It's been days. Ni ha ni ho wala akong narinig mula sa kanya. Patuloy pa rin ang dating ng pera sa 'kin. Everything was all taken care of financially pero hindi siya nagpapakita. Ni hindi siya tumatawag. Not that I miss him or anything. Hindi lang ako sanay.

I don't want to try and call him naman kasi baka isipin nyang nagsisisi ako sa mga sinabi ko. On the contrary, no. Okay ako sa naging desisyon ko.

"CROSSING! CROSSING! GUADALUPE TULAY O! MALUWAG PA! MALUWAG!"

Inantay kong tumapat yung pintuan ng bus sa 'kin saka ako nakipagsiksikan pag-akyat. Naka-pencil skirt pa man din ako. Ang hirap tuloy gumalaw. At ang mga magagaling na lalaki, nakikipag-unahan pa!

"NAKAKAINTINDI BA KAYO NG CONCEPT NG LADIES FIRST?!" iritado kong tanong. Yung mga tinalaban, tumabi naman. I boarded the bus and luckily found an empty seat sa bandang unahan.

Umandar na ang bus. Ang baho. Amoy natuyong pawis.

On the next stop, nagbaba ng mga pasahero. Marami-rami rin ang nakaupo.

Then on to the next, sakayan naman.

Andami pa ring sumakay. Siksikan na naman. There's this old lady who boarded the bus at sa tapat ng upo ko tumayo. Sa bandang unahan ko, may lalaking nakaupo. Yung katabi ko, lalaki rin. Yung sa tapat na upuan, tatlong lalaki.

I waited for any of them to give the poor woman their seat. Like hello, she must be in her 60s already. Damn! Extinct na ba ang lahi ng gentlemen ngayon sa mundo?

I stood up. "Dito na po kayo." I offered my seat to the lady. I was rewarded with her warm smile and gentle thank you. Na-miss ko tuloy bigla si nanay.

Masakit tumayo on a three-inch stilletos. Idagdag pa yung mabigat kong bag at yung pencil skirt ko na sobrang tight, hindi ako makabukaka nang maayos para ma-balance ang tayo ko.

"Miss, dito ka na, o."

I turned to see that guy sa bandang unahan na kanina ko pa inaantay tumayo para paupuin yung matanda. Now he was semi-standing, offering me his seat. He even has the nerve to smile. Akala yata pogi points yung ginagawa niya.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "So, gano'n na pala ngayon? Kapag kasing-ganda ko ang nakatayo, you'd be willing to give me your seat pero kapag matanda na mas nangangailangan, itsapwera? Ayos ka rin, a!"

Natameme si kuya. May ilang pasaherong napatingin. I saw some girls nod. Akala niya kasi nakakagwapo yung ganun. Namimili ng tutulungan? Nakakapang-galaiti lang.

"BUENDIA! YUN PONG MGA BUENDIA DYAN, SA UNAHAN NA TAYO O!"

Bababa na nga ako. Nakakaasar lang. Mag-aabang na lang ako ng taxi sa Kalayaan. O MRT? Basta. Tss. As I was about to step down the bus, hinarang ako ng kundoktor.

"Miss bayad mo? Aba... dinadaan talaga sa ganda? Di porket maganda ka, libre ka na. Tsk tsk."

"Ang kapal mo naman para sabihan akong nagpapalibre. Gusto mong bilhin ko 'tong bus line nyo, e." Dumukot ako ng isang libo. "O ayan. Keep the change." I flipped my hair. Nilakasan ko para tamaan siya sa mukha saka ako tuluyang bumaba ng bus.

The nerve! Tawagin ba naman akong nagpapalibre? Bilhin ko yung bus nila, e.

Saktong nag-aantay ako sa bus stop nang biglang mag-ring yung phone ko. I fished it out of my expensive bag and saw Enzo calling. I was a little disappointed but I quickly brushed it off. It's not like I was expecting someone else's call!

"Hello?"

"Nakauwi ka na ate?"

"No. Nandito pa ako sa—HEY!" The next thing I knew, wala na akong hawak na phone. "HOY MAGNANAKA—AH! YUNG BAG KO!" Hindi pa man ako nakakabawi sa pagkagulat, naramdaman ko nang lumululos 'yong strap ng bag ko. I was able to grip the handle, though.

"Miss, bitaw na kung ayaw mong masaktan!"

"E kung ikaw kaya ang bumitaw! Bag ko 'to, e!"

"Putangina naman o! Gusto mo talagang masaktan? Ibigay mo na!" Naglabas si kuya ng kutsilyo niya. My eyes widened. Binitawan ko agad ang bag ko. I can buy a new bag. I can buy a new phone. Heck, I can buy anything but a second life.

The thief ran off. Wala na akong pera. Pati pala cards ko nando'n.

"Ate?"

Nilingon ko yung pamilyar na boses na tumawag sa 'kin. "Enz! What are you doing here?"

My brother frowned. "Nasa'n ang bag mo?"

"Ninakaw," tipid kong sagot.

"HA?" He rushed to my side saka chineck yung buong katawan ko. "Okay ka lang ba? Hindi ka nasaktan? Kailan ka nanakawan?"

I rolled my eyes. Timing ka brother. Wagas!

"Ngayon lang, actually."

"Ha?" Nagpalinga-linga siya.

"Don't bother. They already left."

"Ayan kasi ate. Dapat hindi ka na nagku-commute. May driver ka naman eh. Kung ayaw mo, may kotse ka naman. 'Wag yung ganto. Mapapahamak ka lang eh."

"Nakakatamad magpa-gas. Hahanap ka pa ng parking. Hassle."

"Eh kung nagpapasundo ka na lang kase kay kuya e," he murmured.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Halika na. Ihahatid na kita."

We walked to his car na naka-park lang sa tabing kalsada. Sumakay na kami doon at nagsimula na syang mag-drive.

"Paano mo nga pala nalaman kung nasan ako?" I asked him after I buckled my seatbealt.

"I was just nearby," sagot naman niya. I don't know why I didn't think it was weird. Baka dahil sanay na akong tini-trace ang calls ko. There's always someone who has their eyes on me. It's still frustrating that they didn't appear the moment when I needed them the most.

"Ah... by the way, when will you go back to the States?"

"Mukhang matatagalan pa eh. Pinababantayan ka kasi sa 'kin."

My heart literally skipped a bit when he said that. "Nino?"

"Ni Angel. She's worried about you."

"Tell her I don't need her worry." I retorted. Nakakaasar.

My brother chuckled. "Kung sinabi ko bang si Kuya Daniel ang nagpapabantay, ganyan ka kaya magri-react?"

"Oh shut up!"

"You can hide your feelings to anyone but me, Ate. I can read you like the back of my hand."

"I said shut up already." Nakakainis 'tong kapatid ko. Ipinaalala na naman yung taong 'yon.

I saw him smile. "I still hope you two will work it out."

"There's nothing to work out. It's over."

"Nah... it's not over. It's never over."

"Bakit ba kung makapagsalita ka, parang ang dami-dami mong alam?" I asked him.

"Cause I know a lot more than you do."

"Like what?"

"It's for you to find out." He stole a glance at me and winked.

"Bullshit."

Tumawa siya. "I'll go talk to Angel. We have to freeze your cards and issue you new IDs."

"Yeah do that."

"Doon ako matutulog sa bahay niya," dagdag ng kapatid ko.

"At bakit?!"

"Umuwi yung yaya niya e. Mag-isa lang siya doon."

"Oportunista," sabi ko sa kanya. Tumawa siya ulit. "Ang dami-dami niyang yaya sa bahay niya! You worry about her samantalang ako na wala ring kasama, ayaw mong samahan? Some brother you are!"

"Well, you're not my responsibility, Ate. May mag-aalaga naman sa 'yo e, kung hahayaan mo lang."

"Shut up."

He shrugged. "Bahala ka. Ikaw din, kapag nagsawa 'yon sa kahahabol sa 'yo."

Napatingin ako sa labas ng sasakyan. It's starting to rain.

"Nagsawa na," bulong ko sa sarili ko.

--

"I'll go with you," I said to my brother. Kakapara lang ng sasakyan sa tapat ng bahay ko. I saw him gawk at me.

"Seriously?" he asked, apprently annoyed. I raised an eyebrow at him. Aba't talagang seryoso syang dun siya kina Angel matutulog?

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" I asked him.

He grunted. "Ate naman e!"

"Ayaw kong mag-isa ngayon. Kung ayaw mo akong isama sa kanila, eh di samahan mo ako rito."

"Di ko pwedeng iwang mag-isa si Angel," he said sternly.

"At ako pwede mong iwanan? Ako na kapatid mo? Pareho ang dugong nananalaytay sa mga ugat natin pero mas pipiliin mo pa yung hindi mo kamag-anak over me? My God! Sigurado ka bang hindi ka ampon?" But of course I'm exaggerating. Gusto ko lang siyang mamili sa 'ming dalawa ni Angel. At kapag si Angel ang pinili niya... magwawala ako.

"Ang arte mo," medyo inis nyang sabi sa 'kin.

I rolled my eyes heavenwards. "Bakit ba kasi ayaw mo 'kong pasamahin?"

Napahilamos siya sa mukha niya. "Eh kasi naman ate..."

"Gusto mong dumiskarte, 'no?"

Ngumiti rin si Enz. Saka naiiling na nagsalita. "Baliw ka talaga."

"Sus. 'Wag ka nang umasa do'n. The moment she knew na may gusto ka sa kanya, she'll start to avoid you. Kaya kung ako sa 'yo, maghanap ka na lang ng iba."

My brother sighed and looked dramatically ahead. "I like her."

"So?"

"I like her so much, Ate."

"Lilipas din 'yan."

"Hindi na," seryoso niyang sabi. My brother has expressed his feelings for Angel in the past. It's impossible for him not to like her because he's drawn to that kind of woman, too good, they're almost faultless. I've also expressed my disapproval many times. No one is that good and if Angel seems so perfect, I'm sure she's hiding a lot of ugliness underneath that pristine facade. And besides, she's Daniel's sister. I don't want my brother to be entangled in this mess.

I patted his shoulder. "Kapatid, bata ka pa. Whatever you are feeling right now, it will change. A month or a year later, magkakagusto ka rin sa iba. Don't settle for her yet."

"Alam mo, Ate, hindi porket hindi nag-work out ang love life mo e hindi na rin magwo-work out yung sa 'kin."

"What love life are you talking about? Ni hindi mo nga masabing gusto mo siya," pairap kong sabi sa kanya.

"Maghintay ka lang, Ate. 'Wag kang apurat."

I tsk-ed. "So ano na? Dito ka o doon tayo?"

Makailang-ulit syang bumuntong-hininga bago ako tinitigan nang nagmamaka-awa nyang mga mata. "Ate... dito ka na lang," ungot niya sabay nguso.

"Di nga pwede. The house looks ominous tonight. Saka wala akong cellphone. Paano na lang kung may emergency?"

He gave me his 'really?' look. "Dalawa kaya ang cellphone mo."

"Nanakaw na rin yung isa," paliwanag ko sa kanya.

"Bakit mo pinanakaw?!" pagtataas niya ako ng boses. "Ate! Halos fifty thousand kaya ang isa nun!"

I winced. "Ano ba... makasigaw ka naman. I wouldn't care if it's a hundred thousand pesos or more... barya lang naman 'yon sa kanila." I'm not a billionaire by birth. I'm a billionaire by marriage. I married a billionaire, to put it simply. I keep spending their money so they would agree to give me an annulment. Ang kaso, hindi nauubos ang pera nila. And I don't buy a lot of expensive stuff. I don't think I barely scraped their fortune.

Umiling-iling ulit si Enzo. "Minsan talaga, hindi na rin kita maintindihan eh."

"Don't try understanding me. I'm too complicated for your brain, brother dear," I said with a sweet smile.

"Ewan ko sa 'yo."

He fished out his phone and typed. Si Angel yata yung ka-text niya. Di ko masilip eh. Saka hindi naman ako usisera by nature. I let him finish first. Nang ibinulsa niya na yung phone niya, saka ako nagsalita ulit.

"Who's that?" I asked.

He smirked and answered. "You know who."

I raised an eyebrow. "Voldemort?"

Humagalpak siya ng tawa. "Adik. Syempre si—" He looked at me intently. SINO? "—Angel. Who else?" And then he smiled knowingly. Ang sarap lang sapakin.

"What exactly are you tying to imply?"

"Wala! Wala ate..."

"Let's just go, Enz."

"Di ka na kukuha ng bihisan mo?" he asked.

"Tinatamad akong bumaba. Just drive. Wake me up when we get there," I said to him bago ko isinandal ang ulo ko sa bintana. He nodded and drove off. And I fell asleep.

A few minutes later, Enz woke me up. Nasa tapat na kami ng bahay ni Angel. It was small compared to any of their properties but it was still way bigger than my house. Three storeys siya.

I saw Angel immediately. She was standing on the doorway. "Meg!" She waved excitedly when she saw me. Inirapan ko syempre pero sa pag-irap ko, I met my brother's glare. I faced Angel and forced a smile. Pero nawala din agad ng makita ko nang maigi yung suot niya.

She was wearing her short shorts under his shirt.