invisible string

first.

Kahit anong paalala naman namin sa isa't isa ay we always ended up buying stuff na binabawal namin sa isa't isa. Kumuha din ako ng 1 L of Coke and some of my brother's fave foods since umuwi rin daw siya according to my Mom. 

I suddenly felt na may nakatingin sakin pero nung nilingon ko naman ay wala? baka guniguni ko lang? Not having enough rest won't help me talaga. Kaya I decided to slap lightly my face para mahimasmasan and decided na pumunta sa candy sections. Maya maya ay nakita ko na si Mikha na nakasimangot habang tulak tulak ang cart nya. May nakita na naman siguro 'tong hindi kaaya-aya sa paningin nya. I mentally laughed at that thought. 

"Ano? Nakasimangot ka nanaman? May nakita kang di kaaya aya?" pang aasar ko kaya mas lalo siyang sumimangot. "Oo at sana nga nabulag nalang ako" inis niyang sambit kaya mas natawa ako kasi kilala ko na sino ang hindi kaaya aya sa paningin nya. 

I looked behind her if nakasunod ba pero he's not there. maybe she saw one of his posters or I thought? 

"Napakagaling mo talaga manita pero puro bawal din yung nasa cart mo" halos mapatalon ako ng biglang may magsalita sa likod ko, it was Gian Ramos, my kuya slash mortal enemy ni Mikha, wearing a white polo, facemask, and clear eyeglasses with his hair down. 

"Kuya!" I exclaimed before hugging him. "Namiss mo ba ako ha?" natatawa nyang ani before hugging me back. Ah, it's been a while since we last saw each other, kaya siguro ganon nalang ang inis ni Mikha after she saw him. 

Matiwasay ba na naman yung buhay mo for almost 2 weeks tapos biglang babalik yung nanggugulo.

 "Anong oras nandito pa kayo sa labas? Sumbong ko kayo sa mga Mama niyo" pangaasar nya pagkatapos niyang bumitaw sa yakap. 

"Lalo na 'to, bawal po bata dito" Dagdag nya pa while pointing Mikha who's obviously pissed at his face, hindi ko na nga halos mabilang ilang beses umikot ang mata niya when Kuya Gian appeared. "Bawal din naman hayop dito, paano ka nakapasok?" sagot nya pabalik kaya Kuya Gian started to act as if nasaktan siya ni Mikha, that's how they usually act around each other.

Puro bardagulan kumbaga.

Kaya sanay na rin ako lalo na pag napipikon si Mikha sa kapatid ko. "Sumbong kita sa fans ko" 

"Magcheck out na nga tayo bago pa kayo magkapikunan" sita ko sa kanila and push Kuya Gian out of Mikha's way pero todo parin sa pang aasar si Kuya Gian kaya binangga siya ni Mikha gamit yung cart nya and sarcastically said, "Laki mo namang harang, sorry" kaya ang ending ay naghabulan sila habang naiwan sakin yung cart niya. Hays, mga bata naman.

"Now, let's check ano ang pinamili ninyo" Kuya Gideon started inspecting our carts pag balik nila, inuna nya yung sakin, nung una ay nakatingin siya ng masama sa akin because my cart is filled with junk foods, chocolates and biscuits. #FoodisLife, but when he saw his favorite mallow and ingredients for his favorite dessert ay halos mawala na ang mata niya sa sobrang smiley niya. 

"Mahal talaga kita, Abi! Ikaw pinakafave kong kapatid!" he exclaimed and started acting as if he's not a famous person. "Siya lang naman kapatid mo?" sabat ni Mikha kaya sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Kuya. "Kesa naman ikaw no? I'll gladly reject Lord's offer" 


"Don't worry the feeling is mutual" nakasimangot na sagot ni Mikha that made my brother laugh, "Now, icheck naman natin ang kay five years old slash Mikhaela Nicole" magiliw niyang sambit kaya nakatanggap siya ng masamang tingin mula kay Mikha but he continued to annoy her anyways.

"Ice cream, Soyamilk? Para saan di ka naman na lalaki?" natatawa nyang asar sa kaibigan ko who's obviously not having it.

"Ham, All purpose cream, Evaporada, Spaghetti Noodles, Whisper and Toothbrush? Hala nag totoothbrush ka pala?" dagdag nya pa kaya dinampot ni Mikha ang napkin at inosenteng inabot sa kapatid ko na hindi mo alam kung curious ba o nandidiri, "Alam mo para san 'tong whisper?" naiinis na tanong ni Mikha while trying to push Gian away from her cart.

"Para saan?" he curiously asked, "para takpan yang bunganga mo at di na makapagsalita" sagot naman ni Mikha kaya napahawak si Kuya sa bibig nya before he gently pushed Mikha from her spot and continue to check her cart kaya nakatambak din siya ng batok mula dito. 

Why am I even here?  

"Dun ka nga nag checheck ako dito" Gian added, kaya binatukan siya ulit ni Mikha. 

For four years, I got used to them bickering and teasing each other a lot, since I introduced Mikha to my brother, Gian, my life is always a mess with them. Even when we moved out to Manila to study college, Gian would always visit our condo when he was on vacation, para lang sirain ang katahimikan ni Mikha. To the point na gumawa na si Mikha ng hate account ni Gian sa twitter para lang ibash sya sa fans niya. I suddenly remember how she posted a stolen shot of Gian crying because she ate the last piece of his favorite cake caused chaos in his fandom and started suspecting her as his stalker which became the topic of her rants for almost a week. 

"Abi?" I was suddenly taken back into reality when a familiar voice suddenly calls my name and suddenly doubt my existence.  

Hala, baka naghahallucinate lang ako? Hindi ata maganda na sumasama ako sa dalawang 'to. 

I watched how Mikha's reaction changed to confirm everything, her jaw dropped while Kuya looks confused and is ready to fight if ever!!

"Abigail!" That second call made it clear to me, I wasn't hallucinating talaga kaya I turned around to confirm it kasi what if kaboses niya lang? Diba? Shit. I cursed myself as I turned around and watch his lips suddenly curve to form a smile. "It's been a while!" 

My heart started to beat faster than the normal rate,

It's been two years since we last met,

River De Jesus is standing right in front of me, could it be fate? 

.

"Kamusta ka na?" 

...