Every Tick of Serendipity ( Ruler of Fate Series #3 )

KABANATA 16

Kabanata 16

The sixteenth tick

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Nilapag ko ang plato sa coffee table namin. "W-Wait... I'll get it na." I immediately ran upstairs to find my accounting book. Nang mahagip ng tingin ko ang taxation, ay sinama ko na rin 'yon sa pagbaba ng hagdan.

Tumingin si Mommy kay Kuya nang makita niya akong papalapit. "Zyler, Kuya..." Mommy said sweetly. Halatang may balak gawin ang boses niya na ikinakaba ko.

He looked at her, still eating his new portion of lasagna. "Hmm?"

She stood up and went nearer to him. "Carry my shopping bags for me."

"Huh? Saan?" Sagot ni Kuya.

"Syempre, bibilhin pa natin!" She reached for his keys on the table. "Drive me na rin... I'm tinatamad, eh."

Nabaling ang tingin sa'kin ni Kuya nang ilapag ko ang dalawang libro sa lamesa, kasama ng ballpen at papel ko. "Hindi pwede..." His forehead creased. "Ano? Silang dalawa lang dito? Malalagot ako kay Nash niyan, Mom. Alam mo naman kung paano magalit 'yong tukmol mong panganay." He shook his head and went back to eating.

I sucked in my lips, preventing my laughs from escaping, when mommy hit him in the arm. "Sabihin mo nalang kung ayaw mo akong kasama!" She crossed her arms — nagdadabog siyang pumunta sa pintuan namin, "I'm going to cook your favorite seafood pa naman! Huwag nalang pala!" sigaw niya.

Kuya Zyler's lips parted when Mommy opened the door harshly, almost making her stumble because of the force.

She glanced at him, still holding the door open. "Takot na takot ka sa kuya mo! Sino bang nagluwal sainyo?! Huh?!" Sinaaman niya si Kuya  ng tingin and my brother immediately stood up because of that. "Overtime nga pala kuya mo sa work!" Dagdag niya bago isara nang malakas ang pinto.

Napunta ang tingin ko kay Kuya na tulala sa pinanggalingan ni Mommy. "Uh..." Before I could say anything, he immediately placed the plate down and chugged continuously on his juice. Naglakad siya papunta sa pinto, halatang nagmamadali para maabutan si Mommy na balak nang umalis gamit ang sarili niyang kotse. He didn't even bother to say goodbye and just went out of our house.

Namuo ang katahimikan sa bahay dahil sa pag-alis nila. Slowly, my head turned toward him. I gulped when his eyes met mine. My cheeks started burning, realizing that it was only us who were inside our house — nothing else.

I brought my hands behind me. "Uhm..."

He bit the tip of his tongue and reached for my book. "What lesson?"

My eyes blinked. "Huh?"

He opened my taxation book before looking back at me, making my breath hitch. "What lesson?"

Nang maintindihan ang ibig sabihin niya, ay kaagad akong lumapit sakanya at umupo sa carpet. Abot hanggang langit ang kaba ko dahil nasa likod ko lang ang inuupuan niya. I bit my lip when his knees brushed against my back. I almost cursed myself, seeing how my fingers trembled as I skipped every page.

"H-Here..." I mumbled, opening chapter six.

My eyes widened when he leaned forward, and pulled the book closer to us. Ang ulo ko ay nakadikit na ngayon sa dibdib niya dahil sa posisyon naming dalawa. His biceps were also beside me, stretched and big enough to occupy my neck, up to my lips. I gulped, watching his finger slide on every word and sentence there was as he read.

He flipped to the next page and continued reading, while I was panicking inside. Sobrang init na ng magkabila kong pisngi; maski ang tibok ng puso ko ay parang tambol na sa bilis. I clasped my hands together and started playing with them, pinching and grasping to keep my kilig inside me lang. I might scream in delight if I don't hold back.