Before Rosa

[BR 22]

To those who're having a hard time right now, I see you. Ngiti ka na. (:
-A.💜

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R A F F Y
Before Rosa 22

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Change -- pagbabago.

Huwaw, Mami. Big word.

Alesia de los Reyes doesn't change her mind easily. When she put her mind into something, she'll hold onto it until her very last breath. I've seen her with her colleagues sa student council way back in college. This girl has opinions and she's almost always right kaya walang nagagawa ang co-officers niya kundi sumunod sa kaniya.

And not so long ago, I've seen her with her parents. I saw how she stood her ground against them.

Pero ngayon...

"Ano bang nagpabago ng isip mo?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

Sia shrugged and picked up her utensils. Bumalik siya sa pagkain na parang wala lang ang usapan.

Kasal 'to, Mami. Kasal. Okay lang ba s'ya?

"Hoy, babae. Sagutin mo 'ko. Ano nanamang pumasok sa isip mo? Kaloka ka."

"May point naman kasi si Tita Sally. We're both single, why not try it? We've been living together for three months now, wala naman tayong problema. Can't we do this for a few years more? Para sa bata?"

Hindi ako sumagot. May point naman siya but still, marriage is too much.

Saglit na natigilan si Sia. Hinuli niya ang aking mga mata. "Bakit? Ayaw mo ba?"

Umiwas ako ng tingin. "Hindi naman sa ganun..."

She arched a brow. "So, gusto mo?"

I sighed. "Don't you want to get married to someone you actually love instead of settling with me?" tanong ko.

Umiwas siya ng tingin. "Mahal naman kita ah..." I heard her whisper.

I pouted. "I love you too, Mami. But we're not in love, if you know what I mean."

Sia reached for the edge of her shirt. Pinaglaruan niya 'yun, na parang may malalim na iniisip.

Uminom nalang ako ng tubig. "Besides," patuloy ko. "Hindi tayo talo."

Tumigil si Sia sa kaniyang ginagawa. She gave me a look. "Seryoso ka jan? Hindi tayo talo?"

Sumaglit ang mga mata ko sa tiyan niya bago bumalik ulit sa kaniyang mukha. "Mamiiii," I whined. "Don't remind me."

Sia shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Tigilan mo na nga ako sa rason na 'yan, Raffy."

"Totoo naman kasi eh," pilit ko. "We cannot be."

"We cannot be what? Cannot be married? Cannot be together? Cannot be in love? Bakit?"

I gave her a pointed look. "I'm gay," sabi ko.

Sia frowned. "I know. And so am I. Anong problema?"

"Uh, I'm gay. Homosexual. Lalaki ang hanap. Ganern."

Lalong lumalim ang kunot ng noo niya. "So what? You're telling me that we can't be because of your sexuality? Nasaan na 'yung sinasabi nating 'Love knows no gender'? Limot na 'yun?"

Napapikit ako. Bumalik ang sakit ng ulo ko. I felt like my head is splitting into two. "Sia..." I groaned.

"Ayaw mo ba sa 'kin?"