IT was worth it fighting for her own unit at Blue Residences instead of occupying the small storage room in her brother's condo at Burgundy.
Hindi alam ni Maureen kung paano siya titira sa kwarto katabi ng kay Kuya Inggo. Kung paano siya makakatulog nang alam niyang may kasama siyang babae over at the next wall. Kung paano niya sasalabungin si Kuya Inggo sa kusina sa umaga o madadaanan papunta sa banyo sa gabi. Kung paano niya titingnan nang diretso sa mata o pakikinggan ang boses knowing what he looks, sounds, and feels like in bed.
Her Kuya Migo and Ate Jiya just finished dropping the last of her things in her room when Kuya Inggo lugs in her last box. Maureen drops her smile and points at the corner. "There. Thanks."
He looks up at her, blinks once, and puts it down.
Kuya Migo frowns, panting and dusting his hands off. "Mau, thank him properly."
"It's fine," Kuya Inggo says with a dazzling smile. Putangina.
He rubs the nape of his neck as he turns to her and says, "Um, good luck sa first year."
"Thanks, Kuya Inggo," she mutters, then bounds over to Ate Jiya and Kuya Migo to give them kisses on the cheek. "Thanks so much, uwi na kayo!"
Kuya Migo turns back around at the door, his arm around his girlfriend. "Hoy, 'wag kang mag-uuwi dito ng kung sino-sino, ha."
Maureen sighs, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Kaya nga ayaw niya rin sa Burgundy e. Kuya Migo insisted to their mother na doon na lang siya tumira with him, pero alam ni Maureen na all he'd be doing is breathe down her neck.
She's thankful he raised her and Megan, pero minsan, napaka-overprotective niya, feeling niya she's still thirteen years old.
He still sees her as a kid. If Kuya Inggo, who's still standing by the hallway, waiting for them and watching the exchange, never took her up on her offer, she'd be pretty sure na bata lang din ang tingin niya kay Maureen.
"Kuya, come on. This is my condo. I'm pretty sure I can invite whoever I want to here."
His eyes flare at the insinuation. "Mau—"
"Baby," Ate Jiya intervenes, raising an eyebrow at him. "Remember what we talked about? Maureen is in college na, she's a big girl, she can make her own decisions..." She trails off, giving him another pointed look and tilting her head to the side.
Maureen could kiss Ate Jiya's feet.
"I love you, Ate," she mouths to her future sister-in-law. Maureen is pretty sure pakakasalan siya ng kuya niya.
Ate Jiya winks at her.
Kuya Migo's face twists uncomfortably, but his shoulders slump in defeat. He narrows his eyes at Maureen's victorious face and grits out, "Fine, pero if wala kang kasama palakad pauwi, tawagan mo 'ko."
Her argument is already prepared. "I can walk home alone—"
"'Yon na lang, Mau," Kuya Migo cuts her off, clenching his jaw. "'Wag 'pag gabi, 'yon lang. Delikado papunta dito from school, intindi mo 'ko?"
"Fine, fine, yes." Maureen nods profusely, pushing them out. "I'll call you 'pag wala akong kasama pauwi, I promise. Bye, ingat!"
Satisfied, they finally leave.
While she's eating dinner in the middle of unpacking, stuffing siomai in her mouth, her phone buzzes.
Her jaw drops open.
First text ni Kuya Inggo sa kanya. Ever.
Kuya Inggo: you can call me rin if wala kang
kasama pauwi. Don't walk home alone, Rinn.
She's saved his number since last year, no'ng freshman pa lang ang kuya niya, because Kuya Migo said to her and Meg, "In case may emergency sa bahay or kailangan n'yo 'ko and 'di ko nasagot tawag n'yo, call him." He also gave them Kuya Cas's and Kuya Anton's numbers. Later on, no'ng naging sila na ni Ate Jiya, he also made Maureen and Megan put in her number.
Pero never niya pang ginamit ang number ni Kuya Inggo. When she asked him to take her virginity, pumunta lang siya sa Burgundy nang walang warning.
Swallowing thickly, she texts him back.
I doubt it's necessary, but thank you,
Kuya Inggo. :)
Na-shock siya lalo when he reads that immediately and types agad, replying not a minute later.
Kuya Inggo: I'm serious, don't walk home alone.
Tama si Migo, mas delikado from school to Blue
kesa school to Burgundy
Maureen sighs. He also thinks she's a child.
I'm not stupid, I know that.
I promise I'll call.
Kuya Inggo: I wasn't saying you're
stupid, of course you're not. sorry, it
came out wrong, Rinn.
Yup, perfectly fine, no worries!
Thanks again for the offer.
Kuya Inggo: okay, goodnight haha
see u around campus!
Maureen hopes so...and not.
She sighs.
Night! :)
Malaki ang Ateneo. Her first year goes by without seeing much of him.
Kung magkikita man sila, it's because magkasama sila ni Kuya Migo or with their barkada, and they just happen to run into each other's paths—papunta sa class si Maureen, tapos sila papunta na sa UPTC o pauwi na o vice versa, o nagkakataon ang lunchtime nilang juniors and freshmen tapos nagkikita sila sa Gonzaga o JSEC o sa mga kainan sa Katip.
Her eyes lock with Kuya Inggo's for half a second, then Maureen will wave at them and smile, then pull her friends away, rolling her eyes at their dreamy sighs and barely suppressed squeals.
Making new friends has never been a problem for her, pero minsan talaga, gusto niya magsabi na lang ng mga masasamang...words.
Nalaman niya, kaka-start niya pa lang ng classes, na Ateneo 'it' couple pala si Ate Jiya and Kuya Migo. The amount of blockmates and batchmates who knew about them and was asking her about them was astounding.
Noong tinanong siya kung paano naging sila, she shrugged, realizing she didn't know, and said, "Tanong ko sa Christmas, Ate Jiya's celebrating with us."
Actually, hindi pa natatanong ni Kuya Migo si Ate Jiya, pero gagawin niya na raw soon. Kinakabahan daw siya, as if naman hindi papayag si Ate Jiya. Weirdo.
Minsan, may mga magtatanong sa kanya mismo ng number ng kuya niya kahit alam na nilang taken. Alam niyang susuntukin sila ni Ate Jiya if she ever knew, kaya Maureen doesn't tell her and only says, "Sorry, can't, susuntukin ka ni Ate Jiya if you text Kuya Migo."
Pwede naman niyang i-threaten na lang.
And hindi lang 'yon.
