I tried calling AJ for a couple of times pero hindi niya sinasagot yung mga tawag ko. Nung tinanong ko naman si kuya kung magkasama ba silang dalawa, hindi raw. Napagalitan pa nga niya ako kasi istorbo raw ako sa kanya.

To: Kuya

What the hell?! Ako pa talaga yung

naging istorbo? I was just asking a

question kuya. You could have just

answered it. Hindi yung kung ano-ano

pa yung sinasabi mo.

To: Kuya

Wala ka ng pasalubong!!!

I texted kuya as fast as I could. Nakakainis naman kasi e. I was asking an honest question tapos bigla na lang siya magagalit sa akin. What did I even do to deserve this kind of treatment?!

After a few minutes, kuya replied. I was hoping that he would be giving me any useful information regarding AJ but then again, what would I expect from someone like him? Madalas, wala naman talaga akong napapala kay kuya. Katulad na lang ngayon.

From: Kuya

Ano ba ang akala mo sa akin?

Lost and found? Wag mo nga

sa akin hanapin yung mga

nawawala.

From: Kuya

Walang pasalubong? E di wala

ka na ring matitirahan pagbalik mo.

I immediately smirked upon reading the last text of kuya. Ano ba siya sa akala niya? Bata? Kapag hindi binigyan ng candy, hindi na kayo bati? Seriously. Ang sakit niya sa ulo! Pero kung akala niya, maiisahan niya ako, diyan siya nagkakamali.

To: Kuya

Is that so? Then say goodbye to the

girl of your dreams then. Mawawalan

ka na rin ng pag-asa sa nililigawan mo.

I pressed Send without even thinking. He's not the only one who could play this kind of game. Baka nakakalimutan niyang na-train ako nila mommy and daddy sa ganitong klase ng pakikipag-usap. I didn't undergo that crazy training for nothing.

Just what like I have expected, kuya called me at once. Takot lang niyang mawala si Nicole.

"Hello kuya? Napatawag ka?" I answered sarcastically. I know that kuya's fuming right now. He hates it when I talk to him in a sarcastic tone but pasensya na lang siya. I speak fluent sarcasm and I'm in the mood to use it on him right now.

"Stop this non-sense Lauryn Katreena."

"Wow kuya. You're having a long distance call with me right now just to tell me that? I'm kinda flattered na." I continued. I'm really having fun messing with kuya right now.

"Lauryn Katreena." Kuya said in an almost scary manner. If I didn't know him that well, I would have thrown away my phone na. But being his twin and all, I know that he's really annoyed as hell because of what I'm doing.

"What?"

"Let's talk, please."

"We are talking right now kuya. It was you who started spouting non-sense things. I'm just returning the favor." Pagmamatigas ko. Growing up with a twin has its ups and downs. Katulad na lang nito. Alam namin maigi ang weakness ng isa't isa and most of the times, we are using it against each other. No one wants to back down and be called a weakling but knowing kuya, hindi niya rin naman ako natitiis. Siya rin ang unang bumibigay.

"I know and I'm sorry. I was in the middle of a date when you called. Gusto kong maging perfect ang lahat sa date namin ni Nicole then you called up in the middle of nowhere. Do you know how frustrating that is?" Kuya said and I had to stop myself from laughing because of that. He got mad at me just because he was in the middle of a date? Oh my god. I can't believe this is happening!

"Who are you and what did you do to my brother?!" Sigaw ko tapos natawa na lang kaming dalawa ni kuya. Once we calmed down, nag-usap na talaga kaming dalawa.

"Kuya, can you please look for AJ for me? We were talking a while ago tapos nung sinabi kong nasa Hong Kong ako, bigla na lang niyang inend yung call. Like what the hell?! What on earth happened?"

"Okay, I'll try to look for him. But wait. You said he ended the call when you told him that you are in Hong Kong. Don't you think he's going to..."

"Nah. I doubt that kuya." I answered immediately to cut kuya off. What he was saying was complete non-sense. Sinong manliligaw ang susunod sa ibang bansa para lang makita o makausap yung nililigawan niya? Sobrang uneconomical at diyahe lang.

"It's still possible Kat. Knowing AJ, he's capable of doing something like that."

"Stop making things up kuya. And even if what you are saying is true, you have to stop him from doing that no matter what. It's not like I'm going to live here forever. Ilang araw lang naman ako dito. Jusko naman."

"I can't control AJ and the same thing goes with love. Love makes us do stupid things, you know." Kuya said and I didn't expect him to say those words. I mean, this is the first time that he said something about love. Nicole was really influencing him big time. Hindi nga lang ako sure kung good or bad influence siya.

"Yup. You just did that a while ago – fighting with me for no apparent reason. It's completely stupid but because I know that you're in love, I'm going to let it pass." Panloloko ko kay kuya. He started screaming incoherent words and I just laughed my ass off. Sobrang dali talagang mapikon ni kuya but I'm still thankful kasi tutulungan niya pa rin ako with AJ kahit na pinagtripan ko siya nang pinagtripan.

xxx

A couple of hours have passed at wala pa rin akong balita tungkol kay AJ. Kuya was not answering my texts and calls anymore. Parang pinagsisisihan ko na tuloy na siya pa ang kinausap ko para tulungan ako. Wala rin naman pala akong mapapala sa kanya.

Our tours continued and my mind was floating. Hindi mawala sa isip ko yung sinabi sa akin ni kuya. I hate to admit it but I was half-hoping that AJ would really come here to meet me. Since hindi rin kami nagkita at nagka-usap nung mga nakaraang araw, I suddenly missed him and his smiles. And okay fine. Na-miss ko rin yung panlilibre niya. Hindi naman sa user ako pero kasi naman! Masyado niya akong na-spoil. Nasanay na tuloy ako.

Pasakay na sana kami ng cable car papuntang Victoria Peak nung nakaramdam ako na parang may nakatingin sa amin. Hindi naman talaga ako judgmental sa mga tao sa paligid ko pero this time, it's really different. Para kasing sinusundan talaga kami ng tingin ng kung sino. I tried looking around pero the people around us were pretty much normal.

"Kat, is there something wrong?" Mae, my buddy for the trip, asked me.

"Wala. I guess I'm just tired and hungry." I told her and gave her a small smile kahit na gusto ko na talagang sabihin sa kanya yung nararamdaman ko.

"Oh my god. Ako rin, gutom na gutom na. Hindi pa ba tayo pakakainin nila ma'am? Kawawa na yung mga alaga ko sa tiyan e." Sagot niya sa akin tapos natawa na lang kaming dalawa. Eventually, sumukay na lang din kami sa cable car papunta sa peak.

Pagdating namin sa peak, I was too stunned to even feel the growing hunger inside me. Sobrang ganda ng view and I had to stop myself from jumping all the way down. Yes, I still have my fear of heights but the hell. The view makes me want to be adventurous.

We waited for the sunset while we were at the peak. Kung maganda yung view kanina, it was turning into a breath taking one right now. Words are not even enough to describe the beauty that was unfolding in front of our eyes. I was about to take a picture of the view when someone grabbed me by the arm. I tried to pull away but when I saw who was standing in front of me, it's as if all of my energy has been drained out from my body.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He smiled at me and I felt butterflies in my stomach. I know I shouldn't feel this way but he's really different. He does things that make me think that I'm in a fairytale of some sort.

"Why are you even asking the obvious?"

"Huh?" I asked even if it may sound dumb.

"I'm here for you, silly. I missed you." He said as he pulled me in for a hug. My heart started beating fast and that's when I knew that something is different. I already felt it before but I was too afraid to take it all in. But right now, I know that what I'm feeling is true.

"I love you."