Chapter 1

Special

"It's our deepest condolences, Madam..." Hinawakan ni Mommy ang kamay ng ginang.

Humawak din ito sa kamay ni Mommy. Pagkatapos ay bumaling din ito sa akin. "Is this your daughter? She's grown to be a fine young lady. Bata ka pa noong huli kitang nakita, hija." Ngumiti sa akin si Madam Villarama.

Tumango rin si Mommy sa kaniya at ngumiti. "Yes, Madam. This is my daughter, Karla Hasmine Montes."

Nakangiti pa rin sa akin si Madam at tumango.

I also greeted her politely.

Kahit mayaman ang mga Villarama, but they're also known to be humble people. Ganoon din kasi mula kay Senior Villarama.

Nakarating na nga kami ng pamilya ko sa Cebu at nakiramay din muna sa pamilya ng namatayan. Hindi pa muna pinag-usapan iyong kasal dahil nagluluksa pa. Hanggang sa mailibing na ang mag-asawa. That's when I was properly introduced to the two brothers, Castiel Villarama and Haniel Villarama who's only five years old.

"Nice to meet you." Naglahad sa akin ng kamay si Castiel Villarama. And on our first meeting I thought he was polite.

Tinanggap ko ang nakalahad niyang kamay at nakipagkamay. "Karla Hasmine Montes. Nice meeting you, too." I said.

We saw my parents and his grandmother smiling to us.

May yumakap naman sa mga binti ko. Pagtingin ko sa baba, I saw little Haniel hugging my legs while looking up at me. "Are you going to be my sister, Miss?" The little boy asked me.

Umawang naman ang labi ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Pagkatapos ay tumingin ako sa mga kasama namin sa room. I saw my mom nodding at me and encouraged me to respond to the kid.

Tumingin muli ako kay Haniel. "Uh, I think... I mean, yes..." Huminga ako at napatingin na rin sa kuya niya na nasa harapan ko. I saw Castiel smiling at me, too. Bahagya na rin akong napangiti. And I just feel a little awkward.

Nang muli ko namang tingnan si Haniel ay nakangiti na rin siya sa'kin. He looked happy. Napangiti na rin ako sa bata.

Bago pa lang kasi kaya siguro hindi pa ako masyadong komportable. But later on I got used to the life with them especially after my parents already left me in Cebu...

Tinawagan ko si Mommy. At medyo matagal pa bago niya sinagot. "Mommy! Thank goodness you finally answered! What were you doing? Bakit ang tagal mo po na sagutin ang phone mo."

"Oh. I'm sorry, hija. I was with some of my amigas. We were shopping and treating ourselves to the salon and spa. Why? What is it?"

I sighed. I remember what my mother told me before I went here in Cebu. She's told me that I was special. That I can do things...but now I feel like I just want to go home!

I didn't know that the two brothers could be a real pain in the ass, too. Para akong nag-aalaga ng dalawang makukulit na bata rito sa mansyon ng mga Villarama sa Cebu. And living with them wasn't all okay.

"Mommy, I want to go back to Manila now. I want to go home." I said over the phone.

"What? Why, hija? May nangyari ba d'yan?" Mommy asked in a relaxed tone.

"Mommy, para lang po akong nag-aalaga ng dalwang makulit na bata rito. I won't be able to do this for a long time..." I said. My face crumpled while talking to my mom on the phone.

I heard Mommy sighing a bit on the other line, too. "Karla Hasmine, intindihin mo na lang. Ikaw na nga rin ang nagsabi, 'di ba? You're a little older than the two brothers. Kaya ikaw na lang muna ang umintindi sa kanila, hija. Isa pa, you're there to guide them as well, right? At alam mo naman na kakamatay pa lang ng parents nila. They need your company there, Hasmine. Pagbigyan mo na muna ang magkapatid."

I heaved a sigh with what Mommy said.

"And, hija, hindi ba ay birthday na rin ni Castiel?" Mommy asked.

"Yes, mom. In the next two weeks, po.

"Iyon naman pala. Tumutulong ka ba sa preparations, hija?"

"Opo, Mom..." I sighed.

"You're doing good, hija. Just hang in there, I guess... Masasanay ka rin lalo d'yan sa Cebu. Maybe you just missed your home, too. But don't worry, kapag hindi na gaanong busy ang Daddy mo, I'll also tell him na bisitahin ka namin d'yan sa Cebu. At babalik din naman kami d'yan sa engagement party ninyo ni Castiel."

In the end I can only sigh. "Okay, Mommy..."

After having a phone conversation with my mom, I went out of my room. At agad ko nang narinig na mukhang umiiyak si Haniel. May narinig kasi ako na batang umiiyak. At si Haniel lang naman ang bata rito sa bahay. Well, sometimes his older brother acts like a child, too. Tsk. Castiel Villarama can be childish as well sometimes...or actually it's most of the times.

I sighed and went to see Haniel. Wala pa rito si Madam dahil lumabas din at may pinuntahan. Kaya kami lang ang nandito. Wala rin pasok sa school dahil summer break pa. Castiel's birthday is in June. Nakapaghanda na rin kami nina Madam and I also personally helped with the planning and with the help of the event organizers we've hired for the celebration. He's turning 19.

"Haniel?" I called.

At pagkalabas ko sa malaking living room, it's twice bigger than our living room in our house back in Manila. Agad naman na tumakbo papunta sa akin si Haniel at yumakap na sa baywang ko. "Ate!" He cried loudly.

"Haniel, what's wrong?" I asked him.

Tinuro niya si Castiel na nandoon din. At nakangiti lang naman ang kuya niya. "We're just playing. He's just pikon." He even tried to explain.

"Kuya punched my head!" sumbong naman ni Haniel.

Matalim kong tiningnan si Castiel. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya. "What? You're exaggerating, Haniel! I was just tapping your head."

And Haniel just cried louder.

I sighed heavily at the two. Ito na ang sinasabi ko kay Mommy kanina sa phone. And it's not the first time that this happened.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at nanggigil na rin talaga ako kay Castiel. "Wait, Haniel. I'll just talk to your brother." sabi ko at tinabi na muna si Haniel.

Pagkatapos ay walang pag-aalinlangan ko na nilapitan si Castiel at binatukan na agad.

"Aw!" reklamo niya.

"That's what he did to me!" Haniel said to what I did to his brother.

Masama kong tiningnan si Castiel. "It's your fault. Bakit kasi pumapatol ka pa sa bata?"

"What? Siya 'tong pikon." Castiel looked like he's about to throw some tantrum as well as his little brother.

Umiling ako. He's hopeless.

Binalikan ko na lang si Haniel. "Nakaganti na tayo sa kuya mo, Haniel. Let's go now and eat some snacks? Let's see kung ano ang hinanda nina Manang for meryenda." I said.

Haniel smiled and nodded at me. Pagkatapos ay nakita ko pang nilingon niya ang kapatid niya at nilabas ang dila niya rito. I just sighed.

I held the boy's hand and we went to the kitchen. Sumunod pa rin naman sa amin si Castiel.

"You naughty boy!"

Binalingan ko siya at sinaway. "Stop it."

Tumigil na rin siya at tumahimik na. While I heard Haniel chuckle at his brother. Isa pa 'to. Haynaku! Ang magkapatid na 'to.

We had snacks na gawa nina Manang. It's just carbonara pasta like what Haniel wanted. Kumain na rin kami ni Castiel kasama ang kapatid niya.

And then after that ay tumambay na naman ang magkapatid sa kwarto ko. Isa pa 'yan. Parang wala na rin akong privacy rito minsan. Kasi naman basta na lang din pumapasok ang dalawang magkapatid rito sa kwarto ko. So I always make sure na sa bathroom na rin ako nagbibihis or in the walk-in closet. O 'di kaya ay nag-l-lock din ako ng pinto.

Minsan kasi sa paglalaro nilang dalawa ay tumatakbo pa si Haniel rito papasok sa loob ng kwarto ko habang hinahabol naman siya ng kuya niya.

"Your fiancée will be mine!" I heard Haniel said habang papasok pa lang ako sa kwarto ko. Kinausap ko pa kasi kanina sina Manang for dinner preparations. At pag-akyat ko naman dito ay nasa kwarto ko na naman silang dalawa.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked as soon as I entered my room.

"Ate!" Umalis si Haniel sa kama ko para pumunta sa akin at pagkatapos ay hinila niya rin ako pabalik at paupo sa kama ko. And then he hugged me tightly. "I was telling Kuya Castiel that I will marry you instead of him!" Haniel declared.

"What?" Bumaling naman ako sa bata at gusto ko na lang tumawa. He's so playful.

"I'm already her fiance, little dude. She will marry only me." While his brother said.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Castiel.

"No!" And Haniel was about to cry again.

Hinampas ko naman si Castiel. Talagang pumapatol pa 'to palagi sa kapatid niya alam naman niya na bata lang.

"Ouch!" He reacted but he was still smiling.

I almost rolled my eyes at him.

"But I love ate!" Haniel said.

Bumaling ako kay Haniel at ngumiti sa bata. "Awww. You're so sweet, Haniel." I kissed his cheek.

I saw Haniel smiling.

"You're spoiling him!" Castiel said.

I looked at him. "What are you talking about? He's just a kid." I said.

"But he's a little devil." He looked at his brother. Nilabas lang naman muli ni Haniel ang dila niya sa kuya niya. "Come here." Hinila ako ni Castiel palapit sa kaniya at palayo naman kay Haniel.

Hindi naman ako agad nakakilos nang magsimula na akong hilahin at pag-agawan ng magkapatid.

"No! She's my ate!" Haniel fought back.

"She's my fiancée! She's mine!"

My eyes widened at fraction as I looked at Castiel. At napadikit na rin ako sa dibdib niya. Hindi agad ako nakagalaw.

"She's mine." ulit pa niyang sinabi. Pagkatapos ay tumingin din siya sa akin. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

And then Haniel started crying. Tinulak ko si Castiel to attend to his brother. Inalo ko na lang si Haniel...

Nang muli kong tingnan si Castiel sa tabi namin ay naabutan kong nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin at nanatili ang mga mata niya sa akin.

Nag-iwas naman ako ng tingin at binalik ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa kay Haniel.

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