CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Little Ger
AROUND 2 am, my phone started ringing, jerking me awake.
Who the hell would call at this hour?
My hand lazily reached out my phone from the side table.
"What?" inis kong sagot sa tawag saka ako naghikab.
There was a slight pause before a husky voice said, "Hi."
I bolted upright, knowing whose voice was that. There's no need to ask who the hell he was because I recognized his voice very well.
"How did you get my number?" I growled in frustration. I was avoiding him for Pete's sake and now he's calling me! Well, I really didn't avoid him. I had actually thought of him almost every day, but that didn't change the fact that I was annoyed with his existence!
"Relax, little Ger. We need to talk."
"Stop calling me that. I have a name!"
"I know."
"Do you not sleep? Why are you calling me at this hour?" masungit na sabi ko.
"Because you'll probably get mad and I really loved the idea of that."
I immediately rolled my eyes the moment he said that. Gustong gusto niya talagang iniinis ako. Hindi pa rin siya nagbabago.
I haven't seen this day coming; him calling me over the phone. We weren't that close or anything. To me, he's just a jerk and a former classmate.
"Now talk," I demanded, because I badly wanted to go back to sleep. Kailangan ko pang gumising mamaya nang maaga para tulungan 'yong student council sa pag-organize ng Christmas Ball.
"About my brother . . ." panimula niya.
Natahimik ako nang sabihin niya iyon.
"Gusto ko lang malaman mo na bago siya lumipat sa De Grande, he had a life here in Belle Ville."
Napataas bigla ang kilay ko. "And why are you telling me this?"
"Because he's probably missing the life he had here in Belle Ville. And only you can lead him back here."
"Sorry, what? Bakit ako? Ilang araw niya na nga akong hindi kinakausap. Tapos lagi pa siyang nagagalit at naiirita sa 'kin. Hindi ko siya maintindihan."
Mahina siyang natawa. "Hindi mo pa siguro 'to alam, and hindi niya rin alam mismo sa sarili niya, but I'm hundred percent sure that he's in love with you."
I scoffed. "Cringe."
He took a sharp intake of breath. "Excuse me?" he said in outrage. Okay, now he's definitely back. The hot headed and short-tempered Dest Guatamyel. Hindi pa rin talaga siya nagbabago.
"How would you even know if someone's in love when you, yourself, don't know how to love?" I argued, raising a brow as if he could see me right now.
"Are you flirting with me, little Ger?" He laughed at the thought.
"W-what?" I scoffed in disbelief.
"It sounds like you want to be loved by me. Did I get that right?"
I growled in frustration. This guy was really so full of himself! Grabe! Walang palya. Ganiyan siya palagi sa 'kin lalo na no'ng kaklase ko pa siya!
"My apologies, little Ger. I'm different from my brother. Stealing his girl isn't in my dictionary."
Wow. So talagang aware nga siya tungkol kina Helix at Pauline, huh.
"Shut up, Dest."
I heard a small laugh coming from him. Yeah, right. He used to laugh like that everytime he succeeded in annoying the hell out of me. Bakit nga ba hindi pa ako nasanay? Tss.
"Seriously, though. Pinagyayabang nina Dad kung paano mo napaaamo si Helix. And that's fucking rare."
I flopped back in bed with a grunt. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, now what?" taas kilay kong tanong.
"Go back to sleep and I'll pick you up once you're up."
Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "No, you won't."
"Yes, I definitely will."
"Why are you suddenly being like this?" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ko. Bakit ba bigla-bigla siyang umaalis nang walang paalam tapos bigla-bigla rin siyang nagpaparamdam na parang walang nangyari? Ni hindi niya nga ako pinansin no'ng libing ni Pauline.
Napabuntonghininga ako no'ng maalala ko 'yon.
"Because I still have hope for my brother."
Bigla akong natahimik.
Dest Guatamyel might have been the worst person I've ever met, but after hearing those words from him, I think I was wrong about him. Maybe I knew nothing about Dest at all.
Maybe . . . he was really a good guy.
***
Voices that seemed to be arguing woke me up. It made me curious to see what's going on, so I headed downstairs.
May malaking bag na dala-dala si Ger habang nakasandal lang sa pader si dad at pinagmamasdan si Gerald.
"What's going on?" I intruded.
Bahagyang napatingin sa 'kin si Gerald. "Ask Dad," he replied, clenching his jaw.
"Dad?" I called him. His eyes immediately shifted to me.
"Starting today, your brother will live with your mom."
Nanlaki ang parehong mga mata ko. "What? No!"
"Your mom wants Gerald."
"And why would you give her what she wants? She left us!" I groaned in disbelief.
The set up we have right now is much better for me, for all of us. But taking Gerald away from us? It's too much!
"And why did you agree? You promised you'll never leave me," I asked Gerald. He said a lot of times that he'd always stay by my side. He said he won't leave me like mom. He said he won't go away.
With shaky hands, I covered my face when tears started to fall from my eyes.
"Why does everyone leave?" My voice cracked.
"Do you really think I want to live with mom?" Ger said.
"Whatever, Ger. Just leave already!" I yelled, marching back to my room.
I did my morning routine and called Kath to pick me up. I didn't want to be late for school. They're probably waiting for me to go help them prepare for tonight's Christmas Ball.
When I heard the horn from outside, I immediately got up and walked out of the house, but was shocked to see that Kath's car was not the one parked in front of our house.
Few seconds later, the car window opened and my eyes almost popped out when I saw Dest.
Napatitig talaga ako sa kanya nang matagal. Something changed from his appearance. I think it's his brushed up black hair. He used to leave that messy all the time.
"Hop in, little Ger," he said, and his brown eyes met mine.
Annoyed, I rolled my eyes. I almost forgot about that damn call. Bakit nga ba nakalimutan ko 'yong bagay na 'yon?
Bigla-bigla siyang lumilitaw sa harapan ko. Akala ko pa naman ay hindi niya na ako guguluhin kahit kailan.
"Do you really want me to go out and carry y—"
"Shut up, Dest," I complained, leaving me no choice but to get inside his damn car.
Being in a car with Dest didn't feel comfortable at all. I haven't seen him for six months, but still I immediately recognized the change in his hair. I can't deny the fact that he turned out to be hotter than he already was.
"Stop drooling over me."
I broke out of my trance and immediately looked away.
"Missed me, little Ger?" He grinned.
"When will you stop calling me that?" I said impatiently. Did I look like a small version of Gerald? And what does that make me? I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
"It depends," he replied.
"You're annoying."
"I'm well aware of that."
"Where are we going?" I changed the topic.
"Belle Ville."
"What? Hindi puwede! I have to attend the Christmas Ball tonight."
"It's just a Christmas Ball."
"And it's my junior year," I argued.
"And it's Helix we're talking about here. Are you in or not?"
Bakit niya ba 'to ginagawa sa 'kin?
With a frustrated sigh, I closed my eyes. "Count me in."
~
T I A N A V I A N N E