Tricked (COMPLETED)

Article 1 - Section 7

"I'm sorry about last time." Nakatitig lang sakin si Kieth ng ilan pang minuto bago siya nagpakawala ng buntong hininga. He looked at me as if alam na niya kung anong mangyayari ngayon. Kung anong mangyayari samin.

"We're not talking about this, Febe." Mariin niyang sambit bago itinuon ang atensyon sa pagkain sa harap namin.

"Kieth—"

"Febe. We. Are. Not. Breaking. Up." Mariin ang pagkakasabi niya sa bawat salita.

"We're not breaking up because of your brother or any f**k up reason there is." Umiigting ang bagang niya habang nagsasalita. I stared back to those brownish eyes, there is restrain on it, para bang may pinipigilan siyang lumabas doon. And that was not how it was before, hindi ganoon ang mga mata ng Kieth na kilala ko.

I might not have deep feelings for him just like how we both wanted it to be, but I genuinely care for him. He made me happy, he distracted me from my maddening feelings and he cares for me.

"Kieth..." tawag ko sa pangalan niya pagkatapos ng ilang sandaling katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Pero hindi talaga tayo pwede, my brother..." nabitin sa ere ang sasabihin ko ng tingnan niya ko ng may pag-aakusa.

"You really don't love me, do you?" tanong niya habang direktang pinagmamasdan ang mga mata ko.

"I love you. Kieth naman, mahal kita---"

"Bilang kaibigan? Right?"natigilan ako nang siya ang nagpatuloy sa gusto kong sabihin. Agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin sakanya. I feel so guilty, I feel so bad using him for my own gain.

"I'm sorry."pabulong kong saad. Hindi ko alam kung narinig niya ba, ngunit ng ibalik ko ang tingin sakanya ay nakayuko siya at para bang may malalim na iniisip.

"You know what? Hindi ako manhid Febe, at mas lalong hindi ako tanga. Kitang-kita ko naman, alam nating dalawa kung ano ang totoong nararamdaman mo. I did my best. I gave my best. Wala akong pinagsisihan dahil ginawa ko naman ang lahat." He said after a long silence. Nag-angat ako ng tingin para tingnan siya ng diretso sa mga mata niya.

"Pero Febe, sa susunod, please stop using other people to hide what you really felt. It doesn't feel good to be a rebound. Nobody deserves that, not me or anyone." He said before leaving the table.

***

A month.

It took Kuya Forbes a month before he came back to normal.

We had our biggest fight that night. He was so livid. He told me countless times before na hindi pa ko pwedeng magkaboyfriend, and then he'll see me dating on the mall? I can actually understand where his anger is coming from. Kaya nga wala akong nagawa kundi ang umiyak sa harapan niya at paulit ulit na mag sorry.

Isang buwan niya akong hatid sundo sa school, hindi ko alam kung paano niya nasisiksik sa schedule niya yun, pero napagsabay nga niya noon ang college at business kaya hindi na nga nakakagulat.

He was on high alert every time he fetches me at school, hindi ko alam kong matatawa ako o maiinis sa pagiging paranoid niya kahit na sinabi ko naman sa kanyang wala na kami Kieth. He even asked Pia to be his eyes, knowing daw na siya lang ang hindi kunsitidor sa aming mag-kakaibigan.

After a month of being grounded ay medyo naging normal na nga. Hindi parin ako masyadong pinapansin ni Kuya pero kinakausap naman na niya ko, unlike the first weeks.

"Tita Tracy asked us to have dinner with them. May sasabihin daw sila." He said ng tumigil ang sasakyan dahil sa red-light.

Natigilan ako. I miss Tita Stacy and Tito Arnold, pero hindi ko alam kung handa na ba kong makitang muli si Kuya Achi. We haven't seen each other since that fateful night. Nang tanungin ko si Kuya Forbes kung bakit siya ang palaging sumusundo sakin ay sabi naman niya ay abala daw ito sa law school.

But I don't buy it. Nakaya naman nila ni Kuyang balansehin ang oras nila before, tapos ngayon 'di na niya kaya? Sinong niloko niya?

"Febe! I miss you!" Agad na yakap ni Tita Tracy sakin pagkapasok ko sa kusina. Sinuklian ko ang yakap niya at matamis na ngumiti sa kanya.

"I miss you too tita!" maluha-luha kong sagot. I haven't seen her for almost a month, dahil nga grounded ako, school at bahay lang ang punta ko.

"Your brother have overdone it this time! You're too pretty, of course maraming aaligid sayo!" saad nito habang hinahaplos ang buhok niya.

"It's my fault though, I broke his rules." mahina kong saad na tinawanan na lang ni tita.

"Hay naku! Hayaan na nga at past is past! Let's eat dinner, I am famished already! I cooked your favorite!" Tita Tracy cheerfully said while dragging me to the dining room kung saan naabutan namin ang tatlong lalaking nakaupo na at nag-uusap.

I sat on my usual place, which is beside Kuya Achi. I tried my best to avoid looking at him, I just sat there quietly. After blessing the food ay nag-umpisa narin kaming kumain at mag-kwentuhan.

We were eating desserts nang i-open na nga nina Tita ang topic na gusto nilang sabihin samin.

"What do you think about adoption?" naninimbang na tanong ni Tita.

Kunot ang noo ko ng bumaling sakanya, hindi agad naintindihan ang puntong nais iparating.

"Adoption po?" Halos parehong reaksyon ni Kuya Forbes.

"Yes, we were thinking if you could consider being a Catalan---" natigilan si Tito Arnold at ang buong lamesa ng patabog na ibagsak ni Kuya Achi ang utensils niya, creating an annoying noise.

"That's rude Achi!" saway ni Tita Tracy sa kanya.

"And you're not being rude? I told you I am against that!" Tumaas ang boses niya sa huling sinabi. Nagulat ako dahil dun, Tita Tracy was highly respected by his son. Never have I imagined that he can shout like that, especially to his mother.

"You were basically siblings! Lagi naman kayong magkakasamang tatlo, the surname is just for legality!" sigaw pabalik ni Tita Tracy sa kanya. What she said had cleared the messaged she wishes to tell us.

She want me and my brother to be a Catalan.

"We both know na hindi yan ang rason Mommy!" nakatiim ang bagang at nagbabaga sa galit ang mga mata niya. I saw Tita Tracy's gonna cry any minute kaya naman hindi ko na napigilan at bahagya akong tumayo at marahan kong pinisil ang braso niya.

I felt him froze on his spot. Ibinaling niya ang atensyon sakin. Muli kong pinisil ang braso niya at bahagyang umiling sa kanya. He stared at me for a moment. Mariin niyang pinikit ang kanyang mga mata bago muling hinarap ang mga magulang.

"They can't be a Catalan, Mom." Mahinahon pero puno ng determinasyong saad niya.

"Atleast not this way." he said before giving me a quick glance and gently took his arms away from me before he left the room.

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang naglaho sa silid. I glanced at my brother who was silently sitting while staring at his plate as if contemplating on what to do or say.

I can't be a Catalan.

I don't want to be his sister.

I can't be his sister.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago hinarap sina Tita Tracy na nakatingin sakin. I gave them a sad smile before slightly shaking my head.

"I'm sorry Tita. But I can't be a Catalan." I said before walking out of the room.