Chapter 3 - Heart Over Matter

Charles…

Charles lay silently in his bed. He was tired for hours of playing Video Games and surfing internet. He stared at the ceiling of his room for a while. Then he looked down on his desk. There he saw his picture with Lance.

Knowing the fact that Lance isn’t related to him, he seemed to be attached to him, like they were link by some unseen ties or like they were twins, and it was a funny thing that they looked like each other. He closed his eyes and recall how did this all happened.

It was 20^th day of February, 2000. It was raining. His father was driving their car. It was his 5^th birthday. But his mother wasn’t able to go with them to celebrate his birthday because she was in a business trip. So his dad took him to Bolinao, Pangasinan to have fun. There were lots of beaches, lots of places to go. He enjoyed the place, but he wasn’t that so happy because his mother wasn’t with them.

On their way home, they met an accident, he was still small then so he wasn’t able to remember it clearly. Then the next thing he knew he was already in the hospital, but to his shock, he has already traveled halfway around the world, he’s at US.

He and his mom stayed there for five years. Charles was neither able to talk nor allowed to see his father. So when the time comes that they came home, he was surprised to see a boy, a boy who looked like him so much that you will think he is his twin.

He never showed rudeness to his foster brother. Lance was nice to him as well. Well, he should be, since he was just adopted. Charles smiled at the thought of that. Charles smiled for thinking such a reason about Lance’s behavior. Though he’s much sure that his mother can’t accept lance, he still don’t know the reason why Sandra hated Lance so much.

Lance was nice to him, he never took his father’s attention for him, and in fact he always gives way so that the two can cope up with their lost time. But his mother, she was just too angry with Lance, that she could even take something away from Lance… his music.

When they were 11, his Dad left to look after the construction of the new subdivision at Quezon City and Ivan and the rest of their cousins were gone, the only people who were left in the house were Charles, his mother and Lance.

While he was playing in their grand piano, his mother dropped the cover of the piano while Lance’s fingers are in it. It was heavy. Lance shouted in agony.

Charles knew that his mother intended to do it. But he got no idea why. She said the lead fell by itself, but Charles knew the truth, and he knew, even if Robi and the others weren’t there and didn’t witness the whole happenings, they all believed that Sandr was the one to blame. Since then, Lance never played his piano. The grand piano grew old in their house. Charles wasn’t even sure if it was still on tune. Lance never played songs again. And if they talk about it, Lance just smiles.

“Do you miss playing piano?” Charles remembered himself asking Lance before. “I don’t understand; you still have your fingers attached in your hands, so I don’t see the reason why you can’t play.”

Lance just smiled and said, “Sometimes we are just like those tree,” he said, pointing to the trees outside their house. “When our branches got cracks, you can say it will still bear leave and fruits. But it will never be as strong as it was before.”

He understood him. Yes, he can still play the piano, but it will hurt him for the fact that he will never be as good as before.

Charles suddenly heard a knock from his door. “Can I come in?” Lance said.

“Yeah sure,” Charles said loudly.

“Here,” Lance threw a small paper bag at him. It was the ring they ordered online.

“So how’s your day? Did you have fun?” Charles asked.

“No, Kuya Ivan stalled my plans for the day.”

Charles smiled while Lance continued to tell what happened. Charles can see the long history in Lance’s face. He knew that somewhat Lance already faced many things the moment he came in this family. And I know for sure, that he will face more! Charles thought.