Chapter-241

Aries's's POV

*ContinuationOfFlashback...*

The kid with him is
my cousin. His name is Angelo and since he's older than me, he said I should respect him and obey him. "Get
me a glass of water." Kuya Angelo said, which I didn't understand. I looked at him in surprise. "Huh?" He raised
an eyebrow at me. "Get me some water." I was about to stand up to follow him when suddenly a book flew
towards his face. "Ugh!" He shouted while holding his face. I looked where it came from and saw Tita Lara
near us. "Hey! If you're the boss here, you're not." He said while pointing at Kuya Angelo. "...Get better! You
have a place with me." Kuya looked at him angrily. "Why? It hurts!" "You're still in English! You're in the
Philippines! Tagalog!" "Why did you hit me?" "Because I like hitting-hitting you! You don't speak English to me!
I'm a better English person!" Tita shouted while poking Kuya in the face. I didn't understand anything they were
talking about. I just knew that Kuya had fallen victim to Tita's cruel hand. He was also one of those who were
afraid of him like me. "What's going on?" Tita Gema asked as she approached us. "Mom! She hit me with this!"
Kuya said and ran to her Mama while holding the book that hit her. "Lara..." Grandma's sister was right behind
Tita Gema. "... you do this to all your nieces and nephews." "That's terrible. I still have one that isn't hurt." Tita
replied while reaching for her bag. "...I have a niece who is in the hospital, right? I haven't seen her yet." She
was referring to Jay-jay. He was still in the hospital. That's why Mama hadn't picked me up yet. "Who's in the
hospital?" Tita Gema asked. "This is the monkey's brother." She pointed at me. Aunt Gema turned to Grandma
and they were talking about something I didn't understand. Kuya was still rubbing his face because of the pain
he had . Aunt Lara was fidgeting and snapping her fingers. I remembered Jay-jay. I wanted to see him. I hope
he gets better. Aunt Gema and Kuya Angelo also lived here. But they said they were only here for a short time
because they were going back to their place. They said they were just visiting. While they were here, Kuya
always gave me toys. Sometimes he even went to what they called the Mall to buy me something. He even
gave me his old clothes. "Hey!" Aunt Lara called to me. "Why?" "You're ugly." She said and laughed. I just
turned around and put both elbows on my knees while supporting my chin with both hands. Aunt sat next to
me and watched me. "Hey!" She called again. "Why again?" I answered without looking at her. "When Angelo
and his mother invite you to come with them. Will you come?" Will I come? Kuya said he has more toys there.
He also has a bicycle that I can borrow. He also said he will give me a lot. "Yes, as long as we come back soon
because Mama might pick me up." Aunt sighed. "What if there's no way back ? Will you still come?" I shook my
head. "No way. Mama will come back to me here. She might not see me when I leave." "Your Mama won't
come back to you." He said what I was afraid of. "...the day Jay-jay was discharged from the hospital. Ate
Gema paid their hospital bill." "But she will pick me up! Maybe she's just fixing the house." "Your Mom said she
was having a hard time so Ate said she'll just take you." "That's not true!" I shouted after crying. "...You're just
kidding me!" "That's true." He said. I hit him on the arm but it didn't seem to do anything. He just looked at me.
"You're making a child cry. You're old enough for that." Suddenly, Kuya said right in front of us. Tita looked at
him evilly. "Of course. Do you want me to make you cry?" Suddenly, Tita ran so Kuya ran too. He kept shouting
or help, help and SOS. I didn't believe her. He always made me cry so I knew he was just teasing me. I
decided to go to Grandma to ask if Jay-jay had gotten out of the hospital. I wanted to see him too. They were
in the back of the house where the laundry was. She and Tita Gema were getting the clothes. "Grandma..." I
called and she looked at me for a moment. Tita Gema smiled at me and came over to me. She bowed slightly
so we could be on the same page. "How are you? I thought you and your Kuya Angelo were playing." "Tita Lara
is his playmate." Suddenly, Grandma stopped what she was doing and looked where you came from . "I'll go
first, maybe Angelo is no longer alive." Grandma said and quickly went to Kuya and them. Auntie faced me
again. "I have something to tell you." "What is that?" "You want to study, right?" I nodded and suddenly
answered. "...I'll study for you." She said happily. My eyes widened at what she said. I couldn't help but smile. I
really want that. I can study now. "Really?" "Yes. And you'll study at your Kuya's old school." My smiles
disappeared. "W-where is that?" "It's near us." Does that mean,Am I really going to go with them? Is what Aunt
Lara said true? I'm going to live with them because Mama doesn't want me anymore. "Aunt Lara told me,
you're going to take me and not bring me back here. Is that true?" Her smile gradually disappeared. She picked
me up and made me sit under the table where the clothes she was folding earlier were placed. "Because
Aries... Jay-jay needs to be watched carefully. He's sick and needs to be watched." She took a deep breath.
"...so you're going to come with us first. You stay there and then when your brother is okay , we'll bring you to
your place." I shook my head. "I don't want to. I want to be with Jay-jay. I'll take care of him." She smiled at me
and held my hand. "You're so sweet, big brother, but do you think Jay-jay will be happy if he finds out that
you're not studying because you're taking care of him." I bowed my head. Jay-jay knew that I really wanted to
study. I always tell him that I will teach him what I learn in school. "No." "Oh, so you study first. We'll see each
other during the holidays." I don't know what to say. I really don't want to be away from Jay-jay. What if Mama
has to work, who will be with her. Who will feed her? I really don't want to.
I was in Kuya Angelo's room when I heard Lola and Tita Gema
talking. They were talking about me so I couldn't help
but listen.
"The child doesn't have a birth certificate." Tita said.
"Why not? Jeana said his full name is Aries Fernandez
." Lola replied.
"Only Jay-jay is registered."
"Why is that? How can Aries enroll in school?"
"Maybe he's just registering late."
I didn't understand what a birth certificate and registration were. But whatever
it was, why didn't I? Why did it seem like only Jay-jay had one?
Tita Gema and I were about to leave. They said they were going home to their house. They said
I would come with them but I really didn't want to.
I knew Mama would come back to me. I wasn't wrong because
I saw her entering the gate of Lola's house.
"Mama!" I called her with joy.
I ran to meet her and hug her.
"Mama! Are you going to pick me up? Are we going home?" I asked but
she just looked at me.
"Where is your Aunt Gema?"
I broke the hug and pointed to the house. She walked towards it
as if she hadn't seen me. I followed her.
I saw Aunt Lara at the door with her bag in her hand.
She looked at Mama with a bad look.
"Gema." Mama told her.
"Inside." Aunt's answer was unenthusiastic.
Mama went in and searched for her target. I was about to follow but
Aunt grabbed my head to stop me.
"Stay here. That's an old man's talk."
I removed her hand from my head. "I told you,
Mama will pick me up. We're going home."
She didn't say anything more but she looked at me with something strange. I didn't know
what it was but it seemed like she didn't believe what I said.
Not long after, we heard shouting inside the house. Even the other people
living in the house looked over. It was Mama's voice that I heard and
it was followed by the voice of my other Aunt.
"Just let Gema adopt your child! After all, you're no
good as a mother!"
"Jenny! Don't mess with them!" Grandma's voice.
"Why do you still know me? That's my child! I know it's good for you
!"
"Lower your voice, maybe the kids will hear you." Aunt
Gema.
The shouting stopped for a moment until Mama suddenly came out.
She was very angry again and she came to me.
She sat down so that we were on equal terms. I saw a tear fall
rom one of her eyes. She wiped it away immediately.
"Aries... Listen." She said and held my face. "...you go
to your Aunt Gema first. She will teach you. She will feed you. She will give you
toys and clothes..." She took a deep breath. "...you go to
them first."
I shook my head. "I don't want to. I want to be with Jay-jay."
"It's not possible yet. I promise I will take you back to her. I will take
you back."
I couldn't stop crying. "I don't want to! That's what you said.
I didn't pick me up to go home!"
"Because I have to take care of Jay-jay."
"It's just because you love him! Maybe you'll give me away because you don't like
me! You don't love me!"
"Aries! That's not true. You're still young so you won't
understand."
"No! You're lying! You'll give me away!"
He was about to hug me but I quickly moved away and hid behind
Aunt Lara. He didn't like me so he gave me to Aunt Gema.
Jay-jay was always the only thing that mattered to him.
All the things were ready. He's just waiting for Kuya Angelo and then
we'll leave. I'll stay with them.
"Hey! Monkey!" Tita Lara called to me but I didn't look at her.
I was just looking at the ground. I wouldn't see Mama and Jay-jay anymore.
"You're sad! You should be happy!"
I looked up at her. "Why?"
"Because I'll lose you from my sight!" She said and laughed.
That's great, after all she's a bad girl.
She's always hurting us all. Even my other cousins who come here, she fights with me.
"Aries." Aunt Gema called to me as she approached. "...are you okay?
We're leaving soon."
I shook my head in response. "I didn't get to say goodbye to Jay-jay.
Maybe I'll look for him."
"I'll see you on vacation."
"Okay." That was all I could answer.
Brother Angelo left the house with his bag. He looked at me
or a moment before turning to face Aunt Gema.
"Let's go?"
Auntie nodded at him and they said goodbye to Grandma.
They kept saying that I would be happy there even though I didn't
eel that way.
We got in the car and when it started, I felt like I wasn't
ready. Brother Angelo was next to me and he kept looking at me.
"Everything will be okay." He told me and ruffled his hair.
What Aunt Gema said was true or, more correctly, Mama. They have already arranged
my birth certificate so that they can legally adopt me.
They also added my name Michael to follow Kuya.
Since I moved in with them, my life has been smooth. I have
my own room and a bathroom. I have lots of clothes, toys, and
books.
Every vacation, I go home to my grandmother and then I go to Jay-jay's
new house that they moved into. It's not far from our old house.
I bring my bike that Kuya Angelo left me as a legacy, and I go to
Jay-jay's. I immediately see him on the road and he doesn't have any slippers.
"Aries!" He calls me while waving.
He can now say my full name. It's funny but
I'm also sad.
"...he's my cousin." He tells his playmates. "...I'm going to go with
him."
Cousin.
I don't know why he calls me that. I know
he was only three years old when I left him, but I never thought
he would forget who I am so quickly.
I tried to put that thing out of my mind. I smiled for a moment and
looked at him seriously.
"You don't have any slippers! Where is it?" I asked annoyed.
He looked at me in surprise. "What again? Did you speak English?"
"Your slippers! Where are they?!"
He scratched the back of his head. "They threw them on the roof."
I raised my eyebrows at him. "Them? Or you?"
He smiled at me innocently. "Both."
I scratched my head violently before motioning for him to get on the bike.
I started it and he even managed to wave to his friends.
His friends were all boys. I couldn't help but wonder why
he acted like a man. Besides that, he was also fighting with them. As we were riding, the wind was hitting us
so his hair
was constantly flying . I accidentally looked at the back of his head and I saw a strange purple mark. There
was also one behind his ear. Even some parts of his arm. I stopped the bike, which surprised him. "What? Why
did we stop?" He asked. "How did this happen?" I asked and grabbed his arm. "Aahhh... It hurts!" He shouted
and pulled his arm back. "That's nothing! Don't pay attention." "Where did you get that?" He shook his head and
tried to avoid looking at me. My hunch wasn't good. The last time we met, I noticed scratches and wounds. I
knew he didn't get that from a simple fight. "Is your stepfather hurting you?" I asked without hesitation . He
suddenly got off his bike. His back was to me. "I'm going home. Let's play tomorrow." He said and ran away. I
was going to follow him but his stepfather might get angry with me. His mom got married. His mom. I don't
know if I should still consider her my mother. All I can think of when I try to call her mom is painful memories.
I chose to go home to Grandma. Jay-jay was the only reason I came here. As I was riding my bike fast, I
noticed the car that was following me. I had already pulled over to the side of the road but he was still
ollowing me. I stopped and he did the same. I looked at the car annoyed. Not long after, the window opened.
A man in a shade smiled at me. "Are you Aries?" He asked. I didn't answer. I looked at him closely and for
some reason I couldn't understand, my heart beat faster. I turned my back on him and sped up my pace. I also
turned into an alley to make sure he couldn't follow. I stopped before exiting the alley and returning to the
main road. I looked behind me. My breath caught because of what I had done. I felt strange because of that
man. I couldn't get that man out of my mind. What's worse, I also see him outside our school. Just like now
while I was waiting for my brother to pick me up. His car was not far away. The window is open and the
smoke from the cigarette he's smoking is coming out. "Aries!" Kuya called to me while running. "...Sorry I'm
late. Let's go." I immediately followed him. There was a time when the car turned around but it didn't move
rom its spot. Who could it be? Why does he keep following me.