us cousins with Math, Saoirse and Hunter to also celebrate Math's awards from her recognition rights.

"So what are your plans now in senior high?" Santi, who's walking beside me, asked.

"What about you?" I threw the question back at him.

"I'll do ABM. I'll major in math and finance and that's all I'm planning for. Ikaw ba?"

"I don't have plans," I said with a brief smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Kahit anong strand, okay lang sa'kin. After ko naman grumaduate, I'll be restrained and start my training to inherit my father's company."

He stared for a while, surprised. "Really? After college?"

"No, in two years. When I turn eighteen and graduate high school."

His brows furrowed. "Why so early?"

"Well, Dad died a long time ago so..."

"Oh..." He got silent for a bit, just looking at me cautiously. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

We had a nice lunch. Viktor found something he can talk about with tita and he sounds so much like the businessman he is. Right after lunch, Viktor dropped us off at Shi's house. He went somewhere to do something so I just hung out there for the rest of the day.

"Walang Senior High sa school n'yo, 'no?" Shi asked, taking a sip on his canned soda. That's all he can have at home. No alcohol. So I'm not like a kid joining their drinking session. We all have soda.

"Yeah," I replied.

"So magta-transfer ka?" asked Drix.

"Hmm... that's the plan."