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
Warning: This chapter includes explicit sexual content and discussions of intimacy between characters. Reader discretion is advised. “Dan, are you coming now?” tanong ko kay Daniel sa cellphone, nang magkausap kami ngayon sa videocall, habang inaayos ko naman ang mga gamit ko at muling napatingin sa salamin para ayusin ang make-up ko. Today is my birthday. At sabi ni Daniel ay pupunta ito ngayon sa Cebu para i-celebrate iyon kasama siya. Alam kong nasa Manila pa ito at ilang oras pa ang biyahe na papunta rito, dahil hindi naman sila kasing yaman ng mga Sierra na may sariling chopper. Pero heto ako at bihis na bihis na. Plano ko sanang salubungin si Daniel sa airport para supresahin siya. I heard Daniel chuckle. God. I missed him. I miss him so much. Isang taon at limang buwan din kaming hindi nagkita, kaya sobrang miss na miss ko na siya. “Calm down, baby. I’ll be there before you know it.” His gentle voice makes my heart flattered. Kinikiliti din nito ang t’yan ko dahilan p
Wala sa sarili akong nakatitig sa labasan ng arrival area dito sa airport, while holding a bouquet of roses for Daniel. Ang dami kong kasalanan sa kanya, at habang iniisa ko iyon, ay mas lalong bumibigat ang pakiramdam ko. Pero habang nakaupo ako sa tapat ng labasan, napapaisip ako kung handa na ba talaga akong harapin siya. I have so much to confess. But I can’t find the right words to say—or does it need to be right when all of these are wrong? Napayuko akong tumatawa. Nababaliw na nga talaga ako. At kasalanan ko. Muli akong napaangat ng tingin nang maramdaman kong nagsisilabasan na ang mga tao sa loob. Mapait akong napangiti ng makita ang mga nag-aabang na katulad ko na masayang sinasalubong ang mga mahal nila sa buhay. May iba pa na napapaiyak, siguro ay OFW dahil sa mga dami ng bagaheng dala. I felt more bitter when I saw them kissing and hugging, showing their love for each other. No matter how much distance keeps them apart, their love for each other is still intac