BABYSITTING THE 9 VILLAMAYOR SIBLINGS

Chapter 14 -Give Way

It's been a month since then. And isang buwan na din pala ng umalis si Nero.

Okay naman kami dito. Pag nasa school ako, it's either isa dun sa triplets ang kasama ko.

"Shut up! You don't care if I broke up with her!" sigaw ni Nixon mula sa sala. Sino namang kaaway niya?

Nagmadali akong bumaba para awatin siya.

"I don't care? You gotta be kidding me!" sigaw ni Lenin na siyang kaaway ni Nixon.
"Bullshit! Stop acting like you care about me! All you think is her! Yun naman ang gusto mo di ba? For us to break up? Right?!" galit na sabi ni Nixon.
"Stop spouting nonsense! You don't know a single thing on how I feel! You piece of shit!"
"How you feel? Ha! I knew it! You're making a move towards her! Leche! Magsama nga kayo! Mga manloloko!"

Pagkasabi ni Nixon nun ay umalis na siya.

Nakita kong napansin ako ni Lenin.

Nakayukom ang kanyang mga kamao at tila may gusto pang sabihin pero he held it back.

"Jannie," he called.
"Lenin, what happened? What's the commotion all about?" I asked.

He didn't speak but just hugged me and cried heavily.

"Aaaaahh!" he painfully moaned as he cries.

I hugged him back pat his head and hoped everything will be alright because that's the best that I can do.

"Lenin, ano bang meron? Would you mind telling me?" I asked.
"They broke up. Nixon and his girlfriend broke up."
"Ikaw ba ang dahilan?"
"I think, I am. I'm such a nut."
"Bakit mo nagawa yun?"
"I'm the one that girl really loves."
"Eh? Pero si Nixon ang boyfriend? Wait. Charity ba to?"
"Charity?"
"I mean nag-give way ka for them to be together?"
"Yeah. I'm the one Shira likes yet Nixon likes her too. She was his first love that's why he really wanted to be with her then. Since I'm the elder one, I tried to give way. I stopped talking to her though it pains me to leave her like that. I really like Shira but I love my brother more. To cut the story short, I just focused on my study and excelled in basketball. And when I became an MVP, that's the time Shira started following me again. I told her to stop but she's too tough to handle. I no longer like her. She's a famewhore now. She wants me just as a trophy boyfriend. And that's the reason why I'm mad at Nixon. He's not seeing that. He thought that I'm the one making a move! That's is his stupidity playing on him! He never considered my feelings all this time. It's always him I think of. I never tried to score on the girl because he loves her. Can't he see that I care for him being my baby brother than that girl?! I hope Nixon wakes up soon from his whims! He's such a bullshit ungrateful egoistic crap!"

Di ko siya masisisi kung magalit man siya kay Nixon. He's right. Nixon is too blinded for his love for that girl.

"Lenin, where do you think Nixon go?"
"He might locked up himself in his room."
"I see. I'll just go there." pagpapaalam ko.

I shouldn't just know Lenin's side but as well as with Nixon's. After doing so, dun ko malalaman if I can do something.

I can't afford seeing them fight over a certain thing. Lahat naman ay naaayos if napag-uusapan ang problema.

I really hope that soon they'll be in good terms.

"Nixon," I called as I knocked.
"Come in." he answered.

Nakahiga lang siya sa kama niya at nakatakip sa mga mata niya ang kanyang kanang braso. Kahit may takip ito ay naaaninag ko ang nangingilid ngilid niyang mga luha.

"Panyo?" I offered him my hankie.
"Hindi. Ayos lang ako."
"Hindi ka okay. Umiiyak ka. What happened?"
"My girlfriend and I just broke up. It's Lenin's fault!" galit niyang sabi.
"Papanong naging kasalanan ni Lenin?"
"Shira likes Lenin. Alam ko naman yun pero di ko matanggap na kahit kami na ay si Lenin pa din gusto niya. Ginawa ko naman ang lahat para lang mapasaya siya. Pero she never appreciated my efforts."
"May mga bagay talagang hindi natin pwedeng ipilit."
"Pero bakit? I did my best naman! Bakit hindi pwede? Why choose Lenin? Why my brother and not I? WHY?!"
"Only Shira knows. Pero mahalagang malaman mo na masasaktan ka lang lalo kapag ipinilit mo ang mga bagay bagay. Wala naman tayong choice kundi ang tanggapin ang totoo kahit masakit. Everyone knows that fact yet we're just turning a blind eye on it."
"I love Shira."
"You already showed her how much you love her. That's enough. Nagawa mo na yung part mo. If she didn't reciprocate, then it's her loss, not yours."
"Mahal ko siya! I don't want to lose her! She changed me!"
"Haay. Stubborn kid. She didn't change. You changed yourself. Naimpluwensyahan ka lang niya, Nixon. Tumigil ka na, pwede? Kahit umiyak at maglupasay ka pa diyan, kung ayaw kang mahalin ni Shira, wala din. Wag mo nang dagdagan pa ang sakit na nararamdaman mo. It would just get worse."
"Why can't she love me back?" he cried.
"Stop asking. Kahit pa malaman mo yung dahilan, wala pa ding mangyayari. Just find someone who will appreciate you and will love you back."
"Meron ba nun?"
"Meron. Magtiwala at maniwala ka lang. Dadating din ang taong yun. Just patiently wait."

"Dadating? Can't that be Shira?"
"Nixon, what do I need to do to make you realize na hindi si Shira yun? Ikaw ang nagpapaasa sa sarili mo! You're the one hurting yourself! Kaya ka nasasaktan kasi you're overthinking things! Can't you just let fate decide? Stop being stupid! It's not helping you."

Nanahimik lang siya matapos yun. Bahala na nga siya. Mga bata talaga.

"I'll leave you for the mean time. Think of the things I've told you."

I was startled when he grabbed my hand and pulled me unto him. He faced me, leaned on my shoulders and hugged me tight. Then, afterwards, he started crying.

Poor Nixon. Mahirap talagang magmahal. Kahit wala pa kong nakakarelasyon, alam ko nang mahirap magmahal. Love comes with a price. One should know how much sacrifice is spent whenever someone gets to fall in love. One must also be ready for the black and white consequences of love. Love is painful and at the same time, sweet. But love isn't something we should be afraid of. Yes, it hurts to fall out of love or to harbor any unwanted feelings but isn't loving rewarding?  At least you've learned what is possible from what is not. Love is freely given, they say. One must not chase love for the more you chase it, the more it will just elude you.

Love hurts. But isn't it the paradox of love? To be hurt and to start anew again is its lesson, a lesson which we must ponder and inculcate in our entire system.