Hi! So one year na pala akong hindi nag-uupdate. Huhuhaha. I won't make any promises this time as to when I'll be updating again pero sana matapos ko na 'to. Ang tagal na pala nito. Hahaha.

Thank you sa mga nagbabasa pa rin!

xxRaice

***

I woke up really early the next morning. Nagluto na ako ng breakfast and I woke everyone up when I was done setting up the table. Lahat ng boys halatang inaantok pa dahil sa nangyaring inuman pero hindi na lang sila nagreklamo. Umupo na lang agad sila at inabutan ko na sila ng kape.

"Thank you, Kat. I would love to cook for you and your mom again but my head is aching. Sorry." Dad said as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Ay nako, dad. Ang dami niyo pa kasi yatang ininom kagabi e. You're not getting any younger, you know." Sagot ko sa kanya na siyang nagpatawa kay mommy. Sinamaan naman agad siya ng tingin ni daddy.

"What? Di ba ikaw ang may sabi sa mga anak mo na palaging magsabi ng totoo? What's with that face now?" Mommy said at napanganga na lang si daddy doon. Hindi na siya nakabawi kaya it was our turn to laugh.

"Both of you, stop laughing or else no allowance for one month." Pagbabanta sa amin ni Daddy. Titigil na sana kami ni kuya dahil ang laki rin ng mawawala sa amin sa one month na allowance na 'yon pero buti na lang at hindi na naman nagpatalo si Mommy kay Daddy.

"Don't worry kids, akong bahala sa allowance niyo." Nagkatinginan kami ni kuya, weighing down kung sino ang mas susundin namin when I suddenly thought of an idea.

"AJ, ikaw na muna ang bahalang bumuhay sa amin ni kuya ha?" Sabi ko kay AJ. Napatigil saglit si kuya but after a few seconds, nakisakay na rin siya sa idea ko. Inakbayan niya agad si AJ saka siya humirit sa kanya.

"AJ, alam mo namang botong boto ako sa'yo para sa kakambal ko di ba? Pakainin mo lang kami for one month ni Kat, wala na tayong magiging problema."

"Wala akong problema kay Lauryn. Ikaw ang problema ko. Parang nagpakain na rin ako ng sampung tao kapag sinama pa kita sa ililibre ko." Sagot ni AJ kay kuya which made us all laugh. Mommy and Daddy also forgot about the issue a while ago. I guess, safe na ulit yung allowance naming kambal.

"Kumain na nga lang kayong tatlo. Make the most out of the resort today. We're leaving after lunch." Napapailing na sabi ni Daddy sa amin.

"Agad? I thought we're going to stay here until tomorrow?" I asked. Masisira kasi lahat ng plano ko para makapag-bonding kami nina kuya at AJ kung aalis na rin naman pala agad kami. Saglit na lang pala kami dito sa resort samantalang yung plano ko, baka mag-last ng buong araw. How am I supposed to squeeze in everything in three freakin' hours?

"Well, your Mom has a check-up tomorrow." Dad answered and I had to instantly stop myself from frowning. Valid naman pala kasi yung reason ni Dad pero I can't help but feel sad dahil bitin talaga yung bakasyon namin ngayon.

"Maybe you can let them stay here until tomorrow? AJ brought his car naman. I'm sure they can manage." Mommy suggested but Daddy looked hesitant. For all I know, natatakot lang naman siya na baka mangyari na naman yung nangyari sa akin kahapon. Kung wala sila, we might get into more trouble dahil walang nagbabantay sa aming tatlo.

"But-"

"Dwight, they've been living under the same roof for months already. Wala namang nagiging problema di ba?" Mommy pushed further pero parang ayaw pa rin talagang magpatinag ni Daddy.

"Dwight, sige na naman. Please?" Mommy said with matching pa-cute na. Omg. Wala na. Game over na 'to. Finish na! If there is one weakness that I know about Daddy, it's about Mommy's pa-cute tactics. Basta kasi nagpa-cute na si Mommy, Daddy doesn't have any choice but to give in to whatever she likes. Minsan lang siyang gawin ni Mommy pero 100% ang success rate.

"Okay, fine! I'll talk to the front office to extend your stay until tomorrow. But no monkey business. Am I understood?" Daddy finally gave in and we all answered yes bago pa man magbago ulit ang isip niya. He then made the necessary calls para sa extension naming tatlo. When everything was settled, nagpalit na agad kami ng damit nina kuya and off to the beach we go.

Pagdating namin sa area allocated for the activities and other recreational facilities of the resort, hindi magkasundo sina kuya at AJ sa uunahin naming gawin. AJ wanted to try kayaking but kuya wanted to try out the flying fish. I wanted to try both naman so the order wasn't an issue but AJ had another reason pala as to why he didn't want to try the flying fish agad.

"Liam, kakakain pa lang nating tatlo. Gusto mo bang sumuka 'tong kapatid mo? Mabuti sana kung kasingtibay ng tiyan mo yung tiyan nito." Pagpapaliwang ni AJ and I have to admit. No-touch ako doon. I didn't expect him to notice that tiny detail about me. I mean, sure. Matagal na kaming magkakasama pero it was as if he didn't put any attention on those things before. Or baka sadyang hindi ko lang siya napapansin dati.

"Fine. We'll try kayaking then the flying fish. Kat, do you want to try other things as well?" Kuya asked which brought me back to focus.

"Hmm. Banana boat and parasailing?" Sagot ko tapos for some reasons, biglang nanlaki yung mata ni kuya.

"Sigurado ka ba sa parasailing? Baka mamaya, malula ka bigla. Pag nahimatay ka, kasalanan ko pa."

"Nandiyan naman kayo ni AJ e. I'm sure I'll be okay." Sagot ko sa kanya sabay ngiti. Halatang hindi pa rin kumbinsido si kuya sa gusto kong mangyari. Buti na lang AJ was there to support me.

"Mamaya niyo na isipin 'yan. Simulan na muna natin yung ibang gagawin. Let's cross the bridge when we get there, alright? Let's go!" Sabi sa amin ni AJ sabay akbay sa aming dalawa. Wala na ring nagawa si kuya kung hindi sumunod sa aming dalawa.

Kuya fixed all of our waivers and all of the things that we needed. While we were waiting for him, AJ and I had time to ourselves. I was busy admiring the view when AJ suddenly held my hand. I looked at him and he was just smiling at me innocently. Anong problema nito?

"What?" I asked him with one of my eyebrows arched.

"Wala lang. I'm just glad that the three of us got to bond like this." He answered but I had a feeling na may karugtong pa dapat yung sasabihin niya.

"And then?"

"I'm also glad that you're wearing a rashguard now. Mukhang hindi na ako mapapaaway." He said shyly. Napakamot pa siya sa ulo niya dahil doon. AJ has never been the type of guy na naninita over my choice of clothes. Kahapon lang talaga nagkaroon ng issue dahil nga may mga bwisit na palaka kaming na-encounter.

"FYI, I wore this because I know mabababad tayo sa arawan ngayon. I didn't do it to please you." Sagot ko sa kanya sabay belat. Because of that, bigla niya akong inakbayan at hinapit papalapit sa kanya. I swear. At that moment, I could feel a thousand horses running inside my body. What the heck? Is this even normal?

"I know. But I'm thankful that you still did it. Besides, I would me more than willing to fight anyone who disrespects you. As long as Liam and I are here, ako lang ang makakapalapit sa'yo ng ganito." He said and whispered the last words to my ear. Oh my god. Bakit ako kinikilabutan sa pinaggagagawa ni AJ? May tama pa ba siya sa dami ng ininom niya kagabi?

"W-wag ka nga! Tara na, tawag na tayo ni kuya!" I said as I tried to change the subject. Dali-dali akong tumayo at tumakbo papunta kay kuya. Without even looking back at him, alam kong ang laki laki na naman ng ngiti niya. The heck. Dinig na dinig ko pa nga yung tawa niya! Jusko. Ayaw ko na. Huwag na sanang uminom ulit sila kuya!

***

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Our kayak ride was surprisingly peaceful. AJ and I were riding one together tapos solo naman si kuya. I honestly thought na may kung ano na namang sasabihin o gagawin si AJ pero buti na lang wala. Baka kasi mahulog kami sa tubig nang wala sa oras kapag umechos na naman siya.

As for the flying fish, we decided to play a game to know kung sino ang sasakay nang mag-isa. Since gusto namin ng mabilisan na laro, we went for rock-paper-scissors. Best of 5 ang laro. I won the first and second round. AJ won the third round then kuya won the fourth round. Since it was pretty obvious that I was not up for punishment, I decided to play some tricks on them.

"OW!" Kuya shouted when I pinched his cheeks then he immediately looked at me tapos pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata. He then mouthed scissors to me as if to say na pareho kaming mag-scissors. AJ, on the other hand, was busy internalizing kung ano ba ang mas okay na itira sa last round. Dahil wala naman sa plano ko na masira ang image ko while reading the flying fish with AJ, I decided to follow kuya's instructions. But the heck. That might be the worst decision that I have ever made.

"Okay! It's settled. AJ, you're riding with my twin. Mauna na ako ha?" Kuya said while it was pretty obvious na pinipigilan lang niya ang pagtawa.

"What the hell? I hate you kuya!"

"Love you, twin!" Kuya said while walking away from us. Jusko. Ang gusto ko lang naman maka-bonding sina kuya at AJ. Pero bakit puro si AJ pa rin ang kasama ko? Kainis talaga si kuya!!!