CHAPTER 6
1173 Words
[07-01-25]
Kabanata Six
It was almost ten o’clock by the time I got home.
"Aah! Ma! Why are you trying to scare me?"
She was wearing a nightgown and a white face mask—the facial sheet kind.
"Don't you try to change the subject, LANCE MOLINA! Where have you been? Are you seeing another woman?! Since when did you start cheating on me! Do you know your child has been asking where her father is all evening? I didn’t know how to answer her!"
"Wait... EHH?? MA!" I grabbed my mom's shoulders. "Ma, I’m your son! I’m not Papa."
Her facial expression shifted instantly.
"Oh, Nakshie (my son), hehe, right. You look just like your father—a carbon copy, really—so Mama got confused. My bad. Go to sleep now, my son! You have school tomorrow!"
"Okay, Ma! Good night." I kissed her cheek before finally heading upstairs.
"Argh! Gosh... oh, hi pre!"
"By the way, son," my mom called out, "your best friend and your cousin are here. They said they’re spending the night!"
My mom’s warnings are always late!
I immediately dodged as Deon’s underwear was thrown toward me.
"Hey, Deon! Have some shame! Why are you walking around like that? What if Mom suddenly walked in?!" I said, averting my eyes.
"As if you don't have the same parts. Why are you looking away? And don't worry, I know Tita isn't coming up here anymore because she’s going to bed."
"Still!"
"Oh, you're home," someone else spoke. It was Dustin.
"Sheesh, look at that physique! Let me feel those—I mean, I was just saying it’s good to warm up at night. Did you know that exercising every night can help control your muscles?"
"Exercising every night can help control your muscles? i***t!"
"Calling me an i***t? This cousin of yours is challenging my manhood, pre! Hold me back or I’ll deck him!" Dustin started punching the air like he was in a street fight.
"Go ahead," I challenged. "Just a reminder: he’s a black belter. Also, there’s a new funeral parlor open at the corner; I heard they’re giving big discounts today."
"Damn, pre! Are you even my friend?? You want to put me in a casket already!"
"Tsk. Whatever, you guys are nonsense." I flopped onto the bed.
"So, I guess I'll take the sof—"
"I'll take the sofa, pre! Thanks! You’re so kind, thank you!!" Deon cut me off.
I went to grab my pillow and blanket.
"—I’ll take these too, pre! Thank you so much! You’re such a good friend, may the Lord not take you too soon."
The audacity! Now I’m on the floor! No blanket, no pillow. Luckily, there was a small rug, so I just made do with that.
"Poor ME! The son of the OWNER OF THIS HOUSE!"
"Night, pre! Turn off the light on your way down!"
I groaned and hit the switch.
What a life. But my grumpy face vanished the moment I remembered Trina’s smile.
"RANCE, thank you so much!!"
I shivered. s**t, that was so kilig.
Until...
"Wahh! Erase, erase!!!"
"Rance, if you don't want to sleep, at least let us sleep," Dustin muttered. I almost kicked him.
It was around two in the morning when—
"Ouch!!!"
Someone stepped on my hip. Sht, that hurt!* My cousin is a big guy!
"F*ck!! Darn! What the hell are you doing down there?!"
"Yow men, morning. Sheesh... Incest!" Deon joked, seeing us tangled on top of each other.
"Gago!" (i***t!)
"Lol!"
My cousin and I cursed at the same time. This guy's mind is always in the gutter.
In the end, my cousin felt bad and let me sleep on the bed. Seriously, with how pitiful I looked, it would've been a burden on his conscience to let me sleep on the floor of my own room.
"Don't you dare crush me or I’ll kick you off!" he warned.
"Fine!"
"Promise first."
"Then don't sleep here!!!"
"Fine, fine, I promise!" My cousin is so dramatic—more high-maintenance than a girl.
The room finally went quiet. I could hear the faint hum of the electric fan and Deon’s snoring, which sounded like it had its own drumbeat.
"Annoying," I whispered. "I couldn't sleep on the floor, and now I have background music."
I shifted positions, but Dustin moved suddenly and almost pushed me off the frame.
"Hey! Move one more time and this bed might break!" I said, giving him a small shove.
"You're so noisy!" he snapped. I just rolled my eyes.
This was actually the first time Dustin and I shared a bed, even though we shared a room (he basically lives here now). Usually, I’d take the sofa, but since Deon was here and I’m a "good friend," I played the hero and gave up my spot.
Eventually, both of them started moaning in their sleep. They were both having nightmares again.
I turned to my cousin.
"Dad, please... I don't want to... don't dunk me in the drum anymore, please!!! I promise I'll be a good son! Please, Dad, have mercy!!"
Ever since we were kids, my Uncle’s blood has always run hot against him. That’s why he basically lives here; if he goes home and Uncle sees him, he’s sure to get beaten black and blue. My Aunt Diane can't do anything but cry. Only my mom can save him when my Uncle is in a drunken rage.
Then I turned to Deon.
This "mushroom" of a friend who acts so thick-skinned... his parents are always out of town or out of the country. They don't have house help because Deon has a trauma. When he was a kid, he was kidnapped by their maid because his dad, who was a bit of a playboy, was breaking up with her. The woman refused to let go, so she kidnapped Deon, molested him, and nearly killed him.
I can’t blame him for being a bit of a pervert now... it stems from that traumatic experience. It’s a miracle they rescued him, though he was catatonic for a while. He only became playful and loud when I was around. We’ve been together since kindergarten; his parents always made sure we were in the same class, until Grade 8 when we finally got separated.
Speaking of being seatmates...
"RANCE Jallen Molina, be my boyfriend."
"Aahhhhhhhh!!" I shouted, remembering the bathroom scene.
THUD! (I fell off the bed).
"I told you—if you don't want to sleep, let us sleep!!"
Ouch! Dammit, that girl is just wandering around my brain cells!!
- Writer
