Dear, Joey

12

Napapangiwing huminto ako sa gilid ng sofa where Tegan was still sleeping. Pa-tanghaling tapat na pero tulog pa rin sya, I can't carry him up to the stairs, so I just put him in the living room with a pillow and blanket. I can't go to the farm with him like that, so I just stayed and call my staff on our farm and my plantation. 

"Tegan" tapik ko sa binti nya. No reaction. His long lashes still unresponsive. His pale a bit and his nest hair are everywhere.

"Tegan, wake up. Tanghali na.." I tug his comforter a bit. He moans, wrinkling his nose and his forehead crinkle because of irritation. I found it cute because of the double chin on his fine jaw, he still has fats huh. I laugh softly tugging the comforter on him. 

"No.." He groans trying to reach it. 

"Anong no?!" natatawang sabi ko at tinapik ang binti nya. May naka ipit pang unan sa legs nya. I saw him stop and open his eyes a bit. Parang sinisipat nya kung sino ako. His funny. 

I smile at him fondly. 

"It's time to get up Mr. Marval" he suddenly seats up and groan facepalming. 

Natatawang inabot ko ang buhok nya at inayos ng kaunti making him look at me. 

"Get up, you overslept" I said laughing and crinkling my nose to him. Folding the comforter. Nakangiwing pinanood nya ko habang natatawa naman akung sumulyap sa kanya. 

"Wait here a bit" I said before putting the comforter aside and get the Tray. 

Naabutan ko syang naka upo at nakasandal sa sofa with his eyes close. His lazily lay there. Hung over sucks. 

I put the Tray on the center table and fix it. 

"W-What happened?" his voice rasps. He looks bad. 

"I don't know about you. Dapat kasi tumanggi ka kay Manong Roni but here you are suffering from hang over, come on eat this first" natatawa kung sulyap sa kanya bago dala ang ginawa kung soup kanina, hindi na sya masyadong mainit so he can drink this straight. 

He sighs so loud making me laugh again, umupo ako sa tabi nya. He glances at me with his sleepy eyes. 

"My head is like splitting in two" he murmurs getting the small bowl to me.   

"I will never know that, eat this first" I said with a laugh voice. He hmm and do what I said. He finishes it while I watch him. I got the hangover pills and a glass of water after. I put the bowl on a tray and wait him to finish the water. 

"Rest your head a bit but don't sleep" I said getting the empty glass from his hand. 

"I want to take a shower" ngiwi nya while watching me. 

"Just rest your head for an hour" I said go to the other side and fix his pillow. 

"Why does it look like you always do this?" I look at him and saw him have a little smile on his face. Inirapan ko sya makes him laugh a bit but hiss afterward. I reach his arm and guide him to lay his back to the pillow. 

"Ask Kuya Lenuel" I said tapping his shoulder before getting the tray. 

"He did cry back then?" I glance at him stopping. His sleepy eyes still on me. I sat on the carpet and place the side of my head to my palm, smiling. 

"Kuya Lenuel is so crazy over Jemaine. As in!" laki kung mata sa kanya making him laugh. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, it was like Jemaine that, Jemaine this, whatever he does, or where he is, it's for her. That's why when they broke up, I was always with Kuya."

"You witness his drunk cries?" 

"His ugly" I commented laughing with him. 

"Gaahd! when he cries it's super out, he one time have snot on his nose, I can't even forget it!"

Our laugh rang around the living room. We talk and mostly laugh for hours. 

"So, whenever I got the chance to scape on him it was like my last life" I said laughing. 

"That's crazy" he commented with a full smile. 

"It does, so my date will jeopardize once again because he won't let me go, even Jully!"

"I think because he’s your older brother and your precious" he said staring at me. 

I roll my eyes "You don't understand Tegan, I was like 16 that time and it's kind of first crushes which really I'm immature and also Kuya, so when we fought it was like a storm, and we give reasons, and you know what the reason why we stop arguing?" 

"W-What?" he asked laughing. 

"He farted..." hindi pa ko tapos magsalita tumatawa na sya ng tudo with his deep voice around. Nakahiga na sya sa sofa at nakaharap sa akin while I'm leaning on the center table. His curling while hugging his stomach so much. 

"Every time" I said every syllable with my laughing voice joining him. 

"Because of the tensions and his being angry, he sometimes farted, and it's kind of hilarious because it's in the middle of our argument. That's why we never finish talking and forget about it the next day!" I close my eyes when my tears fall from laughing so much. 

I was gasping when I saw the sun set light touches the sliding door outside. 

"Ohh, it’s sunset, we talk for hours" I said laughingly still while getting up. 

He groans making me look at him, he glances at me still with a laugh trying to block his eyes on me. Ayaw nya pa atang bumangon. 

I get the tray. "What do you want for dinner?" I ask with a smile. 

"Anything, surprise me" he said with his arm blocking his eyes but a smile on his lips. 

"Okay" I said walking away. 

"I'll just take a shower" habol nya. 

"Paki dala na rin yung unan tsaka kumot sa taas" I said, I heard his short response. Bukas pa makakabalik ang mga maids at si Mang Pedring. It's not like I need them, but I saw his laundry on his room, and I think wala na syang masusuot. His neat and clean yet I think he never do laundry. Napapailing na lang ako sa bestfriend ni Kuya, a prince living in my roof is kind of headache but... no argue about it. 

Busy ako sa paghanda ng makakain namin ng fresh na fresh syang pumasok sa kitchen. his musky scented soap and a mint filled the air, hindi sya nakakairita sa ilong gaya nung naamoy ko sya sa sasakyan, his perfume is not strong. I like it. Anong gamit nyang sabon? Kainggit.  

"Need help?" napapakurap na mabilis akung ngumiti. s**t. 

"Upo ka na lang" ngiti ko bago tumalikod ulit at tumango tango. Did I ogle him just now? f**k. 

"I wanted to help" tabi nya sa akin, making me face him and put my hand on my hip. 

"I thought I need to surprise you?" paniningkit ko ng mata sa kanya, he smiles drop staring at me. 

"I didn't mean that..."

"Stop" I said with my hand. He then closes his lips with his big eyes on me. 

I held his arm and tug him to go to the stool. I push him to seat and dropped my hands on his broad shoulders. He looks up to me with his amused eyes. He faces me while my hands on his. His white shirt and slight bulky on his arm and his kaki short are baggy a bit. 

"Stay put, don't move, leave it to me. Teka why not go to the living room?" tango ko making him laugh. He suddenly encircles his arms around my waist and put his face on my stomach laughing out loud. I crinkle my nose tapping his back neck, basa pa ang buhok nya. What is he doing? 

"Go now, why not find a movie to watch?" tapik ko sa likod nya. 

He looks up to me while still hugging my waist. Napapatangong tumitig sya sa akin. I pinch his nose bridge gesturing him to go but he just hides face on my stomach once again, I felt his hot breath on my thin shirt makes my cheek heat. 

"Yah Tegan, go!" marahas kung tapik sa likod nya tugging his shirt to go up, hindi man lang sya nasaktan. He looks up and saw me glaring at him down, he smiles prettily makes my face heat rolling my eyes to him.  Natatawang bumitaw sya sa akin. 

"I'll just wait here"

"No! Get out." I said playfully kicking his legs. He dashes away to the kitchen door laughing at me. I sigh heavily, thinking what's next. 

He never stops pestering me while I'm cooking, nakakatanggap sya sa akin ng batok at sipa dahil sa kulit nya, tuwang tuwa pa syang makitang naasar ako at nakakatanggap ng masakit sa akin, he’s a masochist. That man. 

After an hour or so, I finish cooking and prepare it on the kitchen table. Ayuko sa dining dahil kaming dalawa lang naman ang kakain. 

"Tegan!" tawag ko filling the glass of water. Narinig ko agad ang ingay ng tsinelas at pagsilip nya sa pinto with his playful smile. I gesture my hand while taking a seat. 

Agad syang tumabi sa akin at tiningnan ang niluto ko. Adobong manok, vegetable lumpia, sinigang and stir-fried vegetable with rice of course and I'm thinking about eating banana ice cream for dessert later. 

Walang salitang magana syang kumain, making me smile a bit. Mas nauna akung natapos sa kanya sa pagkain. Nagpaalam akung aakyat sa taas. 

Natapos ako sa pagligo, sinilip ko sya sa kitchen at nangingiti ding umalis, naghuhugas sya ng pinggan. I lock the front door, the veranda and close the curtains. I call the security guard to make sure his there. After that I got myself cozy on the living room and a new comforter that I got on mine, nakita ko syang umakyat sa taas with his on the phone with someone. I got my banana ice cream bucket and find a movie suited on my taste. Naka dem light ang buong living room at ang ingay lang ng flat screen TV ang maririnig. 

I saw him emerging on the living room while I was eating my ice cream and watching a romance Filipino movie.  

"I thought you're sleeping already?" natatawa nyang sabi habang tumatabi sa akin sa carpet using the side of sofa as back rest. Tahimik akung umiling at binalik ang tingin sa pinapanood. I felt him eyes on me and a hand tug my hair that blocking my face a bit and put it behind my ear. I look at him seeing him watching me, I smile and get another bite of ice cream. 

He suddenly gets my spoon and my bucket, because I was into the movie, I just let him. Tahimik kaming dalawa habang nanonood but I sniff when the c****x of the story shows. 

Agad kung inabot ang tissue sa gilid ko at nagpunas ng luha. 

"How can he leave her that way?" Naiiyak kung sabi glancing at Tegan who's intently watching me crying. Napapasinghot na tinuon ko ang pansin ko sa TV. 

The scene changes and the most heartbreaking part of the story where the two leads both in rain crying. 

"Yah!" Iyak ko at tinapon ang hawak yung tissue sa TV. The male lead apologizing makes me mad. 

"Who are you?! You left her moron! She's still moving on! That bastard, what's his name?! That kind of a man just never learn how to take care of a woman!?" I dash out angrily face Tegan who's quietly ate with the spoon on his lips. 

Wala syang sinabi kaya inabot ko ang phone ko at hinanap ang number ni Mom but she never answers. 

"It's just a movie Joey" Tawa ni Tegan trying to get my phone but I just whisk his hand away while contacting another name. 

Ilang ring lang ay sumagot sya agad. 

"Kuya!" Iyak ko, Tegan was laughingly tried to get closer and tried to reach my phone. I try to kick him on his chest. 

"f**k, It's nothing Dude!" Tawa nya shouting on the phone. 

"What are you two doing?!" Kuya Lenuel shouted on the other line. 

"Why hell is that fucker leave her, and they didn't end up together?! Kuya ask the production why it's like that? I need an explanation!" Tegan laughs so much while my voice shook the phone. 

"W-why... What? Ano na ba to Jullieanna?! Tegan Bro! What the heck?!"

"She's crying over a stupid movie!" Tegan said with his voice laughing out loud like it's so funny seeing me crying. He got my phone and hug me while on top of me laughing on my face and on the phone. 

I cried while they are both laughing because of my predicament. What’s wrong crying and frustrated over an overbearing movie? Ugh.