DV Series: decoding the boys (under revision) ??

9 - overprotective || edited

I could hear my cousins' crazy laughter above the blaring music coming from the outside. Naka-board shorts na lang sila. They were topless, too, kaya kitang-kita na ang mga pinagmamalaki nilang abs. Nasa gilid ng pool yung mga shot glasses nila. As usual, they were drinking imported hard liquors.

Mathev was the first to jump into the pool. Sumunod si Gian, hatak-hatak si Kuya Jacob. Natawa ako nang umalingawngaw ang malakas at nagmumurang boses ni Kuya Jacob. Nakitalon na rin sina Kuya Onyx at Kuya Paul na sinusubukang lunurin si Kuya Jacob. Parang mga bata!

"O dahan-dahan. Baka malunod si Jacob, a. Iiyak 'yan," asar ni Mathev.

"Gago. Iyak daw," sagot ni Kuya Jacob.

I perched myself on the other end of the pool, sa may malalim na part, just watching them. Kumukuha rin ako ng snapshots of them and the place. Nandito si Kuya Andrei malapit sa 'kin, may kausap sa phone. I didn't want to pry kaya lumayo ako nang bahagya.

Ilang segundo pa, lumabas na si Kuya Chris na may dala-dalang acoustic guitar. Tumabi siya sa 'kin. Sumunod sa kanya si Kuya Nick.

Nagkantahan kami. Kung ano-ano lang na maisipan. Nung pinakakanta nila ako, I requested an Up Dharma Down song. Hindi ko namalayan tumahimik na pala ang mga boys at lumapit sa amin para makinig.

"Nice, Jav. Magaling ka palang kumanta," praised Mathev habang nakahilig sa gilid ng pool. "Bakit 'di ka sumasali sa contests sa school?"

"'Di ko naman. And 'di ko kayang pagsabayin lahat, 'no," sagot ko. Pinaltik ko ng tubig si Gian. "Gi, kanta ka naman."

I dried my hands with the towel and grabbed the guitar from Kuya Chris. Ditosigurado mapapakanta sila. All time favorite namin ito e. I strummed some chords. Sinimulan kong kantahin yung Thunder na agad naman sinabayan nina Gian at Kuya Onyx. Before long, sumasabay na ang lahat. Kahit si Kuya Andrei. Wala na siyang kausap sa phone.

This was our go-to jam.

I bit my lip, playing the guitar and nodding my head to the tune. Nag-eenjoy ako. Sila rin. Dito na nga sila umiinom sa tabi ko. Pinag-aagawan nila yung gitara. Nang si Mathev ang nakakuha, puro Callalily ang tinugtog.

I took a vid when he sang Magbalik.

I couldn't help but admire the emotion beneath my cousin's smooth vocals. There was something in the way he strummed the guitar, as if he was lost in his own world. This image of him always struck me kasi bihira lang magseryoso si Mathev and on the rare occasions that he did, related to his music pa.

"Cheers, my boys," sabi ko after kumanta ni Mathev, raising my own shot glass.

Ngumisi sila.

"To the De Villas," said Kuya Nick. "Bottoms up."

We toasted and downed the shot.

Time passed with us just bonding like that. Jamming lang. I liked this. Gusto ko yung feeling na sa simpleng bagay, nakaka-connect ako sa kanila. Na hindi sila yung famous De Villa na kilala kung saan-saan. They were just simply my bros. In my reach. I really liked this.

Maya-maya pa, tinawag na kami para kumain. Hindi pa man tapos ang lahat, nagpaalam na sina Kuya Onyx at Kuya Jacob. Pupunta na raw sila sa may dagat at nagtatawanan sila nang umalis.

Sumunod na rin sa kanila yung iba pagkatapos kumain. Natira kami nina Kuya Andrei at Kuya Travis na tumulong pa muna magligpit.

Before going to the shore, Dad secured the rooms kung naka-lock. We waited for him outside.

"How was your Youth Camp meeting pala?" marahang tanong sa 'kin ni Kuya Andrei. Kuya Travis looked at me as well.

Hoshet.