Chapter Forty
"Men Are Irrational Beings"
Daniel Rouge Gustilyo's Point of View
Nagising ako na sobrang sakit ang ulo. Pagmulat ko ng mga mata ko, nakahiga ako sa higaan ni Theo.
Wait, why am I at Theo's room?
Napabangon ako ng wala sa oras dahilan para mapangiwi ako sa bigat ng ulo ko. "You're awake." Theo's cold voice greeted me early in the morning.
"B-bat ako nasa kwarto mo?" Tanong ko nalamang sa kaniya.
"It seemed like you had fun last night, that you collapsed right in front of me when you got home." mahinahon nitong sinabi sa akin. Nakaupo lang ito sa couch niya habang hawak-hawak ang newspaper.
Just then I remembered about last night's incident, kaya napasapo ako ng noo ko. S-hit. Andami kong nagawang eskandalo kagabi. I slapped the hell out of a sexual predator and a quidnunc — Romeo to be specific. I even drank a lot of Tequila which Kiefer offered, tapos 'di ko na alam ang ibang detalye.
Nakaramdam na lamang ako ng isang pitik sa noo ko kaya napabalik ako sa huwisyo. "You're spacing out." Ani Theo.
"I'm sorry. 'Di ko lang talaga maalala ang nagawa ko kagabi."
S-hit. Last night I got harassed and I slapped Romeo right in the face. "Tell me." Umupo ito sa tabi ko.
"You're going to listen to me?"
"Kailan pa ba ako 'di nakinig sa'yo?"
"You left when I tried to explain myself to you that day Theo." I was pertaining to that day he just walked away.
"That was different." Maktol nito sa akin. "So tell me, what happened last night?"
"'Wag na." Irap ko sa kaniya. I heard him tutted and glared at me.
"Come on." Inuyog pa nito ako. Napasinghal na lamang ako.
I know if I'm going to tell him about last night's he's going to be really angry but I summed up the courage to tell him so.
"Ugh. It was terrible, I did not have fun at all kung alam mo lang. Andaming tao then I—I was sexually h-harassed." Nauutal kong sinabi sa kaniya, nabigoa naman ako sa nasabi ko sa kaniya.
Nakita kong biglang nagseryoso ang mukha ni Theo, he even clenched his fist kaya nabigla ako sa inasta nito.
"Who harassed you?"
"Uh— Theo. I already settled —"
"Tell me who did it? WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?!" He yelled at me. Pinandilatan pa nito ako ng kaniyang mga mata.
"Theo."
"I SAID, WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?!" Tinaasan niya ako ng boses kaya napasalita ako ng di oras.
"He sexually harassed me Theo! H-he slid his hands inside me and he t-touched me. " Napakurap naman ito sa galit. Nakakatakot tingnan si Theo dahil galit na galit ito. "But don't worry sinampal ko 'yon." I assured him, trying to calm him down.
"What's his name?" He gritted his teeth.
"He's one of the top models. Si Dimitry ata pangalan nun. But trust me, I had it settled last night — I gave him a slap."
"Dani, are you just going to let him get away that easily? Isang sampal lang talaga?" Nagagalaiting tinanong nito sa akin. Nabigla na lamang ako dahil hinawakan niya ako sa kamay ko at pinisil-pisil ito. "You're a precious being at ayaw kong pinaglalaruan ka lang."
Coming from him?
I wanted to scoff at him out of disbelief pero bigla akong nakaramdam ng sakit. "Ouch." Napangiwi ako dahil biglang kumirot ang ulo ko. Migraine ata.
"Take a rest. Let me handle him myself." Inihiga nito ako sa kaniyang higaan atsaka lumabas ito ng kaniyang kwarto. Gusto ko sana itong pigilan but I just watch his back slowly retreats itself and the next thing I knew I fell asleep.
...
Gabi na nang makarating si Theo sa bahay. He was agitated when he came home and I noticed may dugo sa kaniyang labi. "THEO!" I yelled at him dahil mukha itong nanggaling sa isang away. Agad namang akong lumapit sa kaniya at kinapa ang mukha niya.
'Wag mong sabihing sinuntok niya si Dimitry na'yon?
"This is nothing." Nakangiti nitong sinabi sa akin.
"Theo, don't tell me you smacked him in the face?" He scoffed at me at ngumisi.
"Of course I did, after all that's what bastards like him deserve!" At ipinagmamalaki pa talaga nito na sinuntok niya ang tao. Sinamaan ko naman ito ng tingin. "What?" Kunot noo nitong tinanong sa akin.
I just rolled my eyes at him atsaka naghanap ng first aid kit sa kusina. "Come here." Napakamot naman ito ng kaniyang batok at sinunod ako na naupo sa tabi ko sa sofa. "Lean in!" I yelled at him dahil ayaw pa nitong ilapit ang mukha sa akin. Akala niya ako pa ang mag-aadjust.
Kumuha ako ng isang earbuds at pinahiran ito ng alcohol para malinisan ko ang kaniyang sugat sa bibig. Napangiwi naman ito sa ginawa ko at mukha siyang ewan dahil sa hapdi. I tried to keep my cool not to laugh — and I succeeded. Agad ko namang linagyan ng ointment ang earbuds atsaka ito pinahid ulit sa kaniyang labi.
"You should have seen his face." Natatawa nitong sinabi sa akin. Parang bata si Theo, na proud na proud dahil nanggaling sa away.
"Theo," panimula ko.
Men just like Theo are irrational beings. Totoo nga naman talaga ang sinasabi sa Philosophy subject namin. They tend to do things without even thinking first. Alam kong isa din akong lalaki pero ibahin niyo ako sa mga kagaya ni Theo. I think before I act.
"Anyway, don't worry I had it settled already. Pina-alis ko na 'yun sa management."
"What?"
"Trust me Dani, ayaw na ayaw kong binabastos ka."
"We could just sue him."
"You don't know what else Mom and the rest of the family could do to him pag malalaman nilang binastos ka ng taong 'yon. He should be thankful I handled it myself."
May punto nga naman si Theo. 'Di ko alam kung ano ang magagawa ng mga Gustilyo sa kaniya. Eric told me that Gustilyos are pretty messy.
I couldn't disagree with him anymore so I opted for a deep sigh instead. "Well, thanks I guess." Pasasalamat ko na lang kay Theo.
He just smiled at me, and he pulled me close to him. "Ah shit." He cursed as he tightened his hug on me.
"I missed you."
His voice was so cold but it was so soothing to hear. It was stern and raucous but the way he said he missed me, it made me feel warmth inside. Napangiti ako habang yakap-yakap nito ako.
"I'm sorry I became a dumbass for weeks." Ani Theo habang sandal-sandal ang ulo ko sa balikat nito. "'Di ko pala kayang 'di ka makausap at matingnan. Ugh. I hate this feeling." Napailing na lamang ito.
"Theo, ang cheesy mo. Yuck." I taunted at him na kinatawa naman nito. Kumalas ako sa pagkakayakap nito atsaka tinanong siya. I swuinted my eyes at him. "Theo, sabihin mo ang totoo."
I just had this feeling kasi.
"What?" Kunot noo nitong tinanong sa akin.
"Was it your first time punching someone in the face, consciously?"
"No." Iniwas nito ang kaniyang tingin. "It was you."
I know the first time he punched someone was me. But I'm pretty sure that wa snust out of imoulse and unintentional.
"Me?" Natatawa kong tanong sa kaniya. He nodded.
"But it was unintentional." Umiqas ulit ito ng tingin sa akin.
I just glared at him.
"Okay fine, first time kong masuntok sa mukha ang isang tao na kagaya nung bastardong 'yon and yes, his fist was hard, kaya 'to pumutok. Yes we had quite a fight but look I won." He gave me a satisfying smile.
'Di niya siguro maalala ang gabing nasuntok niya si Eric.
Napatawa na lang ako sa kaniya.
"What?" He yelled at me again.
"Wala—wala." Ani ko rito atsaka tumayo na at tinapon ang basura.
Naglakad ako papunta sa kusina para hanapin muna ang gamot ko dahil kailangan ko namang uminom ng gamot na nirereseta sa akin ng doktor. I still need to take these medicines even though I rarely see the doctor because of my hectic schedule.
Lumapit naman si Theo sa akin. "You're still taking those medicines?" He asked me.
Taking a deep breath as I swallow the med with a drink, I nodded. "Still have to."
"You can like stop drinking them if you want to." He leaned on the wall and entertained his arms. "Dani, do you really want to be someone?" Worried was evident in Theo's voice.
"I don't know." Sagot ko na lamang sa kaniya. "There's this part of me na gusto, tapos meron 'din na parang nalilito. I'm indecisive... just like you." Binaling ko ang atensyon ko sa kaniya.
"Just like me." He agreed.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Like you. Nahawaan mo na ako." He just snorted at me.
"Say, can you stop taking those medicines?" He asked me.
"Why?"
"Because I want you to remain you."
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092820 — Happy 30k reads!
Im sorry for the late updates 🥺 Im just so busy for the past few days at wala na rin akong gana magsulat paminsan even though may time ako minsan 😔 anyway hope you like this update 💓