THE LIES START NOW
Once, the gaze of two young male met. One walked towards the other and started a conversation.
They smiled. They laughed. They enjoyed each others company.
They started to know each other; every afternoon, they'd meet at an old palm tree and talk about their day. Unknowingly, they treated the place as if it was their haven. Every time they'd meet, one would be talking about his girls and the other would be talking about his academics.
The time came where one decided to stop talking and just listen to his friends' adventures or more like, his friend's playboyness (no, it's not even a word but it suited him).
He didn't bear grudge though.
Actually, he liked listening to his voice. It feels comforting. Melodious. Harmonic, even.
Then one day, he woke up and felt something was about to happen.
On an afternoon, of the same day, they decided to meet again on that same old tree. He was the first one to reach their haven. He patiently waited for him. He was so eager to give him the snacks he prepared - - -the only way to cope with the uneasiness he felt earlier.
Ten minutes later, the other arrived.
He was already smiling, ready to show him his surprise.
To his dismay, he was not alone. He was with a girl, a very gorgeous girl.
He didn't dare to compare their features. He's a boy but his rival was a girl. Wait. They were never rivals. He already lost the fight before it ever began.
He introduced the girl to him. He just nodded at his words, not actually listening to whatever he said. He knew that if he did, he'd just burst his tears.
That was the day where he told himself that he had enough. He needed to tell him his feelings. He thought, if it'd end their friendship, so be it.
His hands were trembling on that night as he clicked the word send. After he did, he screamed. He wanted to stop the message from sending but unfortunately for him,( or fortunately) it was already delivered.
"Opposites attract,
Same poles repel."
If that's the case,
are we just poles on a magnet,
destined to never touch?
Are we just hard special stones,
made to never feel?
If we see our love like that,
should all emotions be contained?
Should feelings have to be trapped?
Shall all love needs to be altered,
to match what the society wants,
to pair with what others see?
His anticipation was killing him. He never felt so nervous like that before. Even playing violin in front of a hundred audience could not par on how he felt after that.
Will he be mad? Will he send curse messages? Will the words he sent disgust him? These questions kept on running on his mind.
After minutes, which felt decades for this guy by the way, his phone started ringing.
Someone's calling, he whispered to himself. Is it him?
Before he even stretch his hands to reach his phone, the silence inside his room came back.
He sighed. The fact that he didn't need to speak to anyone after that "sending poem event" relieved him.
Maybe I should just say it was sent to him wrongly. Yes. A brilliant idea!
Then, another sound came in. This time, it was a notification. The message reads:
Hey there, lover boy. HAHAHA. Ken, in love ka sakin? LOL (Ken, are you in love with me?)
And another message came in, it reads:
Ang baduy mo, pre. Tula talaga? Haha! (Too old school, dude. Really, a poem?)
And then came another:
Tinanong mo sana ako kung may gusto kang diskartehan na chiks dyan. Di ako tinawag na King Jerome para sa wala. Let's meet on our place tomorrow, I'll teach you my moves. HAHAHA. (You should have asked me if you want to make a move on girls out there. I'm not called King Jerome for nothing.)
And Ken's anxiety wore down. He didn't think Jerome would react that way.
Argghh! Ken used his pillow to stifle his scream, not caring if he acted the same way whenever his sister sees her Korean bias on TV.
---
The time came where he had to go on the spot where he and his friend would meet for the supposedly courting tutorial. Ken wore more appealing clothes than the plain white shirt and blue jeans combination that he usually had. He'll definitely notice me this time, he told himself.
He was just meters away on their meeting place when the flood of worry entered his mind, again.
He breathed heavily. I can do this!
As usual, Ken was the first one to make it on their little rendezvous. Knowing that he'll be able to see Jerome again made him giddy. Great! Now, I am losing a lot of my masculinity. Am I really doing this?
There, he waited for him. He waited. He waited. And he waited. Ken got there around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The moon started to show up, but still, Jerome was nowhere to be found.
Maybe he said we'd meet in the evening. I'm such a fool for not remembering that.
He looked up in the sky, not focusing at any particular celestial object. He just looked up to prevent his tears from falling. Not knowing their recent text montage was the last conversation they'll ever have.
I am such a fool.
---
YEARS HAVE PASSED.
Christmas lights. He can't think of any better words to describe the place they are in but those two words. How can someone be in this place? His eyes are too special to be damaged because of these blinking lights.
"Sabi ko sa'yo kuya, you'll love this place." his sister shouted at him. (Told you, you'll love this place.)
"I AM NOT ENJOYING ANY OF THIS!!!" he replied but his voice was too low to reach his sister's ears.
This was his sister's gift to him for his 20th birthday; to be out and proud and find his love. Yep. His sister knew about his secret. Blame the swollen eyes that he had when he went home without seeing the guy that is supposed to meet with him. He didn't want to tell her younger sister about it but he just can't contain his emotions that night. Now, they're on this kind of event that is supposed to make him happy.
"For the main event ladies, especially you, soon-to-be-bride, here's your special treat."
After that loud introduction, a spotlight was focused on a man on a police uniform. Only dumb people will think that this man in front is a real officer. He thought.
He stared at the man on stage. The man was not too big nor too lean. He had the perfect amount of muscles like a guy who probably spends his life in a gym.
The guy on stage suddenly ripped the buttons of his uniform making an enough sight to make the ladies inside the room scream in delight.
While a sweet, serenading music plays, the man grooves to the tune seducing his audience.
Kenneth just kept his attention on the shirtless man. Something inside of him just want to take the man's mask too see if it'd match the hotness of his body. He was too curious.
"Looks like someone down there's enjoyiiiing."
His sister poked him and said those words. Instead of replying, he just gave a very wide smile.
He reminded himself to thank his sister later for bringing him on her friend's bridal shower.
"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!" the audience suddenly became naughty. It must have been the liquor talking. He can't imagine the innocent girls he met earlier changed into someone like this.
Like the ladies' request, the man slowly unbuckled the belt of his pants. The lips that weren't covered by the mask formed a smug smile. He really knew what he was doing.
He kept on staring at those smile. Somehow, it felt comforting. It felt like home.
Finally, the thought of familiarity hit him. He knew that smile. He knew it. It was from him! It was from Jerome!
But, it could just be another mistake. From the past two years, he mistakenly thought almost every man that he met was Jerome. This could just be another mistake.
This man was bulkier than the Jerome he met. It's not him.
This man was taller than the Jerome he knew. It's not him.
The show continued as well as his anxiety. Now, the man has nothing to cover his flesh other than his hands and the necktie he wore.
The room was once again filled with excitement. Hormones are probably taking over everyone inside the room.
Perhaps, the performer loved the idea of the audience worshiping his body that he got excited. Too excited that he moved too much too please everyone.
Then, the unexpected happen.
The string that held his mask loosens.
His face was revealed to everyone.
A remarkable descendant of Adam.
An epitome of Michelangelo's David.
A perfect man.
But, before everyone could react, the man quickly picked up his clothes (maybe just his pants) and returned immediately at the back stage.
He smiled. Kenneth smiled. Tears started to stream down his face. He was so happy that he couldn't contain his emotions. He was so relieved.
It was not him.
It was not him.
Our gaze met.
I know it was not him.
I know him too much.
I know it's not him.
Again, he told himself:
I am such a fool.
A/n: Hey, there! Hahaha. Salamat sa iyo at binasa mo ang kwentong ito. Alam kong may mga reactions kayo nung nabasa niyo yung tagalog part. Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa utak ko. Hahaha. And... if you spotted any grammatical errors please let me know (baka kailangang irewrite lahat sa sobrang dami, hahahah). All the love.
P.s. Weirded out by third person POV. Hahah. Maybe, I'll go back to 1st person narration. Yun lang.
Hamieo here - - - peace!!!