RIVALRY [ heesun ]

seventeen.

KEILO's POV

"Jo!"

Here goes that pet name again.

I don't want to hear it anymore.

Parang ipinagdidikdikan na wala akong tyansa sa kanya.

Pfft.

You don't have the rights to feel this way, Kei.

Stop it.

Aryse and I was just talking about going home when Wayne Lim, his boyfriend suddenly showed up. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if he is here.

They are chatting about something so I distance myself to give them privacy. Minutes later, Aryse thanked me for accompanying him today and that he will go home with Wayne. I just nodded.

Wala naman akong magagawa.

After that, I rushed to go back home because Keane is sick. Hindi naman ito malala but still, minsan lang talaga siya magkasakit. It worries me.

"Is he okay now?" I asked the maid. Mom and Dad hired a maid for us para may mag alaga pa rin daw sa amin. I said I would take care of my little brother, but they wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Mabuti na lang na naisip nila 'yon, in times like this, I might just blame myself if ever something bad happened to my brother.

"Maayos na ho, sir. Konting sinat lang naman." She said while checking the temperature of Keane using a thermometer. She showed me the result and I was relieved because it didn't go above forty.

I handed her the the medicines that I bought from a drug store. She told me to get rest but I refused. Binantayan ko na lang din si Keane hanggang sa makatulog ako sa tabi niya.

~~~

"Ayaw mo talaga pumunta sa clinic?" A classmate of mine asked, but I shook my head. She must be bothered by me because I cough nonstop. But I am wearing a mask so hindi naman ako nagkakalat ng virus.

This is her third time asking me the same question pero tumatanggi ako.

The door of the room suddenly opened, revealing Joaquin who has a worried face. He went to me quickly and placed his palm on my forehead.

I snapped his hand.

"I'm fine, dummy."

"Paano ka ba kasi nagkasakit, pre? Kahapon lang ang ligalig mo." He asked. Naiirita na ako because of the loud noise, sumabay pa 'tong si Joaquin. So I explained it to him para manahimik na siya.

Pero hindi pa siya tumigil pagkatapos noon.

"Joaquin, can you shut up for a minu—"

"Mahal mo talaga kapatid mo 'no?"

"Of course!" Naubo pa ako pagkatapos sabihin 'yon. He laughed.

"Eh ako? Mahal mo ba—"

"No."

"Aba, hindi pa nga ako tapos!"

"Facts only."

Thankfully the day after that, I'm feeling better.

I thought I was okay. Like, everything is still the same. Not until I noticed Aryse's actions towards me. Hindi niya ako kinakausap or tinitignan manlang.