Prologue

I looked above seeing the dark sky covered with thick clouds, I think it is about to rain. Cold breeze making the trees and bushes seems chanting. I could see my hands shakes but it feels numb. Slowly, I walked to my comfort zone. At stared blankly on my way home. Everything is like so unreal.

"Rielle!"

Sigaw ni kuya Casper pagka bukas ko nang gate at patakbong sinalubong ako nang yakap.

"Rielle, tell me what happened? Where have you been, huh?" Sambit n'yang muli habang niyuyugyog ang aking balikat. Bakas sa kaniyang mukha ang labis na pag aalala. Kapansin-pansin ang namumutla n'yang mukha at butil nang tumutulong pawis sa kanyang sentido. Hindi ito magkamayaw sa pagtingin sa katawan ko. Kung may sugat ba ako o ano.

"Kuya Damian, Dusk, and Elion are looking for you. Even mom and daddy called tito Benjamin and tita Marissa's to help." Sunod-sunod na deklara n'ya sa aking mukha habang patuloy na nakahawak sa magkabilang balikat.

Ni hindi ko na nasundan pa ang sinasabi ni kuya Casper nang unti-unting bumuhos ang mainit na likidong kanina ko pa pinipigilang kumawala. Impit na hikbi ang tanging lumalabas sa aking bibig, halos takpan ko na ang aking mukha sa sobrang kahihiyan, sakit, at galit. Mga emosyong nag uumapaw sa aking dibdib. Ni hindi ko mapangalanan kung anong tawag sa nararamdaman ko ngayon, kung normal pa ba ito. I smiled bitterly, lahat nang narinig at nakita ko kanina ay unti-unting nanunuot sa aking kaibuturan. Pilit nagsusumiksik ang mga nangyari na para bang sinasabi nitong nagkamali nga ako sa aking desisyon. Nagkamali ako nang taong pinili.

"I-I'm sorry, kuya. I sh-should have listened to you." Sambit ko na mas lalong nagpalakas ng aking pag iyak.

"Nakinig dapat ako noong sinabihan mo 'ko. N-Nakinig dapat ako, kuya." Tuluyan nang bumagsak ang nanlalambot kong tuhod, agad naman akong dinaluhan nito at niyakap nang mahigpit habang patuloy akong nanghihingi nang tawad kanya. Nanatili lang akong nakayuko at nakahawak nang mahigpit sa mga damong inuupuan. Maski mga braso ko ay nanlalambot na rin at hindi na magawang suklian ang yakap ng kapatid. Hindi na muli nagsalita si kuya, tila pinapakinggan na lamang ako nito at pinapakiramdaman.

"H-Hindi sana 'to mangyayari kung n-noon pa lang umiwas na ako" dinig na dinig ko na ang basag kong boses dahil sa labis na pag-iyak, ngunit hindi ko na ito inalintana dahil sa halo-halong emosyong nararamdaman.

"Hush, sweety, it's not your fault. It's not your fault" kuya Casper tried to console me, but nothing seems to come in my mind.

We heared a gate creaking but only kuya Casper looked on who came. I can hear their heavy footsteps rushing to our direction, and in a snap I can already feel the warmth of one of my brother's body, a shadow standing by my side, the other one squated beside kuya Casper. I heard them sigh deeply.

"What happened to her, Casper?" I heard kuya Damian asked. His voice sounds tired and cold. I think he's mad at me.

Kuya Casper stood, "Let's bring Rielle to her room first."

I felt one of my brother moved, he then lifted my face with his two big and cold hands, he's shaking too. He looked straight to my eyes as if he could see my pain. Indeed, kuya Dusk has always have the eyes that could dig your secrets just by looking to his hooded eyes. Gusto kong mag makaawang tulungan niya akong tanggalin ang kung anong nananakit sa puso ko. Gusto kong humingi ng tulong.

"We're here. Your brothers won't leave you." It's kuya Dusk. If we are just in another scene, this would sound corny and everyone would laugh at him. But, as of this moment, I can really feel the honesty and sincerity in his voice. I looked at kuya Elion too who's now beside me. He smiled at me sweetly. He barely smile to anyone, but to me, he always does. So seeing him giving me that precious and pricey smile helps me calm down.

Right. I have my brothers by my side. They won't hurt nor leave me, and I'm sure of that. He's not the only one who could make me feel like a princess. Because before I could knew him, I was already treated like royal, by my own family, by my own brothers. They are the one who truly loves me. I want to go home. I just want to be with them.

Ang kaninang nagpipigil na ulan ay unti-unti nang bumuhos. Madali akong binuhat ni kuya Dusk, dinala sa loob nang bahay bago pa kami tuluyang mabasa nang ulan. Napatigil si kuya sa paglalakad ng bahagyang na sa tapat na kami ng pataas na hagdan.

"Casper, Dusk, take care of Ashrielle first. Elion, come with me, we'll call Mom and Dad." Kuya Damian ordered.

Pagkarating namin sa aking kwarto ay marahan akong ibiniba ni kuya sa tapat ng cr, hinabilinan ako nitong maghilamos at magpalit. Paglabas ko ay naabutan kong nag aabang ang dalawa sa two seater sofa sa gilid ng aking kama. Ako naman ay dumiretso na sa higaan, pagka upo ko ay s'ya namang pagtayo nila, inalalayan at maingat akong inihiga't kinumutan ni kuya Casper. Naupo ang dalawa kong kapatid sa magkabilang gilid ng aking higaan na pinapagitnaan ako. Para itong eksena noong maliliit pa kami. Lahat ng mga kapatid ko ay nakahilera sa kama ko at hihintaying makatulog ako bago umalis.

"Rest sweety, we will be staying here." It's kuya Casper's soft voice.

"We will never come back here next summer. We won't." Kuya Dusk's voice sounded with finality. I heard my brothers sighed heavily. They both kissed me in my forehead, and the next thing I knew, my vision were blocked by darkness.

I am to reckless for giving trust. I am a foolish when I gave love. It's all absurd, but I did all that. For him, for the man I thought of never gonna hurt me.

I want to forget you. I hope I could wake up tomorrow with no worries, tomorrow that I will no longer remember you, Trevor. I wish I could forget how I gave my whole stupid heart to you.