Hatred in Between (Battle of the Brains Series #1) - Tagalog

Prologue

"How long have you been studying, Brin?" Iritang bungad sa akin ng bestfriend ko sa video call.

Well, kung naiirita siya, mas naiirita ako. Ilang beses na niya akong tinatanong tungkol dito, ah.

For sure, she's just bored. Summer vacation namin ngayon and we're both stuck in our own homes. Their family often go overseas to travel, but not this year. Lumalago na raw kasi ang kanilang negosyo kaya mas lalong naging busy ang kanyang mga magulang. On the other hand, my parents are both lawyers. We travel in different countries, yes, but not often. They are always busy sa mga hawak nilang kaso, so my brothers and I understand that they can't always focus their attention on us.

"Why the hell do you wanna know, Isabelle?" Mapang-asar kong tanong sa kanya.

I saw her face turned grim after I uttered her second name. Hah, there. We've been friends since childhood kaya masasabi kong we both know each other well. I know what can turn her mood 180 degrees.

"Ugh, whatever! Could you please accompany me sa mall later? I have to buy something, eh." Maarteng saad niya.

Ha! So typical of her. She really thinks na sasamahan ko siya after niya akong istorbohin? No, no. Plus the fact na busy ako this week at sa mga linggo pang susunod!

"Find someone to disturb, Fire. You know very well na busy ako at wala akong free time ngayon. Why don't you ask your twin to accompany you instead?"

Abalahin niya ang kakambal niyang ubod ng sungit at lamig.

She frowned. "He's just like you. Puro aral, jusko! Try to loosen up sometimes naman. Enjoy your youth, gano'n!" She frustratedly said.

What? I am enjoying my youth, noh. I have my own definition of happiness. I am already contented with what I have and what I am right now. Reading books and solving math problems can ease my boredom. Dancing, too. Hmm... what else?

I can stay inside the house for a whole summer vacation, and I won't even mind. Mas panatag pa nga ang isip at kalooban ko kapag nasa loob lang ng bahay.

My personality is very contradicting with my bestfriend's. Madalas ay napapaisip din ako kung paano namin natagalan ang isa't-isa sa loob ng sampung taon!

"I already told you that I can't come with you. Don't be so pushy."

"Hay naku, you're just creating your own excuses. Malamang tinatamad ka na namang lumabas." She rolled her eyes at me.

Well... tama rin naman siya, but that is not just the reason. We will be grade ten students this incoming school year, and this is my last year of joining quiz bee competitions. I have to win.

"You can't convince me, Fire. Try harder next time." I smiled at her sarcastically.

She flashed her signature smirk. Oh, I think I know where this is heading.

"Sige, let's have a deal. Samahan mo ako mamaya, and ililibre kita ng calligraphy pens sa Art Bar. Ano, fair enough?"

She also really knows me well, huh? Ito ang lagi niyang ginagawa mapapayag lang ako sa mga gusto niya. Kairita naman.

I sighed. "Fine."

I saw her at the screen of my cellphone clapping and laughing hysterically. Luh.

After that, I ended our video call. Nakaka-drain talaga kausap ang babaeng iyon.

I finished taking down notes of unusual words that I found in the internet and in my dictionary. Enough na siguro 'to for today. I usually do this to exercise my knowledge. Mahirap na at baka kalawangin ang utak ko kapag wala akong bagong pinapasok dito na learnings.

I am now putting my pens inside my pencil case and shut down my laptop. Matulog kaya muna ako? Napipikit na ang mata ko, eh.

Pagkatapos kong ligpitin ang mga gamit ko sa study table ay dumiretso na ako sa kama ko. I immediately went asleep in just a matter of seconds.

I am in the middle of my consciousness and being asleep when I heard the sound of violin. Ugh, I still want to sleep, kaya lang eh para bang palapit nang palapit ang tunog na naririnig ko. I like the sound that the violin produces pero not this time naman. Napaka wrong timing since gusto ko pang matulog. Argh!

I was about to ignore it pero para bang ang lapit-lapit ng tunog sa kama ko. Wait, sa kama ko? I immediately opened my eyes to see if my suspicion is right. Oh, I knew it.

"Kuya, wala ka bang respeto? You know that I am sleeping and yet nandito ka pa talaga sa kwarto ko, playing with your damn violin." Mahabang litanya ko. I am so pissed, noh. Sa sobrang inis ko mahahamon ko na siya ng suntukan. Sabi nga nila, magbiro ka na sa lasing, huwag lang sa bagong gising.

He stopped playing his violin and slowly put down the instrument and made it lean on the wall. He then looked at me with those sharp chinky eyes. Ugh, weird. Ewan ko ba, pero sa tuwing tinitingnan namin ang isa't-isa eh para bang tumitingin lang kami sa salamin.

"First of all, may respeto ako. Dapat ka pa ngang magpasalamat dahil tunog ng violin ang gumising sa'yo at hindi sigaw ko. Pangalawa, nakabukas ang pintuan ng kwarto mo at alam kong tulog ka kaya dumiretso na'ko papasok. Bakit ako pumasok ng kwarto mo? Dahil sasabihin ko sa'yo na nasa baba si Fire at sinabi niya na may lakad daw kayong dalawa." Pagkatapos ay tumingin siya sa'kin with his usual smirk na para bang nang-aasar. He's the eldest sa aming magkakapatid. The eldest, but also the loudest and the most annoying one.

I know that look very well. The "Sarcastic Jarren Narvaez Look". Iyan ang mukhang pinapakita niya every time na sa tingin niya ay natatalo niya ang kung sinuman sa mga argumento o asaran. 

Sa totoo lang, may point naman ang mga sinabi niya, pero dahil kagigising ko lang, I am not up for some serious arguments. What I crave for right now is to just see him annoyed.

"Oh, thank you so much for your concern, Kuya Ja. Please tell Fire to just wait for me. I will just get ready." Sabi ko sa malambing na boses.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. The suspicion in his eyes is evident, but he immediately regained his composition. "Okay, make it fast. I don't want Fire lurking around the house." He gets his violin and is about to leave my room when I called him.

"Kuya, wala ka na bang ibang alam na i-play na violin piece? Parang paulit-ulit ka sa Sonata No.3 in D Minor, ah." I asked him that question since I know that he's irked with the fact that he's busy with his studies and he has no time learning new pieces.

"W-well, I am now trying to learn on how to play J-jingle Bells." Namula ang kaniyang mukha pagkatapos niyang sabihin 'yon, samantalang ako naman ay napanganga sa gulat.

What?! Mas nauna pa niyang natutunan yung classical piece kaysa doon sa basic Christmas song?!

"Luh, ba't baliktad?"

"D-don't tell anyone about this." He paused for a second. "Hey! I know what you are doing! Huwag mo akong sisimulan, Brin."

Napatawa na lang ako nang tuluyan na siyang lumabas ng kwarto ko. I didn't expect the turn of events, but at least I get to get even with him. I feel so fulfilled.

Well, this is me. The only girl in the Narvaez siblings. The one who always knocks out everyone who gets into my way. Sad to say, I still have no worthy opponent. Even my brothers, whom people think are one of a hell smart-asses, do not match my wit. Until now, I am looking for someone to be my archnemesis. Why? Because I want some challenge.

But of course, I will make sure that I will be undefeated, especially in the battle of the brains and wit.