There was nothing I could do but to adhere to mama's unreasonable wishes, just to say that I have honored my father and mother, one of the things she and papa did not forget to remind us every day. The idea actually made me want to throw up. What am I, a drag queen? And would the god we were taught to worship want me to be the person mama was grooming me to become? Maybe she needed to review the Bible. Going against God’s handiwork will surely earn her negative points in heaven.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMU2DCBHX7
After checking on my sister-in-law, I joined the women in preparing food for my brothers, who were building Ben’s house. Mama was out because she had to go to school.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdw4yDSg325
There were still a few months to go before they complete the house. But my "delusion" of working with the "real" boys in the family must immediately come to an end. Mama made it clear that the next time she learned about me doing manly things, she would, you know, hit me with the infamous slipper.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTToMVirse
The women were already gathered in a makeshift hut to cook. At that time, some of Naya's relatives also joined in the making of that extensive project, most of them preparing food for the laborers.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPy3PFk5K0
And there I saw a familiar face—the bridesmaid at the wedding Joe was telling me about. Her dark hair gathered in a pigtail, her face flashed the sweetest smile to every person she met, and her bright, smooth fingers worked masterfully on the leafy greens.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wyoECu25o
My heart pounded wildly at the knowledge of her presence. Who would have thought I would see her at an event like this? Maybe mama's warnings were a blessing after all.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAQiEVNmX6
From time to time, my eyes would move toward the makeshift hut just to watch her, careful not to let mama's "eyes" see what I was doing. I wish this time the sun wouldn't set without me knowing her name, but timidity crept into my system faster than the speed of light, so I just gave in to the contentment of watching her from a distance.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0VOz1pnpx
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshNhtHgTcj
When I turned my head in that direction, it was not Joe who sat beside me but Ben, his crossed arms resting on his knees. He was looking at me with a knowing smile on his face.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHIFzxOgMm
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqIzEXekF0
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6XC2wfUsU
"Me, tired? Nah, I'm strong as a bull," he said, flexing his lean bicep. "I just had a water break, but I'll be back in a few minutes."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRLgwtmJzF
I nodded. "Nice."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1mhMbypsc
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKV5qQcMUAI
"What about you, Jude? Your eyes are beaming today. Saw a dude you like?" He joked, making me shoot him a wide-eyed glare. "Just kidding. You just look a bit different today, like your eyes are going somewhere."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8rBa3AhHW
Oh. Was I that obvious?284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vuiB31rKX
"Really?" I asked.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzXySRnofT
"Yeah. You've been eyeing that girl from the first time she’s been here," his mouth pointed exactly to the girl I was looking at, and because I tensed at the truth of his words, one of my hands immediately covered his mouth.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqovSYXxBXM
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqZgokq3vr
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZH0qO0O1k
I suddenly felt the need to get a mirror. Then I turned my head to see if mama's minions of 'marites' were lurking around. Good thing the area was clear.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSoUlpiJnR
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdG0lgCz9B
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUh2zB2qH5
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7WTaEkN5L
"She's pretty," he said casually. I wondered how his wife might react if she heard him compliment another woman like that. “But you seem to be prettier than her. People might mistake you as BFFs, you know?"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ9njSVvpz
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUQ9HPiOuE
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsQsPMV33W
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27XBfGOYet
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPzU2xdg7r
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJFqvuDYpu
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaOhwRI2Lp
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBgUEjBKpp
"That's why God gave us the gift of curiosity. Now go, talk to her!" He gave my back a gentle push, but I stumbled on the ground like a sack of potatoes.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKxXO9DMwE
I pushed myself up and faced him.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPpHI522z7
"Don't do this to me, man, I can't talk to her on my own. Not when I look like this," my fingers went from the butterfly clip above my ear down to the oversized tee and short shorts that I was wearing.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMHlYVyXjj
He cackled.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7uKCgCYqs
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZaiCQbO3r
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc3aF2phYF
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOg41iSYnFN
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqR5IFDmDdJ
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2us213djG
Something hard hit my head so I cried aloud in pain. I looked down and saw a coconut shell cut in half. Then I turned my head in the direction where it came from and saw Lev, holding the other half while smirking at me. Beside him were the other brothers: Dan, Simon, and Asher. What in the world is this, Davao Death Squad?284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqEahTwySy
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZuPE0Rpkh
Even them?! Now things are getting more complicated. But the good thing about it was, I got the support of my brothers in this.
Thinking mama might get back from work and see me trying to court a girl, I pretended to half-run with my hands fluttering in the air and hips swaying toward the makeshift hut, pushing in the back of my mind how Lev and the gang would react upon seeing me.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjY7YmizJQ
I was panting heavily when I reached the hut. The young lady glanced at me curiously, and the sight of it added more strength to the pounding in my chest. She stopped paring the raw papayas.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUKZd0uNF2
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFs9czCZKI
Much as I wanted to be offended at the way she addressed me, her soft, sweet voice melted away all the irritations that threatened to bubble up inside.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy16ojSOPLm
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8U6WCdVNd
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgj42Cz7NF
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1paRuj1uj
The girl approached me and her soft hand landed on my shoulder. If I shuddered under her touch, it's good she never paid attention.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP09NDOEUZA
"What happened to you?" she asked.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeEbq1dD3Y
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaykpYV01t
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlY6g6GEYCM
"Come, sit down, I'll take care of it," she said and guided me on the wooden bench under the shade of the tree while her warm fingers tried to locate the painful part on my head.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCcqBKnNAN
Taking advantage of the fact that the girl was not seeing my face, I looked at the spot where I left my brothers to see their reaction. True to their words, they really were watching, and they seemed to approve of it because I saw them cheering from where they were before going back to work.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqK5xvwww1
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoq48AgdHL
Lev must have hit me so hard. But with the girl’s warm body close to mine, I could tell it was all worth it.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibNxE7czD2
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkx1yVjn6e
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtXnGLwSx1
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeBAlZprll
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KsSwbtHMM
"Ester."
