Chapter 37

I was speechless for a moment.

His words that I remember then lashed in my mind.

“I love you. Please come back home.” His voice that was quivering that time were still vivid on my mind.

But he wants his father to come back to him. . .

Does that mean he cannot see him again?

Lia sighed loud.

“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to that matter in private.” She gave me her feigned smile.

“Hey? Did you two fight?” Haley from behind suddenly chimed in.

“I’ll be with you guys. I need to buy clothes for my sister too.” Jason chimed in too.

Looks like these two walked together.

“Eww.” Haley rolled her eyes.

But Jason smirked.

I noticed a little smudge of lipstick on his lips.

“Who kissed you?” I asked.

“I did not kiss him!” Haley instantly defended even when I’m not talking to her.

“No one kissed me. I’m the one who kissed someone.” He shrugged and walked his own way.

Haley blushed.

“Virgin boy is already moving. Let the sail continue.” Lia saluted at Jason’s direction.

Wow. Lia can change real quick. I don’t know if she’s acting or not. What a great actress.

Just like Grayson.

The four of us shopped. I don’t know where Grayson is but he’s on my mind even when I’m picking my clothes.

“I remember this. My favorite barbie movie.” Lia showed us a DVD of a Barbie movie.

Barbie life in the dream house.

“And this one too.” She pointed another DVD.

My little pony.

“Mines ben10.” Jason chimed in.

“No one cares.” Haley rolled her eyes.

I looked at the two DVDs Lia was looking at.

So that’s why Grayson knew that girly cartoon movie.

And it’s because of Lia.

Are they that close to each other? I’m jealous of the fact that he knew her well.

“How about yours? Grayson’s favorite cartoon is teen titans go. He has a crush on Raven you know.” Lia was talking to me with a smile.

She knew him well too.

“Oohh. . . Raven’s hot. She’s quite, mysterious, moody and sarcastic just like Alessia.” Jason laughed.

“Tsk. It seems like every girl is hot in your eyes.” Haley rolled her eyes.

“That’s not true. You’re a girl but you’re not hot in my eyes.” Jason said with an innocent face.

“Emotional damage.” The female seller laughed.

Filipinos are really friendly.

Jason laughed with her and gave her a high five to tease Haley.

Lia uttered a foreign words which made the female seller laugh.

“You know their language?” I asked Lia, shock.

She shrugged and smile.

We continued our shopping until we arrived back at the resort using the tricycle.

“Let’s go to the ancestral house near the coast. That’s where Grandpa is living. I’m sure Alessia’s mom and Andra are staying in there.”

So we followed her. I was looking at my feet that touches the softness of the white sand, following their foot step. The warm breeze from the sea embraced my body along with its own sweet whistle that danced with my wavy hair. It was a private and luxurious beach that explains the very few people.

The sun was almost at its peak so I looked up and gazed at the phenomenal beauty of the sky, I can’t help but smile with the sight of the green tall coconut trees swaying its leaves with the wind along with the wind’s salty and watery smell from the ocean that made my mind at ease.

But my smile faded along with my feet that stopped walking after seeing the sight of the two familiar figurine near the shore.

My boyfriend’s hugging another woman. Wow. Is this what I get from not talking to him?

He was looking at the sea while rubbing her back. Rhiana’s jaw was on his shoulder while looking at nothingness, gripping both of his waist.

They look sweet.

I felt a pang in my heart so in the end, I decided to avoid my gaze and follow their steps. The three were talking and laughing, looks like they didn’t notice Grayson.

We stopped in front of the modern ancestral house. It was made of shiny woods with stairs above. There are a lots of lamps I could see from the small balcony and the whole place was filled with beautiful green plants and flowers.

Lia stepped on the stair so we followed her steps.

“Lolo, we’re here!” Lia announced.

I was fascinated by the modern ancestral house. It was unique unlike the modern day houses.

An old man went out with his cane. He’s as old as the pedicab peddler, only that he’s at better state unlike the grandpa I met earlier.

“Oh! Oh! My apo! Come here! Hug your lolo, hija!” He widened his arms.

Lia went near him with a smile and hugged him back. After that, she grabbed grandpa’s hand and touched it to her forehead with the back of the grandpa’s palm.

“Lolo, this is Grayson and I’s friends.” Lia pointed the four of us.

“Oh my apos. How lucky to meet you!” He greeted with a smile.

“Do the mano po to greet lolo with respect.” Lia instructed us.

“Mano po?” We asked in chorus.

The Lolo went near us and touched our forehead with the back of his palms one by one.

“We’re done. So come in and let’s have a wonderful talk.” He went inside his house.

So we went inside it too.

I saw Andra and mom at the couch, talking to a senior lady, the three of them stood after seeing us.

We did the mana po to the lolo girl and I sat beside Andra while the three sat beside me.

Lolo sat on the couch beside the girl lolo. Their both in the medium sofa while we’re on the large sofa.

“Laylan.” Grandpa called with a smile.

“Yes po, lolo?” One maid answered and went in front of him.

“Call Grayson and her girlfriend. They’re on the shore.” He ordered.

I gulped when the five including mom turned to my direction.

The maid nodded and went out.

“Rhiana doesn’t look well, Leon, I think it would be best to give them quality time together and talk more with the visitor instead of disturbing their sweet moment.” Grandma shriek as if she’s flattered with the thought.

Shit. This is torturing.

“But Rhiana is—

“Let Grayson say it directly. I want to hear him saying those words.” Mom cut Lia off and glanced at me.

“Huh?” Grandma asked, confused.

Mom smiled at her and uttered a foreign word that made both laugh.

Minutes later, the maid arrived with Grayson. He immediately gazed the whole couch and stopped at my direction but I avoided my gaze.

“Where’s your girlfriend, hijo?” Grandpa asked.

“She’s—”

“I’m right here, Lolo.” Rhiana uttered and ran towards his direction.

Both stood and with a loving smile, they hugged her tight.

“Are you okay now my daughter-in-law?” Grandpa asked.

I played with my fingers and bit my lower lip while staring at the three of them.

“Of course, Lolo. Grayson calmed me well with his hug on the shore.” She uttered with a smile.

The three coughed while Andra grabbed my hand, mom on the other hand was quiet.

“I-I only did that because you were crying.” Grayson reasoned out.

“That’s good. You should take good care of your future wife, Grayson.” Grandma uttered and caress her hair.

“She’s not.”

“Don’t worry, Lola. I’ll make sure to take good care of him. Promise.” She gave her a pinky sign.

“Okay. So you should all go to the kitchen for marienda. Grayson, assist your friends and I will have a small talk with my beautiful daughter-in-law. It’s been years since I last saw her.” He uttered with a huge smile plastered on his face.

Friends. . .

“But she's not—"

“Davina, let’s go and talk more. Lia and Grayson will assist their friends for marienda. Don’t worry kids, we’ll have a beautiful talk for the dinner tonight.” Grandma smiled at us and grabbed mom’s hands.

“Let’s go.” The maid motioned us towards the kitchen.

I followed the maid while the five of them looked at Grayson, only I, that didn’t look at his direction.

I was the first one who sat on the oblong narra table, the maid smiled at me so I smiled back.

Lia sat beside me on my left side.

“Andra, sit beside me.” I commanded when Grayson was about to sit on my right side.

I heard Jason’s teasing whistle but I didn’t mind him.

“Can you sit there?” Grayson asked Andra.

“Sit beside me, Andra.” I said in a cold tone.

I heard Andra’s gulped.

“Lia. . .” Grayson called.

I held Lia’s arm when she was about to stand.

“Stay or I’ll leave.” I threatened her.

“Wow. Scary.” Jason whispered.

Haley clicked her tongue.

“You shouldn’t have flirted with her.” She said.

Lia stayed as well as Andra who sat beside me. Everything was a silent until the maids put a food on our table.

In the end, Grayson decided to sit in front of me and I did my best not to look at him with a stoic face.

“So grumpson, if you’re the owner of the resort and you’re in the new york, how do you manage the resort?” Jason broke the silence.

“I have a partner in insuring that all aspects are covered insurance and a partner in managing all of the responsibilities associated  with the resort’s ownership.” His gaze were on me.

“Who? Your twin?” Haley asked.

“Yeah. And my mom.”

I looked at the plate and I saw a shanghai covered with sugar coated unique spring roll wrapper.

“That’s called turon. Take a bite and there’s a banana inside it.” Lia explained me the food.

I nodded and grabbed the turon. I didn’t mind Grayson’s stare and took a bite of it. It was crunchy and sweet. I looked at Lia, flabbergasted, it tasted delicious and unique because of the banana inside it.

“Yummy.” Andra said beside me, munching the turon.

They take the turon and tasted it too. Haley tasted it twice while Jason’s both hand were full of turon that’s why the plate became empty at instant.

I want more. . .

“You want more?” Grayson asked me.

I didn’t respond and looked at Lia.

Lia laughed and gave Grayson a bragging smile.

“Poor grumpson. Sad boy. Haha.” Jason teased with mouth full of turon.

“May you choke to death.” Haley uttered and closed her eyes as if doing a ritual.

“As if you won’t cry in my grave.”

“I will cry.” She admitted.

Jason smirked.

“In gratefulness.” She added.

Jason coughed hard because of that.

Andra laughed.

“Lia, stand up and get some more.” Grayson ordered her.

“Who are you to order me?”

“You used my money.” He pointed the massive paper bags on the living room.

Jason laughed hard.

In the end, Lia stood to grab some more.

And that was the chance for Grayson to switch seats with Lia.

I looked at Andra beside me who instantly avoided my gaze.

“Let’s switch place, Andra.” I ordered.

She pouted and shook her head.

“Talk to him.”

“Who are you talking to?” I pretended not to know him.

“Baby. . .”

“Your boyfriend.” Andra glanced at the man beside me.

“Oh. Do I have one?” I asked her.

“You have!” Grayson wants my attention but I didn’t give him even a small piece of a sand.

Jason and Haley cracked up.

“Is Grayson Alessia’s boyfriend, Jason?” Haley asked him.

“Oh! Does she have one?” He mimicked what I said.

They both laughed hard in a mocking tone, trying to tease him.

“Hey.” He called me and touched my hand.

My eyes stilled on Andra.

“Grayson, hijo.” It was the sudden voice of Grandpa.

“Yes, lo?”

“Kindly assist Rhiana towards her room in the resort. She said she’s tired and want to sleep for now. Here, hijo.” He went near Grayson and gave him a key card.

But his eyes went down on Grayson’s hands that were on my hands down the table so I instantly removed it.

“Why are you holding another woman’s hands?” Grandpa asked him with a serious tone.

Shit.

“Uh-oh.” Jason giggled.

“She’s my girlfriend, lo. Rhiana and I broke up months ago.”

Grandpa looked at me with disbelief and I don’t know how to react.

“Hijo, did you. . .”

“No, I didn’t cheat. You know me, I don’t do that.”

Lolo sighed and gave me a feigned smile. I can sense that he’s disappointed with the news he just heard.

“You should’ve told me sooner. I shouldn’t have expected.” He sighed and went near Rhiana.

I can sense the building awkwardness.

Rhiana was looking at me with her bloodshot eyes. She looks drained and exhausted.

“I need to rest. I’m not feeling well.” Grandpa said to her and smiled.

He then left us with a failed shoulder.

“Why don’t you four go to the shore and watch the sunset? Grayson and I will talk to lolo.” Lia suggested.

Jason and Haley stood in synchronize.

“Let’s go.” Andra stood too.

I sighed and stood too but Grayson held my hand.

“I’m sorry.”

I didn’t respond and walked my way, leaving him alone.

Haley and Jason were on the front towards the shore while Andra was quiet beside me.

“Is that your sister?” Haley asked Jason.

“Here she is. Herra!” He called.

My lips parted after seeing Herra resting on the shore. She turned to us and was shock by my appearance.

Haley turned to me.

“We took a one month vacation for today’s year and Jason brought her sister with us.” She explained.

I nodded and avoided my gaze.

Jason sat beside Herra while Haley sat beside Jason so I sat beside Haley and Andra sat beside me. Together, we watch the sunset.

It was peaceful. The whistling wind of the sky along with the kiss of the sun’s ray to my skin whilst the sound of the whipping wave synchronizing the chirps of the bird.

“Beautiful sunset just like my face.” Jason broke the silence.

“Eww.” Haley grimaced.

“I remember when I was a kid.” It was Herra.

“We used to watch the beautiful sunset.” It was Jason.

“Even when your face was full of bruises back then.”

Haley and I both turned to Jason after hearing what Herra said.

Herra was smiling while her head was leaning on Jason’s shoulder.

“I used to get a beating from my father. And Alessia was only Herra’s friend when she was a kid even when everyone was bullying her.” He turned to me and smiled.

“What. . .?” Haley was shock by the discovery.

“Yeah. Mom and Jason always gets a beating from dad because they always protect me from him. They are my heroes.” It was Herra, smiling.

Haley sighed. “And I got harassed by my father.” She confessed.

“What?” We asked in chorus, shock.

“Yep. Mom got a PTSD because of dad. She couldn’t talk because of trauma.” She was looking at the sunset.

“Is that why you choose to be a psychiatrist?” Andra asked.

“Yes. I want to heal mom. Also, I want to heal myself from that trauma.” She shrugged.

Funny how we all have past traumas yet we look normal and fine from the outside.

You wouldn’t really know what each has been through.

And we all have different ways to handle that trauma.

Some give up. Some make it as an inspiration. Some got stuck while some tried their best to swim up.

“How about a swim? Let’s go for a swimming?” Jason broke the silence.

“Sure!” Andra stood.

Haley stood too along with Jason.

“How about you two?” Haley asked.

“I’ll stay.” Herra and I both said in synchronized.

“Okay. We’ll go back to the house to grab our clothes. Let’s go.”

Minutes later, they left.

“I’m sorry.” Herra broke the silence.

I looked at her but she was looking at the sunset.

“I realized that what I did to you back then left you a trauma.”

I sighed and looked at the sky.

“Of course. I was a kid back then.” I said at nothingness.

“We were.” She corrected.

It was a moment of silence.

“Why did you do it?” I can’t help but to ask.

“I. . . I was jealous.”

“You almost killed me by your jealousy then. So we’ll blame that emotion?” I asked with a smile.

“I was a kid back then. I thought it was normal.”

I looked at her but she was looking down.

“Downing me to a gallon of water until I lost my breath is normal? I was five back then, Herra.” I uttered in a matter-of-fact.

She shook her head and sighed.

“I grew up in a surrounding where being abused is normal. So I thought what I did was nothing compare to what I saw.”

I stared at her for a few seconds but she was looking down.

“You were my first friend. You were the first person I trusted because I couldn’t talk to mom about my problem even when I was just five back then. But you broke it.” I said in disappointment.

“I know what I did was wrong. Even if I always witness how dad drown both Jason and mom in a gallon of water whenever he’s mad, I know it’s still wrong and I’m sorry for that.”

Surroundings really played a big role in molding a kid.

And it’s unfair how some kids that were supposed to be love grew up in a home where being abused is normal.

And that’s when evilness starts to reign a person.

Because no one is born evil. It’s what a kid see and how they handle with it is what leads a person to be evil.

It will be either you cope with it or you’ll live with it.

“Why were you jealous?” I asked.

She looked at me and stared for a few seconds.

I never did thought I’d discover something I didn’t know the moment she uttered another sentence.

“Because Grayson liked you.”

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