In Every Hues

Chapter 4

Tickets

"Kuya, patulong sa Math po!" Vanna giggled when she showed me her notes on top of the coffee table.

Tiana looked at her before it landed on me. Tinitigan ko ang notebook niyang may iilang pulang marka. She slowly hid her notes down the table.

"You need help, Tia?" I slowly sat in between them.

She slowly nodded her head, her cheeks reddening a bit. Nakangiting ginulo ko ang kaniyang buhok bago nagsulat ng simpleng equation.

3x + 5 = 17.

"It's so hard agad!" Lumobo ang pisngi ni Vanna.

"It's the basic, Van..." I pinched her cheeks. "Kailangan lang nating ilipat ang constant term na sa kabilang side ng equation."

They both nodded, staring right through the paper. It's a good thing that they're both willing to learn.

"Ilipat natin si 5 doon kay 17. Lagi niyong tandaan na palitan lagi ang sign ng numbers kapag nilagay sa kabila, okay?" I slowly instructed.

"Meryenda kayo..." Mommy placed a tray of juices and some cookies.

Iniwas ko ang tingin sa pagkain at pinagpatuloy ang pag-explain sa dalawa. They both didn't mind the food, their eyes were settled at the math equation we're solving.

"So, it will be 3x = 17 - 5?" Tiana clicked her head to the side.

"Yep!" Nakangiti akong tumango.

"Oh! And then, it will be 3x = 12 na, right, Kuya?" Vanna took the pen from me and she wrote the answer.

"Yes, but it's not the final answer yet. We need to eliminate the number beside the variable x." Binalingan ko sila. "So? What do you think we should do?"

"Multiply?" Vanna wasn't sure.

I chuckled, flicking her forehead. "Are you even listening to your teacher, Van?"

She giggled. "It was so boring during 2 pm! Tiana even fell asleep!"

I pinched her cheeks because I really find her cute, and it reddened again. Nilingon ko si Tiana na nagsusulat kaya sabay naming pinanood ni Vanna.

"Cancel out the 3, right, Kuya Yolo? Then gonna do the same solving to twelve, right?" Tiana pressed her lips together and showed me her solving.

Malawak akong ngumiti, marahang ginulo ang buhok niya. "That's right, Tia. Next equation tayo?"

"But you're asleep!" Vanna pointed it out again, making her friend laugh.

Tiana stayed for another night here. Ayaw daw muna niyang umuwi and it bothered me what might be the cause.

Baka inaway ni Ledesma. Pati siguro kapatid niya ay hindi niya sinasanto. She wasn't answering me when I asked. Hindi ko na lang pinilit at hinayaan siyang maagang matulog.

From: Ledesma

Labas.

Mula sa pagkakahiga ay napabalikwas ako ng bangon. Binalot ko ang buong katawan ng makapal na comforter, maging ang ulo habang nagtitipa ng reply.

To: Ledesma

Ayoko.

My eyes squinted while waiting for his text. Ngumisi ako nang mabilis siyang nagreply.

From: Ledesma

Babatuhin ko ng bato ang bintana mo. Gisingin mo ang kapatid ko, iuuwi ko na 'yan.

"Hehe." I crunched my nose, protuding my lips to stop myself from laughing.