Diana was walking down the pavement to their house when Janwill came rushing to her.
“Hey Sis!” he called out while running.
“What’s the rush, young man?” she asked, frowning at her little brother.
“I just want to say that we already have a substitute teacher.” he said when he was already with her.
“That’s all, with all the rush? You’re suspicious. And good for you! You don’t have a teacher in 3 days, it’s about time they find a substitute. There’s a reason I enrolled you there so they better not waste money and time and educate you properly.”
“Geez, you said too much. That’s the reason why I am telling you now so that you’re informed that they had a substitute already, don’t be so mean.”
“I’m just stating a fact. I’m not being mean.”
“But I was wondering why the new teacher knows you.”
She raised an eyebrow to his little brother.
“Know me? As in ME? Really?” she asked sarcastically, emphasizing the ‘me’.
“No, it’s actually Nez. Yes! He knows you. He even asked –“
“He. So it’s a guy.” She cut her brother’s sentence.
“Yes. Sir Arjay Altamira. You know him? He’s actually great! I understood the topic very well!”
‘Arjay… it’s Arjay! Ahhh!!! Oh my gosh, get a grip of yourself Diana! Not now. Not in front of your brother. Breathe in… breathe out…’
“Hey sis!” his brother snapped his fingers in front of her face. She leered at him.
“What was that for?” she angrily asked.
“You’re not listening to me! Anyway, you’re probably insecure because he’s better than you.”
“Insecure? Says who? You? Psh…” she said and laughed nervously.
“Anyway, do you know him? Because it really seemed to me that he knows you, not just by name. “
“Yes, I know him. He was my schoolmate in college. And we’re on the same course department. So yeah, I know him.” She stated. ‘And she’s the love of your sister’s life, brother.’ She added in her mind.
“Now I know… he’s actually better than you in terms of discussion. It’s his first time teaching and yet he explains the topic in an easy and understandable way. He’s my idol now. Unlike the way you explain, it’s complicated.”
She stopped walking which made Janwill stopped too. She faced his brother.
“Wow… you’ve met him for the first time and you’re already dumping me, your sister who raised you and loved you unconditionally? Wow… and for your information, he studied 7 years in college, I only studied 4.” She rolled her eyes and continued walking.
“He studied 7 years? How come? What course would take up 7 years of your life? And, you didn’t raise me, partially maybe, but not totally, ‘coz you know, it’s really sis Anne who took care of me when I was younger so…”
“Fine, but I still raised you. Well, he studied 4 years in philosophy and then he continued theology for 3 years. So now you know. But don’t go around spreading that. Don’t you dare ruin our family name to him! I’m going to kill you.” she jokingly warned her brother.
“Of course not! I’ll establish my own name to him so that he would know me as Janwill, and not your younger brother.” He smirked.
Her jaw drop and laughed.
“You hated me that much?” she asked laughing.
“No, I love you but it’s time to get out from your shadow now. I’m already 14 years old so…” he shrugged.
She reached for his brother’s shoulder and put her arms around it. They walked towards the house.
“You’re getting taller. I’m struggling to reach your shoulder already.” She said.
“You’re just short sis.”
Her jaw dropped again for the second time around.
“You’re being rude and mean to me, you know that?”
“I’m not being mean, I’m just stating a fact.” He shrugged.
“Hey that’s my line!” she laughed. “Go on, keep on giving me snide remarks and I won’t give you a piece of my snack.” She said and ran inside the house.
“Hey sis, I’m just kidding!” Janwill ran after her.
Anne, who is busy preparing dinner, saw them.
“What are you, kids?” Anne called them out.
“Sis Anne, do you know that my new teacher knows our big sis?” Janwill asked Anne.
“Really? Is that teacher a man or a woman?”
“He’s a man. Do you know Arjay Altamira?” Janwill asked.
“I know him.” It was Mel.
“Really? How?”
“He’s big sis mmmph.”
Diana covered Mel’s mouth.
“Why are you covering Mel’s mouth?” Grace asked
“I’m not, I’m just hugging her… right in the mouth.” She lied.
“Wait sis, was sir Arjay your ex?” Janwill asked in confusion.
“What? No!” she said defensively and let go of Mel.
“She wished.” Mel looked at her and sneered at her.
“What was that supposed to mean?” Janwill asked.
“Never mind.” His four sisters said in chorus.
“Fine, geez.” He said and left the kitchen.
“Hey, young lady, don’t go around declaring about me and Arjay.” She warned Mel.
“Excuse me, sis, there’s no you and him. Only you, okay? Got that?” Mel said.
“Well, yeah fine. This conversation is over, goodbye.” Diana said and went to her room. She needs to tell it to Nez. But how? They are not in good terms? ‘She won’t keep mad at me, would she?’ she asked herself. She dialed Nez’s number.
“Sorry, you do not have enough –“
She cussed. Her load subscription expired during lunch break! How could she forgot! She put on her flip flops and went out.
“Where are you going, sis?” Grace asked.
“I’ll just go to Nez’s house. It’s an emergency. If papa asked for me, tell him I went out.”
“Fine. Don’t go home too late!”
She didn’t respond. She went straight to Nez’s house which is only a few blocks away from their house. When she arrived, she knocked on the door.
“Wait a minute.” Someone called out from the inside. Then the door opened: it’s Nez’s mom. “Hi Diana. What brings you here?” she asked, smiling.
“Hi auntie. Is Nez, there?”
“She went out to buy some chicken. Come in, dear.”
Diana went inside.
“Did she just leave, auntie?”
“No, she’s probably on her way –“
“Diana? What brings you here? You could have just called me.” It was Nez. She handed the chicken meat to her mother. “Let’s go outside.” She said and yanked Diana out of the sofa. They went out. “You should have called me. You know my mother doesn’t like visitors.”
“Yeah, I know, sorry about that. I tried to call you but my load subscription expired a while ago so I had to rush to come here.”
“Rush? Why, is that a matter of life and death situation?”
“No but I’m going to burst! Arjay is Janwill’s teacher!” she said excitedly. Nez’s jaw dropped.
“What?!?” Nez squealed. “Oh my Gosh Diana! Oh. My. Gosh!” Nez can’t contain her thrills.
“I know right! Imagine my reaction when Janwill was telling me the news. I can’t breathe, ahh~~~” she said, trying to squeal without a sound.
“Now I can assume that he’s out because of you. It is God’s little way of saying you’re meant to be together Diana. Aww, I’m jealous!” Nez said and bumped her shoulder.
“Come on, don’t get me too excited about that, you know I assume too much. And I don’t want to assume anything.”
“At least now there’s 50% hope for you.”
“Not only that. He asked Janwill about me.”
A big slap landed on her shoulder.
“Ouch!!!! Ynezmari! That hurts!” she scowled at her best friend.
“I’m so sorry, Diana, I just got too thrilled. I’m sorry.” Nez laughed at her reaction.
“That’s why I hate being around you when you get too excited, you tend to become violent!”
“I’m sorry okay. But, seriously, he asked for you?”
“That’s what Janwill said. But to tell you, my little brother was smitten by his way of teaching, the kid denounces me.” She shook her head in disapproval.
“Well, like sister, like brother. You were smitten with him the first time you saw him.”
“Fair enough.” She smirked.
“So what’s your plan now?”
“Plan, what plan?”
“Are you going to seduce him –“
“Ynezmari!” she said in disbelief.
“Fine… fine. I was talking about Albert’s date proposal.”
“I don’t know yet. Besides, he’s not insisting about it, so, I can’t really decide.” She said and shrugged her shoulders. Nez just looked at her and they stayed silent.