It's You
1238 Words
"Papa, this is Rosé, my friend" she introduced Rosé to her father. Benjamin drove Kath to Rosé's house.
"Hello, Sir. Kathlyn told me all about you and her mom. It's nice meeting you" Rosé extended her hand and Benjamin shook it.
"You don't have to be so formal. Call me Tito Benjie" her father said.
"Okay, Tito Benjie" Rosé replied smiling.
Darren who just got off the car joined their conversation. "Hello, Tito Benjie" he greeted.
Her father looked at Darren. "Not you, kid. Call me Sir" he said. It made her laugh a bit.
"Oh. Your father?" Margaux asked Kath. She nodded. "Hello Sir. I'm Margaux. Kath's classmate" she introduced herself.
"Hello. Call me Tito Benjie" he also said to Margaux. This made Darren frown.
Her father excused himself and drove back home when Andrei arrived. They went inside Rosé's house. It's big. And it looks elegant. They went to the balcony near the kitchen and started opening their laptops and their notebooks. "Manang, we'll get our snacks when we get hungry. You don't have to serve us here" she told their helpers. The lady nodded and went back inside.
"So, you are rich" she said in almost a question tone.
"Yeah. Shouldn't you have figured it out when I told those gourds I was wearing Dolce and Gabbana?" Rosé told her.
"I don't even know what Dolce and Gabbana is" she truthfully answered. Rosé looked at her like something's wrong with her. She looked at everyone. "So, all of you here are rich?" she asked.
"How do you define rich?" Margaux asked.
"Do you have Dolce and Gabbana?" she asked.
"I have a few designer clothes" Margaux replied.
Kath looked at all of them with such amazement. "Not me, I'm not rich" Darren said.
"Well, some people are rich even when they're stupid" Rosé commented making her laugh. "Why? What does your parents do?" she asked her.
"I think we're middle class. My Papa's an officer in the army and mama sells plants. And pots. And other things related to plants" she answered.
"We'll, I am rich. My parents are, I mean. But you see, it's not always nice. See they're not here today. I'm not sure where they were this week. We don't talk often. They're lucky I am their kid, I am nice" Darren scoffed at her remarks. "If I turned out to be delinquent, they can't really blame me" she said.
She nodded. Nothing's really perfect in this world.
ANDREI
"I think that Kath girl is into you" Darren told him when the girls went into the kitchen to get snacks.
"She's not" he replied. "She's just trying to remember who I am" he told him. Darren shrugged.
"Are we really going to push through varsity?" he asked Andrei. They signed up for the volleyball team.
"You don't have to if you don't want" he told him.
"I can't do that. I have to look for ways to impress Margaux" Darren said.
He sighed. He's been going about his love for Margaux every time he has the chance. He watched the girls prepare the snacks. He smiled a bit. She still gets excited when talking about food.
A few months prior:
The Luna family's having breakfast. They were preparing to introduce him on Celestine's birthday as her twin brother. No one will question it much, because that's the first time they'll be preparing a grand celebration for Celestine. She's autistic and they don't show her often to the public. It only makes sense, since their older brothers are also twins. He didn't say anything about it.
"You'll take Business Management, or economics, or anything business related" his father told him.
"Why? Maybe he's not cut out for it. Or he doesn't like it" his stepmother said.
"Why not? He's a Luna, he can take whatever degree he wants" Santi told their mother.
"I know he can" she defensively replied. "Just stay out of trouble and don't say too much to anyone"
"You're starting to sound like Cinderella's stepmother, mom" Theo added. "Don't worry, Andrei. Unlike those evil, twin stepsisters of Cinderella, we will support you. Because we are the best brothers there is" he said swiping his hand to the air.
"But he's not our brother, mommy told me" Celestine interrupted.
There's sudden silence in the room. "He is our brother" Theo told her. Celestine looked at Theo and about to correct him.
"Celestine, he is our brother. And that's that, okay?" Santi told her lovingly.
Celestine stared at Santi and nodded. "Okay, Kuya" she said.
"Wow. What's this sudden discrimination I'm feeling?" Theo said touching his chest.
After breakfast, he heard Santi talk to his mother. He waited for Celestine to be out of his range of sight before talking. "Mom" he called. Their mother stopped walking and looked at him. "Stop telling Celestine those kind of things" he said.
"She is my daughter and-"
"And we are your sons. I don't know what you and Dad talked about, but leave Andrei out of it" he said in a commanding voice. Their mother also seemed to adhere his words. "You are now Andrei's mother. Legally. Act like it" he said and then walked upstairs. He followed him. He knocked twice before Santi opened his door. "Andrei" he said.
"Kuya, can I talk to you? Are you busy?" he asked.
Santi opened the door wider and he walked in. "What is it?" he asked.
"It's about my course" he started.
"You can take any business course you want. Don't worry about, Mom" Santi assured him.
"Yeah, uhm, about that. I was thinking of taking up Civil Engineering" he answered.
"Engineering?" Santi asked. "I saw your school records. Your NAT scores. You have the potential for business" (*National Achievement Test is done yearly by graduating high school students)
He didn't respond for a while. "I want to make my own path" he whispered. He doesn't know if his Kuya will understand.
Santi sighed. "Okay, take Civil Engineering. I'll handle Dad and Lolo. Don't worry" he told him. He smiled. "But you will have to be always ready. Your Kuya Theo doesn't like doing business much and I'm not sure if I'll ever marry, I'll make you first in line for everything" he said.
Wow. He felt so happy hearing it from Santi. "Also, Kuya. I want to join the volleyball team. I might be out practicing sometimes" he added. Santi nodded and ruffled his hair.
Back to the present
"So, it's settled. We'll do a survey" Darren said.
"It is?" Kath asked.
"Yes, lady" Darren answered. "If you pay attention to the work more than the food, you don't have to ask" he continued.
"I can't help it. You're talking makes me sleepy" Kath reasoned out.
Andrei stood up and took the pitcher. "I'll get water" he said and went inside. He felt someone follow him. He looked around and saw Kath carrying the plates they used.
"Andrei" she called. He looked at her. "It is you, right?"
A curve formed at the side of his mouth. "It's been a week and you only noticed it now" he commented.
"No. I already noticed it. I just don't know how to ask" she answered. She's still looking at him with the same amazement in her eyes when they were talking about Dolce and Gabbana.
"It's nice to see you again, Kath" he smiled at her.
- Writer
