Brother
But those memories inside my head immediately vanish when I heard the familiar voice that came out from nowhere. Lahat na naramdamang takot kanina ay nawala na para'ng bula nang marinig ang kan'yang boses. Tila iyon ang pampakalma sa pandinig ko.
"What are you doing, kuya?" I suddenly turned back when I heard Silas deep voice from the back.
Ngunit hindi ko siya Makita dahil sa nakaharang na matangkad na lalaki sa aking harapan. Nakangisi ito sa akin at mahigpit ang hawak sa siko ko. Sinubukan kong alisin ang pagkakahawak niya sa akin ngunit mas lalo lamang iyong humigpit dahilan para mapapikit ako ng mariin.
"You're not that beautiful compared to those girls that Silas dated. So, what trick that you use to my brother? To be whipped like this?" He asked in a playful tone.
"Don't talk nonsense to her, kuya!" Silas stood in front of me and he harshly take off the arms of his brother on me.
My mouth parted, he hide me on my back like protecting me from any danger coming. Even I can't see his expression from the back I can tell that he's mad for what's happening. I can feel it from his hand the way he hold my hands. My eyes shifted to our hands— we are holding hands. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya roon. I caress his palms trying to calm him down.
"Relax bro, I'm just asking her what did she do to you. I'm not doing anything to her. At kung sakali meron mang siguraduhin kong hindi na iyon makakarating pa sayo." He slowly tap Silas shoulder.
Dinungaw niya ako sa likod at nag wink pa sa'kin bago umalis. Then Silas turned to when he make sure that his brother already left the place. Doon ko lang din napansin na hindi pala ako humihinga habang nag-uusap silang dalawa ng kapatid nito. Silas notice my hands trembling.
"You okay?" He asked me I can see the worry in his eyes while scanning my whole face.
I smile at him and nodded to ease the worry in his face. But the reality my heart were racing because of fear. His brother might look playful but I can see the dagger states from him. Para bang ipinahihiwatig niya sa mga titig sa akin na kapag may ginawa akong bagay na hindi nito magugustuhan ay hindi siya magdadalawang isip na gawan ako ng masama.
"Don't mind what he said. Let's go to the library." Paanyaya ni Silas.
Nagsimula na itong maglakad sa mahabang hallway kaya sumunod na rin ako sa kan'ya. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na nandito ako sa bahay nila. when I met Silas, I really expected their house to be big because it was obvious that he came from a rich family, but I didn't expect it to be so big. Hanggang ngayon ay namamangha pa rin ang mga mata ko habang pinagmamasdan ang buong paligid.
I stop stepping when my eyes notice a big landscape painting. My mouth gaped, it's their family painting hanging on huge wall where we are walking. By just simply looking at it you could feel intimidated of their posture. Silas parents were seating on the french style sofa with their serious yet cold expression. While Silas and his two siblings were at the back of the sofa standing.
Silas were on right side while the man I saw while ago were on the left side. Then a beautiful and white woman was in the middle. His two brothers were not smiling but the woman was smiling widely the two were just in a poker face. I notice that she is only smiling on the painting. She looks carefree and happy go lucky type of person.
Iyong tao idadaan na lang sa ngiti ang problema. Masyado akong tutok sa painting kaya hindi ko na napansin ang paglapit no Silas sa tabi ko. I just aware of his arrival when he speak.
"That's Ate Haide our oldest sibling. She was taking her med school at UST." He mumbled.
My gaze shifted to him. Nakatingin din ito sa painting tulod ko kanina. Mariin ang titig niya at makikita ang kulungkutan sa mga mata nito habang nakatitig ito sa painting. His sight turned to me so our eyes met.
"She's gorgeous like your mother." I uttered.
He smiled at me.
"Yeah. She's also kindhearted. I'm pretty sure she will like you if you two meet." I could see the glow in his eyes while he was talking about his sister.
Tumigil kami ni Silas sa paglalakad sa mahabang pintuan. It was a black french style long door. Silas open the door and motion me to go inside. Mariin ang hakbang ko papasok sa loob. My mouth fell open when I stepped in. The huge set of bookshelfs welcome my sight. I was mesmerized by what I am seeing.
Halos hindi makapaniwala ang aking mga mata sa nakikita sa palagid. The whole place was full of books. Nakapalibot sa aking harapan ang iba't ibang uri ng libro. I glanced at Silas who is busy looking at my reactions. His lips pursued, he came near to me.
"My sister used to go to this place everyday during his college. Halos araw-araw siyang narito lalo na kapag merong gumugulo sa isipan. Just like you she love reading books. That's the reason why Dad made her a library." Silas muttered.
I can see the shine in his eyes whenever he talks about his sister. She must be good and an awesome sister. Kaya ganoon na lang ang mukha ni Silas kapag nagkekwento ito.
Kitang-kita ko ang pagmamahal niya rito kahit hindi pa man niya sabihin sa akin. You could tell it by his eyes and face while talking.
"Do you miss her?" I didn't take off my eyes from him waiting him to answer my question.
Nakita ko na natigilan siya sa aking tanong. I saw his mouth open but there's no came out any words from it and it he closed it when he realize I'm staring at him. Napabuntong hininga ito at saka iniwas ang tingin sa akin. I feel that he doesn't want to talk about it that's why I just keep my mouth shout. There's must be happened between them. Kaya ganoon na lamang ang reaksiyon niya.
Napapikit ako nang mariin. Shit! I shouldn't ask him that! I thought he wouldn't answer my question but my lips parted in shock when he respond. Mabilis na nagbukas ang aking mga mata nang marinig ang sagot ni Silas.
"I m-miss h-her so much... everyday. She was my only ally in this house. She always defend me from mom and kuya... Kaya nong umalis siya masyado akong nalungkot. I was devastated but I just keep it from myself because I know my parents will never understand me for feeling that way..." He gaped.
Nakaramdam ako ng lungkot ng makita ang namumulang mata nito habang sinasabi iyon. I could felt his sadness in his voice. He genuinely care for his big sister. And I hope I could experience that too on my sister but I know it's impossible to happen. Eonoah hate me from the bottom of her heart. Hindi na iyon magbabago pa. At sasaktan ko lang ang sarili ko kapag umaasa pa ako na magbabago pa ang pakikitungo niya sa akin.
I stepped near him and slowly tap his back. My heart ached for what his parents treating him. Silas doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from his family. I wonder what happened why his mom and him we're not in good terms?
"I'm sure she miss you too. I could tell that she's nice person because she took care of you well." I mumbled.
"Yeah. You can read here I'll leave you here for now. I have something important to do. Message me if you need anything I'm just on the ground floor. I will go back here later to take you home."
"Okay." I release a wider smile while looking at him leaving the room.
I heaved a deep breath before I go near the bookshelf full of books. Hindi mawala ang kamangha sa nakikita ng aking dalawang mata. Tumingala ako sa ibabaw para pagmasdan sa ibabaw ang iba pang mga libro. Sobrang taas ng bookshelfs doon siguro mas mataas pa iyon kahit doblehin ang height ko.
Nagsimula akong humakbang habang ang kamay at nasa libro. Pinasadahan ko ang kabuuan ng kwarto. Haide must be loved by his daddy too much. Kaya nagawa siyang pagawaan ng ganoon kalaki na library.
My hand stopped on a book that caught my attention. I stared at it. I'm curious what kind of book is this all about? I carefully took it out from the old bookcase.
"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
a Novel by Stieg Larsson. This is interesting, huh." I muttered.
Naglakad ako papunta sa puting sofa at umupo roon ng comfortable. Na hook ako agad sa title pa lang nito kaya iyon ang napili kung unang basahin. There's so many choices of books here I want to go back here even just in this room.
I think I've been in the library for five hours but I didn't feel bored inside maybe because I am surrounded by books. I already finish 4 different books before Silas came to pick me up. I just remembered that he said earlier that I was unconscious for a few days, sodid I stay here in their house while I was still unconscious? But did his parents agree to that?
Pababa na kaming dalawa sa malawak na hagdanan nang tiningnan ko siya. He stop walking and immediately turned his gaze to me maybe he felt me staring at him that's why. Kunot ang noo nito nang bumaling siya sa gawi ko kaya napahinto rin ako.
"What?"
"Ilang araw ba ako walang malay? At saan ako nag stay nong wala pa akong malay? Dito ba sa bahay niyo? Hindi ba nagalit ang mga magulang mo?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kan'ya.
He cleared his throat before he answer my questions.
"You were unconscious for fiv—"
"Ganoon katagal?" Hindi makapaniwala kong tanong.
Nakita ko ang pagkakamot nito sa ulo na tila nayayamot sa akin. He heaved a deep long sigh.
"Let me finish my words before you but in. You are so rude Eris." He mumbled.
Namula naman ang pisnge ko sa sinabi nito. Magsasalita pa sana ako pero pinili ko na lang na maging tahimik dahil sa sinabi niya sa akin. I rolled my eyes.
"You stay here in the house while you are heading your wounds. My parents doesn't know about it. They're not here during that days but my brother knows it." He added.
"But why did I stay here? Not in the hospital?" I asked confusedly.
Hindi ba dapat nasa hospital ako ng mga oras na iyon kaya bakit dito ako dinala ni Silas sa bahay nila? At anong nangyari sa lalaking iyon? Did he got in jail? I hope so. He suits him inside the jail because of what he did to me.
"I'm so worried to you that I can't entrust you to the hospital that's why you stayed at home. I'm scared that something might happen again to you. You know I have a feelings to you right? I'm afraid that I might lose you."
What? He has a feelings for me? I thought he was playing?
"I know you may not trust me fully because of my past but Eris my intention to you were pure and genuine. Give me 1 month I will provide it to you if you don't believe me. Let me court you."
Pagkatapos ang usapang iyon ay hinatid ako ni Silas sa bahay. Hindi pa raw nakauwi sa bahay ang tatlo sabi ni Manang Silya nang dumating ako sa bahay. Mabuti na lamang at hindi pa sila nakauwi dahil hindi ko alam ang irarason sa kanila kung sakali. Kung bakit hindi ako nakauwi ng limang araw.
I couldn't answer when Silas said those words I was too stunned to speak. What happened today did not let me sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about it even in my sleep. Lalo na ang parte kung saan sinabi nito payagan ko siya na ligawan ako.