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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vnJUt9Arq
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEUuVHtqC1
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NLNsly4Y0
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKstbEGrB1l
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldo5GAuSvz
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4bA69taQQ
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGDDkRZ0Fq
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytgvVOOJc0
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGOZESQtlt
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJeC9WdejY
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWsYrGtE43
"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."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSoS3YZaGt
I nodded. "Nice."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVQGlpNFqU
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2JW4e1S90
"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."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvCSnYzGq1M
Oh. Was I that obvious?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy34k98GB2m
"Really?" I asked.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmsmObLITk
"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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN3g5ZDE4T
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1qC9rRWKp
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZtY2j7M1A
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AZ6lkG1o9
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEumhjBa4d0
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhTTKrvC3U
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTowi62atG
"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?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZxpQOaPRC
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv84e5Gd7e
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSFJ6eYKIi
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgejyJCg5jP
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr1IP8S3kh
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxWfQYcoNy
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWA2vL7TvH
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTyPLljeuW
"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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwOm05OOLP
I pushed myself up and faced him.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKhiNur2Rk
"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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZE0FCmg1uH
He cackled.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARXnr61aS1
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9dLo4WSyG
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNaJVDhf1H
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QpUPTUWSd
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcbMGw0Gh1
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6393lVVqv
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?329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZTBbk3t8S
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQy4csWgHxp
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL2rF0BUti
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dA827ZNrL
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThF4rc11SY
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcP4AqdH1Qw
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLMrWn8yo3
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WaaK4xdbS
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWmJGnHF3q
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFsqFoXvdI
"What happened to you?" she asked.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW368jL4rib
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6P0cHEe27
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kx6EMMCH1
"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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKvJJsFPCU
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G0mF1l90K
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijKd0Vvjeo
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.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJW0vOSjGoY
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32m80WsUfv
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gXCNBVGEU
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoy66C9DjY
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.329Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjHZJxS9CV
"Ester."
