July 10.
Dear Diary,
Bakit ganoon? Sometimes the person who is supposed to protect you is the same person who accidentally pushes you into the fire.
Today, Kuya Marcus decided to be the 'protective older brother,' but it backfired so badly. He thinks he’s guarding me from 'college boys,' not realizing that the real danger is sitting right across from him, drinking a beer and talking about Literature.
Tonight was supposed to be a chill Friday night. But with Marcus’s jokes and Luke’s silence, it felt more like a courtroom.
.
The Friday night air was cool, and the scent of grilled liempo wafted through the backyard. Marcus had set up the grill, and as usual, Luke was there. It was their tradition—beer, grilled meat, and loud music to cap off a long week of work and school.
I was sitting on the porch swing, pretending to read a book for Luke's class, but I was actually just watching them.
"Hoy, Caroline! Tama na 'yan. Friday night tapos nag-aaral ka pa rin?" Marcus shouted, waving a spatula. "Luke, masyado mo yata pinahihirapan 'tong kapatid ko sa school, ah."
Luke, who was leaning against the wooden railing with a bottle of San Mig Light in his hand, glanced at me. He looked effortlessly cool in a plain white shirt and khaki shorts—a far cry from the stiff suits he wore at the podium.
"She’s a diligent student, Marcus," Luke said, his voice smooth. "But she does have a tendency to overthink the material."
"Naku, mana sa akin 'yan. Overthinker," Marcus laughed, then turned his gaze back to me.
"Anyway, CC, sino yung lalakeng naghatid sa'yo kanina? Yung naka-Honda? I saw you from the window."
I felt my face heat up. It was just a classmate, Justin, who had offered me a ride to the gate because it was raining. "Classmate ko lang 'yun, Kuya. Pinahiram lang ako ng payong."
"Classmate o suitor?" Marcus teased, nudging Luke with his elbow. "Dapat i-screen natin 'yan, 'di ba, Luke? You’re the Professor. Check the guy’s records. Kapag mababa ang grades, bawal lumapit sa kapatid ko."
I saw Luke’s grip tighten on his beer bottle. He didn't laugh. He didn't even smile.
"I don't think that’s necessary," Luke said coldly.
"O, bakit seryoso ka?" Marcus asked, oblivious. "Protective din dapat tayo. You know how guys are in uni. Lalo na kay CC, baby sister natin 'to."
Baby sister. The word felt like a slap. I looked at Luke, hoping to see a hint of protest in his eyes, but he was staring at the grill.
"She's 22, Marcus," Luke said, his voice unusually sharp. "She's not a baby. If she wants to date, she’s old enough to choose for herself."
Marcus blinked, surprised by Luke’s tone.
"Whoa, easy lang, Prof. I was just joking. Bakit parang high-blood ka? Galit ka ba kasi tinawag kitang 'kuya' guard?"
Luke took a long swig of his beer before looking Marcus in the eye. "Just stop treating her like a child. It’s... insulting to her."
The tension was so thick I could practically see it swirling with the smoke from the grill. I stood up from the swing, my heart racing. Why was Luke defending me? Was it out of respect, or was it because the idea of me dating someone else actually bothered him?
"It's okay, Kuya," I intervened, walking toward them. "I can handle myself. And Luke is right. I’m graduating soon. Hindi na ako yung batang sinusundo mo sa nursery."
"Fine, fine! Magsama kayong dalawa. Kampihan talaga, eh," Marcus grumbled, though he was smiling again.
"Sige na, CC, kumuha ka na ng plato sa loob. Gutom na 'tong Professor mo, baka lalong maging masungit."
Inside the kitchen, the silence was a relief. I was reaching for the stack of plates in the upper cabinet when I heard the screen door creak open and shut.
I didn't turn around. I knew the rhythm of his steps.
"You don't have to stay out there if they're annoying you," Luke said from behind me.
"I'm fine. Kuya is just being... Kuya," I replied, struggling to reach the top shelf.
Suddenly, a warm presence loomed over me. Luke stepped into my space, his arm reaching over my head to grab the plates I couldn't reach. For a moment, I was trapped between the counter and his chest. I could hear his steady breathing. I could smell the faint mix of charcoal and his expensive cologne.
He didn't move away immediately after grabbing the plates. He stayed there, looking down at me.
"About what Marcus said..." he whispered.
"Which part? The 'baby sister' part or the 'screening my suitors' part?" I asked, looking up at him. Our faces were inches apart.
"The part about dating," Luke said, his eyes darkening. "Is it true? That guy with the Honda... do you like him?"
My breath caught in my throat. This wasn't the Professor talking. This wasn't the family friend. This was something else. "Bakit mo tinatanong? Are you going to fail him if I say yes?"
A muscle jumped in his jaw. "I'm asking because..." He paused, his gaze dropping to my lips for a fraction of a second before he pulled back, creating a cold distance between us once more. "Because your brother is right. People will talk. Especially if you're seen with students... or anyone else."
"Are you worried about my reputation, Luke? Or are you worried about how it looks on you?"
He handed me the plates, his expression turning back into that unreadable stone mask.
"I'm worried that you're looking for love in the wrong places because you're bored, Caroline."
"Maybe I'm looking because the place I want to look is strictly 'off-limits,'" I shot back.
Luke didn't answer. He just turned around and walked back out to the backyard, leaving me alone in the kitchen with a stack of cold plates and a heart that felt like it had been run over.
Dear Diary,
He asked if I liked Justin. He actually asked. For a second, I thought he was jealous. I saw it in the way his eyes turned dark, almost stormy. But then he built that wall again. 'Off-limits.'
Kuya Marcus thinks he's the guard, but the real gatekeeper is Luke.
He’s guarding himself from me. He’s guarding his secret feelings for Sofia by making sure I stay in my place.
But Luke... you forgot one thing. Guards can only stop people from entering. They can't stop someone who is already inside.