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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdje7vgsyl
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFzCJHSoDu
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOnTaaFMrc
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgFD7FQrBM
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKXfLff0mb
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2uQO2E2sC
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKRgSLHULw
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8iZxiAAJy
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxyYQpu8N3
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5ZQbaoQ7N
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnueeuvthyV
"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."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Te2XEqLfr
I nodded. "Nice."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe17HeRtJdV
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ19th5BqDc
"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."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8sAqtG5Lc
Oh. Was I that obvious?410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gW4lPCUdS
"Really?" I asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJRzViDKc1
"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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLvSTugKuL
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVu4goS4uPb
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw25K2kbbc
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hg6iMY2Js
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZc0C1yIXWP
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUq1gujaOr
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPXA7pxWiV
"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?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoz177GopeH
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm5saqivw8
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e9X6grK9R
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55vrmptRvG
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCUVrBsIKg
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtflHnMquG
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP23y4T0OAV
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB4ORhy2yq
"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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2nQeEIMI9
I pushed myself up and faced him.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3mpXIzK8j
"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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHq0aerKpwF
He cackled.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S8mVLB1w2
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZzIk4AEgK
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAHUCixK11
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ910rnoMA
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mCb6jQmd3
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSDnsEC8VO
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?410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdPj6z0RF1
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJItyNQdWU
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnHBGfrbXH
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLw3nRUEyXf
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1zGVa02e8
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIVFuv5xoq
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQnWsvjtLo
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VmN4RnEqB
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkYZZp3FX4
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOFBGuOu5A
"What happened to you?" she asked.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Vzg3WROdG
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7Z74VUtY1
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE6PewWfMy
"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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ifSByh310
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNdzDCAjem
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAShmEC4YCM
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKqQsESxnm
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzo3G6cs2to
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6yqGQJUhU
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaqrx2PJ8D
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AiYg1gsqS
"Ester."
