Savoring the Storm

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 #STSwp

Halos mag-iisang taon na rin mula noong unang beses kong nakita si Storm Castriel Paredes Fabregas.

I was sixteen, suffering from nausea. He was a year older, merely standing with his headphones on yet he attested to how love at first sight is real.

Yes. I was sixteen and I meant... that love.

"Barbara Shririta!" nakabubulabog na tili ng pinsan kong si Leighton pagkababa ko ng sasakyan.

She bounced her way toward me in excitement. Pinaghirapan ko ang ngumiti sa kanya dahil tila naduduling ako. Gusto ko na talagang bumagsak sa bed right now!

"Bash!" muling tili ni Leighton at kinulong ako sa bisig.

Pinagpasalamat ko ang yakap na pumigil sa aking bumagsak. I returned it even if her squeal scraped my ear canals and her floral scent worsened the spinning of my head. Hinilo talaga ako ng mula Tagaytay hanggang Makati!

Mahina naman kasi talaga ako sa mga biyahe kaya nga umaasa sa anti-emetics. It's Mommy who makes me take it every before the ride and she's not here. Hindi ko rin naalala.

Reminding myself about Mommy's absence for the nth time scared the shit out of me. It's indeed looming over me... the duties that are now on my plate. It's just a matter of time. Pero ayoko na munang isipin 'yon.

I am still sixteen.

"Hey. Just arrived sa Makati... Promise nga, I'm with my sister and relatives lang... Huh? Bakit ba duda ka nang duda, Shane? I'm not with any other girls! Don't you trust me?" ang isa sa mga responsibilidad ko na kalalabas lang sa sasakyan.

At age fourteen, my brother probably have more than five exes already. Kung naging girlfriend niya man lahat, ah? Baka kasi 'kalaro' lang ang iba, so... ewan ko, hindi ko sure!

"Ate Bash!" Lewis called out before he could whip his head to my direction. "Can you speak to Shane? She doesn't trust me."

Duh! Tama lang naman talaga 'yong si Shane na magduda!

Pinakawalan ako ni Leighton at hinablot ang cellphone na inabot ni Lewis. "Hello, Shane? May ibang babae rito si Lewis. He's just fooling you—"

Hindi na natapos ni Leighton nang agawin ni Lewis ang cellphone. Pinutol niya agad ang tawag, siguradong wala sa mood magpaliwanag o manuyo ng babae. Palagi naman. He's just after the fun, not the chase.

"Seriously! Puro ka girls, Lewis! Babae ka lang nang babae!"

"Pa'nong ako, Ate? Ang mga girls kamo ang Lewis nang Lewis!" He smirked boyishly, the kind I've heard that had most girls swooning over him.

"Mukha mo! Fourteen ka lang and yet ang dami mo nang girls! Kapag itong ate mo talaga... Mga babaeng myembro ng pamilya pa naman daw ang binabawian at minamalas dahil sa gawa ng mga lalaking myembro. Playboys, for instance, like you!"

"I'm turning fifteen," Lewis argued as if that can make a difference. "And where did you even hear that myth? I call bluff on that. Ikaw nga, kung makasermon, as if hindi lang sixteen?!"

"Hey! Why, what of it?! And I'm turning seventeen next month!"

"Fine, Ate Leigh! I surrender, okay? Si Ate Bash, nahilo nga pala 'yan kanina sa biyahe namin..." Lewis shot me a worried gaze. "Okay ka na ba?"

Matamlay akong ngumiti. "I'll be fine," I said, my voice was frail.

He nodded. "Okay. Pahinga ka." Pinagmasdan namin siya na lumayo habang may dina-dial na naman. "Hey, Maine... You missed me that fast? Yeah, kararating lang namin sa Makati..."