Chapter Five

DOMINIC

I don’t exactly understand what’s floating inside Yhannie’s mind at all.

All this time, I thought she hated Valentine like I did, but I was just shocked and confused that she’s already going out with him. The saddest part of that is her decision to leave us for him. I didn’t know Yhannie was capable of that, leaving her friends for a guy.

I feel like I’m a terrible friend because I don’t know her at all. She’s unpredictable.

A few weeks had already passed slow and mind-numbing, like a very long instrumental song or like when a Hillary Duff song starts playing from the radio or like when you begin to notice that the commercial advertisements were taking too long. And that was since the day Yhannie and Valentine started going out. Everything felt bland and vapid.

I tried calling her these past few days, but clearly, she’s avoiding us.

We thought Yhannie know what’s best for her like what how she left her last circle of friends because she knows they’re all plastics and backstabbers and that she was aware of Valentine being a playboy, like how we talked about him and that she hated him and everything, but I see that she set everything aside.

What is she thinking?

Though, it’s really surprising that they lasted for weeks now. Usually, Valentine’s fling with girls only lasts for three to four days, no one got as far as Yhannie did, but that doesn’t mean, not even close to Valentine's idea of being serious to her.

“Do you think she’s really in love with him?” Ivan asked, staring dead in the eye at the image of Yhannie and Valentine feeding each other from their spot as they giggled and caressed each other’s cheeks. I don’t know, but the more my eyes see them doing all of those sweet couple things, the more I’m getting mad at Yhannie.

“She’s infatuated” Playing the make-believe spaghetti with white sauce, I heaved lazily. I admit to the fact that I never fell in love with someone else before, so I don’t exactly know the feeling of being in love. I had some hookups before, few of them were from Grindr, and gay people on Grindr don’t kiss and tell, so technically my secret’s safe with them, but in the aperture of honesty, no one got my attention enough to make me fall in love for them.

“Fuck her!!” Zach and his raspy voice butted in, and I can sense his anger and frustration smoking. I can’t blame him for that. He’s a man, and he knows how exactly how they play. “I think we should change her name into Judas.”

“What the hell is wrong with you” Suddenly, without thinking, I stood up on my feet and scowled at him. “She’s still our friend, she’s just…..she’s just….”

“She’s just being a bitch” I heard Ivan finished what I was supposed to say. I was right all along after what Yhannie did, we’re all mad at her, and we all want to yell at her stupidity, but she’s still our friend, my friend, and even if I’m mad at her I can’t always say bad things about her because I know how good of a person she is.

“Okay fine. I do understand that you both are mad at her, and yes, I’m mad at her too for what she did, but that’s not a valid license for you to say bad things about her!!!” My voice went almost in a swift yell to a fierce outcry. I can sense several eyes pinning in our direction, even Yhannie, and Valentine.

I don’t want to create a scene in here even if I believe I already created one, yet I don’t want things to go even more profound than it already was so I grabbed my sling bag, and the bottle of water then went outside into the football field where I settled myself in solitary. I’m not expecting anyone to follow me, not even Yhannie. They all know that I deal with my shits better when I’m calm, and to be calm I need some time alone.

The serene sweep of the cool breeze felt effectively calming, exceeding to the point that I felt very sleepy. To feel even more relaxed and loosened up somehow, I figured to lie down on my back by the Bermuda grass before gently closing my eyes. As I was beginning to have a great time from absorbing the soothing effect of my own choice of solitary, I heard the bell rang, and I had to go.

My next subject was History, then followed by Geometry. Nothing much happened except I recalled back in Geometry; someone gave me a piece of folded paper.

I quickly unfolded the paper just to read “Drama Club” written in an unattractive font. Drama Club?  If these guys were after me for my not so impressive and unconvincing acting skills and to ask me to audition and join their club, they are making such a big mistake. I honestly thought it was a joke, so I crumpled the paper then threw it into the trash can.

The day ended up with my guts spiced up with anger and frustration coalescing together, forming something inside my mind. I know for a fact that Valentine was a motherfucking player, and I’m making sure that he’s not going to play my best friend’s, lonely heart. Yhannie’s mom made her heart in nine months, and Valentine won’t certainly break it in fifteen seconds just after sex. I won’t let him do that.

After class, I went to see my teammates and told them that I won’t be attending today’s practice because I have something important to do, which was that I have to follow Yhannie and stop her wishful dreams about that nasty Valentine. My decision was not final, but it was what’s only occupying my mind, and besides, I have to tell Zach and Ivan about it.

My teammates and I happen to pass by in front of the Drama Club’s room before someone forcefully dragged me inside.

“What is this?” I asked, partially confused as I began acknowledging that I was already talking to several girls staring bizarrely at me. Some of them were familiar to me.

“This is the AVGC” The pretty girl who dragged me inside answered. “Welcome”

“AVGC?” I scrunched wondering what could this AVGC thing if this isn’t drama club.

“The Anti-Valentine Grande club” I heard all of the girls speak in unison as though they practiced doing that. Most of them were pretty, and I happen to observe that they all have big boobs protruding from their chests.

“The what?” I asked again, not wanting to believe now the fact that something like this exists. After all that Valentine has done and about to do, this sure makes him the infamous heartbreaker blah blah blah blah.

“I think you heard us say it clear.” She said, edging her way beside me. She was wearing a flamboyant blouse paired with skin tight jeans, so tight that I can see her v thing traced in between her legs. “My name’s Valerie, and all girls inside this room were the ones whose heart was broken by Valentine.”

“I know,” Of course I know her; she’s the last girl I saw having some public display of affection with Valentine a few weeks ago. “Seriously?” I asked wide-eyed. Jesus, Valentine was a legend, and yes, I hate him. I hate every cell and membrane that composes the very him. I might as well join this club for the thing that they stand for, but I have some stalking plans.

“Yes, we’re all thirty in total, some are just absent,” Valerie said confidently. A part of my curiosity was wondering how all of these girls found each other. Are they even sure that Valentine really did break their hearts?

“Sorry I’m late” I was shocked to see a big bulky guy entered all sweaty and catching his breath. There was something weird and different in him. Now he was looking partially girlish, still ugly, though. He was wearing pink lipstick and a red headband.

“Him too?” I asked, pointing at him, trying my best not to burst into laughter because it might look even more socially incorrect when it’s already rude that I asked and pointed at him.

“Call me Bruno and yes, cute guy, Valentine broke my heart” He leered at me as a response to his intuition that I was skeptical about him, which is seemingly the case. There’s no way Valentine could have broken his heart or even fuck him. He’s creepy and big and hairy. I’m sorry, I just can’t……… ugh, I miss the time when Yhannie and I used to sit in a coffee shop during a Saturday bonding for a whole day and laughing and talking and judging hating all of the costumers passing by.

“How did he exactly break your heart?” I pushed with my doubting ability splashed with some touch of sarcastic mockery getting at me.

“He just came to me purposely and asked me to do one of his projects,” Bruno wailed and as he was acting all broken-hearted there for which I kind of saw a big sperm whale speaking. Ugh, me and my judgmental mind. “And after I finished it, he just forgot about me, and he doesn’t even know my name.”

“Okay, so why am I exactly here?” I asked in a serious yet sarcastic mockery. First of all, I have nothing to do with this AVGC thingy or if this is a thing. Secondly, Valentine didn’t break my heart. Third, my gender assignment was way off the grid, and even for this Bruno gay guy, yes I’m gay and a tightly closeted one but as far as I’m concerned Yhannie was the only person who knows about that thing and as her best friend I am not going to think that she sold me even when I’m considering it, and fourth, why exactly me of all the three thousand students here?

“You see, we all hate Valentine here,” Said a girl with this crazy colorful ponytail and highlights. What exactly was she exactly? A 24 crayon? A paint pallet? Or a rainbow? Because either way, she’s so gay. “My name’s Anna by the way” She stood from where she was sitting then purposely moved to me to shake my hands with a faint smile on her pale face.

“That’s a fact” Bruno surprised me that he was now standing towering behind my back.

“And we want him destroyed and demolished,” Valerie said, opening her eyes as wide as a baseball ball and clenching her hands tight. I can hear her voice was filled with ravenous hunger and thirsty drive and compelling desperation, which I understand. “Broken and busted.”

“Dumped and dilapidated,” Someone from the bunch followed up.

“Electrocuted and flustered,” Anna trailed, imitating the way Valerie said her version.

“Ripped and rammed” From behind me, I heard Bruno snarled, trying to make his high-pitch voice bigger.

“Violated and shattered?” I said, finally unaware that I said that, and they were all gazing at me with a disturbing smile as though they want to devour me.

“That’s exactly right,” Valerie said, coming right at me that I can smell her strong cologne.

“Pardon me, but if you want me to challenge him into a man to man fight, then I won’t do it,” I said, shaking my head exaggeratingly trying to comprehend hell no in a gesture. “I don’t really know how to fight hand to hand.  I’m not even a violent person, and even if I am, I still want to graduate from high school and go to college and find a job.”

“Actually, we mean it metaphorically, not literally,” Anna blurted.

“Oh, I’m sorry, my bad,” I said, apologizing on my honest lame mistake. “So, what is it exactly?”

“Actually, there’s only one way to destroy him,” Valerie explained, opening her shoulder bag and reeling out a notebook and a pen. “You’re a very handsome man, by the way, you have these alluring grey eyes, irresistibly kissable lips, and you look like a very expensive perfume created by the most expensive perfume makers, and so we want you to make him fall in love with you.”

“WHAAAAT?!” I yelled frantically almost in a vehement outcry as my reaction to objection and confusion. No, of course not, I’m protecting my whole gay identity shit for Pete’s sake. There’s no fucking way I’m going to sign myself with this insane shit. “Are you fucking insane? I’m not gay.”

“We know that Dominic, that’s why we’ll pay you for all of your trouble” Her voice was still calm and solemn despite the disrespectful way I shouted at her. And how did she know my name? Oh yeah, I remembered my face was in a big billboard like tarpaulin posted in front of the school gate last year, along with my teammates when we won silver at the national scrabble tournament. Oh geez, that was so embarrassing.

“What makes you think that I would do it?” I asked.

“We don’t actually, we just have this rule, and you’re somehow a qualified candidate.”

“Candidate? So you mean I have some other competitors too?” I asked, slightly mocking them.

“No, but some others who are qualified tried, but they failed,” Anna answered, blinking like a sweet young child.

“What is this rule?” I asked in wonderment. It’s not like I’m going to join this club or let alone accept the job, but I’m just into the details of it. It could be of some use in the near coming future.

“Well, it’s not exactly a rule, but we have these ten things to do to destroy his heart” Valerie started elaborating things as I listen with keen attention. “The first thing in the list was to steal Valentine’s attention, and whoever gets his attention is immediately qualified to do the job of destroying him.”

“Oooh, so that’s why I’m qualified because I got his attention” Scratching my forehead and still curious about how did I have Valentine’s attention.

“So, are you in?” Bruno asked as everyone waited for my answer.

“No!”