Come Back To Me

COME BACK TO ME – CHAPTER 6

COME BACK TO ME – CHAPTER 6

"Alden Paul!"

The ten year old snickered as he hid behind the abandoned house sitting next to their home. His mother has been calling him for the past twenty minutes but the boy had no plan of showing himself. His fingers gripped on the corner of the house as he peeked to the side and see where his mother was calling him from this time. He pursed his lips, holding back the laughter at the sight of his seething mother from a few yards away.

"Just show yourself, dumbass!"

Alden fell forward after a formidable force pushed him. He turned to look behind him and there was his big brother grinning at his impending doom. Erwin's smirk said it all. "You're dead." Their mother's reddened face met Alden's eyes as he turned back when he heard footsteps against the dry ground.

"Aw! Aw! Aw!" Alden hissed at the pain caused by his mother pinching his ear and taking him forcefully back to their front yard. "What did I say about skipping your chores? Now you got yourself twice the work. Not only you're washing your socks but you're also washing your father's socks."

"What? But, mother--"

Particia, their mother, crossed her arms as she stared his son down, her eyes telling him to dare voice out his complaints and there would be bigger consequences.

"Fine," Alden dropped his shoulders and began to walk back to their house through the front door. "And I'll do it because I love you, mother," he said as he turned to give his mother a boyish smile.

"Tsk, This kid." Patricia shook her head, amused at her youngest son. "And you," she said, turning to her eldest. "Are you done with your chores? School starts in two days and I bet none of your clothes had been put away right. Please don't leave all the work to Sam. She barely got done with cleaning the dirty kitchen." Sam is their stay-in help at the house. She also goes to the same school as Erwin and she is on her last year of high school.

"I'm on it, mother." Erwin huffed and headed to inside as well, disappointed that he didn't get away from his nagging but very sweet mother. "I should have run for it when I got the chance instead of pushing Alden earlier. Geez." He scratched his head in annoyance as he headed upstairs to his bedroom.

The Valderamas live at the center part of the town. They live close to the main establishments in town including public and private ones. Schools were walking distance as well which gave way to the three children to just walk to get there.

Mr. Martin Valderama, the patriarch, works as a pilot for a domestic airline company. In summer, he would always make sure he spends at least two full weeks of family time which includes a vacation for all of them. He was still at home and would be returning back to the city located in the bigger island across a strait. The airport is located there.

“Dad has so many pairs of socks,” Alden complained as he loaded the washer in the laundry area behind their two storey home. “He’s like Imelda Marcos of socks!”

“Add these, too.” Erwin dropped his hamper full of his underwear and socks next to Alden. “I forgot I had more.”

“You forgot?” Alden was wide eyed as he stared at the mountain of dirty pieces of clothing. “This is a mountain of unmentionables! Even someone blind could have noticed this.”

“Blah-Blah-Blah. Just include it on the load, will you.” Erwin gave his brother a pat on his shoulder and headed back to the house.

“You owe me twenty pesos for this!” Alden shouted.

“Ten!”

“Fifteen!”

“Deal”

***

“First day of school,” Martin uttered as the family finished their breakfast. It was Monday on a fine June day. Schools always started in June in Philippines. “Make good impression, boys. And you too, Sam. Good luck on your last year.”

“Thanks, Tito (uncle).” Sam smiled. She calls Martin Tito for he’s a distant relative. In the country, calling an older man, be that your real uncle or a family friend, was a norm.

“They’ll be fine,” Patricia said with a warm smile to her husband.

“Sam, I don’t worry, but Alden and Erwin,” Martin shook his head, chuckling.

“Father,” the boys uttered in unison, their faces painted with a playful defiance.

“Both of you often run away from chores,” Martin noted. “I also heard that one of you loves to make bets at school. Another one bribes the other. Hmm…”

“Not me,” both boys denied.

“Alright. We’ll see.” Martin said with a nod.

“Nah, I’ve proven myself a good son, father” Alden said. “I washed your socks, father. While someone here—mmff!”

“Come on, we’ll be late for school,” Erwin said as he covered his brother’s mouth.

“Fifty!” Alden flashed his five fingers at his brother after freeing himself from Erwin’s fried fish smelling fingers.

“Ugh.” Erwin rolled his eyes. There goes his whole week of allowance.

“Section A! Yeah-Yeah-Yeah.” Rylan, Alden’s best friend was celebrating from getting into the star section of their fifth grade. Most students in their group were the smartest in the lot. He loved the competition as much as Alden was not motivated by it.

“I heard Nially is in this class,” Rylan whispered to his friend.

“Right.” Alden rolled his eyes. He and Nially were friends back in kindergarten and ever since first grade, the girl had been avoiding every section he enrolled into. “Wanna bet?”

“Your lunch money,” Rylan replied immediately.

Alden’s smirk was plastered on his face the whole time they waited for the rest of their classmates to arrive. He looked around seeing the familiar faces of his previous classmates—first grade up to third. He was a king in every class he was in. The students looked up to him. He was smart and easy to talk to and yet he was not very fond of school. He was mostly bored and that was when betting with Rylan became an occasional past time.

The buzzing of students’ chatting suddenly came to a halt. Wooden chairs squeaked as everyone else not seated scrambled to get to their chosen seat. The classroom teacher and their advisor had arrived. “Good morning, students.”

“Good morning, Ma’am.”

Mrs. Cathedral walked to her desk and picked up a chalk to write her name on the blackboard. She glanced around at the all the seated students. She was about to write when another voice floated into the room.

“G-Good morning. I’m sorry, I’m late.”

Alden almost choked as he turned to the doorway. He blinked seeing a familiar face, ignoring the second person to arrive late which will cost him later his lunch.

“Your name?” the teacher asked the first of the two late comers.

“Zian deLeon, Ma’am.”

“Thanks, Nially.” The teacher knows the only daughter of the high school department’s principal. “I was asking him,” she said, pointing at the other student. “Sit down both of you,”

“Dude, you owe me lunch.” Rylan leaned forward to Alden’s ear, the latter seated in front of him.

Alden was speechless. His eyes only followed an old friend.

Zian…