What Made You Come Home?

A Place Like Home

by Eleventh

KORIC JEVAUN DEL ROSARIO POV

“Sorry ‘bout that!”

I whispered as I stood beside Alissa who just had her "introvert button" activated. Our cousins were having a lot of fun playing beer pong while the only flower of the squad was standing alone at the corner watching the moon.

Alissa looked at me with her glistening round eyes and gave me a warm smile.

"Sorry about what?"

"About Levin being such a dick earlier."

Alissa scoffed. That made me smile. She always laughs like a child.

"Come on, Koric! We both know your brother has a sharp tongue and how he's always unaware of his tactlessness. And I believe you know I would never let him insult me without payback."

"True! You never let him win an argument. Nope! Not ever!"

She scoffed again.

Among the Del Rosario cousins, eight of us grew up the closest. Levin and Alissa are the oldest, but the latter has a stronger personality so we look up to her as the leader of the pack.

She's one of the boys. The boss. The rule. The alpha wolf.

But in our family, she's also the most misunderstood.

The men think she's strong and independent. The women think she's stubborn and arrogant. And our other cousins think she's shrewd and unfriendly.

But to us, Alissa is simply genuine and outspoken who basically speaks her mind. She acts strong because she doesn't want to be trampled on, yet to us, she is as gentle as a daisy. But she wouldn't accept that. She always thinks she can do everything on her own, but she can't. Though she doesn't reach out her hand for help, we always watch her back so we can be there for her if she needs help.

When she left 12 years ago, I was the only one who knew her pain. She cried every night begging her mom to send her away from this town. Aunt Leah couldn't understand her because she never told her the reasons.

But I knew.

She never told anyone but I knew and I understood.

She saw how everyone smiles at her and treats her well, and thought she was well-loved. She always tells us that even though her father had left her, she was lucky to have our uncles who will do everything for her. That even though her mom wasn't around to take care of her, she's surrounded by our aunts who are willing stand-ins.

But then... she also heard how they mock her for being an illegitimate child. She heard them complain about how she burdened everyone. She heard from their lips the words that broke her heart.

She once heard Aunt Talitha say, "If Leah wasn't paying for my children's school fees, I will never take care of her daughter."

She heard more.

She heard a lot.

She heard their hearts and saw their true colors.

And she never felt betrayed. She trusted the grown-ups and thought they were sincere but in the end, it was all for money. They were all pretentious backbiters.

And she was hurt. Deeply hurt.

"So, what made you come home? The last time we spoke, you said you're never coming back because this place is too much of a nightmare to you."

She breathed in heavily. "I had no choice. I lost my job and I have nowhere else to go. And... something terrible happened."

She sounded grim. Taking a glimpse at the way she looks at the sky, I can tell that something is bothering her.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head, lips pressed. "Nah! I don't wanna look like a loser to you, because you probably think I'm cool. I wanna preserve that in your mind."

We already saw her messed up. We always do. But still we respect her and still think she's cool.

"Ali, we are not just your cousins. We are your best buddies. If there is anyone who can understand you, or able to carry the burden with you, it's us."

"I know, Koric." Her voice was as sweet as her eyes. "And I appreciate that. But for now, I just want to keep things to myself."

"Fine!" I gave up trying to make her talk and gulped a can of beer instead. She's the kind of person who makes up her mind. "Just know that we're all here for you."

"Thanks." She whispered in the wind. We were quiet for a few seconds when she suddenly thought of something. "However, there is one thing you can do for me though."

"What?"

"A job! Right now, it's what I badly need."

I finished the can and threw it in the trash bin.

"Well, the radio station in the next town needs a new DJ. I know someone in there. I might be able to help you get the job. How's that? You in?"

Alissa's eyes sparkled and her mouth beamed with gladness. Being a Radio DJ has always been one of her childhood dreams.

"That would be awesome! Call! I'm in!" she answered as she gives a hand for a fist bump.

Eric and Rikko suddenly came with her things looking tired from carrying them upstairs. She had big luggage and some other stuff kept in big boxes.

"Wow, Ali! You must have collected a lot of stuff for 12 years." Eric heaved.

Rikko agreed, wiping sweat on his forehead.

"Do you even use everything, Ate Ali?" Ali gently shook her head. "How about selling them? Like a garage!"

"That's a great idea, Rikko! I could make money out of these things." She looked at the two brothers and laughed at their tired faces. "Who told you to get my stuff, boys?"

"Tito Jem did!" they answered together.

No wonder they obeyed. Tito Jem would knock us out if we don't follow his orders. He is such a tough guy.

"Would you mind carrying all this stuff to my room? It's just next door."

Eric and Rikko looked at each other, still panting for breath while holding on their knees. Seconds later, they looked at me.

"You better help, Koric" Rikko said, his eyes blazing.

"HAHAHA! What if I won't?"

"I'll smudge some dog poop in your face! I'll make sure that happens!"

"You're crazy!" I shook my head as I laughed at Rikko's serious face. Then I turned to Drew and Levin who were catching up with one another. "Drew! Lev! We need a hand here. Come on!"

The six of us went to Alissa's room to bring all her stuff. Eric pushed the old, wobbly wooden door and it fell flat on the floor. It created a loud whack and made us jump back.

"Oops! Sorry 'bout that!" Eric cried.

"It's fine, Eric. The door is bound to be replaced anyway." Alissa replied while feeling the switch on the wall with her hand. When she found it, she switched up and down but the lights won't turn on.

"First the door, and now the lights. I bet nobody checked this room to prepare it and clean it." Rikko complained.

Rikko was right. Everyone was too busy preparing for the party but nobody bothered to prepare a room for her to sleep, The truth is they really didn't care about her.

We took out our phones and turned on the flashlight as we took a little tour and checked her place. It was a mess. Empty balikbayan boxes were dumped in that room. The windows and furniture were all dusty. The bed sheets and pillowcases were unchanged and dirty. It didn't look comfortable to sleep on. In fact, it looked more like a basement than a bedroom.

"Sleep in the house, Alissa. You can't stay in this crappy room."

"And where do you suggest her to sleep?" Levin's grumpy voice echoed in the room.

"In my room, of course. Then, I'll share the bed with you."

Levin didn't like the idea. He hates sleeping next to me because I move a lot, not knowing that I hate sleeping beside him either because he snores so loud.

I was glad it was dark. She won't be able to see how pissed off I am. But Alissa held my arm and because of the light from the window that glowed upon her face, I can see her smiling at me.

Who am I fooling? Alissa can tell by the sound of my voice. She knew me very well.

"It's alright, Koric. I can stay here. I'm all okay."

"I'll tell Papa to have it fixed tomorrow, Ali. Don't w--"

"You don't need to do anything for me." Alissa's voice was stern. She turned her eyes to Drew and it was full of resentment. She hasn't forgiven him yet. "I'll tell Uncle Rousse myself. I don't need your help."

"But, Ate Ali..." Rikko, who was clueless about the two's conflict, spoke. "... wouldn't it be easier if Drew does it. He can tell Uncle Rousse later when he goes home."

"Yeah. Let him tell his father about it." Eric, another clueless human being, agreed as he initiated to arrange Alissa's things inside the room.

"I thought everybody loves---"

"Shut up, cry baby! No one's asking for your opinion." Alissa snapped at Levin.

Whenever Alissa gets annoyed, she becomes savage and takes it out on him. Poor, brother! He doesn't know how to talk back to Alissa. All he can ever do is whine in anger.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay here?"

"Yeah! I will be," she replied. She looked at her bed one more time and sighed. "But, maybe I could use some new sheets if you have extra."

"I have one in my room. I can ask Sheila for an extra blanket." Eric offered.

"I have extra pillows too," Rikko added.

In the middle of our conversation, Aunt Talitha came worried and grumpy at the same time.

"Eric! Rikko! I think you need to bring your mom home. She's very wasted, boys! She's too drunk to get up!"

Dismay painted on Eric and Rikko's faces as they waved goodbye to Alissa and went to wherever Aunt Julia was sleeping. That has always been the drill in this family. When she's drunk, she either fights with her brothers or gets wasted and sleeps on her pee.

Aunt Talitha was verily worried for Aunt Julia. But her worried face turned grumpy when she saw her son, Drew.

"Andrew! You better go home too. Take care of your siblings because I'm still going to clean up the place."

Drew furrowed his eyebrows and raise his voice when he answered his mother.

"Why is it always me? Why do I always have to watch over them, Ma? How about Papa?"

"Your Papa is drunk and he's already sleeping. Now, go home!" Drew stomped his feet as he walked out of the room. Then, Aunt Talitha, noticing how dusty the place is, checked Alissa. "Oh, dear! Are you going to sleep here, Ali? It's... dusty and..."

"It's okay, Aunt Tali. I can manage."

Alissa spoke to her with respect. After all that she heard from the adults, she still talks to them with the utmost respect as if there was no resentment. It was commendable.

"I'll be back here to help you, okay? I just have to clean the mess downstairs."

Then Aunt Talitha left.

"Like mother, like son! Pft!" Levin jeered.

He believes that Drew got his grumpiness from his mother. I would agree with that because Uncle Rousse is a quiet, peaceful man.

"Are you referring to yourself, Levin?" Here goes Alissa again! Trying to provoke Levin.

"And what do you mean by that?"

Alissa smirked. "Nothing."

"Alissa..." Before they start arguing again, I felt the need to step in. "I'll go get the sheets from Eric's house. You wait here, okay? Levin, let's go!"

"I'm not gonna come with you, Koric."

"So would you prefer to stay with me?" Alissa teased.

Levin's face turned sour. "Why would I stay with you?"

"Then, leave! Duh!" Alissa retorted.

I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing at my brother's annoyed face. He is so short-fused, that's why everybody loves to tease him. He stomped his way out with a grumpy face while I bid goodbye to Alissa as I followed him from behind.

Levin went home, while I headed to Aunt Julia's humble abode. From their glass window, I caught how my cousins struggled at putting their mother to bed. Aunt Julia sat on the kitchen floor whining and wasted, asking for more liquor. While Sheila was in the living room, reading her book peacefully on the couch.

I stepped in quietly.

Sheila noticed me. She gently dropped her book, took the sheets that were neatly folded on the couch and brought it to me.

"Eric told me to give you this if you'll come." Sheila speaks so softly I could almost hear nothing.

I guess that could happen to people who don't talk much.

"Uhm, yeah! Thanks! These are for Alissa actually."

Sheila did not reply. She just stared at me for a second and went back to reading. I wouldn't assume that she dislikes Alissa. She's simply uninterested. Well, she's particularly uninterested in everything and everyone. All she's ever interested in is the stories that she can read in the thousands of books in her library.

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