Protecting What's Hers

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Katherine Evans

"The three Hermes shopping bag is yours."

"Ay hindi, hindi ko matatanggap yan."

A smirk formed on my face as my lips met the rim of the glass of whiskey that I poured myself earlier.

I winced when the bitter substance dripped down my throat but it immediately left my senses more numb, just how I like it.

"I already paid for it, Felicity. Take it or pay for it."

I wanted to praise my cousin for her attitude. Knowing the younger woman, it would take a lot harder for my cousin to persuade her.

Baka lumipas lang ang isang araw ay hindi niya matatanggap ito but upon witnessing the silence that Felicity gave Chastity, she probably persuaded the girl to take it.

"Alam mo sa susunod, hindi na ako sasama sayo." The girl answered with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Mas lalo kong nilakasan ang volume ng cellphone ko when she starts laughing. Her voice is filling my dark room through my phone speaker, making it livelier than it was.

God, it's been long enough since I last heard her voice and laughter yet I still find myself slowly melting into it.

The grasp that she has on me is beyond explainable.

"Salamat sa hatid and dito. Don't worry babayaran kita sa susunod na sampung taon."

I heard my cousin laughing by her remarks and I can't help but scoff by the playfulness between them.

Muli akong uminom sa baso na nasa kamay ko and this time, I didn't mind the bitter taste of it.

"Don't worry about it. Hindi ko naman pera ang ginastos ko diyan."

I rolled my eyes upon hearing my cousin's response. I already transferred a large amount of money in her account yesterday yet still she insisted na dagdagan ko ito.

She even used Felicity's presence that time, probably trying to persuade me in which she succeeded.

Dinudugusan nalang ako ng magaling kong pinsan.

I heard a door shutting and my curiousity was answered when Chastity starts talking to me.

"Nahatid ko na po kamahalan. Siguro naman hindi mo na ako papatayin?"

I scoff in disbelief upon hearing her annoying voice. Our conversation awhile ago is still ringing into my head.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her." Exactly what I said upon remembering how she always teases me about making a move on the younger woman.

I can sense that my cousin is also growing fond of the girl knowing na halos mag kasama na sila araw araw.

Heck, Chastity is not even a student of our university pero palaging andun.

"Oh let's see. I've been attempting it a couple of times already."

But I know Chastity won't go beyond that. Mahilig lang talaga siya mang push ng limit.