It was the moment they've been looking for, to be able to introduce their relationship to her parents and hope that everything goes well with it.
But plans aren't meant to be done a hundred percent, there is always a possibility that one thing could go wrong and that's what they are facing today.
"You sure I look fine?" Eric was anything but nervous, from his head to toe all he could feel was numbness spreading into every part of his body.
It was like the time where he was lectured by his father when he was young or that time where he and his friends were called to the council office except it was both and much intense.
"Yeah you do, just relax!" I held his hand, it was clammy and I could see a mile away how pale he looked.
He was dressed in a neat and simple white shirt coupled with smoke black slacks, his curly hair was trimmed to all sides and he even brought a fruit basket along the way. He looks like one of those geek characters in a movie except he doesn't have any glasses.
"So your first brother is Richard then Ronnel, Jhonnel, and the last one is Jhonrie" he mumbled once more, I heard him memorizing my brother's name the day I told him my mother wanted to see him.
"My brothers are kind, don't worry"
I'm sorry Eric, they're not good, it's only my eldest that is good but I don't think he would still give you any favorable impression seeing how you have snatched their baby sister away under their nose.
Soon, we reached our streets and I ultimately realized how much nosy the people here especially the tambay in every corner of our street.
"Ange, is it your boyfriend?"
"Eh! You have a boyfriend now!"
"Good luck young man, she has four brothers, I wish you the best!"
Those are just some of the remarks that I have heard from them and I just simply smiled at their questions and didn't give a definite answer. Meanwhile, the other kids yell and sang about my new relationship with Eric and I just speed my pace and fortunately, I am home before I feel myself shouting at them to stop.
"Ma, we're here!" I left my slippers out of our house as well as Eric before entering our home.
The moment I step inside four pairs of eyes stared at my face making the hairs of my skin raise, they followed each of our movements and in the corner of my eye, I saw Eric stiffening and giving a stiff smile from my brothers
"You're here now- Oh, you really don't have to!" My mother with her sense of good timing came and saw Eric's fruit basket.
"No, this is for you tita" although his voice was waving from high to low, he managed to say a sentence without stammering.
"You really- fine I'll take this then, have a seat!" She took the basket from Eric's outstretched hand and put it inside the kitchen.
As we were about to seat I notice once more the burning stare from my brothers and I pick up my shamelessness and ignore them which they didn't take nicely.
"Wow, I thought I was seeing things but it was really true, our baby sister has indeed got herself a boyfriend" his tone was filled with mockery and I just wanted to put chilis on Ronnel's mouth.
"You're not the only one thinking he's seeing a delusion" the third one agreed to the second brother and together the other two watched in suspicious eyes.
"Oh shush boys! Don't bully him!"
Thank you, mom, you truly are my mom.
Eric was sitting with his back straight and I could easily deduce his fear towards my brother since he hasn't look them in the eye for 3 seconds.
My mother was a wonderful conservationist, she made Eric feel welcome and diffused his nervousness which I was proud of, and when I thought that everything is fine and well, shit happens.
"Aunty! We heard that Ange brought back a boyfriend!"
"Aunty! Bring that boy who dared to abduct our cousin!"
I wanted to facepalm myself after seeing my cousins sprinting to our home and coming in uninvited and so I thought.
"Why are you all here?" My mother asked and I held Eric's hand underneath the table which I thought wouldn't be seen but I was wrong.
I heard my fourth brother coughing and saw his hawk-like eyes boring holes into our intertwined hands and released it after being stared at for too long.
"Kuya Richard called for backup- I mean he wanted us to see Ange's boyfriend"
"Really guys?" I glared at my brothers and felt bad for the miserable and hopeless look of Eric, it's as if he has already accepted his fate.
Now my brothers and male cousins have come into power and came to terms that they needed to interrogate him.
"Kuya, isn't that too much?" I appealed at them but was greeted with the sneer of my fourth brother Jhonrie.
"Why? Are you feeling distressed? Is he still a man if he tries to avoid this questioning?"
"Don't worry ange, I'll be fine" Eric answered but I knew he wouldn't be fine with all of those uncomfortable questions and suspicions are thrown at him.
I don't know what to feel whether to feel sad at his pitiful face or get angry at how my brothers treated him as an enemy.
Soon, he returned with a pallid face, it's as if his life has been sucked out of his body, his shoulders sagged low and he gave me a small smile before muttering.
"I did it"
***
Chapter 58 is up!
Fun fact: Eric was put into a hot seat by Ange's brothers and cousins.
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