Dagger Series #8: Uncovered

Chapter 18: Superpower

"Huwag mo ng dagdagan."

Nang makita niyang makikipagtalo pa ako ay walang salitang kumilos siya at siya na ang nagsuot no'n sa akin. He scanned me over, and I gave him a squinted look when I saw a glint of smugness in his eyes.

"It looks good on you."

I harrumphed. "I look like a child wearing an adult's clothes."

"No. You look like a woman wearing her husband's clothes."

I opened my mouth to speak when I caught sight of my nieces from the window behind Magnus. Abrial Imara and Aella Calynn are Lia and Kuya Gun's twin daughters. They look so identical that it would be hard to guess who they are if we were not their family. Pero minsan kahit kami nahihirapan. Mabuti na lang at may suot sila na kwintas na may initials nila.

Dumukwang ako para sana ibaba ang bintana nang mapakunot ang noo ko. May dalawa kasing batang lalaki na humarang sa daraanan nila.

"Naliligawan na ba ang mga pamangkin ko?" Napapalatak ako. "Lagot sila kay Kuya Gun."

"It's natural for kids to have crushes."

"Tell that to my brother—"

Hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko nang kitang-kita ko kung paanong bumakas ang sakit sa mukha ni Aella nang hilahin ng isa sa dalawang bata ang naka-braid niyang buhok. Abrial tried to put herself between them, but the other child just did the same to her.

"Tell me, I just didn't see what I saw," I whispered, my voice edging into a dangerous zone.

Out of nowhere, my nephews, Arctic and Cookie, appeared. They're older than the two, and it's obvious that they're playing the role of being the eldest.

Binuksan ko ng bahagya ang bintana para marinig ko sila.

"I'll tell your teachers about this so they can call your parents here." Arctic looks so much like his father with how cold he's looking at the two boys. "The school doesn't tolerate bullies."

"You tell them, Arc," bulong ko habang nakasilip. Nangingiting nilingon ko si Magnus na halos sampahan ko na dahil sa bintana niya ako nakikitingin. "Binata na ang pamangkin ko 'no? Dati lagi ko pang buhat 'yan kapag pinababantayan sa akin."

The corner of his lips tipped up. "He's not a baby anymore."

I pursed my lips. "He's still my baby."

"Huwag kang ngengealam!"

Napakurap ako at nilingon ko ang mga bata. The loud voice seems to be coming from the boy who pulled Aella's hair.

Cookie copied Arctic's expression. Hindi pa siya roon natapos dahil pinagkrus niya pa ang mga braso niya. Like a mini-version of his father. "They're our cousins. We have the right to intervene." And speaks just like his mother.

"Isa ka pa!" malakas na bulyaw ng isa pang bata. "Ang pangit mo! Ang pangit din ng pangalan mo! Your mom should go to jail because she named you Cookie! Who names a boy Cookie?"

Cookie pressed his lips together, his chubby cheeks puffing. He looks like he's trying his best not to cry.

"I think we should start calling him by his name," I murmured.

"My name..." Cookie took a huge breath, but it doesn't look like it's helping. Para ngang nadagdagan pa ng pamumula ang mukha niya. "... is Duke Nikolas. I'm named after two great men. Cookie is my nickname, and the only ones who can use it are my friends and family. I don't care if I'm one hundred years old. They can still call me by that name because I love them."