PORTION 48

TJ's POV

I don't have afternoon class, that's why I went home. And I went directly to Petot's room.

Sam said to me that yesterday Petot talked to Lauren, she also said that Petot doesn't have classes either. So, I decided to went here today and talked to her, baka kasi kailangan niya ako. But what I saw startled me. Nagta-try siya ng mga dapat, mga bagong damit, at para bang may pupuntahan siyang importante.

I immediately smiled when I saw how beautiful she was in that glen plaid cami dress with black long sleeves inside, the dress she's wearing.

"Sa'n ang punta natin, kapatid?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Napalingon siya sa akin, at nang makita ako ay para bang bigla na lang nahimatay sa kama, “Kuya . . .”

I could clearly see that she’s nervous and excited at the same time.

I thought I would see her na mugto ang mata o ‘di kaya ay naiyak, but seeing her like this make me feel at ease, kasi parang may date pa sila ni Al.

"Ano?" I asked, while smiling at her.

She stood up and went to her whole body mirror, and started scanning herself.

“What do you think of this dress, Kuya?”

I sat down on her bed, “It suits you.”

“Sure ba, Kuya?”

“Oo,” sagot ko, “Oh, teka nga, saan ka ba kasi pupunta? May date kayo ni Al?”

She fluck her hair behind her ears, “Ipapakilala raw ako ni Al sa Mom niya.”

“Iba talaga ang kapatid ko, gusto na ipakilala sa magulang. Talagang seryoso ‘tong si Al!”

She looked at me, frowned, “Bakit Kuya, mukha bang ‘di seryoso si Al? Sa rami ng effort na ginawa niya, malamang seryoso yun.”

"`Di lahat ng nag-effort ay seryoso, minsan ginagawa lang yun kasi may gusto sila makuha na bagay. . . . And what if nakuha na nila yun, sa tingin mo ba pipiliin pa rin nila na mag-effort pa sila?

"Magkaaway ba kayo ni Kuya Zack?" she asked me back.

I shook my head, "Hindi."

"`Di naman pala, eh bakit parang broken ka? Dinaig mo pa si Jaybi na 'di ginusto sa sobrang sadboy."

"Sad boy agad? 'di ba pwedeng gusto lang mag-express ng damdamin?" sagot ko sa kanya.

She sat down on the chair above his study table and looked at me, seriously, "Do you feel down, Kuya?"

"No."

"You sure, Kuya? I mean you can cry on me too, I can lend you my shoulder if you need something you can lean on."

"I told you, I'm okay." And sighed. She was about to speak, but I cut her off. "Kumalma ka, okay lang talaga ako."

She was just looking at me, and seemed to not believe what I said so I just asked her another thing so that she wouldn’t think of it anymore.

“By the way, ano pala nangyari kahapon?”

"Ano, Kuya? Mas chismosa ka pa kesa sa akin?" she questioned me back.

Madali kong naiba ang topic.

"Oo, aba kailangang updated ako! Nung umiyak ka dahil dun sa lalaking ‘yon, I was there, and now that it seems like you're both on good terms, ay dapat alam ko rin!” with matching taas-taas ng kilay ang sagot ko sa kanya.

"Fine,” she said, napilitan. “To make the long story short, I think we both let go of the pain from the past and we forgive each other. Nag let go kami, ganun.”

“`Di na mag-o-overthink at iiyak ang kapatid ko dahil sa lalaking ‘yon?”

Petot stood up, put her hands on her waist, chin up, and proudly said, “Hindi na!”

I laughed at her reaction. And after knowing the thing between her and Lauren, especially this, I think it's time to celebrate!

“Petot, anong oras ba niya ikaw ipakikilala sa Mom niya?” tanong ko, kasi I want to celebrate but since may pupuntahan siya, baka need ko i-move yun.

“Dinner yun, eh. Mga 6 or 7.”

I looked at my phone, and I faced my palm when I saw the time, “Ano ba, Petot? Alos 2(2 p. m.) pa lang.”

“Ih, Kuya, excited na nga ako!”

I just shook my head before I went to the living area, followed by Petot.

"Ma," taas noo kong tinawag si Mama.

"Oh?" Mama is sitting on the couch while watching TV.

I raised my head up, "I'll cook!"

"Hindi!" They shouted.

I looked at them, "Why?"

Mama stood up too, "Eh, kundangan ga ba naman ikaw kung magluto, kapag hindi sunog ay hindi pa luto."

First blood!

"It's just an egg and hotdog!" And Petot went in, she's trying to continue what Mama is trying to talk about.

Double kill!

"Nasobrahan sa seasoning or walang lasa!"

Triple kill!

"Kulang-kulang pa ang ingredients!"

Maniac!

"And when you try to cook, you always fail!"

Savage!

Mama and Petot keep saying things to me.

“Ang straight forward niyo naman po masyado, sakit nun, ah?” I said, "I volunteered na nga eh, ayaw niyo pa?"

Matalim na tiningnan ako nung dalawa, "No need, kaya naman namin."

Mama grabbed Petot's hand and started to walk to the kitchen. Napatawa na lang ako sa inasal nila.

I also walked to the kitchen, and stared at them.

"What?!" they asked me at the same time.

I shook my head, "Nothing."

“Ay, wait lang, Ma. Ayaw ko madumihan ang damit ko, magpapalit lang ako.” And walked, went to her room again. But after a few minutes, came back too, washed her hands and put on an apron like Mama before she started trying to touch the chicken feet. Petot spoke as she pointed to me with the chicken feet in her hand, "Hoy ka po, Kuya! Don't you dare try to complain about what we cook, at lagot ka kay Mama."

Ang galing talaga, napakagalang! I must change her surname from Johnson to Galang! Precious Jewe Galang!

Mama looked at me and gave me a scary look, "Try it, at do'n ka sa Zack mo babagsak! Petot said Zack can cook well."

And that startled me. What the f•ck?!

"Speaking of Zack. Kuya, kailan mo ba ipakikilala si Zack sa amin? I mean, in a formal way. ‘Cause I’m not bragging about how Al wants me to meet his Mom.”

I looked at her, "Oh, talaga, Petot? No way!"

After half an hour, when they were done, we all decided to sit down on the dining table and have the chicken feet adobo as our merienda.

After a few hours, nag-prepare na rin si Petot para sa mangyayari mamaya. Kabado siyang lumabas ng pinto kasabay kami ni Mama ng i-text siya ni Al na malapit na raw ito, at ng dumating na nga sa labas ng gate ang kotse na kanina pa niya hinihintay.

And now, we are all outside the gate. Nasa tagiliran ko lang si Petot, kabadong nakahawak ang dalawang malamig na palad sa braso ko, at sa kabila naman ay si Mama na naka-ngiti lang. Habang si Al ay nakangiting naghihintay sa labas ng kotse niya.

“Hello po, Tita,” he said, after he walked to my Mama and did the mano. He looked at me, smiling, “Kuya?”

"Pinakita mo nga sa akin, Al," I said to him, he showed me how much he loves my sister. "Ayusin mo lang talaga, Al. Sinasabi ko sa 'yo, 'pag dumating yung araw na umuwi 'to sa akin, umiiyak, at marinig ko na niloko mo siya. Sinasabi ko talaga sa 'yo, uuwi ka rin kay Zack ng naiyak."

She unheld me and slapped my arms a bit, "Kuya!"

"That will never happen, po. She has everything that I could ask for," he said while looking at my sister.

Muli namang balik ng malalamig niyang mga palad sa braso ko, hawak niya ulit ito at medyo napisil pa na para bang tinatago niya ang kilig niya sa ganung paraan. I coughed, the reason why Petot loosen her grip.

"Make sure, Al. Kasi kapag nangyari yun, though i'm calm minded, i'm gonna talk to you calmly and ask why you do that and if you talk nonsense, i will punch you in the face because you deserve it."

"Huy, TJ! Ano ba! Tumigil ka nga, parang magdi-dinner lang 'yang kapatid mo sa ibang pamilya. Makapagsalita ka eh, grabi," singit ni Mama.

"Oo nga, Kuya, baka matakot sa ‘yo si Al."

“Hindi, Bebo,” he said to Petot, laughing, before he looked at me, "Yes, Sir!"