Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter One

L

They say, home is where the heart is.

At least, that's what I heard Taylor Swift say, when she was singing about gorgeous London boy. But it's also been a really old saying I've heard at school and at the dinner table whenever the oldies would suddenly get sentimental about families and all that gooey, corny, ridiculously full of love stuff.

I come from a very tight-knit family. Maybe that's why that incredibly overused, corny saying has stuck with me. My mother says it all the time whenever she starts chatting up with her amigas. Sometimes, my parents would even go to one of my kuya's rooms just to sleep next to one of them kapag miss na nila yung isa! Every single day, they randomly just show some love and affection to us. Siguro dahil sobrang nago-overflow ang pagmamahal nila sa isa't isa, sa amin na nila binubuhos.

Gross.

Cute, but still super, duper gross.

In my version of home, it's just another chaotic morning of us rushing for school because of the endless "five minutes lang"s of my brothers. Chaos always seems to be present in this household, but our parents handle five chaotic kids perfectly.

"Mommy, si Kuya ayaw nanaman ako ihatid!"

"Sabay na nga lang kayo ni Gabe!" ani Kuya Leo. "I'm already late, shobe. 7:30 klase ko. 8 pa naman kayo ni Gabe."

"Ahia!" I whined as he left the house.

I crossed my arms and continued to eat the fruits that were in front of me.

He couldn't have waited for me?!

"Si Gio at Gabe?" tanong ni Mommy na mukhang handa na rin lumabas.

She was wearing one of her classy Sunday outfits, though Monday naman ngayon, which meant she was probably going to have brunch with her amigas at the country club. Baka day off ni mommy ngayon.

"Sumabay na po si Kuya Gio kay Daddy." I sighed and took a bite off the french toast. "Si Kuya Gabe, ewan ko ba doon, hindi pa ata gising. Kuya Leo left me again!"

"Manang, paki-ayos naman yung lunchbox ni Liam for later," ani Mommy sa isang kasama.

"How come shoti gets a lunch bag? You gave me lunch money in first grade." Ngumuso ako. "May favoritism talaga sa bunso."

Mommy raised her eyebrow at me and laughed. "Do you want a lunch bag?"

"Well, not now." I laughed. "Before nga, mommy!"

"Uy, andito pa kayo." Biglang sulpot ni Kuya Gabe. "Nice. French toast."

"Hay nako, take your sister to school! The two of you are going to be late." Umiling si mommy. "Gabe, fix your hair naman, anak."

"Kaya nga. Nakakahiya kang kasama na pumasok!" I rolled my eyes. "Male-late na tayo."

Kuya Gabe chuckled and took a big bite off his apple. "Tara na."

"Will you drive? Or do you want me to call Manong Ernie?" tanong ni mommy habang binibigyan siya ng halik ni Kuya Gabe sa pisngi.

"Ako na mag-drive, mommy."

"Sus, gusto niya lang talaga magmayabang sa mga girls doon sa school na may license na siya!" I rolled my eyes and tiptoed in order to give my mom a kiss on her cheek.

She smiled and gave me a brown paper bag. Kunot noo ko na lang 'yon na tinanggap.

"Isang babae lang naman pinapakitaan niyang kuya mo, shobe." Mommy laughed. "Patay 'yan kay Ate Pau mo kapag may iba!"