Masaya kaming kumain. Nagkukwentuhan sila ng kapatid ko na kung titingnan ay parang mas close pa sila. Hindi kasi ako makasabay, puro modelling at agency ang naririnig ko eh hindi naman ako nagmomodel. Hanggang photoshoot for basketball ad sa newspaper, and page ng school lang ako. Malimit sa magazines. So sometimes I wonder why a lot of people know me and still want to take pictures with me despite that I don't often get interviewed for sports channel and matunog lang ang name ko kapag may nagawa akong kalokohan or maybe it's because of my girlfriend's popularity?
Sa pagkukwentuhan nila ay nalaman ko ring sikat na pala itong kapatid ko sa pagmomodel at cover pa ng isang sikat na magazine.
"Bakit 'di mo sinabi sa akin?" biglang tanong ko rito dahilan para magulat silang dalawa.
"Last month pa 'yon ate, eh busy ka naman at laging puyat sa study and training kaya hindi na tayo nagkakakitaan dito sa bahay" tumango-tango ako sa sagot niya.
Totoo naman 'yong sinabi niya, I often have sleepless nights due to school requirements at pagod rin ako sa training. So when there's chance to sleep, I locked myself in my room.
"Well congrats, I guess that's something to celebrate" sabi ko rito habang nag-iisip for her party.
"Celebrate?"
"Yeah. Isabay na lang natin sa birthday ko next month, invite your friends if there's any"
"Of course I have friends!-
"Birthday?"
Sabay nilang sabi ni Alexa. I never celebrated my birthday since Stella and I broke up, actually nalimutan ko na nga kung kailan and maybe this is the right time since I can no longer describe myself like my name.
"Yes, love birthday" sagot ko kay Alexa.
Takang tiningnan niya ako, maybe thinking how did she miss it.
"Hindi pa kita nilalandi that time" birong sagot ko.
"So nilandi mo pala si ate Alexa" singit ni Kate na nang-aasar ang tono.
"Syempre biro lang 'yon. Your ate Alex seduced me" I chuckled when Alexa pinched my waist. Hindi niya naman ako inakit, sadyang nakakaakit talaga siya.
Parang hindi naman naniniwala ang kapatid ko nang tingnan ko ito.
"Ikaw pa Ate, eh may rumor ngang pafall ka" sabi nito dahilan para manlaki ang mata ko.
Tumawa naman ang mahal ko at hindi natuloy ang pagsubo sa pagkain niya. "It's not a rumor Kate" sabi nito at umismid sa 'kin.
"I'm just caring" I reasoned out.
I never intended someone to fall for me, I just want a friend. So when someone started liking me back then, I leave 'cause somehow I feel betrayed. It feels like they just tired themselves hearing me out just to show they're with me. For years wala akong ibang bukambibig kung hindi si Stella, but no one ever listened to my stories about her before and in the end isusumbat lang nila na sila lagi 'yong nand'yan.
"Naku ate baka kasi mahilig kang magbigay ng wrong signals"
I looked at Alexa, asking if tama ba 'yong sinabi ng kapatid ko. Does being caring sends wrong signals? 'Cause until now blurry pa rin 'yong reason why she fell for me.
"Sometimes" ngumiti siyang pang-asar saka tumingin kay Kate bago magpatuloy. "But your big sis is right, she's just caring and totally sweet. Parang laging perfect timing 'cause she's there whenever I needed someone to lean on" she smiled at me and faced Kate again. "kahit na nga ba natural lang 'yong pagkicare at mga pick up lines niya, I still fell for her" she smiled genuinely as if what she told us is one of her stories she wanna tell everyone.
Chapter 56
Start from the beginning
