My 12 brothers and I

Side Story

Friday, July 14, 2017

9:30 pm

Charles' POV

Naglalakad na ako pauwi sa apartment ko. Bumili din ako ng ihaw-ihaw sa labasan para hapunan ko ngayong gabi.

I let out a deep sigh. I missed Mom's food. Bumisita kaya ako sa weekend?

Nung malapit na ako sa apartment ko, tumigil ako sa paglalakad ng may makita akong nakaparadang magandang sasakyan sa tapat nito.

I recognized that car anywhere.

I walk over to the car and knock on the window. The window went down and I see Nathan inside.

"Kanina ka pa ba naghihintay dyan? You should have waited for me inside my apartment. Papasukin ka naman nung landlady sa loob kahit hindi ka dito nakatira" sabi ko sa kanya.

Everytime he visits palagi akong kinukulit ng landlady ko kung kailan ulit siya bibisita. She keeps asking me I work for the mafia or something because Nathan's body guards are always standing by wherever he goes. The whole neighborhood is always alert every time he visits. Pati mga tambay sa kanto tinatanong ako kung ano ba talaga trabaho ko. They even mistook me for a drug dealer one time.

"Get in" ayan lang ang sagot niya sa akin at tinaas na ulit ang bintana. Typical Nathan. Always bossy.

One of his bodyguard open the door for me and lets me in. Pagkasakay ko ng sasakyan ay agad din tong umandar paalis.

"You should know how to keep a low profile. Tuwing bibisitahin mo ako, you always bring your bodyguards. Alam mo namang I'm living in a normal neighborhood; and this is not normal for them. Pinagkakamalan na akong nagtatrabaho para sa mafia or sa sindikato. May isang tambay tinanong ako kung nagbebenta ba ako ng drugs" kwento ko sa kanya.

"Then tell them who you really are" simpleng sagot niya sa akin while looking at his tablet.

"That I'm not really poor and my family owns a multi-billion dollars' business dito sa bansa and all over the country? That our family is one of the riches families in Asia? Is that what you wanted me to tell them?"

Nilingon niya ako. "Yes. Just how you told your band mates about your real identity" sabi niya and return his attention to his tablet.

"I have no choice. Bigla ka ba namang bumisita kung saan kami nag-pe-perform and you told them you're my brother. They thought you were a talent scout!"

Napangiti si Nathan sa sinabi ko. "I don't understand why you have to hide your identity. Just tell them your real name and stop using that ridiculous stage name you use"

"Hoy! Ang cool kaya nung 'Lex'. It was my nickname during college, remember?" sagot ko sa kanya. I saw on my peripheral vision Nathan shaking his head while still looking at his tablet.

"Tsaka, kaya ko tinatago ang identity ko because I know people around me will treat me differently when they found out I'm a Villanueva. And, it's nice to blend with normal people and experience things in the real world" I told him as I look out the window

"Whatever you do. Even if you try to be like them or do things the same things they do. You can't hide who you really are" he said at binaling niya ang tingin sa akin. "You'll always be a Villanueva and you can't change that. That's a fact" sabi niya sa akin. Nabaling ang attensyon niya sa hawak kong plastic.

"What's that your holding?"

"Oh! this?" pinakita ko sa kanya yung plastic na hawak ko. "Ihaw-ihaw" sagot ko sa kanya at kumuha ng isang stick ng isaw at pinakiya sa kanya. "Gusto mong tikman? Masarap tong isaw" nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya at inabot ko sa kanya yung stick ng isaw.