Chapter Three
"Everything Will Make Sense"
Daniel Rouge Gustilyo's Point of View
It was excruciating because I needed to adjust to the life of the oppressors. Every now and then according to them, I get to receive a monthly checkup para tingnan kung healthy ako. I was also forced to drink a drug that should turn me feminine gradually. I was on a strict diet too, and they often have to calculate the amount of nutrients I should take every day but I am a boy and its natural that I eat a lot but what can I do? I can't say no to the people who offered help to my family.
Assenting is the least I could do.
'Di rin maiiwasan na walang taong sasama sa akin kahit saan ako pumunta. Me and Theo were provided with an escort na bumubuntot sa amin.
And also I have to be with him all the time.
And he has to be with me too.
I was his company. After all.
I can't explain everything kasi kahit ako naguguluhan sa sitwasyon kong ito. This is just a mere ostentation I had to live with from now on. At wala akong magagawa dahil nga saying yes is the only least thing I could do as a thank you sa kanilang pagsusuporta sa pamilya ko.
I know I have to live as someone.
I have to forget who I was — that someone.
I know someday this is going to make sense.
Everything will make sense, that's what I always remind myself of — Everyday.
Today's my first week as Rouge. Or they'd rather pronounce it as, 'Rog' or 'Ruzh' , or if not Dani — whatever they'd like to call me. Since I can't call myself mine. Dahil pagmamay-ari na ako ng mga Gustilyo.
Kasi I don't own myself anymore.
And I can tell so fa that I had coped up with this mod con lifestyle the family lives with. Gradually I'dbe able to adapt well in this lifestyle.
While going to school, hawak-hawak ko ang cellphone na binili para sa akin ng Mom. It was an iPhone? At maliit lang ang contacts ko dito. It was only exclusive for the Gustilyo's, as usual. Mayroon na rin akong iPad at Mac Book Air provided for me to use.
I was sent to a prestigious school. With high security and a high standard of educational system. It was exclusive only to the elite, to those who have relations with the government at ang mga anak ng mga business tycoons or to sum it all up, a school for the family of the oppressors. You can study here too, kung makakapasa ka sa exam nila.
In my new school, we were expected to be using gadgets already. Everything is in new technology. And the gadgets I have were already updated to provide me information in my new school, at sa mga classes ko. Even in actual classes, may prino-project lang sa amin sa dingding. Spoon-feeding dito. And I am not used to this.
It's also an English speaking institution and I had to abide with it. We are the children of the corps d'elite what can I do? We were expected to have class and to be the best we will ever be.
This wasn't what my school used to be.
Sa amin kasi. Magshe-share ka pa ng libro. Then you have to read and read and read para may pang sagot ka sa oral recit mo. You have to work hard in order to attain something. You also have to clean your room then from time to time maglilinis din kayo ng garden sa likod ng school. But my school is different from what I got used to.
After class, me and Theo went outside. Nakasunod naman ang mga escort namin sa likod namin habang nakahawak lang si Theo sa kamay ko. His face was stoic and he looks like he's used to the stares whenever we pass at the people in the hallway. Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya.
He's already nineteen. Pero magsame year lang kami and yes, he looks mature already, he looks like a royal prince and his eyes were brown at matangos ang ilong nito. His lashes are long and his brows are well aligned and arched accordingly in a good angle, it was thick as well. To actually sum it all up, he's really handsome. Kaya no wonder lahat ng mga tao na napapadaan napapatingin sa kaniya. Pati mga babae napapanganga sa angking kagwapuhan ni Theo Marco Angeles.
And I was insecure.
Because I have to wear a wig. It was customary, given that I need to be someone I wasn't supposed to be — for the meantime lang naman daw dahil pinapahaba pa ang buhok ko. I also need to drink plenty of i-dont-know-what substance para lang I could fit in to a perfect family, to atleast have a girly physiques — to hide my old self. But I had to do this for my new family — if not for my real family.
I know deep inside that I am slowly forced to be someone I wasn't supposed to be. Pero ano nga ba ang magagawa ko? Kailangan ko na lang na sumunod sa kanilang gusto. Because I was fabricated as someone to satisfy the family that I was in.
Good thing. I wasn't forced to wear girl clothes.
We went straight to the canteen area of the school. Lahat ng mga students nagtatawanan at nagkukwentuhan habang kami ni Theo ay walang imikang kumakain. Dinalhan kami ng lunch ng isa sa mga maids namin, Theo has to eat a lot while mine was reduced to a teacup of rice, a handful of lettuce and a fish that was cut in a half and was perfectly boneless.
I know this family is trying hard to take good care of me. That they have to do everything just so they can provide me with love.
Pero paminsan, feeling ko isa akong pusa dito sa pamilya na ito. Oo. Isa nga akong pusa kasi pinamigay lang ako but the difference is I was sold and I had to endure the pain, but what can I do? I was bought nga diba? I just need to do everything they want me to.
Even if It means I need to lose myself.
Which I am slowly doing already.
Dahan-dahan kong hiniwa ang isda atsaka kinain ito. I noticed Theo was trying to talk to me. So tumanga ako para tingnan siya. He just gave me a "tsk." Atsaka pinandilatan ako ng nga mata. "Hey, straighten your back. Don't slouch." Utos nito sa akin habang nagmomotion na sundan ko ang ginagawa niya.
Nagulat na lamang ako nang hawakan ng isa sa mga escort ko ang likod ko so that I wouldn't slouch myself. Nalimutan ko rin bang sabihin na I need to follow proper etiquettes of the Gustilyos?
One of their etiquette is that I shouldn't be slouching when eating.
It's one of their etiquette as a family. Especially when you're enjoying or eating your meal. At paminsan nakakalimutan ko kasi ito.
"Sorry." Napatingin ako sa pagkain ko at hiniwa ko na lamang ito habang nakaupo na parang ruler dahil hawak-hawak ako sa dibdib at likod ng lalaki kong escort.
"Tsk." Rinig kong sabi ni Theo sa akin. Napailing na lamang ako habang subo ko ang pagkain ko.
I ate my food slowly — because I have to eat slowly. Even though alam kong kanina ko pa gustong hamalin lahat lahat nang nasa pinggan ko. Pero wala akong magagawa dahil nakabantay ang maid at escort namin. If you think in this family, strict ang parents namin, mangamba kayo sa escort at sa maid namin dahil mas strict pa sila kesa sa parents naming dalawa.
Dahan-dahan ko na namang hiniwa ang isda habang nginunguya ko ang pagkain sa loob ng bunganga ko. Napatingin ako kay Theo, he doesn't need to be guided already kasi he looks so perfect doing his own job.
Ayon daw sa Mom nito, pansamantala lang ang escort namin sa ngayon. Kasi alam nila na bago lang ako dito, takot sila na baka tumakas ako sa pamilya nila.
The family is treating me well naman.
I guess? So I don't think there's a reason for me to run away from them.
After all I was bought right?
Kailangan ko rin namang tanggapin ang katotohanan. Hindi ako makakatakas dito sa kanila.
I have no choice but to just follow what they want me to follow.
After lunch, lumabas na kami ni Theo. As usual, hahawakan nito ang kamay ko atsaka sabay kaming lalakad. We indeed look like real siblings. Although I have to play pretend. Even though everyone knows me as a boy, no one dared asked me about my sexuality — which was still in question.
It was a long afternoon class, but I was glad na natapos din kami sa klase namin. I had to wait with Theo sa parking lot ng school para sunduin kami ng driver namin. Kasama lang namin ang escort namin na nakatayo sa likod namin.
Alam ko na 'di kami masyadong close ni Theo, and he's a silent uptight guy na walang paki-alam sa paligid nito. That's why I need to make the first move and to adjust in this environment at simulan siyang kausapin. Although I find his aura quite intimidating given that he grew up in a so called 'royal family of the Gustilyo'.
From the word, 'Gust' which means the sensation of taste; a keen delight but I would rather think as an outburst of too much idiosyncratic beliefs that I had no choice but to abide with.
Napatingin ako kay Theo na siya namang kinalabit ko, "Tey, 'Di ka ba naiilang sa pagiging strict ng parents natin?" I saw his forehead crease. I know my question seemed to be off kasi, he wasn't being restricted, ako lang naman 'tong newcomer sa pamilya nila ang pinaglilimitahan.
Theo's once was stoic face turned into a confused one, trying to question my question — as if it was wrong of me to ask such question.
"Why?" He nonchalantly answered. Alam kong 'di pala salita si Theo pero ramdam ko kapag makilala ko ito at kapag maging close ko na, tatahol na'to.
"Kasi. Alam mo naman, 'di talaga ako sanay sa ganitong mga bagay." Ani ko rito.
"You should get used to this Dani." He answered, he slid his phone back inside his pocket atsaka nakapamulsang tumingin sa akin, his eyes are telling me something, and it charms me. "You're lucky Mom picked you." He sounded annoyed.
"Picked for what?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.
"As my lover."
© 052820
AN
[060820 — Happy #104 bromance
#97 bl
#38 boy]
AHHHH I'm currently writing chapter 26 and the next chapters will be pretty exciting! So wait wait lang tayo sa update dahil I'll iupdate twice or thrice a week 🥺🥺 thank you sa support! And as usual, please do VOTE AND COMMENT 🥺