"Kuya, I'm hungry na."
"Why did you have to go here, alam mo nang magugutom ka?"
"Sisilip lang ako."
"Ang hilig mong manilip. Paluin kaya kita diyan?"
I went to Clark's pad, and I found my Kuya here kasama ng buong barkada niya. They were doing a bunch of paperwork. And not just simple paperwork. As in, super daming paperwork na occupied halos buong library ni Clark.
I was hugging Kuya from behind. Doon ako nakasiksik sa likod niya habang pareho kaming nakaupo sa sahig.
They were reviewing so many papers na naaamoy ko pa lang, nakakawala na ng interes basahin.
They were talking about debts, accumulated income, audit trail, overstated inventory something-something, bad data, and millions of pesos na hindi raw nila sigurado kung saan temporary ilalagay until the auditing is through.
They sounded illegal, but I don't think naman na papasok si Kuya sa illegal things. I mean, Mum would kill him if he do so. I just waited kasi super busy nila.
"Kuya, Jaesie is looking for you."
"She can track me, bakit niya 'ko hahanapin?"
"Para nga silang nagbabalak ng war declaration ni Mum every time na nag-uusap sila sa garden. Hindi ka raw kasi nagtatagal kasama siya."
"Jae knows I don't do anything dirty behind her back."
"We all know that. Lagi kaya siyang may hawak na kutsilyo."
"Sab," Calvin called.
"Why?" I replied.
"Sino-sino pa ang mga naghahanap sa 'min?"
"Hmm . . ." I thought about that for a second. "Si Mel kay Pat?"
"Sino pa?"
"Aside from Jae and Mel, wala na akong kilala."
"Si Mum, may sinasabi?" Kuya asked.
"Mum is acting so weird these past few weeks."
"How weird?" Will asked.
"Like . . . parang ang lalim lagi ng iniisip niya, and she kept on checking her phone, or she would call someone."
"Si Daddy?" tanong ni Kuya.
"All I heard from Dad was . . ." I narrowed my eyes to recall what I heard from our father. "Parang sabi niya, hayaan na lang tayong dalawa."
"Hayaan saan?"
"I don't know. I don't understand them. Hindi naman sila mukhang nag-aaway ni Mum, but your mother looked so pissed for whatever reason."
I went back to hiding behind Kuya's back and hugged him tightly. Ang sarap-sarap yakapin ni Kuya, ewan ko kung bakit. Maybe kasi he's so bango. Or maybe because I couldn't hug anyone in his barkada while he was looking. I could hug Clark, but he was busy walking around and printing papers time after time.
"Sab, uwi ka nga sa 'tin," utos ni Kuya.
"Bakit na naman?" naiinis na sagot.
"Chikahin mo si Mum. Ask mo siya kung bakit siya naiinis."
"Ayaw! Baka pagalitan ako n'on!"
"Sige na, tanong mo lang."
"Ayaw."
"Bigyan kita fifty thousand."
"Eh?" Sinilip ko agad ang mukha ni Kuya. "Fifty?"
"Yeah."
"Sure?"
"Yeah," he repeated. "Tapos sabihin mo kay Jaesie, magbukas ng email."
"Text mo na lang!"
"Magse-send ako ng files."
"Nge?"
"Sige na, dali. Ako magbabayad ng pamasahe mo."
"Tapos babalik ako rito?"
"Uhm . . ." Tiningnan ni Kuya sina Patrick na nag-aabang ng sasabihin niya. "Ah, ganito. Once you talk to Mum, call me."
"Like . . . after I talk to Mum or tawagan kita before I go back here?"
"No! I mean . . ." Kuya took his phone and showed me. "You call me first. Then hide your phone from Mum. Tapos saka kayo mag-usap."
I narrowed my eyes at Kuya kasi . . . "That sounds so suspicious."
Kuya gave me his annoyed, bored face. "It doesn't."
"I'll call you but Mum shouldn't know that I'm calling you."
"Yeah, exactly."
"That's so shady, Kuya. Do you want me to spy on Mum?"
"That's not spying. I just want to know the degree of her anger."
"E di, ikuwento ko na lang!"
Kuya widened his eyes on the floor and pinched me on the cheeks. "I really don't know what genes you have, Sabrina!" Then he pointed his hands in the air to create directions. "You call me, then you hide your phone, then you talk to Mum about why she's mad. Once the talk is done, you come back to me and I'll give you the money."
I narrowed my eyes more. "Kuya, that sounds so illegal talaga. You'll listen to me while I chika with our Mum?"
"You're making me cry, Sab." He pinched the bridge of his nose and I looked at his barkada's reaction. Their faces were unexplainable, and I have no idea why they reacted like that.
"What if I talk to Mum then I'll reenact the conversation?"
Kuya sighed so deeply and hugged me tightly. He was tapping my head like a lost kid. "Sorry if I drank all of your milk when you were a kid. I shouldn't have done that."
I heard Patrick and Will giggle.
"Hayaan mo na lang kasi si Sab, dude," Clark said, and he just came back after he printed something sa printer niyang nakapuwesto malapit sa kitchen.
"I spent years of clearing my books, and Mum manages to pull one she wasn't supposed to see," Kuya said, and he was really talking about suspicious accounting things na hindi ko ma-gets. Not because I had no idea about the accounting or math, but because hindi ako expose sa scope na binabanggit ni Kuya and his barkada. Kung magka-idea man ako, ang kaya ko lang i-explain sa pinag-uusapan nila ay kung paano lilinisin ang discrepancies kasi hindi audited—pero may records sila.
And that was a lot shady kasi may records sila pero hindi audited. Meaning, it was there but . . . walang may alam na existing 'yon pero may nakakaalam nang existing 'yon ngayon. Ang pinoproblema nila ngayon ay kung paano iki-clear ang mga lumalabas na hindi audited para hindi na talaga siya audited.
Fuck, pati ako, hindi ko rin gets ang sinasabi ko. Basta!
Mum manages our money. Although she has the capability to trace and record everything, I couldn't remember Mum stealing our money. Si Daddy, kaya niyang i-regulate ang cash flows namin but mas strict si Mum sa auditing.
Hindi naman nagkulang si Mum sa reminder niya sa 'kin na huwag akong gastos nang gastos ng mga sinasahod ko, but it was too late for me to realize na ang bilis palang maubos ng pera. And now, umaasa ako sa free housing, free food, and free everything sa parents ko.
Wala akong work for now. Nasa warehouse ng parents ko ang laman ng boutique ko noon, and I was too lazy to arrange everything kasi wala akong pampasahod sa tao. Ongoing na rin ang termination ko sa Sun-Dias, and Kuya warned me na huwag akong babalik doon or else, he wouldn't talk to me anymore.
Tambay ako, basically, and hindi rin ako binibigyan ng allowance ng parents ko. If I need money, I have to work for it. Kaya nga kapag may ipinakukuha si Mum sa kung sino-sino, ginagawa niya akong delivery person. Babayaran niya ako according sa effort. Pinagagamit niya sa 'kin ang isa sa mga kotse niya, ako ang magda-drive, may kukunin akong item or package somewhere, then ibibigay ko sa kanya.
It was easier than expected kaso nakaka-stress kasi ang traffic kaya hindi rin super easy.
"Kuya, I want the fifty thousand," I said to Kuya, pouting at him.
"You do what I say para makuha mo yung pera."
"What if Mum caught me hiding my phone?"
"Magbulsa ka."
I looked at my clothes. Naka-denim shorts ako and fitted tee. "I can put my phone here sa pocket ko."
"Where's your phone?"
"Sa bahay."
"Bakit mo iniwan?"
"Mum's gonna trace me kaya, duh!"
Kuya repeatedly slapped my thigh para pakilusin ako. "Uwi ka na dali. Chikahin mo si Mum, tapos I'll give you the money pagbalik mo rito."
"If Mum finds out—"
"She shouldn't. Or else, pati ikaw pagagalitan."
"Kuyaaaa!" Ako na ang namalo sa kanya. "Natatakot ako."
"Huwag kang matakot, that's your mom."
"That's your mom too!"
"Nah, sa 'yo na mommy mo. Sige na, alis na."
"Ang gulo n'yo talagang dalawa," sabi ni Clark saka lumapit sa amin. "Pahiramin ko na lang ng kotse ko, dude."
"Parang mas mura pang mag-commute," Kuya said.
"Baka kasi harangin sa gate ng subdivision. Alam mo namang itatawag pa 'yan sa bahay n'yo bago papasukin."
"Oh sh—" Kuya waved his pointy finger at Clark. "I forgot about that part. Sige na, go."
"Fifty thousand ko, ha!"
"Oo nga. Gawin mo muna utos ko."
"Bye, kuya kong masungiiiit!" I kissed him hard sa right cheek hanggang sa muntik na kaming matumba sa floor. "Cash, ha!"
"Oo na."
Clark was offering his hand and I took it so he could pull me up.
I didn't know how urgent everything was, but they really were rushing things, and I highly doubt they could finish that sooner.
Clark brought me sa basement, and I really thought, aabutan lang niya ako ng susi then I'll go na. But after he closed the door, he pulled me behind the wooden wall sa likod ng staircase and kissed me on the cheek so hard—gaya ng ginagawa ko kay Kuya.
"Na-miss kita," bulong niya.
"Huy, akala ko, aalis na 'ko," paalala ko habang nakatingala sa kanya.
Instead of answering me, he pecked my lips several times and hugged me tightly.
He told me na magiging busy naman talaga sila before Leo's wedding, and I understood that. But I really felt loved right now kahit saglit lang, at patakas pa niya akong nilalambing habang nasa itaas lang si Kuya.
"I'll call Kuya then I'll talk to Mum, then I'll go back here," I reminded.
"Wait, listen . . ." He cupped my cheeks and stared me in the eyes. "Ganito ang gagawin mo . . ."
"Hmm?"
"Pahihiramin kita ng kotse."
"Okay?"
"Then go to Mat."
"To Mat? Why?"
"Iwan mo sa kanya ang kotse ko. Then use her phone. Tawag ka sa inyo, sabihin mo, naiwan mo ang phone mo sa bahay. Tell them you went to Mat's."
"Because?"
"Because you really miss her," his immediate answer.
"I didn't really miss her that much . . . but okay? Then?"
"Then magpahatid ka kay Mat pauwi kina Tita Tess."
"Then I'll ask Mum why she's mad?"
"Yeah."
"I'll go to Mat, papahatid ako sa kanya sa bahay, then I'll call Kuya while I talk to Mum."
"Yes, exactly."
"Is this even legal? I mean . . ." I slightly narrowed my eyes in confusion. "It's like . . . Kuya said he's not spying but it sounds like that."
"Well, actually, you will."
My mouth formed an 'o' and I widened my eyes in shock.
"Ang kailangan lang namin, malaman kung bakit nagagalit si Tita Tess."
"Why? Galit ba si Mum kay Kuya? Is this about the confidential thingy you said the last time?"
"Yeah, sort of."
"Is that legal?"
"Legal in a sense that it's economically functional transactions, kinda."
Lalong naningkit ang mga mata ko. Hindi ko naintindihan. "What does that mean?"
"It means it's functional pero hindi puwedeng malaman ni Tita."
"Because . . . ?"
"Because those are hidden accounts. At ayaw naming malaman ni Tita na may mga nakatago kaming pera."
"Oh my gosh . . . can I have a hidden account too? I don't want Mum seeing my money!"
"Gawin mo ang ipagagawa namin ng kuya mo tapos gagawan kita ng hidden account, deal?"
"Deal!"
"Very good." Clark took a key fob behind him and pushed a button. One of his cars beeped and the royal blue Camry opened its headlights. "Ingat ka sa biyahe."
Pinasakay na niya ako sa kotse at binuksan ang pintuan ng basement palabas. Lumapit pa siya sa driver's seat saka ako sinilip.
"I'll text Mat para hindi siya magulat na pupunta ka."
"Can I call you first before I call Kuya?"
"Sure." He kissed me on the lips for one last time and that made me smile so wide. "I love you."
I replied I love you too, but the kiss overwhelmed me kaya sa utak lang ako nakapag-respond. Nakangiti lang ako ng tumango sa kanya saka ako nag-drive paalis.
I looked so stupid grinning habang nagda-drive pa-northbound. Kilig na kilig ako habang iniisip na babalik pala ako sa bahay ni Clark mamaya pagkatapos kong kausapin si Mum.
I didn't open the car's music player, but the car beside me was playing music so loud that a few cars around us could hear.
"I'm stuck on you . . . been a fool too long I guess, it's time for me to come on home . . . guess I'm on my way . . ."
Kuya's doing things behind Mum's back, but he used to do that I guess. As long as hindi si Jaesie ang binibigyan niya ng problema, magiging okay lang siya.
"So hard to see that a woman like you could wait around for a man like me . . . guess I'm on my way . . ."
I was singing along the music habang pangiti-ngiti.
Wala akong phone so I had no idea if Mat was home. Good news, pagdaan ko sa bahay niya, nakaabang na siya sa labas. Clark told me earlier na tatawagan daw muna niya si Mat para hindi magulat na darating ako.
It was almost sunset and it was getting dark.
Mat opened the gate for the car kaya nag-park muna ako sa loob bago bumaba at salubungin siya.
"Mat!"
"Baby! How are you?" She gave me a bear hug and almost lifted me from the stone path of her yard.
"Hatid mo raw ako sa bahay," sabi ko sa kanya.
She rolled her eyes and pinched my nose. "May kalokohan na namang ginagawa ang mga kuya mo."
"They look like it," I seconded. "But anyway . . . I have to go home. Are you free?"
"As if may choice akong iba. Come on!" Mat opened the passenger seat door of her dashing rose-red Azera for me. The car smelled so sexy. Floral but with a kick. It was feminine but spicy. Something manly but girly at the same time. It was an exclusive scent she made for her and I still didn't know the formula until now.
"You seem happy, what's up?" Mat asked as she drove along the busy highway of Mandaluyong.
"Clark's being sweet to me," I said with a grin.
"Clark's always sweet naman basta pagdating sa 'yo, Sabby."
"He's not kaya!"
"Oooh! What's with the maarte 'He's not kaya!' thing?" She grinned at me. "You like him na? Like, romantically?"
"Uhm . . ." I tried to hide my smile pero hindi talaga maalis sa labi ko. "We're taking it slowly. But we're aready there."
"Oh! That's nice!"
"Uy, anyway." Pumaling ako paharap sa kanya. "Lumalabas pa rin kayo ni Will?"
"The last time we went on a date was last Valentine's Day pa."
"What about recently?"
She shrugged and was kinda disappointed. I saw her reaction go even sadder. "Busy raw siya, e. I don't know. He's updating naman, but we barely go out na."
Sasabihin ko sanang i-dump na niya si Will but then, I realized . . .
"He is," I said. "Ganyan din si Kuya kay Jaesie saka si Mel kay Patrick."
"How did you know?" she asked.
"Because they're really busy."
"Busy about?"
"Busy about Leo's wedding. They're fixing something before Leo's wedding."
"Sabi nga rin ni Will. But I doubt what it was kasi mahabang kuwento raw."
"I tried to check what it was na ginagawa nila kaya sila busy, and they're doing accounting shits."
"Accounting?"
"Yeah. Kuya showed me yung pinagkaka-busy-han nila ng barkada niya, and it's something na nakakabobo i-analyze. Like, super daming papers, as in."
"Will said it's about accounting too," Mat said, and her tone suddenly shifted a little higher. "Wow, I thought he was lying because he hates math."
"You like math like Kuya, di ba?"
"As long as its geometry and Algebra, no issues."
"Same, though." I could understand things about math basta geometry. But if someone's gonna ask me about the missing peso in debit-credit thingy, baka sagutin ko lang sila ng abonohan ko na lang yung piso.
We headed sa gate sa Dasma, and the guard stopped Mat's car para tanungin habang ini-inspection ang ilalim ng kotse kung may something ba.
"Saan sila, ma'am?"
"Dardenne," Mat replied.
"Hi, Kuya Arnel!" I greeted.
"Ay, si Ma'am Sab pala ito. Sige po, pasok na kayo."
The guards in this place are strict. At kahit pa nakilala ako ng guard, naabutan pa namin ni Mat na pinagpasa-pasahan nila ng ibang guard ang balitang ako raw ang sakay ng pulang Azera na may ganitong plate number nang ganitong oras. Of course, itatawag na naman 'yon kay Mum.
Oh! I forgot to tell Mat na tatawagan pala dapat muna namin si Mum before we headed here.
Hayaan na nga. Paderetsuhin ko na lang si Mat sa bahay.
Clark told me na spying daw ang gagawin ko. Not the kind of spying that I have to wear a black spandex suit and laser whatevers. All I need is a phone and call Kuya while I speak to our mother.
It was less thrilling than jumping from a tower like Tom Cruise, but okay?
Pagpasok na pagpasok sa mansiyon, tumakbo agad ako papunta sa second floor para kunin ang phone ko. Ni hindi ko na nga inisip si Mat na naiwan ko sa front door. After I took my phone sa nightstand, nag-text ako kay Clark na nakauwi na 'ko kasama si Mat. Nagsuot pa ako ng hoodie para may bulsa ang damit ko na hindi super baba sa shorts.
Nagmamadali ulit akong bumaba at binalikan si Mat.
"I'll talk to Mum, tara!" Iniyakap ko ang braso ko kay Mat saka o pasimpleng tinawagan si Kuya. Sinagot naman niya kaya nag-lock muna ako ng phone para hindi ko mapindot ang ibang button habang nasa loob ng sweater ang phone ko.
We headed sa garden and I saw Jaesie there, kausap na naman si Mum.
"Hi Tita!"
"Mat, my favorite darling!" From Mum's evil aura, nagbagong bigla ang mood niya at naging masaya na.
Lumapit kami sa garden table kung nasaan sila ni Jaesie. Nagbeso pa silang dalawa at tiningnan siya ni Mum mula ulo hanggang paa. "You're getting prettier."
"And so are you, Tita." Mat smiled so sweetly and shifted her gaze at Jaesie. "Hello, Jae! How are you?"
Jae just smiled, but her facial expression screamed, "Huwag ka nang magtanong, nabubuwisit ako."
"Magkasama kayo ni Sabrina?" Mum asked, and she let Mat sat down sa isa sa garden chairs. Nakiupo rin ako kahit hindi ako inaalok.
"Yes, Tita," Mat casually answered. "Actually, we're talking about Clark."
"Mat!" I yelled, and I tried to sound annoyed pero mas mukha akong nagpapakipot sa tono ng boses ko.
I checked Mum's face. 'Yon bang bigla kong mararamdaman na excited siya kasi nababanggit si Clark, at matutupad na ang plano niyang kasal namin ng favorite child niya. But all we got was a bored face from here—which was really suspicious.
"'Guess everyone's busy," Mat continued.
"You think so?" Jaesie asked, annoyed and keeping her anger down.
"Girl, bad mood ka?" Mat joked.
"Busy kasi masyado asawa niya," sagot ko.
"Oh," Mat's only answer and did a zipping sign on her lips.
"Lagi namang busy si Kuya," sabi ko. "Mas weird kapag hindi siya busy."
"Hindi nagba-block ng calendar ang kuya mo, Sabrina," naiiritang sagot ni Mum sa 'kin.
"You can clean naman his calendar, di ba, Mum?"
"Paanong lilinisin ang schedule kung wala ngang laman ang schedule! Wala ka bang isip!" singhal ni Mum sa 'kin.
"Maybe they're just practicing their intermission number for Leo's wedding."
"Nag-practice din sila noong wedding namin, Sabrina," Jaesie responded. "Nag-practice din sila noong wedding ni Pat. Nakapag-Cebu pa nga kami kahit may practice sila."
"Hindi mambababae si Kuya, for sure," sagot ko.
"Sana mambabae na lang siya para may mapaglalabasan ako ng inis ko!" sigaw ni Jaesie sa 'kin.
"Wait! Bakit kayo nagagalit sa 'kin? I'm just asking, come on!" naiinis na ring sagot ko sa kanila kasi ako ang sinisigawan, e wala naman akong kasalanan dito, nagtatanong lang ako.
"So you know where Ronie is?" Mat curiously asked Jae.
"Nandoon lang siya kina Leo at Clark. Whole day! Hindi gumagalaw ang map niya!"
"Is this about the wedding?"
"Hindi ko alam," tanong ni Jaesie sa mas mababa nang tono.
"You know where's Kuya, Mum?" I asked.
"You heard your sister-in-law," she said.
"Wala namang nakakagalit doon, bakit ganyan kayo mag-react?" sabi ko sa kanya.
Jaesie crossed her arms and looked at me as if she would slap me if I attempt to say another word again.
"Ang kuya mo, hindi 'yan basta-basta gumagawa ng mga bagay na hindi niya pinag-iisapang mabuti, Sabrina," Jaesie told me, which a fact I already know, matagal na. "If he cleared his calendar, it wasn't an impulsive decision. Hindi 'yon basta binura lang niya kasi moody lang siya at trip lang niyang magbura ng appointments and important meetings."
"They're preparing sa wedding ni Leo. That sounds fair naman, though."
"Hindi wedding of the year ang wedding ni Leo para linisin ng kuya mo ang schedule niya, Sabrina," Mum added.
"So, galit kayo kay Kuya," sabi ko.
"Ang gusto namin, mag-explain siya kung bakit may mga nakikita kami na wala naman noon sa records niya," Mum said, and that gained another suspicion from me.
"This is not about the calendar, right?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Money issues ba 'to?"
Jaesie and Mum sat up straight and their mood suddenly changed na parang may sinabi akong ayaw nilang sagutin. Nawalang bigla ang galit nila at nag-iwas ng tingin.
"That's Kuya's money. May prenup agreement sina Jaesie and Kuya, right?" I reminded them.
"Sabrina, we don't care about your Kuya's money kung saan niya gustong gastusin," Jaesie replied. "Our concern is where he got those funds."
"Super sipag ni Kuya. Kaya niyang kumita ng maraming pera."
"I doubt na may work na ang kuya mo when he was just eighteen. Second year college pa lang siya n'on."
Eighteen?
Nasa US pa 'ko n'on, wala akong idea.
"Baka may part-time si Kuya that time," depensa ko. "May certificate na siya ng HRS when he was sixteen, di ba, Mum?"
"Wala siyang payslip, at walang bobong kompanya ang pasasahurin ang kuya mo ng kalahating milyon sa isang buwan lang kahit 24 hours siyang mag-waiter araw-araw."
"Kalahating milyon? For one month? Saan 'yan?" curious na tanong ko kasi parang gusto ko rin.
"Sabrina!" sita ni Mum sa 'kin.
"I'm just asking!" Half a million for a month. Wow! Kuya must be that smart to earn that money.
"Baka glitch lang ng system, Tita," Mat defended.
"Mathilda, my dear, as much as I wanted to consider that as a system error, I couldn't," Mum calmly explained. "I double-checked some records sa mga Lauchengco, and even Bobby told me na kahit si Leopold, may mga perang itinatago na hindi namin alam. That money came from the same sources. And those sources produce untrusted funds."
"Same sources means?" I asked.
"Kaya nga gusto kong makausap ang kuya mo para malaman ko!" sigaw ni Mum sa 'kin at dinuro pa ako. "Hindi ako naging mahigpit sa inyo, Sabrina. Hinayaan ko ang kuya mo noong nag-aaral pa siya dahil alam kong alam na niya ang ginagawa niya. Tapos malalaman kong may mga itinatago siya sa amin ng daddy niya!"
"Maybe Kuya's just—" Kahit ako, nawawalan ng sasabihin. Hindi ko na naiintindihan. OMG. "Did he sell one of our properties without your knowledge?"
"Nasa bangko ang lahat ng papeles, Sabrina. Pinalampas na namin noon na muntik nang makulong ang kuya mo dahil kay Leopold, pero hindi ito!"
"WHOA!"
"MUM! WHAT?"
"TITA?"
"WAIT! HOLD UP! WAIT!"
Then the whole table became a mess after Mum dropped that unexpected news about Kuya.
"Mum, can you—" Jaesie was shocked, she couldn't even complete her words. "Rico is what?"
"I want to talk to all of them—sila nina Leopold. Now!"
Mabilis akong umalis sa garden, at pagpasok na pagpasok sa bahay, tinutok ko agad ang phone ko sa tainga.
"Kuya! Ano yung sinasabi ni Mum?" I yelled but in lower voice.
"Go back doon, Sab."
"No! Ano yung sinasabi ni Mum na muntik ka nang makulong?"
"Just—it's a long story. Balik ka doon, dali!"
"Ayoko! Explain mo muna yung sinasabi ni Mum!"
"Ugh! Fine. Nag-club kami before, tapos nagkaroon ng drug raid."
"Nagda-drugs ka? Kuya, how dare you?!"
"No! Of course, not! Naniningil lang kami ng utang doon sa club."
"Mum said you have money during college na hindi galing sa kanila. Where did you get that?"
"Sab . . ."
"I want that too!"
"Sab, I'm already 32, kailan pa 'yon!"
"Clue na lang. I need money!"
"You go back to Mum, then I'll give you money."
"Are you bribing me?"
"You go back or you got nothing."
"Mum wants to talk to you and the rest of your barkada. Lagot ka kay Mum, Kuya. She's fuming mad."
"Just—fine! Uuwi na lang ako, sabihin mo, maghintay."
"Okay." The call ended.
Wow. Is this what Clark told me before? Ganito ka-worse para magkagulo kaming lahat?
Kuya must ready himself. Dalawang witch ang galit sa kanya ngayon pag-uwi niya.
♥♥♥