Between the Rainbow (Strawberries and Cigarettes Series #1)

Chapter 3

Asshole

Mabilis kong dinaluhan si Shiloh. My team is now trying to lessen the tension as they talk to that motherfucker I still want to punch.

I know that he didn't mean those words since it has always been an inside joke every time we'd play a game and someone was being soft.

Well, for some reason, it irks me that he's firing it at someone who's new and still trying to fit in. To someone who's not ready for those kinds of bonds with boys.

"Hey..." halos yumuko ako para daluhan si Shiloh.

He seems so lost, as his eyes aren't steady. Pakiramdam ko, nahihilo siya. I immediately tried to pull him up. I saw him flinched a bit when I put my hand on his arm. Ang kanyang ulo ay umilag din ng kaonti at yumuko, tila ba nakasanayan niyang ganoon agad ang dapat gawin pag may humawak na lalake sa kanya. I gritted my teeth when I realized it and pulled him up continuously.

"Hey," I called softly again. "This is me, Brent," I reminded him, as if he seemed so lost and still not on his senses.

He shut his eyes and touched his nose. Nilapitan na rin kami ng iba ko pang team. He looked at them dizzily, as some were worried and just wanted to see the damage.

"Give us space for a while," sabi ko at tiningnan ang aking team.

Mabilis na lumayo ang iba. I took my handkerchief out and put it on his nose.

"Don't lift your head. Just lean your head forward," I ordered when he was about to lift his head.

He shut his eyes and held the handkerchief.

"Gago talaga si Kael. Si Shiloh siguro ang nakita niya kasi hindi lalaban. Mabait tingnan at pinakamaliit sa atin," one of my teammates hissed.

"Sapakin mo 'yon sa susunod, Shiloh. Akala siguro no'n bakla ka." Angelo said in an aggressive tone.

"Maganda kasi 'yung mukha ni Shiloh. Feminine. Maybe he took it as an opportunity to diss him."

"Inborn ka bang ganito, Shiloh? Kasi meron din akong kilalang ganyan. Napagkakamalan din laging bakla. Pero mahinhin lang talaga. It's just his environment that contributed to his gestures since he has sisters at pinaka bunso pa na tanging lalaki. Pero may girlfriend nga 'yon."

"Dude! Some of the gays are terrible. May iba din naman talaga sa kanila na talagang nagkukunwaring lalake para mambastos. May kakilala akong nagpanggap pang lalake tapos sumali sa basketball team para makachansing! Gagong 'yon! Nakakatrauma dahil hubad kaming lahat lagi sa shower room pag kasabay namin 'yung maligo!"

Nagkasalubong ang kilay ko. It wasn't the right time to talk about those things while someone was being shamed for being soft. Ngunit kung hindi ko lang alam na na-ooffend si Shiloh sa ganoong biruan, baka isa ako sa nagbigay ng opinyon at makikisali.

When you were in the boys' circle, you shouldn't be a killjoy and just go along with the topic. Coz these things are really normal for us. We talk without limit, with no holding back, because we aren't offended, and we treat it as an inside joke that boys who would act soft and emotional are already considered as a pussy, or, let's just say, gays.

Dahil kung papalag ka, you would just be diss by them even more. Baka kutyain pang bakla talaga.

"Kaya talaga pag bakla... parang ayoko agad makihalubilo. Grabeng trauma din dinanas ko sa mga 'yan," si Ro-ar.

"Pero... lalake ka naman talaga hindi ba, Shiloh?" Angelo asked until my teammates looked at Shiloh again.

When I say that boys' topics are unlimited and we shouldn't take them seriously, I know that at that moment, it crosses the line.