Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 10: James

"Aha! Meron naman sila Sky at Ja—"

"I got theirs too. Alam kong manghihiram ka lang so I hid it all. Kung wala ka, wala sila." Bumusangot si Jaceon at napailing ang ate niya, "And please call us ate and kuya, we're older than you."

"Hindi mo naman sila tinatawag na kuya ah." Tumingin si Jaceon kay Jamie at ngumuso, unti unti siyang lumapit sa ate niya at niyakap ang kanyang kamay. 

Tumaas ang kilay ni Jamie sa sinabi ng kapatid kaya agad hinigpitan ni Jaceon ang pagka yakap sa kanya. I chuckled. 

"Ate hindi na ako tatakas but please give me back my X-box, we have a game."

Napangiti ako at inisip ang ginawa ni Jane kanina. Parehas manlambing ang magkakapatid na 'to. Umirap lang si Jamie at pinitik sa noo si Jaceon, "Mag aral ka nalang Jaceon Ken, malapit na exams."

Kumalas si Jaceon at naglakad palayo habang nakayuko. Sumunod naman si Jane na may dalang plato ng cupcakes, "Akin na 'to. Hindi mo ako pinayagan umalis eh."

Napailing si Jamie pag alis ng dalawa at ngumisi sa'min, "Siblings." 

Tumawa lang ako. Parehas kami ni Lorrain na walang kapatid, so we wouldn't know.

"Jamie... hindi mo sinabi na anak ka ni Sir Archie." Ngumiwi si Lorraine at napaface palm ako nang maalala.

Ngumiti lang si Jamie, "You didn't ask."

"Para kaming tanga na nagtatanong sayo kanina." Napailing nalang ako, that's so embarrassing.

Bakit ba kami assume ng assume. Jusko. "Akala namin Nanay mo talaga si Manang Perlita."

She chuckled, "We all call her Nanay dahil siya ang nagpalaki samin simula kay Kuya Sky hanggang kay Cici."

Nakatitig lang ako kay Jamie habang nagkkwento siya. She moved to clean the materials she used in baking at tumayo ako para kunin sa kanya because that's supposed to be our job, but she waved her hands no at me, so I moved back.

"I'm the third child, the first daughter. My twin is the second son but he's only ahead for like three minutes..." 

I don't know why she's intimidating and approachable at the same time. Does that make sense? 

"He's always out with his friends and sometimes, magugulat nalang ako kapag nababalitaan ko siyang nasa ibang bansa. I think Mommy made a mistake when she gave birth to us because I feel like I'm the older one."

Parang kumirot ng konti ang puso ko when she spoke of her mother so nonchalantly. Thinking back sa sinabi ni Rossana, I was heartbroken for her. Hindi niya naman sinabi ang tungkol doon at hindi narin namin tinanong. We're not that nosy.

"CJ's a little spoiled. Lumaki kasing sinusunod ng Daddy ang lahat ng gusto niya, eh si Mommy ang ma disiplina." Nakakunot ang noo niya sa sinabi niyang 'yon natahimik siya. 

Doon palang ay nalaman naming meron paring epekto ang nangyari dati, and Lorry probably noticed that too, cause she quickly diverted our topic.

"Well, my parents... hindi ko alam kung anong tawag sa pagpapalaki nila sa'kin. Twisted? Selfish? Pwedeng ganon." Lorraine shrugged at napang halumbaba si Jamie sa counter at tingnan si Lorraine. 

Hindi naman kailangang sabihin kung anong tinutukoy ni Lorry, hello pina background check na kaming dalawa.

"It's interesting... the very famous actress Lucia Ramirez and a congressman's daughter is in my house, working to clean." I thought Lorraine would be uncomfortable kaya mabilis akong lumingon sa kaibigan ko, but I couldn't read her emotions, she was happily munching on the cupcakes.