Chapter 1
Beginning
“Vira...”
I suddenly stop walking and face the one who called me. It’s already 7:30 pm, late than the usual time I come home.
I saw mom wearing her red fancy robe walking down on our staircase. I walked towards her and kiss her cheeks.
“Ma..”
“Your late,buti magsisimula pa lang ang dinner natin. Nauna pa mga kuya mo sayo”
“Sorry mom, traffic kasi eh” sabay tingin sa wristwatch ko para kunwari ay hindi namalayan ang oras.
“Hmmm.. you better change your clothes now so we can start our dinner. We talk about it later with your dad.”
I let a heavy sighed and nodded.
Dumiretso na ako sa kwarto ko para makapag bihis agad. I untied the lace of my high cut converse and throw it somewhere. Mamaya ko na lang aayusin dahil pagod na ako sa byahe, all i wanted now is to get a rest. Nahirapan pa ako dahil fitted and jeans na suot ko.
Balak ko na lang sana mag skip ng dinner pero alam kong hindi pwede dahil magagalit si mom lalo na si dad.
Pagkatapos kong magbihis ay agad akong bumaba dahil alam kong nag-iintay na sila. Pagkarating ko sa Dinning ay nandoon na silang lahat at kasalukuyang nag lalagay ng mga pagkain ang maid sa lamesa. I saw kuya Evi and kuya Effo at the right of the table. Kuya Eddam with mom in left wing while dad is in the middle. They are busy chitchatting with each other.
“Oh.. there you are baby girl” kuya Effo.
I just rolled my eyes to him and walk towards to Dad to kiss his cheeks. Gusto niya ay palagi kong ginagawa iyon sa kanya bilang pagbati.
“You’re always late Vira” Dad stated.
I walked at the vacant chair beside kuya Eddam and sit.
“Sorry Dad.. sobrang traffic lang kasi” saad ko sabay iwas ng tingin.
Nahagip pa ng tingin ko ang pag-ismid ni kuya Evi dahil sa sinabi ko. I also look at Kuya Effo at saw him smirking like an idiot.
Tinaasan ko lang sila ng kilay parehas dahil doon.
Tsss... bakit ba naman kasi binigyan ako ng kapatid,3 lalaki pa at ako lang ang babae. It so hard to move because I always feel that they always keep on eye to me even they are not around.
“You sure Elvira?” Kuya Eddam said while his eyes are on his plate.
My eyes widened a bit but I still stay calm. I face him and smiled.
“Yeah. You don’t believe me kuya?”
“Don’t worry Eddam, sure ako hindi nanlalaki si Vira. Eh mas mukha pang lalaki yan sa mga classmate nya eh HAHAHA” Kuya Effo.
“Eocene Ford.. ” Dad said in a warning tone.
“Effo.. stop teasing your sister. Let’s eat ” mom added.
I face a grin with kuya Effo before I start to eat.
Our dinner ended in that way. Sanay nako sa pambubuska sa akin ni Kuya Effo. Sa aming magkakapatid si kuya Effo talaga ang mahilig magbiro sakin kaysa kay Kuya Evi.
Samantalang si Kuya Eddam naman napaka tahimik at palagi lang nakamasid. I year ahead lang siya sa akin kaya madalas kaming napagkukumpara. They always say that i’m kuya Eddam’s girl version. Parehas kasi kaming tahimik lang at medyo masungit sabi nila.
My oldest brother is Kuya Edacious Vixen but we called him Evi. Next to him is Kuya Eocene Ford and his nickname is Effo, and the last is Kuya Eddam but his real name is King Eddam.
While me, the youngest daughter of this Family. Elvira Cliphress, they say I’m lucky to have brothers like them. Maybe because of their looks. My brothers are gifted of having a handsome looks and well-body shaped. Idagdag mo pa ang pagiging talented nila sa ibang bagay. May kanya kanya silang kagalingan kaya never kong nakitang nag compete sila.
But being the only girl in this family, it seems a nightmare for me. It’s hard to have a famous brothers like them. Palaging ako ang ginagawang tulay ng mga fangirl nila para makapagpapansin. That’s why I never had experience to have a bestfriend. Dahil pakiramdam ko, gagamitin lang nila ako para sa mga kapatid ko.
Ang palagi ko lang nakakasama sa school ay ang pinsan kong puro mga lalaki din. Dahil ang mga pinsan kong babae ay matatanda ng ilang taon sa akin. Sa pamilya namin ay mas lamang ang bilang ng lalaki kesa sa babae. Sabi nila swertihan daw kapag nakababae ka sa pamilya. That’s why Dad and Mom have their eyes on me always.
Kasalukuyan akong nasa kama at nagtaype ng report ko sa macbook then suddenly I heard a knock on my door.
“It’s Dad, Vira..”
Agad akong tumayo para pagbuksan ito ng pinto. Kaya lang ay sandali akong napatigil sabay tingin sa paligid ng kwarto ko.
Puro kalat kahit saang sulok. Umiling na lang ako at hinayaan na. Wala naman akong magagawa, siguradong magtatampo si Dad kapag hindi ko siya pinagbuksan.
“Dad...” bungad ko kay daddy pagkabukas ko ng pinto. I open it widely so he can come inside.
“Are you busy baby?..” sabay hakbang papasok sa kwarto ko.
His forehead creased while roaming his eyes at my room.
“Ahh.. sorry Dad. I seems busy these past few days so I don’t have time for.. ” sabay sulyap sa nakakalat.
Dumako ang mga mata nito sa laptop ko na nasa ppt pa ang screen.
He sighed then walked towards my bed then sat at the edge of it.
“Yeah, it’s obvious” sabay ngiti sa akin.
“Sorry dad.. by the way, do you have something to tell me?” Malambing kong saad sabay tabi sa kanya sa kama.
“Ahh yeah. Mama mo sana ang pupunta dito para icheck ka pero sabi ko ako na lang. She seems worried for you because your always late this few days..”
“Yeah but i already said that it’s because of traffic. Alam mo naman dad na malayo ang school ko compare kina kuya..” I stated.
“Yes, we know that. Siguro di lang sanay ang mama mo na lumalaki kana at gabi na rin nakakauwi. Next year you’re already in college.”
“Thankfully.. hahaha”
“Sana this time pumayag kana na sa university kasama ng mga kuya mo pumasok Vira...”
I suddenly hanged about what I heard.
“Dad..”
“Pleasee.... para matahimik na kami ng mama mo. Iba na ang environment sa college anak. Mas mabuti kong kasama mo sina kuya mo para secure ka. Last year narin naman ni Kuya Evi mo non eh. Kaya sana pumayag kana..” Dad while caressing my hair.
I let a heavy sighed before I speak.
“Pag-iisipan ko Dad.”
He smiled then kissed my forehead.
“Saka may business trip ako next week. Kaya baka lumuwas din ang mama mo para siya muna ang mag handle ng company habang wala ako. Nasabi ko na sa mga kuya mo... Be good to them okay. Sinabihan ko sila na wag muna gumala para may kasama ka.”
“Yeah Dad.. Be safe there okay”
“Yes. Ofcourse. I will”
After a little conversation with him, I continue doing my report for tomorrow.
It’s already 11:30pm when I finished doing it. Nag-inat muna ako ng konti bago naisipang lumabas ng kwarto para uminom ng gatas. It’s a long day with me and I feel so tired. I need to energize a bit.
Habang pababa ako ng hagdan ay may narinig akong pagbubukas ng gate. Bukas pa rin ang lahat ng ilaw sa living area even in Kitchen and pool side. Siguro ay may mga kasambahay pa rin na naglilinis hanggang ngayon. Mas gusto kasi ni mama na gabi nagpapalinis para kinaumagahan ay malinis na ang buong bahay.
Eksaktong nasa pagkababa ko ng hagdan ay siyang pagbukas ng double-door ni kuya Effo. His wearing a nike sweatshorts and jacket with a word Gap at the center. His hair is a bit messy too maybe because of driving
My forehead creased while staring at him blankly because of his sudden entrance. Hindi ko alam na madalas parin palang tumatakas ito kapag gabi.
“Woahh! The way you stare is like you’re accusing me a big-time baby..” he stated.
“Oh? Did I ?” Saad ko sabay diretso ang lakad papuntang kusina.
Rinig ko ang yapak nito na pasunod sa akin. Hindi ko ito nililingon at diretso ang mga mata sa ref. Kumuha muna ako ng baso para paglagyan ng gatas.
“Why are you still awake baby? Tatakas ka den ba?”
Hindi ko ito pinansin at binuksan ang ref para maghanap ng fresh milk. Kinuha ko ang isang fresh milk na alam kong pasok sa aking panlasa.
“I’m not like you kuya, where did you go by the way?” I said while pouring milk on my glass.
“Dyan lang kina Lavin, alam mo na basag ulo yung pinsan mong yon”
“Like you?”
“Tss.. you mad?”
I faced him immediately.” For what?”
“Because of what I said earlier... ”
I drank the milk first before I speak, “Nope..”
He just nodded and smiled.
“Dad and Mom will not around these coming days, want to go somewhere? I drive you...”
“Why?” I asked.
“You seems close with Alistair than me. it’s kinda envy” he said and pouted.
Alistair is my cousin and friend, he is also my batchmate at school.
“Tsss.. because we're at the same school. Not a big deal at all” sabay tungga ng tirang gatas sa aking baso.
Nilagay ko ang baso sa sink, samantalang si kuya ay binuksan ang ref para kumuha ng can beer.
Lumabas na ako ng kusina kasunod si kuya, pero bago pa kami maka tapak sa hagdan ay siyang pagbukas ulit ng double-door at iniluwa si Kuya Evi at Kuya Eddam.
Our eyes all widen because of it. But kuya Effo is the only one who breaks our silence.
“My gosh Evi and King, talagang si Vira pa ang nakasaksi ng pagtakas nyo sa gabi. Di na ako magtataka kung gayahin niya kayo one of these days” kuya Effo while grinning.
“Shut up.. kala mo naman ang tino mo Eocence” Kuya Evi sabay iling, while kuya Eddam is just staring at us blankly.
“Walang race?” Tanong ni kuya Effo.
Gulat akong napatingin sa kanila dahil doon. As far as I know, its illegal drag racing.
“You want me to be the one who shut that fucking mouth Effo?” Kuya Eddam.
“Stop cussing King, Vira is here...” kuya Evi
I stay my face calm para di nila mahalata ang gulat sa aking mata. Pare-parehas lang naman kaming may ginagawang kalokohan kaya mas magandang hindi ko na gawing big deal pa iyon.
“San kayo galing kuya Evi?” I asked normally.
Nagkatinginan pa si Kuya Evi At Kuya Eddam bago ako sagutin.
“A friend house.... party ” then gave me a fake smiled.
I just nodded and take my step upstairs. Naiwan silang tatlo doon na may makahulugan pa ang tingin.
I know they doing something against the rule of our parents. Sa school ay madalas kong marinig ang mga chissmiss tungkol sa kanila at pati narin sa iba ko pang pinsan.
That kuya Effo along with kuya Lavin is a member of gang, or maybe he is the leader of it. While kuya Evi and Kuya Eddam are racer of illegal drag racing. Iyon ang palaging usap-usapan sa school lalo na kapag palagi silang nanalo. Pati na rin ang pagiging babaero ni Kuya Effo at Kuya Advent( Alistair oldest Brother).
I checked my phone to check what time is it.
It’s 12:32am. May nakita pa akong ilang text sa notification tray galing sa mga hindi ko kilalang tao. Puro unregistered name.
May ibang text naman galing kay Alistair asking if I’m home already. Kanina pa siguro iyon at ngayon ko lang nabasa. Hindi na lang ako nag reply tutal late na din naman. May ibang galing kay Astro at Howard. They are my cousin’s also that i’m always with at school. Mga random lang naman ang mga sinasabi. I just ignored it all like I always do. Hindi naman ako pala text lalo na’t wala naman akong sasabihin.
I closed my phone and put it at the back of my pillow.
