On The Brink of Rainbow (Sign Series #1)

Kabanata 2

Kabanata 2

God's Work

"Next time, bago ka bumaba, magsuot ka ng disenteng damit!" Mommy angrily whispered at me.

I pursed my lips. Malay ko bang may bisita pa silang darating? Mas lalong hindi ko inaasahan makita rito sa bahay si Zamiro! Not even in my wildest dream I'm expecting him to live with us!

I'm only wearing my usual bedroom outfit; white sleeveless top and soft short. Buti na lang din at naging hobby ko na mag-ayos agad paggising sa umaga. Right after I wake up, the first thing I'll do is my morning skincare routine. I'm pretty sure I look so pretty pa rin.

So, ano 'to? May balak ba sina Mommy at Daddy na ampunin siya? Hindi pwede! He can't be my half-sibling!

Because if ever, how about me? My feelings for him?

Gosh, stop worrying, Rian! Apprentice lang naman, apprentice!

Pero dahil sa trato pa lang nina Mommy at Daddy ngayon, halatang gustong gusto nila si Zamiro. Parang nananakit ang utak ko kakaisip.

"If you want, you can go to LaSalle, hijo. You don't have to worry about the expenses. Para sabay kayo nitong panganay ko pumasok. Though she's only here because it's their break, babalik din siya sa dorm niya," Daddy said to Zamiro.

Marahang ngumiti at umiling si Zamiro. Tahimik naman akong nakikinig sa usapan nila habang kumakain.

Nalaman ko nga na kaibigan pala ni Daddy ang tatay ni Zamiro. Under si Daddy noon ni Zahir Cariazo, one of the best starting engineers before. Nga lang, because of an unexpected event, his father got a stroke. Zamiro was still in elementary school when that happened. That's why he's also one year behind to his batchmates. Wala na rin kasi ang ina niya dahil namatay ito noong pinanganak siya.

He's basically all alone now. But I guess not anymore?

Then Dad got promoted as one of the board directors in the largest construction firm in the country after years of working. Kaya ngayon, kinuha niya si Zamiro bilang apprentice nang malamang nag tatrabaho ito bilang construction worker sa new project nila.

"I appreciate the thought, Engineer, but I'm fine with the local university. Maganda rin naman po ang programa nila roon sa larangan ng inhinyerya."

"If that's what you want, Zamiro. But my offer stays still. Just tell me if you had a change of heart," ngiti ni Daddy.

"Rian," Mommy called me. I shifted my weight. "I heard to your Kuya Miro that yesterday was the release of your report card, right? Let me see it."

Kinabahan naman ako. Tumaas naman ang grado pero ko dahil nasa harapan ko si Zamiro, ayoko ipakita grades ko kina Mommy tulad ng nakagawian dahil alam ko lalaitin lang nila ako!

Fuck. I bit my lower lips as I nodded and stood up. Bumalik ako ng kwarto para kunin ang report card. Slightly trembling, I handed it to my mother and sat beside her again.

"Tumaas po ang grades ko! I also got 95 in PEH and Arts. 85 lang din ang lowest grade ko," proud kong sabi.

Mommy laughed.

"Rian, this is ridiculously low! All your specialized subjects; Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics got 85! And you're proud of that? Even your basic core subjects; Statistics and Probability, and Philosophy got the same grade," she shook her head and gave it to my father.

"B-But I got improved, Mommy! Tumaas ng ilang puntos grades ko. I even got 95," I poited out my first line of nine because she ignored it.

Si Daddy naman ang tumawa ngayon habang tinitignan ang report card ko. My eyebrows furrowed. Confused. Anong nakakatawa?