Chapter 3
Asher's POV
She's the legitimate daughter and I'm the illegitimate son. Oo, anak ako sa labas. And that's because she was born.
When I was a child, I thought my life would be perfect. I thought my family would finally be complete. Pero lahat ng yun puro akala lang.
Our Dad met my mom first before her mom. I was born first. They we're just 17 that time when they found out that mom's pregnant. They agreed to marry each other when they turn 21. I was just... I don't know? Almost 3 years old back then. But I could still remember it. Well, not really everything. It wasn't that clear anymore but the pain that I felt that time remained. I wish it didn't but it felt like it was stuck in me.
A few days before their wedding day, we're all shock by my father's news. He got another girl pregnant. I was actually happy at first because he told me that I'll have a younger sister. I got so excited to meet her. I don't care if she'll just be my half-sister. All I know is I will take care of her and love her like my real sister.
But everything seemed to change after that day. The day before the wedding, my Dad said he can't marry my mother. I thought he was just joking at first but damn! He walked away leaving me and my mother crying.
After a few months we just heard that he's already married with his other girl.
But... After everything that happened, I can't even get mad at him or to Tita Sandra. I got angry at their daughter. She's the reason why my life's a mess right now. And I will never forgive her for that.
"Earth to Asher!" I almost fell in my seat because of that person who screamed near my ear.
"What the hell, Raven? Are you out of your mind?!" Halos mamula na ako sa inis dito pero siya tumawa lang. Great. Sinamaan ko na siya ng tingin at nang makita niya ako ay tumigil na rin siya sa pagtawa.
"Okay! Okay! Sorry na! It's just kanina ka pa nakatunganga dyan." Pagpapalusot niya pa. Sus alam ko naman na gusto lang akong kulitin nito.
"She's right. You're spacing out. Are you okay?" Castiel asked.
Oo nga. Ngayon ko lang narealize na nakadating na pala ako sa school. Kanina pa malalim yung iniisip ko na hindi ko namalayan na nandito na pala ako. Buti hindi ako naaksidente. That would be a pain in the ass. Student's license pa lang meron ako. I'm not even supposed to drive without adults' supervision pero pinilit ko si Dad.
Hindi ko na lang sinagot yung tanong niya at dumiretso sa upuan ko. This is really weird. Hindi ko man lang rin namalayan na nasa 4th floor na pala ako. Sa sobrang sanay na yung katawan ko sa everyday routine ko, hindi ko na namamalayan na kusa na itong gumagalaw kahit na malayo yung isip ko.
How I wish that could happen to the pain that I've been feeling. Na since sanay na ako, kusa na lang mawawala.
"Oh! Andyan na pala si Cass at si Levi eh!!" Raven said. Sabay sabay kaming napatingin sa pintuan at kitang-kitanamin kung paano mabilis na hinampas ni Cass yung bag niya kay Levi.
"Hi guys! I'll be back before our class start, okay? Hintayin ko lang si Yvette sa cafeteria. See you!" Then she walked out of the room.
"Tsk. Hindi man lang nagpaalam ng maayos. She's really close with that Yvette, isn't she?" Naiiling na sabi ni Levi. "Paano kapag gusto niyong maging parte ng grupo yung Yvette? Payag kayo?" Sabay tingin niya sa amin.
"First impression ko sa kanya, mukha naman siyang mabait. So why not? At isa pa, Cass thinks she's okay and I trust her so I guess it's fine with me." Nauna si Raven sumagot kaya sunod naman naming tinignan ang nasa tabi niya na si Castiel na medyo mapula yung pisngi. Anong nangyari dito?
"I don't mind, really. She seems nice so why not?" Sabay iwas niya ng tingin. Sunod naman akong tinignan nung dalawa.
"I don't like her." I answered honestly. As much as possible, ayoko na lumapit sa grupo namin si Yvette. Wala akong pinagsabihan kahit sino dito tungkol sa kanya. Tanging si Cass lang ang may alam at mabuti na lang hindi naman niya sinasabi sa iba.
Hindi na dapat nila malaman na isa akong anak sa labas. Nakakahiya.
"How can you say so? Do you know her? I mean, matagal na ba kayo magkakilala?" Oh shit. I'm dead. Dahil sa sobrang kaba hindi ko na namalayan na nakabalik na pala si Cass kasama si Yvette at nang makita niya ako ay bigla na lang niya akong nginitian.
"Kuya Asher." What the heck is she thinking? She called me Kuya in front of my friends!
Ginagawa niya ba to para malaman nila ang lahat ng kaguluhan sa pamilya namin? Ginagawa niya ba to para ipamukha sa akin at sa mga kaibigan ko na anak ako sa labas?
Just wait and see, Yvette. I already swear that I'll ruin your life first before you ruin mine again.
"Kuya? You know each other? Are you related or what?" Bago pa makasagot si Yvette ay inunahan ko na siya.
"Ah yes, I know her. She's one of our worker's daughter. You know Dad likes to help his people, right? Dahil masipag at magaling yung Mom niya, binigyan siya ni Dad ng scholarship para makapasok dito." I smiled at them and looked at her. Napatungo lang siya at akala ko magagalit siya pero nung tumingin uli siya sa akin ay nakangiti na uli siya.
"Yes. Kuya Asher and his father helped me to enter MU. They we're so good and I owe them my life. Nangako nga ako sa sarili ko na paglaki ko, ibabalik ko sa kanila lahat ng binigay nila sa akin." She looked at me and she seemed sincere at first but I know her too well kaya hindi niya na ako maloloko. I know too well what and who's behind the mask that she's wearing. Tsk.
"Really? Pero bakit fluent ka sa English at may accent if your mother's just a simple worker? No offense ha?" Levi asked. Despite his "good but sometimes crazy guy" image, Levi is actually very picky. Parang babae minsan. Hindi siya yung tipo ng tao na madaling makipagkaibigan kaya naman umaasa ako na hindi niya magugustuhan si Yvette.
"My mom's working in one of their restaurants. She's just a simple worker but she's very hardworking. Also, with the help of Kuya Asher and his father, I was able to go abroad to study." I looked at my friends and I know 'di sila gaanong convinced sa sinasabi ni Yvette. There are so many loopholes to what she's saying but instead of saying something, I remained quiet.
Mahirap na, baka makahalata sila.
"How about your father?" Raven asked. Bigla tuloy akong nag-panic.
"I really don't want to talk about him." Sagot niya at napatungo uli. I looked at my friends and I saw them with pity in their eyes.
"So, do you want to be part of our group?" Napaangat ng tingin si Yvette kay Levi at nakita namin yung saya sa mga mata niya nang tumango siya.
What? Tinanggap niya si Yvette?!
"Welcome to the group, Yvette! It's nice na nadagdagan na kami ng isa! Sawa na talaga ako sa pagmumukha nilang lahat!" Biglang sabi ni Raven at niyakap nang mahigpit si Yvette.
"Bitiwan mo ang best friend ko, Raven! Can't you see that she can't breathe anymore? You're hugging her too tight!" Agad naman napabitaw si Raven kay Yvette at hindi ko alam kung totoo yung naramdaman ko pero nakaramdam ako ng kaba nung nakita ko siyang humawak sa dibdib niya na para bang nahihirapang huminga.
Hindi. Baka possessive lang si Cass sa best friend niya kaya ganon makapagreact. OA pa naman siya minsan. At isa pa, bakit ba ako kinabahan? Anong pakialam ko sa kanya?
"I'm fine, Cass. Nagulat lang ako kaya hindi ako nakapagready. Thank you po sa inyo. Thank you po talaga."
"No need to use "po" though. We're just at the same age." Sabi naman ni Castiel.
"Believe it or not, Castiel. She's just 15 at kakatapos lang ng birthday niya." Nakita kong nanlaki ang mata nilang lahat at napatingin kay Yvette.
"You just turned 15? How come nasa 4th year ka na?!" Gulat na tanong ni Levi kay Yvette.
"I started school early po."
"Really? Matanda ka na pala talaga, Asher!" Natatawang pang-aasar sa akin ni Raven bago siya tumingin uli kay Yvette. "Alam mo ba, 17 na 'yang si Asher at mage-18 na siya sa August. So tanders na siya."
Nakitawa rin yung iba pwera lang kami ni Yvette. Di ko mapigilang mainis dahil sa sinabi ni Raven pero nanatili na lang akong tahimik. Ayokong makita ni Yvette na naapektuhan ako dahil alam kong mas ikakatuwa niya yon. Pero ayoko rin namang umarte na ayos lang lahat sa pagitan namin. Tsk bakit ba kasi siya dumating dito?
"What's your full name, Yvette?" Biglang tanong ni Castiel kaya nakalimutan ko yung inis na nararamdaman ako at napalitan na naman 'yon ng kaba.
"Sophia Yvette Castillo." Castillo? So ginamit niya talaga yung maiden name ni Tita Sandra? Matalino rin naman pala siya.
"Sophia? Nice name." Napatingin ako kay Castiel dahil sa huling sinabi niya. Nakita kong napatingin din yung iba sa kanya pero mukhang hindi niya yon napansin at nakatingin lang si kay Yvette.
"Ehem. So welcome uli sa barkada, Yvette! Mabuti naman at tatlo na rin ang babae sa atin. Hindi na tayo maooverpower ng mga lalaki!" Biglang sabi ni Raven kaya nalipat yung atensyon namin sa kanya.
Yan ba, Yvette? Yan ba ang plano mo? Ang pumasok sa barkada ko para mapadali ang pagsira sa buhay ko? Tsk.
Then I'll make sure you won't succeed. Now that it will be easier for me to ruin your life too.