Three Portraits

Chapter 34

"Psalm, come on!" Pabulong na sigaw ni Ate sa 'kin.

Naiinis na lumapit ako sa kanya at hindi na inalintana ang mga kasambahay na maaring makakita sa ginagawa namin ngayon.

Mabilis niya akong hinila pababa upang magpantay kami.

"You should have let me borrowed your car, hindi ka sana madadamay ngayon!" Singhal pa niya na parang kasalanan ko dahil grounded siya ngayon.

She's a Mr.Bean girl version. Paano ba naman, kay Daddy lang naman niya na-sent ang message niya para dapat sa fling niya! See, sinong hindi mabibisto?! Sana na sent na lang niya iyon kay Kuya Silas baka madaan pa sa usapan but of course you should give him 'a small token' kuno. Small token raw pero aabot naman sa limang libo bago tumahimik.

Hindi ko talaga alam kung saan nagmana ang isang iyon! Our parents isn't like that. Baka adopted? Ohmy! Baka nga, I suddenly felt sad for him, baka kutengero ang tunay na parents niya tas ipinagpalit siya- Urgh, whatever!

I scowled when I felt my sister tugging the hem of my pj's. "Knowing you? You're merely going to kidnap my favorite car-"

To keep me from making a scene, she made a face and put her finger on my lips.

"Do you remember Aiden?"

I rolled my eyes. "Your lame fling-"

Tinampal niya ang braso ko. "Hey, he's not a lame! Diba sabi ko sa 'yo, huwag ka ng sumasama kay Silas!"

Napasimangot ako. Totoo naman.

When we successfully sneaked out, I couldn't help but to grimace at her when her fling called her. Nagpasama lang siya sa 'kin na puntahan ang ka-fling niya sa labas ng village.

Lukot ang mukha ko habang nakatanaw sa kanilang dalawa na naglalampungan… That's what I learned from Silas, it's a tagalog word of flirting.

Tawagan ko kaya si Daddy at isumbong siya na dinamay ako? I pouted, baka sa birthday ko wala na akong buhok.

I was busy scrolling my i********:, nang mahagip ng mga mata ko si Anzai, my sister's fiancé, he was strolling around with… A girl? May kasama siyang babae!

Napatingin ako sa gawi nila ni Ate, this old man will surely report her to our father if he will saw her! At baka madamay pa ako! Alam ni Anzai na grounded si Ate!

Dahan-dahan akong lumabas at nagkukunwaring nakasalubong ko lang sila.

Nang magtagpo ang mga mata namin, kaagad akong kumaway sa kanila. I pretended to be astonished that they were still outside at this hour.

I jumped joyfully in their direction, like a child. When I was centimeters away from them, I waved my hands cutely at him.

"Hello, Anzai!" I giggled, and my gaze shifted to the girl standing next to her, napasimangot ako.

She's gorgeous, but my sister is even more so. Kung totoo lang ang pangyayaring 'to baka tinarayan ko na siya, pero hindi ko magawa dahil hindi ko pwedeng inisin si Anzai.

Nang bumalik na ang tingin ko kay Anzai nakakunot na ang kanyang noo at halatang galit. Ang sarap niya dakmalin, bakit ba siya nagagalit?! Ako dapat ang magalit, he is cheating on my sister's back!

I bite the inside of my lower lip as I remember that my sister is also cheating on him. So it's a mutual benefit…

"Bakit nasa labas ka pa?" Nahihimigan ko sa kanyang boses ang galit.

I blinked my pretty eyes on him, baka matablan. "Nasa labas ka rin naman-"

"I'm not a kid anymore." Nang-iinsultong sagot niya.

My lips parted. Sa tuwing nagkakasalubong kaming dalawa 'yan talaga ang tinatawag niya sa kin. Kid! Sabunutan ko kaya ang babaeng katabi niya at tignan natin kung matatawag pa ba rin niya akong bata!

"I'll be eighteen in a week!" I hissed vehemently.

The girl next to her laughed pleasantly, at malamyos pa niyang hinaplos ang braso ni Anzai! Gusto ko siyang sigawan at pagsabihan na si Anzai ay meron ng Ivana Gracen De Villa!

Binawi ko ang mga mata roon at tumingin pabalik kay Anzai na magkasalubong pa rin ang kilay na nakatingin sa 'kin.

Anzai, if only you were a female! I've already given you a heavy slap!

I'm not sure why, but whenever I see him flirting with other girls, I become upset and irritated.

Wala naman siyang pinagkaiba nina Silas at North. Swerte nga niya 'eh dahil hindi niya ako kapatid dahil kung naging kapatid pa niya ako, there's no girls will last on him.

"Is she Ivana's younger sister, Anzai?" Malambing na tanong nung babae.

My eyes widened a bit. Alam niya na kapatid ako ni Ivana pero nilalandi pa rin niya si Anzai?

I bit my lower lip and clenched my teeth. "Yes! The man you're flirting with's fiancée!"

Imbis na mainis ay humagikhik siya, mas lalo lang akong nainis sa kanya!

"Why does she sound like your fiancée, Anzai?" When her eyes turned to Anzai, she was still giggling.

Because of my shame, my entire face began to blush.

Anzai's gaze remains riveted on mine. Pinandilatan ko siya, I put my hand in front of them and elevated it. They are being warned not to move.

I took my phone out of the pocket and searched for Ate's name on the contacts. Tinawagan ko ito ng isang bes

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I took my phone out of the pocket and searched for Ate's name on the contacts. Tinawagan ko ito ng isang beses ngunit kaagad naman binaba bago nagtipa ng mensahe.

Me:

Pumasok ka na sa kotse! Anzai is here!

"She's weird…" Dinig kong bulong ng babae.

I caught a glimpse of Anzai's grin before he abruptly seized my palm. I squirmed a little, lalo na ng maramdaman ang higpit ng hawak niya sa palapulsuhan ko.

Hindi ko mapigilang mapatingala sa kanya, bahagya pang umawang ang bibig ko.

What is he doing?

"Mauna ka na Anne, ihahatid ko lang ang batang 'to." Aniya sa babaeng palipat-lipat din ang tingin saming dalawa.

Hindi siya makapaniwala na mas pinili ako ni Anzai kesa sa kanya! If I wasn't annoyed on what Anzai freaking said, baka magawa ko na siyang pandilatang ngayon at asarin, that she's just a past time.

"Oh, okay…" Bahagya pang pumiyok ang boses niya sa dulo.

Hanggang sa lumiit na ang pigura nung babae, hindi pa rin ako binibitawan ni Anzai.

"Serves her right!" I murmured and make a face.

"Where's Ivana?" Baritonong tanong ng katabi ko, it made me stilled.

Pasimple 'kong kinuha pabalik ang kamay ko sa kanya at tumawa.

"What are you talking about? I told you I was about to buy an ice cream when I saw you strolling-"

"Wala kang binanggit na ganyan." Tipid niyang saad.

My lips pursed before I let out a deep breath. "Okay fine! Nandun! Meeting her fling!" My voice raised a bit, walang nagbago sa exspressyon niya pagkatapos ng sinabi ko.

He put his two hands on his pocket while looking at me intently.

"Bakit ganyan ka makatingin? Hindi lang ikaw ang nangangaliwa sa inyong dalawa! Okay lang na mangaliwa rin si Ate dahil nangangaliwa ka rin naman!"

Biglang namungay ang kanyang mga mata. "Damn, kid. Are you really seventeen? Bakit parang mas matanda ka pa kay Ivana kung makapag-salita?"

Natutop ang bibig ko. This isn't the first time I've heard that; in school, I've had a lot of comments on the difference in our mindsets with my sister.

I locked my gaze on him. "Is that a problem for you?"

With a shake of his head, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation. "None. Let's go; we'll find your sister."

Suplada ko siyang tinignan. "I think there's-"

Hindi ko na natuloy ang sasabihin ng bigla niya akong nilampasan. I scowled and locked my gaze on his broad back. He's older than my siblings, which could explain why he appears so mature.

Ang kanyang pangangatawan, panga at boses ay nadepina na.

Thanks to his long legs, at tumatakbo na ako ngayon dahil ang layo na niya sa 'kin. Nang magpantay na kami hindi nakatakas sa 'kin kung paano niya ako sinulyapan.

"Bakit ba kayo lumabas?" He seems upset and has abruptly stopped walking, so napahinto na rin ko.

My arms were crossed. "I warned you Ate is meeting her fling! You're envious, right?" Then I gave a wicked grin.

Biglang nagkasalubong ang malalapad na kilay niya dahil sa sinabi ko, kaya mas lalong lumaki ang ngisi ko.

"Nagseselos ka pero bakit naghahanap ka ng iba?" Malditang tanong ko bago naglakad ulit.

He smirked. "You sounds like a jealous girlfriend."

Mabilis ko siyang nilingon at pinanlisikan ng mga mata. Am I? My concern here is my sister! Sarap niyang untugin doon sa babaeng kasama niya kanina!

I gave him a menacing glance. "You don't pique my interest."

His brows were furrowed. "I'm not implying that you're interested in me-"

"You're ridiculous!" exclaims the narrator. I hissed vehemently.

Nauna na akong maglakad at hindi na siya pinansin kahit pa nagpupuyos na ako sa inis ngayon. My blood started to boil even more as he chuckled!

For a variety of reasons, it never occurred to me that I might appreciate him romantically. He's five years older than me, and for God's sake, he looks like my elder brother, and he's supposed to be with my sister.

When I spotted Daddy and Ate outside of our car, I blinked twice and my feet seemed glued to the ground.

Oh, my God, I've gone insane.

Nakayuko na si Ate habang si Daddy ay nakatingin kay Ate, mukhang pinapagalitan niya ito. I thought they already sleep? Bakit nandito si Daddy? May nagsumbong kaya?

Nilingon ko ang lalakeng nasa likod ko ng maramdaman ang presensya niya. I locked my gaze on him, but his gaze was fixated on my father and sister.

We were together on the whole time kaya impossibleng siya ang tumawag kay Daddy… Baka nagising lang talaga si Daddy at ni-check ang mga room namin?

What the hell, whatever. Right now, I have to preserve myself! Ivana, you're such an embarrassment.

Anzai grabbed my arms as I was about to take a step back. Kinaladkad niya ako ng parang bata papunta kina Ate at Daddy.

I struggled to pry his strong, thick fingers from his grip, but my father had already noticed us approaching. In my mind, I had already killed Anzai and buried him six feet underground.

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When my sister saw me, her smile lighted up, but when she saw the man beside me, her forehead knotted quickly.

Ang mga kamay ni Daddy ay nasa kanyang mga hita na. Nakatingin siya sa amin ni Anzai na parang isang mga bata. Hindi nakatakas sa akin kung paano ngumisi si Ate.

My sister moved in and wrapped her arms around our father while we were centimeters away from them.

"Dad, I warned you! Psalm has a meeting with someone, and I wasn't expecting it to be Anzai…" From head to toe, she examines Anzai.

Ni hindi ko nga man lang mahimigan ang pait sa kanyang boses! Parang ang saya pa niya!

Daddy's gaze was drawn to Anzai. I cast a peek at Anzai, who is still perplexed by the scenario, but he quickly discarded that face in favor of a stare at my sister, who is still acting innocent. When our gazes met, she apologized.

I could have already balded her if she wasn't my older sister!