Comrades in Action: Chase Vonn Book 6

Chapter Twenty

"Kuya!" Patakbo niyang sinalubong ang kapatid ng makita itong pababa ng chopper. They watched the chopper go before they turn towards the leader's house for courtesy.

"Did your travel go well?"

Tumigil siya sa paglalakad causing him to stop too.

"You won't believe what just happened kuya!" Wika niya bago ikwinento dito ang nangyari. Salungat sa inaakala, isang malakas na tawa lang ang pinakawalan ng kapatid niya. "Kuya!" Maktol niya. "You have to do something!"

He sighed.

"This tribe is very traditional, Cayenne. If their gods said it, there's no way we can convince them otherwise."

Nagpantig ang tenga niya sa tinuran nito.

"So are you telling me to just go along with it?"

Hindi ito sumagot imbes ay ngumiti lang.

"Kuya naman!" Nagpapadyak na wika niya.

"Ayen, it's not like something will happen. Chase will not do anything to hurt you. I trust him. Besides, sabi mo naman ay ayaw mo sa kanya. So nothing will happen."

She scoffed out loud. She just couldn't believe this! "Can you hear yourself kuya? Babae ako at lalaki siya, kahit pa sabihin natin na walang mangyayari, ano na lang ang sasabihin ng mga tao? Nakakahiya!"

"Don't think about what they'll say. Ako na ang bahala sa kanila."

"Kuya! Hindi mo ako naiintindihan! I don't like us to stay in the same room! You know how much I dislike him. It's awkward as hell!"

"Then I think this is the right time to rectify that."

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"This is just for two nights, Ayen. Take this as an opportunity to know him. Chase is a good kid. If you get to know him better, I'm sure you'll learn to like him."

"Kuya--"

"Chase has nowhere else to go, Ayen. He doesn't know his past and we can't just turn him away. From the moment we took him in, he became a member of our family. So weather you like it or not, Chase will stay with us." Seryoso siya nitong tinitigan sa mga mata. "I'm asking you to accept him."

Naikuyom niya ang magkabilang kamao. "Are you saying I accept him as a brother?"

He shrugged. "That would be another brother to protect you, ayaw mo ba non?"

She scowled. "I'm already contented with my real brother, thank you very much."

Sukat sa sinabi niya ay isang malakas na halakhak ang pinakawalan ng kapatid niya.

"Thank you for your good faith, dear sister. Pero hindi magbabago ang mga sinabi ko sa iyo. You and Chase needs to get along."

"I'll try. But if he gets on my bad side, I won't let him see the end of it."

"That's good enough compromise for now. Come on, kanina pa naghihintay si Apo Lik'Ang at ang pamilya niya." Inakbayan siya ng kuya niya at saka iginiya sa bahay ng leader.

Pagpasok nila, naroon na si Chase at masayang nakikipagkwentuhan sa mag-asawa. Natigil lang ang mga ito ng makita sila. As usual, there goes his midnight eyes staring at her again.

"Cayden! Nagagalak akong makita kang muli." Bati ni Apo Lik'Ang na nakipagkamay sa kuya niya.

"Magandang gabi po Apo Lik'Ang, Liding."

"Magandang gabi. Halikayo, pasok." Anyaya naman ni Liding sa kanila.

She eyed Chase as they entered, nakaupo ito sa upuang kahoy na yari sa narra.