MAGHAHATING-GABI na ng makauwi si Dwight sa Villa Castillo. Matapos batiin at pagbuksan ng gate ng mga nakatalagang bantay, sinimulan niyang tahakin ang daan patungo sa malaking mansiyon sakay ng kanyang bisikleta.
Tanging ang malamlam na liwanag na nagmumula sa mga nakahilerang poste ng ilaw at liwanag ng buwan ang nagsisilbing gabay niya sa daan. Pagkatapos ilagay ang bisikleta sa garahe ay nagtungo siya sa entrada ng mansiyon. Hindi siya nag-aalala na masaraduhan ng pinto dahil may duplicate key silang magkakapatid.
He just entered the living room when he heard someone called out his name. Nilingon niya ang pinanggalingan ng boses.
"Bakit ngayon ka lang?"
It was his eldest brother—Aviel, sitting in one of the sofa. The lampshade was lit beside him. He was still wearing his three-piece suit. Exhaustion visible on his face.
Mukhang kakauwi lang nito galing Amerika. Doon kasi nakabase ang sentro ng Carmicheal Industries. Four years ago, ito na ang namahala sa doon at the age of twenty when their father died.
Now, John Aviel Carmicheal has been included as one of the top businessmen in the world.
Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad. "Kakatapos lang ng practice namin."
"May sasabihin pa ako."
"Kuya, I'm tired. Can we just talk tomorrow?"
"Iyan din ang sinabi mo last time we had this conversation."
Tumayo ito at nilapitan siya. His brother was taller than him. Except for the differences in eye and hair color, Dwight can't help but notice the striking resemblance Aviel had with their late father. His brother had brown eyes and hair, unlike their father's blue eyes and blond hair.
But, Aviel exuded the same strength and power just like Kingrand Carmicheal. Those resemblance were the reason why he avoided him as much as he can.
Nilagpasan niya ang kapatid. Naramdaman na lamang niyang pigil nito ang isa niyang braso.
"We need to talk. Mom's really worried about you. Madalas ka raw nasa labas at ginagabi ng uwi." Bumuntong-hininga ito. "Tell me what's wrong, Dwight."
"Nothing's wrong."
"Nothing? Then why are you being like this? Habang tumatagal 'di ka na namin nakikilala. Hindi ka din sumama nung death anni—"
"I want to rest, Kuya. May pasok pa ako bukas."
He pulled away his arm and ran upstairs to his room. Hindi siya huminto kahit tinatawag pa siya ng kapatid. Fighting the urge to slam the door shut, he closed it and threw his backpack on the floor. Then, he flopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling trying to calm himself.
'Di niya alam kung gaano na siya katagal sa ganung posisyon ng makarinig siya ng mahinang katok sa kanyang pintuan.
"It's me," he heard from behind the door. It was Blair. "Open this. May ibibigay lang ako."
Sa kanilang apat na magkakapatid, si Blair ang pinaka-kasundo niya kahit na apat na taon pa ang pagitan ng mga edad nila. Hindi ito domineering tulad ni Aviel. Hindi rin ito perpekto gaya ni Cedric. Blair is the adventurous, happy-go-lucky, older brother.
Dwight stood and went for the door. Bahagya pang nagulat si Blair ng pagbuksan niya ito. He then smiled—reaching his violet eyes—and held up his right hand. He was holding a large bag of his favorite potato chips.
"I ate your chips the other day, right? Ito na yung kapalit." Blair went inside his room and tossed the bag to his direction.
He caught it in mid-air and closed the door. "Let me guess. Hindi lang ito ang dahilan ng pagpunta mo."
YOU ARE READING
Snow Dwight
Romance"The apple was thus considered, in ancient Greece, to be sacred to Aphrodite, and to throw an apple at someone was to symbolically declare one's love; and similarly, to catch it was to symbolically show one's acceptance of that love." - Wikipedia Te...
