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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtFpDakfuK
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8S0XgnJdBy
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpVQm4hTg3
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmzMCvl8ft
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKVor7uCAh
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLfKhmtDbK
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunOJp3k93I
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOt7SQp6hn
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOVDmaJDSh
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6R4AaBHJG
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnZ4YLBmLI
"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."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBt4CkLu5Cx
I nodded. "Nice."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jdw4CRKMD
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBWMQZo1Gj
"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."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAB4HD8wuoN
Oh. Was I that obvious?408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48jJt6Cpq2
"Really?" I asked.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5JRfIzDFZ
"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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByVjKjSnwy
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssWdN3Wjq0
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyj9PUOKvpZ
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjYZpVhNdU
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCSG53UTuF
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGFW3Vywmy
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56kD2OMNA6
"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?"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb6BVqN78V
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6eVzK0z55
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFWMGWoHs7
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPQuyYtrV9
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e8YjxrfIG
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ByOKoLgxT
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFlyupOBlH
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzx2eQYYBAX
"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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgSvL8II3m
I pushed myself up and faced him.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0g8Djorbl
"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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC28Ubfafqe
He cackled.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwEHooHrUO
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJdWOoFeFP
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M23dRTi8F
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMIA6NxMiM
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJF95SO5yxH
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gVh9OCBJ9
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?408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaGWTclZBA
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sgIGM1Xaz
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAZyf6iqco
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYF9Jtc9Fv
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm5nqqtMIh
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQp9rT7TkDc
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv48weotvBl
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBZCQfYH0j
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdeyHGDiM4
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbQWmMn5bS
"What happened to you?" she asked.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTxaeYFiAw
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN64vnIfSew
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WzVhV2SWn
"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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCXlu4EzBY
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMGrpMXDml
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHJ6yMiDQ6
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.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRTetCKwWp
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmutKJVY97Z
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VaJVmUU8B
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fwCGrtJEV
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.408Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3O3vS9aqA
"Ester."
