CHAPTER 5
1171 Words
Cara Mia.
He called me again. But I ignored it. I was more focused on finding where he was hit, and there it was—on his shoulder.
“Do you have a first aid kit?” I asked immediately, not looking him in the eyes because I could feel him staring at me.
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
“I-I’ll get it.”
I hadn’t even finished speaking when he already grabbed it.
“There’s probably a bullet inside. We need to get to the hospital now.”
“No need. Just call my doctor.”
“Where’s your cellphone?”
“In my pocket,” he said bluntly.
I was about to reach for it when he stopped me.
“Why?” I asked, confused.
“I’m only holding one gun right now. It might turn into two.” He locked eyes with me, and that was enough to make me freeze.
I pulled back and waited for him to get it himself. He was right—he was hit.
“Password?”
“Your birthday.”
I looked up at him instantly. Curious—that’s what my face must’ve said. Why my birthday? How did he even know?
“Your birthday is my snake’s birthday too,” he explained right away.
I typed it in and called his doctor, Ms. Yvonne. While waiting for her, I cleaned his wound as best I could. He wanted to drive, but I stopped him. I once helped someone with a gunshot wound before, and it got worse when he moved his arm. It bled even more.
When his doctor arrived, Manang texted me. My charge was already looking for me, so I left without saying goodbye.
I ended up buying Donya Marga’s errands at a different mall, which took longer because the cashiers were all gossiping about what happened earlier.
The moment I stepped into the house, Nathan’s scowling face greeted me.
“Hi, Nathan.”
“What's taking you so long?” he asked, annoyed.
“Something happened at the first mall I went to. Let’s go?”
Before heading to Nathan’s room, I went to Donya Marga first.
“Oh, Maxine, you’re finally here. Why do you take so long?” Manang asked just as I was about to open Donya Marga’s door.
“Something came up, Manang. By the way—”
“Donya Marga left already.”
“Ah, I see. I was just going to return her change.”
“Just leave it on her table and go to your charge. That boy’s been looking for you. Seems like he really likes you—he’s been asking for you all day.”
I just nodded, smiled, and went to Nathan.
“Nathan,” I called, knocking on his door.
“Come in.”
“Why the long face?”
“Why were you so tagal?”
“I told you, something happened. And look at you—you’re barely a teenager, and you’re already this grumpy.”
“But Ate… I don’t want to be alone,” he said quietly.
I froze when I heard it. Ate.
How I wished I had a little brother who could always call me that.
“Ate?”
“Yeah. I want an Ate. Can you be?”
“Of course! Who else but me? I’m so happy you called me that. I used to wish and beg Mommy and Daddy for a sibling… but then the Lord took them.” My voice cracked, and I felt tears well up.
“Please do not cry. You look ugly.”
“Wow. As if you’re so handsome. You look like a grasshopper.”
I don’t know why, but I feel so at ease with him. Imagine, it’s only my second day, and we’re already joking around. Thank God he’s not sensitive, HAHA.
“I’m hungry.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Let’s bake some cookies, Ate.”
“Oh no! I don’t know how to make those.”
“Let’s try YouTube.”
“Okay, let’s go!”
We excitedly ran downstairs and searched on YouTube. We followed a tutorial, and our first batch was a total fail. We just laughed and laughed until Manang found us. She couldn’t even scold us because Nathan was there, HAHA.
“Hay naku, you two,” Manang said, scratching her head. “It’s like this…”
She taught us the steps, and we had even more fun. We made so many cookies that we saved some for Donya Marga.
We were watching a movie when Manang knocked to tell us Donya Marga was home. Nathan ran downstairs, excited.
That kid—even at 12, he still acts like he’s 7.
“Lola! Lola, me and Ate Maxine baked some cookies. Try it, Lola!” he said, beaming.
“Really? I want to try it,” she said, just as happy.
Nathan immediately ran to get the cookies.
“He calls you Ate?” Donya Marga asked.
I got nervous. Oh no, she’s going to fire me.
“I’m happy to see him happy and excited. It’s been a while since I last saw him like this.”
Relief washed over me. It warmed my heart. I thought I was getting fired.
“Here, Lola!” Nathan handed her the plate right away.
“Sit down, Lola.”
She smiled as she ate.
I worked hard and felt so light here, so I got paid quickly. The salary was good, so I decided to go back to college. They agreed since Nathan was in school too. I didn’t need to watch him while he was in high school classes.
I’m enrolling today, but of course, I’ll prioritize Nathan first. He didn’t want me to walk him to school, but Donya Marga insisted, so he had no choice.
“Hello,” Nathan’s only friend, Nicolo, greeted me.
“Hi,” I replied brightly.
“I hope you two end up as classmates, so at least I still have eyes on him,” I joked, and Nicolo laughed too.
“Ate Maxine, aren’t you going to enroll?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“Then go,” Nathan said, irritated, which made Nicolo and me laugh.
“Bro, you’re already kicking your sister out,” Nicolo teased.
Hearing Ate really does something to your heart.
“Fine, I won’t cook your adobo later. Suffer!” I shot back at him.
“What? No! Ate Maxine—”
He’s already a young man but still acts like a baby. Hay naku, this kid.
“Alright, alright. I’m leaving. Bye.”
I left because it was almost 2 PM and I still hadn’t gotten a ride.
Then I froze. A car stopped right in front of me and the men rushed out. I didn’t know if I should run or scream when I saw them surround me, guns in hand. One of them covered my mouth and nose, and the world started to spin.
- Writer
