OS #4: Claws of Dominance

23rd Dominance

Year

"Tara na?"

I nodded at him and forced a smile.

Umuna siya habang nakasunod lang ako sa kanya kung nasaan naka-park ang sasakyan. I can't help but stare at his back while thinking.

How small is the world, right? He was the last person I got to see before I left, not knowing that his father was the one who helped my parents then.

Kaya rin hindi ko agad nalaman kung sino ang tinutukoy na De Vena ni Papa ay dahil hindi naman kasi talaga kami ganoon ka-close noon, awkward din siya sa akin. I remember we just said hi to each other, or when I asked him about Kat or where Nhyjiel was.

Hindi naman ako galit o bigo ng malamang anak siya ng tumulong sa mga magulang ko. I was just shocked since all along he was just beside me, and we even got close after what happened.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?" Baling niya sa akin ng pareho na kaming nakasakay.

Kinuha ko ang phone at nakitang may text na galing sa driver sa palagi kong pinagkukunan sa akin.

Hindi kasi ako nagpapahatid sa lokasyon ng mga gig ko, kaya pareho kami ni Kim na nagta-taxi. Kasi paniguradong sabihin ng driver sa mga magulang ko kung saan ako pumupunta.

"Just the nearest mall," sabi ko.

"May bibilhin ka? I can come with you."

Mahina akong umiling, medyo hindi pa sanay sa nalaman. "No. Nandoon na kasi ang driver ko."

"Why? I can send you just near your house." Kunot noong tanong niya habang nagsusuot ng seatbelt.

I just gave him a brief smile. "Huwag na, doon kasi naming napagkasunduan sunduin ako."

"Sigurado ka?"

I nodded and stared at the bouquet, once again getting drowned by my thoughts.

Hindi ko alam kung kilala niya ba ang pamilya ko. His father invested, though I don't know what happened after.

Tiningnan ko si Gabriel.

He doesn't look like he knew that I am 'the' Cortez. He was in 10th grade then, and he could not know how his father's business was going. He could also not be involved, so what we have right now is separate from it.

"Uhm... Gab, is your brother the oldest or the youngest?"

Sinulyapan niya ako. "He's the youngest," relaxed niyang sagot habang minamaniobra na ang sasakyan paalis ng parking.

"Oh, okay."

He's the oldest, so he will possibly be the same as me, the heir of the business. Hindi naman ako sinasali ng mga magulang ko sa negosyo nila kahit ngayon, they would just share good news. It might be the same for him. Wala siyang alam na konektado ang pamilya namin sa negosyo lalo na rin na, my parents kept a low profile about me.

"His name is Raymond."

Bumalik ang pansin ko ng magsalita siya.

He checked me again and chuckled, halata sigurong hindi ko nakuha iyon.

"My brother."

Parang wala naman siyang pakialam na malaman ko ang pangalan niya o kahit sa kapatid. There was nothing different. Dahil kung alam niyang tinulongan kami ng Papa niya, he could've told me about it long before.

I laugh lightly. "So how old is he?"

"The same age as you," he answered while looking straight on the road.