Good To Me

Chapter 1

Bakit nandito si Kuya Dominic at hindi si Kuya Domingo?

Inangat ko ang phone ko and went to my call logs and saw na si Kuya Dominic talaga ang tinawagan ko. I rummaged through my contacts. Right below Kuya Domingo's contact name is Kuya Dominic. I must've pressed wrong.

"Kuya Dom," tawag ko. I sniffed and wiped the tears on my face and calmed myself.

Of all people I could call in my contacts and see me looking like somebody splashed me a bucket of water, si Kuya Dom pa talaga. All these years, I've always been putting efforts to always look pretty in front of him came to waste.

Kuya Dominic, Kuya Gio's best buddy, is in front of me. He's still wearing his navy-blue unbuttoned coat. Mukhang kagagaling lang nya ng office at pa uwi na. Kahit gabi na, he still looks dashing. His hair is neatly brushed up that I can't see a single strand na naka angat.

I wonder how he stayed fresh after driving from Manila to QC?

"Yve, what happened? Why were you crying?" Kuya slowly walks towards me. His eyebrows are furrowed but he looks worried.

The door chimed at napa lingon kaming lahat. My body tensed just by looking at him. Travis followed us outside. He stopped right at the door nang makita nyang may iba kaming kasama. I glanced at Kuya na naka tingin rin kay Travis who's shooting daggers with his stare at Kuya. The atmosphere became heavy. We're in an open area but I feel like I'll suffocate from the dark air that surrounds us.

Kuya doesn't know who Travis is. I didn't introduce him to any of my family. What for? I already knew then that we'd break up. Ah. I really don't introduce boyfriends to my family.

Kuya Dom tilted his head at ibinaba ang ibabang lips nya. I bet by now, he have a gist of what's happening here. It;s not the first time that an ex is bothering me after break up but this is probably the worst of them all.

He is an alcoholic and now he's a stalker? Travis is really a trash.

Niki tapped me in the shoulder and leaned closer to me. "Go na."

Tumango ako sa kanya and mouthed her thanks. Tumakbo sya sa itim na BMW na nasa kabilang kalsada saka pumasok.

Ilang dipa na lang ang layo ni Travis sa amin ni Kuya Dominic. Few more steps and they'll be face to face. I immediately grabbed Kuya's arms and dragged him palapit sa kotse nya. I don't know how I managed to drag his body that's hard with muscles but I did.

Binuksan ko na agad ang passanger seat nya and sat there like I own the car. If I can drive the car, I would. But I can't. Baka we'll really end up at the police station with me ended up being locked in jail because of illegal driving instead of me being the victim of stalking.

"How are you? Do you feel better now?" tanong ni Kuya habang nag bu- buckle ng seatbealt nya. I glanced at Travis na naka tayo pa rin roon. I can see his rage while staring at the tinted car that we're in.

"Oo Kuya, ayos na. I can curse Travis now. Nonstop." The corner of Kuya Dominic's lips rose because of what I said. "Do you want me to?"

"Nah. I'd rather hear you talking about food that you're craving like you always do than talking sh*t about your boyfriend," aniya saka pina andar ang kotse palayo sa cafe na iyon.

"Ex." I corrected him.

"Right. Ex. You wouldn't want to get back to him now that he gone pretty crazy," sabi nya.

He's right tho. "Who on earth would want to accept trash like him? Hindi naman ako basurahan."

For the record, I'm not afraid of Travis. I could face him heads on. I am just afraid of what he'll do to me because I know what he can do lalo na kung wala roon si Niki. I shouldn't have believed in him when he said that he can change for me when we first dated.

I really have such a bad taste in men. Maybe I shouldn't date anymore.

Kuya Dom flashed his smile at me. Why does he look so good today?

Kuya and I weren't exactly super close but there's never an awkward air between us. Dalawang taon lang naman kasi ang tanda nya sa akin. Probably because he's always in the house when they were in highschool and college. Kambal nga raw sila ni Kuya Gio na magka- iba ang mother.

Nasanay na rin ako sa presensya nya more that I should be.

"'Nga pala, I crave sinigang."

Kuya Dom bursted a loud laugh that filled the car. Hindi naman ako nag bi- biro? He said he'd rather hear me talking about my food cravings than cursing my ex.

"That's right. That's more like you. Do you want to eat sinigang? We could look for a restaurant. Are you hungry?"

I shook my head and leaned my head to the window and looked how the skies are turning into orange. "I'm not really hungry."

"Okay." Akala ko he'll somewhat insist but he didn't. Ang dali naman talagang kausap nito ni Kuya.

Kuya is swiftly driving along the Avenue. His fingers are tapping the steering wheel and hums a song that I'm familiar with but I forgot what song it is.

Come to think of it, ngayon lang ako naka sakay sa kotse nya. It looks so neat and clean like a brandnew. Hindi na rin nya kinailangan ng air freshener dahil kumakalat ang pabango nya sa loob. Ever his scent smells clean and pure.

"Oo nga pala, already told your Kuya that you called me while crying," aniya.

"Oh my gosh!" I grabbed my phone and opened to see how may calls Kuya Giovan did at kung bakit hindi ko narinig ang pag ring ng phone ko.

I dumped my phone on my bag when I saw that the batterry's dead.

He slowly halted when the traffic light turned into red at kasabay nun ang pag ring ng phone nya na naka lagay sa isang phone holder that's mounted on his dashboard.

Giovan Alejo calling...

"Speaking of the devil." He swiped the green button phone to answer my brother's call.

"Hello," ani Kuya sa kabilang linya.

"Oh? Kasama ko na si Yvette. We'll be arriving in a few," sagot ni Kuya Dominic.

"Yve? Yve!" matigas na tawag ni Kuya sa pangalan ko.

Mukhang kailangan kong takpan ang tainga ko when we get home. I'm sure I'll hear a handful from him later. Dudugo na naman ang tenga ko from all his nags and preaches. Mom doesn't really have the need to nag me everytime because of Kuya.

Minsan nauuna na ang pag andar ng bibig ni Kuya Gio kesa kay Mommy. Bubuka pa lang ang bibig ni Mom, nakapag bitaw na ng speech si Kuya. Medyo nag lie low lang dahil he's not living with us anymore but he still do his virtual sermon via phone call or facetime.

"Yes? Why?" ani ko.

"Mag u- usap tayo pagkarating mo." Iyon lang ang sinabi nya saka ibinaba ang tawag.

"Yari ka na naman sa Kuya mo, " ani Kuya Dominic.

Gusto ko na lang tuloy ipa U- Turn ang kotse's huwag ng umuwi sa bahay.

Our gate automatically opened nang bumusina si Kuya. He stopped the car at the main door. I unbucked my seatbelt saka bumaba ng kotse nya. That was a smooth ride. Wish ko lang maulit. He looks cool while driving.

Nasa front poarch pa lang kami, agad na kaming sinalubong ni Kuya Gio. His hair is disheveled at naka unbotton na rin ang tatlong unang butones ng puting long sleeves nya. Mukhang kagagaling din ng office. Parehas galing office but ibang iba ang level of freshness nila. Pa expire na si Kuya. Seeing him alone, mukhang wala pa sina Mama.

"Yvette Alejo-" I silenced Kuya by putting my pointing finger near on his mouth.

"Pwedeng umupo muna tayo?" ani ko and motioned them to the huge white sofa at the center of the living room.

Like what I suggested, we sat down on the sofa. I sat on the single chair across the huve sofa na inuupuan nilang dalawa.

I mentally prepared my ears and my mind para saluhin lahat ng sermon nya.

"Anong nangyari? Bakit tumawag ka kay Dominic na umiiyak?" tanong ni Kuya. I can see in him that he's holding all his questions and made me tell the story instead.

"And ayun..." pagtapos ko sa kwento mula umpisa hanggang sa nangyari ngayong araw.

I look like I'm chill about these things pero sa totoo lang, the creepy feeling that I got nung nakita kong naka titig lang si Travis sa akin sa kabilang sidewalk still lingers. Isa pa, natatakot rin ako para sa sarili ko. I don't think that would be the end of his craziness.

I wish I won't have a nightmare tonight.

Kuya Gio sighed.

Ayan na yung sermon. May the heavens guide me tonight.

"Ex mo na naman? I told you to stop dating guys like that! Kung ganyan lang din naman lagi, you better stop dating at all!" frustrated na sabi nya. Lahat ng puwedeng malukot sa mukha nya ay nalulukot na.

"I'm in college. I should date," mahinang sabi ko.

I remember telling myself to stop dating earlier but here I am now defending myself on my brother. What's more embarrassing is that Kuya Dominic just stares at me habang dinidipensahan ko ang sarili ko.

You're such an embarassment in front of your crush, Yvette.

"Then pick at least a decent guy!" ubos na pasensyang sabi ni Kuya.

Decent guy? Should I date Kuya Dominic instead? He's the only decent guy that fits into my standard.

I mentally mocked myself. Sinong niloko ko? Eh kahit naman siguro landiin ko 'to si Kuya Dominic hindi ako papatulan nun.

What's funny is that my standard in men is Kuya Dominic but the guys that I dated is far from him. They're all jerks and trash. They're not even 1/4 of what Kuya Dominic is.

"May nakakatawa ba?" pag interrupt ni Kuya sa iniisip ko.

Hindi ko alam na subconsciously, naka angat na pala ang sulok ng labi ko. I pressed my lips together and stopped smiling.

Wala na talaga. Sirang sira na ang reputasyon ko.