Between the Rainbow (Strawberries and Cigarettes Series #1)

Chapter 29

Bullshit! I attempted to step forward, but Mavric was eager to stop me. The man showed his middle finger to us with a mocking smile on his lips and a cut while walking out.

"Magkita tayo sa court. At dalhin niyo si Shiloh para naman ma inspired kaming maglaro."

Dumilim ang ekspresyon ni Mavric at lumuwag na ang hawak sa akin. But then a guard showed up, checking what the commotion was all about. The man slipped himself into the car while smirking at us with a stain of blood on his lips. Bumusina pa ang gago at nagpaharurot na sa minamanehong kotse niya.

"Ayos lang ba kayo, sir?" the guard asked.

I nodded silently. Tumingin si Mavric sa kotse at tinapik din ang balikat ko.

"Sa court tayo bumawi. Zero loss. They're aiming for the finals. Let's beat them there. And then let's ask for evidence that Shiloh harassed them before we file a case."

I was pure livid. Nagsusuntukan ang galit sa akin dahil siya pa ang may malakas na loob na magyabang. They were flipping the real side of the story, making Shiloh look dirty because they were accusing him of being gay just because he's feminine. And that society would always side with the boys when it came to gays as victims.

Yes, we have a victim of harassment in our circle too. But I will never believe them for flipping the real side of the story when I see the video! When I heard the conversation! When Shiloh was more traumatized for what they had done to him! Kung may namolestya man rito, si Shiloh iyon!

At hinding hindi ko sila paniniwalaan hangga't hindi mismo kay Shiloh nanggaling ang katotohahan. But no. I stand by the truth. And I know Shiloh was the real victim here. I have that fucking evidence, and that's enough to prove that those were his perpetrators!

"Calm down. We've all known Shiloh more than that scumbag. He never touched us, Brent. And every time he flinches while the boys are around, it's clear here who's the real victim. Let's not get fooled by empty words unless they didn't show proof that Shiloh harassed them."

Hindi ko man lang napagtanto na nandito si Mavric at narinig ang lahat ng iyon. But I know he knows what's between me and Shiloh. Kung paano niya nalaman, iyon ang hindi ko alam.

Kinuha ko ang mga binili ko at inilagay sa likod ng kotse. Lumingon si Shiloh sa akin, namumutla at kabado. Iniwas ko ang tingin at kinalma ang sarili lalo na't alam ko, sa ekspresyon ko, galit na galit ako.

I closed the back door of the car and shut my eyes. How can that fucker flip the real side of the story? How can he be so confident that he got the upper hand just because the victim was gay? That it was enough to gather some sympathy from society once he flipped the real side of the story.

Kung sino man ang kakampihan sila, magsama sama silang lahat. It just showed how twisted the mindset of these other people was, trying to side with the so-called victims without checking the facts.

"Let's admit it, the man was quite right. You know the prejudice of the gay people in this country. It was like a sin being gay. Na mas mabigat iyon kaysa ang pagiging biktima," si Mavric na tila ba nababasa ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.

Namulsa siya at sumandal sa pwetan ng kotse habang naitukod ko ang mga kamay ko roon.

"There's a reason why Shiloh didn't speak up about the video that fucker was talking about. It might because, despite of being the victim, he would be condemned just because of his sexuality. Mas kapani-paniwala sa iba na ang bakla ang nangmolestya sa lalaki, kaysa ang lalaki sa bakla, Brent. That's how fucked up this society is."

"Dahil lang malambot siyang kumilos, mahilig sa make-up, at naiiba sa nakasanayan natin bilang lalake, bakla na, ganoon ba? That fucker doesn't even know that there are feminine men! That using make-up, or that lipstick he was pointing out, wasn't about being gay! Being a man doesn't need to be strong all the fucking time, Mavric."