Straight Girls' Game (FRANKIANA)

Chapter 4

Diana's POV

Wala namang masyadong nangyari, nag-usap lang kami. Marami na akong natututunan about her like she had two siblings, her dad died when she was younger like me.

"Really? You're Kiwi too? Kaya pala there's this unexplainable connection between us, we can be sisters you know. That'd be so cute." Sabi niya ha ha ha. Pag straight talaga. Hindi man lang meant to be or tinadhana, talagang sinisterzone ako, ang saya saya.

"Haha oo nga. We could be sisters, but ang weird naman that we did the chapstick challenge and--"

"Right right. Being sisters is a bad idea. Maybe being friends is more appropriate, FOR NOW." Sige Diana, umasa ka pa dyan sa For Now niya. Kala mo naman papatulan ka niya in the future, napaka assuming mo.

"I'll ask lang, have you kissed a girl before me?." You don't have any idea Franki. Since I don't want her to get the wrong idea and freak out because she's hanging out with a certified lesbian, naisip kong magsinungaling nalang.

"Uhm--nope. Never."

"Sinuhngaleng haha." I love her accent talaga.

"No I'm not."

"Oh well, maybe you weren't that wild like I expect you to be. But seriously? Never? Like experimenting in college?."

"Why does it matter to you ba?."

"I don't know. You seemed to be skilled with identifying chapstick flavours. I'm jealous. I just thought that--uhm nevermind."

"What is it?."

"Wala."

"Franki, sige na. Just tell me."

"I have tons of gay and lesbian friends kasi sa amin and they're pretty skilled with that thing you're good at. Pero don't worry, because I don't think you're gay or something."

"What if I am?."

"You are?." I panicked, wrong move Diana.  Ang tanga tanga ah di nag-iisip. Tiningnan niya lang ako with a questioning look.

"I don't think so. I don't really get that vibe from you, I mean come on--if I've sensed that you're into girls, I would never dare kiss you. That would be really weird. Baka you'd catch feelings for me pa. Uhm--not you in particular, like in general lang because you know I don't swing that way and it could just mess up everything." Sabi niya

Awkward.

"Ah eh hehe well, y-you're right naman eh. I-I like dudes. I'm straight." Napaka plastik ko talaga. Tingnan talaga natin kung mapapanindigan mo yan.

"I know you are Diana, you don't have to clarify that haha."

Buti nalang talaga napaka manhid nitong babaeng to. Syempre, di pa ako ready na mag-out. Kailangan kasi sa trabaho ko, baka kasi sa takot ng mga babaeng kliyente na pagsamantalahan ko sila mawalan narin ako ng trabaho. Mahirap na lalo na't kailangan ko ng mag-isa ang sarili ko.

Sugarol kasi ang mommy ko. Simula nung nawala si Daddy, nalugi lahat ng negosyo ng pamilya namin. Si Kuya naglayas, hindi ko na sya ulit nakita. At ako ang nagtatrabaho para bayaran lahat ng pinagkautangan ni mommy, para din may makain sya. Every month pinapadalhan ko sya ng pera na binabadyet naman niya. Hindi pa sya nanghingi ng sobra sa binibigay ko, kaya walang problema sa akin.

Since wala akong sariling kotse, Franki insisted na ihatid ako. Ayoko sana pero nagpumilit siya.

"See you tomorrow." Sabi niya with that smile again.

"Thank you sa paghatid." Sabi ko.

"Where's my kiss?."

"What?."

"I'm kidding haha. Anyway, goodnight." She said hugging me at pumunta na sa kotse niya.

"Ingat ka."

"What's ingat?."

"Take care."

"Oh okay, noted. Bye Dianaaa."

At tuluyan na nga syang umalis.

"Ano bayan, bakit di mo muna pinapasok?." Nagulat naman ako.

"Ano ba Mae? Bakit bigla bigla ka nalang sumusulpot?."

"Sorry na. Pero infairness ah, talagang chix. So may round two naba?."

"Para kang sira. Walang nangyaring ganun. Tara na nga sa loob, ang daming lamok dito. Maaga pa tayo bukas." Kaya pumasok na kami.

"Asus, umiiwas ka lang sa topic. Kilala kita Diana, ganung mukha at katawan imposibleng palalampasin mo yun."

"She's straight and she thinks that I am too."

"Seryoso ka? You lied to her?."

"What do you want me to do? She'll freak out once she figure out the truth. Lalo na't nagiging malapit na kami sa isa't isa. I want to keep the friendship okay? That's why I'm setting aside this stupid feelings. Siguro naman mawawala din to."

"Araw araw kayong magkasama D, mawawala? Niloloko mo lang sarili mo. Binabalaan kita, talagang masasaktan ka dyan ng sobra. Ayoko nang maulit na naman yung nangyari sa inyo dati ni Veah. Maawa ka naman sa sarili mo."

"Matutulog nako."

"Uy uy, mag toothbrush ka muna."

"Oo na, eto na po."

KINABUKASAN

Naisipan akong ihatid ng kasamahan ko sa trabaho na si Sky. Matagal narin kaming friends, actually he's gay kaya we get along. He didn't really know that I'm gay, until he saw that chapstick challenge.

Nasa harap na kami ng hotel nang makasalubong namin si Franki na papasok narin.

"Oh Hi. You're early." Sabi ni Franki sakin.

"Ah yes, the last student that I was supposed to tutor got sick so our schedule for today is cancelled."

"Sya ba yun?." Bulong sakin ni Sky.

"Oo. Kaya umayos ka bakla. Secret lang dapat yun." Hila ko sa damit ni Sky, ipapahamak pako.

Nakatingin lang sa amin si Franki,

"You know what, you two really look good. Are you--"

"No, we're just friends. Actually, I'm gay." Inunahan talaga ako nitong bakla. Alam nya kasing pagpapanggapin ko sya na boyfriend ko. Yan yung pinag-uusapan namin sa kotse niya kanina. At talagang ayaw nyang pumayag.

"Oh really? Wow. Buti nalang you told me because I almost mistook you as a couple. So you make hatid lang pala for Diana. That's really nice. I hope guys are as gentleman as you." Sabi ni Franki.

"Thank you for being appreciative Miss Franki. Unlike other people here, very manggagamit." Pinaringgan pa ako. Mamaya ka saking bakla ka.

"What's manggagamit?."

"You know, User." Sagot naman ni Sky.

"Oh right, Sky diba you have work pa? Naku mahirap magalit yung kliyente mo na yun--I'm sorry Franki but he needs to go." Sabay tulak ko kay Sky paalis.