“I’m sorry, Baby.” Wika ni Daniel nang makarating kami sa tapat ng elevator. “Hindi ko alam na darating si Isla. Did... did my mother say something to you? I shouldn’t have left.” Aniya, puno ng pangamba ang mga mata. I bit my lips and shook my head. “Wala. Walang sinabi ang mama mo,” meron. Pero hindi naman iyon dapat pang sabihin kay Daniel dahil napakababaw lang no’n. Bumukas ang elevator tsaka kami pumasok roon. Daniel’s playing with my hands while his head is facing the ground. “May problema ba, Dan?” Tanong ko kay Daniel, to break the silence in between us. Huminga ng malalim si Daniel tsaka ito napatingin sa akin, at ngumiti. But his smiles are fake. “My mom and Isla’s dad are trying to tie a knot between me and Isla.” panimula ni Daniel. Hindi na ako nagulat dahil nga nasabi na iyon ni Mrs. Fortelejo. And I’m so happy that Daniel opened it up to me. He must be holding it for a while now. “I... I can’t marry her. I don’t want to marry someone if it isn't you, Have
HARI YASIEL SIERRA This kind of setup is hard. I really wanted to give up on her and let her be happy whether with Daniel or Baste—but how? It hurts me to see them smiling and laughing, and all Cheska could give me is just a mere friendship. Wala na akong pakealam kung magkaaway na kami ng pinsan ko at ni Daniel dahil lang kay Cheska, I will do everything para agawin siya. And just like Aries told us, walang magagawa kung hindi ako kikilos. I walked away to lure Cheska away from my cousins. Sinadya kong magtampo-tampuhan para masolo siya. Kaya noong natumba ito ay naawa ako nang pag-apak-apakan ng mga tao ang kanyang kamay. I really wanted to approach her and help her, but I stopped myself. Hangga't hindi pa kami nakakalayo sa kanila. May lumapit pang lalaki sa kanya pero maagad ding umalis nan hindi niya maintindihan si Cheska. Nakita ko kung paano ito kapusin ng hininga, but I watch her from afar. Hindi ko naman hahayaan siyang mawalan ng malay or what. Binabantayan ko nama
A year passed by, naging mas malapit kami nila Baste at Hari. Pero sakit sa ulo kung lagi kaming magkakasama, dahil laging nagtatalo sila Hari at Baste dahil lang sa akin. Hinding-hindi nagpapatalo ang dalawa pagdating sa akin. If Hari wants to drop me off at school, and so Baste. Kaya ang ending, nasa iisang sasakyan kami, para walang gulo, total nasa iisang school lang naman kami. Hindi naman nawawala ang intimate moments, and they’re both gentle. Hindi nga lang kami umaabot sa puntong kailangan ng p********k. We’re good with the cuddles. As for Daniel, he didn’t come back to Cebu as his father had a stroke. I feel bad for Mr. Fortelejo and for Daniel. Because at his early age, he was forced to take on the role of acting CEO for their business to continue to function. Sobrang dami niyang problemang dinadala dahil bumabagsak na ang company nila. We still talk every time, lalo na sa akin humuhugot ng lakas si Daniel, but his absence was filled by Hari and Baste’s presence. Medyo n
Mukhang hindi naman naka-react si Baste kaagad, dahil tumagal ang halik nila. And seeing them kissing tore my heart into pieces. Nagulat ako nang may tumakip ng mga mata ko, tsaka niya ako inikot paharap sa kanya. Napakagat ako ng labi nang malaman ko kung sino iyon. Amoy palang, alam kong si Hari iyon. Tinanggal niya rin ang pagkakatakip ng mga mata ko at hinila ako palayo sa lugar na iyon. Hindi ko na nakita pa ang reaksyon ni Hari, pero sa paraan ng pagkakahila nito sa akin, alam kong galit ito. Does Baste don’t like me anymore? “Stop it, Cheska.” malamig na saad ni Hari, dahilan para mapatingin ako sa kanya. Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano ang ititigil ko. His jaw clenched as he gently brushed his thumb over my lips, parting them slightly. “Look, there’s blood on it,” he muttered, his eyes darkening. Pupunasan ko na sana iyon nang ilapit ni Hari ang mukha nito sa akin, sobrang lapit na ramdam na ramdam ko ang mainit nitong paghinga sa balat ko. His gaze meeting mine, bago ito na
My jaw dropped as he said that before walking away maybe to get changed. Sinamaan ko naman ng tingin si Hari na tawa pa rin ng tawa. Sinikuhan ko siya sa tyan niya nang tumigil siya kakatawa. “Now, I have to play as a slave. Thank you, Hari.” Inakbayan naman ako ni Hari. “What do you want for your birthday? That will be a week from now on, Ches,” masigla nitong saad. “Wala,” tamad kong sabi sa kanya. Masyado na akong matanda para magpa-party pa. Isa pa, gastos lang ‘yon. Napaisip naman si Hari. “Hmm, imposibleng wala,” then he smirked. “How about spending the whole night with me… In bed,” he teased. Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya at marahang hinawakan ang kanyang pisngi, “be my guest,” I replied and pinched his cheeks, stretching it hanggang sa hindi ko na mainat pa. Napadaing naman sa sakit si Hari, pero hindi niya naman tinapik ang kamay ko para tanggalin ang pagkaka-inat ko sa kanyang mukha. “Gusto ko sana kumain ng shrimp e. Kaso bawal.” Malungkot kong sabi sa kanya ts
Napatawa naman ng medyo malakas si Sylus. “Why? Haven is my friend. Hindi ko ba pwedeng akbayan si Haven? Lagi nga kayong umaakbay sa kanya e. Or maybe even more than that,” he smirked as he switched his glances over Hari and Baste. Like he knew something. Napakunot naman ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Sylus. “What are you talking about, Sy?” Naguguluhang tanong ko. Pero ang totoo, kinakabahan ako. I knew once it leaked, it destroyed the three of us. Am I ready to face the consequences now? Sobrang kinakabahan ako. Alam ba ni Gen? Pero kung alam niya, susugod iyon sa akin, hindi ba? “Oh, nothing, baby girl,” Sylus said, teasingly while grinning at Baste at Hari—who’s now furiously looking at Sylus. Tinanggal niya ang pagkakaakbay niya sa akin at nag-inat habang nakangiti. “Seems like I’m going to see you more often, Francheska. I have to go; I still have a class to catch! It’s really nice to see you!” Sylus said while walking backwards and waving his hands at me. Nakangiti siya at halata
SEBASTIAN EDISON SIERRA “What the heck is this, Edison?! You spent what? Hundred thousand for a shoe? Wait—there’s another one hundred fifty for a bag?! A lady's bag?! Are you gay, anak?! Lahat ng nasa notification ay puro pambabae?! Hindi ka naman bakla ano?!” I could feel my frustration building as Hari continued laughing, barely holding it together. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I clenched my fists. “You’re more worried about me being gay than the money, mom?” I asked, my voice tense, trying hard not to shout. “I don’t care about the money, anak. Hindi naman kami magtatrabaho ng tatay mo kung hindi namin mabibigay ang mga luho niyo. Pero sana naman, anak,” she paused, taking a deep breath before continuing in a softer tone, “Sana sinabi mo kay mommy na bakla ka. Tatanggapin ka naman namin ni daddy mo,” she added, her voice cracking slightly, as though she were on the verge of tears. That was it. Hari couldn’t hold it anymore. He burst into loud laughter, n
SEBASTIAN EDISON SIERRA I snapped out when I heard Hari’s laugh. “Alam mo bang tumawag si Tita Sam, nagtataka kung bakit may mga ladies bags, shoes, and clothes ang lumalabas sa bank statement ni Baste, akala niya bakla si Baste. That was epic!” Tawang-tawa si Hari nang i-kwento iyon habang nakasakay kami ng sasakyan pauwi. “Bakla?” Tanong ni Haven at nakitawa na rin kay Hari. Haven poked me from the backseat as I drove, her voice teasing. “Uy, bakla!” she called out with a smirk. I clenched my teeth and glared at her through the rearview mirror, but she only laughed harder, clearly enjoying my reaction. Despite my efforts to ignore her, her teasing continued until we arrived at the mansion. As soon as we stepped inside, Haven wasn’t letting up. Her laughter and jabs about me being “Bakla” echoed through the hallways. “Baste!” she shouted, but I went straight to my room, trying to escape her relentless teasing. “Baste! Ano ba ‘yan! Ang bilis mo naman maglakad!” she yelled a