The Uptight Brat (EDITING)

Chapter One

I stayed standing in front of the room they told me I'd be staying in until I leave. It is an effort to stop myself from raising a brow when I saw how they filled the room with pink. From the curtains, bed sheets, pillowcases, and even the decorations. It's not that I have a problem with the color, it is just not a favorite of mine. Maybe when I was three, people are bound to change.

"Iwan ka muna namin para makapag-unpack ka, hija. I'm really glad that you agreed on this, anak." 'Di na lang ako umimik ng sinabi niya 'yon despite the tingling I felt in my veins from the cringe in the word 'anak'. But I strongly believe in the saying that if you do not have something good to say, then do not say anything at all. Right now, there's no, not even a little bit, amount of good things I want to say. 

And indeed they're true to their words, iniwan nga muna nila ako. Binuksan ko ang pinaka-malaki kong maleta at nag-simula ng ilagay ang mga damit ko sa cabinet. Gustuhin ko man o hindi, I don't really have a choice so I might as well start unpacking to save myself from a lot of troubles later. Anyways, I'm stuck in here for a year. 

A whole damn year.

Na-tigil lang ako sa pag-aayos ng may kumatok sa pinto at sinabing kakain na raw kami. I was hesitant to go down, but I'm really hungry. Everyone's already seated around the table, and obviously ako na lang ang hinihintay. Walang ibang space kundi ang upuan sa tapat ni Reese, so I took that.

Thereese Abbigail is my half-sister. She is my mom's daughter from another man. It's already awkward as it is since I haven't heard from my Mom for 17 years, and now I am living under the roof of her new, to me at least, family.

"So Thea, pinasa na namin ang mga requirements sa school na lilipatan mo. Naasikaso na rin ni Fernando 'yung grades mo from your previous school, and you're good to go." Masiglang sabi ni Mommy. I feel awkward calling her that, but I do it because it's my dad's request.

"Thank you, and sorry for the trouble. You should've called Mina and let her do the work. And please, I prefer to be called Shae. If it's okay with you." 

They somehow went silent, and nagka-tinginan si Mommy and Tito Arnold, her husband, as if they're talking through their eyes. But Mom cuts it short as she puts on her practiced smile to assure me.

"Of course, it's okay. And 'wag ka mag-alala, hija. Maliit na bagay ang pag asikaso namin sa mga papers mo." I focused on eating my food nang nag-salita si Thereese.

"Mom, saang school siya?"

"Pythagoras University. You'll be in the same school." Nag-kibit balikat lang si Thereese, as if she doesn't really care. She looked at me and blinked twice before focusing on her food again. I shrugged my shoulders at that.

And that was the longest lunch I ever had.

My first night is uncomfortable as heck. I woke up grumpy because I wasn't able to sleep well despite not having problems with jet lag. It is most likely because I am in a new place, and today I am going to PU today para asikasuhin ang schedule ng classes ko. 

I don't eat breakfast kaya nag ayos nalang ako ng sarili bago ako bumaba. I am wearing a black v-neck shirt tucked in my tattered jeans, and my favorite Louboutin studded boots. I'm quite surprised to see them waiting for me in the dining area. 

"Ang tagal mo naman, nagugutom na ako." Reklamo ni Thereese kaya napataas lang ako ng kilay. It's not like I asked them to wait for me.

"I didn't know you were waiting, I'm sorry but I don't eat breakfast so you can start eating now." Kumain naman agad si Thereese, halatang gutom na nga siya. I turned my back from them and was about to walk away when Tito Arnold spoke.