My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

32: Vren

"Calm down, Andrei. It's not what you think –"

"Then what is it? Isabella, I have a girlfriend. And I love her more than anyone or anything. Are you really trying to mess me up?"

"No, Andrei, I only –"

"Fuck. I can't believe I wasted my time coming here to talk to you. I'm going." I stood up, so furious I could feel my hands shaking. The sound of Isabella's crying, so quiet it was impossible for anyone but me to hear, seemed to follow me even after I was out of the place.

****

"So, you finally talked to Isabella," Vince said just as I closed the door of his office.

"How did you know?" I took the nearest seat, exhausted even though I only came from right across the street.

"I saw your car parked in front of the café." From my brother's sympathetic expression, I could tell that he already guessed how my conversation with Isabella went. "How are you, Vren?"

"I feel completely fucked up," I confessed. "What should I do, Vince? Do I even need to do anything?"

"I have no idea, bro. I'm sorry."

"I don't even know why she told me about it."

"I think she was just trying to tell you how important it is for you to know how sorry she is. She really hopes you could forgive her."

"Because she's dying?" I scoffed. "Why, had she not been sick, would she even feel sorry for what she did to me? I don't think so. Maybe she only wants to die guilt-free. It's not even about me – it's still all about her."

"That's a mean thing to say, Vren," Vince chastised. "Hindi mo pwedeng husgahan si Bella dahil lang sa nagawa niya sa'yo noon. And I hate to remind you, but you're not completely the victim here. Kaya ka niya iniwan ay dahil pakiramdam niya, wala ka nang pakialam sa kanya noon. All you did back then was work, and it's as if you've forgotten about the people who care for you."

"I was saving Medialink from going bankrupt!" I retorted. "Which, need I remind you, was something you were expected to do – until you went to med school, ignoring Dad's pleas. Kaya sa akin napunta ang responsibilidad na dapat sana ay sa'yo."

"Oh, so are you trying to say that it was my fault your relationships with your friends and then-girlfriend got ruined?" Vince looked so affronted, it made me chuckle despite my bad mood.

"That's exactly my point," I replied with a grin.

As a response, Vince threw something at me, which I learned was his prescription pad when I picked it up.

"Hey, that hurt!"

Mukhang nag-enjoy ang siraulo kong kapatid kaya muli na naman niya akong binato – ngayon naman ay gamit ang kanyang ballpen. But it missed me and instead, hit the person who unfortunately just entered Vince's office.

"What the – Vince Allen!" Vira shrieked as the pen bounced off her. "¡Eso duele!"

"Oh, shit!" Vince looked horrified. "Sorry, Ate! What are you doing here?"

"I went to the pharmacy to replenish Juli's meds," our sister explained. "What did you throw that pen for, anyway?"

I was too busy laughing until Vira turned to me, her expression perplexed. "Vren! What are you doing here?"

"He went to Café Isabella to talk to, uhm, Isabella." It was Vince who answered, which made my laughter die instantly. A deadly glare I reserve solely for my blabbermouth of a brother took its place.

"What?" Vince had the audacity to snicker. "Don't you want to hear our sister's opinion on this?"

"On what?" Vira looked curious. "What did you and Isabella talk about, my little cupcake?"

"I'm not telling you if you keep on calling me that," I told Vira indignantly as Vince laughed.

"Fine." Vira rolled her eyes. "Please tell me what you and Isabella talked about, Vren Andrei. Happy?"

"Can't say I am," I muttered.

"Are you telling me what's bothering you or should I ask Vince instead?" she demanded. "Dios mío."

"Okay, let us hear your opinion on this – Isabella told me, for some reason I can't fathom, that she's suffering from leukemia and has only three more months to live."

"What?" Vira's eyes widened in shock. As if not wanting to believe me, she then turned to Vince, who just nodded sadly. "That's awful. How are you feeling, Vren?"

"Mostly confused. And angry." I shrugged. "I mean, what's the point in telling me? We're long over. I think she just wanted to wind me up."

"If that's her plan, then she succeeded." She smirked.

"Excuse me?" I scowled at her. "What are you trying to say?"

"Look at you. Isabella obviously still has an effect on you. I'm not pretending that I completely understand what's going on in your head right now... but I'm warning you, Vren Andrei." She pointed a threatening finger at me. "Don't you dare hurt Mira, or I'll personally kill you. Your girlfriend is a very nice woman, and here you are, getting worked up over another girl. It's sad that Isabella's sick, and I'm really sorry about it... But you, my little brother, need to sort your feelings out."

And with that, she went out of Vince's office, saying that she'd be heading home to her kids.

"At least we know now that she really approves of Mira," Vince said with a small smile as I turned to him, trying to digest our sister's words.