Fortitude Divine (ONGOING)

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

That man

I immediately ran towards my grandparents' main door, when my brother and I arrived. It's been a week since the last time I visited here.

"Beatrix Amelie, my beautiful granddaughter!" my Lola approached when she saw me. They are in the living room.

"Ahhh! Wait up, La. I can't breathe," reklamo ko sa higpit ng kaniyang yakap.

"Oh, sorry. I just really missed my apo."

"You just saw her last week, La," Kuya Asher uttered and kissed Lola's cheek. He was the only one with me, since he wasn't busy and he just came home from Manila.

"I haven't seen my granddaughter in a long time. I will probably miss her," grandma's drama.

"Just a year, grandma," Kuya still insisted.

I studied abroad for one year. Isang taon lang dahil naho-homesick ako.

"I don't care kahit one month lang iyan."

I shook my head. Lola is like a child. I can't say that she is childish, pero gano'n na nga.

"Tss. Favoritism. She doesn't even miss me."

"Are you whispering something, Blaine Asher?" She arched her eyebrows. Kuya just shook his head.

"Hi, Lolo!" I also approached grandpa and sat next to him, then gave him a kiss.

"You are still beautiful no matter what you wear, apo." Lolo smiled at me.

I'm just wearing pajamas and a printed shirt. I don't need to make an effort to fix myself since my grandparents' house is just around the corner.

I mean their mansion.

"Where are your siblings?" Tita Elizabeth simply asked when she saw us.

"They are all busy, Tita. Sina Mom and Dad nasa Manila pa, baka mamayang hapon darating na." She just nodded at inaya kaming magmiryenda.

Tita Elizabeth is my Mom's only sister. Nandito sila sa probinsya dahil summer vacation. By next week siguro ay uuwi na sila sa Manila since nag-aaral doon ang mga pinsan ko.

"Good morning, Amelie, Kuya Asher!" Nico greeted us still yawning.

10:00 am ang gising niya? I shrugged.

"Let's eat, Nicolaus," aya ni Kuya.

Nicolaus is son of tita Elizabeth, taga-Maynila sila. He still has siblings. Ate Nicolleen is the eldest among them at sa aming magpipinsan, may asawa at anak na rin ito. Si Nikki naman ay ang bunso sa kanilang magkakapatid, same age kami. Nicolaus is a year older than us, but I didn't bother to call him 'kuya'.

AFTER we ate our snack, we talked about something in the living room. Reminiscing about our childhood days.

"Itong si Nico, parang kailan lang nung umiiyak pa siya dahil ayaw siyang kalaro ng crush niya. E, ngayon napaka-babaero na," Ate Addina chuckled.

Si Ate Addina ay ang pangalawang panganay sa 'ming magpipinsan. She's a daughter of Tito Oliver the eldest brother of mom. They are living here in my grandparents mansion. Since Tito Oliver is the only son, ang 'tagapagmana ng mansyon.' At saka, para na rin may kasama sina Lola dahil may katandaan na rin.

"Itong si Ate Din, kung anu-anong kinukuwento. Ikaw nga riyan, kunwari mo pa akong sinasamahan sa crush ko. Gusto mo lang din palang makita iyong kapitbahay nilang tipo mo rin. Ikaw ate ah, mga galawan mo," panlalaglag din ni Nico saka natatawang umiling.