Only Hope (A DustPao BL)

Chapter 2

Lee's POV

After my parents left, I decided to play with my little sister Mel. She was watching Encanto again. I sat down beside her. She snuggles into me. I ruffle her hair. She giggles. 

"Kuya, kelan balik nina Mama at Papa?" She asks. 

''Matagal pa eh, baby. In 3 months pa." I reply. 

"Ah, ok." She said. 

"I love you, Kuya." She added. 

"I love you too, baby," I say. 

I kiss the top of her head. I sigh. I sometimes feel sorry for my little sister because of our parents' constant absence. She hardly looks for them. She is more attached to me and to Yaya Aida. I continued to watch cartoons with her until Yaya Aida came in. 

"Lee, Mel, kain na." Yaya Aida said. 

"Sige po, yaya. Bababa na kami." I reply. 

I go down to the dining area with Mel. We both eat dinner. After dinner, Yaya Aida helps Mel prepare for bed while I head to my room. I do my homework and then I get ready for bed. Sometimes, I wish I had a different life. 

Ani's POV 

I had just delivered my most recent load. I was looking for someone else to help when I heard my name being called. 

"Ani, halika dito. Magpahinga ka muna." Kuya Mark said. 

It was Kuya Mark. My friend and neighbor. And he was holding a coke and some pandesal. I went over to him. 

"Kain ka." Kuya Mark says while handing me the coke and pandesal. 

"Salamat, kuya Mark." I say. 

I sat down with him and quickly ate. I had to continue working. I only get money when I work. This is why I only take one break every day. And sometimes, I don't. After I finished, I got up in order to continue working. 

"Salamat ulit, kuya Mark. Babalik na po ako sa trabaho." I say as I leave. 

I continued working until the market closed. And then I decided to scavenge for junk to sell before going home so that I'd have a bit more cash.  I finally go home. 

Upon arriving home, I noticed that my father has not returned yet. This is good because that means I can clean up the house first. I greet Bebe Dang and give her some merienda. I start cleaning the house and making dinner. 

Bebe Dang and I are eating dinner when my father walks in pissed and drunk. He is in a foul mood. The first thing he asks me for is some cash for gambling. Unfortunately, I don't have extra cash. The cash I have set aside is for the bills and household expenses. So, naturally, I don't give him anything which just makes him even madder. 

"Putang Ina, lintik kang bata ka! Bakit ayaw mo akong bigyan ng pera?" My father shouts at me. 

"Wala nga po akong pwedeng ibigay sa iyo. Wala po akong extrang pera na pwede mong waldasin sa gambling. At kahit bigyan kita, eh, matatalo ka lang. Sayang." I said. 

"Punyemas!" My father said as he slapped me hard in the face. 

Then, my father started beating me up. And I just took it. My father gives me a look. 

"Alam mo na ang mangyayari dahil pasaway ka at di ka sumusunod sa gusto ko." He says. 

I nod. There was no getting out of it. My father was mad because I refused to give him money for his gambling and his alcohol. My father pushed me outside. I didn't resist because I knew it was coming. 

And once again, I was tied to the tree by my father. This time my father gagged me before leaving. I noticed Bebe Dang watching me with tears in her eyes. I tried to convey to her that I was alright. Even if I wasn't really. 

And then, it started raining hard. I was once again soaked to the bone. I was fed up with the mistreatment. I couldn't take it anymore. This was the last straw. I was going to leave once my father lets me go. 

My father lets me go after two days. I immediately run inside the house to get dry. My father leaves the house again and I start packing. I get the extra money that I have been secretly saving. I take one bag of clothes. Bebe Dang notices the bag. 

"Kuya Ani, aalis ka?" She asks me. 

"Oo, bebe Dang. Kailangan eh." I reply. 

"Bakit?" She asks.

"Di ko na kaya ang pagtrato sa akin ni itay." I reply. 

"Sama na lang ako sa iyo." She says. 

"Di pwede. Delikado ang buhay sa kalye." I say. 

"Sorry, Bebe Dang. I have to leave." I say as I kiss her forehead. 

"Kuya Ani, ma-mimiss kita." She says. 

"Ma-mimiss din kita, bebe Dang." I say. 

Bebe Dang starts crying as I leave. It hurts me to leave her with my father but right now I need to do what is best for me and for her. And right now what is best for me is to leave before my father ends up killing me. I have to leave even though it breaks my heart to do so. I don't have any other choice. I have no other options.  It is now or never. I'm doing this for my well-being. I know it's going to be hard but I can handle it.