The Coño Boy 3: Love What You Will

Bonus Chapter 03: Christmas

8:13pm

23rd December

Xavierville Avenue

I fold the wrapping paper at the edge of the box to make a clean second triangle bago ko i-fold  with the other triangle and secure both flaps with tape. These corners kasi, they make me so O.C. —hate ko pa naman yung horribly wrapped gifts. They're kind of another pet peeve of mine. As I finish-off this last box and place it at the edge of the bed where the other gifts are stacked, napatingin ako sa tatlong boxes wrapped in red giftwrapping paper with small wreaths printed all over them matched with small white gift envelopes.

I color code my wrappers. Kind of like one para sa every family or group of relatives o kaya mga people like our house staff who are receiving boxes wrapped in green this year. For our immediate family —that's Lola Doray, Lola Idang, Aunt Agatha, and my Mom— I used gold pearl finish wrapping paper. Para I know kung alin ang dadamputin or whatever. And the ones with the red giftwrapping paper are for Tita Agnes, Kuya Mack, and Jake.

Ah yes... Jake.

I haven't seen Jake for about two or so months na. The last I have seen him up close was at UP Town Center and even that seemed like a passing thing. Para lang hanging dumaan. The other time I saw him naman, he was hanging out at the plaza noong Undas with a bunch of guys na looked kind of familiar but don't look like they're from our town. He's more active on Twitter and IG though —like I mentioned before— and probably more popular than he ever was since that fateful summer when he was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Hindi ko nga alam why I even bothered with making bili these gifts.

*Ipa-hatid ko na lang siguro sa house nila. That would spare me any awkward conversations if ever he's home.*

I keep asking myself kung tama ba na magbigay pa ako ng regalo sa kanila this Christmas?

Tama pa ba na mag-paramdam ako sa family nila after all that we've been through earlier this year?

He must hate me.

Or maybe I made him hate me the way we had to part ways?

Regret is such a terrible thing. And it gets harder when times like Christmas comes along. When the world is supposed to be all joy and cheer, you somehow remember those you know you've hurt in some way or another or the people that you have lost connections with.

Knock on the door.

Sean: It's open.

The door opens.

My Aunt Agatha steps into the room.

Aunt Agatha: Are you packed?

Sean: I sort of packed what I thought I would need for the holidays, pero I might check them again, Auntie.

Aunt Agatha: Your Dad was asking if you could make an appearance to his side of the family. I told him to ask you himself tomorrow.

Sean: I'll consider it, Auntie.

Aunt Agatha: He rarely asks anything of you kaya pagbigyan mo na. And I reckon you're going to have a fabulous time befuddling your cousins there.

Sean: But I haven't any gifts prepared for the San Dejas side of the family.

*More like I never do.*

Aunt Agatha: You could always bring food.

She looks at the pile of gifts at foot of my bed.

Aunt Agatha: That's a lot of gifts, ha.

Sean: I know, Auntie. I don't even know how I survived shopping the other day.