BHO CAMP #9: The Mismatched

Chapter 19: Tangled Webs

Inangat niya ang hintuturo niya at pinindot niya ang pisngi ko bagay na napansin kong nakakasanayan niyang gawin. Jollibee cheeks pamore. "Galit ka na naman. Hindi ko naman talaga girlfriend lahat ng iyon. Hindi lahat ng kasama ko ay may relasyon ako."

"Eh bakit mo sila kasama in the first place?"

He looks like as if he didn't want to answer that. But something I learn from our stay in Paham Wingkag, Stone will always give me what I'm asking him for. Kahit na hindi madali sa kaniya para sagutin ang mga bagay na gusto kong malaman.

"I don't think it will be wise to answer that. You'll just get pissed and we can't do anything about it because it's already done. And ending magtatalo lang tayo kahit hindi naman dapat."

Kaagad kong naintindihan ang ibig niyang sabihin at gaya ng inaasahan ay parang biglang kumulo ang dugo ko dahil sa sagot na pumasok sa isip ko. "Isusumbong kita sa nanay mo."

"She's in denial. Alam niya kung anong ginagawa ko the moment that I turned seventeen and she found a box of condoms in my drawer."

"Seventeen?!"

Tinikom niya ng mariin ang mga labi niya na para bang magagawa no'n na itago ang amusement sa reaksyon ko. He failed because I can see his eyes shining with hilarity because of my obvious irritation to his long time... endeavor.

"Honey," he said in a tone that is enough of an answer.

"Kapag nagkaanak ako ng lalaki, ipasok ko bilang sakristan hanggang hindi pa siya nasa tamang edad."

"You want to get on with that?"

Naguguluhang tinignan ko siya, "Ha?"

"Creating a son."

Napanganga ako dahilan para tuluyan na siyang mapatawa. Masama ang tingin na umangat ang kamay ko para hampasin siya pero hinuli niya lang ang kamay ko at sa pagkagulat ko ay binigyan ng magaang halik ang likod ng palad ko.

"Kada mag-uusap tayo lumalayo ang usapan natin. Ano ba iyong tatanungin mo talaga dapat?"

Binawi ko ang kamay ko at humalukipkip ako, "About the rumor."

"Rumor?"

"About you and... and Bla-"

"It's not true," he quickly answered, his smile disappearing. "That was made up by an ex of mine."

Bumalik ang pagkulo sa dugo ko pero sa pagkakataon na ito ay para sa babaeng tinutukoy niya at hindi sa kaniya mismo. "Why would she do that?"

"Because I stopped seeing her and she wanted to know if she can manage to have the other brother. Blaze shut her down the moment she tried suggesting her stupidity to him. Proving me right to let her go, she started spreading humor about how Blaze and I shared and that she's the woman on the receiving end."

"That's fucked up."

Sandaling nakatingin lang siya sa mukha ko. Imbis na mag-iwas ng tingin ay nanatiling nakatingin lang din ako sa kaniya habang marahan niyang sinusuklay ang mahaba ko na buhok. He looks so lost in thought that all I can do is wait for him to speak.

"I don't share, Enyo."

I can feel us edging to a dangerous territory, "Stone..."

"I can't change the past, I accepted it. But I don't share. If this is what you really want... if you want to stay beside me, if this is your choice, I need to know that it's only me."

There's a lot that he still need to know. There's more that I still need to find out. I know that I am better now. That I'm healing. Much more than I ever did when I didn't have whatever we have now. I know that we're changing. But there's so much more we need to talk about.