Turning Tables (ON-GOING)

Chapter Ten

Family

As I stepped inside their house, a simple sofa and an old model TV ang sasalubong agad sayo. Then you can probably see the way to their kitchen and the doors of their own rooms. It's not a two-story house. Very simple and.. old.

It makes me think how did Kiel afford our school? I mean.. I'm not judging pero halos lahat ng estudyante sa school namin ay mayayaman and looking at his home... paano siya napunta sa school namin?

"Umupo ka muna"

Kiel's mom pointed the sofa, so I walked towards it. As I was about to sit, I noticed this table full of pictures. Tumigil muna ako d'on at tinignan iyon. It was a family picture. Nandoon ang parents ni Kiel and his siblings. Both of his parents were at the center while Kiel is at the back. I looked at his dad. I tilted my head while examining the features of his dad. He doesn't look like his dad. Iyon lang ang masasabi ko. So.. may dad siya but hindi ko siya nakikita sa bahay niya ngayon... or maybe he's at work.

Beside his dad is, I think it's his younger brother but they have the same height! May isa pa palang kapatid na lalaki si Kiel? He really looks like Kiel, but the happy and friendly version of Kiel. He's smiling from ear to ear. His dimple on the right side was emphasized. The only difference is, mas darker konti iyong skin niya kesa kay Kiel. Kiel is mistizo, siya naman parang moreno.

Then in front of that guy was their younger brother, Daniel, the kid I met awhile ago. Then my eyes landed on her mom, she has a very strict look. She's smiling in this picture pero parang mukhang mataray parin. Parang namana ni Kiel ang kanyang mga mata. Those deep eyes that shouts thousand words and speaks a lot of emotions. Beside his mom is this morena girl. Wait, I think I saw her already.. she really looks familiar, but I can't remember when or where I saw her face. She's petite and has a long curly hair.

Si Kiel ang huli kong tinignan rito. He smiled too, but just a small smile. I remembered his picture on the bulletin board sa school. In this picture hindi siya nakasuot ng glasses. I can see that he's happy because you can tell in his eyes.

Napatingin ako sa itaas and saw their solo pictures hanged on the wall. It was their graduation pictures. May mga gold at silver medals, and even certificates. Honor students rin pala ang mga kapatid niya. It runs in the blood.

Binasa ko ang mga nakasulat don. Best In Math. Best In Science. Spelling Bee Champion. First Place in Quiz Bowl 2016.

Marami pang mga first place, hindi ko na binasa lahat. Puro iyon kay Kiel. But what caught my attention was this certificate...

Draeco Ezekiel S. Conrado - Valedictorian

What? Seriously? Siya ang valedictorian sa highschool nila? Wow, just wow. Well sabagay siya nga ang student-council president namin. But I never experienced that though, to be an honor student. How it felt to have an award.

Now, I remember my elementary and high school days when my dad keeps pressuring me to be on the top pero hindi ko talaga kaya e. Sabi niya he was an honor student at bakit ako hindi. He keeps on telling me na honor iyong mga anak ng kaibigan niya and I should be one too, pero kahit sa class lang namin hindi ko pa magawa. He was disappointed, very disappointed.

Well that's just what he really cares about, his reputation. Setting strict rules. Dapat ganito, dapat ganyan and it made me a rebel.

"Ehem"

I turned around to face Kiel's mom. Muntik na nga mahulog iyong pagkain na dinadala ko dahil sa gulat.