There was nothing I could do but to adhere to mama's unreasonable wishes, just to say that I have honored my father and mother, one of the things she and papa did not forget to remind us every day. The idea actually made me want to throw up. What am I, a drag queen? And would the god we were taught to worship want me to be the person mama was grooming me to become? Maybe she needed to review the Bible. Going against God’s handiwork will surely earn her negative points in heaven.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxsfNR0dEo
After checking on my sister-in-law, I joined the women in preparing food for my brothers, who were building Ben’s house. Mama was out because she had to go to school.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPfQLWZCwZ
There were still a few months to go before they complete the house. But my "delusion" of working with the "real" boys in the family must immediately come to an end. Mama made it clear that the next time she learned about me doing manly things, she would, you know, hit me with the infamous slipper.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuNC6dT3rd
The women were already gathered in a makeshift hut to cook. At that time, some of Naya's relatives also joined in the making of that extensive project, most of them preparing food for the laborers.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHQo56egYH
And there I saw a familiar face—the bridesmaid at the wedding Joe was telling me about. Her dark hair gathered in a pigtail, her face flashed the sweetest smile to every person she met, and her bright, smooth fingers worked masterfully on the leafy greens.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbIEY0Vmnw
My heart pounded wildly at the knowledge of her presence. Who would have thought I would see her at an event like this? Maybe mama's warnings were a blessing after all.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqM6lsJU4Jb
From time to time, my eyes would move toward the makeshift hut just to watch her, careful not to let mama's "eyes" see what I was doing. I wish this time the sun wouldn't set without me knowing her name, but timidity crept into my system faster than the speed of light, so I just gave in to the contentment of watching her from a distance.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4Ftbtsfbo
A sudden warmth on my left side snapped me back to reality. Was it Joe again?603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkUGLgMTqO
When I turned my head in that direction, it was not Joe who sat beside me but Ben, his crossed arms resting on his knees. He was looking at me with a knowing smile on his face.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEMpnBb3oS
"Hey kuya," I greeted. "Tired of working already? You need a reliever?"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yDHV2okMZ
So there was a part of me that still refused to quit my dream.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14jOPHv59k
"Me, tired? Nah, I'm strong as a bull," he said, flexing his lean bicep. "I just had a water break, but I'll be back in a few minutes."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTliLdHXiH
I nodded. "Nice."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK41Xu940Xq
And in my head, I was wishing that happened to everyone.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykvD0IGIK9
"What about you, Jude? Your eyes are beaming today. Saw a dude you like?" He joked, making me shoot him a wide-eyed glare. "Just kidding. You just look a bit different today, like your eyes are going somewhere."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuTPog28kp
Oh. Was I that obvious?603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGLRCnZumJ
"Really?" I asked.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKE6XvVAEIT
"Yeah. You've been eyeing that girl from the first time she’s been here," his mouth pointed exactly to the girl I was looking at, and because I tensed at the truth of his words, one of my hands immediately covered his mouth.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh2mfqkeBF
"Can’t you be discreet about that, kuya?" I hissed while my cheeks grew warm. "It's embarrassing."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f1pbTFIU1
"Aha!” he exclaimed, clapping his fingers, “So that's why you’re blushing!"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8juipYirxM
I suddenly felt the need to get a mirror. Then I turned my head to see if mama's minions of 'marites' were lurking around. Good thing the area was clear.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuBHCDIHbc
"No, I am not," I denied, but my treacherous lips could not stop themselves from smiling.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSk2fGzyYjf
"Your mouth is a walking contradiction, tol. You like the girl?"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgcQrteHrN
I quickly put my forefinger over my lips. "Ssshhh! Keep it down!"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbyjLaAC9m
"She's pretty," he said casually. I wondered how his wife might react if she heard him compliment another woman like that. “But you seem to be prettier than her. People might mistake you as BFFs, you know?"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFThPlsIsDE
"Do you ever shut up?" I hissed again.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPGC6jqGjc
He threw his hands in the air, "Alright, alright, I'll stop."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2LTi7kDos
But he moved closer to my ear and whispered, "But you like her right? Admit it..."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJh9FW45Ar
He gave me a pair of teasing eyes. This man would literally not stop at anything just to get the answer he wanted.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSGwiTrUgP
I sighed. "Alright, alright, I do. So?"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2LlBkac0T
"So? What are you sitting here for, man? Go ahead, get her!"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkU3ZCkZBbh
My brow arched. "That quick? I don't even know her name."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVCYSGAprP
"That's why God gave us the gift of curiosity. Now go, talk to her!" He gave my back a gentle push, but I stumbled on the ground like a sack of potatoes.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8e7lC6bY4X
I pushed myself up and faced him.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXluWsItIpi
"Don't do this to me, man, I can't talk to her on my own. Not when I look like this," my fingers went from the butterfly clip above my ear down to the oversized tee and short shorts that I was wearing.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eXDibDSpC
He cackled.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIwgyc1FfY
"You know you can always change out of that thing, right?" he said, smiling from ear to ear.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWAJypaIE6
To my surprise, he grabbed the shining pin from my hair, making me wince in pain. 603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGFG0TcsPK
"Go get her, man, or you'll regret it," he continued.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzR47SWSRT
My brows furrowed while I scratched the back of my neck.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVPkCtdpCT
"Really? You won't come and help me out?" I whined.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ntux7uYl8
Something hard hit my head so I cried aloud in pain. I looked down and saw a coconut shell cut in half. Then I turned my head in the direction where it came from and saw Lev, holding the other half while smirking at me. Beside him were the other brothers: Dan, Simon, and Asher. What in the world is this, Davao Death Squad?603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNvy7OW0l3
"Come on, Judy, man up!” said Lev, smirking. "We're watching you."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpcIwGSLcz
Even them?! Now things are getting more complicated. But the good thing about it was, I got the support of my brothers in this.
Thinking mama might get back from work and see me trying to court a girl, I pretended to half-run with my hands fluttering in the air and hips swaying toward the makeshift hut, pushing in the back of my mind how Lev and the gang would react upon seeing me.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOc1OnO9iCK
I was panting heavily when I reached the hut. The young lady glanced at me curiously, and the sight of it added more strength to the pounding in my chest. She stopped paring the raw papayas.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7jkQXIOS2
"Hi, ate, are you okay? What happened to you?" she asked, concern evident in her pretty face.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRq9y9C8Jw
Much as I wanted to be offended at the way she addressed me, her soft, sweet voice melted away all the irritations that threatened to bubble up inside.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWb94LQOde
"Those boys," I answered and pointed to my brothers who were talking on the other side. "They're picking on me."603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQPQ0Ok8d5
Then I remembered that strong hit at the back of my head.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCmjPCw6jT
"Ouch!" I cried, my hand rose to the part hit by the coconut shell. It was half-pretend. My head literally hurt. Damn Lev.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBwQabfKcV
The girl approached me and her soft hand landed on my shoulder. If I shuddered under her touch, it's good she never paid attention.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNm1xOOxYyP
"What happened to you?" she asked.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjzDxqz7ha
"One of them hit me on the head. It really hurts..." my face contorted in pain.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6z8u07A2C
The frown on her face reflected genuine concern. Seeing her like that filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUZFaniiRV
"Come, sit down, I'll take care of it," she said and guided me on the wooden bench under the shade of the tree while her warm fingers tried to locate the painful part on my head.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwsrg9yK3A
Taking advantage of the fact that the girl was not seeing my face, I looked at the spot where I left my brothers to see their reaction. True to their words, they really were watching, and they seemed to approve of it because I saw them cheering from where they were before going back to work.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YivdrbgW2
"Oh look," the girl said, "You're bleeding!"603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZdFjlE159
Lev must have hit me so hard. But with the girl’s warm body close to mine, I could tell it was all worth it.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtYxUGRwin
She took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket and used it to stop the bleeding on my head.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSl0u9SUzv2
When she finished attending to my wound, I turned to look at her and flashed a smile of gratitude.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvh49ARmQo
"Thank you so much..." I said as if waiting for her to give her name.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvDiIvWwfI
She gave me a smile that said she knew exactly what I was thinking.603Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjI8t2giC3
"Ester."
and then Add to home screen.