Moving Into My Brother's House

Chapter 41

Nagkamali ako. Akala ko kapag hindi kami nagsalita during breakfast, magiging okay na ang lahat. Mas lumala lang ang lahat. My heart felt as heavy as ever and I can't stop myself from crying.

"Kat, what's wrong?" Mom asked when I tried to stifle a sob.

"Excuse me po." I told her and left the dining area. Paakyat pa lang sana ako ng hagdanan nung biglang may humawak sa braso ko. Pagtingin ko, si kuya pala.

"Let me go."

"No Kat. I won't let go until you forgive me." He answered then he pulled me in for a hug. At that time, all of my walls came crashing down. Tumodo na talaga yung pag-iyak ko. As much as I hate myself for being so vulnerable, I guess I can't deny that I love my brother more. I mean, who was I kidding? He was my partner-in-crime, my happy pill, my wallet whenever I'm broke, my punching bag, my bodyguard, my savior, my light-in-shining-armor. Above it all, he was my twin.

"I'm sorry." He whispered then he hugged me tighter. Tears continued to flow from my eyes. Just when I was about to tell Kuya Liam that I was sorry too for being too childish, Mom and Dad hugged us as well.

"I'm sorry rin Kuya." I told him, still crying.

"Ssh. Stop crying. Baka iwan ka bigla ni AJ kapag nakita niyang mugto na yung mata mo." He kidded then I started punching him on his chest.

"Kuya naman e!" I told him then they laughed in response.

"Come on. Punasan na natin 'yang luha at sipon mo." He told me tapos dinala na niya ako sa CR to wash my face. I swear. Wala akong sipon! Imbento lang 'yon ni kuya.

Nung nakapaghilamos na ako, inabutan agad ako ni kuya ng towel. I dried my face with it then dumiretso na kaming dalawa sa sala. Mom and Dad were setting up our favorite game - Jenga. Kuya and I sat beside each other. Nagkatinginan kami nila mommy and at that moment, alam na namin ang plano. Kailangan naming pagkaisahan si daddy para sumunod siya sa gusto namin.

After stacking blocks after blocks and making difficult holes, napatumba na ni daddy yung stack ng Jenga. We rejoiced like it wasn't planned at all but knowing daddy, he must have sensed things already.

"Okay. What do you want?"

"Pizza!"

"Ice cream!"

"Beach!"

Kuya, Mommy and I exclaimed at the same time. Napatingin sa amin for a few seconds si daddy, unsure kung sino ang dapat niyang sundin. But daddy, being the bright person that he is, thought of the best idea ever.

"Fine. Let's go to the beach and eat your pizza and ice cream. Kat, ask AJ to join us as well. We'll leave tomorrow morning."

xxx

I didn't know how to approach AJ. Pagkatapos kong magpakamaldita dahil sa ginawa ni kuya, hindi ko alam kung paano siya iimbitahin para sumama sa lakad namin nila mommy bukas. Since feeling ko hindi ko pa siya kayang harapin talaga, I sent him a message instead.

To: AJ

Hey, we're going to the beach tomorrow.

Dad told me that you should come with us.

I immediately pressed send before I could blabber complete nonsense sa text. A few minutes have passed pero hindi pa rin nagrereply si AJ. Thinking na masama pa rin ang loob niya dahil sa ginawa ko, I swallowed my pride and sent him another message.

To: AJ

I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday.

I didn't mean to make you my shock absorber.

To: AJ

Bati na tayo, please?

Nung hindi pa rin nagrereply si AJ messages ko, nagsimula na akong mag-panic. Ano pa bang dapat kong gawin para mag-sorry sa kanya? Pupunta na sana ako sa kwarto ni kuya nung bigla akong may na-receive na message.

From: AJ

Open the door.

Pagkabasa ko sa message niya, tumakbo agad ako papunta sa pinto ng kwarto ko. I opened it and there he was, holding a tub of my favorite ice cream.

"Surprise?" He said with a small smile. I immediately beamed at him and grabbed the ice cream from him.

"My favorite! Thank you!" Sagot ko sa kanya then he made a face.

"Yung ice cream lang talaga ang napansin mo?" Nung napansin kong napapasimangot na siya, I placed the ice cream on my desk then I hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry for being a brat and thank you for sticking with me even if I'm like this."' I told him. He then hugged me back and said, "You're worth all the trouble, Lauryn."

When AJ said those words, I felt my heart beating so fast. I had to avoid looking at him for a few minutes so that I could go back to my senses. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero hindi ako masanay sanay sa mga ganitong banat ni AJ. It kind of reminds me of the stories that mom told me when she and daddy were not yet married. Hindi rin daw kasi maubos ubos yung mga banat ni daddy before.

Nung naka-recover na ako sa banat ni AJ, nagsimula na akong kainin yung mango graham ice cream na dala ni AJ. Well, technically, he was eating din naman pero mga 2/3 nung ice cream, ako ang kumain. After that, nag-usap na ulit kaming dalawa.

"Sasama ka naman sa amin tomorrow, di ba?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Okay na ba kayo ni Liam?"

"Yep. Well, after all of the crying that we did a while ago, okay na ulit kami. Then we came up with idea of going to the beach. So, are you in?" Tanong ko ulit sa kanya. AJ was silent for a couple of seconds and when he started talking, he took my heart with him again.

"Yes. I'll go anywhere as long as I'm with you."

"Ewan ko sa'yo." Sagot ko sabay subo sa huling part ng ice cream.

xxx

The next day, sobrang aga naming nagising nila kuya. Nagluluto na sila daddy ng baon namin for the trip and to our surprise, AJ was already there. Tumutulong din siya sa pagprepare ng mga baon namin.

"AJ, hindi mo na kailangang humingi ng plus points kila daddy. Official naman na kayo ni Kat di ba?" Panloloko ni kuya kay AJ.

"Baliw." Matipid namang sagot ni AJ kay kuya. I stood right next to mommy tapos tinikman ko yung ginagawa niyang sandwich.

"Are you hungry, princess?" Tanong niya sa akin and I just nodded in response. I kind of expected na lolokohin ako ni kuya na ang takaw takaw ko pero he didn't do that. Instead, kumuha siya ng plato tapos ipinaghanda niya ako ng almusal.

"O, kumain ka na." Sabi niya sa akin sabay abot ng plato. I looked at him, waiting for a punch line or whatsoever pero wala akong narinig so kinuha ko na yung plato. Dumiretso na lang ako sa table tapos nagsimula na akong kumain.

This is a good sign. This must mean that our trip will go well, right? Aaah. Whatever. I'm positive about this. Magiging okay ang lahat!