What Destiny Lies for Us (Esperanza Series #1)

Chapter 08

He retrieved, "Huy! Joke lang! 'To naman, ang seryoso agad. Kahit diyan lang sa labas."

"Iniwan mo 'yung mga kaibigan mo para lang samahan ako?" I grumbled. "Ayaw kong maging dahilan ng kung anong alitan. Mas mabuti kung bumalik ka na lang doon."

"Hindi sila magagalit sa'kin dahil lang dito... They understand this, trust me," he explained, looking down at me with reassuring eyes.

"How so?"

"Chai," he groaned, laughing. "Basta!"

A friendly laugh slid down my lips. "Okay, okay. Kung sabi mong okay lang 'to, e 'di okay na talaga."

"Okay."

"Okay," I finalized with emphasis.

We walked around a few streets away from the campus. Here, lesser students scattered, more muted whispers won. I gazed and followed the flock of birds chirping and flapping their wings above the clouds' heaven-like flair; they disappeared from my sight as fast as they escaped the street we were walking on. The sun tried to cast its light over us but only if it weren't for the tall buildings hindering its way.

Silence... That was all I heard for the first few minutes we were together other than the soles of our feet grazing the uneven ground and his lowkey hummings leaving his lips from time-to-time. I didn't ask him to stop—it was easy on the ears and provided the silence something to hang on to—but he was the one who stopped doing so.

"Bakit 'di ka pa umuwi? Kung gusto mo palang maglakad, bakit 'di ka na lang maglakad pauwi? Hindi ka rin nadagdagan ng pagod kung ganoon."

I answered calmly, "I don't walk my way home. I'm still here because I have to wait for my brother."

"May kapatid ka pala! Ako rin. May kuya ako," he grinned.

"I, uh... know. Nakita ko sa picture niyo noong pumunta ako."

"Ay, onga no! Imposible namang hindi mo makikita 'yun e napakalaki nga nun." He laughed. "Ano ka? Gitna? Nakakatanda o nakakabata?"

"Dalawa lang kami. Ako 'yung nakakatanda."

"Ah... Ilang taon agwat niyo?"

"Six. Grade 5 pa lang siya."

"Oh, kami ni Kuya five years. May araw ba na naisip mo na sana naging only child ka lang? Ako, oo, lalo na dati. Lagi kasi akong sinusuway ni Kuya, lagi rin akong 'di pinapansin."

"Wala," I punctuated seriously.

I wouldn't trade Pierceson for anything even if it meant sacrificing myself first. I love him too much. Pierce wasn't just my brother; he was my counterpart, the other half of my devoid life, the person that makes me whole.

I quickly added, "Pero normal lang naman 'yung ganyang relasyon sa magkakapatid. Hindi naman talaga lahat nagkakasundo sa una."

"Omsim. Okay na kami ni Kuya. Wala na akong hinanakit, napakawalan ko na." He cackled and returned to his serious voice. "Hindi ko naisip ko na may kapatid ka. Akala ko noong una kasi only child ka lang.

I stifled a laugh. "Paano mo ba malalaman? May pakiramdam ka ba dapat? May vibes kang na-se-sense?"

"Oo, parang kutob." He shook his head. "'Di talaga ako pwede maging manghuhula nito."

"You never know unless you try."

"Kawawa mga magiging kliyente ko nito ah? Baka sabihin nila na binugaw ko lang pera nila."

Silence revisited us again but it wasn't awkward. Well, for me, it wasn't. I couldn't say for sure for the one beside me. I gave him a side glance. His head was tilted a bit, not really focusing on anything, and was swaying to an unheard rhythm. He walked with heavy and huge stomps later, stopping in front of me. His lips were parallel with my line of vision so I looked up directly at his eyes.