My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

20: Vren

Weekend came, giving me and Vince the opportunity to visit our parents' house. Pero hindi ang mga magulang namin ang dahilan kung bakit kami nagpunta rito.

Mom and Dad decided to extend their vacation abroad, and right now, the master of the house was Vira, who was staying here with her two kids. Only my brother-in-law got left behind in Spain to manage their business, habang ang mag-iina niya ang nakabakasyon dito sa Pilipinas.

"Vince!" Vira shrieked, seeing our brother enter the mansion. "My little –"

"If you say little cupcake, I'm getting out of the door," Vince warned. Tumawa naman ako, hanggang sa maalala kong ganoon din ang itinawag ni Vira sa akin, sa harap pa mismo ng mga empleyado ko. The thought brought a sour expression on my face.

"So prickly." Vira smirked before hugging him. "And, actually, I wasn't going to call you little cupcake – that's Vren. You're my little muffin, remember?"

Vince looked like he wanted to disappear from the face of the earth as one of our maids, who was passing by, giggled upon hearing our sister's words.

"Sorry for not being able to visit you like I did with Vren, though," Vira continued. "You know how I hate hospitals."

"I wish you hated Medialink as much as you hate AMMC," I muttered. Vince chuckled.

"Nasaan ang mga bata?" tanong ni Vince nang kumalas siya sa yakap ng aming ate.

"Out in the garden, playing." Vira gestured to nowhere in particular. "Do you want me to call them in? Excited silang makita ang favorite uncles nila."

"Nope, not yet. This is better, just the three of us." Vince took a seat on the nearest sofa. "We need to talk."

"Yeah?" Tinabihan naman ni Vira si Vince. I alone remained standing. "¿De qué se trata?"

"Se trata de mi novia." Ako na ang sumagot sa kanya. It's good to know that my Spanish is still intact.

Gaya ng inaasahan ay umaskad ang mukha ni Vira. "What about that girl?"

"Vren told me about your little excursion at Medialink," Vince replied. "You didn't have to act rude towards Mira, Ate."

"Oh, come on! Pumunta lang ba kayong dalawa rito para pagtulungan ako? Nagpakatotoo lang naman ako, ah. I don't like her for Vren – was it a crime now to state my opinion?" Vira stood up and crossed her arms, glaring at us. "What's with that Mira, anyway? Bakit ba pareho niyo siyang ipinagtatanggol?"

"I can't imagine why," was my sarcastic reply. "Because, nitwit, she's my girlfriend and Vince's good friend, that is. And you didn't even give her a chance! You started acting like the Wicked Witch of the West the moment you laid eyes on her!"

Vira rolled her eyes. "Wala akong ibang gusto para sa'yo kundi si Isabella."

Vince and I exchanged exasperated looks.

"Vira," I said slowly as if explaining to a five-year-old, "that woman and I broke up years ago. Years ago."

"I know that. But I thought you'd at least try to win her back."

I let out an incredulous laugh. "After she dumped me for another man? I don't fancy getting the World's Biggest Idiot award. Besides, how did she even end up in this conversation? She's irrelevant."

"Well, at least find someone with the same caliber as Isabella!" Vira screeched. "What are you doing with your life, getting a girlfriend as unremarkable as that Mirathea?" Tapos ay nilingon niya naman si Vince. "And you, Vince Allen, I see you don't have a girlfriend yet. Don't you think it's time to find one? You're not getting any younger. Mind you, I expect you to pick a decent woman."

"Okay, let's get this crystal clear," I told Vira in a dangerous voice. "You have no business scrutinizing whoever we chose or will choose to date."

"But I'm your sister!"

"Only just!" I replied, frustrated. "Did you hear us say anything about your husband?"

"No, but that's because I picked the perfect man to marry, kaya wala kayong masabi tungkol sa kanya." Vira sounded smug.

"You are hopeless," I declared. "Look, I don't give a fuck if you don't approve of my girlfriend. But I'm warning you, Vira." I inched my face closer to hers, my gaze threatening. "You better keep a civil tongue in your head around Mira. Or else..."

"Or else, what?" she demanded.

"Or else, I'll tell Mom and Dad na ikaw ang nakabangga sa 1954 Mercedes Benz nila. Remember the poor driver who got fired after he took the blame for you?" I grinned sardonically. "Bet our parents will still kill you for that when they learn it was actually courtesy of their lovely daughter that they lost their most expensive vintage car. Maybe they'll even make you pay for it. Just a heads-up – it costs a fortune."

Vira gasped, horrified. "You wouldn't do that, Vren Andrei!"

"You wanna try me?"

"¡Te odio!" she hissed at me. Then she turned to Vince, who was laughing. "I hate you both!"

Casting us one last venomous look, she stormed off and got out of the house.

Once she's gone, Vince and I high-fived. "Nice one, bro." He clapped me on the back. "Now, let's go find Juli and Miggie."

****

"Uncle Vince! Uncle Vren!"

Gaya ng inaasahan ay parang maagang dumating ang Pasko para kina Juli at Miggie nang makita nila ang kanilang mga paboritong tito. The two of them raced toward us, Juli going straight to my arms and Miggie, leaping to get a lift from Vince.

"Look at you, little princess!" I smiled, ruffling my six-year-old niece's hair. "You've grown so much! How are you, darling?"

"I'm fine, tío." Juli gave me a toothy grin. One of her front teeth was adorably missing. She looks so eerily like her mother when the latter was her age, I found myself praying that despite inheriting Vira's angelic face, sana ay 'wag namang magmana ang bata sa ugali ng kanyang mommy.

"Do you take good care of your little brother?" I gestured to four-year-old Miggie, who was laughing raucously while being tickled by Vince.

"Por supuesto," Juli replied, looking confused that I still needed to ask. I smiled and pinched her tiny nose.

"I heard you recently got hospitalized because of your heart condition." Kinarga ko ang bata. "Are you really okay, though?"

"Yes, Uncle Vren. You worry too much." She kissed my cheek. "I'm as strong as an ant. Mamá told me that even though they're tiny, they could lift up to fifty times their own weight. I'm like that – small, but strong."

I chuckled. "I'm sure you are."

"How about you, tío? How are you?"

"I'm fine, angelita. Uncle Vren is doing good."

"Is that all?" To my surprise, Juli giggled. "You're not telling me something, tío."

"What? What is it?" I asked, amused at the kid's inquisitiveness.

"You already have a girlfriend, don't you?"

"How did you know about that?" Tumawa naman ako. "Alright, don't answer that. Yes, I already have a girlfriend. Her name is Mira."

"Mira," Juli repeated in amazement. "It's a lovely name. Is she pretty like me?"

I chuckled again. "Sí. She's pretty like you."

"Oh." Juli clapped her dainty hands. "When can we meet her, then?"

"Pronto, little angel. You're going to meet her soon."