Tied to a Cervantes

Chapter 16

"No worries, mom" Vienna replied

She looked at me. "I'll leave the two of you here. Pumasok kayo agad, okay?"

"Yes, mom. We'll be inside in a bit" Tumango naman siya bago umalis.

For some reason, I felt more comfortable when mom left.

Nang kami lang ni Vienna ang naiwan, tumingin muli siya sa akin. "Ate, kusapin mo na kasi si kuya Luke. Please. Pretty please. Explain to him our side as girls " she gave me a puppy look. Earlier, she was uncomfortbale around me even reluctant to approach me but now she seems comfortable and even asking a request. I mentally smiled. I liked it. But that doesn't mean I would agree to her plead. This is their issue and I'm out of it.

"I don't want to talk with him tonight. Feeling ko po kasi pagagalitan niya ako. I'm not prepared and I don't know what to tell him if he asked me to explain na siguradong gagawin niya" she continued.

I breathed in. I don't want to directly reject her so I asked instead the question lingering inside my head. "Why would your kuya scold you? You're just dating a guy, Vienna" I pointed out. Gusto kong malaman ang sagot diyan. Alam ko kasing may iba pang rason kung bakit ganito si Vienna. She wouldn't want to talk to Cervantes just because she is dating. There must be another reason. I may not want to involve myself but this is the least I could do- to understand her situation deeply ..and think of other ways to help her perhaps?

Ngumuso siya na parang may inaalala. "Pinagsabihan po kasi ako ni kuya, ate na sasabihan ko daw muna siya kapag may gustong makipag-date sa'kin bago ako lumabas. Pero hindi ko ginawa kaya eto po"

My eyebrows rose up. "That's it?" I unbelievable asked.

She nodded that made rolled me my eyes. The heck. I thought the reason is deep but damn. That's too shallow. I didn't know Cervantes would be this unreasonable. Tsk. "Does he usually do that? Scold you when you disobey him?" I almost sarcastically asked.

"Hindi naman po, ate. Only with big matters"

"Big matters like?" I'm having a doubt with that 'big matter' thing.

"Like partying, getting drunk, coming home late without informing anyone and dating. Those things po, ate"

I breathed in a loud breath and lightly rubbed my forehead. I thought so. "Do you mean you are not allowed to do those things?" For some reason, I am starting to get frustrated with how she is guarded. Just how do they want her to live her youth!

"Well not totally forbidden, ate but it may seem like that"

Damn. That life sounds like an imprisonment to me. And how come those things are even big matters? They are just normal things for teenagers. Gosh. At bakit na-sstress ako dahil lamang hindi niya na-eexperience ang nga bagay na 'yon? Goodness. Well, why would I not be when she's missing a lot of experiences and fun because of one man. Damn Cervantes.

I breathed slowly. "To make it short, Cervantes, I mean your kuya, doesn't want you partying, dating, or do these things you mentioned?" I clarified.

She nodded. "Yes"

I closed my eyes but opened them afterwards. This is crazy. "Don't you feel suffocated or frustrated? You should experience the excitement of being a youth. You're already 18 right, Vienna? You can do what you want" I cannot believe Cervantes is robbing these experiences from his sibling. Parang hindi siya dumaan sa pagiging kabataan para pagbawalan ang kapatid niya. And why are their parents letting this happen to her. Goodness. I suddenly wanted to help her have fun.

She nodded. "Yes, ate. Vince and I are already on legal age but our grandparents said that we should not treat legal age as our total freedom to do the things we want. We should take it as our stepping stone for utmost maturity, resposibility and accountability, instead"