More Than Anything (Absinthe Series 4)

Kabanata 40

Hello po! This is the last chapter of More Than Anything! Wakas is up next! 🙂 Happy reading!

Kabanata 40

CRITHOS APOLLO FORTUNO

Pinanuod ko siyang yumuko habang tinatanggap ang sinasabi ng Guidance Councilor. Kaming dalawa ni Sylver ay nakaupo sa couch. I was listening, while Sylver, well, he's Sylver. He doesn't listen to anyone.

The mighty Verbena Lorianne nodded like she understood everything, pero nakita ko namang nakakuyom na ang mga kamay sa likod.

When we were finally out of that office, Sylver put his arm on my shoulders as we walk, following his eldest sister. Tinitigan ko ang naglalakad na si Verbena. Mabigat, may bilis at may galit ang bawat yapak na ginagawa.

She stopped walking when we were a couple of distance away from the guidance office. Humarap siya sa amin, nag-aalab ang tingin. Her almond eyes screams anger and her pink lips were in thin line. Salubong ang kilay at mukhang dragon na magagalit kapag may nagsalita pa sa amin ni Sylver.

"Next time, don't do that again. Ako ang napapahamak sa ginagawa ninyong dalawa. Malaki na kayo bakit tagalinis pa rin ako palagi ng gulo niyo, ha? Sylver naman!" Pumadyak siya na parang hindi sixteen years old na studyante. I listened to her tantrums while Sylver kept his ears close because according to him what Verbena was saying were all nonsense. Matanda lang siya ng dalawang taon sa amin pero hindi naman nito alam ang lahat pero nagmamaang-maangan.

I practically grew up with them, with Verbena being two years older than us. Palaging napagbibilinan na bantayan kaming dalawa ni Sylver dahil marami kaming nagagawang kalokohan dahil lalaki pa naman kami. We tend to destroy things and sometimes, pick up fights with other boys in school. Ang isa naming kaibigan na si Justin, audience lang namin dahil takot na matawag ang nanay sa Guidance.Kaya kapag napapadala sa guidance, palaging si Verbena ang tinatawag dahil parehong busy ang mga magulang namin at si Justin, minsan magtatanong na lang sa amin kung anong nangyari.

At kapag tapos na ang sermon sa kaniya, kami naman ang pagsasabihan niya. She would always complain about why she would even look out for us.

"-naiitindihan niyo ba ako?" I never wanted to hear the end of it because they were all the same sermons. Parang saulado niya na nga dahil dire-diretso ang litanya niya.

I nodded which caught her attention. Her eyes rolled as if she didn't believe that she had seen the same thing again. Palagi namang ako lang ang tumatango sa kaniya pero sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako nakikinig dahil aliw na aliw ako sa kaniyang mukha kapag nagsasalita.

I was ten when I had a crush on her. A simple attraction for a beauty like her. Who wouldn't be attracted with her looks? Verbena's taller among other girls at school, she got that neutral skin color which fits her. Her feisty look actually attracts other boys at school and would say that it turns them on. Not in a sexual way, but rather just a preference.

Sa ganoong edad hindi seseryosohin ng kung sino man ang pagkaka-crush ko kay Verbena. It's natural to have a crush on someone especially if something about what they said or do inspires you. Verbena did gave me cookies when I was crying so hard, she stopped my tears and even told me that I look pathetic while crying.

"Noon pa kita napapansin pero ngayon ko lang ito itatanong, pare." Mula sa pagkakatingin sa kaniyang kapatid na papaakyat ng hagdan ay nalipat ang tingin ko kay Sylver na abala sa paglalaro ng play station.

"Ano?" Umayos ako ng upo nang mawala sa paningin ko ang ate niya.

"May gusto ka ba sa ate ko? Lagi kang nakatingin, ang creepy mo tuloy." Kung may kinakain ako, malamang ay nabulunan na ako sa sinabi ni Sylver. He paused the game that he was playing and looked at me. There was just a confuse expression on his face and nothing more.