1. Lil bro
1200 Words
Brena's POV
“Go Sevy!! I love youuuu!”
Ugh. Please. Shut. Up.
I rolled my eyes so hard I probably saw my soul leave my body. The entire university gymnasium echoed with shrieking fangirls who seemed to have lost every drop of self-respect. All for one guy.
Severino Scott Guerrero.
A.K.A. Sevy.
A.K.A. My walking headache.
They called him “campus heartthrob.”
I called him “anak ng tito ko.”
They screamed his name.
I screamed internally.
He was there at the center court, dripping in sweat, hair messily perfect, his jersey clinging to muscles that had no business existing on someone who’s only eighteen. Mamang-mama na ang itsura, parang hindi na teenager. As in—wala nang batang natira.
He dribbled, crossed, stepped back, three-point shot. Swish. The crowd went wild.
I didn’t.
Okay, maybe a small part of me did, pero hindi ko papakitaan. Ever.
I was only here because Sevy begged me to come. Well, not begged exactly. More like kulit overload, plus the magic words: “Ikaw lang ‘yung walang class sa kanila.”
So here I was. The only “ate” in a sea of Sevy’s fangirls, sipping coffee from my tumbler while watching him flex his ego on the court.
“BREN!!!”
Speak of the devil.
I looked toward the direction of the voice, and there he was, walking toward me like he was in a commercial. Fixing his hair. Flashing that smug, annoying, too-pretty-for-his-own-good smile.
I almost gasped.
Okay, I did gasp.
Shing! Ang hot talaga ng kumag na ‘to.
And of course, every girl in the bleachers was drooling like their life depended on it. I wanted to throw a towel over him and scream,
“Wala nang show, uwi na!”
He sat beside me like it was the most normal thing in the world and grabbed my tumbler.
“Hoy! Kape ko ‘yan, Severino!” I swatted at him.
But instead of giving it back, he took a sip. And worse? He held my hand with one of his while the other still clung to the tumbler like a trophy.
“Ahhh. Ang sarap talaga ng timpla mo. Gusto mo bang paswelduhin kita bilang official coffee girl ng kumpanya ko?”
I glared. “Ang kapal mo. Mahal ang singil ko sa sahod. Hindi mo afford. And FYI—ate mo ‘ko. Don’t forget that.”
He gave me that lopsided grin I hated.
“Tss. Ate my ass.”
“HOY! Bad word, Severino!” I smacked his arm, but he just laughed like he lived to annoy me.
“Wala namang masama. Tsaka ayoko ngang tawagin kang ate, hindi bagay.”
“Oh really? So anong gusto mong itawag sayo, ha? Babe? Love? Hon? Jowa?”
He leaned closer. Smirked. “Much better than Ate.”
And just like that, he stood up and walked off like a scene from a K-drama.
I stared after him, jaw dropped.
Anak ng— Did he just flirt with me?
I blinked rapidly, then realized his strides were too long. Nakakaasar. I had to almost jog just to catch up to him.
“HOY! Hintayin mo nga ako! Severino!” I yelled, trying to sound mad, but also—okay fine—medyo kinikilig ako.
He didn’t even glance back. Aba’t talaga!
“Sevy! Saglit lang! Ako pa ‘tong pinapunta mo dito tapos ikaw ang mang-iiwan? Bastos kang bata ka! Next time ‘di na talaga ako papapilit!”
He finally stopped. Hands on his hips. Facing me. Lips pursed like he was fighting back frustration.
Tangina, bakit parang ang gwapo lalo ‘pag galit?
Bawal kiligin, Brena. BAWAL.
“Oh ba’t ka huminto? Go on! Nang-iwan ka na rin lang naman, ituloy mo na!” I said, arms crossed.
He just stared at me. Long. Hard. In that unreadable way he does when he’s not joking.
I was about to walk away when he said—
“Talaga bang lil bro lang ang tingin mo sakin?”
Time. Stopped.
I stared back.
He was dead serious.
Oh no.No no no no.
What do I say?? Yes? No? Run???
My heart slammed against my chest like it was about to file a police report. I opened my mouth… but nothing came out.
And that’s when he scoffed, looked down, and said, “No need to answer. At least alam ko na.”
He forced a chuckle.
“Akala ko kasi crush mo ‘ko eh. Buti na lang. Ayoko ka sanang masaktan.”
He started walking again.
“I have a date anyway. I’ll ask manong Tony to drop you off.”
“Bye, bubwit.”
And just like that, he was gone.
Gone.
And I stood there, feeling… stupid. Speechless. Broken?
My phone buzzed in my hand. I quickly typed: “No need to ask Manong Tony. I have my car. Enjoy.”
I walked toward the parking lot, chest tight, throat burning, not sure if I was angry, embarrassed, or heartbroken.
Maybe all three.
"s**t!" I needed to go somewhere.
Anywhere but home.
Anywhere Sevy wasn’t.
I got into my car and slammed the door a little too hard.
“Sira ulo,” I muttered. “Sira ulo si Sevy. At ako din. Pareho kaming sira ulo.”
I sat there for a while in silence, gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping me together.
My heart was pounding. Not from kilig this time, but from frustration. Confusion. And something that felt suspiciously like—pain.
Talaga bang lil bro lang ang tingin mo sakin?
That voice. That question. It kept echoing in my head, playing over and over like a song you didn’t ask for but couldn’t skip.
Hindi ko siya sinagot. I couldn’t. Because if I did… If I admitted it… Then everything would change.
And I was too scared.
What if he didn’t mean it seriously? What if it was a test? A joke?
What if he just wanted to see if he still had that effect on me?
What if—worse—he already knew? What if he already suspected and just wanted confirmation before brushing me off like a fan girl he’d never date?
Ugh. Ang gulo mo, Brena.
I drove to a quiet place near the bay, parked, and turned off the engine. Just the sound of the waves in the distance and my heavy breathing. I leaned my head on the steering wheel and shut my eyes. And that's when it hit me. The sting behind my eyes. The lump in my throat.
I was crying.
No, Brena. Not here. Not now.
But the tears came anyway. Silent, slow, traitorous.
Because no matter how much I denied it… I wanted him to mean it.
I wanted him to look at me and say, “Yes, I like you too.” I wanted him to stay, not walk away. I wanted him to cancel that stupid "date."
I wanted to believe I was more than just his “ate.”
But I blew it.
I froze.
And now I was the one left behind.
- Writer
