The Second Time Around

Chapter 6

'Di kami nagtagal ni Angela sa pag stay duon sa mga lalaki, maya maya ay nagtext siya sa driver nila para magpasundo. 'Di na maaasahan si Pao dahil nakainom, at ayaw naman gisingin ni Angela si Kuya Sep, yung driver namin para ihatid siya.

"Text me when you're home. Ok?" Sabi ko kay Angela ng ihatid ko siya sa sasakyan nila sa labas ng pinto.

"Yeah. Thanks for today Den. Loveyaaah!" Ani Angela sabay lingon sakin at agad akong niyakap at hinalikan sa pisngi. "See you around some other time Den!" Sabi niya na tuluyan ng pumasok sa kotse nila.

I smiled for response then waved her goodbye. Hindi muna ako umalis hanggang 'di ko nakikitang nakalabas na sila sa gate. Ng tuluyan na silang nakalabas, napabuntong hininga ako at tumalikod na para makabalik sa loob. Pero laking gulat ko ng naro'n pala yung Yuan sa likod na nakatayo. Nakatibgin sa'kin na animo'y pinag-aaralan ang buong pagkatao ko.

"Hey." Pagbabasag niya sa katahimikan.

"Hey" sagot ko sabay ngiti

"I just wanna say thank you again." Sabi niya. At nag cross arms na napasandal sa pintuan.

"Ah... Hehe. No problem Yuan." Sagot ko. "I am very sleepy right now. I think I have to go to bed na. It's my pleasure helping you. Gotta go" sabi ko sabay turo sa pintuan at nginitian siya.

"Ah yeah. Hehe. Good night then." Sagot niya at parang nailang agad.

"Keep me updated, ok? You can have my number and call me anytime you want. I just want to know if my suggestion earlier will work." Sabi ko habang nakangisi.

"Ah yeah yeah." Nababalisa niyang sagot sabay hanap ng cellphone niya ata sa pocket niya.

At totoo nga, hinanap nito cp niya. Agad niyang inabot sakin yun, at waling alinlagang nilagay ko number ko do'n. Pagkatapos no'n, ay pumasok na'ko sa bahay at umakyat nasa kwarto.

I did my usual routine before going to bed. When at last I'm done. I lied down in bed. I smiled knowing na, may natulungan naman ako. I hope things would work out well for the both of them. I can smell friendship nearby. Before I forgot, I grabbed my phone and messaged the love of my life. My bebe Aizaaaan.

"Hi! U know what? I helped somebody today. It was a kind of relief tho. Well, di ko pa nmn alam, but I gues the determination and willingness of that guy will make him win his girl back. I can sense it. Hehe. Anyways, good night! Gotta sleep na. Wish u have a good night sleep."

Message delivered.

After awhile, I saw that he read it and I smiled. I don't know. I really don't know. Seeing that he "seen" my messages everyday, made me giddy. Okay. I guess I have to sleep.

I closed my eyes, and as far as I can remember, I slept with my lips curved.

-------

It wasn't long before I slept when I heard a knock from outside. I had my eyes half opened and got up. I stayed sitting for a few seconds before going to the door, I yawned when I opened the door. Then to see that it's only Paolo, I suddenly got pissed. Well, it is so unusual of him to come over late at night---- uhh no, so early in the morning rather.

"Yes?" I asked with one of my eyebrow raised.

"Wala. Pwedeng pumasok?" He asked. Di pako nakakasagot, tinulak niya na ang pinto at dumeretsong tumihaya sa kama ko.

Sumunod ako sa kanya.

"Ano ba kuyaaa! Wag ka jan! Baka masuka ka naman eh." Sigaw ko sabay hila sa kanya.

"Wow" he said and stared at me with amusement. "It's been awhile since you last called me 'kuya' ah. Now I'm missing my bunso" he said while grabbing my forearm and that made me land on his chest. I suddenly let go and stood up and grimaced.

"Eww! You stink! C'mon man! Go get yourself something to make you smell good! Take a shower, you nuts!" I said while showing him how disgusted I was.

Actually, joke ko lng nman yun eh. Sarap lokohin ng kuya especially kung lasing How I missed those days. Parang kailan lang.

Well, kuya's the best brother ever. As if, my iba pa ba akong kapatid. Hahaha. Well, he missed me calling him kuya. When I started attending high school, di kona sya tinawag na kuya. I prefer calling him by his nickname. Way back in elementary, well, as you can see, he's a campus heart rob. He was always along with the crowd. And I don't want to belong. As much as people around me want to befriend me, I just couldn't. I knew for a fact that, that they wanted to be friends with me, just for my brother. At ayaw na ayaw ko yun. Kaya simula nung nag HS ako, ayaw kong may nakakaalam na kapatid ko yan. Dahil feeling ko, kung alam ng lahat na kapatid ko sya, feeling ko, ampaplastic ng mga tao sa paligid ko. Only few knew about my real relationship with Paolo. At ayaw kong may nakakaalam pa. Ayaw ko ng attention. Ever since. Sa school kasi, kung grabe ka maka porma, nirerespeto ko. The more na marami kang mamahaling alahas at signatured na damit, mas nireresprto ka. At un ang kinaiinisan ko. Sadyang pinapakita nila ang mga pinagkaiba ng bawat tao. Well, ako tshirt, jeans at tennis lng, okay nako. So no one bothered talking to me. Except lang sa mga naging kaibigan ko lang talaga ng matagal 'don. Anw, back to reality.

"San mo nakuha yung mga sinabi mo kanina?" He asked. Nakainom kuya ko but I know di sya lasing.

"Sa bibig ko malamang" I answered him sarcastically.

"Being sarcastic huh? Siguro, hindi ko na nasubaybayan paglaki mo. 'Di ko nga namalayan na nag mature kana eh." He said while having that teasing smile.

Oo. Insulto yun.

"Tae mo. Pumunta kana sa kwarto at matulog" sabat ko at humiga nako sa kama ko.

Hindi siya umimik. Hindi rin siya gumalaw. And then out of nowhere, he sighed. Alam kong may gusto yang sabihin eh.

"Bunso." He called me under his breath

"Hmm?" I answered with my eyes shut.

"How's Highschool?" He asked out of nowhere.

"Well you don't have to ask. Except me being an achiever in class, I have nothing to say. I guess, school's fun." I answered nonchalantly still my eyes are shut.

"I know it's not." He said a matter of factly.

"Then why bother on asking me then?" I asked. This time, I opened my eyes at hinarap siya.

"I just wanted to hear it from you. Do you mind telling me?" He said while he tilted his head on my direction.

"I have no time for shits Pao. Just leave." I said while turning on the other side. Gesturing that I don't wanna talk about it anymore. At alam kong na gets niya yun. Naramdaman kong gumalaw ang kama, and then I heard some footsteps away at anrinig ko din ang pagbukas ng pinto. Natagalan bago niya isinara ulit.

As much as possible, ayaw kong lag-usapa yun. Ayaw na ayaw ko. At alam kong naiintindihan niya yun. OA na kng OA pero nasasaktan ako. Knowing na, yubg mga different cliques lang pala ang makakabuwag sa mundo namin ng kuya ko sa school. I hate to admit it but I'm missing him more than he could ever imagine.

Gone are the days in which I used to be the sweetest sister ever.