Chapter XLV: Misfortune or An Organized Crime?

“Baby, you should get some sleep na. Don’t worry about mommy. I will sleep once your Kuya is asleep,” mom said after putting me to bed.

It’s Kuya’s Midterm Exam tomorrow. I know to myself that both of them will stay up all night. Leading up to his exams, Kuya always becomes erratic, so mom is scared to leave him alone.

“But Kuya won’t be sleeping tonight since his exam is tomorrow,” I said as I tucked myself into bed. Mom was smiling at me while leaning on the door.

“Very observant of you, my little princess.” She walked towards me, turned off the side lamp, and kissed my forehead.

“Good night, my princess.” She walked away and closed the door.

I slept that night assured that everything would be fine the following day, but it was far from the reality I faced the next morning. A loud banging awakened me, not on my door but perhaps in the room beside me, my brother’s room.

I went out of bed to check on what was happening. It was my mom knocking non-stop on kuya’s door.

“What’s happeni