Jeric’s POV
“I refused my friend invitation because of you, Bro.” I told Jeron. As I drive off to Arena for cheer dance competition.
“Why so gay, bro?” he teasingly answered.
The truth is.. Maddison invited me to watch UAAP cheer dance with her but Jeron asked me first so, I have to be with my brother instead of her.
“Gay, your face. You really don’t know that I missed a big chance today.” I said and can’t help but to smile. I know, it sounds so gay but sorry, I was just thinking about her every time I smiled.
“Are you in drugs?”
“Of course not. Why did you ask?” I answered him and stop the car as the traffic light turn red.
“You’re weird. Bigla-bigla ka na lang ngumi-ngiti.”
“Sira! I’m just happy because…”
“Inlove ka, bro!” He instantly screamed and continued teasing me. “Inlove ka nga, bro! Yun O! Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Inlove? Hahaha! Wala ata niyan sa vocabulary ko.” I awkwardly answered.
I’m inlove? Kanino naman? Hypocrite! Syempre kay Maddison my mind told me. No, I’m not, Maddison is a friend and nothing else. I’m always exultant when I’m with her but it doesn’t mean that I have feelings for her. She’s like my lil sister. Liar!
“You’re in denial stage now but its okay. Sooner or soonest, you’ll find out your true feelings for that certain girl.” Si mang Kanor ba kasama ko? Where is my brother? Anong alam naman ni Jeron sa mga advice na ganito. He had totally grown up well. I didn’t answer him because I started the engine.
“I’m in the same stage as you are, bro.” he seriously said. I looked at him for a while and I caught him smiling in nowhere. How long did I not see that smile?
“Really?”
“Arrgg. I don’t know. Basta naguguluhan ako ngaun. She’s different.. hmm. How do I describe her?” I was stunned what Jeron’s doing, he’s like a kid that wanted to pee and can’t find a comfort room.
“Basta ang hirap niya intindihin. Ayaw niya nga lumabas kaming dalawa. We’re just texting each other. ” He leaned nearer to me. “Do you get it, bro?”
“You’re in love with your text mate?” I asked him.
“She’s not my text mate, I already meet her but not in a good way. And to clear I’m not inlove with her, nacchallenge lang ako sa kanya.”
He just said a while ago that he’s in the same stage as mine and now what? Tsk. No doubt, he’s my brother. And this is the first time Jeron opened up a topic about girl, back when he was eight when he told us that he’s in love with his childhood friend.
“Naka move-on ka na ba sa first love mo?”
“Who? Joanna?” he answered. Joanna was his former girlfriend.
“No. I was talking about your childhood friend.”
He stares me and remembering something. “O si Addi ba?”
“Yupp. First love mo un diba?”
“Let’s not talk about her, nawala na lang siya ng bigla and it hurts me so much.” He stated in a sad tone. I knew it. Sorry for opening up topic like this, bro.
----
“Mga Dude, kumusta?”
“Ito mga pogi pa din.” Jeron gives Keifer a fist bump and brotherly hug. Keifer and Jeron have been friends since they had their first game, way back when they are on high school. They’ve hangout sometimes.
“Yabang mo talaga Teng!” he said and leaded us to our seat.
“Oops. Be careful Keifs, dalawa kaming Teng dito baka maano kita.” I told him jokingly.
“Sorry kuya Jeric.” He awkwardly responded. Unlike Jeron, me and Keifer are not that close. Siguro dahil na din sa age gap, but I’m not that too old. Sabi nga ng iba mas mukha pa daw akong bata kaysa kay Jeron, well I cannot blame them. Ehem.
“Akala ko ba brotherly date natin ngaun?” I teasingly whispered to Jeron when we arrived in a patron seat.
“Don’t use that words to me, Kuya.” He said in irritated voice. I just secretly laughed, nakakatuwa talaga ‘tong si Jeron.
“O, Bros!” Von greeted while chewing something.
“Oy Von! Yung popcorn naubos mo agad? Anak ka ng tatay mo. I just left for seconds then you already eat those.” Sabay agaw ni Keifer sa hawak na popcorn ni Von.
“OA mo naman Ravena! Kunti lang naman kinain ko.”
“Sorry Tengs, nagmakaawa kasi ‘to si Von na sumama sa akin. Okay lang ba?” Keifer teasingly asked us.
“Kala ng mukha mo Keifs ah! I will never do such thing like that. Pwe! Asa ka naman!”
“Tumigil na nga kayo. People are now staring at us. Nakakahiya.” Saway ni Jeron sa mga kaibigan niya. Both Von and Keifer seated quietly.
If I knew this will happen, dapat kay Maddison na lang ako sumama. Ang gugulo ng katabi ko. Everyone knows that were from a different rivalry schools but then were still friends at all, lalo na ‘to si Jeron daming kaibigan.
“Is Almira coming?” I heard Keifer muttered to Jeron.
“Why? Are you interested to my sister?”
“What if I said yes? Are you going to allow me of courting Almira?”
“Of course… not! After what you did into public television, now you have plan courting my sister?” Jeron taps Keifer’s back.
“What did I do?” Keifer innocently asked. He’s planning to court Almira but he just confesses in public television that his girl crush is Mika Reyes, what a play boy. I control myself to interfere from their conversation, sarap dagukan nito ni Ravena.
“You already forgot? Huh? About Mika Reyes?” Jeron playfully punch Keifer’s arm.
“I’m not her type, choosy masyado yun. Si Joseph yung type nun, anong laban ko, bro?” Keifer’s said while scratching his back. Poor boy. I should teach him some tactic on how to get women hearts. King tiger is here.
I felt a little awkward here. Jeron and Keifer were just the one who’s talking each other, while me watching the performances of the cheerleaders. Von already left, he said that something came up. We’re in the middle of watching the competition when someone approaches us, it’s Jessy Mendiola, and she’s one of the hosts of this event.
“Look who’s here beside me mga kabarkada! It’s the Teng brothers and Keifer Ravena.” She continued talking and the camera is still rolling.
“Pwede ba kayong mainterview gentlemen?” the fans are now getting wild and started shouting our names. Tumao na rin kami.
“Oh sure, basta papicture tayo.” Keifer responded happily and gave Jessy a wink. Such a chickboy.
“No problem, Keifer.” Jessy replied.
“Kayo lang ba ang nandito or may ka-date kayo?” Jessy smiled and handed the mic to Keifer.
“Yeah. And about the date, are you willing to be my date today? Joke. Yes kami lang magkakasama.” Then he handed back the mic to Jessy. Dumadamoves pa. Nagpasalamat si Jessy at humarap na sa camera. Nabigla naman kami ng magsalita uli si Keifer.
“Ganda mo pala sa malapitan, Jessy.” Keifer said. All of the people here laugh and by that, Keifer just recognized that there was a microphone over his head. One of the cameras here focused on Mika Reyes and she’s just smiling that’s why the fans keep saying “Lagot na!”.
Because of the interviewed happen a while ago, the fans are now coming to our side and asking for autographs and taking pictures with us. Nalaman na kasi nila kung saang side kami nandun. Kunti na lang naman matatapos na, we decided to leave before the event ends. We’re just avoiding a possible commotion later kapag sumabay kami sa paglabas sa mga tao.
“Mga bro, doon na ako lalabas sa kabilang exit.” Keifer said and bid his goodbye to us.
“This way, Kuya.” I just followed Jeron.
“Si Thomas iyon diba?” I asked. Jeron stop walking and look around but I don’t think he saw Thomas because he left me standing here. Where the heck is he going? He’s penetrating a new direction. We need to go now.
“Hey Jeron! We got to go!” I call him, he stopped walking but his eyes glued to someone. Tiningnan ko kung ano I mean sino.
“Madds?” Hindi ko alam pero na isinigaw ko siya. Then I just found myself walking towards her, nadaanan ko lang si Jeron and I felt him behind me.
“It’s you Maddison!” I said as I arrived to her seat.
“O, Hi Jeric.” She greeted me. But I was stunned when Jeron spoke up.
“You know her, bro?”
So, they already meet. We had a little conversation and I can say that Jeron is being talkative right now, ayaw magpatalo kay Maddison. I didn’t bother to ask them if when and where did they meet, I’ll just ask Jeron later when we got home. Maddison told us that she’s with her sister pero umalis din. Parang pamilyar nga ung boses nung kapatid niya, narinig ko na talaga pero baka hindi naman ata siya yun.
“Thomasian ka pala, Maddison. Sorry for what happened before ah. Dapat sinabi mo agad kasi, but I really didn’t mean to hurt your feelings when the time I asked about your school.” I heard Jeron talking Maddison on the other side. Dami ko talaga tanong ngaun, I reserved this later. Mapupunta ka sa hot seat lil brother.
“Let’s just forget about the past.” I saw Maddison smiled to Jeron.
“Jade! Oh my gosh!!” she irratatedly put the phone into her pocket. Palabas na kami ngaun. Jade?
“Is there a problem?” Jeron ask.
“Yung kapatid ko kasi nakauwi na pala tapos ngaun lang nag text.” Ah kaya pala hindi na bumalik kanina.
“I’ll go first, bye.” But i hurriedly grab her arm and that was a wrong move because Jeron and Maddison were shocked for what I just did.
“Hmm.. We’ll drive you home.” I said and I take my hands off her. Nakakahiya.
“Oo, ihahatid ka na lang naming pero let’s eat first.” Jeron said and giving Maddison a Jero-Teng-smile.
“No need. Busog pa ‘ko.”
“No. We insist, let’s go!” Maddison was walking away but Jeron did what I just did to Madds a while ago.
“Hey, what are you doing, Jeron?!” her eyes widened as she was shocked when Jeron put his hands on her shoulder.
“Kuya, tara!” He look at me and I smile back to the both of them.
Wala ng nagawa si Maddison at nauna na silang pumasok sa mall. Dito na rin kami kakain sa MOA, pumasok kami sa isang chinese restaurant. I ordered for us, after a minute the waiter served our foods.
“What are you taking up, Maddison?” Jeron asked when he finish his food.
“She’s an architect student.” I answered. Hindi ko na pinatapos magbuka ng bibig si Maddison.
“O, really?” This time Jeron look to Maddison and she nodded as an answer.
“Was it tough to be a working student?” Naging reporter na ba ang kapatid ko? Kanina pa ‘to.
“Yes na No. Yes, because I have a lot of friends from work and sch’ool plus extra income. No, because I didn’t get enough sleep. But still I love my job.” She gave us a warm smile. This girl didn’t fail to amaze me, she’s one of a kind.
“Wow, last question. Maddison,…. Do you h-have a b-boyfriend right now?” napabagsak naman ako ng chopstick na gamit ko at tiningnan si Jeron.
--
“Thanks sa paghatid ah, dito na lang ako.” Jeron opened the back seat door for Maddison, nasa labas na kami ng village nila. Hindi na ako bumaba ng kotse, binuksan ko na lang ang bintana.
“Are you okay here? Mas okay ata ihatid kita sa loob.” For the nth time, Jeron holds Maddison on shoulder.
“Okay na okay na. Ikaw ah, quotang-quota na sa panghahawak sa akin ah.” Maddison teasingly said and Jeron’s face turns red.
“Hey Jeron, it’s getting late. We have to go.” I interrupted them.
“Bye, Madds.”
“Bye. Jeric see you around.” Maddison replied.
Sa buong byahe puno ang kotse ng katahimikan. When we arrived in our house we found Mom, Dad, Shobe and Achi seating on sofa, they stopped chatting when they see me and Jeron. We gave them a peck kiss on their cheeks, my mom looks so worried. I sat down beside dad and Jeron went upstairs to take a quick bath.
“Why so serious?” I asked worriedly.
“Nothing son, were just talking about you and Jeron’s play this coming Saturday.” My dad explained but his eyes telling me that Dad was lying. Every time they’re having discussion about the play they’re not serious like what this time.
“Nah.. Dad, tell me the truth. I know, you’re hiding something to us.” I eyed to my sisters but they looked away. I tsked. I knew it.
“What truth are you talking about Ahia?” my Mom innocently asked.
“Mommy stop it, you’re not good on lying.” My dad held my mom’s hands and nodded.
“We saw Mayerie earlier.” Almira said.
“W—what?”
“How is she?” I asked in deepest voice.
“I know where is she, Ahia. One of my friends told me that Mayerie was a model, commercial model.” Almira said. She looks happy.
“I already knew it few months ago, one day me and Mayerie bump each other, it was on Milo’s studio. She changed a lot, that time I didn’t recognized her, akala ko kung sino lang, I got curious by that so asked anyone and told me her full name.” she sighed. “kaya siguro hindi niyo siya nakikilala sa mga advertisement kasi gumanda siya lalo.”
“I just did not tell you about that. I thought we’ve already moved on. No guilty at all.” Ate said and smiled bitterly.
“Honey, why are you just telling these to us right now?” my mom teary asked.
“Because I hate them and I don’t wanna have connection with them.” Nagulat kami sa sinabi ni Ate Alyssa.
“Aly!” dad shouted.
“What dad?! Guys, come on. Hindi lang sila ang nawalan that time,… tayo din diba?!” She stood up. “Let’s just stop hunting them, cause right now, I only care for us! Sana kayo din.” Then she run fast to her room and left us in half mouth open.
Why is she angry?
“I will findi you Mayerie, we have to talk.”
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According to google.
- Ahia~ elder brother
- Achi ~ elder sister
- Shobe ~ youngest sister