MANILA, Philippines?When Nikka, my younger sister, first told me a few years ago that she was going to attend the prom of an all-boys? high school, my mind blanked out.

I started having visions of us running around the house, playing hide-and-seek and pigging out on ice cream when she waved her hand in front of my glazed eyes and said sweetly, ?Could you help me find something to wear??

A few hours later, we were at the mall, combing through racks of clothes in order to find the perfect dress.

?How about this one?? Nikka asked, holding up a lacy black number.

?Only if you?re planning to spend the night locked inside your room,? I said. ?What are you, a lingerie model? That?s not going to get past the Dad Censor. He threatened to make me wear a turtleneck to the prom.?

?Okay,? she shrugged, returning it to the rack and unearthing a fluffy pink gown. ?And this??

?Has your date ever mentioned fantasies of dancing with a flamingo??

?No.? She sighed and pulled out another dress. ?This is my last option,? she said, displaying a slinky wine-colored number. Made of silk and trimmed with velvet, it was the perfect prom dress. When she tried it on, it was perfect in all respects, except that?

?Hey! Your date will spend most of the night looking down your chest!?

Unperturbed, she twirled in front of the mirror. ?I think this will do nicely, don?t you think??

Despite my misgivings about the plunging neckline, I grudgingly gave my assent as she did a final twirl in a shower of giggles.

Bundle of nerves

When prom night finally came around, Nikka was a bundle of nerves, but even more edgy, if possible, was the guy. He waited in the living room, holding a white rose corsage. When I went down to inspect the dude, he stood up and grinned confidently?I was just the older sister, after all.

I stuck out my hand, smiled and introduced myself. ?Hi, I?m Bianca, Nikka?s sister. Fear me.?

No wonder dads around the world did this sort of thing, I thought gleefully. In a matter of seconds, his demeanor morphed from self-assured cockiness to quivering pot of jelly.

Luckily for him, Nikka waltzed down the stairs just in time to pin his boutonniere (I would have gladly done it myself just to get a shot at stabbing him with a floral pin, but no dice) and take the obligatory photo. I like looking at that photo now, years after it was taken?the guy has a hunted look in his eyes, like a zebra cornered by a pack of hungry lions.

Just before they left the house, I caught his attention while Nikka wasn?t looking. ?I?m watching you,? I mouthed, gesturing to my eyes and pointing back at him. He couldn?t leave the house fast enough.

The next morning, Nikka marveled at how well-behaved her date was. Apparently, they had even won the Best Dancing Couple award. ?He wouldn?t slow dance with me, though,? she pouted. ?For some reason, he kept looking over his shoulder.?

I choked on my hot chocolate. ?Paranoid little twit.?

I met Nikka?s other potential dates for her own prom after that. The guy I liked best was the one who carried a sword because of his ROTC duties?but not because of the sword. When I told him to fear me, he nodded and said reverently, ?Yes, fear you!?

Nikka unfortunately decided to go with someone else, but at least I had my fun while making the rounds. When she started college, I thought my terrorizing days were over, but apparently, they weren?t.

Oh, brother

My brother Carlos?the youngest of the lot?came up to me jauntily one day, asking, ?Hey, what do I wear to the prom??

?Why on earth are you concerned about such matters?? I asked him without looking up from a book I was reading. ?It?ll be years before you?ll have your prom.?

?Er actually, I am going to a prom. Someone invited me. She?s from the same high school where you studied??

The book dropped to the floor. ?Same school or not, who is this shameless hussy?? I demanded. ?And does she know you?re only 14??

A giggle emanated from the corner, where Nikka sat with her textbooks. Apparently, she was enjoying the scene. I focused my attention on Carlos.

?My favorite brother, all grown up and going to the prom??

?I?m your only brother,? he pointed out.

?Details, details. You?re going to the prom with someone two years older than you. Man, you?re starting early. Why, when I was 14, I wasn?t even allowed to go to the dance??

In the middle of my spiel, his eyes glazed over and drool dripped to his chin. I wanted to take a photo and show it to his date, but I wasn?t ready to hide in Armenia just yet.

Not surprisingly, I found an ally in Nikka. In fact, she was probably more vigilant over Carlos than I was, since she was younger and they had grown up together. When his prom date met up with him to give him the invitation, Nikka and I lurked behind a car, analyzing every bit of the girl.

?She?s short. And much too giggly for my taste.?

?But she?s wearing a soccer jersey, so at least she?s an athlete and won?t be a whiny, helpless femme,? I noted.

?They?d better not get together before I get a boyfriend,? Nikka said. ?Think ?Taming of the Shrew.? The older sibling has to be first!?

I brought him to the hotel, where he introduced me to his date. She seemed like a nice enough girl, and looked stunning in her floor-length gown. In his suit, Carlos looked almost grownup. Almost.

I wanted to give him a hug, but he would?ve died of mortification, and that would be hard to explain to my parents. Instead, I clapped his back and said, ?You?d better make sure she has a great time at her prom.?

This year, Carlos was asked out to another all-girls? school prom again. And next year, he?ll have to screw up the courage to ask out somebody for his own prom. I?m not worried about the ones who ask him about, but by the one whom he?ll have to ask out someday?worried that someone might actually come along and break his heart. In that case, I?d have to break her legs.

In the meantime, I have another year to practice cracking my knuckles and rehearse my line: ?Hi, I?m Bianca, Carlos? sister. Fear me.?

E-mail the author at biancaconsunji@yahoo.com