When He Broke Me

Kabanata 2

Ikalawang Kabanata

Stay Away

It was a pool party. Napakagat ako ng labi ko, Vanna and Klein would force me with things, bikinis specifically. I just can't wear it. My body's not much of an asset. Hindi tulad ni Vanna, Klein at Azariah, their bodies were perfect. Any bathing suit would fit them.

Kaya everytime we go out for a swim, naka racer back lang ako tapos cycling shorts. But they force the heck out of me para lang mapilit akong mag-bikini. And I hate it.

"Happy birthday, Kuya Shem!" I greeted at inabot ang regalo.

"Thank you, Bekah! Can you please help Cyrus with the other guests? He's being snobbish again kasi, e." He said, jerking his head to his brother on the other side of the pool.

"Sige, Kuya Shem." Ngisi ko bago naglakad.

"Wait, Bekah!" Nilingon ko si Kuya Shem, nakakunot ang noo niya. "No racer backs, please."

"Sorry, Kuya Shem, bata pa ako!" Halakhak ko bago tuluyang pinuntahan si Cyrus.

Nandito lahat ng barkada ni Kuya Shem, halos lahat, sa basketball, mayroon ding mga taga school nila. Timothy, Theodore and Seth brought their friends too. Even Kuya Samson's friends were also here. Kaya andaming bisita. And I think Cyrus hates the crowd.

Tinapik ko siya, "Hey, Cy." Ngumiti ako. Halata sa mukha niya na nai-stress na siya sa mga tao.

"Bekah.." Ngumiti ito ng pilit. "You see, people annoy me too much."

"Halata nga, e." Tawa ko bago nag-inat. "Your brother told me to help you out with the guests, pero mukhang ayaw mo silang lapitan.. Why?"

"The girls are just flirting me anyways, mas gusto ko pang maglaro ng basketball kila Isui o kaya kila Caleb." Kunot noong sabi nito bago ako inakbayan, may mga lalaki kasing dumaan. "Isa pa, mas magandang mag-aral na lang kaysa makipag-usap sa mga kabarkada ng mga pinsan natin. All they do is flirt and speak creepy stuffs."

Napangisi ako. Cyrus really doesn't like people around, medyo pareho sila ni Tito Hendrix. Kasi si Tito Hendrix hindi masyadong madaldal sa ibang tao, unless kung kliyente ka.

Unlike Kuya Shem, Kuya Shem's a lot like Tita Erin. He parties a lot, play girls a lot and swims a lot. Mas open to people. Sabi ni Daddy, ganun din daw si Tita Erin during their youth. And I'm not comparing, I was just describing the two of them. They're just quite opposites to each other.

"Buti at napapayag niyo si Tito Rix to do the party here." I smirked, Tito Rix would never allow Kuya Shem that easy, something must be taken in exchange of it.

"Dad got his keys." Mas ngumisi si Cy. "Ahia had a hard time agreeing to the deal, but he'll get over it soon."

"Yeah." Tango ko. Masaya naman si Kuya Shem, lalo na't pinalilibutan na siya ngayon ng mga babae. "Soon."

Nagpasya akong pumunta sa kwarto ni Kuya Shem, niyaya ko si Cyrus pero humindi siya at sabi niya ay kailangan niyang bantayan ang kapatid niya dahil baka maglabas ito ng beer, kaka-seventeen pa lang kasi ni Kuya Shem.

At nang buksan ko ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Kuya Shem, naabutan kong nanonood ng bala si Vanna at Klein.

"Nasaan si Riah?" Kumunot ang noo ko bago ako lumapit.

"Andun, having fun with boys." Umiling si Vanna as if it was normal for Azariah to do. Normal niya iyong ginagawa pero hindi namin ginagawa.

"What are you watching?" Umupo ako sa kama kung saan sila nakadapa.

"Video clips." Klein grinned before turning the volume up.

I was amazed. Napanganga ako sa mga napanood namin.

One video showed how the boys were so serious with Klein's sport, bowling. Another one showed Kuya Isiah's classic pranks towards Azi. Meron ding isang video clip na nagpakita kung paano pinaiyak nila Seth si Timothy kaya tawa na lang kami ng tawa.

When we heard Vanna's growling stomach, we decided to go down para kumain.

Malaki ang bahay nila Cyrus. Probably the enormous mansion I know in Cagayan de Oro. Sobrang laki. I just can't ideate or picture how huge the house is. Dito kasi kami madalas noong mga bata pa kami, madalas pa akong mawala dahil maraming pinto at at dalawang palapag pa ang taas.

Naabutan namin si Kuya Xian sa kusina, kasama ang hindi kilalang babae.

Tsk. Ganyan sila. Wala akong kilalang Montefalco sa mga pinsan ko na hindi babaero. At kahit pa Ty si Kuya Shem, he's still an asshole with girls. I never heard any of them got in a serious relationship, except with Cyrus dahil ayaw niya sa mga babae.

"Kuya Xian.." Napailing na lamang ako. Another dump for Xian Montefalco. Kawawang miss, itatapon ka lang niya na parang pinagbalatan ng candy.

Ganun naman sila, e. All boys does. Except for my Dad, he's a man.

"Oh, hi, girls!" Masaya ka pa? Taas noo ang ngiti nito na para bang nanalo o ano.

Napailing na lang din ang dalawa.

Tumikhim si Klein, "Ano ba yan.. Kawawa itong kusina nila Kuya Shem, nadudugyot lang." Mataray na sabi niya. She wants them to go away, Kuya Xian's girl to be exact.

Napaubo naman ang kasama ni Kuya Xian dahil sa nagsusubuan sila ng ice cream.

"Buti nga sa'yo." Matagumpay na sabi ko. Napangisi ako.

Napangisi na rin si Vanna at kumuha na ng makakain sa ref. Naglabas siya ng strawberry ice cream at chocolate, napatalon ako sa tuwa.

"Strawberry!" Agad akong kumuha ng baso at kutsara ko at inunahan na ang nagugutom na si Vanna sa pagkuha ng serving spoon. Napangisi ako sa nakuha ko.

"Don't eat too much, kakatanggal lang ng braces mo." It was Kuya Xian. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Don't glare, Rebekah." Matigas niyang sabi.

"Go with your girl and do things as you please." Irap ko. I enjoyed my strawberry ice cream, kahit hindi talaga ako nagsasaya dahil ginugulo ako ni Kuya Xian at naiinis ako.

"She started flirting." Itinaas niya ang mga kamay niya, as if surrendering. "I just rode along and played with her."

"Played with her?! Baka mamaya sa ibang palaruan na kayo naglalaro!" Galit na pahayag ko. "Or should I say, kwarto!"

Umubo si Klein. "I'm outta here." Agad silang umalis ni Vanna dala ang pagkain nila bago ko pa mapansin.

"Bakit ka nagagalit?" Mahinahong tanong ni Kuya Xian.

"It's because you and Samson are so strict with boys around me or those who attempt to court me! Tapos kapag ako ang naghihigpit sa inyo ni Samson sa mga babae niyo, iba kayo magalit!" My head was fuming. Hindi ko gustong nagagalit pero nagagalit ako ngayon. And I hate being mad at people!

"We're protecting you from them." His words were sincere but his eyes weren't.

"You are protecting me of whom? From assholes?" I scoffed before slamming my glass on the marbled kitchen isle, tumango siya ng marahan. "You could've told me that I should stay away from you!"

Umalis ako sa kusina. Naramdaman ko ang pagsunod niya sa akin kaya nilingon ko siya.

"Stop following me, you asshole! You said it yourself!" I growled at him before leaving him to Kuya Shem's room, jaw dropped.

Pero hindi na si Vanna at Klein ang naroon sa kwarto, si Kuya Elisha na. Mahimbing itong natutulog sa kama ni Kuya Shem.

Napabuntong hininga ako. Matutulog na lang din ako, instead of dealing the shit out of people.