Parrot (JaDine AU)

Chapter 3

Nadine's POV

"Car's here." Daniel, who's sitting across from me, said.

He stood up and made his way outside without a glance at me. I sighed and closed the book I was reading.

Since the other night, Daniel had been a shade more colder towards me. And not just him. Even Kuya Echo is a bit cold to me right now, which is a first.

And I can't really blame them. I did something stupid simply because I was provoked. And it involved two friends of Daniel-- James and another boy. I don't know his name.

I can still remember the look on Kuya Echo's face after the incident. It was the first time he looked at me like that: sad and disappointed.

I'm used to seeing my father looked at me with anger and disappointed--it feels like he'd looked at me like that my whole life--but my brother... I can't believe how much it hurts to see that look from him. I really wanted to cry.

I stood up and gathered my things, following Daniel out. It was our first day in university. Daniel, James and I will be going in the same one, and every day, on the same car to and fro. It was part of the political deal they call my engagement.

Daniel was already inside the car. Silently, I followed and got on as well. Daniel was talking to an uncharacteristically silent and somber James.

After I closed the door, the car started moving. I opened my book once more and started reading. Daniel, at my side, is still not looking at me and is trying to chat up James. James is straight up ignoring the two of us and only has his eyes on his phone; playing a game or texting, maybe.

I guess he's mad at me. And surprisingly, I didn't like the feeling.

"Welcome home." Kuya Echo greeted Daniel and I as we entered our home. He took one look at us and asked. "What happened?"

"Ask her." Daniel said in a very soft voice, dripping in ice. And just with that, he started for his room, not looking at me or Kuya Echo.

Kuya looked at me in question. I sat down our sofa, feeling indignant. "James was asking for it. I didn't do anything wrong."

"What happened?" Kuya repeated, calmly.

I sighed. "I tried to prank James." I said.

He raised a brow at me, urging me to go on.

"He was harassing me!" I burst out, wanting to cry. "All night he'd been such a jerk. He kept humiliating me in front of the guests and then he'd suck up to dad and just act so... so fake!" I said, tears stinging my eyes. I knew my brother could hear the bitterness of my voice, the anger, and maybe even some of my jealousy. Our father never really treated us as his children, just as investment-- tools. Something he put up with, for future use.

And then James comes and Father treated him more like his child in those ten minutes they were together than he'd ever treated me for my whole life.

"What did you do?" Kuya Echo asked once more, softly.

Tears were already flowing through my face. "I... set him up." I said in a whisper, not looking at him. "I dropped condoms by him so it would look like it was his. It was just a laugh." I said, my voice indignant.

There was a pause. I still didn't look at my brother.

"What happened then?" He asked, his voice not betraying any kind of emotion.