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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDAI6XcL5N
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZKzHubk0Z
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfGjwxCUHR
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpfdWQyTV3
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kMzvwqWdK
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5LTbjITgl
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgnswQiWHk
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsfzkUumtC
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELTq5SRpPO
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTi8mjaCOSx
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqjLs2nmF8
"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."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5zAFF0BC1
I nodded. "Nice."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0bRcZVEUg
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlMw9kpFt9
"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."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXi4kCJwDKd
Oh. Was I that obvious?275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoA4rtMv24
"Really?" I asked.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvjKOyNqbn
"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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMV83kzZ0s
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3MOKOtBZs
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihGT7kdTxB
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhcWwznl6v
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUS7m1J6UX
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYKjX6uD3T
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVF6E1Humt
"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?"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3PLioXDnc
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUn9jGbTN3
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b4wQJvofa
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUJ5uieDKM
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO0cp9pPMJ
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0ghkYDzoL
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwxA523gjR
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Txej7yyhK
"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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcOVOU7UUt
I pushed myself up and faced him.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9jEjFp5CH
"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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoJzC3uXQ3
He cackled.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeIQ742owO
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGwBRi8aQe
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9rArrBhmP
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclmfvEiNFc
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIcguGzJKZ
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DjKyc32ng
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?275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBZDWZjAkn
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCtCWlPtVS
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWQBBJcVPp
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupC7Wt5hQV
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhqfBeZ2sW
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBPqMUux6d
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8et6iuxB4k
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2m16yIUus
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLneYCilJA
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPcbVDbqIX
"What happened to you?" she asked.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL8bLH0Lys
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyJAnN8nsR
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXMhk8BgBB
"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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzegDCZgvZs
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMZs4m6jSM
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hJhRAXxaa
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.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYJejIncUX
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXegxmnBDyh
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Li37om5Lb
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vdpoe7Arp
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.275Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvXYF07jtp
"Ester."
