Moving Into My Brother's House

Chapter 29

The next few minutes turned hours was torture. Bukod kasi sa sinusukatan kami ng damit para sa debut, everyone was saying non-sense things regarding me and AJ. Kung makapagsalita sila akala mo wala kaming dalawa doon. They were saying how we look good together, how sweet AJ is, and other stuff that na wala naman akong balak pakinggan. Pero kung lakasan nila yung boses nila kapag 'yon ang sinasabi nila, it's as if sinasadya talaga nila para sa akin. And it's frustrating!

"Hindi ka ba naiirita sa pinaggagawa nila?" I asked AJ when we decided to take a walk outside the house.

"Saan? Sa pagpaparinig nila?" He asked back and it's as if wala lang sa kanya 'yon.

"Yeah. I'm getting fed up na kasi e. They're like this bunch of immature people you know. What are they? High school students?" I answered and it cause AJ to laugh.

"Hey! Stop laughing will you! I'm serious!" I told him as I lightly punched him in the arm. After punching him, AJ took my hand and held it tight. I don't know why but I panicked when he did that. I tried jerking away from him but to no avail. Lalo lang niyang hinigpitan yung pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko.

"Lauryn, relax. It's just me."

"Why are you even holding my hand?!"

"I just want to. Do I even need a reason to do so? Lauryn, when you fall in love with someone, you wouldn't be able to pinpoint the reason why it happened. Love doesn't ask for reasons. It just happens and be thankful that it did."

"Ewan ko sa'yo. Ang dami mong alam." I answered then I ran towards the fishball vendor na. Ikakain ko na nga lang 'to!

Pagkatapos naming kumain ni AJ ng limang stick ng fishball, apat na stick ng chicken balls at apat na stick ng kikiam, bumalik na kaming dalawa sa bahay. I was hoping na bumalik na sa ayos yung bahay at wala ng magsasalita ng kung ano tungkol sa amin pero I got that wrong. Pagpasok pa lang kasi namin ng bahay, ang dami na naman nilang pinagsasasabi. Gustuhin ko mang sumigaw para patahimikin sila, hindi ko naman magawa. Baka sabihin wala pa akong respeto sa matatanda.

"Kat, sa garden na lang muna tayo." Yaya ni kuya sa akin nung napansin niyang gusto ko ng magwala. Tumango na lang ako tapos sumunod na kami ni AJ sa kanya papuntang garden.

"Wag mo na lang silang pansinin Kat. You know how they are. Kahit maliliit na bagay, pinalalaki pa."

"Yun na nga kuya e. I don't get it at all. Why are they making everything a big deal? I mean come on. Ikaw din naman may dinedate na pero bakit hindi ganyan yung reaction nila?"

"Baka hindi lang kami OTP worthy." Sagot ni kuya sa akin and I felt my eyes popping because of it.

"What the hell?!" Sigaw ko.

"Dude, saan mo napulot 'yan?" Tanong naman ni AJ. Hindi pa man sumasagot si kuya, alam ko na kung saan niya napulot yung sinabi niya. And so I started laughing out loud. AJ was giving me the what-on-earth-is-wrong-with-you look pero hindi ko siya pinansin. Tawa pa rin ako nang tawa dahil sa sinabi ni kuya.

"Kuya, seriously? One date happened and now you're talking about OTPs? Oh god. I think I'm going to die from laughing." Sabi ko tapos tumawa na ulit ako. Ang sama na ng tingin sa akin ni kuya pero itinuloy ko pa rin yung pagtawa ko. Iba pala ang epekto ni Nicole kay kuya. I don't know if it's good or bad but this side of kuya is so refreshing. Nakakapanibago na nakakatawa pero I think I like it.

"Stop is Lauryn Katreena!" Pagbabanta ni kuya sa akin.

"You're so cute kuya and stop blushing will you?" Sagot ko sa kanya and then I started laughing again. I guess I have a new OTP now.

xxx

During dinner, it's just the four of us – mommy, daddy, kuya and me. Ngayon na lang ulit nangyari 'to and I have to say that I'm happy that it happened. Hindi na magulo yung bahay kaya mas nakakapag-usap na kaming apat. I missed this. Feeling ko, bumalik kami sa mga panahong bata pa kami ni kuya. Yung kami yung laging iniintindi nina mommy at daddy.

"So how's your studies?" Mommy asked habang hinihintay namin yung iba pang pagkain.

"Medyo marami pong reports and papers but it's fine. I like the topics naman." Sagot ko at sinamaan agad ako ng tingin ni kuya. Inirapan ko lang siya dahil doon. Totoo naman e. Kapag gusto ko yung topic, okay lang sa akin kahit na sandamukal na papers at reports ang ipagawa. It would never be boring to me. Palibhasa 'tong si kuya matagal ng nerd kaya hindi ako maintindihan e.

"How about you Liam?"

"Uhh, I'm still trying to figure out the major that I'll be taking." Mahinang sagot ni kuya. Napatahimik kaming lahat dahil doon. Teka. Ano ba 'tong pinagsasasabi ni kuya?

"I thought you liked architecture?"

"I'm thinking of shifting to civil engineering." Sagot ulit ni kuya. Nagulat sina mommy at daddy dahil doon but they didn't say anything. I was about to let the topic go nung bigla akong may naalala.

"Wait. Kaya ba puro engineering books na yung nasa kwarto mo?"

"Yes. I'm not yet sure but I wanted to try it out."

"Is it because of Nicole?" Mom asked then kuya reacted negatively. Dahil doon, nagkaroon ako ng light bulb moment.

"Oh my god. So feeling mo kayo na si Popoy at Basha niyan? Ikaw yung engineer tapos siya yung architect? Kuya ang cliché mo ah!" Panloloko ko sa kanya tapos bigla na lang niya akong kinurot nang todo sa magkabilang pisngi.

"Ang cute cute mo talaga Kat!" Sabi niya habang pinanlalakihan niya ako ng mata.

Oh my god.

My ship is sailing!

Mabuhay ang OTP ko!

xxx

"Kuya, can I come in?" I asked while I was knocking on kuya's door.

Dinner turned into a lokohan fest after the Popoy-Basha comment that I gave. Hindi lang si kuya ang niloko nila mommy. Pati kami ni AJ napagdiskitahan na nila. Then after a few minutes, umiyak bigla si mommy saying na ang bilis daw naming lumaki. We had to cut our dinner short because of that. Masyado kasing emotional si mommy ngayon dahil sa pagbubuntis niya.

Yup. Mom's pregnant. I don't know why it happened now that kuya and I are turning 18 in a few months but a new member in the family is always welcome naman. I just wish na it happened earlier. Hindi yung sobrang laki ng gap namin.

"Yeah, whatever." Sagot ni kuya tapos pumasok na ako sa kwarto niya. He was sitting on his bed and was reading a book when I entered. Dumiretso agad ako sa tabi niya then I hugged him tight.

"Sorry for what I said a while ago. I know I should have kept my mouth shut na lang pero kasi naman. Feeling ko nagiging secretive ka na. Akala ko ba walang secrets sa ating dalawa?"

"I'm sorry rin Kat. I should have been more supportive to you. Kuya mo ako pero pakiramdam ko napapabayaan na kita."

"Nah. You're still the best brother for me."

"Do you even have a choice?" He asked me then we started laughing.

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Bitin? I know! Hahahaha. Thanks for reading! :)

xxRaice