Incongruent

10

"Allison," Tawag sa akin ni Vince.

He punched the punching bag big time while I drank from my iced tea.

"Oh?" I responded.

"You really love my brother, don't you?" He asked me. Napangiti ako upon imagining Van's face smiling back at me.

"Yeah..." I said still smiling. Hininto niya ang gumagalaw na punching bag at dumeretso ng tingin sa akin.

"Hmm... But does he love you?" He said. For a second, I stopped drinking. At siya, ay umupo sa upuan na kaharap ko. Why would he ask that? Kung magtanong siya akala mo ay nangaahas yung kapatid niya sa likod ko.

"W-what?" Ayan lang ang lumabas sa bibig ko.

"I mean like, Van is in Ilocos... So is Cassie..." He replied. Just those, just those words that has not been proven true, yet it stings my whole being! I mean, not to think if it in that way but I just can't help it.

"Van is there for business, while Cassie is there for her brother." Sabi ko. Sinara ko yung binabasa kong magazine. Bakit ko pa ba kasi sinundan 'toh? Hindi ko rin naman alam na magiging ganito yung mangyayari. I looked at my empty glass. I decided to stand up and go down.

"Okay, sabi mo eh," Tugon ni Vince. Okay, so he's following me.

Then there was silence.

While walking, there was silence, silence that I would never want to encounter again.