"Hoy, Sam. Matulog ka na."
I dropped my phone straight to my face when I heard my older brother, John inside my room.
"Kuya, Sabado bukas. Walang pasok." Napa-upo ako sa kama, nakasimangot. He then took my phone na hawak ko at binuksan, only to see my conversation with Felip.
"Kaya 'yan ang inaatupag mo? Akala ko ba hiwalay na kayo?" Kuya asked.
"Akala mo lang yun." Kinuha ko na kaagad ang phone ko and dialed Felip.
Lumabas na ako ng kwarto at dumiretso sa kusina while waiting for Felip to pick up. Pero bago pa man ako makalayo ng tuluyan sa kwarto ko, narinig kong sumigaw si Kuya.
"Gago yan si Felip!" I chose to ignore him. Paulit-ulit na lang niya sinasabi 'yan pero hindi nalang ako nagpa-apekto.
Immature.
"Hello?"
"Hey. Felip." I grabbed some cereal and milk and mixed it sa bowl habang naka-ipit sa tenga ko ang phone.
"Just wondering if busy ka bukas? I have this movie na gusto kong panoorin with you, eh." He went silent for a second before he answered,
"Sorry babe, I can't. May session kami bukas for the Literature club kaya hindi kita masasamahan." I sighed. Not again.
"It's okay," I said. "Next time nalang. I'll just ask Kuya or si Stell na samahan ako." After we said our goodbyes, I immediately ended the call.
I'm not against Felip, joining the Literature club. It's his passion so who am I to stop him? I just feel na hindi na kami gaanong nagkikita o nag-uusap. Eh, halos magkatapat lang naman school namin.
I ended going out with my cousin, Stell, the next day. We went to Megamall at nanood ng movie. After we watched, dumiretso kami sa French Baker.
"Libre mo ako. I'm feeling down lately, eh." Naupo kami malapit sa glass wall. He asked for the menu and let me continue.
"Felip's been... I don't know, cold?" Napatingin saakin si Stell na kanina'y busy magpili ng pagkaing ioorder.
"Bakit mo naman nasabi? Any basis?"
"He often missed my call. Which is weird kasi dati rati, gusto niyang palagi ko siyang tinatawagan. At kung ma-miss man niya yung call, maya-maya eh tatawag siya. Pero ngayon? Wala." I explained. I started feeling annoyed kaya ininom ko nalang ang tubig na sinerve kani-kanina lang.
Stell felt that kaya tinapik-tapik niya ang kamay ko na nakapatong sa table and told me to chill.
"You know I sucked at love thingy kaya wala akong maipapayo sa'yo. But what I want to say right now is, talk to him. Hindi yung dinaramdam mo 'yan mag-isa." Mas lalo lang ako napasimangot sa sinabi niya.
"Yun na nga, eh! Every time na yayayain ko siyang lumabas, palagi niya sinasabing busy siya. I even tried talking him sa phone but he ended up ending it so soon kasi tinatawag na raw siya sa club." I reasoned out.
Him and that club!
We decided to go home na. It's already 8 in the evening when I arrived at nagulat ako nung nadatnan ko si Felip sa sala, kinakausap ni Kuya.
Napatigil lang sila nang madatnan na ako ni Kuya na papalapit sa kanila.
"Why are you here?" I asked him first bago ko batiin si Kuya.
But then suddenly, Kuya grabbed my wrist and dragged me away from Felip.
"Kuya, ano ba?!" Pilit kong hinahatak ang kamay ko pero masyadong malakas si Kuya kaya wala akong magawa kung hindi ang magpahatak sa kaniya.
Liningon ko si Felip, only to see him worried.
Pumasok kami sa kwarto ko and the first thing I did was to glare at him.
"What was that?!" I asked. Kuya seems mad. He was about to say something pero pinigilan niya.
Instead of waiting for him to answer, binuksan ko nalang ang pinto at lalabas na sana but then Kuya won't let me.
"At saan ka pupunta?!" He asked.
"Kay Felip! Kuya ano ba nangyayari sa'yo? At bakit nandito si Felip?" I also asked him, calmly.
"He doesn't deserve you, Sam."
"Stop being a jerk, Kuya! Hindi na nakakatuwa!" I swear. He's been saying that for the nth time. Nasanay nalang ako but this one's different. Mas seryoso si Kuya ngayon kaysa noon.
"I'm not being a jerk, I just want to protect you!" This time, all I could see in his eyes was sadness.
"Protect me from what, Kuya? Don't tell me si Felip ang tinutukoy mo? Kuya naman. Tatlong taon na kami pero bakit parang hindi mo pa rin siya tanggap? Felip did nothing wrong to you so why are you so against him?!" I tried to understand him. I really tried, for the past 3 years.
But now? I can't understand him anymore.
"Kuya kapatid kita. I appreciate how protective you are to me kasi ayaw mo ako masaktan. But Kuya, you are being to much. Please pagbigyan mo na ako kay Felip. I love him Kuya." Hindi ko na napigilan at naiyak na ako. I looked down, trying to hide my tears pero wala.
"Sige pagbibigyan kita," I looked up and almost smiled. But then, I saw how Kuya's eyes turned cold, as if he doesn't care anymore. "Pero sa oras na sinaktan ka niya, don't expect a comfort from me." Mas lalo lang ako naiyak sa sinabi niya.
Lumabas na si Kuya sa kwarto ko. I was about to follow him pero nagtext bigla si Felip, telling me na umalis na raw siya.
Instead of talking to Kuya na alam kong galit sa akin, I decided to just rest.
I called Stell at sa kaniya ko lahat binuhos ang sama ng loob ko. Kay Kuya. Kay Felip.
And I'm glad he was there to listen.
YOU ARE READING
(SS #1) Suddenly Yours
Teen Fiction"Love can never be easy for it might be temporary." Samantha started a relationship with Felip. They were so in love with each other. But love does fade. Felip felt that, ready to let her go. Little did she know, someone was patiently waiting for he...
