The Jerk's Property

Chapter 26

Point of View of Asher Sullivan

I watched how the black ink on my wall slowly disappeared after I drew a big X in it. Oo, nagsusulat rin naman ako sa pader ko, but they are all in vain. For just a matter of seconds, whatever I write disappears.

I thrown my marker to nowhere and looked for the time. It's almost 10, my parents are probably on their beds now.

I have always wondered why they never slept in the same room. I wondered more thinking on how they were able to bring us with my brother to life, seeing how they transparently hate each other. Ni hindi man lang sila nag-abalang magpanggap na okay sila, even just for formality.

I really have always wondered . . . and it turns out that they are not soul mates after all. But a question is this: Mom have said that she loved my father, but why is she acting like this now? Why are they like this? Why is our family like this?

I wasn't born to be oblivious. I am fully aware that e everything is wrong inside the walls of this mansion. Not because I'm not complaining, that already makes me fine. I just learned how to ignore, but I was never fine. I got used to it, but it will never be right.

Whatever. Dalawang taon na lang, dalawang dekada na ako sa mundo. I got better things to do than dwelling to what's wrong.

As of now, I have a more important thing to do. After what Felicity have revealed, I am confident that something's really off. Now, I know what it is.

Nangako ako sa kanya na hahanapin ko ang kasagutan, pero wala akong nagawa. Mas marami pa siyang naitutulong. Nakakaasar. I am too irresponsible. I better not fail this.

I love her, and so I should prove the world that she's mine. Gusto kong mapatunayan na tama ako at ang nararamdaman ko.

Lumabas ako ng kuwarto at luminga-linga sa paligid. Basically, ako lang mag-isa rito sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay. The floor is wide, it has other two rooms, and the design is circular so there's a seemingly dance floor in the middle, the floor is illuminated by the large bright chandelier.

The shade of our house is of gold, daffodil, medallion, and crystal white. It looks grandiose. We are not royalties, but are living in a seemingly modern castle. It is nothing but a luxurious house. It never felt like home. At wala rin naman akong pakialam.

Akmang tutulak na ako paakyat ng third floor nang nakita ko si dad baba na papunta na naman siguro sa wine cellar na nasa underground. Madadaanan ang hagdanan kung kaya't maingat akong nagtago sa pabilog na posteng nasa tabi nito halos kasing-lapad ng katawan ko.

I peeked at where I saw my father. He's entered.

I looked around for a moment to check if there were maids around. I saw one at the first floor, I bet she's about to depart. Tapos na rin naman ang trabaho, ang matitira na lang ay isang guwardiya sa labas at ang driver na natutulog malapit sa parking area.

I took my steps towards the stairs as fast yet as careful as possible. I felt hot from the tension I am feeling. I can feel my hands sweating and my eyes are slightly throbbing.

As I reached the floor, I silently headed to the tall double-door of my brother's room. It's a strange that the lights located on the way through it are the only ones that aren't off. The whole house has always been bright since the lights are 24/7 on.

This is the worst-to feel menace under your own roof.

I almost ran towards the door. Due to adrenaline rush, my hands are shaking as I held the door's handle. The extreme excitement makes me nervous.

Pero nang subukan kong buksan ko ang pinto, parang tumigil ang lahat. The door is already locked. I can't get inside anymore! Damn it!

"Are you looking for this?"

I almost jumped on my feet when I heard my mother's voice from the darkness. I blinked my eyes to adjust to the dim until I saw her standing on the stairs.

She looked down. "Digna, i-on mo nga ang mga ilaw rito," she ordered the maid loudly before taking her eyes back at me.

I didn't respond, bagkus ay bumaba ang paningin ko sa pamilyar na picture frame na hawak niya.

"Give me that," I plainly said.

My mom let out a lopsided grin. "Wala man lang 'please'?"

Nakuyom ko ang kamao ko. "Kinuha mo iyan mula sa akin. Sa halip na makiusap ako sa iyo, hindi ba dapat ay humingi ka ng tawad sa akin? You ruined everything I am," diin kong wika. Gusto kong maramdaman niyang higit pa sa galit ang nararamdaman ko.

Unfortunately, she's a monster. She laughed out loud that it echoed on the entire floor.

"Kung ganoon, nalaman mo na pala. Whoever gave you the information, that person's pretty clever." Tiningnan niya ang picture frame at madramang hinaplos ito. "But you have to take what you said in the latter part of your recent statement. My dear Asher, I didn't ruin you. I am creating you."

"I didn't order you to create me!" I exclaimed.

"And you don't have to," ngisi niya pa rin at hindi alintana ang pagkamuhi sa aking reaksiyon. "I'm your mother. I have the right to control you, and it's your obligation to oblige. No one's going after Felicity Reyes. Your soul mate is Krisha. Hindi ito galing sa tadhana, kun'di galing sa akin. Ako ang mag-de-desisyon. YOUR. SOULMATE. IS. KRISHA."

I greeted my teeth out of wrath and frustrations. "Bullshit!" I thundered that her ears would be assaulted.

She just flipped her hair and raised her hand that holds the frame. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Prove that she's yours. Now, now, take this frame."

My forehead furrowed, my brows almost formed a line. Bakit biglang nagbago ang isip niya?

Nagdadalawang-isip man ay lumapit ako para kunin ito. Pero hindi ko pa man nahahawakan ay binitawan niya ito. It fell on the staircase, almost ten steps down. It only stopped when the glass is already broken. The picture frame . . . is broken.

Blood rushed to my head as my veins seemed to explode.

"No!"

Napatakbo ako palapit dito, at kahit nagkapira-piraso na ang mga bubog ay isa-isa ko silang pinulot. Isang maling galaw ay biglang nasugat ang daliri ko at tumulo ang malapot na dugo mula rito.

I silently cried. My tears got mixed with the blood. As for this moment, I can say that my mom is the first and last person that made me cry.

I almost didn't notice her footsteps. Dinaanan niya lang ako at walang-lingon na bumaba ng hagdan.

"Seems like the destiny wants you to get to your senses." Pagkatapos ng sinabi ay tuluyan na siyang umalis.

My eyes are glued on the broken pieces of glass on the stair. My bloody hand reached for the photo and I can clearly see how it trembles from mixed emotions.

My eyes got blurry while looking at the old photograph, but my heart and mind clearly remember every detail in this photo.

Pinunasan ko ang luha ko at ipinagpatuloy ang pagpulot ng mga bubog. I'm gathering them on the side when I noticed that there's a piece of paper left on the frame. Marahil ay nasa likod ito ng picture kung kaya't hindi ko alam na mayroong ganito.

Kinuha ko ito agad at tiningnan kung may nakasulat. Surprisingly, there are. It's actually a letter from my brother! I hope the message isn't too late for me to read.

Yo, li'l bro! Thanks for teaching me how to write. Naks, talino mo kasi. Sayo pa talaga ako natuto. Pero siyempre, mas maganda naman handwriting ko kaysa sayo. Swswswswsw.

I have no plan in handing this letter to you. Wala lang sakin kung mabasa mo o hindi. Gusto ko lang ipagyabang ang sulat ko. May problema ka ba? Itawag sa 911. Teka, 911 ba yun? O LTFRB? Sabi ko nga ang random ko talaga.

Sorry na, medyo may kahinaan ang utak ng kuya mo. I wish I can hear you well, the sound of your voice, your laughter. Kaso wala, e. Hindi magawa ng katawan ko. Kaya naman madalas kitang tingnan sa mukha para makita ang reaksiyon mo. Kaso wala akong makita. Parang ang babaw na ang lalim.

Alam mo kapatid ko, hindi man ako ang best kuya, pero darating ang time na mapapatawa kita nang totoo. Hindi baleng hindi ko marinig, basta makita ko.

Ang dami kong satsat. Basta, tandaan mo ito. Mahal ka ni kuya. Yak kadiri hehe pero totoo. Proud ako sa 'yo. Sana balang-araw, maging proud ka rin sa akin. Gagawin ko ang best ko. Promise!

And lastly, palagi kang gustong kasama ni Krisha. Pareho naman tayong kaibigan siya pero mas gusto ka niya. Kapag wala ako, little bro, pakiingatan siya ha? Sa lahat ng masasabi kong akin, siya ang pinakaiingatan ko. Siya ang 'akin' na pinahahalagahan ko.

I can't always take care of her because I'm stupid and I can't be with her as often as you do, so please take care of my Krisha.

And please tell her, that even though we are soul mates, I am not gonna force her to marry me someday if she doesn't want to. Kaya sana palagi mong ipaalala, na kahit hindi mapasaakin, akin siya. I value her.

I love you, little bro. And I love her.

Gusto ko sanang maglagay ng closing at signature sa dulo, pero wala pala akong nailagay na salutation sa unahan! Di bale na. Gusto ko e bakit ba.

Your guwapo at matalino pero joke lang,

Priam, The Great

I gripped the letter that it almost crumpled as my tears began to cascade one after another. This letter gave me a multitude of emotions.

Shock, because it directly says that Krisha is my brother's soul mate. Sinadya ng magulang kong pagpalitin kami ng pader, at wala akong ideya kung bakit nila iyon ginawa.

Longing, because he was a glint of sunrise in a breaking dawn. He's a happy person. I never seen him blue even if he has enough reason to be one.

Anger, because I was too oblivious about everything. I was deceived without me noticing it. All those f*****g time, they made me nothing but a fool.

Guilt, because I wasn't able to keep him alive. In the two of us, I should be the one to protect him. But I became irresponsible, and it hurts knowing that he have been wanting me to be proud of him despite his condition.

Yes, my brother was deaf and mute. Just after a month of being able to master writing, he's got away by a car accident.

And lastly, regret. I regret everything even the ones I can't name. It took me so long to know these all. A lot of years have gone to waste. A lot of stupidity, of ignorance. If only I was wiser. If only I waa able to protect what's mine.

But then, my brother would not want me to dwell from the past . . . and so I won't.

Bukas na bukas din, kakausapin ko na sila. Eighteen years of silence is enough. I'm done with their control.

* * *

Felicity's Point of View

"Sigurado ka ba? Paano kung lalo lang siyang magalit?"

Paggising ko sa umaga, naka-sampung missed calls na si Asher. Agad akong nag-text para tanungin kung bakit. Ang aga-aga at base sa dami ng dials niya ay mukhang urgent ito. Kung hindi man, hindi ko na alam.

Pero ngayon, ang sinabi niya sa akin ang sobrang nagpagulat sa akin. Seriously? At first I thought he was kidding.

Kinuwento niya ang nangyari kagabi sa bahay nila at ang mga nalaman niya. Inaasahan ko nang may mali talaga, pero nagulat pa rin ako sa mga rebelasyon.

At heto nga, binalak niya raw kausapin ang magulang niya ngayong araw, kaso ay aalis pala ang mommy niya para sa isang sisterhood gathering daw. I don't know what's that about. And he's happier about it.

Aniya ay mas maayos daw kausap ang daddy niya, at advantage na wala ang mommy niyang sagabal sa pakikipag-usap niya rito.

I waa fine with that. Ama naman niya. Pero ang nagpaloka sa aking sobra ay nang sinabi niyang kaming dalawa raw ang makikipag-usap!

My goodness?!

"No, two is better than one, right? And maybe, you can persuade him more than I do. At mabait naman si daddy kapag hindi lasing."

I mentally snapped. "E paano kung lasing?! Holiday pa naman ngayon, hindi siya papasok sa trabaho. At pati rin si tita. Ano ang sasabihin ko sa kanya?"

"Ako ang kakausap kay tita. Kunwari may date tayo. Kay daddy naman, I promise it's gonna be alright."

Napabuga ako ng hangin at nahiga ulit.

"Fine."

"Yes! Great! Susunduin kita mamayang eight. Bye. I love you."

Napalabi ako para pigilan ang ngiti. "Sure. Love you." At pinatay ko na ang tawag.

Tumitig ako sa kisame at inisip ng mga posibleng senaryo mamaya. I have to ready my self and what I will say. Hindi kami dapat magkamali, cause it's now or never.