“Wow! You’re not being stagy. What happened to you?”
I laughed because of his question. He got smacked by his sister, who was sitting beside him.
“Let’s just say I got trained because of our community service when I was still a first year college student,” I answered, the tone of my voice was filled with pride.
It was challenging. We have to wake up as early as possible to prepare the food for the kids living on the street and to teach them as well. That was not supposedly my work. But I registered late so instead of being one of the members of my department, I was assigned with the education students. I had no choice at that time, especially because my cousins were monitoring my actions and the decisions I made.
It was actually fun teaching the kids. I was only able to help prepare the ingredients but not allowed to cook. But there are times that they will not let me do it. But I insisted on doing some hard work as well. Just like what I insisted, I was given difficult tasks.
There are kids that only take a bath sometimes and so I washed them myself. Of course at first I was still being a brat but as time went by, I got used to it. Especially when I personally witnessed how difficult it was to live in the streets.
That’s why I am so thankful to God. Because the only problem I have was to wait for the next morning to come for me to wake up. But those kids, the moment they wake up, they’ll have to think of ways to survive, for them to be able to eat at least twice a day.
“I’m really sorry, Piper. This was the only food that my older brother was able to cook. I texted him that you’ll arrive but it seems like he didn’t read it.” Letty glared at his brother.
How I wish I also had a brother like him.
Letty started putting food on my plate, and she included bulanglang, which was a boiled vegetable soup.
“It’s fine with me. What do you think of me? Not used to this kind of food?”
Abel’s mouth curved up, he was grinning widely, as he looked at his sister. Sarcasm was written all over his face.
I stood from my seat, because I wanted to wash my hands. It didn’t take long before I went back to my seat and started eating. The two just watched me while I was eating.
“Hmm. Piper, it doesn’t seem like you are used to eating with bare hands. In addition, that's soup.” Letty forced a smile on her face.
“Right! I’ll use a spoon then.” I stood up once again to wash my hands the second time around.
“So how’s life being an actress? I really thought you’ll forget about us.”
I really don’t know why we have to talk about my being an actress right in front of the food. But well, I don’t have any other choice but to answer his question. He’s curious.
“I will never forget you, Abel. How will I? You pestered me quite a lot when we were still kids.”
He burst into laughters.
His other foot was on his chair while he’s eating. He looks like he’s enjoying the food.
“Why does it seem like I know nothing about what my older brother did to you?” Letty looked at me and then he looked at his brother.
I rolled my eyes. “You two kept on matchmaking me with that, eww! With that boy that I didn’t like, not even an ounce.”
Abel drank water first before he spoke.
“You’re giving such a disgusting look, completely expressing you are disgusted by that. So it seems like there’s still staginess left in your body. If you saw him again, you might drool.”
His sister smacked his shoulders.
“That hurts, Letty! You badly missed smacking me, no?” Abel groaned.
“You’re talking nonsense to Piper.” Letty pouted.
“Piper is not a kid anymore. She can now understand what you’re trying to say.”
She’s right. I am already at the right age, and I’ve kissed a lot of guys because of my profession. But it was not that steamy like those bed scenes.
My mother will kill me if that happens. My mom is conservative, she was a young Filipina lady. She became famous, way back generations when she was still an actress, without a sext scene. Except that one time when she was required to wear a bikini in one of her movies.
In the middle of the sibling’s fight, something suddenly made me startle. I almost had a heart attack.
“Abel, can I ask you for a banana leaf?”
When I looked at the person who spoke, I accidentally dropped the spoon I was holding. I hurriedly picked it up and got a new one.
“I’m really sorry for disturbing your meal time. I entered without permission because it seems like no one has heard my voice from the outside.” The guy scratched his head.
He was wearing a white fitted sleeveless shirt and shorts. In addition, he looks hotter with the hat he was wearing.
I came back from my reverie when I felt that someone was wiping my face with a towel.
“Your face is sweaty.”
I took the towel from her hand and she pouted her lips once again as she sat back on her seat.
She then smiled widely. What’s with her?
I glanced back at the guy who came. He was still standing not far from me. He was not fanning himself using the lid he brought with him
“Okay, dude. Just get some in our backyard.”
The guy was just about to turn around when Able once again spoke.
“Dude, wait for a moment. Come closer.”
I looked at Abel when I sensed that there’s something amiss.
The guy did what Abel told him to.
I can feel his hotness. It felt like it was burning me.
Piper! Calm down! It’s just him! One of your farmers! One of those who works for your family. Don’t let yourself fall for him!
“Piper, you still remember her, dude?” He didn’t give Abel a response. He looked at me for a second and then averted his gaze.
I saw how cold his eyes were staring straight at me. I don't know if I should smile or what. But at the end, I still curved up the corners of my mouth.
“I still have a lot of things to be done.”
It was not until he was nowhere to be seen that I finally felt relieved.
“Brother! Why didn’t you introduce our Señorita in a better way?” Letty growled at him.
Yes! Why didn’t he?!
I wasn’t even able to hold his hands.
I wonder how hard his hands are because of his work at the farm. I think it’s as hard as his defined muscles.
“There’s no need to. They have history about themselves, and I know Cade has already forgotten about it just like our Señorita.” He whistled a couple of times after that, before he continued eating. He then put his plate on the sink.
“What do you mean by that? I’ve never been in a relationship.”
Abel, who was in the living room already, burst into laughter. He was sitting on a wooden chair and fanned himself.
“He was the kid you were disgusted with before. The one who kept on giving you palay as a bouquet of flowers.”
My forehead creased upon hearing what he had just said. Letty as well, was in deep thought. But it didn’t take long before her face lit up and she, as well, burst into laughter.
“Oh! Now I remembered!” Letty clapped.
I thought deeply, so as to remember what Abel had said. My grip on the spoon I was holding loosened, when I remembered who that guy was.
“He’s Casimiro? Casimiro Declan Paez?” Abel slowly nodded. My eyes widened because of that realization.
I can’t believe he’ll grow up into a fine young man. With his body which can be compared to a stick and he smells stingy as well…
Puberty totally hits him