Hi! Buhay pa po ako. Haha. Bago niyo basahin yung mismong chapter, I just have a few announcements.

1) My story entitled Chasing Him Away is still being updated on Radish. I would really appreciate it kung masusuportahan niyo yung story na 'yon. Right now, the Radish app can be downloaded via iOS but they planning to release the app for android by this summer. Nasa Chapter 6 na yung story doon and I'm trying to update it weekly.

2) The edited version of Moving Into the Monster's House (book 2 of Moving Into My Ex's House) is also posted in Radish! Yung version na 'yon ay yung continuation nung published version. So yes, English na rin 'yon and mas polished na, hopefully, yung storyline. I'll be posting a teaser as well so please support it!

3) Sorry if laging napapako yung pangako ko. I know I said I will try to update more often kaso work happened. Charot. Pero seriously, busy lang talaga ako ngayon sa pagbabasa (huhu) and medyo tinamaan na naman ako ng writer's block at ng katamaran. Huhu. So no more promises. I'll just update whenever. Huhu.

4) Lastly, I have a new book out! It's entitled Six Degrees of Serendipity. It's a collaboration written by me, Hanj (hanjhanjbeybe), Ima (notjustarandomgirl), Azure (HippityHoppityAzure), Jhing (jhingbautista) and Ken (KenDaniel). Ang awesome nung story saka nung book cover so sana bumili kayo ng copy! Hinding hindi kayo magsisi kapag bumili kayo nun. Hahaha. The book costs 195 Pesos tapos may 5 awesome pin ups. Sulit di ba? Hahaha.

So there. Go. Magbasa na kayo ng update. Enjoy reading! :)

xxRaice

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"Wag ka nga!" Kabado kong sagot kay AJ. I didn't know what to do anymore. Sobrang lakas na talaga ng tibok ng puso ko and every minute that passes by was plain torture. It was getting more awkward inside his car and the way he looks at me is not helping at all.

Bakit ba nagkakaganito siya bigla?

Magsasalita pa lang sana ulit si AJ nung biglang mag-ring yung phone ko. Pagtingin ko sa kung sino yung tumatawag, si kuya pala. Oh my god. I really love my brother! Life saver siya forever!

Sinagot ko na agad yung tawag ni kuya to release some tension.

"Hello kuya."

"Where on earth are you? Sabi mo sasagutin mo lang yung tawag sa phone mo kanina! Nag-aalala na kami ni mommy sa'yo!" Dire-diretsong sabi ni kuya. Medyo malakas yung boses niya so I had to move the phone away from my ear. Pero kahit na grabe yung sigaw ni kuya, ramdam ko yung pag-aalala niya.

"Blame your bestfriend. Kinidnap ako bigla." Sagot ko sa kanya kaya nanlaki bigla yung mga mata ni AJ. Totoo naman yung sinabi ko di ba? Kakausapin ko lang naman talaga si daddy tapos bibili ako ng kape kaso dinala niya na lang ako bigla dito sa sasakyan niya.

"What the hell?!" Sigaw ulit ni kuya and I had to stop myself from laughing. I could imagine his face already. For sure, namumula na siya sa inis.

"You want to talk to him?" I offered pero iling nang iling si AJ as if telling me na ayaw niyang kausapin si kuya. Seriously. Ang lakas ng loob niyang sabihin na mahal niya ako tapos kausapin si kuya hindi niya magawa. Ang sakit talga nito sa ulo!

"Just tell me where are you. Ako na ang bahala." Kuya calmly answered then I told him that we were inside AJ's car. After that he ended the call already.

We remained silent inside the car after that. I just focused on drinking the coffee that AJ gave me tapos siya naman, hindi na lang talaga kumikibo. After a few minutes, napalingon kami sa bintana kung saan kumakatok si kuya. AJ opened the window at once para makapag-usap sila ni kuya.

"AJ, mag-usap nga tayo." Diretsong sabi ni kuya. Tumango na lang si AJ bilang sagot tapos sinundan na niya si kuya. Naglakad silang dalawa papalayo sa amin ni mommy. I have to admit na kinakabahan ako sa magiging pag-uusap ni kuya at AJ. Kasalanan ko rin naman kasi e. Hindi man lang ako nagsabi kay kuya na magkasama kami ni AJ. Siyempre, kakabahan nga naman talaga sila ni mommy.

"Don't worry too much, princess. You know that your brother loves you right? He's just doing this for you and we both know that he won't hurt AJ. He is still Liam's bestfriend after all." Mom assured me as we stood side by side outside the car of AJ. Hindi na lang ako sumagot kay mommy. Hindi ko rin naman kasi alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong sabihin. Masyado na akong naguguluhan sa nangyayari. Everything's new to me. I mean yes, I know I should be rejoicing right now since AJ just freakin told me that he loves me – not just once but twice – but I don't know. Ang gulo talaga! Hindi ko alam kung ano ba 'tong nararamdaman ko ngayon.

"You're very lucky to have AJ, Kat. That boy is really one of a kind. Nakita namin kung paano siya lumaki. Madalas ka niyang pinagtitripan noon but at that time, me and your dad already knew what's about to happen. We were in a similar situation before. Palagi kaming nagtatalo ng daddy mo. Walang gustong magpatalo. But look where it led us?" Sabi ni mommy then she paused for a few seconds.

"Kat, love makes people do crazy things. Yung iba doon, defense mechanism lang nila. Natatakot din kasi sila na masaktan o kaya nahihiya silang aminin yung nararamdaman nila. But you know what? I admire AJ for manning up."

"Huh? Ano pong ibig niyong sabihin mommy?" I can't help but ask.

"He talked to me and your dad yesterday and told us about his feelings for you. Based from your facial expressions a while ago, it seems like sinabi niya na rin sa'yo yung nararamdaman niya. Kat, I know bago sa'yo ang lahat ng 'to but don't pressure yourself into saying those words back. Just cherish the moments that you have together. Masasabi mo rin yung mga katagang 'yon sa tamang panahon." Sabi ni mommy then she held my hand and gave it a little squeeze. I wish it was that easy kaso hindi e. I'm so confused right now.

Ano ba talaga kasi yung nararamdaman ko ngayon?

xxx

Liam's POV

"AJ, mag-usap nga tayo." Diretso kong sabi kay AJ pagbukas na pagbukas niya ng bintana ng sasakyan niya. Tumango lang siya tapos sumunod naman agad siya sa akin. Nung medyo nakalayo na kaming dalawa kina Kat at mommy, nagsimula na akong magsalita.

"Ano ba talagang nararamdaman mo para sa kakambal ko?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Halatang nagulat siya sa naging tanong ko pero mas ikinagulat ko yung naging sagot niya.

"Liam, mahal ko na si Kat. Alam ko parang ang bilis pero nagsasabi ako ng totoo."

"Please don't do anything stupid AJ. Malaman ko lang na pinaiyak mo yung kapatid ko, kalimutan mo ng magkaibigan tayo. Hinding hindi kita mapapatawad." Tumango siya bago ulit siya nagsalita.

"I promised you before that I won't hurt your sister and I'm planning to fulfill that promise for a very long time. You have my word Liam."

"Siguraduhin mo lang AJ kung hindi, malalagot ka talaga sa akin."

"Kat's very lucky to have a brother like you."

"Alam ko." Pabiro kong sagot kaya natawa na lang kaming dalawa.

Sana nga hindi masaktan ni AJ si Kat. Pareho silang importante sa akin at hangga't maari, ayaw kong magkaroon ng alitan sa aming tatlo.

xxx

Kat's POV

Days have passed since the L-word incident. Eventually, nagkaayos na rin sila mommy at daddy. Dad bought a lot of flowers, chocolates and ice cream for mommy. Halos lahat ng gustong flavor ni mommy, binili niya. Napuno tuloy yung freezer sa bahay dahil doon. They stayed with us for 2 days lang naman so iniwan na sa amin nila mommy yung ice cream. Yung chocolates na lang daw ang iuuwi niya.

As for AJ, hindi pa ulit kami nagkikita after that day. Hindi naman sa nag-iiwasan kaming dalawa kaso ewan ko. Bigla na lang hindi nagpaparamdan ang loko. When I asked kuya kung busy ba sila sa school ngayon, sabi niya hindi naman daw. Since I didn't want to act like a possessive girlfriend (the heck, we're not even at that level yet), I just let it pass. Wala rin naman akong magagawa kung hindi maghintay di ba?

Naghihintay ako for boarding sa airport with my classmates para sa fieldtrip namin nung biglang nagparamdam si AJ. Babasahin ko pa lang sana yung text niya nung nag-announce na pwede na raw kaming mag-board ng eroplano. Nung nakasakay na kami sa eroplano, saka ko naalalang nagtext nga pala si AJ. Pagkalabas ko ng phone ko, sakto namang dumaan yung stewardess. Itago ko na raw yung phone ko since magttake off na yung eroplano. Bahala na nga. Hindi naman siguro importante yung sasabihin ni AJ di ba?

After more than an hour, nag-land na rin yung eroplano. Pagbaba namin, nagtakbuhan na agad kami palabas para makuha yung mga gamit namin. Nung okay na ang lahat, sumakay na kami sa naghihintay na bus. I decided to text kuya to tell him that we arrived safely kaso nagulat ako sa dami ng texts at missed calls ko.

14 messages

30 missed calls

Pagtingin ko kung sino yung mga tumawag at nagtext, halos lahat si AJ. Shit. Nakalimutan ko pala siyang replyan kanina!

I was about to return his call nung sakto namang tumawag ulit siya.

"Hello?"

"Where on earth are you?! I was so worried. Akala ko kung napano ka na."

"Sorry I forgot to reply to your first text. Nagboarding na kasi tapos lagpas one hour din yung flight namin."

"Wait. So wala ka dito sa Manila?" He asked. Halatang nagulat siya sa sinabi ko. Teka. Akala ko alam niya?

"Yeah. Sinabihan kaya kita last week! I couldn't reach you naman kahapon kaya pinatanong ko na lang kay kuya kung ano ba yung gusto mong pasalubong. I guess nakalimutan din ni kuya na tanungin ka."

"Nasaan kayo ngayon?" Tanong niya ulit sa akin.

"We just arrived in Hong Kong. Papunta na kami sa hotel. So, anong gusto mong pasalubong?" I asked him, trying to lift up the mood of our conversation. Masyado kasing seryoso yung dating ni AJ e.

"Okay sige. Bye." Biglang sabi ni AJ then he ended the call. Seriously. What is wrong with him? Ang labo niya ah!