Chapter 13: States or Stated?

"Hey, we should get going. We shouldn't be late."

I nodded before getting up towards the bathroom to clean my self. Where heading to the States today, as of Carlo's request. Carlo will accompany me even though I said no but he said he's only going there to make sure I won't do anything stupid once we got there. Hey, if I was planning something, it's not like he can stop me. But he also said that he's looking for a new guitar, probably so he can use it on their concert.

He said he'll stay there for two weeks and leave afterwards so that they'll have time to prepare for their band's world tour.

All of my stuff are already there since last week. Carlo made sure that we're only going to bring a small backpack so it wouldn't be so tiring pulling a bag around. All my instruments, clothes, and my art materials are already there. Carlo made a phone call right after I said yes to our agreement. Time sure flies fast.

Breeze was already dressed up, Wearing a cute blue sweater and her new black collar when I went out og the bathroom. I bought that for her a last week. I smiled when I saw him wagging his tail, wanting to play with me.

"No time, baby. We'll play when we get there."

She then lay down on the floor near my bed like she just understood what I said. I smiled and looked inside my small backpack to see if I left anything. I just have a few essentials and oils, my headache medicine, my calculator ( because counting and doing simple maths make me calm down on some occasions.), my journal along with my pen, a lip balm and powder, and then a few pairs of clothes that I'm going to put over me whenever I feel cold.

That's it, nothing left inside this room. It was the same when I first got here. White bed with white sheets, the hospital stuff I prefer not to mention because it will only trigger more memories, a blank bulletin board and a closed window. I heard Carlo's footsteps as he went towards my bed. He pat Breeze's hair before flopping himself on the bed. "We could always just buy you more fidgets." He said.

I turned to look at him and shook my head. "Nah, too expensive." I said. He got up before scanning what I was wearing. I wore a white round neck oversized sweater while I had fitted jeans on the bottoms. Finished it off with white sneakers and a messy bun.

"Are you sure you're wearing that?"

What? Is there something wrong? "I'm comfortable in these." I said.

"I know but don't you want to wear something nice? Like a dress or something?"

"A dress? Carlo, we're going to a hospital so that I can get admitted. Why'd you think I'd want to wear a dress?"

He stared at me for a moment before standing up and ruffling his hair. "Nothing. Never mind." He took out two pills inside the freezer and made his way towards Breeze. The pills were covered in frozen peanut butter to make sure that Breeze wouldn't find out that he has his meds inside. Carlo and I walked down to the elevator and went to the parking lot where a van awaits us. It was heavily tinted, given that my brother is a famous singer that needs protection. Carlo made his personal driver driver drive us until we get to the hospital, so he we will be coming with us on the plane like I suggested.

Breeze was laying on my lap, sleeping peacefully while Carlo is in front of us, snoring. I was just looking outside the windows, forcing myself not to think of anything that would make me remember him. I have a certain feeling that I cannot describe, I wasn't happy but I'm not sad either.

I just....

I felt empty.

It's okay, Aiyah. You wanted this. This is also the only way for you to get you're mind off of that man.

If that was even possible.

Since the airport was still quite far, I forced my self to sleep. I woke up 20 minutes earlier because of Breeze. His voice was starting to get bigger and scarier, so is his height and weight. His barks were once also loud but it was too high pitched so it was more irritating.

Breeze! You're too loud!" Carlo groaned as he looked back at us to glare at Breeze.

"Carlo, are you sure you gave the right pill?" I said as I tried to calm down our beast. Carlo answered my question with a "Hmm." before he tried to sleep again but this time, it was me who disturbed his sleep. I stood up and shaked his shoulders from behind to try to get his senses back.

"Aiyah Klaire!"

I laughed at him. Poor baby.

"We haven't had breakfast yet. I have meds at 10 am, remember?" He nodded and sat down properly with his eyes still closed. "Kuya Arnold, let's stop at the nearest Mcdonalds."

"Aren't we going to just order through drive-thru?" I asked. "I want to have fresh air." He replied. I rolled my eyes when he rolled down the car blinds because the sun was in his side. The van was tinted but he still says that it's too bright when I can barely see a thing here.

We parked in front of store and took a few minutes to look if there's possibly any paparazzi around. Carlo got his shades and cap ready. "I'll kill you if there's paparazzi around." I warned Carlo as he continued to try and hide his face with a face mask.

"Just keep your head low- Ah! What was that for?!"

"You idiot! What if we got into some kind of issue?"

"YOU'RE an idiot! We're siblings, how on earth will we get into an issue?"

"Do they know you're my brother? Did you already told them about me? No?" I said that made him shut up.

"Dumb head."

We got out and for how it seems like forever I saw a new branch of McDonalds. I haven't seen this one for two reasons.

One, I am not allowed to stroll this far or even if I am, I wouldn't risk it because I don't think it's worth it. It was in the middle of busy streets that's covering the space with smoke so no.

Two, I don't really ask Carlo about stuff like the farthest or closest Mcdonalds he knew.

Speaking of the devil, I didn't bother ask him where we are because he was too busy not to be noticed by other costumers.

We sat at the far table and Carlo asked Kuya Arnold to order for us.

Carlo ordered the BFF bundle even though there's only three of us. I didn't say anything about it though.

What? I'm hungry okay?

"Is this still Tagaytay?" I asked.

He nodded and went back to eating.

When we finished, I grabbed my medicine container.

Since I've already memorized the names of it, I just popped it into my mouth, no water included.

"Shit!"

Carlo quickly grabbed all of my stuff when he noticed a flash of camera on our direction.

Oh no!

This is gonna be bad.

We stormed out of the store withouth minding the stares of people around us.

"Klaire, keep your head down!" Carlo said, panicking. Which also made me panic.

Breeze also looked startled of us when we got in the van so he barked at us for a few minutes. Kuya Arnold drove fast just to get us out of there but I think they got our plate number.

When we finally calmed down a bit, I stood up and hit Carlo with all my might.

"Ouch!" He cried. He looked at me with anger and irritation but I looked at him dead in the eye.

Now he's got the nerve to be angry!

"I told you to just go drive- thru!"

This is gonna be a big issue. Carlo's fans doesn't even know he has a sister. I can even imagine the headlines for the Showbiz magazine next week

"Carlo De Guzman, caught eating with his girlfriend on mcdonalds tagaytay!"

"Famous lead singer of the band, Lovelost, having a date with unknown woman"

"Who is this girl eating with famous singer, Carlo De Guzman?"

Argh! These people are getting on my nerves! Can't everybody have the privacy they need? I didn't even plan on getting on one single show with my brother on it.

"Chill. I'm gonna fix this. Okay lil' sis?"

"You should." I closed my eyes and forced my self to sleep even after I'm still bothered by what happened earlier.

I slept.

But I dreamt of him.

Ever since I got back that memory of him breaking up with me, I always dream about new memories that always had him in it

Some were the times where he's courting me, there were some times that I just had my back against the tree and he's laying on my lap, sleeping.

We were so happy. What happened to us?

This time, I dreamt of something different.

"Did you transfer everything to mine?" a voice said.

"Make sure that stupid piece of trash is left with nothing!"

"Aiyah Klaire!"

I jumped due to Carlo's voice. He checked my head to see if I had a fever or something.

"You were dreaming."

I just nodded at him before looking outside. We're at the airport already.

"Fix your hair, we should go now."

We got out of the vehicle and I fixed Breeze's clothes since it was a bit wrinkled from him laying down through out the ride.

"It's a private plane, what's the point of rushing when they're waiting for us?"

"So that you won't slack off."

I rolled my eyes at him and mimicked what he said. Breeze already had a passport so it wasn't that surprising that we had him on board.

Breeze sat beside me while Carlo was behind us this time. There were only two pilots with us, other than that, we were the only ones on board. Carlo closed the blinds on his window and slept. Breeze on the other hand does not seem to be falling asleep just like the pill indicated. He kept on running around and he only stopped when I told him to sit when we were taking off.

Carlo woke up when Breeze started barking uncontrollably and ran around the cabin. He then just decided to force himself not to sleep and just something to calm him down.

Carlo asked me if I wanted wine, which he is currently drinking. "I'll just have coffee." I said.

It was a quick flight, which made me confused. It was supposed to be hours, why was it only 30 minutes? When we got down, that's when I noticed something was wrong. This isn't the airport we landed on last time we went to the states.

'Maybe this is a new airport.' I just said in my mind.

Carlo had another van who picked us up to the hospital and that drive really made me sleep. I just woke up when Carlo tapped my shoulder and told me we were already here.

All the blinds were closed and I figured it was almost 12 midnight here. But when I opened the door, I was surprised to actually close my eyes because of a bright light.

Are those cameras? Were we followed??

I was having irrational thoughts but that vanished when I felt warm light touching my skin. Why is there still sun light here? Did we come too early?

.

.

.

.

.

"WELCOME HOME, AIYAH!"

I felt my self tearing up from joy when I saw my family members from the mother side welcome me.

Why are they here? I looked around and noticed that we are nowhere near the hospital. THIS IS MARINDUQUE!!

"Wha-"

I turned to Carlo and met his smiling eyes. I ran towards him and hugged him tight, whispering my thanks.

"Is this the new 'states'?" I teased.

"Oh shut up, you know I can't say no to you." I laughed and hugged him again before i ran towards Nanang.

An 84 year old woman with her clothes all wrapped around her like she didn't mind the heat welcomed me. She's my grandma.

She looked more pale. It concerned me but I was blinded by her smile.

God, I missed her.

She was my comfort, she was beside me when I was still having trouble at night. I always had a fear about storms, thunder, and lightnings and she was there when I needed someone by my side.

She was my second mom.

"You're looking like your mother every day that passes." She said and smiled at me. I greeted my other relatives and we all agreed to eat at the beach.

We went to my Nanang's house, which is the ancestral house of the Hermoso's. All of my Aunties got busy preparing food while my Uncles was cutting down banana leaves

"Eya" My tita called. She called me by my nickname here, since all of the folks here have an accent. "Go upstairs. We fixed your old room. Get dressed up, young lady! All your cousins are in the beach having fun while you're all covered in that." She said as she pointed out my outfit.

I smiled as I walked towards her with my head shaking no. "Let them be, tita. I'll just help you guys here."

My hands was hit with a stick even before I reached the apron. Nanang was holding her stick the usual thing she always carried around ever since we were little.

She gave me a glare before looking up the stairs, signaling me to go. "Come on now, Eya. We can do this. Go up there and get dressed. I heard that Carlo's band mates are also there, already soaked. Go! We'll go deliver this there later."

They managed to push me until we reached the first step of the stairs. I looked back at them and they both glared at me, making me sigh in defeat. We have ten rooms in this mansion in total. three story mansion with a roof deck, five rooms on the second floor, four rooms on the third floor and a room on the roof deck, which was Carlo's. Originally it was supposed to be mine but Carlo insisted that we should swap rooms because he said:

"You'll be damn showering in your own sweats before you even got to the roof deck. Get your stuff and go inside your new room."

Even in such a young age, he was still so bossy.

I looked around my room. All of my things are in there rightful spaces. The teddy bear that I always had with me was on top of my bed. All of my clothes and my art projects were also on the right places. I'm guessing that tita was the one that fixed everything. I lived here with Carlo until when I was 10 and doctors needed a closer look on me so they decided to make me live in Manila doctors hospital for a few months before I came back here again to get ready for the flight to the WHO Headquarters. That also explained why I was close to my cousins and my other relatives here.

After having a final look around, I decided to go inside the cr and change clothes. I wore white denim shorts that were only a few inches above my knees and partnered it up with a blue and white striped long sleeve polo. I left three buttons on the top opened at two at the bottom, so it was really just two buttons in the middle closed and kept my shirt together.

You can see the lace of my black two pieced bikini that I'll use later for swimming. I didn't wanna go walk towards the beach wearing only that laced bikini with a towel on my shoulder. I'd shiver to embarrassment before I even got there.

(The beach was only a walking distance from our mansion, for only the front yard was the in the middle. I was really too shy to show up in that)

I let my hair down and grabbed a scrunchie and put it in my right wrist. I also added sun screen before going down because I could never rely on Carlo to put it on me. When I got there, my cousins were going wild playing and splashing water to each other. Breeze was running around like a freak while he chased down one of my cousins.

"Aiyah? You look good!" I flinched when heard someone from behind. It was Kyle, one of Carlo's band mates. We weren't that close but I was trying not to be that snob girl everybody else thought so I smiled at him. "Kyle! When.. when did you guys arrived? I didn't see a van when we got here so..?"

"A few hours before you guys came. We surprised Carlo." He said, smiling. Wow, is he really this friendly? I nodded and turned around when someone shouted.

"Eya! Come on already!" My cousins shouted. They were all running around and laughing loudly, like idiots I might say.

"Later!" I shouted back. I approached Carlo who was looking behind me, or Kyle, like he was going to kill someone. I ruffled his hair so his attention went back to me.

"What did Kyle said?"

I sat beside him before answering. "He said that he's head over heels for you."

He chuckled so I smiled too. "Dumbass."

We talked until that lead to a fight again. He moved towards me and tried to button my shirt but I hit his hand midway, stopping him from buttoning it up. I gave him a glare but he just doubled it.

"Can you stop that? I didn't bother you about what you were wearing."

He flicked my forehead, making me wince in pain. Ah! That hurt! He started to get up while I still held my forehead, letting it cool down from the heat he put in by flicking me. Teary eyed I stood up to get my sweet revenge but he just ran away, laughing like the idiotic guy he is.

"CARLO! JUST WAIT TILL I GET YOU!" I screamed. His laughter sounded like it reached the other side of the beach. He didn't bother looking back at me and just kept on running.

The heat must've affected me because I stopped under a palm tree just to catch my breath and ease my nerves. I sat down and hugged my knees, silently praying Carlo wouldn't look back because if he sees me like this it will be quite obvious that he would sent me back to Tagaytay. Or even worse, STATES!

I was still processing my thoughts, calculating every possible alibi I can say to Carlo once he turns around when I saw a bottle in front of me.

It was held by a familiar pale and skinny hand, making my hearth thump loudly. Slowly I looked up, it took a moment before I even saw who he is because my eyes adjusted on the light.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Just.. Just tell me one thing, what the hell is this damn guy doing here?!