CHAPTER 17: INSECTS

SORCHA'S POV

I feel warm. So comfortably warm that I'm finding it hard to open my eyes. I love going to work, but this is the first time that I want to pretend that I'm sick so that I can stay home all day to sleep.

Tagaytay is a cold place, more so at certain times of the year. I'm used to the cold, but since it's normal for people's temperatures to drop when they're sleeping, I usually wake up in the middle of the night because my feet or my face feel too cold.

But right now, I don't feel that way. I'm just warm. Dumiretso na siguro ang tulog ko kung hindi lang sanay ang katawan ko na gumising ng maaga.

Just five more minutes, and then I'll get up. I snuggled deeper into my pillow, and I was so ready to get back to sleep when my pillow suddenly tightened around me. Napadilat ako at sa pagkagulat ko ay ang natutulog na mukha ni Daze ang nabungaran ko.

Nanghihilakbot na nagbaba ako ng tingin sa ayos namin. It's no wonder that I felt so warm. I'm attached to him like a clingy marsupial!

I made a move to get away from him, but before I could successfully do so, his arms tightened around me as if he were caging me in. Dahil sa bigla niyang paghila sa akin at pagkilos ay nahila niya ako paibabaw sa kaniya. Kung kanina ay para lang akong koala na nakakabit sa kaniya ngayon para na akong starfish.

"D-Daze..."

I put a hand on him to put distance between us, and that's when I finally noticed it. As if I'm starring in a horror movie, I slowly looked down, only to see Daze's very broad and very bared chest.

I was right. The firsts in my life came pouring down my life the moment that this golden retriever came into my life. Like at this very moment where for the first time in my life, I let out the most intense and blood curdling scream.

Napasigaw na napabalikwas ng bangon si Daze habang nakayakap pa rin sa akin. Hindi pa siya natapos doon dahil natagpuan ko na lang ang sarili kong buhat niya habang parang handa siyang itakbo ako palabas ng bahay.

"Let me down!" I hissed at him.

Pinagpapalo ko siya dahilan para mabitawan niya ako. I shrieked when I felt my abrupt descent, but before the floor welcomed me, Daze caught me at the last minute. Iyon nga lang ay dahil siguro disoriented pa siya ay nawalan siya ng balanse dahilan para mapasama siya sa pagbagsak.

He tumbled forward, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to fall rougher this time than if I fell alone since his added weight will crush me. But before that happened, he wrapped his arms around me, his huge hands on the back of my head, as if protecting me from the fall.

Hindi nagtagal ang bigat niya sa ibabaw ko dahil kaagad niyang itinukod ang mga kamay niya sa magkabilang gilid ng ulo ko. He stared at me with eyes still hazy from sleep.

"What's... what's happening?"

"You have to ask?!" I seethed. "Bakit wala kang damit?! Bakit tinabihan mo ako?! Bakit nakayakap ka sa akin?!"

He looks confused at the questions I'm throwing at him. "Ha?"

I pushed on his chest, but he didn't even budge an inch. Nagbaba siya ng tingin sa kamay ko na nakahawak sa matigas niyang dibdib at parang napaso na binawi ko ang kamay ko. "Ha ha ka riyan! Ha-tawin kita eh!"

"Well, you kinda did already...." Napangiwi siya nang makita niya ang nanlilisik ko na mga mata. "Red, I can only answer one question, and that is, I don't have a shirt because your mother's nightgown is not exactly comfortable to wear. Iyong iba mo pang mga tanong ay dapat ako ang nagtatanong."

"Anong—"

A playful smile curve on his lips. "Bakit tinabihan mo ako? Bakit ka nakayakap sa akin?"

"W-What?"

Come to think of it, I woke up clinging to him like a koala bear. He was hugging me, but not as tight as I'm doing to him...

"You fell on top of me and snuggled me. I tried to wake you up, but you just keep making these adorable tiny noises that kept me up the whole night." Napapalatak na umiling siya. "Dapat ako ang magreklamo. You took advantage of me all night, and I'm sleep-deprived. Paano kung magkasakit ako? You need to take responsibility, Red."

Heat spread from my face down to my neck, and even without looking at myself, I'm probably redder than my hair.

I couldn't meet his eyes. "Move away."

"Wala bang pa-good morning kiss?"

"Kahit brunch kiss, good afternoon kiss, at midnight snack kiss pa 'yan, wala!" asik ko. Tinulak ko siya ulit at gaya kanina ay hindi pa rin siya natinag. "Aalis ka o bibigyan kita ng good morning sapak?"

Tatawa-tawang kumilos siya para sana umalis sa ibabaw ko nang parehas kaming nagkatinginan nang makarinig kami ng tunod. We both looked in the direction of the door, and I felt my stomach drop when I realized the situation.

"Ang aga-aga ang ingay mo. Namatayan ka ba ng halaman at nagsisisigaw ka? I swear wala akong pinakielamanan sa mga iyan—" My brother stopped on his tracks, his eyes widening second after second as he took in the image in front of him. Malakas na napasinghap siya at tinakpan niya ang mga mata niya. "MY EYES! HOLY FUCK I'M BLIND!"

I heard Daze mutter a curse under his breath. I pushed him, and this time he moved as quickly as I could sit up.

"Kuya, this is not what you think."

Nakatakip pa rin sa mga mata na umatras siya at dahil hindi niya nakikita ang dinadaanan niya ay bumangga ang likod niya sa pinto. Daze and I winced at the same time as we watched my brother fold in pain on the floor.

"What is happening here? Sorcha, are you torturing your brother again?"

Nagbabayad na siguro ako sa lahat ng taong nasupladahan ko. My brother seeing us in that situation was already bad enough. Now it seems like the "bad" is becoming a nightmare, because the voice we just heard is one that I'm wishing at this moment wasn't so familiar to me.

"What—" My mother stepped inside the house and scanned the room, her eyes bulging a bit when her gaze landed on Daze. "What's going on?"

"What is it, honey?"

This is an F-word moment. The kind that has repeating letters on it. Not just fuck. It's fuuuck!

TANGING TUNOG lang ng mga kubyertos ang maririnig habang kumakain kami ng niluto ni Mama na almusal. Usually ay nag-aagawan na kami ng kapatid ko sa pagkain pero ngayon ay parehas kami ni kuya na parang hindi malunok ang kinakain namin.

Ganoon din si Daze na nakayuko lang. Thankfully, he's not bare-chested anymore. Pinahiram kasi siya ni Kuya ng t-shirt.

I let out a deep sigh. I feel guilty when I shouldn't be feeling that way. Wala naman akong ginawang masama.

Binaba ko ang kutsara at tinidor ko. I squared my shoulders, and then I looked at my family. "I can explain what happened—"

"Did you use protection?" putol ni Mama sa sasabihin ko. "I think I lectured you about the birds and the bees before."

"That wasn't me. Si Kuya po ang sinabihan mo dahil siya iyong ang daming nililigawan noong high school pa lang kami." Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko. I'm getting sidetracked. "But that's not important. We didn't use protection because—"

"You didn't?" Nanlalaki ang mga matang nilingon ni Papa si Daze. "Kailan mo papakasalan ang anak ko?"

Nawalan ng kulay ang mukha ni Daze. Sa kabila ng sitwasyon ay nagsalubong ang kilay ko sa reaksyon niya. Is the thought of marriage with me that appalling to him? Ako nga itong dapat mag-alangan. Porke ba kilalang tao siya ay kahindik-hindik na ang isipin na pakasalan ako dahil ordinaryong tao lang ako? The nerve of this guy!

Natigilan ako sa takbo ng isip ko. Why do I even care if he doesn't want to marry me? I don't even like him!

"Kahit siya po ang huling tao sa buong mundo at ipis na lang ang meron sa mundo, mas pipiliin kong magpakasal sa ipis kesa sa kaniya."

Umabot ng tubig ang kapatid ko nang para bang bumara sa lalamunan niya ang kinakain niya habang si Daze naman ay dahan-dahan akong nilingon na para bang hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi ko.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "I'm willing to be in a polyamorous relationship with a grasshopper, an earthworm, and a beetle, before I marry you."

Kuya Nevan patted Daze's shoulder with a sympathetic look on his face. "Sorry sa reaction ko kanina, pare. Nakalimutan kong dapat ko palang ipagpasalamat kung sakaling napikot mo ang kapatid ko."

Inismiran ko sila at nagdadabog na dimampot ko ang kutsara at tinidor ko. My parents, who looked confused, turned to me.

"Nothing happened?" my mother asked to confirm.

"Wala po talaga."

"Eh bakit naabutan naming nakahubad si Daze at bakit nagsisisigaw ang kapatid mo?" tanong naman ni Papa.

"OA lang po talaga si Kuya. Alam niyo naman po 'yan. Kulang sa pansin."

"Excuse me. Hindi ako kulang sa pansin." My brother plastered a smile on his face that made him so popular in college that the university even used him as a model for their poster. Araw-araw ko tuloy nakikita ang malaking poster na iyon sa labas ng school namin. "Talagang kapansin-pansin lang ako."

Ngumiti rin ako pero iyong klase ng ngiti na ikatatakot ng mga taong makakakita niyon. With the way my brother reacted, it seems effective. "Since gusto mong mapansin ka..." I turned to my parents. "Kaya po nandito si Daze ay dahil naghahanap siya ng matutuluyan kagabi. Hindi po siya nakahubad. Suot niya ang damit ninyo na naiwan niya noong nakaraan pero hindi kasi komportable si Daze sa pang-itaas niya kaya inalis niya na lang. May magagamit po sana siya na damit kung pinahiram lang siya ni Kuya."

My mother frowned. "Hindi siya pinahiram ng kapatid mo?"

"Manghihiram po sana kami pero..." I exaggeratedly sighed, and I glanced at my brother. Mukhang unti-unting nag-re-register sa kaniya ang tinatakbo ng sinasabi ko dahil nanlaki ang mga mata niya. "Si Kuya po dapat ang tinatanong niyo kung kailan niya gustong magpakasal. Pagpunta kami namin sa bahay niya nalaman kong—"

"Nalaman niyang wala ako sa bahay," halos pasigaw na sabi ni Kuya na bigla akong sinubuan ng bacon. "Tama po si Sorcha. Papansin lang talaga ako. I just love attention. Wala po talagang nangyari sa kanila ni Daze. Napasigaw po ako dahil nagulat lang ako kasi... kasi fan ako ni Daze. Hindi ko po akalain na makikita siya ng ganitong kaaga."

I pressed my lips together. Oh eh ano ka ngayon?

"Sorcha wouldn't do something like that with someone who is not even his boyfriend. Sa salagubang, uwang, at tutubi po mapupunta ang first kiss ni Sorcha at hindi— aray!"

The kick I gave him would have hurt more if we weren't eating on my low, foldable table. Wala kasi akong dining table. Meron lang akong dulang na pina-customize ko para maging mahaba iyon at magkasya kaming magpapamilya kapag pumunta sila Mama.

Pinandilatan ko ng mga mata ang kapatid ko at hindi namin kailangan magsalita para magkaintindihan. "Why the hell did you say that in front of Daze?"

"What? I'm helping you out!"

"He doesn't need to know that I don't have a first kiss yet!"

Umangat ang kilay niya. "Ano naman kung malaman niya?"

My mother sighed, which made me and my brother look at her. Her attention was on Daze. "That's their thing. Kaya nilang mag-usap kahit na hindi sila nagsasalita."

"It must be cool to have a twin," he told her with a small smile.

"Sakit din ng ulo minsan," sabi ni Papa na bumuntong-hininga. "Akala ko pa naman magkakaapo na kami."

My brother and I always used to say that we have a weird family. We already claim that title. Iba kasi talaga ang family dynamics namin.

Both our parents are in the field of medicine. They're both licensed doctors. Ang pagkakaiba lang ay bumalik sa academia si Papa dahil mas gusto niya ang academia. He's a chief medical scientist now. Mama, on the other hand, still loves her practice, especially because she's a pediatrician. Pinakagusto niya ay iyong pumupunta siya sa mga liblib na lugar para but when my brother and I came into her life, she decided to open her own clinic. Ngayong matanda na kami ay paminsan-minsan nawawala na lang silang bigla ni Papa dahil umaakyat sila sa mga lugar na hindi madaling mabigyan ng medical support.

That's why I know they wouldn't blink at the thought of their children doing grown up things with their partners. It's not awkward for them, but it's awkward for us.

Saka isa pa ay wala kaming balak ni Kuya na maipakasal ng wala sa oras. If we give one indication that we're with someone, they will probably start planning the wedding immediately.

"Anong apo ka riyan?" kunot ang noong tanong ni Mama kay Papa. "Kailangan muna nilang magpakasal. I don't want Sorcha to walk down the aisle pregnant."

My father turned to Daze. "Get married by the justice of the piece."

"Declan!" Hinarap din ni Mama si Daze. "Church wedding. Hindi pwedeng basta-basta lang ang kasal ng unica ko. You're an actor, so I'm sure you have the money, right?"

"I—"

He was saved by the bell. Like a literal bell. Pumainlang kasi sa paligid ang malakas na tunog ng doorbell ko.

Kuya Nevan stood up before I did. Seryoso ang ekspresyon sa mukha niya na naging pamilyar na sa akin kahit na malayo iyon sa kinasanayan ko sa kaniya. As a Blade Point of Dagger, he's required to be on alert during a case. Through his years with Dagger, he has experienced what it's like to make mistakes. Sa klase ng trabaho namin, SP man o BP, malaki ang kapalit ng isang pagkakamali.

Right now, Daze is Dagger's case. Which means I shouldn't have taken him home with me.

"Did Dagger assign a bodyguard to you?" I asked the man.

"Yeah. Drive-by pa lang naman. Maayos naman ang security system sa bahay dahil galing sa Dagger iyon. They're going to finalize everything before setting me up with a bodyguard that will stay with me."

Pakiramdam ko ay nanlaki ang ulo ko sa sinabi niya. He refused to go with my brother when I told him to go home, and he went home with me when he's supposed to be at home, where Dagger men will drive by to check on him.

Knowing Dagger, paniguradong may nakasunod sa amin kagabi. And that person knows that Daze stayed with me.

Kung may isang bagay na magaling ang mga empleyado ng Dagger bukod sa trabaho nila ay iyon ang pagiging tsismosa at tsismoso nila. I have a feeling that the news that Daze slept at my home is not circulating in the office.

"Daze," tawag ni Kuya na nakatayo sa may pinto. "Nandito ang manager mo. Ihahatid ka raw pauwi."

Daze gave a polite smile to my parents. "Thank you for the breakfast... umm... Tita and Tito. I'll treat you to a meal the next time that we meet."

"I'll take you up for that," my mother said before turning to me. "Ihatid mo ang bisita mo, Sorcha."

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga bago ako tumayo at naglakad palabas kasama si Daze.

"You messaged your manager to escape, didn't you?" I whispered to him.

"I didn't. Nagtanong siya at sinagot ko lang," bulong niya rin.

Nilagpasan namin si Kuya Nevan na tinapik lang sa balikat si Daze bilang paalam at pagkatapos ay tumuloy kami sa kinaroroonan ng nakaparang sasakyan ng lalaking manager ni Daze. I noticed another car, and my eyes narrowed when I saw Pike waving in our direction.

I exchanged greetings with his manager before he went to the driver's seat to give me and Daze some privacy.

I tip my chin towards the car. "Umalis ka na."

Daze chuckled. Naglakad siya palapit sa sasakyan pero napatigil siya at nilingon niya ako.

"What?" I asked him.

With huge strides, he was back on my side again, and to my surprise, he leaned down as if to kiss me on the cheeks. My body jolted, and because of my abrupt movement, his lips landed on the side of my lips.

Kung nagulat man siya ay hindi kita iyon sa kumikislap niyang mga mata.

"What... what was that for?" I whispered.

"Ayokong maunahan ng ipis, grasshopper, earthworm, beetle, salagubang, uwang, at tutubi."

_____________________________End of Chapter 17.