LOVE ME, BROTHER

THIRD PERSON'S POV

ISANG malakas na paghila ng buhok ang naramdaman ni Ashannah nang papasok na siya sa gate ng kanilang paaralan. Agad siyang napaatras dahil mula sa likod ang humila ng buhok niya.

"Ouch!" daing niya nang higpitan pa ng kung sino man ang pagkakasabunot sa kanya.

“Did you know what, Ashannah? Ythaniel left me at the bar last night because of you,” bulong ng babae sa kanyang tainga. At alam niya agad kung sino iyon. Napangiwi siya sa sinabi nito.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Paulina. Let go of my hair, please,” pakiusap ni Ashannah. Marami rami na rin ang nanonood sa munting eksena nila dahil nakaharang sila sa daan papasok sa paaralan. As long as she could control her patience, she would. She’s not that kind of girl na basta basta pumapatol sa mga umaaway sa kanya. She knows when to fight back.

“You don’t know? Ipapaalala ko lang sa’yo, Ashannah. Mag-isa ka lang sa mansion niyo kagabi dahil nasa out of town ang mga magulang niyo ni Ythaniel kaya kinailangan niyang umuwi para may makasama ka. He left me alone at the bar just to babysit you!” mariing saad ni Paulina na ikinangiwi ni Ashannah. Pinikit niya nang mariin ang mga mata nang higpitan ni Paulina ang pagkakasabunot sa kanya. Nakahawak siya sa buhok niya para kahit papaano ay mabawasan ang sakit, pero ramdam pa rin niya ang pag-init ng anit niya

“Ano ba ang ikinagagalit mo, Paulina? Hindi ka naman girlfriend ng kapatid ko pero kung makaasta ka parang jowa mo siya, ah?” sagot ni Ashannah kay Paulina na lalo lang ikinagalit ng huli.

“You b*tch!” galit na sigaw ni Paulina at kinaladkad si Ashannah habang hila-hila pa rin ang buhok nito.

“Ouch! Let go of me, Paulina! You’re hurting me!” sigaw ni Ashannah habang tumutulo na ang luha niya dahil sa sakit. Napahinto si Paulina sa paglalakad kaya napahinto rin siya.

“Y-Ythaniel?”

“Let go of her. Now!” isang baritonong boses ang narinig ni Ashannah bago siya binitiwan ni Paulina. Agad niyang inayos ang buhok niya at yumuko.

“What do you think you’re doing, Ms. Ramiso?” tanong ni Ythaniel sa malamig at malalim na boses.

“I... I was just giving her a lesson,” sagot ni Paulina, biglang naging maamong tupa.

“I am her brother, and I don’t even do such things because I know that my sister knows what is right and what is wrong. Do you think that dragging her while pulling her hair is right? Is that what you want her to learn from you?” seryosong tono ni Ythaniel na nagpalamig sa paligid. Ashannah, on the other hand, was doing her best to contain her sobs.

“It’s your fault! You left me at the bar last night! I thought we’re having fun?” Paulina shouted. Ythaniel remained stoic.

“That is what you thought, Ms. Ramiso. If I ever see you hurting or pulling my sister’s hair again, I won’t think twice to call your parents and the Dean. Dare me,” seryosong banta ni Ythaniel bago siya nilapitan at inalalayan palabas ng crowd. Huminto sila sa tapat ng school clinic.

“Does it still hurt? Are you in pain?” tanong ni Ythaniel habang pinupunasan ang luha ni Ashannah.

“Uhm... yeah... a little, Brother,” sagot niya habang hawak hawak pa rin ang anit niya.

Napabuntong-hininga si Ythaniel bago hinawakan ang balikat ng kapatid.

“I told you to stay away from trouble, Asheng! Why are you so hard-headed?” may bahid ng inis na tanong ni Ythaniel.

“Ehh? I’m not the one who’s looking for trouble. Trouble’s the one always looking for me,” sagot ni Ashannah habang nakasimangot.

“You... You... Argh! It’s because you’re a trouble magnet!” inis na tugon ng kapatid niya.

“Hey! That was below the belt, Brother!” sigaw ni Ashannah.

“But that’s the truth,” balik naman ni Ythaniel.

“Argh!! I hate you!” Ashannah tapped her foot on the ground, pouting.

Ythaniel messed up her hair.

“Ouch! Ouch! It hurts, Brother!” inis na saad ni Ashannah.

“Tss! Come here,” sabay hila sa kanya papasok ng clinic.

“Oh? What happened to you again, Asheng?” tanong ng school nurse na si Ms. Fritz pagkapasok nila. Sa araw araw ba naman na napapasabak siya sa gulo, kilalang kilala na siya ng nurse ng clinic.

“Can you please hand me a bucket of ice cubes, Ms. Fritz? And please wrap it in a small cloth,” mahinahong sabi ni Ythaniel.

“Okay, wait here,” sagot ni Ms. Fritz.

Maya maya lang ay bumalik si Ms. Fritz, dala na ang hinihinging yelo. Tinanggap iyon ni Ythaniel at marahang inilapat sa anit ni Ashannah.

“Tell me, what happened again this time?” tanong ni Ms. Fritz.

“Sinabunutan ni Ms. Ramiso,” sagot ni Ythaniel.

“Paulina Ramiso? That girl is a b*tch sometimes,” komentaryo ni Ms. Fritz.

“It’s not sometimes. Replace ‘sometimes’ with ‘every time.’ Hmp!” sagot ni Ashannah, dahilan ng pagtawa ni Ythaniel.

“Tinatawanan mo pa ako, Brother? Masaya ka?” reklamo ni Ashannah.

“Stop being a brat, Sissy,” Ythaniel teased, causing Ashannah to roll her eyes.

“Okay na... Let’s go, Brother. Hindi pa late. Makakaabot pa tayo sa first subject natin. Thanks for helping me again, Ms. Fritz,” sabi ni Ashannah sabay hila kay Ythaniel palabas ng clinic.

“Don’t pull me,” reklamo ni Ythaniel.

“Arte arte, eh kasalanan mo naman kung bakit nangyari sa akin ‘to. Makikipaglandian ka pa kay Paulina. Hmp!” Ashannah said, then let go of his hand.

“I don’t flirt with her,” giit ni Ythaniel.

“You do! Look what she did to me!”

“Okay… now quiet. I’ll walk you to your room. Faster,” utos ni Ythaniel.

“Ikaw sabunutan ko, eh. Susungitan mo pa ako. Isusumbong kita kay Dad!” Ashannah childishly replied.

“Then what are you gonna tell him? About how bratty you are in school?” tukso ni Ythaniel.

“I am not a brat! Paulina is!” kontra niya.

“Yes, you are. Look at yourself right now. Is that what you call, not a brat?”

“I don’t know if you’re my brother or not. You always tease me when nobody’s around!”

“Don’t worry. You’re my bratty little sissy,” Ythaniel said, then laughed.

“I hate you!” sigaw ni Ashannah.

“You don’t mean that,” sagot ni Ythaniel.

“Yes, I do. By the way, thanks for walking me here,” Ashannah said before stepping inside her classroom. A small smile appeared on Ythaniel’s face as he watched her. It’s really nice to tease his sister every day. It always makes his day.

---

ASHANNAH'S POV

“Oh? Anong nangyari sa’yo at parang napasabak ka sa napakalaking gyera?” tanong ni Fayrea pag upo ko sa tabi niya.

“Stop teasing me, Fayrea. I will pull your tongue out of your mouth if you keep teasing me,” sagot kong iritado.

“I know you can’t do that, my dear,” she replied confidently while smirking.

“I hate you all! Why are you teasing me so early in the morning?” reklamo ko. Parang gusto kong magdabog. Tumawa naman si Avia na nasa kabilang upuan.

“We love seeing your face when you get annoyed, my dear. That’s why Ythaniel always teases you—because you easily get annoyed,” sabi ni Avia, dahilan para lalo akong magtampo.

So iyon pala ‘yung dahilan? They love teasing me because I react? Huhuhu. They’re all so mean.

“Hala! Fayrea! Anong ginawa mo? Umiiyak na si Asheng!” taranta si Avia.

“Anong ako? Ikaw nga ang may sinabi, eh. Bakit sa’kin napunta ang sisi?” kontra ni Fayrea.

Sunod sunod na nagsibagsakan ang luha ko. Eh? Bakit ang babaw ng luha ko ngayon?

“Hey! Asheng. I didn’t mean to say those words. Please stop crying, my dear,” pakiusap ni Avia. Pero hindi ko siya pinansin. Huwaa! Bakit ba ako umiiyak?

“Oh sh*t, Avia! What have you done? Ano ba kasing sinabi mo at napasakit mo ‘yung damdamin ng babaeng ‘to?” Fayrea asked while wiping my tears.

“Hey! Asheng, stop na. Lagot tayo kay Ythaniel nito, eh,” nag-aalalang saad ni Fayrea. Nang maramdaman kong okay na ako, ngumiti ako sa kanila.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry,” sabi ko na agad nilang ikinaginhawa.

“Seriously, Asheng? You’re okay? What the h*ll? Kanina lang kung maka-ngawa ka parang baka, tapos biglang okay ka na agad? Wow! Just wow!” reklamo ni Fayrea habang umiiling.

Umayos na kami ng upo nang biglang pumasok si Prof. Actually, I’m in third year college now, taking Business Administration major in Marketing.

“Good morning, class. Today—” naputol ang sasabihin ni Prof nang may kumatok sa pintuan. Binuksan niya iyon.

“Oh, Mr. Delos Reyes. What can I do for you?” tanong ni Prof, kaya napalingon ako. At ayun na nga si Ythaniel.

“I’m looking for Ms. Zacharias, Prof. Can I talk to her?”

Napakunot ang noo ko. Ako?

“You’re on your red tide, Asheng, right? That’s why you’re very sensitive right now,” bulong ni Avia. Red tide? Hala!

“It’s the 15th of August,” sabat ni Fayrea.

“Hala! Bakit hindi ko napansin?” bulalas ko na ikina-facepalm nila.

“Kindly go out, Ms. Zacharias. It seems Mr. Delos Reyes has something important to tell you,” sabi ni Prof. Kinuha ko ang bag ko at lumabas.

Pagkalabas ko, agad akong hinila ni Ythaniel at pinatalikod.

“Sabi ko na nga ba may red tide ka, eh. May masakit ba sa’yo?” tanong niya.

Sakto naman at biglang sumakit ang puson ko.

“Ahh sh*t, Brother! I’m having cramps!” daing ko habang nakabaluktot.

“Oh h*ll. Why did you forget that it’s your red day today?” sabay buhat niya sa akin in bridal style. Napakapit ako sa leeg niya.

“I’ll bring you home. You won’t be able to study properly, and I can’t leave you like this. I’ll take care of you today. No one’s home anyway,” seryosong sabi niya.

Gusto ko man siyang sapukin ay hindi ko magawa. The pain was too much.

Inupo niya ako sa sasakyan at sinabitan ng seatbelt. Pagkasakay niya, pinaandar na niya ang sasakyan pauwi sa mansion.