The Forbidden Desires 02

"Are we almost there?"

He just nodded his head. He never spoke to me again. I pouted and remained silent as well. It’s strange but I’m completely comfortable even if he doesn’t talk. I feel like I’m used to him being like this.

He didn't explain how we met and I really can't remember him. I closed my eyes and thought about the events ten years ago like he had mentioned.

I tried to recall despite the headache it was causing. It's blurry—that's the first thing that came to my mind. It’s weird but I don’t know what happened ten years ago. My memories from those times were clouded.

I opened my eyes and stared at him. I really couldn't remember the two of us meeting before.

My eyes wandered as we left the province. There were many cars and people on the road. I grew up on a ranch so I was surprised by the towering buildings we passed. I lost my attention on him because my gaze was captivated by the outside scenery.

"Are you still studying?"

I was surprised when he spoke. I nodded at him and took out the laptop from my bag.

“Yup! Online classes!”

I opened the laptop and showed him my account and the different professors for different subjects.

“You don’t go to normal school?” he asked. His brows were knotted and he looks so confused.

"No," I shrugged. "Lolo wouldn't let me."

"He didn't allow you? We already discussed that..." He paused, his words trailing off. I didn't take my eyes off him, so I caught his sudden pause.

“Discuss what?”

He cleared his throat and shook his head. I was looking at him because he didn’t continue what he was saying so I waited.

"Did you and Lolo talk about something?" I curiously asked.

"Nothing. Do you want to go to school?" he replied with a sharp tone to his question.

I smiled and nodded. He shifted his gaze from the road to me. I bit my lower lip and nodded again. When his eyes met mine, he quickly averted his gaze.

He fell silent again. I bit my lower lip and just stared at him. I became lost in thought observing him. I wondered why he seemed so aloof.

"Look ahead on the road. We're almost there.”

I smiled. "How did you know I was looking at you?"

He shot me a harsh look and remained silent again. I found his gruffness intriguing. Why did I feel a sense of closeness between us even though we had just met? Was it possible that we had known each other before, and I was the only one who couldn't remember? But that's impossible. I really can't recall ever meeting him before.

My attention shifted from him as we arrived at the front of a simple, tall house, where people were waiting.

"Are they your family?" I asked cheerfully.

He silently nodded and got out of the car. I followed suit and greeted them with a big smile.

The two elderly individuals stared at me intensely as I exited the car. They were even older than Lolo. Their skin was wrinkled, a contrast to Lolo, who, despite his age, remained spry and had fewer wrinkles.

"Hi!" I greeted everyone with enthusiasm.

"How have you been, Hija?" his Lola asked with concern.

I was taken aback and looked at Silas. Perhaps they thought I was tired from the long ride?

"Lola..." Silas interrupted before taking my belongings from the car.

It seemed like he was communicating something to them through his gaze. I shrugged it off.

From the older couple, I turned my attention to the two younger women. I was told they were Silas's sisters—Laura and Neth. They were technically my aunts, but our ages were so close that they didn't want me to call them Aunt. Lolo had a child early in life, which led to early grandchildren. My mother and Silas's mother both gave birth around the same time and Silas's mother was pregnant with Gineth, which makes me close in age to her.

"You’re so adorable here! Who's this?" I pointed to a picture of a young boy.

Their stories entertained me. They were all chatty and delighted to talk to me. Silas was the only exception. He sat nearby and sipped on his coffee.

"Ah, that's Kuya!" Laura replied with a chuckle.

I looked at the boy in the picture again. He looked familiar. His expression was stern as if he hadn't permitted for his picture to be taken.

"You should call him Kuya too since he's older than you," Gineth, who was about my age, said.

I glanced up at Silas. I smiled when he looked at me.

"She doesn't need to call me Kuya. She's not my sibling," he said coldly.

He said it grumpily. For some reason, my smile grew even wider because of what he said.

"Still, Kuya! You're older than her!”

Silas shook his head. "Only my siblings are allowed to call me Kuya." He shot me a cold look as he said that. I hadn't called him Kuya yet, but it seemed like he was throwing me a warning already.

"Why did you let Penny call you Kuya then?" Laura interjected after she emerged from the kitchen.

“That was before. She’s not calling me Kuya anymore—”

"Because she has a crush on you!" Laura burst into laughter.

Gineth giggled beside me but stopped abruptly when she received a stern glance from her brother.

Their house was spacious and tall. It has three floors and a rooftop.

Silas did not say another word and continued to drink his coffee, lost in his own thoughts. He didn't seem to like me, which explained why he resisted that I call him Kuya.

"Silvanus..." I murmured.

We all looked at Silas in surprise when I said that. He dropped the glass he was holding, and it shattered. He stared at me with wide eyes, his lips slightly parted in shock.

“You…” His eyes were fixated on me. “How did you remember my name?”

I glanced at the two girls beside me. They were equally surprised by his question. Bewildered, I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"His name?"

I lowered my head and looked at the name written on the picture in the album. I lifted my gaze again to find that his reaction hadn't changed. He was still stunned and was not even paying attention to the broken glass.

"I just read it. It's in the album..."

I lifted the album and showed him where I read his name. "Your name is Silvanus?"

He swallowed hard, and Laura moved to clean up the broken glass. Silas continued to glare at me. He took a deep breath and stood to head upstairs.

"What happened to him?"

Laura smiled at me as she faced me. I wanted to ask her about Silas's reaction, but she avoided eye contact and handed me the juice and food she had brought earlier.

After we finished our snack, we went upstairs. Gineth and Laura showed me their adjacent rooms on the second floor. Their rooms were also next to their grandparents' room. We headed up to the top floor and they pointed out Silas's room on the left side of the hallway. My room was right next to his.

I entered my room and arranged my belongings. There was a private bathroom in the room, so I used it to freshen up. I had been too busy chatting with them when I arrive, so I didn't get a chance to unpack or change my clothes. I wiped my hair dry and stared at the opposite wall.

‘His room is next to mine. I wonder what he's doing now? He got mad earlier when I mentioned his name. Do I remember? If that's the case, then I must really know him.’

I sat on the bed lost in my thought.

‘How could that be possible when I'm sure this is the first time I meet him?’

I stood up and decided to talk to him. I opened my door and tiptoed to his room next to mine. I was contemplating but I honestly wished to remember how we met.

I was playing with my thin and soft pajamas. I was leaning down, contemplating whether to knock, but before I could decide what to do, the door opened.

Our eyes met as he stepped out. He glanced at my slightly parted lips. Our faces were just inches apart due to his sudden exit and he seemed surprised by my presence.

“Athena...” he called in a gentle tone.

I blinked and took a step back, startled. He cleared his throat and seemed to snap out of his surprise when I moved. His expression turned cold again.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ah..." I pointed to the room next to his. "My room is here..."

His eyes grew dark. He discreetly averted his gaze from me with a roll of his eyes and then stepped toward my room. He opened it and inspected the interior. After a few moments, he spoke.

"I'm moving you to a different room."

“Why?’

"You can't stay here," he stated firmly and attempted to close the door.

"Why not? I'm perfectly fine here!"

I smiled as he faced me. He looked at me, then returned to my door before glancing at his own. He shook his head slightly before facing me again.

"It doesn't sit well with me. I'll move you.”

I followed him with my gaze as he walked past me. He walked down the stairs. Probably to check if there was an available room where I could sleep and transfer to.

Note:

Kuya, means an elder brother or used as a polite title for an older man.

Ate, is in reference to an older female relative or respected friend, and means "Sister"

Lola or Lolo, Filipino word for Grandmother and Grandfather.

Manang, it is a term of respect, similar but secondary to Dad or Mom.