A Beautiful NOT Love Story (Complete!)

Chapter 10: The Courtship

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Jhaycee thought of coming home with them, though the young man was not in the mood but thought he needed to deal with his family first. The family that sent her away because they disagreed on a few things, things that are still unclear in the young man's mind. It had not been three years since he had run away and he had no news of his parents or his siblings. Jaycee jumps on three siblings. Samantha is the oldest, Jeremy is second. About the time before his departure, Jeremy had first left their home because their father would not receive him.

Jeremy is different from siblings, he is not a real man and he is not a real woman. Because of the sibling's gender that their father would not accept, one day he saw that the brother was beaten, saying that if he didn't change he would continue to suffer at the hands of their father. The younger brother was so young that he chose to listen to Dad. Although difficult, for her he tried to grow up. She tried to make fun of it because their dad said so too. Whatever their father says, he will obey. So he sadly remembered his brother.

"Dad, that's right" the brother shouted in dad's room while hurting Jeremy's poor father. She could feel the spanking of the belt, and slap her hand on the child's body. Each brother's cries also give him pain. Every cry of it also brought him unspeakable apprehension.

On the side of it, his older brother was there with no concern for the brother, he went to the mother and looked for the ally or the child. But in the end, the mother just said to let the father discipline the child in a way that he knew was right. In short, young Jhaycee was angry with his parents for bullying his gay brother. He could not imagine the abuse done to his brother.

Isang gabi ay hindi na nakayanan ng batang si Jeremy ang sakit na dulot ng pananakit ng kanyang ama. Kaya habang tinutulungan na gamutin ang kapatid sa mga pasa nito sa katawan, ay nagpapalano naman si Jeremy na lumayas nalang sa impyernong bahay nila. Kahit nalulungkot man noon ang kapatid sa desisyon ng kuya niya na umalis, mas ginusto niya na lang yon kesa naman makita ang kapatid na walang awang minamaltrato ng kaniyang ama. Kaya nung aalis na ito ay tinulungan niya pa itong nagimpake.

"Saan ka naman pupunta kuya?" tanong ng batang si Jhaycee. "Dun muna ko titira dun sa kasamahan ko" sagot naman ni Jeremy. Niyakap ng mahigpit ni Jhaycee ang kapatid at sinabi na mag-iingat ito. Bumaba naman siya sa kanilang bahay at nakita ng buong pamilya ang paglayas ng anak. Ni walang halong pagsisisi sa mukha ng magulang, at ni walang bahid ng kahit anumang lungkot, na lalong ikinainis ng batang si Jhaycee.

Habang papunta na si Jhaycee sa bahay ng magulang ay may pumigil sa kanya, tila ayaw muna niyang makita ang mga magulang. Tila hindi pa handa ang puso nito na makita o makausap man silang muli. Sumariwa sa isip ng lalaki ang mga bagay noon bago siya umalis ng bahay, at tila natatakot pang harapin ang mga magulang nito. Kaya pinasya niyang kitain muna ang kapatid nitong si Jeremy.

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Nagpaalam sa ina at lumabas na ng bahay ang binata, ganun din naman si Mia, hinalikan at nagpaalam na sa ina nito. Nang magkasabay silang isarado ang gate. Nagkakahiyaan, hindi alam kung sino ang mauunang mamamansin, hindi na inaasahan ang kanilang pagsasabay pero sa kabila nito nag-pagoodmorning pa din si Tristan kay Mia. Pareho ang pupuntahan, pareho maging ang sasakyan, pati ang daraaan nilang ay magkapareho din. Kaya nasabi ng binata na,"sabay na tayo maglakad Mia".

Habang naglalakad ng mabagal, magkalayo sa isa't isa, tila hindi magkakilala. Maingay ang kalsada, pero tahimik ang mga bibig nila. Si Tristan na nakahawak sa kanyang backpack ay hindi mapakali, hindi alam kung titingin ba sa baba or titingin sa dadaanan. Si Mia naman ay tila kunware ay mag hinihintay na text pero ang totoo ay wala naman at gusto lang niyang patayin ang asiwang pakiramdam ng mga oras nayon.