Chapter-357 Convincing

Jay-Jay's POV

Aries and I were engrossed in conversation. We were sitting on the floor of his room, munching on snacks and candies, with some soft drinks on the side. This was our midnight snack.

This was our kind of bonding.

We were hanging out here because Kuya would scold us if he saw us in the kitchen. Mama was in my room, fast asleep. I left her there while she was in deep sleep. I'm sure she'd join us if she knew I was with my brother, but really, I didn't want her to. She and Aries would just end up fighting.

"If the enemies had guns, why did you still rush in there?" he asked me, referring to what my Kuya and I did when we stormed into Yuri's house.

"Of course, I was worried, and kuya drove us there," I answered, suddenly remembering Kuya's gun. "Did you know Kuya has a side hustle?" I asked before taking a sip of the Sprite in the can I was holding.

"Side hustle" he repeated.

No, frontline.

"He has a gun," I said in the same tone as gossiping aunties on the street corner.

"He does," he replied, like he already knew everything. "He even takes me to a shooting range to teach me."

I stared at him, feeling like I'd been cheated. He knew, and Kuya even took him to learn.

"Why? What's it for?"

"He said it's just a hobby. I even see your teacher there."

I paused for a moment. "Sir Alvin?"

He nodded before grabbing a gummy worm and eating it.

Sir didn't look like someone who would hold a gun. Plus, he's the type who would rather settle things peacefully than point a gun at someone. Maybe he just tried it for a change.

What if that's how he relieves the stress we cause him? Maybe he imagines our faces on the target. No wonder he's so calm in class — he lets out his anger at us there.

We're doomed.

"I want to try it too. Take me with you next time."

He grimaced. "No way. You might make us the targets."

I stuck my tongue out at him. I wasn't that mad at them to point a gun at them. Sure, I wanted to slap my brother sometimes, but I wouldn't go that far.

He's overthinking.

Kuya might even shoot me first before I could even load a bullet.

I opened another pack of gummy candies and poured them into the clear bowl in front of us. I stopped when Aries took a picture of it and started typing on his phone. I looked at him curiously, and he noticed right away.

"I sent it to Ella. She's still awake," he said, and I responded indifferently.

"Like I care."

He quickly frowned and rolled his eyes at me before going back to typing. That's how he is—when it comes to his girlfriend, he always snaps at me. You'd think his girlfriend's beauty is made of gold.

Hope you two never break up.

"You're so head over heels with your girlfriend, huh?" I asked sarcastically, and he rolled his eyes at me again.

"As I should be. What, you expect me to be into with someone else while I'm with her?" he replied.

"Well, look at you, Mr. Loyal."

"Unlike yours," he shot back, catching me off guard. "I in a few years, I guess he'll start seeing another girl."

I pointed at him. "Ha! Good thing it's just your guess. Means it won't come true. That's why it's called a 'guess'."

"It could be true. Like the answers you guess on your exams."

"And Is your Ella loyal to you?" I asked annoyed, and he stared at me as if saying I already knew the answer.

"She doesn't need to be loyal. As long as she comes back to me."

I grimaced. "What kind of nonsense is that?" I felt like slapping him to snap him out of his love-struck state.

"Look, she made a mistake, but we're okay now."

"Wow, so spineless," I said, and he reached out to pinch me, but I slapped his hand away.

We really are siblings.

He went back to his phone to type a message. I decided to check my phone too and message random people — just to pretend I had someone to talk to. But it seemed like Keifer and the other ulupongs were already asleep. Only one of them replied.

Percy...

From: Percing...

Message: Why are you still awake? Not good for your health.

I pouted. He was awake too, so he should be the one going to sleep. It's not good for his health either.

I replied anyway.

To: Percing...

Message: Midnight snack.

I sent him a picture of the food we were eating. Aries's leg got caught in the shot, and Percy noticed it right away.

From: Percing...

Message: Is that Aries? So you're not mad at him anymore? Nice!

I was about to answer when another message from him came in.

From: Percing...

Message: Did he inform you about his plan to convince your mom?

What plan? And why does he know about it?

I turned to my brother, who was drinking Coke from the can he was holding. He was still looking at his phone while doing so. He really can't take his eyes off his girlfriend.

"Did you talk to Percy?" I asked, and he stopped drinking to answer.

He coughed a little. "Yeah, we saw each other earlier."

My mouth formed an "O." I thought he was still mad at that storm of a guy. I couldn't imagine him willingly going to see my stepbrother. Or maybe he went there to pick a fight, but that didn't seem to be the case since Percy was a calm person.

Well, as calm as he could be.

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He coughed again. "To talk about my plan, so you can finally see Papa. I want to make up for things."

I wanted to clutch my heart. I was thrilled by what he said. He wants to make up for his mistakes, so he came up with a plan. But I still can't fully accept him calling Papa "Papa."

It's probably fine, though. He'd already admitted that Papa treated him like his own son. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Aries and I just acknowledged the same father.

I paused for a moment. Where was his real father, anyway? I wanted to ask, but I was afraid he wouldn't take it well. He might think I was pushing him toward his real dad.

Next time, maybe.

"I like this making-up plan of yours," I said, twirling a gummy worm in the air before popping it into my mouth. 

"Before that, just a firm reminder — don't act without thinking," he advised, and I nodded.

"So what's the plan?"

"First, we need to cool your mom's temper. We need to ease her anger and make her feel pity with how hard it is for you not to see Papa," he began. "Once she feels sorry, we can convince her to let you see him."

Not a bad idea. Lately, I'd realized her blood still boils when it comes to Papa. Her hatred ran deep, but I was willing to gamble just to convince her.

"If we can't calm her anger toward Papa, then at least we can open her mind to the idea of letting you two meet," he added.

"But how? We always end up fighting whenever I bring up the topic of seeing Papa."

He fell silent for a moment before taking a sip from his can. He looked deep in thought. He really was on another level when he put his horoscope brain to work. I just grabbed some more snacks and munched on them while watching him think.

"Don't say it to her directly. Think of something else to say that will lead to that topic," he suggested.

Wow. Smart.

My stupidity was jealous of how quickly he came up with a solution. I wished I'd inherited even just a little bit of his intelligence. We're siblings, but it seemed like he got all the brains.

So unfair.

I nodded in agreement, pretending I was smart enough to figure out what to do. But I had a feeling this would just lead to another fight with my mom. We were both too stubborn.

I wonder where we got that from.

I paused to think. What's Papa like? Did I inherit anything from him? He's an engineer, so he's probably smart. Looks-wise, maybe just a little, since many say I resemble Mama.

According to the gossiping neighbors in the province, Mama was beautiful even as a kid. Her complexion stood out compared to her siblings, so they knew right away she wasn't Grandma's daughter. They said she was a charmer, even with tattered clothes while playing in the streets.

She was always invited to barangay beauty pageants, but Grandpa never allowed it. There was even a rumor someone offered her a chance to be an actress, but they weren't sure. It's just gossip, after all.

The thing is, they said Mama's attitude was absolutely awful. She had a sharp tongue and picked fights with anyone, even those older than her. When her bad temper kicked in, everyone steered clear of her.

That's not surprising.

If I did inherit anything from her, I wish it had just been her beauty. But our bloodline's a mess—I got her sharp tongue out of all her traits. That's probably why I get so many offers… offers for a fistfight.

I really hope I inherited something good from Papa. It would be so sad if everything I got came from Mama.

I glanced at Aries. He's already met Papa. He's probably noticed some similarities between me and him.

"Aries... what kind of person is Papa?" I asked, and he quickly answered.

"He's a down-to-earth person. He enjoys the little things, like you. He also doesn't spend much on himself. He's strict when it comes to work and giving orders, but in a good way."

I'm not strict. I'm down-to-earth — well, I'm practically dirt-poor. I do enjoy the simple things—I had fun with Ci-N, didn't I? That's one similarity so far. 

"Sometimes he's stubborn. I also noticed that when he wants something, he makes sure he gets it." He looked at me. "That's so you."

I was about to smile at another similarity, but I grimaced. Why did it have to be stubbornness and always wanting to get my way? I'm not like that—well, maybe a little.

"Am I really like that? I know I'm stubborn, but I don't always force my way."

"And that's exactly why you're hard-headed. Because you keep trying to get what you want," he explained, annoyed. "Want an example?"

I pouted and shook my head. Fine, I admit I'm stubborn and get what I want. At least Papa and I are alike.

I'm not alone.

"What about our appearance? What's similar?" I asked again.

He paused, as if trying to recall Papa's face.

"Maybe the eyes. But you really look more like your mother."

"Ours," I corrected. "You call the man who isn't your father 'Papa,' but you can't call our mother 'Mama.'"

"Has she ever acted like a mom?" he asked seriously. "Your dad, at least, made me feel like he was my father, even though we're not blood-related."

I stared at him. His resentment toward Mama runs deep. I feel the same way, but I couldn't deny that I still longed for her. I'm angry at her, but I still feel like I need her and want to be with her.

I still want to feel like I have a mother.

"Don't you ever miss her? hat feeling of being with your real mom?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Mama Gema already filled that role for her."

And Grandma did that for me.

"Not even sometimes?"

He went quiet.

"Not even for a moment?"

I pressed.

"Not even for a second?"

He looked at me like he was debating whether to tell the truth.

"Not even for a split second?"

He let out a heavy sigh. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Not even like this?" I raised two fingers, pretending to peek through the tiny gap between them.

Just a little.

He looked away before giving a slight nod. I burst out laughing, pointing at his face.

"You admitted it!" I teased.

He immediately rolled his eyes at me.

"What about you? Have you forgiven your mom?" he asked, turning the tables.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure. I know there's still anger, but I don't know. I keep hoping she'll make it up to us."

"Will she ever make it up? She prioritizes everything else," he said, irritated.

He had a point. She's had so many chances, but she's busy looking for a new husband to introduce to us. But in the end, they left her too, scared off by what Papa did.

But why would Papa break them up like that?

"Do you think… Papa wants to get back with Mama?"

He suddenly burst into loud laughter, even choking a bit from it.

The jerk was having the time of his life.

"I don't know, and I don't wanna know," he replied, making me grimace.

What's wrong with them getting back together? I've heard plenty of stories about ex-couples reconciling. Sometimes their relationship becomes even stronger.

It's probably not bad to hope.

"Let's finish these snacks and go to bed," I said, digging into the remaining chips.

He did the same, finishing his can drink as well. Once everything was gone, we cleaned up the mess together. We took out the trash and washed the clear bowl we used.

After cleaning up, we went back to our rooms. I headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up briefly.

Once I was done, I lay down on my bed. I glanced at Mama, who seemed to sleeping soundly.

"How was it?" she asked, startling me so much I jolted upright.

I thought she was asleep.

"You scared me!" I said, clutching my chest.

"You two seemed to be having a lot of fun talking — your laughter was so loud," she said, adjusting her position to face me. "Even Angelo was disturbed."

My eyes widened. We almost got in trouble. But why didn't she come into the room to scold us?

"How did you know?"

"I ran into him on my way to the kitchen."

Did she overhear what we were talking about?

"Was our voices that loud?"

She shook her head. "Just your laughter."

I let out a small sigh of relief. I thought she'd found out about our plan.

"Go to sleep. You have school tomorrow," she ordered, closing her eyes again.

"Okay..." I replied.

I tried closing my eyes and finding the right position to sleep. I'd already tossed and turned on the bed so many times, but I still couldn't fall asleep. I even put a pillow under my feet, but it didn't help. I tried lying on my stomach, on my back, and on my side, but nothing worked. Maybe I shouldn't have had that soft drink or eaten those candies. My brain was still way too hyper.

How am I supposed to sleep like this?

"Why are you so restless?" Mama asked, clearly sleepy and annoyed, her voice groggy.

"I can't sleep," I said, pouting.

I turned to her and saw her struggling to open her eyes to glance at me.

"Count sheep."

"Let's just talk," I suggested, but she immediately turned her back on me.

"I'm sleepy. Don't drag me into your insomnia."

I felt annoyed with her. Was it my fault I couldn't sleep?

I gave her a slight push. "Why are you sleeping here again? Move to your own room," I said, annoyed.

She didn't face me. "You're gonna get it."

"There are so many rooms in this house, and you're squeezing in here," I added, pushing her lightly again. "Move already."

She tried to swat my hand but missed, so I kept pushing her.

"Jay!" she scolded. "Let me sleep. Don't drag me into your late-night nonsense."

I ignored her and kept going. I couldn't help but smile because I could feel her irritation, which she was trying so hard to hold back.

I hope your sleepiness goes away.

"Go already. Go to another room." I said and suddenly she turned to face me. I thought she was going to get mad, but instead, she hugged me tightly, pinning my arms and hands against my chest.

"Let's see if you can still move now," she said, closing her eyes again.

I didn't move and waited for her to fall asleep so I could free myself. She went quiet, and her breathing deepened. I counted a few minutes before trying to escape, but I failed because she'd turned me into her pillow.

"Hey…" I whispered. "Mama, are you asleep?"

No response.

"Hey… Mama," I whispered again.

I heard a soft groan from her. I still couldn't sleep, so I decided to talk to her even though she was asleep.

Hehe… I hope you dream about this.

"Mama…" I whispered right into her face. "Can I have some money?"

She mumbled something unclear, but I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Mama… I'm pretty, right? Prettier than you. Be jealous."

"S-Sure," she mumbled softly, and I giggled quietly.

"Ma… I'm getting a boyfriend. His name's Keifer."

"Mmhh…"

My grin stretched wide. If only I could laugh out loud, I would've done it by now. Too bad I couldn't record this to show her later. My arms were pinned though, so I didn't know how.

Then I got a brilliant idea. And I knew exactly how to use it on her.

Yes, I'm a genius.

I struggled to free one arm and reached for my phone under the pillow. I quickly opened the camera and started recording her.

"Ma… do you love me and Aries?" I whispered.

"Yes," she answered.

"What about Papa? Do you still love him?"

Her forehead creased, but I didn't get a reply. 

"Papa said he wants to get back together with you," I teased, and her frown deepened even more. "He said he still loves you."

I wanted to laugh because she suddenly seemed to sulk at what I said. Her nose scrunched up and her eyebrows knitted together in displeasure

Even in her dreams, she's angry.

"He said he won't stop until you two sort things out. Are you okay with that?"

"No," she replied curtly.

"He said he'll only stop if you let me see him. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes."

I almost screamed with excitement. I quickly stopped the video and hid my phone. I finally had something to use if our plan with Aries fell through. I was thrilled at the thought of finally getting Mama to agree.

I bit my lip while looking at her. All I needed was to catch her asleep to get her to agree. If only I'd done this sooner, I wouldn't have struggled so much. 

"Y-your…" she murmured. "Your papa… will kill."

My smile faded and was replaced by fear. Who was Papa going to kill?

"He'll kill… our child…"

Who was she talking about?

I suddenly remembered what Percy had told me about my grandfather. I thought he was referring to my Papa, but it seemed like he was talking about Papa's father. 

I wanted to wake Mama up and ask about what she just said, but I realized she wouldn't talk if she was awake. 

She made another soft groan and slowly spoke again.

"Our children… so naughty," she said, and a gentle smile crept onto her lips.

I don't know why, but a tear unexpectedly rolled down my cheek as I watched my mother, who seemed to still share some invisible connection with her ex-husband.

With my Papa.