After All

n i n e t e e n

CATHERINE GONZALEZ

'Hey, brother. I've done something terribly wrong. Please come and comfort me' pinindot ko ang stop button at napatingin sa paligid. Napaupo na lamang ako, hindi ko alam kung ano ba talaga tong ginagawa ko.

I tapped my right shoulder, "It's alright, Catherine. You did great. Good job,"  I told myself, trying to convince me. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth and clenched my fist but my emotions are still consuming me.

"You have to do this. Your idol, Lelouch did this before, therefore you can do this too," But Lelouch died for this, isn't he?

"List all their names, bruh" I sighed and think.

"Severus Snape, Lelouch vi Britannia, Uchiha Itachi. They've all been through this and became a legend. You can do this too"

UNKNOWN

"You were brave, Cath. I'm so proud of you," Kitang-kita ko kung paano tumulo ang luha sa mukha niya habang pinagmamasdan ang kapatid niya mula sa malayo. If I could just go there and explain everything to her, I would never see this guy cry beside me. I tapped his shoulder, "Medyo mahirap, pero kakayanin 'to, brad,"

GERARD GONZALEZ

"Why did Mom and Dad left?" Cath asked out of the blue.

They didn't. They're around us, always watching and protecting us. But instead of telling her, I just remained silent.

"I know something's up, Gerard. You don't need to always cover things up" Napatingin naman ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya.

Saktong nakatingin din pala siya sakin kaya nagtama ang paningin namin. We stared at each other for seconds when a smirk was formed in her lips, "See? Your reaction says it all" I was tricked, and I let my guard down easily.

"Why don't you tell me what is it?" Napatingin ulit ako sa kanya, this time with my most serious look.

"Why should I tell you in the very first place?"

"Why shouldn't you tell me in the very first place?" Napatigil siya saglit at parang may naisip, "then maybe I should find that out myself, aren't I?" She's really great in stuffs and schemes like this.

"It's for your own good, Catherine. Don't mess things up the way you always did before just to satisfy your boredom and curiosity"

Ibinaba niya ang librong binabasa at tumingin sakin ng diretso,
"My boredom, eh? Curiosity? Do you really think of me that shallow? Why can't you tell me? Why don't you tell me?"

"After all these weeks not talking to m-" she cut me out.

"Oh, right. That cliché lines in dramas and movies. Maybe you're probably thinking you're protecting me, aren't you? Then guess what, my oh-so-fucking-great-brother you aren't," with that, she closed the book she's reading, stood up, and ready to walk out of the scene but I managed to grab her arm and hug her.

"I know it's been hard for you but it's the only way I can think of. I'm sorry, okay?" with that, she hugged me tight and started to cry.

"Do you know how it's been too damn hard for me for not knowing anything? For thinking what did I do wrong for them to leave? For thinking you knew so you'll probably go away too like them?"

"Shh. I won't ever leave you. After all, you're a closet crybaby" I heard her sob even more than before. "Don't cry now, hey"

"It's alright. You can't see my vulnerable state anyway" I chuckled. We're okay now.

"Don't ever leave me, okay? I don't care if the whole world hates me or even leave me behind but I can't stand living without you with me"

"Just give me assurance that you won't dig deeper regarding that matter anymore" I told her using a serious tone.