Busy being Yours

1. A Little Girl's Dream

"Ano na naman ba 'to Bebi, ha?"

I sighed as I looked at my grumpy older brother. Lately it has been a usual sight to see Kuya Joel in his pissed off mood, siguro ay effect narin of being in his third year in law school.

Hindi ko napigilang mapahikab bago nilapag saglit ang kopya ng transes ko for my Neurology class on my lap, ilang gabi na rin akong puyat dahil naghahabol ako. My backlogs were piling up recently and I know that it wasn't a very good sign. I guess I miscalculated my schedule again, it wasn't always like this. It was unusual for me to get things out of my control. As much as I wanna lash it off on my beloved brother, ayoko ng kaaway. At least not now.

"Please Kuya," I sighed before looking at our cousin that is driving the both of us to school, "Kuya Ton, please daanan muna natin saglit 'yung bakery? We're twenty minutes early, I promise hindi male-late si Kuya---"

"June, I don't know if you understand this pero may naka-schedule akong recit ngayong araw. I need to pass this subject---"

"Kuya! Twenty minutes early, 'di mo ba ako narinig kanina? And like you said, you need to pass this subject, so kung ako sa'yo mag-aral ka nalang muna." I groaned before picking up my hand-outs. 

Muli kong binaba ang reading glasses kong nakapatong sa ibabaw ng noo ko at nagsimula na namang mag-aral. After my neuro quiz ay may quizzes rin ako for Psych and Micro, I could already feel my heart beating so fast because of how nervous I am but I did my best to keep a straight face on. I never lose my shit in front of people (most of the time).

Kahit na abalang-abala ako sa pagbabasa ko ay hindi nakatakas sa akin ang mahinang pag-ungol ng kapatid ko sa front seat, I bet he's already pulling his hair out of frustration. Napailing nalang ako, 'di naman bago ang ganito sa magkakapatid. It's not a normal day kung 'di kami nagtatalo ni Kuya Joel, but I bet we'll make up later after he realized that I was right all along at hindi naman talaga siya male-late kahit na dumaan kami saglit sa sinasabi kong bakery. He's just too stressed with his studies right now, kung may nakakaintindi man sa sitwasyon niya, that would be me. 

"Ano ba kasing dadaanan natin 'dun Bebi ha?" tawa ng pinsan namin.

"Bibili ng suhol para sa mga classmates niya." 

I scoffed and rolled my eyes when my brother and cousin exchanged snickers. Ganyan 'yang silang dalawa! Parati akong pinagtutulungan. 

Agad kong inangat ang binti ko ay sinipa ang likuran ng passenger's seat. Kuya Joel just cussed as I looked at Kuya Ton, "In case nakalimutan niyo na namang dalawa, class officer ako ng block namin and once a month ay may thing na ginagawa ang mga officers for the rest of the class... at hindi iyon suhol, Kuya Joel," tinapunan ko ng tingin ang kapatid ko na siyang binigyan lang ako ng hilaw na ngiti. I did the same for him. "We give out free breakfast. Now I was assigned to buy the ube cheesedesal."

"Ang dami talagang kaartehan---"

"Well, I'm sorry kung boring ang buhay mo." I groaned.

Bago pa kami tuluyang magpatayan ng kapatid ko ay agad nang pumagitna ang nakakatandang pinsan namin, sinaway niya si Kuya Joel bago ako muling tiningnan. "Parang ang gara naman ng pa-pandesal niyo?"

"May pa-kape rin, Kuya." I proudly said.

"Ah, parang lamay..."

I just hissed as my brother snickered. Napairap pa ako nang makitang nagpipigil na rin ng ngisi si Kuya Ton. Nakakainis talaga.

Dahil mukhang napagod na rin ang kapatid ko sa pangaasar sa akin ay muli na namang natahimik ang buong kotse, ang tanging nag-iingay nalang ay ang morning news sa radyo. 'Di ko na masyadong tinuon ang atensyon doon at muli na namang nagbasa.