ROBBY

Robby was half listening to Marco narrate a funny story about one of his night escapades in Los Angeles. He studied the girls surrounding them who were gazing at Marco in admiration. Everyone seemed to be captivated by his friend's charms.

" Hey Robby, " one of their fraternity brothers approached them. " Could you give me a hand with the drinks? We're running out faster than we can prepare them."

" Sure, " Robby agreed grateful for the excuse to leave the circle.

It was Saturday night and they were throwing an open party at the fraternity house. They do it once a month and invite anybody whose anybody in campus. This was the only time that the two storey frat house gets filled with students with varied majors.

There was a time when Robby looked forward to every party. When all that he cared about was getting drunk, checking out beautiful girls and hooking up with Angela when the night was over.

He didn't know exactly what happened. He just woke up one morning and realized that he was not as excited as he used to organizing and attending this kind of parties. It has somehow lost its appeal to him.

" Need help? " Someone from behind him asked. He didn't need to turn to know who it was.

" I'm fine, " Robby said quickly as he poured a quarter of vodka inside the glass pitcher. " Thanks."

" You sure? " Angela persisted as she opened the carton of orange juice and handed it to him. " You seem to have forgotten that we make a good cocktail team. "

Robby glanced at her as she took the carton from her grasp. " I haven't forgotten, " he told her and poured the content of the carton inside the pitcher. He reached for a wooden ladle and started stirring.

Angela arranged several paper cups which Robby quickly filled up. Each time he finished filling a cup, Angela took it and distributed it to the students waiting in queue.

" I can see that you're still the best cocktail tandem in this school, " Bryan grinned when he reached the cocktails table.

Angela laughed as she handed him a drink. " Old habits die hard, " she said giving Robby a sidelong glance.

Robby smiled at her weakly but gave Bryan a dirty look when Angela wasn't looking.

Bryan looked at him innocently as if asking " what did I do?"

Robby shook his head at him as he drank from his cup and turned his attention to the crowd. The party was in full swing. There was a group of guys watching a basketball game in the living room. The makeshift dance floor which was originally the dining area was packed with students moving to the music of Tiesto. There were cliques on all corners of the room talking and laughing; everyone with a drink in one hand.

Everyone seemed to be drunk.

Almost everyone.

Seated on the steps of the staircase was Mia who looked so bored listening to Jason Romualdez.

She was holding a bottle of beer and was smiling politely to what Jason was saying. He seemed to have a little too much to drink judging from the way his body was swaying towards her.

Robby's eyes narrowed as he sipped from his cup.  Jason was one year younger than he was and has gotten quite the reputation of being a womanizer.  There was even a rumor of him impregnating one of the girls from the college of music, which he denied when confronted by the fraternity.

" Here comes trouble, " Robby heard Angela say under her breath. He followed her gaze and saw an angry Marco from the other side of the room storming to where Mia and Jason were seated.

Robby heard alarm clocks going off his head when he saw Marco's expression. He had seen that look on Marco before. It was the same expression that he wore before he punched Alfred Samaniego on the face. He quickly placed his empty cup on the table and reached Mia and Jason before Marco did.

" Man, " Robby said as he scooped the drunk boy off the stairs. " I think you have a little too much to drink,"

" Hey! " Jason said as he tried to squirm out of Robby's grasp.  " I'm fine! What are you doing?"

But his struggles were futile against Robby's towering 6 feet 3 figure.

" Let's get you some coffee, shall we? " Bryan said as he took hold of Jason's shoulders.

He caught Robby's eyes and nodded. They both knew Marco was not the person to mess around when it concerned his sisters. They were both there when Marco picked a fight with Alfred.

" You fucking bastard! " Marco shouted as soon as Alfred stepped inside the fraternity house. And before Alfred even had a chance to react, Marco's fist landed on his face.

Alfred staggered back and fell on the floor. Marco quickly took advantage and jumped on Alfred throwing punches on his already bleeding face.

" Marco! " Robby shouted as he ran towards his best friend trying to pull him off Alfred. " That's enough! "

By then, most of the brothers who were inside the house had gathered around them. But no one dared to stop Marco from beating the life out of Alfred. They all knew it was better for them to veer away from him when he's angry.

It took a lot of effort to pin Marco down and off Alfred. Bryan who had arrived a few minutes after the riot quickly got hold of Alfred, who was struggling to get back at Marco.

" Stay the fuck away from Iza, " Marco shouted angrily as he tried to break free from Robby's grasp. " You two-timing son of a bitch!"

" You can have your sister! " Alfred shot back as he wiped his bleeding nose with the back of his hands and shoved Bryan off him. " You are a family of lunatics!"

Marco motioned to attack once again but Robby held him down. " You fucking bastard! " Marco shouted. " If you ever get near my sister again, I swear I will fucking kill you Samaniego! I will fucking kill you!"

But Alfred was already walking out the front door joined by his other fraternity friends.

Marco freed himself from Robby's grip and turned his attention to the rest of the fraternity members who had gathered around them during the commotion.

" My sisters are fucking off limits, " he said in a menacing voice. " From now on, no friend of mine can fucking date any of my sisters! Do you all hear?! I'm going to fucking kill anyone who does!"

And then he stormed out of the fraternity house, slamming the front door behind him, his words heard, loud and clear.

Jason was one of the fraternity neophytes and Robby guessed that he had not heard the story between Marco and Alfred yet. Otherwise, he would be staying far away from Mia like everyone did. Unless he had a death wish that Robby wasn't aware of.

" Where did that twerp go? " Marco thundered when he reached them.

" What's going on? " Mia asked in bewilderment as she stood up to join them.

In his haste to prevent world war three from breaking out, Robby had actually forgotten Mia was there watching everything that happened.

" Where's Iza? " Marco turned towards her and snapped. " I told you not to leave her side!"

Mia frowned at him. " What?" she demanded, colors rising up her cheeks.

" Jason is one big womanizer. And here you are drinking beer with him when-"

" Whoa! " Mia held up one hand to stop him, her eyes blazing with fury. Robby could see the anger steaming out of her ears. " You're throwing a fit because I was talking to Jason?!"

" He was drunk! " Marco said angrily. " Who knows what he could have done to you?!"

Mia looked at him in amazement. " What could he do to me with all of these people around?!" she shot back.

" Drunk people could do anything! " he growled at her.

" Do you even hear yourself, Marco? " She challenged, her voice rising a few octaves higher. Robby could see some of the people nearby watching them with interest.

" Alcohol and women are not a good combination! " Marco shot back as he glared at his sister.

" Then why did you drag us here in the first place when this party is screaming with both?! " Her eyes blazing in anger.

They were scowling at each other as they held each other's gaze.

Robby could see the same stubbornness mirrored in Mia's face. Robby studied her in fascination. She definitely had spirit. He never would have guessed that such an angelic face could hold such fire inside of her.

As far as Robby could recall, Melissa never picked a fight with Marco in public. Arguments were always done in the confines of their house or their cars, where nobody can hear them. But Mia, on the other hand, seemed to share the same temper that her brother possessed. He never really believed Marco when he warned him about Mia's temper and feistiness. He was beginning to understand now.

" Stop it, Mia, " Marco said in a low threatening voice. Robby knew that tone. It was the one that Marco used when he meant business. It was the voice of authority that commands no objection.

Mia's eyes were flashing at him, oblivious to the fact that her brother was livid with anger. " I'll stop when you stop being such a jerk, " she snapped furiously. " You are just so impossible sometimes, Marco."

Without waiting for Marco's reply, she turned and stomped up the stairs.

" Where the hell are you going? "

" Away from you!" she shouted and disappeared in the second floor. "Hide in the toilet or something so no one can talk to me. That should make you happy!"

It was a good thing that almost everyone was drunk and the music was blasting out of the frat house's sound system, most of them didn't notice the heated argument between the Sebastian siblings.

Marco gulped down his beer bottle as he eyed the staircase. He was about to take the first step when Robby stopped him.

" Come on, man, " Robby said. " You need to cool down. She'll be alright. Iza's upstairs. "

Marco paused for a moment as he digested Robby's words. He nodded and they walked silently to the bar counter where Patrick handed each of them a drink another drink. They drank their beer in silence as they surveyed the party before them.

" Thanks, " Marco muttered gruffly, breaking the silence.

Robby glanced at his friend who was still wearing a grim expression on his face.

" I saw you got Jason out of there,"

" I didn't really think Jason could pull anything cocky with Mia. " Robby shrugged offhandedly.

And a bloodshed isn't exactly what he signed up for this evening.

Marco's face darkened. " I thought the same thing about Alfred " he said through gritted teeth. " And the bastard broke my sister's heart."

Robby didn't bother saying anything more. When it came to his sisters, Marco can be pretty stubborn. And after Alfred and Melissa's break-up, he'd grown more unreasonable.

And he listened to no one.

Nothing anyone can say or do can ever change his mind.