Silent Shot

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

“Grabe ang dinner. Nakaka-intimidate ang mga parents niyo, Lira.” si Grace.

Like usual, nakahiwalay na ulit sina Mommy sa amin. Tito Brandon and Dad was drinking whisky and talking about business with Mommy and Tita Madel. Sa living room sila pumwesto ngayon at kami naman ay nasa garden.

Jacob, Grace and I were together by the swing while Viggo was inside. Kasama na kasi siya sa mga mature topic nina Dad. Hindi naman forbidden pumunta sa kanila pero ang boring kasi makinig kapag business na ang topic nila. Inaantok kami madalas ni Jacob.

“Ganoon lang talaga sila but they are cool.” ani ni Jacob. “Sa Monday ko na nga pala ibabalik ang notes mo ha? Weekend na bukas, e.”

“S-Sige.” medyo nahiya si Grace nang si Jacob ang sumagot sa kanya.

“At sa susunod, hindi ka na makakahiram.” sabi ko naman kay Jacob sabay irap dito.

“You’re heartless, Lira. Heartless.” ma-dramang sabi ni Jacob habang umiiling. “Restroom lang ako.”

“O-okay!” si Grace na ngumiti pa. Jacob smiled at her and then looked at me and wink.

I know what’s going on in his naughty mind. He is definitely confirming that Grace likes her.

“He will surely court you soon, Grace.” I said with a tsk-ed.

Lumingon sa akin si Grace mula sa paghabol ng tingin kay Jacob. “Talaga?!”

Umismid ako. “Why do you look so happy? Jacob is a playboy. He will play you!”

Grace just shrugged. “I-I don’t mind?” ngumisi pa ito.

“Hay nako, ewan ko sayo!”

Grace even giggled. Nailing na lang ako. So there are different kinds of crushes, huh? Grace is obviously head over heels and mine… well, mine is what? Secretive? I’m not sure yet.

“Selira.”

My back straightened fast the moment I heard his voice. Grace looked behind my back, nakatalikod kasi ako sa bahay. Grace looked at me next, her eyes are questioning. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa isip niya ngayon but I know she’s intrigued.

Is there something intriguing though?

“Uh, I think I’ll go to the bathroom din, Lira.” si Grace na unti-unting tumayo sa swing. “Kuya Viggo.” bati pa nito bago umalis.

I didn’t bother to turn and look at him. I waited. At nang nasa harap ko na si Viggo ay saka pa ako tumingin sa kanya.

Nakatingin na siya sa akin nang balingan ko.

“A-Ano ang pag-uusapan natin?” tanong ko habang pinagmamasdan siya na maupo sa swing na inalisan ni Grace.

Matagal na tumingin sa akin si Viggo. I was confused by the way he looked at me. It was like he had something important to say. Saka bakit mukhang kinakabahan ito?

Kinakabahan na din tuloy ako.

“I…” he cleared his throat. “I just wanted to say…” he paused and looked away.

Napataas ang kilay ko. Iniwas ni Viggo ang tingin sa akin at hindi ko makita ang mukha niya ngayon. Have I seen him like this before? Kung hindi ko lang kilala si Viggo ay iisipin kong flustered ito.

Pero si Viggo ito. There’s no way he was nervous or flustered over anything.

“Are you okay, Viggo?” I asked. May isang minuto na kasi itong hindi umiimik.

He looked at me again and this time his lips are reddened. Mukhang kinagat iyon ng madiin.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” he exhaled. “Gusto ko lang sabihin na… please look after Jacob while I’m away.”

Parang pareho kaming nakahinga ng maluwag. Akala ko ay kung ano ang sasabihin nito dahil sa reaksyong pinapakita. Mukha naman na hindi sanay si Viggo na humingi ng pabor kaya siguro ganoon ang asta nito.

“Yun lang pala, e! Oo naman.”

Viggo cranked his head to one side. “Yeah. You know how he is when I’m not looking.”

I chuckled. “Sayo lang kasi yun takot! He respects you too much.”

Viggo nodded and he avoid looking at me.

“Huwag mo nang isipin si Jacob. He’s a headache but he will be fine, I’ll make sure of it.”

Tutuktukan ko na lang lagi si Jacob para makinig sa akin. I forgot na kahit nga pala ako hindi pinapakinggan noon.

“Take care of yourself, too.” he cleared his throat and then looked at me. “While I’m away.”

I smiled a little. “O-Of course.”

“No entertaining suitors, Selira.”

The way he looked at me was hypnotizing that I had to blink twice to wake up from it.

“Oh, okay?”

“I’m serious.” he sighed as if I was not listening. I clearly got the message, duh! Medyo nainis ako kaya kumunot ang noo ko.

“Mukha ba akong hindi seryoso? Why are you forbidding me to entertain suitors, by the way?” umirap pa ako.

He hissed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t forbid you from enjoying your teenage life.”

I bit my lip, immediately guilty about what I just said. But why? Bakit ako nagi-guilty? Is it because I really want him to care? To forbid me?

Can I take my words back? No, Selira! Magmumukha kang tanga, don’t you dare!

“Well, that’s all. Thank you, Selira. I’ll be late for my flight so I should get going.” tumayo na ito.

I stood up as well. “S-Sige. Ingat ka. S-Salamat pala ulit sa regalo.”

He smiled. “You are welcome.” then he gestures a wave before walking away from me. He walked slowly, though. Na parang ang bigat-bigat ng paa nito paalis. Maybe he doesn’t really want to go abroad, or something?

Nang nakaalis na si Viggo ay inihatid ko ito ng tingin. I watched him say something to his Dad and Tito Brandon was about to stand up pero pinigilan ito ni Viggo at umiling. Siguro ay nagpapaalam na ito para makapunta sa airport at pinigilan ang ama na ihatid pa siya.

Grace came back after a while and she gave me a knowing look. My brow arched from her expression.

“What is it?” I asked.

“There’s something fishy about you and brother-in-law. Hmm…”

Napalunok ako. “Brother-in-law ka dyan-”

Agad itinaas ni Grace ang daliri, iniharap sa mukha ko. “Don’t! Huwag mong ibahin ang topic.”

Somehow, I felt nervous and I don’t know why. I mean, kaibigan ko naman si Grace, hinid ba? I can tell her about the feelings I have for Viggo. Though, I can’t. I was hesitant.

“What are you saying?” umirap pa ako para kunwari ay wala talagang pakialam.

“Tingin ko may gusto sayo si Kuya Viggo.” sabi ni Grace. I almost choke on nothing from what I heard.

“H-Ha?”

I was so ready to deny my feelings for Viggo but I was not ready to hear that. I really thought my feelings were obvious and all. But Viggo? May gusto si Viggo sa akin and she sees that how?

“He acts different towards you. Ngayon ko lang siya nakasama pero iba talaga siya sayo. He’s gentler, cares so much of you more than his own brother,”

“Ganun lang talaga si Viggo. He’s strict towards Jacob ever since.”

Grace shrugged. “Maybe I was wrong.” pero muling naningkit ang mga mata nito. “How about you? Kasi diba, sometimes nagre-reflect daw ang feelings? You like him?”

I groaned. “He’s way older, Grace.”

“Six years lang, grabe ka naman sa way older. And that doesn’t answer the question, Lira.”

Nag-isip ako kung aamin ba ako. Having someone to talk about these haywire feelings sounded good kaysa sarilinin ko lang. But in a split second, I decided not to.

“I do not like Viggo, Grace. I treat him as a…” ang hirap sabihin ng sunod na salita. “…a brother.”

Grace crossed her arms in front of her. “Then why don’t you call him ‘Kuya’?”

Napalunok ako. The real reason why I don’t addressed Viggo as Kuya was because it irritated me to respect him when he was so rude. But that was before! Right now, I hated being reminded that he was older than me. And calling him ‘Kuya’ is a reminder.

“I got used to it. Okay na?”

Grace shrugged. “Mali siguro ang sagap ng radar ko.” she grinned. “Maybe he does like you but not romantically. As a family maybe.”

Aray ko.

“Yeah.” pagsang-ayon ko kahit hindi ko gusto ang narinig. Grace squinted her eyes as she look at me. I looked away dahil mukhang madadagdagan na naman ang sasabihin niya tungkol sa topic na iyon.

“Hey!” si Jacob na mukhang kakagaling lang sa banyo. “Grabe, ang sakit ng tiyan ko.”

Umismid ako dahil mukhang nagbawas ito. Grace smiled sweetly at Jacob na ikina-iling ko na lang.

“I hope you washed your hands with soap.” I rolled my eyes at Jacob.

“Required ba?” I gasped and he grinned quickly. “Just kidding. Umalis na si Kuya, ah? Did he say goodbye?”

“Yeah.” tamad kong sagot at inugoy na lang ang swing na inuupuan ko.

“Aalis na rin kami. Nagpapaalamanan na sila sa loob.” bumaling si Jacob kay Grace. “Ikaw, Grace? May sundo ka?”

Grace nodded fast. “On the way na ang driver.” sinundan pa nito ng awkward na tawa. I wanted to laugh at my friend’s reaction. God, she’s so obvious! Alam ko talaga na liligawan ito ni Jacob!

“Alright. Ihahatid sana kita kung wala.” Jacob even smiled flirtatiously before turning to me. “Alis na kami, hindi ka magpapaalam kina Mommy?”

I grunted. “Tinatamad pa akong pumasok, e. Say ‘goodbye’ for me?”

Jacob shrugged and waved his goodbye before running back inside the house. Naiwan kami ni Grace sa garden. Natawa ako nang nanlambot si Grace sa swing na inuupuan.

“Sayang, Lira! Ihahatid sana ako!”

Tumawa ako ng malakas. “Ewan ko sayo, Grace!” nagtawanan na lang kami dahil sa sobrang pagkapatay nito kay Jacob.

“Sa myerkules, ha? Birthday ko, huwag kang mawawala.”

“Oo naman! Saan nga pala gaganapin?”

“Some fancy hotel. I don’t know the details yet, I’ll just send you an invitation tomorrow.”

“Okay!”

A few more minutes at dumating na din ang driver ni Grace kaya umalis na ito.

I was left alone in the garden. And for a whole ten minutes, nakatingin lang ako sa bracelet na niregalo sa akin ni Viggo habang iniisip ang sinabi ni Grace kanina.

Not romantically but as a family.

I sighed.