CRIPPLED: JULLIANNA (VUILLTRAEN SISTERS SERIES #1)

11

UNLABELED or LABELED

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako hinihingal pagkatapos makita ang ngiti niya. May kakaiba sa ngiti niya na hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito ang nararamdaman kong kaba. Hindi ko nga ba alam? O ayaw ko lang malaman?

I slowly opened my mouth, not breaking the gaze contact we had.

"But not here, baby. In the kitchen's sink."

I curled my tongue inside my mouth as I gritted my teeth. Is he playing around with me? Nauna akong maglakad papunta sa kitchen. Tahimik namang nakasunod sina Ate sa akin. Wala pa rin ni isa sa kanilang nagsalita.

If only I'm not parsimonious, I will never do the dare said to him! May consequences kasi. Pag hindi ginawa ang dare o kung hindi pumayag ang isa sa isang dare, magbabayad siya. Ayos lang sana kung maliit lang na halaga, malaking halaga, e'!

"Ngiti ka nga!" He said after he brushed my teeth. "Wala namang nag bago, a'?" He tilted his head with a disappointment in his tone.

What does he mean? Anong walang nagbago? Ibig ba niyang sabihin marumi pa rin ang ngipin ko? Kunot-noo ko siyang tinignan ng masama. Nakaka offend, ha?!

"Maputi pa rin 'yung ngipin mo, e'!" He protruded his lips.

"Bakit?" I scoffed. "Kailan ka ba nakakita ng pagkatapos mag-toothbrush umitim ang ngipin?!" The irritation was evident in my tone.

"Ouch!"

"Boo!"

Now, my sister's friends started teasing me again. Minsan ayos naman siyang pakisamahan. Pero madalas, gaya nito, ang labo din niyang kausap. Medyo nakakagigil.

That was the last dare we had. At gaya ng napag-usapan, kumain nga kami pagkatapos ng larong 'yon. I was even amazed by how strange our dining table looks like. Nagpacater pala si Ate kaninang alas singko.

Our wooden table was covered with black and red buffalo plaid table cloth. The table napkin and the placemat are also black and white buffalo. I took my seat to my favorite chair.

And Vico... took his seat beside me.

"Lumipat ka nga ng upuan." Bulong ko sa kanya pero mariin kong sabi.

"Bakit? Wala naman dito 'yong boyfriend mo, a'? Bakit? Natatakot ka na-"

"Shut up! He is not my boyfriend... yet." I rolled my eyes at him.

We started to eat our dinner. Mamaya raw sa may backyard na naman kami kakain since nandoon ang mga sweet at non-alcoholic beverages. Bawal kasi ang mga alcoholic na inumin. Lalo na't kasali ako sa party na 'to. Junior high school pa lang ako kaya bawal ako sa mga ganoon.

In the next game, we're divided into two teams. Nag counting pa kami para maging fair ang laro. One ang number ko at ang mga naging kasama ko ay sina Leo, Rao at Queenie. Hindi pa tapos ang pag ka-counting kaya hindi ko pa alam kung sino pa ang iba kong magiging teammates.

Hindi kasali si Ate at si Ate Shally since silang dalawa ang staff para sa game na 'to. Santa Limbo raw ang laro. After the counting, I looked at my back to see if who was added.

"Hala one ka pala, Vico?!" Si Leo na animo'y parang bata na binigyan ng kendi na tuwang tuwa.

"Listen," Ate said as she gets the paper Ate Shally's holding.  "The participants will put a 'Santa Belly' under their shirt using a pillow.  There'll be a limbo stick and will be placed at starting height. The participants or each team will line up and one by one try to limbo underneath until everyone has tried. Slightly lower the stick and have those who made it through go again. Continually lower the stick until one winner remains!" She reads the instruction of the game.