Chapter 6 (Kissed)

Today is festival. I can hear the sound of the sound system from here. Last night I heared  the noises of grandma's acquaintances here. They take care of the food to be prepared.

Brother Santi woke up early. He helped slaughter the pig for the feast. Here I am now  helping grandma's to prepare. Most of the helpers are as old as grandma or as old as mom.

"Are those coffee beans are brewed huh? They don't like the black. They prefer the original here."

"Yes grandma. " I seasoned six cups of coffee. The others were first given by Lara and Kathlyn.

Outside the house I see a large frying pan. They cook foods there. 

I was so sweaty when I laid the coffees on the table. It was in the shade of a tree.

I immediately looked at brother Santi. He was sweaty and naked. He deposits large wood in the cooked foods.

"Your coffee is here!" I called their attention and smiled to those who want to have coffee immediately.

I sat down at the table and grabbed a biscuit. I felt the chair move in front of me. Santi took coffee.

"Brother, aren't you forbidden to have coffee?"

His forehead furrowed and he sipped his cup of coffee.

"Who said?"

"Mom, she told me it's  against your health.."

He grinned and licked his lip. I saw his tongue chase the discarded coffee to the side of his lip.

"You look like coffee ... even if it's forbidden ... it's delicious."

My heart seemed to fall to the floor. My heartbeat I really heard!

I blinked and averted my eyes. I think I was deaf.

I couldn't stand it ... I slowly stood up. "Ah, I have something to take care of inside b-brother.."

Even in the distance I heard his laughter seemed to mock on my ear.

I dismissed in my mind what my older brother said. He has been that way ever since. He likes to stretch simply.

I always see him making video calls to Anna. We've only been here for a month, I also need to enroll.

"Ara!" Lara called me.

"Oh why?".

"I talked to Lindsay yesterday. She asked for brother Santi's number. She'll flirt to Santi again! I'm sure!"

I shook my head and laughed. Many people know about Santi's  here. My older brother is famous here, especially since he joined the league here before.

"My older brother already has a girlfriend!"

"Lindsay is beautiful, Ara. You know..she is studying in Manila."

"Let go of my older brother. He can handle such things." 

It's eleven o'clock. It is a tradition for them to go to their neighbors and eat. Grandma's house was almost full.  It's Even the crowd outside!

"Ara! Let's go to the disco later huh? We're with brother Santi. Because mama won't let us when we're not with brother."

I smiled and nodded to Kathlyn. "Sure!"

I put a bowl of menudo and marinated pork on the long table outside the house. I looked up when a group of men entered grandma's gate.

I saw Lando's familiar face. He still hasn't changed. The face is still gentle and handsome.

"Ay! Brother Lando, Ara!" Lara and put down the glasses.

"Hey!" Lando approached us. 

"Hey you kids.Lior will hear you later and scold you. He's strict when it comes with Ara!" Grandma Lourdes scolded us who were behind us.

" Grandma, we'll go to the disco later grandma huh? We'll go with brother Santi." Kathryn says. 

"What ever!  You can walk later! But don't approach the men there huh? You know your brother Santi is strict .."

"Noted grandma!"

I just laughed at the noise of my two cousins.

I looked up and saw Lando smiling at me. I smiled back at him.

I took the dishes to the table so that they could be replaced with a clean one.

"Let me there Ara, go into your room ..." Brother Santi suddenly appeared behind me. 

"H-huh? B-but.." he even touched my waist.

"All right..come on. I'll help grandma .."

I just gave up and let him . I just waited until nightfall because we were going to the disco.

------------

"Grandma, don't do that. The backline is too long."

Grandma rummaged through her old clothes and put them on Lara and Kathlyn. I was just in bed and giggling.

Grandma's clothes are still ancient.

Lara scratched her head. "Grandma, we're just looking a good dress! Besides, you will be tired." 

"Oh, my hair is already white. I'll pinch you in the groin."

Grandma left and let us fix it. I just let my long hair down. I wore a mustard dress and there's a cross on the back. I paired it with flat sandals.

Brother Santi suddenly came out of the bathroom. Still wet hair and white t shirt and sweat shorts only. Effortless really.

I can see the curve of my eyes and the tip of my nose at his face. 'They said my older brother and I has the same features. 

 Brother inspected our clothes then he lastly looked at the cross behind me.

"Maybe that will make you cold Ara .." he says when he saw my dress.

I immediately shook my head and rubbed perfume on my neck. I saw him wearing his watch.

"No brother, this is what I wore before when we wandered, right?"

"That was the last time you wore that. Hurry up and we'll go home before nine o'clock."

I frowned because his voice was serious. 

At the dance floor of the crowd, A variety of colorful lights added to the wildness of the dancers in the middle. 

There are drinks and foods there in their table. 

"Santi!" Someone suddenly called my older brother and we turned around there. My brother' friends here!   He was then in the league,his name is JC.

I just hugged myself because it was cold. They do not have a discounted roof. Only fence really.

We watched our older brother do nothing when his friends pulled him here.

He was introduced to the women there. They all smile and can't take their eyes off to Santi.

"Are you with Ara?" One of them asked and I saw Lando.

"Yes .." Santi did not want to answer. The three of us sat next to my older brother. We are facing some of their colleagues here. 

They gave us coke and nova. While my two cousins ​​are already swinging their heads and playing with the music.

I saw my older brother drink a beer. I also saw that that there's women and whispering beside Santi.

They suddenly shouted and I saw them pushing Lindsay to  brother! Lindsay almost slapped on  Santi's chest.

"What! Stop it!" she giggled. 

I just drank coke when I heard Lindsay's voice.

I haven't heard anything from my older brother.

"Oh, that's Lindsay !She's starting! Goodness... "

"It's not good. She's flirting to all the men here.."

I just kicked Lara and Kathlyn to stop. My eyes are getting hot from drowsiness.

"Do you want to go home?"Santi asked. I inhaled the smell of alcohol on my older brother's breath.

"Not yet brother .."

Suddenly the music became sweet. Suddenly the men pulled the women.  Brother shook his head but the other colleagues here cheered for him to dance with Lindsay. 

"That's dancing!"

"Give it to Santi! You'll be here sometime."

It happened fast. I just saw myself waiting to my older brother  because it took so long.

"Why it took him so long?" Larah asked. 

"Ara..can I dance with you?" Lando suddenly invited me. He also looks like it was drunk because his eyes are red. 

"I'm waiting for my older brother, Lando."

He grinned. "When Lindsay invites him, I think they are busy right now."

My forehead furrowed I could not understand. I still rejected him and stood up. I decided to look for my older brother. I left Lara and Kathlyn because their classmate was there then.

"Ara!" I turned around and saw Lando.

"Why?"

"Let's dance for a moment .."

I shook my head and continued to look for my older brother.

"Ara! Come on."

"I really don't like to dance  Lando. Sorry-"

I stopped when he pulled me up and touched my waist. He started to dance for me but I pushed him. He seems to have too much alcohol.

"Stop it Lando.  I'm looking for my older brother-"

He pulled me again. "Just a moment .."

"You're drunk Lando-" I was stunned when someone pushed Lando.

"If Ara don't want to, don't force her..." My older brother said while I was behind him.

"Sorry Santi. Just a moment .."

"Don't Lando." Santi hissed. 

Lando could not answer when Santi pulled me.

"Santi , Lara and Kathlyn .."

He did not answer and just kept pulling me home.

"B-Brother-"

"They're going home, why are you so stubborn?" he gripped me and tightened its grip on my wrist.

We're on the open grandma's gate. 

"You were the first one lost brother. I was just looking for you ..." I explained here.

"Didn't I tell you not to leave? Why did you leave? Didn't I tell you to avoid Lando? "

 "I did!"

I opened the room and turned on the light. I could see his face was red and he looked like he had so much  beer.

"That's not my point. My point here is you are still young .."

"My point here, brother, is that you are wrong because if you haven't danced with Lindsay, I wouldn't have searched for you. Why did you took so long? "

"We didn't last long Ara. I came back immediately but an acquaintance blocked me .."

"Oh wow!" I rolled my eyes. 

I stared at him and turned away because my tears seemed to explode with annoyance.

He pulled me. 

"I'm talking to you Ara .."

"I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

He closed his eyes tightly and parted its hair violently. His Patience seems to be running out.

"You're so strict for me while mom let me do what I want!"

"The things I forbid yo,  are for you." He pointed at my chest. I violently slapped his hand and fought with his anger.

"Why are you so strict? You're just my older brother!"

The corner of my eye warmed with tears.

Every step he took was my retreat. The spacious room seemed to be crowded with the two of us.

I felt the coldness of the wood on my back. There , my tears flowed.

Gradually the edge of his lip rose until it became a grin.

"Yeah...I'm just your brother  Ara .."

I was suddenly nervous and pushed him hard. I succeeded because he let me leave his confinement.

I lay down on the bed and covered my body with a blanket. I heard the bathroom open and water flowed.

I can not sleep. I just feel my brother's actions.

I heard the bathroom door open and the cabinet open.

He took a deep breath as the bed sank to my side. His bed is on the other bed but he is here next to me.

I did not answer him. My tears flowed because of the annoyance.

Suddenly he pulled the blanket over my face. Only the nose is exposed. 

"I'm sorry .." He said to me and wiped away my tears.

The two of us looked at each other for a long time. I see my own eye design on him.

My grip on the blanket tightened as he slowly kissed the blanket that was blocking my lips.

I close my eyes firmly. If without the blanket .... we would have kissed.