“Son, where have you been? We've been waiting for you, and what is that you're carrying?” my dad asked me as he walked toward me, while they were sitting on the bench waiting.
I slowly placed the mirror on the ground, looked at my dad, and answered, "I just bought a mirror, Dad. My old one in the room broke." Dad nodded in response.
I saw Bryan walking toward us carrying takeout from Mang Inasal and some drinks in his hands. It’s probably for his family. He smiled at me, and I smiled back at him. We didn’t stay long at the mall and decided to leave since he still had things to take care of at his workshop, and Mom also had laundry to do.
Bryan took a different route home to bring the food he bought for his family. We waved goodbye before going inside the house. Dad went to their room to get something, probably his tools for the workshop, before he said goodbye to us, saying he needed to go.
Mom went straight to the bathroom outside the house to start the laundry. I wanted to help her because I also wanted to learn how to do laundry so I could wash my own clothes, but Mom didn’t let me. She said she’d rather do it since she didn’t have much else to do in the house, and it also served as exercise for her. So, I left her alone.
I went straight to my room and closed the door properly. I changed into house clothes and sat on the floor. I don’t have many things in my room since it’s small.
I only have a cabinet for my clothes, a wooden shoe rack that I made myself, which is important to me because I have a lot of shoes. I buy them often, and I also join tournaments in our barangay with Bryan. There’s also a bag rack that I made, where I hang all my bags. I have many bags, most of them from the houses Bryan and I robbed.
Yes, we’ve entered many houses.
I opened my brown bag and saw the money inside. I pawned all the jewelry we found in that expensive bag we stole. Of course, I kept three pieces for Mom, Dad, and myself.
My family was happy because of the gifts I gave them. They even asked where I got the money, but I didn’t want to tell the truth because I didn’t want them to worry. I just told them that I have a job now with Bryan and that I earn a lot, which is why I could buy many things for them.
Mom and Dad were happy, so we celebrated as a family. We bought a kilo of lechon, and Mom cooked various dishes like bihon, hotdogs, and more.
I took out a piece of paper tied with a rubber band and started counting it. I even licked my finger before flipping through it.
I never forget to save for my college education and for Nash and Nicole’s school expenses. Nalyn, on the other hand, can’t go to school yet because she’s only five, so she has to wait until kindergarten.
…
After I finished in my room, I helped Mom hang the washed clothes. She couldn’t reach the clothesline that Dad had set up for her.
We went inside after that because Mom’s back was hurting. We stayed in our small living room, sitting on the wooden sofa.
Dad texted us earlier that he’d be home late. Since we were still full and not sleepy yet, I looked at the time and saw that it was exactly nine o’clock. I grabbed the remote on the table, pointed it at the TV, and pressed channel 47.
“You always act like the remote’s going to be stolen,” Nash complained, but I ignored him. I wouldn’t miss this show for anything. I’ll see my inspiration here.
“Nash, let your brother be. That’s how people act when they’re in love,” Mom said, backing me up. Nash looked at Mom, then at me with a smirk on his face. “In love? She doesn’t even know him, and she wouldn’t like someone like you,” Nash said, with extra emphasis.
Because Nash suddenly said that, I fell silent. I know it’s true, but did he have to say it right in front of me, and in that tone?
Even if I’m like this, I can still fall in love with someone, even if they don’t know me or see me.
I got even more annoyed when I saw Prince Theodore’s face on the screen. He was standing next to my princess, both waving to the crowd.
Show-off.
“Is that the prince who’s going to marry Princess Chantria when she’s of age?” Mom asked while adjusting her high-grade glasses.
I was about to answer when Nash interrupted. “Yes, Mama, HER future husband, HUSBAND,” Nash shouted the last word while looking straight at me.
What is this kid’s problem? Why does he seem so angry at me? Is he having his period?
“Well, he’s a handsome boy,” Mom said, praising him while watching the screen. Nash nodded in agreement, which annoyed me even more.
Good thing he's my sibling.
“Pfft, I’m way more handsome than him,” I muttered in frustration. My family ignored me, their attention glued to the TV.
I sighed deeply and went back to my room.
…
I saw the mirror still wrapped in old newspaper next to my cabinet. I walked over, picked it up, and placed it in the center of the room.
I carefully tore off the newspaper, and I was greeted by the most handsome person on Earth.
Me.
I checked the whole mirror, looking up, down, and around it. At the back, I noticed some ancient-looking writing, like something out of Egypt. I recognized it because we studied it in school—yes, I do go to school.
I couldn’t understand it, but it looked like drawings, and there seemed to be a message behind it. But I ignored it and placed the mirror next to my shoe rack.
Before I started cleaning up, I looked at myself in the mirror and was suddenly hit by a cold realization—I had done wrong. The things I stole, the lies I told my family.
Then I remembered the princess when I opened my phone. I had made Princess Chantria’s face my lock screen because I had fallen for her.
This must be wrong.
What would it feel like to stand next to someone so beautiful, someone who lives on this planet? The feeling that everything you want is within reach. That’s what I want—to make her mine.
If I could be a prince in a palace, I would, just to get Prince Theodore away from Princess Chantria.
“I wish I was Prince Theodore, so I could be with the princess,” I whispered in front of the mirror before cleaning up the scattered newspaper and heading out of my room.