Si KUYA [COMPLETE]

Ikatlong Kabanata

"Alam mo para kang girlfriend kung makatanong." Sagot ko dito tapos kung uminom ng beer.

Umiiling ito at napatawa naman si Alex tapos bumaling sa akin. "Pero pare, seriously, saan ka nanggaling at ang tagal mo? I doubt it na umuwi ka at may makalimutan kasi kung may nakalimutan ka di sana dala dala mo yong nakalimutan mo."

I pause for a minute then think of a lie to smooth this out and a "ting" sounded on my mind. "Nakalimutan yong wallet ko." I lied. "Paano ako makakabayad sa iniinom natin kung wala ang wallet ko diba? At natagalan ako kasi hindi ko makita sa kwarto ko." Paliwanag ko pa.

Umiiling ang kambal na may panunuksong ngiti sa mga labi. Napasimagot ako sa kanilang dalawa. "Ano?"

Axel tsked. "Hindi ka talaga marunong magpalusot pare."

"Andyan wallet mo oh." Natatawang turo ni Alex sa may mesa. "Sa kakamadali mo kanina cellphone mo lang ang nadala mo at hindi yong wallet. You are not really good at lying man."

Busted.

"Shit!" I cursed as I took my wallet from the table and shoved it to my pocket at natawa lang ang kambal.

"It's either you're already old my dear friend and had gone forgetful." Sambit ni Axel.

"Or...or you are hiding something from us." Alex added tiling the bottle of beer at me.

I didn't reply to the both of them and just drank my beer.

*****

Sweats falls down my face as I maneuvered the bike to the corner and squeeze the handle to full speed. A large hump of an obstacle was in front of me as I turned to the corner and I move the bike to it which made the bike jump earning a cheer from the crowd. It was the last round of the race and I was on head from the others. One more hump to go and I will surely win this race.

I squeeze the handle tightly and made that last jump as I speed up to the finish line. The crowd roar as I did it and I let out a deep breath of relief as I maneuvered the bike to the tent were my family and friends are at.

"Kuya! Ang galing mo!" Masayang sambit ni Sophie sabay bigay ng towel sa akin pagkababa ko ng bike at pagkakuha ko ng helmet.

"Thanks Soph." I said as I hang the helmet on the bike handle and took the towel from her and wipe the sweats on my face.

"Patrick! Pare!" Tawag ni Axel sa akin na kasama ni Alex.

"Uy! Nanood pala kayo." Sambit ko sa kanila.

"Oo naman pare noh, we won't miss it especially baka madagdagan pa ulit ang pakacast ng paa mo." Patuksong sambit ni Alex.

"Loko." I laughingly mumbled then wiped the towel into his arm.

"Aray naman pare." Sambit ni Alex sabay himas ng braso. "Masakit yon ha."

"Sus, ang arte." Sabat naman ni Axel sabay akbay dito. "So, saan celebration natin mamaya Pat?"

"Hindi ko pa alam kung..."

"Patrick!" Isang matinis na boses ang pumutol sa pagsagot ko at hindi ko na kailangan lumingon para malaman kung sino ang nagmamay-ari ng boses na yon.

"Congratulation Pat." Antoinette purred beside me as she linked her arm on mine. Antoinette was one of my flings before when I was in college and up until now she still have this presumption that sooner or later we will get back together. Kahit na sa totoo lang ay ilang beses ko na siyang sinabihan na hindi na mangyayari yon.

"Hello Nette." Sabay na bati ng kambal sa kanya.

"Hey boys." Maarteng bati naman nito sa kanila. "How are the both of you doing?"

"We're both fine Antoinette." Sagot ni Axel.

"And still hot as ever." Dagdag naman ni Alex sabay kindat dito.

"Oh, I know you both are Alex but the only hot guy that I want is this one." She retorted then grab my ass which just made me rolled my eyes.

Natawa si Alex sa ginawa ni Antoinette at napailing naman si Axel.

"I think I know where is the celebration tonight kambal." Sambit ni Alex sa kay Axel tapos napakindat sa akin. "Sige guys, magstatart na ang next na race, nood muna kami ni Axel." Dagdag ni Alex sabay kaladkad sa kambal niya na ang alam ko ay pumunta lang talaga yon dito para panoorin ang race ko.

"So Patrick, I never thought that the both of us are celebrating tonight." Mapang-akit na sambit ni Antoinette ng umalis na ang kambal.

Ngumiti lang ako ng tipid tapos kinuha ang braso niya sa braso ko. "I never said that Nette, it was just Axel insinuating things, you know how he is."

"But he won't imply such thing when they is no bases Pat." Binalik niya ulit ang braso niya sa may braso ko. "I had been your last girlfriend ever since you graduated college and been sailing all over the world Pat, you haven't been in a relationship after that. So I know deep down you still have feelings for me."

Gusto ko sanang matawa sa pagdadrama niya pero medyo naawa din naman ako sa kanya kaya pinigilan ko na. Hindi ko kasi alam kung saan niya nakuha ang kwento na yon. And to think that she thought that she was my girlfriend that time? That was really funny. Oo at pinakilala ko siya sa mga friends ko at some part of my family but I never said she was my girlfriend. Kung may girlfriend man ako, for sure sa pagpapakilala ko pa lang sa kanya ay sasabihin ko talaga ang katagang "girlfriend" para malaman ng lahat na kung ano siya para sa akin.

But with Antoinette, no, never. She was just a fling. At ayoko ng girlfriend na katulad niya, masyadong maarte at englishera. Halos na uubosan lagi ako ng baon na English vocabulary dahil sa kanya.

"Antoinette." Kinuha ko ang ulit ang braso niya sa braso ko. "I never said that you were my..."

I never finished my sentence when she suddenly tip toed grab my neck and kiss me full on the mouth. Dahil sa gulat ay hindi ko siya agad natulak pero agad naman siyang kumawala sa akin.

"What the he--"

"Bye Patrick! I'll see tonight okay?" Kumindat pa ito bago tumalikod at umalis.

"Kuya talaga, dito pa talaga kayo naglampongan ng malanding yon?"

Napalingon ako kay Sophie at nagulat ako na kasama pala niya si Alyssa. My heart suddenly skip a beat with the sight of her and of the thought that she had seen Antoinette kissing me a while ago. Damn.

"Sige Soph, alis na ako." Wika ni Alyssa na nakatingin sa akin. Her face was blank that I can't read on what could she probably be thinking.

"Alis ka na agad?!" Gulat na tanong ni Sophie dito. "Eh kararating mo lang ah."

Alyssa broke her eye contact on me and shifted her attention to my sister. Ngumiti siya ng matipid kay Sophie. "Sorry, may naaalala kasi ako na may pupuntahan pa pala ako."

"Ah, sige, ingat ka na lang ha." Sophie said disappointingly. And I was a bit disappointedly also by this. But then something came up to me.

"Alyssa." Tawag ko sa kanya sabay lapit sa kanila ni Sophie.

"Ano po yon Kuya?" Tanong niya. And I wince inside as she again used the "po" and "Kuya" on me. But knowing that Sophie was here and things will be awkward if she did not used the formality had me a bit at ease.

"Hatid na kita." Sambit ko. "Tapos na din naman ang race ko."

"Wag na Kuya, kaya ko naman eh." Paiiling na tanggi nito.

"No, it's okay." Walang ano na kinuha ko ang kamay niya at dinala siya sa may motor ko. "Hatid na kita sa kung saan ka man pupunta."

Tumaas ang kilay nito na napatingin sa magkahawak na kamay naming dalawa at sa akin. "Kahit pa sabihin ko na papunta ako sa bahay ng boyfriend ko?"

The last part sink in slowly to me and I must admit that something inside of me broke down because of it. I thought she didn't have a boyfriend?

I force myself to smile then hand her the helmet. "Oo naman."