"Another card? What will I do with this?" I asked myself as I walked along the hallway through our classroom.
This ain't surprising. Everyday I am always receiving this letter and until now I don't know who the sender is. My nanny will just give it to me saying someone dropped it and she just happened to pick it up. I tried blackmailing her but in the end, I am the one who gets blackmailed. Thanks to my loving brother.
I opened the heart shape red envelope and pulled out the red colored paper inside. It was cut into half and folded into two. I opened the letter and began reading what was written.
I didn't last for a minute because of the penmanship and the combination of colors. She used dark red paper and a red ink pen. Who in the world will last reading such an eye sore combination?
"Hi Nigel!" someone greeted me from behind.
The moment I turned to see her, I think my heartbeat stopped as well as the rotation of the Earth. Her smile is so bright that the sun will get ashame. Her eyes is sparkling that will make the star hide. Wow.
"H-hi Vanessa," I greeted back.
I almost cursed myself for stuttering. Damn! Damn! Damn!
"What's that?" she asked gazing at the paper I was holding.
I immediately hide it behind me and shrugged my head. I won't forgive myself if she gets jealous.
"Hmm nothing! I just picked it up somewhere and was about to throw," I answered trying not to sound so nervous.
"Eh? It was a letter! I saw a heart shape," she insisted while pouting.
Oh! Damn! Damn! Damn! Why is she so cute! Are you trying to kill me, God?
"Someone asked me to hand this to my brother." I lied? Did I really lie?
I don't want to lie to you My Lovely Vanessa but this is a white lie. I don't want you to get jealous. I don't want you to get mad at me.
I don't want you to stop eating lunch with me. I don't want you to stop talking to me. Worst case, I don't want you to break up with me! Argh! Damn! Damn! Damn!
"Really? I envy your brother. I want to receive a card too," she said in a really cute way.
Man! Everything she does is cute to me. But wait- did she just said she wants a card?
If she wants, then I won't attend today's classes. I will going to spend my entire day creating a card for her. Hah!
•••••
"That's too plain. Rejected!" I complained while throwing all the papers that they set up in my table.
How can they be so stupid? I am going to make a love letter for the girl I love but they are giving me these cheap papers. If only mom is here I'll ask her right away to fire these maids.
"But young master, we don't have any paper left on the storage," one of them has the courage to reason out.
"You think I care? If you need to search every corner of France to find the paper that I want, then do it. That is if you still want your job. And if you don't, I'll ask my mom not to give you a good recommendation letter."
I saw them gulped and looked at each other. Hah! They are afraid to loose their job.
"What are you waiting for? I need every single pa-"
"Will you shut your mouth Nigel!"
I hurriedly shut my mouth when I heard the thunderous voice of none other than my brother, Rigel. I bit my lower lip to force my mouth not to open. I glanced at his hand and I saw him holding a book about shares and stocks.
Is this the end for me? I didn't even have the chance to confess my undying love for Vanessa. Hah! I won't let it happen! I am not scared with my brother!
"I-"
"What is this fuss all about?!" he shouted again angrily.
I can now imagine my brother's horn beginning to grow. I looked up only to look down immediately because of the horrifying gazes that he is sending to me. Nothing beats the scary Rigel.
"I'm asking you Nigel. Don't just look at those trash," he said defining the papers on the floor.
"I'm asking them to find me a paper."
"That's it? And you make such a huge fuss about it?"
He hastily throw the 4 inches thick hardbound book he was holding in the glass table. It caused a slight crack and they know for sure that whatever happens here is their fault.
Hah! It will never be my fault.
"I was asking for coffee but no one followed me."
"We're sorry Young Mas-"
"Sir," he corrected her. "Call me young master again and I'll be the one to throw your things outside."
The maid just bowed her head and muttered sorry. I don't know how many times I gulped when his gaze turned to me. It felt like a lightning is ready on struck me.
"Make a fuss again and I'll tear every single piece of paper in this house," he warned me and I thought he will leave already but he pointed one of our maid. "Get all the papers that you will see on my room," he demanded.
Why didn't I thought about it! My brother likes to paint and he has his own art room. Hah! My brother loves me that much!
"Shall I make you a coffee, sir?" one of the fifteen maids asked.
"You're drinking coffee again, Kuya," I uttered. It took me all my courage to speak. My hands are still shaking and my heart is still beating that fast.
Damn Kuya! Why do you need to be that scary?!
"Milk is for kids. I don't like the taste of it," he answered plainly.
"We are on the same age. We're both kids. We are just 9 years old," I informed him.
Looks like he forgot again. He's acting like a grown up even if he's just 9 years and 3 months older than me.
How did that happened? My dad happens to be a very skilled shooting guard. He shoot the ball even if it is not on his court. Those who didn't get it, hah! just burry yourselves.
He didn't answered me instead he picked up the book he threw earlier. See? We are just on our fourth grade and yet he's reading a book about business. My brother is really boring. Unlike me? Even if I don't study that hard I can manage to be on the top 5.
"What will you do with these papers?"
"I'm going to give it to Vanessa." I didn't bother lying to him. I know that he knows about me liking her.
"Don't waste so much effort on girls," he commented and didn't let me argue because he immediately went outside.
Hah! If it is Vanessa I will do anything.
•••••
"FOR you Vanessa," I said while handing her the card which I made with all my heart.
I woke up earlier than the usual just to prepare myself. I sprayed all the perfume on my clothes and it made the dragon angry early in the morning. If mom didn't arrived I am probably beaten so badly by him.
I totally forgot that he banned any perfume inside our house. He gets irritated just by seeing one. What more if he smell it.
"Is this really for me?" she asked while her eyes are glistening. I was starstruck that I even forgot how to breathe.
"Yes. You said you want to receive a card too, right? So I made you one," I answered while looking sideways.
"Thank you Nigel!" she exclaimed as she gave me a hug.
I can imagine how red my face is now. Whenever she smiles at me I know my cheeks turn red what more if she hugs me. Even more if she kiss me.
But hah! We are too young for that.
"I really appreciate this and promise! I will going to keep this," she burst out without taking off her sweet smile.
She's really delighted.
Damn! My heart is melting.
"Nigel someone is looking for you." The sweet moment between me and Vanessa was interrupted by one of our classmates.
I get out from our room looking annoyed. I was about to shout to whoever called me but I saw the terrifying gazes of my brother.
Without further ado I immediately run for my life. This is what my brother dislikes, getting worked up. He loathes physical fitness class.
After I manage to escape from my deadly brother I decided to get back to our classroom. I know he didn't chase me. He just let me run all over the campus as my punishment. I am on my way to our classroom when I bumped in into one of our janitors. He's carrying a trashcan so I didn't bother arguing with him. Besides, I salute all janitors. They always make our classroom clean and dust free making my brother study well. But something from the trashcan fell.
It looks so familiar and that made me pick it up. At first I don't want to believe but hah! it is already in front of me.
A DNA result saying that I am not a real Streus? Nope.
A crumpled paper. No. A crumpled version of the letter I gave to her. It is really the letter I gave to her.
Is the trashcan her new bag now? Damn!
••••
"What's with that face?" tanong ko sa kanya nang mahuli siyang nakatingin sa akin ng parang ewan.
Hindi ko alam kung iiyak siya o tatawa.
"Hindi ko kasi alam kung i-congratulate kita o iiyak ako," sagot niya habang nakalabi pa.
"Why?"
"Nakaka-iyak kasi 'yung pagbubuwis mo ng buhay sa kamay ng kuya mo ay tinapon lang niya," sagot niya habang hinahagod hagod pa ang likod ko.
"Congrats?"
"Sa wakas! Medyo mapuputol na ang kahibangan mo kay Vanessa. Congratulations!" she exclaimed as she clap her hands.
Napa-iling na lang ako sa ginawa niya ngunit hindi nkaligatas sa apat kong mga mata ang paghulma ng ngiti sa mga labi niya. Ngiti na sinasabing ayis lang iyon.
What if I am not the kind of person to fall easily?
Will I be able to see this heart-stopping smile of hers?
-Nigel Streus-
Bakit puro English? Kasi nasa France sila. Huwag mag-alala 5 chapters lang ang ganyan.