Bitter Sweet (COMPLETED)

Tatlo

A/N: Chapters three to five were flashbacks. Thank you and happy reading.

Six years ago

I was walking in the corridor when someone approached me. "Sweet right?" Nakangiting sambit ng isang lalaki.

Halos matameme ako dahil sa kaniya. From his hair na walang wax, iyong tipong woke up like this. His thick brows na makapal pero sobrang ayos. His thick lashes na parang ginamitan ng curl lash. His nose, sobrang tangos pero sobrang sakto sa mukha niya. His lips, shit sobrang nipis at pula. Parang hindi lalaki. And his perfect smile. Napaka gwapo.

"Hey Sweet. Are you listening?" He snapped.

"How did you know me?" Nagtataka kong tanong.

"As I was saying. This is me....Jorge."

"Jorge? As in my nerdy bestfriend in highschool?" Gulat na gulat kong sambit.

Tumawa siya. Oh that laugh. Pati tawa sobrang perpekto. "Yup. But I'm not that nerdy Jorge anymore. Look. I am gwapo now." He said then did the pogi pose.

"Did you had a plastic surgery in the U.S.?" I joked.

Nagpout siya. Shit nagpout siya. Bakit pati pag-pout ang gwapo? "That's offensive you know." Tila nagtatampo niyang sambit.

"I'm just joking. So kailan ka pa bumalik?" Sabi ko at saka muling naglakad.

Naglalakad kami habang nag-uusap. "Uhm. Since yesterday. I came home with my younger brother." He paused. "He's my half brother actually pero we're gwapo pareho so that doesn't count. He's my brother. Period."

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad hanggang sa makarating kami sa isang coffee shop. Mabuti na lamang at kakatapos ko lang sa mga clearance ko. Sobrang daldal nitong lalaki na 'to. From the nerd guy before to this talkative gwapo guy. He's really gwapo now eh.

"So kamusta naman ang pamilya condiments?" Pagbibiro niya matapos niyang ikwento halos lahat ng nangyari sa kaniya sa Amerika.

"Same old same old." I simply answered.

"I'll just order." He said then went to the counter.

Sobrang laki ng pagbabago niya. Dati hindi man lang siya matapunan ng tingin ng kahit na sino pero ngayon ay halos lahat ng madaanan niya ay napapatulala sa kaniya. Kahit ako mismo eh. Sobrang napapatulala pa rin kahit kanina ko pa siya kasama. Sobrang gwapo ba naman eh.

"Here." Aniya matapos ilapag ang hibiscus tea at cheesecake sa aking harap. He's looking at me like waiting for my reaction.

"I can still remember your favorite." Ngiti niya.

Napangiti rin ako dahil sa kaniya. "It's been what? Four years?" I said.

"Yup. Four years. Our Mom needs me kaya ako nagpuntang U.S. You know that part right?" I just nod.

"Eh ngayon ba hindi ka na niya kailangan kaya ka umuwi rito?" Simple kong tanong habang natatawa.

"Nope. Si dad naman ang may kailangan sa akin. He needs me for the company. Since mom is very busy, my brother will live here na. He said that he wanted to live here so... 'yun." He paused then sip his coffee. "You know what you should meet him. He's nice and sweet like your name."

After that encounter ay lagi na kaming magkasama ni Jorge. Naramdaman ko ulit na hindi ako nag-iisa. Since Salt turned into her bitch self na kung itrato ako ay parang kaaway. I became distant to people. Siya lang naman kasi ang lagi kong kasama dati. Buti nalang at nandito na ulit ngayon si Jorge.

Five years ago

He enrolled in our University kaya literal na lagi ko siyang kasama. My previous months were like hell when Salt declared war. Lagi kasi niyang pinapamukha sa akin na without her I am nothing. Kaya si Jorge ang parang naging savior ko.

From those mean and bully girls na alam kong alipores ni Salt. My whole year in last academic year was misery. Mabuti nalang at graduating na siya ngayon pero it doesn't mean na wala na ang mga alipores niya. She became once a queenbee kaya kahit wala siya lagi ng campus ay patuloy pa rin ang mga mean girls na laging nambubully sa akin. Hindi na nga lang kasing lala kapag nandito siya.

"I've heard may gwapo kang laging kasama." Ani Salt nang magkasalubong kami sa bahay.

Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay at tinalikuran.

"Oh." Hinatak niya ang braso ko upang magkaharap kami. "No one dares to turn their back on me my little sister." Sobrang higpit ng kapit niya sa braso ko.

"What do you want?" I calmly ask.

"Everything that you have Sweet. I am not done with you." She said then left me.

Agad akong tumakbo sa aking kwarto at doon umiyak. Hindi ko naiintindihan kung saan nanggagaling ang galit niya sa akin. I've been very good and nice to her.

Kakasimula lang ulit ng taon kaya alam kong hindi ito magiging madali. Kagaya na lamang kanina nang may biglang pumatid sa akin sa hallway. Walang klase ngayon si Jorge so I have to deal with those mean girls. Mabuti nalang at wala ang isang professor kaya maaga akong umalis sa campus.

Kahit nasa College pa lamang ay may sari-sarili na kaming sasakyan. Pare-pareho kami ng mga kapatid ko na ayaw ng debut kaya instead of it car nalang ang ipinalit namin dito. When we reach eighteen, ay automatic na may kotse kami from our parents. Kahit si Sugar ay may sarili ng kotse kasi eighteen na siya kahit pa Senior High pa lamang siya, she's just grade twelve.

We're not like those typical girls na iiyak sa magulang para lamang sa debut. Ate Spice started it kaya ginaya na lang rin namin. And everytime na sasapit ang aming kaarawan ay pupunta kami sa aming paboritong orphanage at doon maghahanda instead magkaroon ng engrandeng handaan. Ate Spice and our parents is a good example to us. They taught us how to be a better person.

I drove away from the campus then went to Jorge's house. I was welcomed by a boy who still wears his SHS uniform. A grade eleven student based on the patch in his polo.

"So you're ate Tamis?" Aniya habang nakangiti.

"What? Tamis?" Naguguluhan kong tanong habang nakataas ng kilay.

"Yup. Tamis is the tagalog of Sweet right?" He sweetly smiled. "Come. Kuya's inside. I am Jordan po." He offered his hand for a hand shake.

"Oh the younger brother. You know my name na." I said then nilagpasan siya.

"Sungit po." I heard him say.

Nilingon ko siya at nginitian. "What's that baby Jordie?" Taas kilay kong tanong.

"Nothing po. Don't call me baby I am turning eighteen already. And Jordie? Psh." Aniya saka ako nilagpasan.

"Kuya! Ate Tamis is here. She's not nice." Sigaw niya bago siya dumiretso sa dining habang umiiling iling.