Losing Control

Labing Apat

Not even fifteen minutes into the movie, Stephanie's head rested against Ashton's shoulder and her soft breathing could be heard near his ear.  He looked down at her and saw that she had definitely fallen asleep.  He chuckled quietly and reached for the remote control on the coffee table.  He paused the movie and then fixed Stephanie so that she was laying more comfortably on the couch with her head on his lap.  His phone rang and he quickly answered it so as not to wake up Stephanie.  She shifted in her sleep and he winced before putting the phone against his ear.

"Zo," he said quietly, just above a whisper.

"Hey, bro!  Musta?" Enzo said happily on the other line.

"Eto, same old, same old."

"Anong ginagawa mo?"

"Nanonood ng movie."

"Oh really?  The great Daniel Ashton Ordonez Benitez is not working today?" Enzo laughed.

"Bro, I really hate it when you use my whole name after the word 'great'," umiling si Ashton.  "Oo, I took the day off; nanonood ulit ng kapitan."

"Again?  Hindi ka pa ba nagsasawa, bro?"

"Hindi pa eh.  May first time kasing nanonood pero nakatulog eh."

"May babae ka dyan, bro?  Do my ears deceive me?" hindi makapaniwala si Enzo sa narinig.  Medyo matagal tagal na rin walang dinedate ang kuya nya.

"Shhh."

"Alright, alright, I get it, I get it," tumawa ulit si Enzo.  "Anyway, how's Gigi?"

"Not okay.  May ubo eh."

"Hala!  Kawawa naman si Gigi.  Uminom na ba ng gamot."

"Di pa nga eh."

"Pwedeng makausap?"

"Hindi pwede."

"Bakit?  Sige na, bro.  Gusto ko lang syang kamustahin."

"Tulog nga."

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"Because she's sleeping right next to me," walang takot na sabi ni Ashton sa kanyang nakababatang kapatid.

There was a long silence on the other line.  Hinintay na lang ni Ashton magsalita ulit si Enzo; alam nyang nagiisip na ang kapatid nya ng kung ano ano.  "That's not a funny joke, bro," Enzo said after the long pause.

"Who said I was joking?"

"Bakit natutulog sya dyan sa tabi mo?"

"Nanonood nga kami ng movie, pero nakatulog.  Pinagpahinga ko sya today kasi masama nga ang pakiramdam nya."

"Ah.  Kala ko naman kung ano na..." 

"Ano?" Ashton goaded.  He didn't want to hurt his brother, but he didn't think he had to keep anything from him either.  Tsaka wala naman ugnayan o kasunduan si Enzo at Stephanie as far as he was concerned.

"Sabi ko kasi ilakad mo ko sa kanya, hindi ilakad ang sarili mo," Enzo laughed a nervous laugh, trying to joke around with his brother.

"At sabi ko sayo gumawa ka ng sarili mong diskarte," Ashton said calmly.

"Gumagawa naman ng paraan eh, pero medyo mahirap lang tibagin ang walls ni Gigi."

"Paano kung hindi talaga sya interesado sa yo?" 

"I'm a Benitez, bro.  I have the same determination and never say die attitude you and dad do.  I will keep trying until bumigay na si Gigi."

Ashton swallowed the lump in his throat.  Akala nya crush or puppy love lang ang nararamdaman ng kapatid nya para kay Stephanie, pero parang natamaan na talaga si Enzo sa cook ni Ashton.  Sinasabi ko na nga ba eh.  Ayokong maging kakompetensya ko ang kapatid ko.