Chapter 3: Pretense

"Hey, Gav! I asked a maid to make us some snacks at the pool. Come on and let's swim."  Watching the most awaited volleyball match that is  being aired live in the TV, Leanna found me in my room. 

"I'm watching my favorite volleyball match." I replied without taking my eyes off the television.  As much I wanted to gratify her, I can't miss every detail of the game. I was so agitated for my  favorite team to win. 

"Stop watching that boring volleyball match. Come on, it's more fun swimming." I gigle when she pulled my hand trying to distract me. 

"I can't miss this. I've been waiting for this to be aired,you know." 

"But I want you to accompany me. It's boring swimming alone." She replied in a bratty way.

"Okay, I'll accompany you after this." I tried to assure her. 

"No! I want it now Gav!"

Sometimes, Leanna had this habit of being persistent and imperious. I also noticed that she's a bit  bad-tempered if she couldn't get what she wants. 

"No, Leanna." I declared with  finality. 

Looking irritated, she stomped her foot in outrage and settled in her bed.  I sighed out of patience. The more I get to know her these passing days, the more I seemed to dislike her childish attitude. She was older than me, why couldn't she act maturely like her age? 

"Go on and swim. I'll go down and accompany you later." To my surprise, she  suddenly stole the remote control out of my hand then switch the channel of the television.

"Hey! I'm watching, Leanna!" I irritatingly snapped back almost losing my patience. 

"If you don't wanna accompany me in the pool then I want to watch my favorite show with you." 

"Why can't you watch in your room? I'm watching my favorite match, Leanna!" Out of impatience, I tried to get the remote control back from her but she teasingly extended her hand off  me and moved away. 

"I want here in your room. Come on, you'll love this show and it will surely make you forget that boring volleyball match you wanna watch."

As much as I wanted to convince myself  to tolerate her, truth is I can't help to get pissed and start to lose my  patience. I never had a sister and I don't know how to handle this kind of situation. Though she was so annoying and her bossiness and stubbornness were really starting to push my buttons, I knew I needed to tolerate her to avoid the conflict between us.  Even though I was dying to watch the game, I caved and let her pick the show.  

* * *

"I brought you some snacks, girls!"  Chelsea  announced bringing a tray of sandwiches and sliced fruits together with glasses of lemonades. 

Leanna and I are currently at the pool and decided to swim this morning.  We immediately went out of the pool and walked towards Chelsea's place after she called us.  

"That looks delicious! Thanks, Aunt Chelsea!" I happily stated. I couldn't understand but I felt Chelsea suddenly got stunned and turned to me. I was not sure but it seemed like I saw a tinge of irritation in her eyes. 

"Why are you calling her Aunt, Gav? It's supposed to be Mom now,  right?" Leanna corrected.

"Yes, darling. Leanna's right. Drop the Aunt and start calling me Mom, okay?" 

I thought I already clarified this matter to my Dad? Did he not explain to Chelsea that as a respect to image of my mom, I chose to call her Aunt because my real mother is the only one I wanna call Mom.  I thought Chelsea agreed to that?  I chose to remain silent and gave her a short smile. I don't know how to construct words that would not offend  her. 

I could sense  she was waiting for my answer but I suddenly lose the courage to explain. I was afraid I might offend her with my choice of words.  I was afraid that she might not like what I might say, or worse it might hurt her feelings.  To  my frustration,  the very thing I was avoiding to occur is what  had just happened. Aunt Chelsea, suddenly walked away looking so upset. 

"I think you upset my Mom," Leanna said giving me an accusing stare. 

"I didn't mean to upset her and -- "

"Call her Mom like how I call your  father as Dad." She said in an authoritative tone.  The way Leanna raised a tone on me, kinda pissed me off. 

"Dad and I talked about this matter. He understood my reasons and we've agreed that I shall call Chelsea' as Aunt  and it doesn't  mean if I call her that then I don't treat  her  as my second Mom because I do, Leanna. It's just that I only wanted my real mother to call as Mom because she is my real and biological mother. " I explained. 

"What! You're preposterous Gav! Don't you know it insults and hurts my mother whenever you call her Aunt? You should have some respect in your bones--

"What are you talking about? I do  respect her!" I angrily retorted. 

"Whatever!" To my surprise, Leanna drastically put down her sandwich in outrage then walked out and left.

That night Dad talked to me about the same issue. He told me that he never mentioned to Chelsea about our agreement because it will hurt his wife. He even asked me to just call her Mom to please her which I opposed, of course. And no matter how my father tried to convinced me to oblige the will of my stepmother to call her Mom, I never agreed to it. This could be at least the best gift I could ever give to my beloved mother. They might have thought I was being childish, preposterous, and self-centered but then I do not care. That's how much  I love my Mom and by that means, I know I will gratify her. 

After that event, Leanna had been ignoring me for a week. Every time I tried to talk to her or tries to make a conversation, she will just nods and shakes her head as an answer. There are some times that it seems she was trying to piss me like accidentally bumping me, borrowing things or gadget from me then bring it back broken or damaged. There was also a time when the tire of my  bicycle got flat and one of the maids told me that they have seen Leanna intentionally flatted my bicycle's tire. Sarah was one of our long-time maid and according to my Mom, she had been serving our family even before she was born so I knew the woman will never lie to me. I never confronted Leanna about this because I don't want to have another conflict with her. I  decided to tolerate these acts because I know she was upset about what I did to her Mom. God knows I tried tolerating all these things but there is always a time when it feels like she really wants to push me through my limits just like now.  She wore my favorite dress that my mother gave to me before she passed and she didn't even bother to ask for my permission to use it. 

"Why are you wearing that dress?" I confronted her.

"Are you mad at me because I wore this dress?" She sarcastically retorted. 

"I don't remember you asking permission to borrow that dress of mine. That's my favorite and I seldom wear it because I'm saving it for special occasions."

The dress was one of my most valuable things I treasure and it really pissed me off because she just wore it without asking my permission. It was the last dress my Mom bought me when we went shopping. It was the time when she was healthy and she was not aware of her disease. I was worried she might bring it back broken just like what she usually does when she uses my stuff. 

"I thought everything that's yours was mine too? Are you just lying when you told me I can use all of your things and you won't be upset with it?"  Her tone was infuriating as her one brow raised. 

Yes, I remembered telling her that. I told her she can use anything she desire or borrow anything she may like in my stuff and even told her what I have was hers too but that dress was too important to me to the point I will get mad if she intentionally damaged that dress. I might have told her that, but isn't it's impolite to just use something that is not yours without asking permission from the owner? Is it so hard to ask permission to borrow something that's not yours?

"Please take good care of that dress of mine and  please, bring it back after using it.  That dress is important to me." 

"You're upset do you?" She teasingly asked like she intentionally wanted to push me through my limits.  

Oh,  how I hate that infuriating half-smile of her as if it pleases her when she's seeing me getting irritated. 

"I'm not." I lied. 

Does she expect me not to be?I never thought she was this too insensitive. 

"Liar! You didn't mean when you said what's yours was mine too, right?"

"You should've asked permission from me. That dress was so important to me, Leanna."

"Tell me the truth. You don't really like me do you?" I can't believe what I'm seeing right now because her eyes were like daggers as if ready to attack me.

"What? Where was that came from?" I asked unbelievably. 

"Come on, I can see the disgust in your eyes  and I hate it every time you look at me like that."

"That's not true!  You see, I always favored and tolerate you to avoid confliction between us." 

Where is this all coming from? Is that what she thought of me all along? That I don't like her and I was just pretending to like her? 

"Oh please don't give me that crap because I won't buy it, Gav." She poignantly stated pointing a finger at me. 

My eyes widen in surprise on the way she speaks and talk to me right now. Anger and disappointment started to creep inside me. I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. Is this the real Leanna which I treated a sister? I accepted and treated her like a friend. 

"Please bring back that dress after using it." 

Not believing the angry behavior I can see from her,  I just  decided to leave her and  walk towards my room. But the moment I entered my room, I did not noticed that she  followed  me and to my surprise, she drastically took off the dress in front of me then aggressively threw it on my face.

"Here's your dress! Next time, don't you say something if you don't intend to keep it." She angrily flared then she rummaged through my closet and grabbed a robe to cover her body.  One thing I can't believe is when she evilly smirked at me, as if she'd won or gotten even at me before she left. I was left stunned with that behavior she showed me. It's like I never really knew her. 

Weeks had passed and we were no longer talking to each other like the way we used to. Actually, after what happened,  I intentionally evaded her to avoid conflictions.  Dad noticed our silence and evasion to each other so we were asked if we're having a misunderstanding. When he confirmed it, we were asked to settle our gap and patch things up so we were forced to reconcile. I knew Leanna was just faking her reconciliation with me because I often caught her glaring and  giving me a sly smile like she wanted to let me know she still hates me.  It pisses me off sometimes but I managed to ignore it so it won't create trouble.