Chapter 2

It's Monday, and I've made the decision to get up early. My alarm was set for 5 a.m. I do this before going to bed to ensure that I wake up on time and do not oversleep. Unlike the previous days, the sun shone brightly today. It is no longer raining, and I can see butterflies flitting about Aunt Lila's garden from my room's balcony. One of the things I've noticed while being here is Aunt Lila's love of flowers. I've been living with the Villareals for a week now.

During that one week, I discovered that they are just as warm and welcoming as my parents. Uncle and Aunt Lila treat me as if I were their own child. They never forgot to inquire if I was fine and in good health. They make certain that I am at ease with them. They're presumably concerned about my safety.

I can't say I'm fine right now because it's only been a week since I lost both of my parents, but I'm starting to feel better. Their demise had a significant impact on me. I'm still figuring out how to accept everything. I have dreams occasionally, but recalling the reality that I no longer have my parents with me is more terrible than those nightmares. They will always have a special place in my heart, and it will always be theirs. Their abrupt departure left a void in me that I don't think I'l ever be able to fill.

I shook my head to clear my mind of the depressing thoughts that were slowly beginning to swallow me up again, and instead began getting ready for school. I don't want to start my day off feeling down. Mom and Dad, I'm sure, don't want me to be sad because of them. They probably want me to continue living my life. They will not be please seeing me devastated, so I need to start again, for myself.

I'll be returning to school. Uncle was able to pull some strings and quickly enrol me at brother Alessadre's school. I will be going to my school with my brother. Aunt Lila is delighted to know that I will be going with the same school as my him. She said that she is more comfortable knowing that I will not be by myself at school. They are afraid that I might be crying again.

Brother Alessandre, on the other hand, is still irritated by me. Every time I tried to approach him, he would label me nosy and a sleepyhead. I'm not sure why he is so distant from me. He has a difficult character to decipher. He always had a stern expression on his face. I believe he finds me irritating. Nonetheless, I am grateful to have such a brother.

Slowly, I savored the chill of the approaching Christmas season. It's November, so the cold breeze is expected, especially in the morning. Christmas songs are everywhere, specially on public places, indicating the nearing birth of our savior.

After debating with myself for a few moments about whether to dress up or stay in my pajamas, I decided to act. It's just so relaxing to lie down in a soft, warm bed at this time of year. It's also tough to take a bath because of the cold. Despite the fact that the bathroom had a heater, my entire body was straining to imagine how cold the water was. For my dislike of water, it was a challenging challenge. If only I could skip taking a bath, I will gladly do. But I can't. This is my first day at my new school, I don't want to smell.

I ultimately prevailed after a silent battle with the sea. I was dressed in my new school uniform, which my ever-supportive Aunt Lila had purchased for me. She basically dragged me out of the home yesterday to go shopping at the mall for stuff I'll need. I don't need to buy anything, after all. I still have my school supplies, after all. All I needed was a new school uniform, but Aunt Lila, being the relentless Aunt she is, demanded that I buy new clothes for myself. She advised me to prepare myself, both physically and emotionally, for returning to school. According to my Aunt, the past few weeks have not been easy for me, so I should relax. And for her, relaxing entails going shopping. Aunt Lila is a wonderful person who is both lovely and caring. We went for a walk around the mall and shopped until we were exhausted. She expressed her delight at being able to go out with her daughter for the first time.

I spin around in front of the mirror after putting on my new uniform to inspect my appearance. I look like one of those korean students in the korean dramas that I have watched to kill time. Before leaving the room, I took another look at myself in the mirror. Their uniform is really cute.

I went to the kitchen with glee. As I made my way down, I was lightly leaping and singing. I'm looking forward to studying once more! I'm a little anxious because I'll be attending a new school, which means I'll be meeting a new group of people, but I'm looking forward to it. I just hope I can get along well with my new classmates. It will be more easy if I can.

I was engrossed in my music when I unexpectedly collided with a solid hard wall. The impact nearly knocked me off my feet. I close my eyes and prepare to fall. I've been anticipating for more than a minute but my body did not meet the cold floor.

When someone pokes my forehead, my eyes are still closed. I instantly opened my eyes and was taken aback by brother Alessandre's solemn expression. I blinked and peered into his blue eyes, speechless. He really have the pair of those beautiful blue eyes. It's breath-taking seeing it in a short distance.

He aggressively snarled, "Are you just going to gaze at me, kid? I don't have time to play a gazing game with you, fool."

"Huh?" I inquire, my mind wandering. My response caused his brows to knit in displeasure. What did he say this time? So, what exactly am I doing here? If my memory serves me well, I was supposed to assist Aunt Lila with the preparation of our breakfast. I was even up early this morning. But, as I was walking through the kitchen, I ran into something, or rather, a person. I ran into brother Alessandre, who was currently holding me to save me from falling. Isn't that why he was furrowing his brows at me so dangerously?

I was able to get away from him swiftly. In humiliation, I bit my tongue. I'm unable to look him in the eyes.

I slowly stated, "I... I'm sorry, I just feared I was going to collapse in the floor."

"Tsk. What a pain in the neck you are, child," he muttered coldly before leaving me standing in the corridor, perplexed.

Throughout our breakfast, I was completely silent. I'm still embarrassed about what I did earlier. Uncle and Auntie are talking about something I don't understand. I suppose it's all about their business.

After recalling the business-related item, I recall my father's firm. My father owns and operates a well-known restaurant chain. Our restaurant is well-known not only in the Philippines but even internationally. Who will take care of everything now that my parents are gone? What about our workforce? Does this imply that they will be laid off when our company closes? I'm not going to let that happen.

"Uncle, what will happen to my father's company now that my father is gone? No one will handle it," I worriedly inquired. My father gave his entire life to our company. I can't just throw it away.

"I'm still thinking about it, honey. Your father is a great businessman. But don't worry, I'm not going to let your father's legacy fade away. The truth is, I'm considering running it myself, for the time being. Once you can manage it on your own, then you can have it managed by yourself. Don't worry, I'll discuss this with you and your father's most trusted lawyer." Uncle Sandro said that which made me smile. Despite the fact that I have only recently met him, I am confident that I can rely on him.

"Thank you, Uncle; it means a lot to me." I say with a sincere smile.

"Your father raised you well. He must be pleased of you for appreciating his company. You are one of a kind young lady," Uncle added, smiling.

I only smiled weakly in response to his flattery. I don't have a choice in the matter. For my own sake, I need to be brave. Aunt Lila took my hand in hers and massaged it gently. I gave her a kind grin to let her know I was alright.

"Anna, when you enter your new school, go with your brother Alessandre; I already told him to go with you to your new class; if you need anything, just call him, okay?" "I wanted to take you to your new school, but your Uncle Sandro told you not to; you might get in trouble there," Aunt Lila pouted when Uncle Sandro laughed at what she said.

"What? Anna is my daughter, and I just want to make sure she doesn't feel uncomfortable on her first day of school," Auntie said, rolling her eyes at Uncle.

" Honey, Anna is now a senior in high school." Uncle said. He seemed to love his wife's annoyed expression. How cute is that.

I raised my head and met brother Alessandre's cold blue eyes. I want to shudder at his icy stare. He didn't even bother to smile at me. He just continue eating as if our presence bores him.

She let us depart when we finished eating and after Aunt Lila's lengthy order. Brother and I both got inside the automobile at the same time. We were sitting side by side in the backseat, and if it hadn't been for the faint touch of his arm on my shoulder, I would have assumed I was the only one in the vehicle. He closes his eyes and listens to his airpods' music quietly. Next to him, I was virtually drenched in saliva. I'm not used to being silent, even if I'm not particularly chatty. I couldn't take any more of the deafening silence and gently poke him.

"Are we still a long way away?" I inquire, smiling. His azure eyes pierced my soul. His blue eyes are identical to Uncle's. His brows furrowed. He takes one of his airpods out of his ear and lifts his left brow towards the direction of me.

"Are we still far away?" I inquired again. His brow furrowed a little. He then nodded and replaced his airpods. I shivered. Is it really so difficult to speak the word Yes'? He speaks in hushed tones. Perhaps it's just the number of words he's uttering. He seems to feel compelled to nod. I sulked. Rather of teasing him, I simply focused my gaze on the structures we were passing. My new school appears to be somewhat far away. What will my new school's appearance be like? Will my new classmates be pleasant to be around? I sincerely hope so. Back then, I was friendly. In fact, I was quite obnoxious in class. I'm the gullible kid, but I was reluctant to get close to other people after the tragedy that took my parents' life. I'm frightened of being left alone once more.

In about half an hour, we arrived at my new school. Brother came down without saying a word so I followed. I don't think he speaks because it's fashionable. Maybe he would have used sign language a long time ago if he didn't think he looked silly for doing so. With a shake of my head, I expressed my dissatisfaction with the situation. Instead of pondering how sparingly my older brother spoke, I concentrated on the school in front of me. It's a lot bigger than the previous school where I used to go.

Brother Alessandre merely said, "Let's go." I gave him a nod and followed him. Every student we pass turns on us, or, to put it more bluntly, to my brother. Some of them are muttering as well. Even at school, my brother appears to be well-known. I grinned.

Some interested eyes caught my attention. Perhaps they wanted to know who Kuya was with. I bowed down because I was embarrassed. I'm not looking for attention on my first day here. I simply looked at Kuya, who had furrowed his brow again, as if irritated.

"Hello, babe," a lovely young lady said as she approached us. Before transforming into me, he kissed brother on the lips. She has an astonished expression on her face when she sees me.

"Oh, you have a business; hello, my name is Cassy Esguerra, Ale's girlfriend," she said, waving her hands and smiling broadly. Brother Alessandre seemed emotionless when he glanced at us. What she said startled me a little. Is brother Alessandre already dating someone? Is Uncle aware of this? I stared at brother with scepticism, and brother averted his gaze. Waving back at her made me feel a little self-conscious.

"My name is Annalize Fay," I say sheepishly. My cheeks began to flush.

She even said, "You're so adorable! You're like a bashful cat."

"Are you his cousin?" she inquired brightly. She is very stunning. She speaks to me as if she were a fairy. Her question astounded me. What is my true connection to the Villareals? I do not really know. All I know is that they welcomed me to their house whole-heartedly.

I glanced at brother intently, silently pleading for assistance. Brother swallowed and cleared his throat. Sister Cassy shifted her gaze to him. Because she mentioned she was brother's girl, I decided to call her sister.

"She is my sister," he declared emphatically.

Sister Cassy's reaction is difficult to put into words. She couldn't believe what Brother had said to her. She probably already knew brother was an only child, so she couldn't be surprised. I could only return her smile.

This situation is becoming very uncomfortable for me. I'm not sure I want to talk about it, especially since even I don't know the answer.

Brother saved me by saying, "We'll be late. Let's go." I breathed a sigh of relief. Sister Cassy couldn't help but nod. She also said her goodbyes to us because their professor had requested her to do something.

I gently yanked my brother's shirt as we approached my classroom.

"Can't you tell them about what happened to my family?" I asked, a feeble smile on my face. My eyes are pleading with me. I'm not ready to tell anyone about my family just yet. It's excruciatingly uncomfortable.

"Are you all right?" brother r inquired.

I was taken aback by his query and did not respond right away.

"Don't get me wrong. Well, Mom requested me to keep an eye on you," he explained. I nodded in agreement.

"I know," I answered, a smile on my face. Despite the mention of my family, he looked surprised to see me smiling again.

"I won't tell anyone about your family because you know how much I don't talk," he quipped, presumably to put my mind at ease. I laughed and nodded.

He swallowed and turned to face my room. He appears to be inspecting it. Some of my classmates run their own businesses, conversing with one another. Others, on the other hand, were intently observing us converse. I feel awkward under their scrutinizing gaze. They are like looking through me.

Brother Alessandre said his goodbyes and walked to his own room after a while. My room is a short distance from the Senior High building. He gave me a nod just before he headed toward his own room.

I was asked to introduce myself before the session began, which I expected as a transferee. I simply finished saying my entire name, Annalise Fay Amana, and then returned to my seat. Some of my classmates wave and smile at me and some just ignore me. After that, the session continued, and I was able to relax. I didn't expect my first day at my new school to be that demanding. I just met my brother's girlfriend and was asked who am I.

When I went out of the room for lunch, my brother was waiting for me. I almost forgot to mention that I am still unfamiliar with the cafeteria and other areas of the school, so I will require brother Alessandre"s assistance. It is a relief that my brother is responsible enough not to forget about me.

He gave me a nod when he saw me. I greeted him with a wave.

"Hello, brother!" I was delighted to address him as my older brother, which explains my broad smile. I don't care if he thinks I'm strange for grinning like that. It's one of my ambitions to have an older brother, so no one, including him, can stop me from calling him brother.

"Why are you grinning like that? You freak me out with that crazy smile of yours," he said, his face contorted in confusion. Rather than reducing what he refers to as an obnoxious grin, I expand it merely to drive him off even more.

He couldn't help but shake his head at me. He became the big brother I had always wished for on that day. He looked after me and treated me like a sister. That same day, though, I lost my nice big brother for no apparent reason. He had just started to back away from me. I lost him for no apparent reason.