Suspicious
'What if he isn't my brother?'
"If you are free, come to my house," sabi ni kuya habang kumakain kami sa cafeteria ng school. I smiled.
"Sure. Why not? Para makilala ko na rin ang kumupkop sa'yo," sabi ko and he smiled. Dumadalaw lang siya dito paminsan-minsan. Kaya sinusulit ko. Mamaya kasi uuwi na siya. That's our daily routine.
"May gusto ka pa? Ikukuha kita," sabi niya at umiling ako.
"I'm fine," sabi ko and eat my meal. I was just silent at lagi siya ang bumabasag sa katahimikan naming dalawa which I'm not used to it.
Ang dating kuya ko, matipid magsalita in public. He's cold, manly posture at basta. Unexplainable. But the man that is in front of me is way too different from my old brother.
"Malapit na birthday mo. Gusto mo punta tayo sa park then at my house on your birthday?" Tanong niya na ikinatango ko.
"That would be great." I replied. Tatlong araw nalang, birthday ko na. I didn't attend my training sessions. Pero isang linggo lang naman. Gusto ko lang makasama si kuya. We chatted a lot on some things about our lives.
Pumunta siyang New York at doon nag-aral. Despite that far, he still manages to search for me. Until he knew na may Blaise Harper na nag-aaral sa Trojan's Academy.
"Puntahan natin sila Mama." Aya ko sa kaniya dahil sa birthday ko mismo ang death anniversary nila. There, I noticed that his mood suddenly changed.
"Did I say something wrong?" Tanong ko pero umiling siya at ngumiti nalang ng bahagya.
"Hindi ko pa napupuntahan sila Mama. At medyo nakalimutan ko na kung saan sila nakalibing," he said na ikinakunot ng noo ko.
Cremated ang body nila Mama. Paano sila ililibing? The ashes ay nakatabi sa isang builded house sa sementeryo.
Tumango nalang ako.
Nakalimutan kaya niya? Pero paano niya makakalimutan kung hindi niya alam kung saan. Nandun pa nga ang abo ni kuya, dahil sabi nila, they saw the body of my brother.
And for sure, hindi niya malalaman kung nasaan ang abo nila mama. Dahil private un sa pagkakaalam ko dahil nga mula kami sa Harper Clan.
A clan that was massacre will have its peace place privately. Nalaman ko lang kung nasaan ang abo nila Mama because of my hired detective years ago.
"Sige, next time nalang natin puntahan," sabi ko at pinaglaruan ang straw ng iniinom ko.
"So how was it being 23 years old?" Napatigil ako sa tanong niya. 23 yeas old?
Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Medyo nagkakaroon na siya ng mga mali ngayon pero parang napapadalas ata.
Hindi makakalimutin ang kuya ko.
"22 palang ako kuya. 22." Sabi ko na ikinatigil niya saglit. Maya-maya ay kinamot niya ang ulo niya at ngumiti.
"Sorry, nagiging makakalimutin na ang kuya mo. Matanda na kasi," sabi niya at pilit akong ngumiti.
Napapaisip pa rin ako. Limang taon ang nakalipas. Hindi naman ako nagpalit ng pangalan. Kilalang-kilala din ako ng ibang tao.
Paanong ngayon lang niya ako nakita?
"Let me rephrase it. How was it being 22 years old?" Tanong niya and I heavily sighed.
"It's fine." tipid kong sagot ko at pinaglaruan lang ang pagkain ko.
"Where's your boyfriend lately?" He asked na ikinatigil ko ulit pero nakatingin lang ako sa pagkain.
Seriously? Boyfriend? Who?
"Who?" I confusingly asked. He chuckled for a bit.
"Rye Giazo, he's your boyfriend right?" He asked that made me smirked a little.
"I wanted you to have your first ever boyfriend when you reached 22 and got married by 26. Got that?" Kuya stated na ikinacross arms ko.
I was planning to have my boyfriend at 20 years old and got married by 23 years old.
"Do I have a choice?" Nagmamaktol kong sagot kay kuya.
Napapaisip ako. Nakalimutan niya ba ang mismong sinabi niya sa'kin?
"He isn't my boyfriend," I stated that made him nodded. Paano niya masasabi na boyfriend ko si Rye, we aren't even meeting these past few days.
He gazed at his wrist watch at bumuntong hininga. Guess he is going home.
"I better go home now, be safe," sabi niya at umalis na sa harapan ko. Is it because we are already adults or what?
My brother was sweeter than him. Ang mga kilos niya. Ang pananalita.
What if he isn't my brother?
Rye's POV
"Where's Blaise?" Hindi ko pinansin ang nagtanong sa'kin. I aimed for my target using my hand gun.
*Bang*
Bull's eye. I took out my head gear at tumingin kay Carrie na nagtatanong lately.
"I don't know." I answered na ikinabusangot ng mukha niya. As I know, Blaise is busy lately with her brother.
I just don't understand why she doesn't have to train these days. She is giving all her attention to her brother that I hated somehow.
"Trainings over." Veron announced at lumapit sa'kin.
"Tell Blaise to train or else I will remove her from the group. Hindi siya kawalan."
"Like damn it. Why always me? I never saw Blaise these days," naiinis na tanong ko. Nandyan naman si Ryder which is more closer to Blaise but they are asking me about Blaise.
Tsk.
Veron said a lot that made me went out of the picture. I held my towel at my shoulder and drink my bottled water.
It's already 6 pm. As I know, bukas na ang birthday ni Blaise and I am gaining headaches for her present.
Hindi ko alam ang mga gusto at ayaw niya. I don't even know her tastes when it comes to foods or things. I really don't have any ideas. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ko. I saw a box there na inorder ko para iregalo kay Blaise tomorrow but I was planning to give it at midnight.
Paggabi, lagi siyang tumatambay sa rooftop dahilan para hindi ako makatambay sa lugar ko. She oftens stares the moon and stars and thinking deeply of something.
I opened the box. A bracelet. Ito lang ang unang pumasok sa isip ko. She already wears her necklace kaya bracelet nalang.
I placed it at the top of my table at humiga sa kama. Damn. My body aches a lot. Ilang linggo nalang battleship na.
I hope we gain the triumph.
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