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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtF2VV1MScV
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2gr0aGuqe
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp45wjaBkYq
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGKUPjYA9U
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiYKtRavaN
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTIO7y9iQt
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyPw4LbpPv
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW19QSwAk3c
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJqC4NLrMB
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqBTemSuLM
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjOxUq1gFi
"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."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSw4GhiWK7
I nodded. "Nice."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpS0hbtus6H
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWNs3H1L0d
"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."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO366ciGQH
Oh. Was I that obvious?372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwjCvtXORA
"Really?" I asked.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMByPekG1H
"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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6xI7jLcc0
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6P9nKuNZac
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBujx0p5uze
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1tYNCZBwK
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmz5vvJPr77
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VsU5PeZRv
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGQ6pUfBA8
"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?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbT3NOkMUC4
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAkjnmU8G8
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIziNNRhkxV
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkQyhhHekt
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwptyr9OCG9
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpSowBeCtz
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaIuNhkPgY
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0rRu3SkYk
"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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9arnhso5j
I pushed myself up and faced him.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1Ilet1TIl
"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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLmibsXhKl
He cackled.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwphhyWoXHE
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsN7TrCgYa
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1ae3nQJos
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4l4pt3bTsX
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fQiJQBwYj
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJzbT8zxeu
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?372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26VgfS0Smm
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlWWUoiNM4
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpyt8Fbrou
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmT45KS5Cm
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedm2YcBmRb
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDYj9BzjVH
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6t1IZCOto
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFgkGjjSKn
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCn2lbZrvYz
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibS1xzMAqI
"What happened to you?" she asked.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0894hCYAUe
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4GlxkD75k
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYHZr59qFb
"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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeAz70pTpi
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoaJWSFhV4
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1d8dO4682
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.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLzyUciBpt
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSykpdKTdh
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUopNQp4n3R
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIXIdA0qqT
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXTpMJipTk
"Ester."
