Chapter 4: Nix Jude Valdez

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Maagang nagising si Ashannah kinabukasan. Matapos siyang maligo at makapag ayos, bumaba na agad siya para mag almusal. Nang makarating sa dining area ay umupo na siya sa pwesto niya.

"Nakita mo ba si Ythaniel, Yaya Lilith?" tanong niya sa katulong.

"Ay, naku Señorita, hindi pa bumababa si Señorito Ythaniel," sagot ng katulong na ikinakunot ng noo niya. It's already 6:30 in the morning, and usually, Ythaniel goes downstairs at exactly 6:00 AM. Something’s off.

"Sige Yaya Lilith, pakihanda na lang ng agahan. Pupuntahan ko lang si Ythaniel," paalam niya. Tumango naman ito kaya naglakad na siya paakyat sa silid ng kapatid.

Nang makarating sa tapat ng silid nito, kumatok agad siya ng tatlong beses. "Bro?!"

"Don't open the door, Asheng. I'm putting my shirt on," sagot nito mula sa loob.

"Okay. I’ll just wait for you sa dining. Please hurry up!" sagot niya. Akmang tatalikod na siya nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan. Dahil malapit lang siya, halos magkadikit ang mga mukha nila nang dumungaw ito.

She saw how his Adam’s apple moved up and down.

Nagkatitigan sila ng halos limang segundo. Then suddenly, Ythaniel flicked her forehead.

"Ouch!" daing niya, sabay ng pagkunot ng noo. "You're too close. Distance!" saad nito kaya napangiwi siya.

"Too close, too close. Sipain kita dyan eh. Ang sakit ng noo ko!" reklamo niya. He just gave her his famous poker face.

"Tsk! Let's go," Ythaniel said and began walking toward the dining area.

Nakanguso siyang sumunod dito habang hinihimas pa ang noo niya. Sabay silang bumaba at pumasok sa dining area. Walang araw na hindi sila sabay na kumakain ng agahan.

"Bakit ang tagal mong bumaba?" tanong niya habang nagsasalin ng kanin, itlog, at bacon sa plato niya.

"Kasi matagal akong nagising, Kamahalan," simpleng sagot nito. Napakunot siya ng noo. Gusto na niyang sapakin ito gamit ang sandok na hawak niya. Walang ka effort effort sa pagsagot. Nakakainis!

Mas pinili na lang niyang kumain kesa makipagdiskusyon. Matapos kumain ay tumayo na siya.

"Una na ako. Bye, bro!" paalam niya, at akmang lalabas na ng kwarto nang magsalita ito.

"You have a car or ride?" tanong nito habang kumukunot ang noo.

"Of course I have. Did you forget that I received my car two years ago and I already have my license because I’m 19 years old now? I can drive on my own, bro, so no worries," she said confidently, may kasamang kumpas ng kamay.

Pero ngumiti lang si Ythaniel at tumango. "At nakalimutan mo atang nasa school ang kotse mo dahil naka-red tide ka kahapon. Did you forget that I gave you a ride yesterday?"

Bigla siyang natigilan. "Ow. I forgot about that. Kung ganun, sasabay ako sa'yo!" nakangiting sagot niya.

Nang makitang tapos na kumain ang kapatid, hinila na niya ito patayo mula sa upuan at kinaladkad palabas.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Ythaniel at nagpaubaya.

"Open your car, bro! Let’s go to school!" she cheerfully shouted.

"Tsk! Childish," komento ni Ythaniel, pero binuksan pa rin ang pinto ng kotse. Agad na pumasok si Ashannah at inayos ang seatbelt.

"Put your seatbelt on," utos ni Ythaniel bago isinara ang pinto. A moment later, sumakay na rin ito at pinaandar na ang sasakyan.

"Mauna ka na, Asheng. I need to check your car first," sabi nito nang makarating sila sa school parking lot.

Tumango siya at bumaba. Pagkatapos ay naglakad papasok sa school gate.

"Ashannah Zacharias, my dear!" sigaw ni Avia, dahilan para mapailing siya.

"I know how beautiful my name is, Avianna Bernardo. But you don’t need to shout it to the whole universe, you witch!" mataray na saad niya.

"PMS? Sabagay, may regla ka nga pala," nakangising tugon ni Avia habang isinukbit ang braso sa kanya.

"Tigilan mo ako, Avia!" banta niya habang patuloy sa paglalakad. Parang tuko naman itong nakakapit.

"Fayrea Collins!" halos mabingi siya sa sigaw nito, kaya pinandilatan niya ito.

"Hello, Avia, Asheng, my dear!" bati ni Fayrea.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. These two are exhausting.

"How’s the girl who has romantic feelings for her so-called brother?" tanong ni Avia bigla.

Agad niyang tinakpan ang bibig nito. "Ang ingay mo! Bruha ka! Hinaan mo nga 'yang boses mo at baka may makarinig sa'yo. Gagang 'to!"

"Don’t be so mean, Avia, dear. You know how Asheng hides her feelings for that guy, and she will be doomed if you continue being the big mouth of the year," saway ni Fayrea.

"Hide her feelings for that guy? Who’s that guy? What’s the name?" tanong ni Ythaniel na ngayon ay nasa likod na nila.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Ashannah. Oh sh*t. Did he hear everything?

"B-Brother!" kinakabahang tawag niya.

"Yes, I am. Who’s the guy you’re hiding your feelings for?"

She could feel the seriousness in his voice. Napalunok siya.

"It’s not what you think, Ythaniel," paliwanag ni Fayrea.

"Yeah, we’re just joking around," dagdag ni Avia.

"Ashannah?" mas malamig na ngayon ang boses nito.

Napapikit siya. That tone, she knew it all too well. Her brother wasn’t playing.

"I’m asking you, Ashannah Zacharias. Who’s the guy?"

"It’s... it’s..." she stammered. Sh*t! She was nervous!

"It’s Nix Jude Valdez," mariin niyang sambit, eyes shut.

"What the hell!" sabay-sabay na sigaw nina Avia at Fayrea. Nix Jude Valdez is her long-time suitor, and they knew she didn’t like him that way.

"Yes! What the hell!" komento ni Ythaniel.

"You have feelings for me? I didn’t mishear that, right, Ashannah?"

Now she is totally doomed. Nix was also there, standing beside Ythaniel, smiling. Oh holy sh*t! Wrong move!

"No! You totally misheard it!" mabilis niyang tugon.

A very dangerous tone followed.

"Follow me, Ashannah," utos ni Ythaniel. Isa lang ang ibig sabihin nito, seryoso na talaga siya.

Nang magsimulang maglakad ang kapatid, tiningnan niya ang mga kaibigan.

"I’m sorry, Ashannah, dear," sabay na sabi nina Avia at Fayrea.

Umiling lang siya. Tiningnan si Nix. "I’m sorry about that, Nix. Let’s just talk about it next time," saad niya at naglakad na palayo.

Buti na lang walang masyadong tao kanina, kaya walang masyadong nakarinig.

Nakita niyang huminto si Ythaniel sa isang bench. Lumapit siya.

"You stay away from that Valdez, Ashannah. Do you understand me?"

She could sense the authority, not as a brother, but as a man of power.

"And why is that, brother?" she challenged.

Tiningnan siya nito nang diretso, pero agad ding nawala ang emosyon sa mukha.

"No other reason. Just stay away from him," mariin nitong sagot.

"No. I won’t," matigas na tugon niya.

If Nix could help her stop loving her own brother, then maybe focusing on someone else was the right thing to do.

"You stay away from him, or I will destroy their company from root to tip. Choose, Ashannah."

She froze. Her heart dropped. He wasn’t bluffing.

"That’s unfair, brother!" sigaw niya.

"No battle will ever be fair in this sh*tty world. You need to play dirty to get what you want."

His eyes were blank. Cold.

"Stay away from that guy. Don’t dare me, Ashannah. I’m not kidding."

He turned around and walked away. “Let’s go. I’ll walk you to your room.”

She silently followed.