Quarantine With My Stepbrother ✔️

Chapter 33

ANXIETY

Niv's Point Of View

"Ma, we should visit him now. Bring some food. Baka hindi sya kumakain."

I tried to sound like the normal me despite knowing that I'm a big failure. It's early in the morning at magkaharap kami ni mama sa kusina habang nagkakape na hindi naman namin nagagalaw. Maga ang mata namin pareho and I don't feel well dahil kulang ako sa tulog. Three hours lang ang tulog ko.

"We should wait for Simon to come home first. Sa tingin ko naman hindi nya pababayaan ang anak nyang magutom."

I sighed and nodded. We fell silent again. I took my phone and skimmed my facebook, twitter and IG. Everyone's posting about Seb's case, son of the renowned lawyer Simon Alkarezo na nakapagpatumba ng mga drug lords at nakapaglabas ng tinatagong baho ng mga politicians. Non-supporters and enemies are using the issue para siraan sya.

In every news platforms headline ang balita. They say naturingang abogado, isa pa palang demonyo ang anak. Everyone is shaming tito with bad parenting and whatsoever na naiisip ng mga tao. Articles has been published too. It spread uncontrollably like wild fire. Napanuod ko sa balita na Seb is denying all the allegations of raping Rascel Vargas.

I don't know much about it yet, but the victim died years ago and the case has been revived. It was said the case was dismissed before due to lack of evidence. At may nabasa din ako na the suspect has been hiding. I really don't know whats going on! Only tito can fully give us the most believable explanation and he promised he will tell us everything today.

"Simon and I was planning to get married this month,"

Napatingin ako kay mama sa biglang sinabi nya. I turned my phone off dahil sumasakit na ang mata at ulo ko sa lahat ng nakikita at nababasa ko. Pero I haven't seen any news that's connected to me and my mother. I think tito is doing his job well in protecting us and not getting us involved.

"Hindi na naman matutuloy." She sipped on her coffee.

Iinom rin sana ako sa kape but it went cold with the weather. I sighed and leaned on the chair. Hindi na 'ko nagsalita pa. Minutes later, nakarinig kami ng andar ng kotse sa labas. Agad kaming napatayo para sumilip. It's tito Simon's car! Agad na lumabas si mama kaya sumunod ako sa kaniya.

"Simon! Are..." Natigil si mama nang makita ang bandaid sa gilid ng labi nito. "A-are you alright? What happened? Tell me,"

Sinalubong ni mama si tito sa leaving room pagkapasok nito and I stayed behind. She caressed his face and tito held her hand softly.

"Nothing. It's nothing to worry about,"

"I'll... I'll prepare you something for breakfast," sinipat ako ng tingin ni mama bago sya sumunod kay tito. Obviously worried sick and confused.

Tito looks restless but my mother's caress managed to dissolve some away. Bumaling sa 'kin si mama at tinapunan ako ng tingin na agad ko namang naintindihan. She knew I have lots of questions and she's telling me to ask it later pag okay na si tito.

"Eat first, Simon. Please," Mom said at sa 'kin naman bumaling. "Ikaw, kumain ka nga ng maayos."

Were having our breakfast but I barely even touched my food. Tahimik lang kami sa hapag. Tito has scattered files on the table and his laptop is in front of him so we sat a bit further. Busy sya sa kung anong ginagawa nya at isinantabi nya ang pagkain.

"T-tito..."

He looked at me, sighed at sinara ang laptop nya. He took off his reading glasses at pinagsaklop ang mga palad.