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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbQ2xc9Xp0
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU393ukPvK
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsDirzNlx1
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBdLhLtKKf
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUMzRrqaZq
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxBKWDVrdG
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthmZRhZ94d
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMvEUj32Fx
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTQwAwdQS4
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleQXdyByiw
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7TcSXGErY
"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."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJVnN4nmnL
I nodded. "Nice."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCdxhOJ6db
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPbD5UBkjO
"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."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrrSUl1hB2
Oh. Was I that obvious?301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMELDlcJfT
"Really?" I asked.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41Z4UUC5dV
"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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwYdzaoZ3X
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29wcXwJCtR
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ljbBjU2rS
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCg7HJQYwY
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sEwEMDYRI
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Xy30JXkRh
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmYSh3moRN
"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?"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx1oB8qYg7
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dzxDjwaPz
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpR9bBtYjuI
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC0TAdIwfu
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLzS0xWrIh
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ618ubd4Xm7
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvLhhQwK4l
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYB6ieRMSmg
"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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8ixu7t9YF
I pushed myself up and faced him.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe7kezLjh8
"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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgqKYY72Rw
He cackled.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t9k7e3nRZ
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv5xEM6PHl
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp393w8p5R
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB31HU9JieV
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW8QhbsWvL
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxXz0Kq7ib
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?301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcUbrwy50U
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxPrtBGlSt
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqoocJPHyJ
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JFaBTd63h
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUG6plqNfB
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1dthYMSDh
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYqCO8AJDf
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaL0BMbaez
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9ytFXxaEQ
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01tSrtp4nC
"What happened to you?" she asked.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcEbCIegLr
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KNUYZwUBH
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVQIIrdW9r
"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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbwNMUYeI1
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOYe24CIAA
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIomFY4U5F
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.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIQOkPZST4
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XMGKNv8aq
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXSNvT2UFr
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP9KHtMmvW
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8EJDbKlyc
"Ester."
