Chapter 1: The brat and the boy-next-door
Hot Damn. He's close to perfection! Aristocratic nose. Red lips. Fair complexioned. Makakapal din ang mga kilay niya na binagayan ng mga magagandang mga mata. Boy-next-door-kind of guy had never been my type. So it's a surprise that I've developed an immense attraction for this guy the moment I laid my eyes on him.
"Xie-xie, this is my friend, Jeck." Said kuya Nate, my older brother.
Jeck smiled boyishly and offered his hand for a handshake. "It's nice to finally meet you, Xie-xie. Heard so much about you."
Man! Even his voice sounds perfect! I smiled back and shook his hand.
"I wonder what my super nice brother told you about me." I said, glancing at kuya Nate who just smirked at me.
"Of course, the truth. That you're a first class brat."
I pouted. "You're so ugh!!"
I suddenly blushed when I caught Jeck looking at me with an amused smile on his face.
"Don't believe him. He said a lot of good stuff about you."
Nate scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. By the way, Jeck will use the room beside yours."
Beside mine? Pasimple akong tumingin sa kanya. I've met oodles of goodlooking guys here in L.A. But I've never been like this to any of them. Pero bakit kay Jeck sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko? I gasped and looked away when he caught me staring at him.
Get a grip of yourself, Dixie! He's probably 4 or 5 years older than you! Too old!
I heard that Jeck has been my brother's friend way back when they were still having their masteral in Harvard. But right after that, he went back to the Philippines to train in their company under his dad. While kuya stayed for a few more months here before he was assigned to manage our company in the Philippines by our british father.
Nate and I were born and raised in LA. But my mom who's a pure blooded filipina made sure that we knew how to speak in tagalog.
"Xie-xie, we're going to the beach later. Wanna come with us?" Jeck asked.
"Yeah, sure." Trying to hide my excitement.
"Jeck, let's go upstairs!"
He smiled before he followed kuya. Sinundan ko pa siya ng tingin hanggang mawala na siya sa paningin ko.
"He's very handsome."
"Mom!" I can feel my face burning with embarrassment.
She smiled teasingly at me. "Dalaga na talaga ang baby ko. May crush na."
"Of course not! I don't l-like him."
She chuckled. "He seems like a good man. And from what your kuya has told me, he's also very responsible."
"Mom, he's too old for me." I said above whisper.
"Your father was 10 years older than me when I met him, sweetheart." She said with a wink.
Unti unti akong napangiti.
Jeck has been staying with us for a month now. And I can say that we have become quite close. Lagi rin akong sabit sa lakad nila ni kuya since it's my sembreak.
"Jeck, please samahan mo na kong mag-shopping." Naglalambing na kumapit pa ko sa braso niya.
"If I were you, I'd say no, man." Nate said.
"Please shut up."
Nate just scoffed and left. Naiwan kaming dalawa sa movie room ni Jeck. He scratched the back of his head and gave in. Habang naglalakad-lakad kami sa mall ay nakakapit ako sa braso niya. I just want to stake my claim on him even if he's not my boyfriend yet.
Yes. I said yet. Because I intend to make him mine.
The truth is, I have nothing to buy. I just want to be with him today and watch a movie. Just the two of us. Like a date. I smirked with the thought.
"Let's watch a movie."
"All right. What do you want to watch?"
I chose a comedy flick. Iniwan muna niya ako para bumili ng popcorn and drinks. Pero nainip ako sa paghihintay dahil sa tagal niya. I decided to follow him. Pero nginatngat ng selos ang buong sistema ko ng makita ko siyang masayang nakikipag-usap sa isang magandang amerikana! Nagdadabog na lumapit ako. I crossed my arms and cleared my throat.
"Jeck."
Lumingon siya at bumadha ang pagkasorpresa sa mukha niya ng makita ako. "Xie-xie."
"Is she your sister?"
Sister your face! Do I look like his sister?
"Uhm, she's Xie-xie. My friend's younger sister."
Marahas akong napatingin kay Jeck. Alam ko nama na walang mali sa pagpapakilala niya sa akin pero di ko maiwasang mainis. His friend's younger sister!? I know that but still...
"I'll go ahead." I said coldly. Then I walked away, totally pissed.
"Xie-xie! Wait up!" Di ko siya pinansin. Tuloy pa rin ako sa paglalakad pero naabutan niya ako at hinigit ang braso ko. "Hey."
"Here." I handed him his ticket. "If you want to chitchat with her and stay here, it's okay. I can watch alone." I said without a trace of smile on my face.
Ilang sandali siyang di nakakibo at pinagmasdan ako. I looked away. "We'll watch the movie together."
"No, really. It's okay if you want to stay here and talk to that... girl." I know I'm acting like a brat right now. But I don't care! I'm royally pissed! I was about to turn my back when he held my arm. "What?" I snapped.
"Are you mad at me?"
No shit, sherlock!?
"No, why would I be mad?"
He stared at me. "You're mad."
I breathed out harshly. "I'm not."
Binawi ko ang braso ko at nagpatiuna ng maglakad. Tahimik na lang siyang sumunod sa akin. sa bandang gitna ako umupo. Ni di ko siya nilingon ng umupo siya sa tabi ko.
"Popcorn?"
I ignored him. Bahala siya sa buhay niya. Para akong tanga sa kahihintay sa kanya kanina tapos he was busy flirting lang pala!
"Dixie..."
Di pa rin ako kumibo. Diretso lang tingin ko sa pinapanood ko kahit ang totoo ay di ko na naiintindihan ang pinapalabas dahil wala doon ang atensiyon ko. I can feel his eyes on me. Di tuloy ako mapakali.
"What?" I snapped at him.
"Galit ka."
Inirapan ko siya. "So what if I am?"
I heard him sigh. "Sorry." Di ako kumibo. Inabot niya ang kamay ko at bahagyang pinisil. "Hey, I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry."
"Are you for real?" I took my hand back. "You don't even know the reason and yet you're apologizing."
"Then tell me."
I turned to him. "You wanna know why?"
"Yes."
"Fine. I'll tell you. I'm mad because you made me wait."
He looks confused. "That's it?"
I scoffed. "You made me wait just because you were too busy flirting with that flirty blonde! And then you even introduced me as your friend's younger sister!"
"But that's the truth." He said calmly.
"I know!"
"Then why does that make you mad?" Kalmado pa rin na tanong niya.
"Because I want to be more than that! I freakin' like you, okay?!" Bigla akong natigilan ng ma-realize ko kung anong naibulalas ko. "Oh my gosh... I uhm, I d-"
I just found myself being kissed by him. Jeck is kissing me! My eyes widened as he kept kissing me. It was a very soft kiss. Before I could close my eyes, he had already pulled away.
"I freakin' like you, too."
Nalaglag ang mga panga ko. "W-what?"
He cups my face then kisses me again. This time, I closed my eyes and savor the kiss.
"Dixie?" Inirapan ko siya at dire-diretsong pumasok sa hotel room niya. "What are you doing here?" He asked with a sigh.
Gosh. That hurts.
I crossed my arms and glared at him. When I got home this evening, I found out that Jeck had already moved out of our house. After the confession and the kiss, I thought we were okay. So I was really stunned when he suddenly moved out of our house without even telling me!
"Were you just playing with me?" I asked coldly.
"What? No!"
"Then why?"
He sighs then runs his fingers through his hair, looking frustrated. Walang kibong umupo siya sa sofa at ipinatong ang mga siko sa mga hita niya.
"You're Nate's little sister."
My forehead knotted. "So what?"
"Nate who happens to be my friend."
"Again, so what?"
He took a deep breath. "You do realize I'm already 24 years old and you're just 19."
"I don't care!"
"I'm five years older than you, Dixie. I'm too old for you!" He said with frustration in his voice.
"Do I look like I give a flying eff? I like you so much."
He breathed out harshly then shook his head. "It will pass." He muttered.
I gasped. "It will p-pass?" Natawa ako ng pagak at napailing-iling. "You're impossible! God! I'm so stupid!"
I marched out of his hotel room and went to a bar with my friends. Sa sobrang sama ng loob ko ay uminom ako ng uminom.
I took a gulp from my beer then stood up. I went to the dance floor and danced with a hot guy. Suddenly someone grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the dance floor.
"What the hell!? Who the h-" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng makita ang madilim na mukha ni Jeck. "Jeck?"
He opened the passenger door of his car. "Get in." Mariing saad niya.
I raised my chin defiantly and crossed my arms. "No! What the hell are you doing here?"
He glared at me. "I said get in."
I scoffed. "You can't tell me what to do. You're not the boss of me! And you're certainly not my boyfriend!" I turned my back and was about to walk away when he pulled me back.
Isinandal niya ako sa kotse. Then he crushed his lips against mine. He slid his tongue inside my mouth and played with my tongue. I moaned and snaked my arms around his neck. He smells so freakin' good! And he's such a good kisser!
"Are you sure about this?" Seryosong tanong niya sa akin. We're still inside his car which is now parked in front of my parents' house.
"Aren't you?" Balik tanong ko sa kanya.
He leaned and kissed me softly. "I've never been this sure, Dix." He uttered, just a breath away from my lips. I smiled and reached for his lips.
I moaned as he deepened the kiss and pushed his tongue inside my mouth. I groaned in protest when he pulled away.
"Jeck."
Napangisi siya ng may tunog. "We have to go inside now. I'll talk to your brother."
Kumunot ng bahagya ang noo ko. "You'll talk to him about what?" Tumaas ang mga kilay niya. "About us?"
"Yes."
"Now?"
"Yes."