Le Penchant

43| revelation

"Kuya, are you sure you want to come home?" Cameron, my brother asked me warily.

My brows raised, I nibbled on my lowerlip, placing down my coffee as I did so.

"It's not like I have any other thing to do," I muttered.

Truth to behold, I'm no one but my father's greatest disappointment after life made me it's ultimate bitch.

Just the thought of coming home to the Philippines may have been an utterless nightmare. It's practically as if I'm willing to clash back to a fucking tragedy.

Fuck..

Psychopaths, marriages and exes.. what an enigma of bullshit.

Another thing is.. I just couldn't bare to stand my father's episodes of whining about his firm's stagnant position, ranting day and night about how his firm hits its ultimatum plateau. The problem is, he's all about his pride.

Talking and talking and talking.

Puro salita, ayaw paganahin 'yung utak para gumawa.

"I'll be taking the boards soon," my brother shrugs.

I cracked a smile as I patted his back. "Atleast, I'll be there once you take the BAR, attorney."

Cameron rolled his eyes playfully, my brother could be a brat but I'd take a bullet for him. I've been protecting him eversince we we're little, always taking the blame even though he's the one at fault. Taking up our father's beatings even if it was all intended for him.. at nadala ko 'yun hanggang sa paglaki namin.

"Kuya.." he quietly says. "Salamat 'uli."

I smiled.

My brother's dream was to get in law school, drown himself with codals and digests until he suffocates himself with cases.

He wanted to be an attorney.

While, Greg, our father. Wasn't much of a fan about that idea, he didn't mind any of it. He was confident that his other son—I would take over.. but that was up until life fucked me up.

Threatening my brother to take ChemEng instead of PolSci.. punishing him to be the next Quali heir, to pay for all the mess I made.

I admit, I was damaged.. beyond repair.

So, why come home?

I can't let my father ruin my brother's life just like how someone ruined mine... I just couldn't stomach the fact that Cameron would eventually let his dream cut loose just because my father practically labeled me as someone unfit to handle his precious gem, the firm. I can't let Cameron suck up all the responsibilities intended for me just because I was practically oust.

Sira na 'tong buhay ko, bakit ko pa hahayaang masira 'yung buhay ng kapatid ko?

I had to come back, even if it meant that I had to put many things aside.. even if it meant that I had to sacrifice.. even if it meant that I had to face my life's demons again.

Sapat nang nasa akin 'yung malas.

Matagal ko nang tinanggap 'yon.

***

"Anak ng weteng! About time, Bro!"

I rolled my eyes as Chase engulfs me in a hug, I patted his back while we both laughed.

I never knew I'd miss this asshole.

"Bakit may pa balbas ka, Bro? Alisin mo nga mukha kang tanga," reklamo niya.

I grunted in response, shoving his shoulder playfully to get to his car.

"Alis na tayo dito," sabi ko.