My Significant Bother

Chasing the Shrew

In fact, she originally refused this.

But she got this far.  She really was here.

The memory turned Narda insides to rime and frost, and all the anger in her gut turned instantly inward, but she did not change her course of action. 

She still held on to Regina's hand, while she tried to keep her happy-go-lucky exterior.

All she felt was harsh panic.

Before her was her conscience taunting her. Her mind playing the set-up with the stupid and shallow jock, Carson Chu.

------

She could still remember it so vividly.

Like a repeated movie in her mind. 

flashback to a few nights before...

Narda ran back to Carson in that Speakeasy bar. She was panting when she faced him.

"Matalino ako, gago ka  ... you won't even know what I can do to you.  Pwede ko lapitan si Regina, sabihin ko hati nalang kami sa pera at tapos na.  And your movie is over before it even began.  Naperahan pa kita," Narda said defensively, she tried to push a scoffing laughter out of her mouth.

Trying to sound unperturbed.

"But you won't do that, Nueva Esperanza," Carson said arrogantly, drinking more of his favorite whisky.  He lounged lazily on the leather seats, looking at Narda like a sly panther. 

He knew he had cornered her like a prey.

"Bakit hindi ko gagawin?!"

"Because she won't work with you.  And you are just like me, Custodio."

"I am never going to be like you," Narda sat on the booth again, her stare was blank and she looked deflated.

"You are absolutely like me.  You hate her too.  I heard the stories.  Mga panahon na wala siyang paki na nawalan ka ng trabaho.  Mga panahon na muntikan na mawala scholarship mo at ... who knows ano mangyayari sa standing mo dahil sa ginawa niya?  Narda, ano ba ang few dates?  Harmless lang naman.  Kahit simulan mo lang sa PU fair."

Carson looked like a taunting devil, reaching back on to his wallet as he rolled out a few thousand peso bills in front of Narda. 

The blue bills danced on his fingers, money was just child's play for this bastard, Narda kept thinking.

"You start by bidding on her sa PU Fair.  I can work with her activist friends, none of those bitches are her real friends, anyway.  That girl has no friends," Carson got a vape pen and suddenly blew the smoke towards the direction of Narda.

"Alam ko hindi ko siya gusto.  May mga rason ako.  Why do you hate her so much? Ang lala nang ginagawa mo," Narda asked, her jaw tightened, contemplating the hellish deal.

"Ako?  It's personal, Custodio.  But for you? It is impersonal. Eye for an eye. Kumita ka pa."

Carson shoved the money towards Narda's direction. He smiled with certainty. 

"Nakakaputa naman ginagawa ko ..."

"We are all whores for something, Narda. Ano ba ang trabaho na ito?  You need the money.  I need the sister.   What's the worse that could happen? Ighost mo siya?"

Narda felt her soul break when she nodded and finally sealed the deal with Carson Chu.

And she had no clue if it was the reverb from the trance music or her heart thudding in dismay. Her ears rung. Her hands felt clammy. The reality hitting her senses.