EROS

l o v e

f a t e

Amor Vice Versa

It was already ten in the evening but the girl he was waiting for hadn’t come out yet from the boutique. He saw her entering the place where she would usually buy those heavy earrings dangling from her ears. That was three hours ago.

Harold stood beneath a lamp post with a dim light surviving the cold of the night. He had not eaten dinner. He waited with the energy of his obsession for a pretty lady he had seen once in a bar. For how many hours he would be stalking there, he didn’t care. His heart was fast and restless in its beating. Once he would see the pretty lady whom he thought as his ‘dreamgirl’ coming out of the boutique, his day would be complete. He couldn’t sleep pretty well the past nights without a glimpse of her.

While waiting, Harold felt his bladder getting full. He drank five bottles of beer before he found himself loitering beneath the lamp post, stalking someone. He pissed on a wall, just in the area but to where dim light of the lamp was absent. He was zipping his pants when he heard a chime coming from the boutique. That was the signal. He stayed where he was, embraced by darkness, looking at the nearby door opening with his dreamgirl coming out at last.

She called a taxi and was gone.

He had seen her at least and that was enough.

***

“Who is it Cindy?” The saleslady asked one of their loyal customers in Sparkles who was staring at the window for quite sometime. The customer had purchased two pairs of earrings that night after three hours of looking at the new arrivals.

“Nothing, Weng,” Cindy replied shaking his head showing off her shoulder-length earrings. “That lamp outside needs to be repaired. Isn’t the government taking action about it? Are they really corrupt? People swarm around that area to catch jeepneys so it’s supposed to be lighted well.”

“Ahem! Are you really concerned about the lamp post or to that guy beneath? I noticed you looking out the window since you arrived here tonight,” Weng said in a teasing manner.

“What? Excuse me but he’s not my type. And look, seems like he’s waiting for someone.”

“Then why are you blushing?” Weng was tickling Cindy this time. Of all their customers, Cindy was the closest to her.

“It’s blush-on! I guess I got to leave before I break something here. Thanks Weng.” Cindy left the counter quickly because she was indeed reddening as a crushed tomato.

She would have wanted to tell Weng about her latest crush whom he had seen in a bar - the guy whom she was surprised to see just outside her choice boutique. But Cindy couldn’t say a word to Weng since she had just broken up with her boyfriend for four years. I don’t want Weng to think of me moving on this fast, she thought. Seeing her crush that night, she couldn’t deny her feelings, though. Her heart was fast and restless in its beating. She stayed in Sparkles for three hours just to see him who by then she was calling her ‘dreamboy’.

She sighed upon opening the door though because the guy was no longer there. Maybe her GF arrived at last. She waved a taxi and went home hoping to have her dreamboy in her dreams that night.

She had seen him at least and that was enough.

***

It was noon the next day and Harold once again caught a glimpse of his dreamgirl in a crowded street downtown. He was scanning some pirated DVDs sold by a Muslim vendor when he felt someone was approaching. The moment he recognized her, with the new earrings she might have bought last night, he felt again his heart beating so fast. He hid from the nearby kiosk of a magazine vendor.

His dreamgirl dropped by to the Muslim’s pirated DVDs where he was a moment ago. I missed that one, he thought. He noticed that the lady was quite anxious, glancing at the passersby. She was looking from side to side every time she got a chance while negotiating with the Muslim vendor. Anxious too, Harold hid deeper in the magazines.

“Pare, she’s awesome! I can’t help but imagine since we had our night at The Depot.” Harold told his best friend Nick excitedly on the phone later that afternoon. “I saw her last night buying something at Sparkles and again this noon downtown. Don’t you wonder about the coincidences?”

“Coincidences? Dude, I know you and you’re quite a stalker yourself,” Nick replied sarcastically.

“Uh-oh. Look who’s talking! Why don’t you mock me when you get yourself a girlfriend? Beware next Saturday bastard ‘coz I might kill ya.” Harold avenged himself from his friend’s sarcasm. He might be a true stalker but his friend was sort of a loser who’s afraid even just to ask a girl out.

“Just kidding, Pare. What’s with you? Are you really into this?” Nick’s last question ended with a laugh.

“I dunno. We’ll see about that.”

***

“I was right!” Weng exclaimed so loudly that some customers in the boutique looked at her and Cindy.

“Shut your mouth, Weng!” Cindy whispered to calm her saleslady friend who was over-reacting. “Okay, it’s true that I got a crush on that guy we saw outside last night. Please keep it just between us. Promise me…”

Weng was curious. “But why?” she asked with meeting eyebrows.

“Basta!”

“Fine then. But I smell something fishy about that. Tell me everything.” Weng moved closer to Cindy as if hearing the latest gossip in the city.

“I saw him once when I had a night out at The Depot. I was missing Dennis terribly and I want to forget about it that time. When I saw the guy, my dreamboy, I knew I would be crazy about him.”

“That’s great! But Dennis – is it really over between you both?”

“I don’t wanna hear about him anymore.”

“I’m sorry. Well, I guess I got to know more about you and your dreamboy these days.” Weng giggled like someone who drank a bottle of vinegar.

“Oh…actually, I saw him again around 1 pm today downtown. I saw him scanning some pirated DVDs. He’s so jologs. I tried to catch him where he was and pretend to be scanning some DVDs too but unfortunately, he was gone before I got there.” Cindy sighed as she ended her last sentence.

“That’s no misfortune. Bacolod’s a big city but still you could see him almost anywhere.”

“That’s what bothers me now, Weng. Seems like I’m being fed with signs. What do you think?”

“I think you will have new boyfriend one of these days.” Weng’s lips were near her ears.

“I dunno. We’ll see about that.”

***

Harold saw her dreamgirl five times the following week. He was playing his fave House of the Dead in an arcade games center when he caught a glimpse of her jumping and stomping at the Dance Revo. While he was going home one afternoon, he saw her riding a jeepney bound for the opposite direction. When he was at the cosmetics section of a grocery store buying a deodorant, he saw her walking gracefully at the shampoo section. He saw her again one morning jogging around Provincial Capitol Lagoon, in terno pink sweater and jogging pants. The last time he saw her was at the cathedral, Sunday after the mass.

***

Cindy was beginning to believe in divine intervention. She was very happy seeing her dreamboy many a times the week after she had seen him downtown. She never expected that she would see him blasting zombies with House of the Dead at Quantum Amusement as she was sweating with the Dance Revo. On her way to Fortune Towne one afternoon, he saw him on a jeepney bound for Libertad. She was buying a shampoo at the Libra Mart when she saw him again for the third time at the deodorant section of the grocery store. And when she was having her usual jogging one morning around Provincial Capitol Lagoon, he saw him resting on a bench with a towel around his neck.

When she was at the San Sebastian Cathedral attending the mass one Sunday, Cindy prayed, “Lord, I’m over Dennis. It hurts me still but I got to move on. I know you got better plans for me. I want to be happy once more. Please let me fall in love again. Give me someone.”

When she went out of the cathedral after the mass, she was stunned seeing her dreamboy dipping his finger at the bowl of holy water. He made a sign of the cross. At that precise moment, Cindy believed in divine intervention.

***

It’s not that he was torpe. Nick was the type of a guy who wanted to marry the girl he would be courting the first time. Since high school, he had that fear of rejection which explains why he never dared approach a girl and court. Actually, only one girl made him fall deeply in love: Wendy.

Nick felt butterflies in his stomach upon seeing Wendy when they were just getting application exams for high school. That feeling inside him went on for four years of his stay in his alma mater. But he never had a chance to say his words to her or even just a moment with her. The fact that Nick had an acne-pitied face as a teenager added to the burden.

He tried to look at other girls when he was in college. But Nick couldn’t deny that only one name was being called by his heart. So he got himself updated with Wendy. He had some best laid plans. He worked out at the best body-building gym in the city and sought help from a dermatologist for his facial problems. Five years later, he was a successful engineer and to everyone’s surprise, a Piolo Pascual clone.

Wendy graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Education. Unfortunately, she failed to pass the Teachers’ Licensure Examination.

Nick knew that Wendy worked in a boutique somewhere on 17th Lacson Street. Many times did he try to go in the boutique and ask Wendy out but he got tremors just approaching the door. He would say to himself, You’re no longer a moonface, remembering how his classmates teased him because of his pimples. Go on idiot. You’re not torpe. Ask Wendy now or you’ll suffer.

After his conversation with his best friend Harold one afternoon, Nick was motivated. He would see to it that his friend was wrong with his sarcastic remarks about him.

He went to see Wendy.

***

Saturday noon. Harold was desperate to shatter anything he could grab while waiting at Gaisano City Mall. Nick was late and the movie they would be watching was about to start. That bastard! I will surely kill him!

Nick arrived at last. Harold was about to punch his friend’s shoulder but withdrew his fist upon seeing that Nick was with someone.

“You’re late! We got 10 minutes only to buy our tickets and find seats, you moron!” Harold was trying to minimize the sound of his wrath.

“Tol, sorry. I had to fetch her,” Nick replied with a grin. “By the way this is Wendy, my GIRLFRIEND.”

Speechless, Harold shook the hands of his best friend’s girlfriend.

Oh my…he’s that guy! Cindy must know this. What a small world. Wendy was repeating the words in his mind. She could no longer concentrate on the movie that they were watching. She was thinking of a strategy. Nick, her boyfriend whom she had loved since high school, would be her accomplice. Before she knew it, the movie had ended.

Outside the theater…

“Pare, the visual effects are amazing, aren’t they?” Nick was discussing the movie to Harold.

“Yeah, worth our fifty pesos. Where are you going now? It’s quite early to go home.”

“Wendy and I will be meeting her parents,” Nick said as if teasing his friend.

“Oh, yeah...of course.”

“Tol, I’m torpe no more. You are still a STALKER!” Nick laughed as if there’s no tomorrow.

Harold couldn’t say a word to defend himself.

***

Wendy and Nick were talking about Harold inside the taxi.

“How long have you and Harold been friends?” Wendy asked her boyfriend.

Nick thought hard before replying. “More than twenty years! We’ve been playmates since we were four years old. That loco…he got circumcised when he was 12 years old. Haha!”

Wendy smiled. There’s no doubt that Nick knew a lot about Harold. “Does he have a girlfriend?” she asked.

It took a moment for Nick to reply. “Harold’s quite a hopeless romantic. He loved a lot of girls. But in the end, girls leave him. I pity him sometimes. Maybe someone out there is really meant for him. He’s single at the moment.”

“I see.” Wendy smiled like there was a light bulb above her head. Her strategy conceived when they were watching the movie seemed to take a pretty course. She finally asked her boyfriend, “Nick, do you want your best friend to be happy as you are now with me?”

“Why not? That guy is menacing sometimes but as his friend, I want him to be happy.”

“Fine then. Here’s the plan…”

***

It was an elegant red dress designed by John John Ditching. And obviously, it’s glittering with tiny crystals and the threadwork is an intricate design done only by the city’s famous couturier. She was supposed to wear it on her engagement party with Dennis. But she caught him cheating her the day before the party.

This dress is destined to be worn this day, Cindy thought.

She called a taxi and was on her way to Bob’s.

***

He was an hour early. Nick told him that the girl he would be eating with on a blind date was sexier than Jennifer Aniston so he was very excited. He passed by the Bacolod City Public Plaza and bought a bouquet of white roses. He had never been to Bob’s due to economical reasons so he wanted to make the best of his first time.

Nick told him that his date would be arriving 7 in the evening. But it seemed that his friend had fooled him. It was already 9 and yet, Harold was still alone at his table. Damn him! He cursed his friend in a whisper. But it was not only only the tardiness of his would-be date that made him mad that night though. He was trying to send a text message to Nick asking him about his date but Nick wasn’t replying because the signal was chaotic. Smart Network was too much affected by typhoon Mokring which attacked Negros three weeks ago.

Only one person Harold was waiting to arrive in the doorstep: the lady-in-yellow.

***

Cindy was anxious. No one approached her as soon as she arrived at Bob’s. Weng’s instruction was that, as soon she arrives, she would wait at the doorstep until some guy approach her and take her to his table. She arrived at exactly 7 and waited like an idiot at the door of the restaurant. Not even a waiter approached her.

Is this a joke?, Cindy thought to herself. How could Weng do this to me? She was getting mad but she tried to relax. She was contacting Weng with her cellphone but the signal was chaotic. Argh! Desperate not to ruin her day, she ordered a croissant and ate at the nearby table. She was still hoping.

It was already 9 in the evening and yet there was still no sign of her date. She was the only one wearing a red dress in Bob’s that night and she thought it was impossible for his would-be date not to spot her. Her hope drained little by little with every minute that passed.

***

Oh my, she’s here. It’s a pity she’s not in yellow, Harold thought to himself seeing his dreamgirl eating a croissant at the table nearby.

***

Oh my, he’s here. It’s a pity he got those roses for someone, Cindy thought to herself seeing his dreamboy anxiously looking at the restaurant’s door while sitting at a table nearby.

***

Bob’s was closing at 10. At quarter to ten, only two people were left inside the restaurant: the lady-in-red and the guy-with-roses.

A waiter who was wiping a table said, “Sir, Miss, Sorry but we will be closing fifteen minutes.”

“I’m leaving,” chorused the two.

Harold fixed himself to leave the restaurant when his cellphone vibrated. He got 21 unread text messages! Better switch to Globe one of these days. He began to read the first of his 21 unread messages courtesy of Smart Network’s delay.

The text message was from Nick and it said, “Pre, ur d8 wil b wearng red, nt yllow. Wendy sed ur d8 changd hr mind & dcded 2 wear red nsted.”

Damn Smart! Damn Smart! Damn Smart! The words were reverberating in Harold’s mind. If not for the delayed messages by the network, he would have identified his date at first glance. He could not have waited for nothing for three hours. He would have known earlier that his date was none other than his dreamgirl.

It’s over, Cindy thought. Her date wouldn’t be arriving. Weng has so much to explain. How dare her! A tear dropped on her half-eaten croissant as she hurried to leave the place. Upon exiting the door, Cindy was surprised when someone touched her shoulder. She looked back and it was her dreamboy giving her a bouquet of white roses.

“Our date is kind of delayed, like Nick’s message that you will be wearing red and not yellow. May I bring you to some place better?” Harold was smiling like he never smiled before saying the words.

“Better late than never,” Cindy replied. She was crying with joy.

***

The sky over the seas was bejeweled with myriad stars. Harold brought Cindy to the place were he would usually go every time he broke up with his girlfriends: Valladolid Sea Wall. This time, Harold was not a guy who was mad at the world but someone who felt he was the handsomest Adam. It was good that he was able to borrow his uncle’s car. The moon was full and its light was enough for two persons in love to look at each other’s faces.

“I never thought you liked me from the start,” Harold said holding Cindy’s hands. They were sitting on the concrete platform facing the restless sea.

“Me too,” Cindy replied. “I was lost that time. I never thought I would find love at the lowest times of my life.”

“How did you know that you love me?” Harold asked. Cindy’s head was on his shoulder.

“I dunno. Love is something I know but when someone asks me about it, I just can’t tell what it is.” Cindy tightened Harold’s grasp of her hand.

“Yeah, love’s quite funny, isn’t it? Who would have thought…I was stalking you, you were likewise.”

“Love is corny,” Cindy quipped.

They both laughed. “Love is vice versa,” Harold said almost in a whisper.

They kissed.

A falling star displayed its glowing tail in the night sky.

Harold and Cindy had only one and the same wish.

THE END

l o v e

t i m e

A Long Delayed Proposal

“Love makes us younger.”

***

It was another boring day for 80 year-old Lola Iyay. It was six in the morning and she and the rest of the residents of the home for the aged were in the dining hall to have their breakfast. The student nurse assigned to her came with some food and began teasing her. It was a habit by the student nurse and many others before her, as far as Lola Iyay could remember.

“Lola Iyay, there’s Lolo Caloy! Don’t you want to talk to him? I think he likes you,” said the Nursing student grinning.

Lola Iyay looked at the osteoporotic man eating his breakfast on a table nearby. The old man, as what Lola Iyay knew, came to the institution two years ago. “No way!” she answered in a childish manner. She hated being teased to any of her elderly male companions.

Lola Iyay had been a resident of Mother of Perpetual Help Home for the Aged for nearly five years. She was left there by her children who want to live their own lives. They were not really her children. She was barren and she and her late husband had adopted three kids from an orphanage to raise as their own.

“Mother, we had decided we should put you in a home for the aged,” said Jaime, Lola Iyay’s eldest adopted son. “My family is going to Canada as well as Teresa’s. Diana will be working in London.”

It was a sad moment for Lola Iyay. It happened ten years ago but the memory was very clear to her. All those years she had been expecting to be taken care of by her adopted children when she gets old. But none of them seemed to want to repay her kindness.

“Don’t worry mother, we will be sending money to the institution for your needs. We will visit you at least once a year,” Diana, the youngest adopted daughter said.

Lola Iyay agreed but she was heartbroken. She waited for her children’s visit but for the past five years, none of them had ever shown up.

***

The year was 1943. It was a year of terror. Tiempo Hapon it was called by many for after the yellow-skinned Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they ruled the Philippines. The silent town of Ilog, though, was unaffected. Life went on for the kabos and the sakadas in Hacienda Mercedes. Until one day, the news spread that the Japanese had reached Negros.

“Elok! Hurry, take Linda and yourself into the sugarcane fields. It’s safe in there…” Vicente, a sakada in Hacienda Mercedes told his 20 year-old eldest son, Marcelo. The Japanese had reached their place that morning and were burning houses in the hacienda that night. Señor Melchor Mercedes had mocked the Japanese so he was one of the first Ilognons who were killed.

“Father, what about Jose?” Marcelo said packing up a few clothes. Screams were everywhere and fear was dominating inside the small kubo.

“We have no choice. We have to leave him.”

Jose, youngest of Vicente’s children, was mentally retarded. Vicente loved him but in order to save his other children, they had to leave him. It was a miracle after all that Jose survived childbirth while his mother died due to sepsis. It was a miracle that he reached the age of twelve.

The house nearby exploded and was devoured by flames. Marcelo and his 14 year-old sister, Linda, fled into the sugarcanes. Vicente said he would be following them.

But he never left.

He was old. He prayed for the safety of his two children. He couldn’t leave his youngest son. “Take care of our son, no matter what happens.” That was the last words of Josefina, his wife. He hugged Jose while he was restlessly twitching and salivating. A Japanese opened their bamboo door and the last thing Vicente heard was a loud bang.

“Noooooo!” The cries of Marcelo and Linda echoed in the sugarcane fields.

***

“Manong Elok, I’m afraid. What shall we do now?” Linda said hugging his brother. They were deep inside the sugarcane field and their legs and arms were bleeding due to the sharp edges of the sugarcane leaves. They were thankful for the light of the full moon.

“Shhh! Keep quiet. Remember what father said, we are safe here. Everything will be alright by the morrow. I’ll take you to the Mercedes Mansion. I hope Pasing could help us.” Pasing was Marcelo’s lover and was working as a maid for the Mercedes family.

“But I heard Señor Melchor was killed by those savage devils. The mansion might not be safe.”

“Think positive. Pray. That’s the least we can do as of the moment.”

***

Seventeen year-old Carlos would not forgive the Japanese. “They’ll pay, Papa. I promise you,” he said as he and Pancho, their gardener, were burying the corpse of Señor Melchor in the backyard.

Señora Carlota and her maids were busy attending the Japanese General’s needs inside the mansion. Carlos had seen how his mother kissed the general’s shoes pleading for their lives. It wasn’t a kind heart that made the general spare thier lives. They were simply turned into slaves. Carlos who was a haciendero was then a sakada.

“Mama, you don’t deserve this,” Carlos said comforting his mother in the veranda. The general and his troops were fast asleep after drinking some wines stored in the mansion’s cellar.

“I cannot stand this anymore, Carlos. I cannot survive without your Papa.” Señora Carlota was sobbing. “Was your father properly buried?”

“Yes. Pancho helped me.”

“He doesn’t deserve such burial! When everything’s over, we’ll make him a mausoleum. I’m thankful the maids are loyal to us, and Pancho.”

“Don’t worry Mama. Everything will be alright. I will avenge you and father.”

***

Marcelo knew a secret entry into the mansion’s backyard. It was 6 in the morning and he and Linda were entering a huge crevice in the mansion’s wall covered with shrubs. They were fortunate that it was Pasing who found them. She was preparing food for the Japanese who were still sleeping.

“Elok! Thank God you’re safe!” Pasing hugged her lover and kissed him.

“Pasing, I need your help. Father is dead, and our youngest brother Jose. The Japanese are animals!”

“Same is happening here. It’s chaos in the mansion. The Señora is forced to serve them.”

“God help us! Pasing, I need to leave Linda in the mansion. I have to plan my revenge. Will you promise me to take care of her?” Marcelo was holding his lover’s arms. He was looking somewhere else.

“Elok, don’t tell me you’re leaving me,” Pasing said, beginning to sob. She looked at Linda who was standing barefooted.

Marcelo cried too. “Pasing, I love you very much. But I need to go. I will return. Everything will be fine.”

Pasing agreed to take care of Linda while Marcelo was away. She knew that Señora Carlota would not get angry because they need people in the mansion to treat the Japanese.

***

“Who are you?” Linda heard a masculine voice behind her. When she looked, she felt something moving in her stomach.

“Who are you?” The voice repeated.

It took a long moment for Linda, who was washing the dishes, to reply. “Oh, pardon me Señor. I’m Linda. Manang Pasing got me here as a new maid. She told me that the Señora needs more people in the mansion.” She was nervous and felt butterflies in her stomach. She knew that she had met at last the sole heir of Hacienda Mercedes.

“I see. I’m Carlos by the way. Thank you, Linda. You and the others have been a great help. I hope we will survive this.”

“I’ll do my best to help your family, Señor.” Linda can now look at Carlos straight in the eyes.

“Don’t call me Señor. I’m a slave at the moment. We’re no different.”

Linda blushed for the first time in her life.

***

Weeks passed and the Japanese became worse. They burned more villages in Ilog. They raped women and butchered men. Pancho, the gardener, was one of their victims of salvage.

Marcelo had not returned yet. Rumors had it that he had joined the guerillas. Pasing was very much depressed. It was Linda who always comforted her. Not only the thought of her lover not returning, though, was the cause of Pasing’s depression but something worse. Pasing was being raped every night by none other than the Japanese General himself.

A month after Marcelo left, Pasing committed suicide. Linda and Carlos, who were close friends by then, found Pasing’s hanging body in the maids’ quarters.

“Pasing! Noooooo!” It was as if Linda had lost a family member. In a month, Pasing was quite a mother to her.

“Calm down Linda, the Japanese might hear us. Pasing told me last night that she was raped by the general,” Carlos said.

“Manong Elok won’t take this! Oh my God! Please end this suffering…” Linda’s tears seemed forever flowing.

“Stop crying,” Carlos hugged Linda. “I know Pasing is happy wherever she is now. We will bury her tomorrow, the same way Pancho and I did with my Papa. The general need not know.”

“Carlos, I’m scared. I’m alone now.”

“You’re not alone. I’m here.”

***

Forgive me Pasing. Marcelo was at the garden where Carlos and Linda buried the woman he loved. The two were behind him. I should not have left you. But don’t worry, I have help from my friends in Kabankalan. The guerillas are coming and the Japanese shall pay for all of these. Soon, we will be together…again.

***

May 22, 1943. Friday. Eleven o’clock in the evening.

“Carlos? It’s late in the evening. Why are you still here?” Linda asked as she passed by her friend in the veranda. The Japanese were fast asleep. They had come from an assembly with the other Japanese in Kabankalan and they were all drunk.

“I can’t sleep,” Carlos replied in a serious tone. “Linda, can I talk to you?”

“Sure. I’m not yet sleepy,” Linda said as she sat on the chair beside Carlos. “What are we going to talk about?”

“Us.” Carlos wasn’t looking at Linda. He was looking somewhere else.

“Us? What do you mean?” Linda was blushing.

“What I mean is that…I’m thankful for having you here in the mansion. You’re kind, beautiful, and industrious. Your future husband will be lucky.”

You are lucky, Linda thought. She was smiling like she never smiled before. “Well, I’m doing my job as a slave to her master.”

“Stop it, Linda. I told you not to call me Master.” Carlos was facing Linda and his forehead was beaded with sweat. “Linda, I want to tell you something and I hope you won’t get mad at me.”

“Why would I get mad at you?” She was excited and nervous at the same time.

Carlos held Linda’s hand. “Linda, I…I…”

BOOM!

The vehicle of the Japanese exploded and two drunken guards who were inside were torn into shreds before they could open their eyes. One by one, there came in front of the mansion the guerillas who were armed with guns, binangons, and torches for lighting.

“Ca…Carlos! What’s going on?! Oh my God…”

“Linda, I think the guerillas had come. Look, there’s your Manong Elok.” Carlos pointed at the person leading the armed men.

“This is not a good idea…this is not-”

“Linda, wait!” Carlos’s shout never stopped Linda who ran fast downstairs.

***

The armed men began to enter the mansion. It was easy for them to slay the Japanese who were sleeping off their drunkenness in almost every part of the house. The tides had been turned. The guerillas were thirsty with vengeance. They killed each Japanese they saw in the mansion the way the ruthless foreigners killed their loved ones. Victory was at their grasp.

“Manong!” Linda shrieked upon seeing her brother in the kitchen. Three yellow-skinned bodies were lying bloody on the floor.

“Linda! We got to escape after tonight. The Japanese had been searching for us from Kabankalan. They are moving southwards.”

“Manong Elok, I’m scared.” Linda’s eyes were wet with tears.

“We’re winning. You don’t have to be scared. Come on now!” Marcelo grabbed her sister’s arm and they went out of the kitchen.

The Japanese General’s samurai was as swift as the wind. Marcelo fell on the floor and Linda was thrown down crashing on the center table. “Manong, run!” Linda managed to shout with her bleeding forehead.

Marcelo had a huge cut in his leg. Blood was flooding in the living room’s floor. “De puta ka! You raped the woman I loved. You’ll be damned in hell!” Marcelo still managed to shout.

The Japanese General said nothing. He slashed Marcelo’s chest in the wink of an eye that made Linda scream liked she never screamed before. She was traumatized. Her sight darkened and at that precise moment, she grabbed a gun on the floor and shot the cruel general. “For Father, Jose, Manong Elok, and Pasing!” She said the words with each shot.

The general was dead.

“Manong…please don’t leave me. You’re the only family I have…” Linda was carrying her brother in her arms.

“I’m sorry Linda. I…I think I can’t make it-”

“Don’t say that!”

“Linda listen...find Mariano, our cousin. He’s here with the guerillas. I had already entrusted you to him.” The pain was unbearable. Marcelo was catching his breath. A few seconds later, he was lifeless.

“Manong…please don’t. Manong!”

Marcelo and Pasing were together again at last.

***

“Mama!”

“Carlos, thank God! The Mother of Perpetual Help answered my prayers. Pack your things…we’re leaving.” Señora Carlota was putting her jewelries in a small suitcase.

“But I got to find Linda.”

“STOP YOUR MADNESS!” Señora Carlota cried aloud. She knew as a mother that her son was in love with one of her maids. She was against it.

“Mama…I love her, I got to tell her that.” Carlos wasn’t at ease. He was looking outside the window and it was still pandemonium. There were gunfires all around.

“Linda is only after your money. She’s a sakada and it’s impossible for the both of you to be together.”

“No, Mama…I love her. And I will find her!” Carlos stood up preparing to leave.

“Carlos you choose! Me, your mother, or that Linda, a sla-” She didn’t finish her sentence. She fainted grasping at her chest; exactly like she used to do when she wanted her son to do what she wanted.

“Mama!” Carlos caught her mother before she fell.

“Carlos, let’s leave the Philippines. We had too much sorrow here. Come with me to your grandfather in Barcelona.”

Carlos had no choice.

***

One of the Japanese managed to call for back up troops in Kabankalan. The rescue team arrived quarter to 2 at dawn. A gray Volkswagen was leaving the Mercedes Mansion through the back road, while the guerillas were heading into the sugarcane fields.

The rescuing Japanese entered the mansion and were horrified with what they saw. They never got out alive though for as soon as they were all inside, the bombs planted by the guerillas in almost every corner of the place exploded.

The Volkswagen that was a mile away from Mercedes Mansion suddenly stopped. “Lindaaaaaa!” Carlos shouted.

Mariano grasped tightly the arms of his cousin Linda who tried to run back. They were deep in the sugarcane fields and when they heard the explosion, Linda screamed Carlos’ name. Nothing was left of Mansion Mercedes. The guerillas finally had their revenge.

Two persons were longing for each other.

***

It was two years after the tragic event at Hacienda Mercedes. In Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed leading to the end of World War II. The Japanese Occupation in the Philippines had also ended with the Americans healing what was left of the poor country.

She married a businessman who was a friend of Mariano. It took a long time for Linda to move on. She had to remind herself that it was destiny that separated her and Carlos. A sakada can never marry a haciendero.

They lived in Kabankalan for three years and moved to Bacolod City when her husband’s business prospered. Linda was happy at first but that happiness didn’t last. She realized that she was never truly loved by her husband. She knew he was fond of prostitute. Linda, however, preferred to remain quiet. She had enough misery. She wanted a peaceful life. And she was barren.

“Pablo, don’t you think we should adopt a son or a daughter?” Linda asked her husband one night.

“Do whatever pleases you,” Pablo answered coldly.

It was Jaime who brought Linda the joy of motherhood. She had adopted him from an orphanage run by nuns of the Order of St. Teresa. Linda nourished him as a baby, taught him how to walk and talk as he grew, and provided him with all that he needed. She never cared for her husband anymore who was always out of town. She was living only for Jaime and the memory of someone from long ago.

Jaime was seven when he had two sisters named Teresa and Diana. Teresa was three when Linda adopted her after finding her sleeping on a carton along Burgos Street. Diana, on the other hand, was just a newborn when Linda adopted her. She was left by her mother who was a maid of one of Linda’s neighbors.

Linda loved her children as if they were her own. Her husband though never cared about them. He would just give them money for their needs and spend his time with his growing business.

When Linda discovered that her husband had made another family in Silay, she was heartbroken. She had been silent all those years but she could no longer bear the thought of her husband having another family. She confronted Pablo one night when he arrived from his business trip.

“How dare you Pablo! How could you be so cruel?” Tears were streaming Linda’s eyes.

“Linda, you know that our marriage isn’t working well. All I wanted is just a normal family, with kids…my own kids.”

“So it’s my entire fault now? I gave you kids. They’re not yours but I tried hard for them to be part of your life. You were always away…”

“I’m sorry Linda. I really wanted to have kids that I can call mine,” Pablo said bowing his head in shame.

Linda slapped him. “I hate you!” She shouted, trembling with emotions.

Pablo replied, “I understand Linda. If you wanted us separated, it will be fine with me. I will be supporting your adopted children till they get jobs.”

Thus ended Linda and Pablo’s marriage. But their separation was a secret to their children. All that Jaime, Teresa, and Diana thought was that their father was always away on business. The truth was that he was already living with another woman and a son in Silay.

Linda’s three adopted children finished college and got decent jobs. When they got married one after the other, however, Linda felt like being stabbed because her beloved children were getting out of her grasp one by one. I’m not their real mother…they can leave me anytime they want.

And it happened. The year was 1999 and Linda was 70 years old. She was left by her adopted children at the Mother of Perpetual Help Home for the Aged and was never visited by them again.

***

Señora Carlota died of breast cancer in Barcelona, Spain at the age of 49. “Go back to the Philippines, to Hacienda Mercedes, and build your father a mausoleum.” That was her last words to Carlos her son.

Carlos never loved any woman again. He was always haunted by the memory of Linda whom he had lost a long time ago. I lost her, and I wasn’t able to tell her formally that I love her very much, he would think to himself. He spent all his time in his grandfather’s business, a wine factory, to forget his sad memories of Hacienda Mercedes.

“Carlos, can I speak to you?” Señor Fabian called his grandson one day at the grapevine plantation.

Carlos wiped the sweat from his face before talking to his grandfather standing with his cane. “What it is Grandpa?”

“Do you want this life till you die?” Señor Fabian asked him seriously.

Carlos laughed a little before replying. “What do you mean Grandpa?”

“This life! You are alone, busy managing this business. Don’t you have any plans of getting a family?”

Carlos was silent. He knew for himself that he could never love again. The memory of Linda with her hair fluttering in the wind in the veranda entered his thoughts. Then he replied, “I don’t for now Grandpa. My heart is left in the Philippines.”

Señor Fabian asked no more questions.

When his grandfather died, the wine business and all his properties and were left to Carlos. On his deathbed, he told his grandson, “I’m not telling you to continue our business, Carlos. Do whatever you want. It’s your life now that matters.”

Carlos worked with the wine factory for another five years after his grandfather’s death. But by then he was feeling tired and alone. He had done a lot. He was 50 years old. He needed to rest.

The year was 1976. Carlos sold the wine factory to a Spanish business tycoon and went back to the Philippines.

He established organizations with the money he brought from Spain. In Manila, he founded the Tiempo Hapon Guerilla Foundation for those who had once fought the Japanese. He also established an orphanage and a home for the handicapped in Cebu City where he stayed from 1978 to 1981. In December of 1982, he finally had the courage to go back to Negros. He founded the Mother of Perpetual Help Home for the Aged in memory of his mother who was a devotee of the Virgin Mother. He went back to Ilog, in Delicioso which was once Hacienda Mercedes, and built a mausoleum at the spot where the once beautiful Mercedes Mansion stood.

Twelve years later, Carlos, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease and was dependent on a health caregiver, decided to stay at the Mother of Perpetual Help Home for the Aged with the other people whom he had helped.

***

The student nurse who was previously assigned to Lola Iyay was assigned by her clinical instructor to Lolo Caloy for the week. It was their last week of clinical exposure in the area so she had to finish his report on behavioral analysis of an elderly patient in the home for the aged. She chose Lolo Caloy for her subject.

Lolo Caloy’s room was different from all the other residents’ room. His room had a television, a sala set, and airconditioning. The student nurse found him drinking coffee in the porch outside the room. His back was curved at a certain angle and the hand that was not holding the cup of coffee was doing the pill rolling, a symptom of Parkinson’s Disease.

“Good morning Lolo Caloy!” The student nurse greeted. “I’m your student nurse for today.”

Lolo Caloy just gave a nod. The student nurset sat on a wooden chair and prepared her notebook to take down what her patient would be saying in their interaction. That’s an S.O.P. with Psychiatric Nursing. “Lolo, how’s your day? Do you have something to share?” she began asking.

Lolo Caloy was shivering a little, another symptom of his disease. “I’m fine hija…never better since the Japanese were gone.” He spoke so slow and almost in whispers.

“Japanese? Why Lolo? Have you encountered one before?” The student nurse was obviously curious.

“Not just one but a battalion! And they were ruthless as hungry crocodiles…”

Their interaction was long. Lolo Caloy shared to the student nurse his memories of Hacienda Mercedes, the cruelty of the Japanese General, the rescue of the guerillas, and most of all, his one and only love, Linda.

After her talk with Lolo Caloy, the student nurse was even more curious. What her patient just told her was the same as what Lola Iyay shared to her the previous week: same people, same places, same times, same events.

She cried, smiling.

***

They had just eaten their dinner. Lola Iyay usually slept by seven in the evening but she had to stay awake for an appointment with the founder of the home for the aged. For five years of her stay in the place, she had not met its founder like most of them in the institution. It was 7:15 in the evening and a caregiver assisted her to where the founder was.

The reception building of the institution had a wide veranda upstairs. “Lola Iyay, the founder is waiting for you in the veranda. Just go in and I’ll be waiting downstairs,” said the caregiver before she left.

Lola Iyay entered the door into the veranda. And there she found, sitting on a tumba-tumba, a familiar man.

“Caloy? Caloy, is that you?” Lola Iyay asked. She couldn’t see very well at night.

“Yes, Iyay.” Lolo Caloy was trying to speak louder.

“Where’s the founder? I have an appointment with him.”

“I am here.”

“You? Haha…you’re too old for such jokes, Caloy. Tell me now... where’s the founder?” Lola Iyay went nearer and could now see him clearly. Her face was serious.

Lolo Caloy smiled, stood up from the tumba-tumba, and said, “I am the founder. Caloy is what they call me here. But many years ago, in a beautiful place called Hacienda Mercedes, I was known as Carlos Sebastian Diaz Mercedes.”

Lola Iyay’s eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t believe it. “It can’t be…”

“You are Linda Perez, and Iyay is what they call you here. But I remember you as the fair Linda Magbanua who was my friend in that beautiful place Hacienda Mercedes.”

Lola Iyay began to cry. She felt an insurmountable joy. “Oh my good God…Carlos, you’re alive!” She hugged the osteoporotic man.

“We are alive Linda. And I know, destiny brought us back together again.”

They talked for so long in the veranda that night. The sky was clear and the moon was full. They began talking with the Nursing student who had revealed to them everything which caused their presence in the veranda that moment. Then about what happened after the explosion of Mercedes Mansion six decades ago. Linda told Carlos about her ill-fated marriage with Pablo and her adopted children who had abandoned her. Carlos told Linda about his mother who suffered a lot with her breast cancer, their wine business in Barcelona, and his being a bachelor after many years. Time seemed to slow down for two old people reminiscing how their lives had gone after being separated by war.

The bell rang from the nearby Church of San Rafael signaling that it was already 11:00 in the evening.

“Linda, May 22, 1943, Friday and the same time as now. Do you remember where we were and what we were doing?” Carlos asked Linda who was leaning on him.

“Oh, we were also in the veranda...and you were saying something…”

Carlos held both Linda’s hands and looked at her straight in the eyes.

“Linda, I’ve waited so much for this moment which I though I would no longer have. God has been so kind to us. I know, whatever delay that happened, He caused it for a reason. He gave us this moment. And before anything happens again, I want you to know…I LOVE YOU.”

They felt young again as they kissed with the myriad stars as their witnesses.

“I love you, too, Carlos,” Linda replied.

They knew for themselves that they were ready to face death that very night.

THE END

l o v e

m i n d

A Serve of Lasagna

The hectic semester was over and Jerlou was rejoicing as if she was a bird who had just escaped from her cage. She went home from the city where she was studying the day after their final exams and since then she had done nothing but sleep in her poster-covered room, eat her favorite chocolate crinkles, and watch TV shows as long as she wanted. She was lucky her parents were out of town for a business. If they were there, Jerlou's mother would probably be yelling at her for not helping in the household chores and into their business as well.

Jerlou's parents owned a famous restaurant in their town, The Road Resto. Since young, Jerlou had been thinking how it got the name. She never asked her parents though. Their restaurant was located beside a street and it was obviously the answer.

One Saturday morning, Jerlou's parents arrived. She wasn't happy, her luxury days were over. When she saw her Mom and Dad, she kissed them and went back to her room finishing a Harlequin Romance.

That night, Jerlou's mother went to her room. Seeing the door opening, Jerlou pretended to be asleep. Her mother saw her moved though so she wasn't fooled by her daughter's drama. "Ha! Caught you! You're still awake," Jerlou's mother said surprisingly. When Jerlou didn't move an inch, her mother went to her bed and tickled her.

"Mom! Stop it!" Jerlou cried. Her mother continued tickling her. "Mom! Eeeek...stop..eeek! Mom! I'm sleeping...eeek...already!"

"Oh? Are you? It's a bit early. And why would I stop tickling you little girl? We used to do this every night. Tickle tickle tickle..."

"Mom, stop. Please," Jerlou was serious now. "I'm a big girl, a lady. I'm nineteen, remember?"

"Your grandmother still tickled me when I was nineteen," Jerlou's mother joked.

"It was your time. Now is different. And by the way, why did you come home?"

"Why? You don't want us to be home? You didn't miss us out of one sem of your stay there in the city? How could you.” Jerlou's mother was pretending to be crying.

Jerlou wasn't fooled too by her mother's drama. Doing such with simple reasons was her routine. But Jerlou knew that the one that could stop her mother doing so was a hug so she hugged her and said, "It's all right Mom...okey I'm sorry for being rude. It's just that I still have the trauma of that hectic semester. You know what, our night shifts in the hospital were excruciating…"

Jerlou was taking up BS Nursing for college. Being a nurse was what she dreamed to be. Her father wanted her to take HRM so that she would soon be managing their restaurant. But Jerlou insisted to take up Nursing so her parents couldn't do anything about it. She was their one and only child.

Jerlou's mother had now stopped crying and was chatting again. "Your Dad and I went home to interview some new cooks in the restaurant. That would be tomorrow morning. Why don't you come to the restaurant? You used to help there during sembreaks right?"

Jerlou was silent for a while. She thought her mother had already forgotten it. She did help there in their restaurant every sembreak but no one knew she hated it. She shifted work with their cashier, Angela, and sitting there calculating prices was giving her boredom to death. But Jerlou remembered the Harlequin Romance she read that day. The story was about a waitress who had found her true love while working in a restaurant. She loved the story a lot and that she replied instantly to her mother saying. "Sure! I always love the work." She was crossing her fingers behind her back.

***

On the afternoon the next day, Jerlou went to The Road Resto to help. She fixed herself very well so as to attract some handsome guy that she would be probably seeing there. Angela gave her the seat and she began working.

When there was no customer paying, Jerlou's eyes were busy looking at those guys who were eating. Unfortunately, she never saw someone of her type. There was one was that seemed so cute. But when that guy said, "Mis, can I git my bil?” Jerlou was turned off. She hated guys with hard accent. One there was also, not really handsome but was tall and athletic. But when he rose from his seat after eating, he went outside and kissed someone - a guy too. "Yuck," Jerlou frowningly muttered.

Jerlou was losing hope. The skies were darkening already outside and yet she had not seen her "dreamboy". She was then beginning to think that the writer of the Harlequin Romance that she had read was a liar for true love could not be found in a restaurant as she had realized. The closing time of The Road Resto was 9 o'clock pm but in as early as quarter-to-nine, Jerlou already ordered the restaurant to be closed. She was packing up her things when some customer entered.

"Excuse me Miss," the voice was masculine and in a nice accent. "May I order that Meal Number One please. Dine in-"

"I'm sorry Sir, we're closed," Jerlou interrupted not looking at the guy customer.

"But Miss, the signboard outside says you close by 9 o'clock. I still have fifteen minutes."

"We changed that!" Jerlou was getting irritated. "We're already-" she looked at last to the customer and there was something in him that made her shut her mouth.

The guy was handsome, tall, athletic, angelic face - someone reminding Jerlou of James Younghusband, her football player crush. At last, Jerlou thought. I've found my dreamboy.

"So can I have my order?" The guy was smiling and it seemed to melt Jerlou who was never aware that she had been looking at the guy for a long while already without blinking. A mosquito bit her leg and that brought her back to reality.

"Awww...oh," she muttered in embarrassment as she slapped the mosquito to a tiny black blot. "I'm so sorry Sir...what's your order again?"

***

Jerlou seemed to be recharged. She left the cashier's seat and prepared the guy’s order herself. The waitresses were wondering, as it was their job. But Jerlou was serious and seemed not to like being disturbed so the workers just let her do it. When the order was ready, Jerlou brought it to the guy.

"Here's you order Sir, our very own Seafood Lasagna." Jerlou was blushing as she put the dish to the table. The guy glanced at her as she did so and she was beggining to rattle. "That's all Sir. Have a nice din-"

"Will you sit here with me for a while? I'm not used to eating alone," the guy surprisingly said.

"Wha..what? Uhm..well...sure," Jerlou replied as she wiped her forehead that was sweating.

"My name is Jayvee. What's yours?"

"I'm Jerlou."

"So you're Jerlou? The daughter of the owner of this restaurant. Nice meeting you," Jayvee said as he began eating.

"You know me?" Jerlou's face was enigmatic. "How?"

"My father and I were quite regular customers here and my father happened to make good friends with you parents."

Jerlou was stunned upon knowing that Jayvee knew her parents. No wonder she felt something when she first saw him too. "Good then," she said. "So where's your father?"

"He died just last month," Jayvee said seriously that made Jerlou speechless for a moment.

"I'm sorry about that," Jerlou opened her mouth at last.

"It's okay. I'm fine."

In the talk that they had that night, Jerlou knew a lot of Jayvee who was then her new friend...and crush. She knew that Jayvee was of her same age and that he quitted college to run his father's left business that was a hardware store. She knew also that he would have wanted to proceed Law School but his father requested him to pursue running their family's business. It had an effect on Jerlou as she remembered herself choosing Nursing and not HRM which was the choice of her father.

Jayvee had finished eating his lasagna and Jerlou was stunned seeing the clock at already quarter-to-ten. "Your lasagna’s superb as usual," Jayvee told Jerlou. "Are you closing now? Sorry if I delayed it...but I did appreciate our conversation."

"It's okay, me too. Thank you very much Jayvee," Jerlou replied who was no longer shy with him.

When Jayvee left, Jerlou was the happiest girl in the world. She had found her true love for she felt it. She took back what she said about the writer of the Harlequin Romance. When she was at home late that night, she told her mother everything and she was so surprised. "Jayvee's a nice guy Jerlou. I'm happy for you. Good luck with him Honey," she said.

Jerlou couldn’t seep. She was thinking of Jayvee the whole night until dawn.

***

Jerlou was again in The Road Resto the next day. She helped in cooking the lasagna for Jayvee might come again anytime and eat. And he did. He was earlier in the evening this time and they had a longer chat. Jerlou was head over heels in love with him already.

Her mother and father were surprised of her sudden enthusiasm with their business. And to that they were happy. They knew that Jayvee was the reason and that they thank him most of all.

Jerlou had found a new friend too and that was their cook to whom she had worked with in cooking lasagna. The cook was a new employee and she was one of those who were interviewed by Jerlou's parents. Her name was Lucille and looking at her, Jerlou could say that she was weird. When she learned that Lucille came from Siquijor, an island near their town that was known to be home of good witches, she knew the reason why Lucille sang a Latin song while cooking, why she never combed her hair, and why she wore black for lipstick.

One day, two weeks after her meeting with Jayvee, Jerlou shared her feelings to him with Lucille while they were cooking lasagna. The cook was also single and not quite older for ten years to Jerlou so she could relate.

"I can feel it Lucille that he had feelings for me too," Jerlou said. "If he will tell me, I will accept him. But when would that be? I'm starting to feel some pain now."

"Hihihi," Lucille replied. She used to say "hihihi" before and after formal talking. "When you're in love you must be ready for any pain. But with love there will always be a solution. Hihihi!"

"Solution?"

"Hihihi! Yes. In Siquijor, many hopeless people in love come for a solution. And we provide them. Hihihi!"

Jerlou was curious now. "What do you provide them?"

"Hihihi! Love potions. Hihihi!"

"Love potions?!" Jerlou quitted cutting the peppers. "But Lucille, isn't it dangerous?"

"Hihihi. Love potions are safe. The liquid is nothing but an ordinary liquid. What matters most is that you believe in it. Anyway, there's nothing wrong if you should at least try. Hihihi."

Jerlou went home earlier that day. She thanked her friend Lucille for her advice and said she would think about it. The next day, the first one she approached in the kitchen of The Road Resto was Lucille.

"Lucille! I will try it. Where's your potion?"

"Hihihi! So you thought had thought about it… there's nothing wrong indeed if you would try. Just remember what I told you. You must believe and that you must really love the guy. Hihihi."

When they cooked lasagna that day, Jerlou poured half of the contents of the love potion to it. Then she waited for Jayvee to come. She was desperate at what she was doing.

***

Jayvee arrived in The Road Resto late in the afternoon. Jerlou was excited. As usual, Jayvee ordered his favorite Seafood Lasagna and invited Jerlou for a talk while he was there.

When Jayvee was eating, he said, "Your lasagna seems so sweet today."

"Thank you," Jerlou replied. She was thinking that it was a compliment but it was not. Seafood Lasagna wasn't supposed to be sweet but rather salty or spicy.

When Jayvee finished eating, he drank his water and Jerlou secretly smiled. Then Jayvee was serious. He was looking at Jerlou straight to the eyes. "Have I told you before that you have beautiful eyes Jerlou?" he said.

"What? Me? No...why?" Jerlou was crossing her fingers in her back thinking that the love potion had already taken effect.

"Well, they are. I'll no longer let this talk to be long. From the first time I met you Jerlou, I felt something I really can't understand." Jayvee reached for Jerlou's hand and held it with his.

"What do you mean Jayvee?"

"I love you Jerlou."

***

Jerlou and Jayvee were then in a relationship and Jerlou was never been happier. Jayvee was the sweetest guy she had ever known. He brought her to dates she never had expected possible to be planned. Sometimes, she would think that what Jayvee was doing was already over for just a boyfriend. She tried not to think of the love potion as the cause of what he was doing. "People can get crazy when they're in love," she thought.

That sembreak was the most memorable for Jerlou and she wished it would last longer. But the opening of classes was fast approaching.

One day, Jerlou told Jayvee about her going back to the city for school. "I'll be writing to you Jayvee...and we'll be seeing each other every sembreak. There will be no problem between us," Jerlou said.

Jayvee was silent. Then after a few minutes he replied, "Aren't you staying here with me? I'll be missing you Jerlou...everyday, every hour, every minute. You are my life now..."

"Jayvee, I understand you and I will feel the same for you. But this is my future...I have to finish my education. I hope you'll understand me too."

A sudden feeling separated both of them. Jayvee was serious at what he was saying and Jerlou was nervous of what could happen. "Jerlou, I love you very much. Please don't leave me," Jayvee said.

"Jayvee, God knows how much I love you," Jerlou was surprised feeling the tears coming down from her eyes. She had never cried that way before. "Please don't let me decide to what will I choose."

"So you CHOOSE!" Jayvee said in a loud voice that made Jerlou cry even harder. "Choose now Jerlou. I hate to do this but you must decide...ME or your AMBITION!"

Jerlou pitied her boyfriend as she saw him the way he was acting now. She thought that it was already the karma of using the love potion. She then regretted taking Lucille's advice. But it was her choice. It's all her fault. "Jayvee, stop it. You're saying that just because of the potion-" Jerlou unconsciously slipped the word from her tongue.

"Potion? What potion?" Jayvee was suddenly made calm but his behavior was still unpredictable.

"I'm so sorry Jayvee." Jerlou didn't want Jayvee to know but she thought it was the right time already. "I'm sorry...I put a love potion in your lasagna. That's why you fell in love with me."

Jayvee's eyes suddenly widened. He could not believe it. Then he turned his back. He was sobbing actually and he didn't want Jerlou see him in tears.

"I'm so sorry. I greatly regret it. I really love you Jayvee but if you'll break up with me, it's okay. I deserved it." After saying such, Jerlou ran as fast as she could.

***

The door of The Road Resto's kitchen burst open and in came Jerlou who was heavily crying. Lucille who was there cooking approached her to ask what happened. "Hihi-"

"Stop that sound! It irritates me now...it's your entire fault Lucille. Jayvee and I are now split."

Lucille became serious and she stopped saying "hihihi" at Jerlou's request. "Why? What happened?"

"Your love potion! It seemed to drive him mad!" Jerlou realized that she was shouting so loud. "Oh, I'm so sorry for shouting at you Lucille. It's just that...it hurts a lot."

Lucille lent her shoulders to Jerlou as she cried. Then she let Jerlou explained everything. After Jerlou had spoken, the witch just laughed.

"Oh...do you really think that that love potion was real? It was fake as what other people there in Siquijor make for money. We aren't really witches Jerlou...it's just that it was our own culture. As what I told you, it's not the content of the potion that mattered. It's your belief...you must believe in true love."

Jerlou had stopped crying now. "Then what was that potion you gave me made of? You may say that "hihihi" sound now." She smiled.

"Hihihi. Oh, that? It's plain water plus sugar. Hihihi."

Jerlou remembered Jayvee saying that the lasagna with the love potion was sweet as he ate it. She laughed and shrieked, "Then she did LOVE me!" And she and Lucille hugged each other in delight.

Angela the cashier suddenly opened the door of the kitchen and said, "Miss Jerlou, someone's looking for you in the counter." When Jerlou went out, it was Jayvee that was standing. He was smiling. When Jerlou approached him he said, "No matter how much love potions I shall take, my love for you Jerlou will never be altered. I love you very much. Shall we make it up again."

Jerlou was again in tears as she replied, "I love you too Jayvee", and they kissed for a long moment. The customers who were eating in the restaurant clapped their hands seeing them kissing.

When they released each other's lips, Jerlou said, "Make it up again? Available. Is that all your order Sir?"

And Jayvee replied, "Yes...and a serve of lasagna."

***

EPILOGUE

Jerlou continued her Nursing course and Jayvee forbearingly waited for her. Two years later she graduated and she and Jayvee were married. Lucille was the maid-of-honor.

THE END

l o v e

t e c h

An E-mail Tale

They had been lovers for over a year already. Ben and Sam loved each other so much that hindrances in their relationship pass through them like water on rock. They were soulmates in fact. Destiny led their paths to that bench in Murray Park one leafy autumn and found love growing in each other's eyes. Nothing could break them apart...or was there?

***

"Hey Benny! Will you please go with me in the internet cafe for a while? I've got an e-mail to send," Sam said excitedly one afternoon. She's showing Ben her fairest smile, the one she usually did when asking a favor.

"Lady Samantha Rosette!" Ben exclaimed in a funny French accent. "An e-mail again? I noticed you spend your time in the internet too much. Don't you get bored?"

"I enjoy it...and hey! There you are again, stop calling me Lady! So are you going or not?"

"Do I have a choice?" Ben replied in agreement and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek.

They went in an internet cafe and rented a computer. Sam spent an hour for her said e-mail and in chat. Her poor boyfriend waited sitting in a chair beside her, yawning as he watched her giggled and laughed at her chatmates' messages. Ben never envied those guys his girlfriend was chatting with. They promised not to fight with any guy or girl as the reason. When they left the internet cafe, it was already dark and Ben brought Sam in their house. "Bye!" they chorused and kissed each other good night.

***

One year of being in their relationship seemed so short for Sam. It seemed only yesterday for her that Ben said "I Love You" to her for the first time in front of St. Madeleine's Cathedral, two weeks after they met in Murray Park. And then they were on. She had been expecting more sweet words from Ben though. Whenever she and Ben were together, she felt that he had something to tell her but he could not open his mouth for the reason she never knew. She often saw some scribbled poems in Ben's notebook and she longed for her boyfriend to read those poems to her with feelings.

The next day, while they were eating their lunch in a restaurant, Sam was telling Ben about a mysterious e-mail sender.

"...his words were so sweet Benny, and he said he's living just right here in town! Can you believe it? I wonder who he is...how he looks like." Sam could hardly finish her dessert fruitcake due to her talking.

"Whoever he is...the hell I care," Ben replied in the usual way whenever Sam talked about the boys she met in the internet. "Finish eating that fruitcake of yours. We have a class at 1:00."

For the first time, Sam felt that there was envy behind Ben’s eyes. His reaction when she told him about the mysterious e-mail sender seemed to warn her that Ben never wanted her to make friends with guys in the internet anymore. But the mysterious e-mail sender was good in words and that Sam couldn’t resist but to reply in his e-mails. Because of this, Sam kept it secret his contact with him. She no longer invited Ben to go with her in the internet café.

***

In one of his e-mails, the mysterious guy introduced himself by the name of “Lord”. Sam asked him why his name was such. And he replied saying, “So I can call you Lady”. They sent e-mails to each other almost everyday until Sam was forced to install internet in their house.

One thing that Sam liked with Lord was his sincerity of what he was saying in his e-mails. She never met Lord yet but she fully trusted him. Lord’s messages to her were like those written by someone who wanted to tell those messages for many years but is not able to and only now had the courage to tell it. She appreciated the way Lord filled her heart with sweet words, the thing she would have wanted Ben to do.

As they were graduating High School, Ben and Sam became so busy that they never had time to be with each other like they had before. They cared for each other’s future so they tried to be understanding. But Sam was very much affected. She missed Ben a lot, the things they used to do. Until she felt that their relationship was no longer working. She tried though to think of their promises and waited for their free times.

Sam's friendship with Lord became closer. Lord filled Sam's heart things Ben wasn't able to fill. Incidentally, Sam fell for Lord. For so many a time that she and Ben never been too close with each other, she finally decided to give up. She called Ben one night to meet her by lunch the next day.

***

"Hi my Lady," Ben said as he approached Sam in a table and kissed her.

"Hi Ben," a simple reply she gave.

"So how are you? I missed you a lot my Lady. Have you eaten? Shall I order?"

"Listen to me Ben," Sam could hardly speak. It's as if her heart told her she must not speak. "I invited you for this lunch for something important. It's about us..."

"What about us? Do we have a problem? What? I can't understand."

"Ben! Don't you feel it? This relationship of ours is not working anymore! You didn't have time for me the past weeks. We aren't even dating."

"O come on my Lady. Is this really a problem? We both know how busy we are."

"No Ben. You are no longer the Ben I knew before. I thought it was just my emotional side. But you seemed to be keeping things from me as I noticed. What is it Ben? What is it?" Tears were now beading at the corners of Sam's eyes. Ben was quiet giving no answer.

"See? This is too hard for me Ben. But I'm sorry. I'm quitting this relationship."

Sam grabbed her bag to leave but she stopped when Ben opened his mouth and said, "It's not probably because I had been careless the past days isn't it? It's because of that mysterious guy you met in the internet! I warned you before not to make friends with him but still you did. You betrayed me!"

Sam was stunned by what Ben had said. His voice was so loud they caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Sam felt a little guilt. But she had decided to break up with Ben already. She would stand for it. "I don't know what you're talking about Ben. I've got to go," she said and left.

It was indeed hard for Sam breaking up with Ben. She cried almost every night trying to forget the incident in the restaurant. She missed Ben more than ever but she thought to herself that she must move on. "Maybe, Ben and I were not really meant for each other," she thought. For the days that had followed, she kept all those things that reminded her of Ben.

***

One year of being in a relationship seemed too short for Ben. It seemed only yesterday for him that he had met Sam there in Murray Park that made his heart beat for love the very first time. He courted her since then until they were on. He had told a lot of I-Love-Yous to Sam but for him it seemed quite not enough. He felt he had a lot more to tell Sam. He wrote a hundred poems for her and yet he never had read a single piece for her. He was afraid of what would be Sam's reaction if he would tell her the words from his heart.

Ever since, Ben doubted whether Sam fell in love with her because of his looks or because of what he really were. Sam told him how much she fancied him the first time they met. "What if I told her these things I have in my heart? My conservative and sensitive side? She might be turned off," he thought. And so he kept what he wanted to tell Sam. The result was he halfly concluded that Sam loved him only because of the way she looked at him and not of his insides, not the way he really was.

But there was no use of telling Sam now what’s really in his heart. He and Sam had split already.

Since their break up, Ben himself could not sleep well too. He missed Sam a lot. He never expected the things that had happened. "It's all my fault," he thought. "If only she knew. If only she knew..."

***

A month later, Sam felt she had moved on. She realized that even she would cry a river, Ben and she would never be together again. Actually, it was Lord who had helped her a lot. Now that she and Ben had broken up, she felt free about Lord. But still the guilt was in her. "Ben was right. But I did the right thing," she thought.

One night, Sam and Lord were chatting online in the Internet. Sam was surprised when Lord said he wanted to meet her. "At last I could see him," Sam thought. Sam agreed to meet Lord the next day.

It was 12:00 noon but the clouds were covering the sky so it was not too hot. Sam was waiting in a table in the restaurant that she and Lord would meet. "He's late," she thought, "He should have been here fifteen minutes ago."

Sam waited until she saw the clock in the corner saying it was already 12:30. She was wondering what could have happened to Lord why he was delayed. Then she decided that maybe they would meet next time. She was about to go when suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder. She looked back and surprisingly muttered the words, "You are Lord?”

***

When he discovered that Sam was fond of the Internet, Ben thought that it was the right time that he would tell Sam what he wanted to say. He would try to court again Sam, the way in which she would not see him but will fall in love with him. In doing so he would know whether Sam would still be Sam when she discovered his conservative and sensitive side. And so when he caught a glimpse of Sam's e-mail address, he memorized it and began sending her e-mails secretly. He was glad that Sam indeed liked him being Lord.

And so when he and Sam broke up, Ben thought, "The coward Ben is gone. It's time to let Sam love the real me." After a month of preparation, Ben decided to meet Sam once again. And now there he was in the restaurant with Sam.

"You are Lord?" Sam said.

"Yes my Lady," he replied.

The events that had followed seemed so fast for the both of them. Ben explained everything to Sam. Sam was listening in his every word. She now had seen the Ben that she wanted the most. When all had been explained by Ben, he finally said, "I love you very much Sam. I want us to be back."

Sam smiled and said, "Do I have a choice?” She then hugged Ben saying, "I love you too.”

Nothing indeed could break them apart.

THE END

l o v e

h a t e

Expect the Unexpected

David was a hopeless romantic. God, give me a girlfriend and I’ll kiss liquors good bye.

Vanessa was tired of boys. They’re all the same. Assholes!

He was pissed off by his barkada making fun of him. He was the only one in the gang who had not kissed a girl’s lips yet. It wasn’t that he got a nauseating overall package. David was a typical torpe guy.

She may be always smiling but it didn’t mean she was always happy. The truth was that, she was tired of being her. She was a boytoy. Her nice face and body was a jinx from her Spanish ancestry. If she had a history of 17 boyfriends and dumped them in the end, it wasn’t because of her. She defined weakness as a guy’s sweet words.

***

Tropang Tanggero was made up of Rene, a.k.a. Groogie, Mark, a.k.a. Macoy, Miko, a.k.a Nonoy, and David, a.k.a. King, as in King Torpe. The gang loved Wednesdays and Saturdays. Their place was People’s Village which was notorious for nicotine atmosphere, vomitus-on-floors, waitresses on 7-inch skirts, and beer and beer and beer.

“Guys, Bora next week? No GFs allowed.” Rene said after a nonstop gulp of gin.

“Call!” Mark and Miko chorused.

“Next week? It’s Holy Week guys,” David replied, conscious about what his friends might say.

“Ahem! And you would sacrifice those sexy babes in Boracay for kissing scared statues?” Rene joked. “Come on…you’re King, not a saint. Let’s go bitchin! Haha.”

“Groogie’s right, King. You’ve been in same routine for that damn week since you knew you’re a Catholic.”

“A hotter Holy Week!” Mark quipped. “That’s what Miko wants to say. Yeah! Let’s go to the beach…where the bitches are!”

David remained quiet. By then, Rene, Mark, and Miko moved closer to David as if doing a group hug. “You might meet your first GF there,” they whispered their friend like devils.

He had no choice. King Torpe would be on a different Holy Week.

***

Vanessa never told anyone where she would be going, not even her best friend Sandra. She wanted all the time for herself, to think, to be reborn again.

Her breakup with Warren was her worst so far. Somehow, she tried to love him. But boys will be boys. Warren was born a maniac.

The tank is full. Some contents should be spilled.

***

It was David’s second time to Boracay. He was in the island eight years ago and he could definitely say that the place changed a lot. Hotels sprouted near the shores like mushrooms. Not to mention high rates. Boracay is a city within a beach resort.

But he never regretted going with his crazy friends. With bikinis all around, David would want to stay in the island forever. The Tropang Tanggero drowned themselves with liquor in the beach parties.

“Pare! This is awesome!” David screamed. The disco sounds were deafening. Beach bars were in line on the shores.

“Super awesome!” Mark replied. “To think, this is our first night. More chicks to come. Haha!”

“For bitches!” Rene offered a toast.

David had six days to get hooked with a girl…or a mermaid if there was.

***

If only she was a poetess, Vanessa had already a literary folio. She had some titles running her mind like Inside Inferno, Boys are Bullshits, Thoughts of a Love Loser, etc. The burden inside her was heavy. It was psychogenic pain.

Things would be lighter if she would cry. But Vanessa wasn’t gifted with an actress’ tear glands. The last time she cried was when her beloved grandfather died. Her Lolo was the only one who loved her in the family. Her mother and father loved their businesses. I will not cry for stupid guys, she would think to herself. She sometimes wondered if she would decompose when she dies. She felt like she was a rock.

“Nes? Where are you? We’re all worried here,” Sandra said when she called her.

“Don’t worry, Bes…I’m fine. I just want to spend time with myself.”

“Your parents were nervous. They keep on asking but I don’t have answers.”

“As if they care.” Vanessa ended the conversation as she said the words.

Somehow, she was hoping that everything will change in the sands of Boracay.

***

It was their third beach party. Nightlife was each other’s addiction. Rene already scored five points, Mark and Miko were on a tie for three points. David’s score was zero which meant he had not drunk with a girl yet.

That night, they were at Club Paraw. A famous disc jockey was invited for the party. David was drunk. It was 11 o’clock and he had finished six bottles of Red Horse and some tequila shots. The rest of the gang was still fine. They were immune with alcohol.

“King, where are you going?” Miko said when his friend stood up. A girl in brown bikini was doing a body shot with his biceps.

“CR,” David replied.

Rotations and revolutions. He suspected Rene to put something in his drink. He was never drunk that much before.

He didn’t know whether he would reach the restroom or not.

***

The margarita made her more depressed. She could not bear it anymore. She opened her purse and got the blade which she bought that noon at the island grocery store.

The people were wild on the sandy dance floor. But Vanessa managed herself to pass through. A shirtless guy licked her neck but she never cared. Another guy was brave enough to touch her breast but she was apathetic. What happens in Bora remains in Bora.

She was on her way to the CR to end her suffering.

***

BLOG! BOG!

David reached the restroom. Unfortunately, he was helpless that he fell on the floor and crawled like an animal of the lower species.

“Holy shit! A peeping tom!” David heard a woman’s scream. OMG! I’m in the ladies’ restroom, he thought.

“Get out! Are you crazy?” Vanessa yelled. She was shocked. She was about to cut her wrist. A few minutes ago, she thought how lucky she was that the ladies’ restroom was deserted. People would only see her dead body bloody on the floor. But she was disappointed when the drunken guy entered.

“Amssssosssorrrymissstwasamisssstake…” David said with a slurred speech. He forced himself to stand up and leave the room as much as possible.

“Liar! You’re a maniac, Warren!” Vanessa said. She was tipsy.

“Hey! I’m not…I’m Warren not…” David cleared. “Miss…there…theresablood. Wrist…blood.”

She was petrified so much that she wasn’t able to feel the pain. The upper part of the blade’s edge touched a part her skin when she rattled. Blood was gushing now. Oh Lord, forgive me…I didn’t mean it. It was just the margarita. Save me…save me…

Vanessa fainted.

***

After he vomited all the alcohol, David was back to normal. He sent a text message to his friends that he would not be sleeping at the hotel for the night. When he said that he was with someone, none of them replied.

He was, indeed, with someone. The girl whom he met at bar’s CR a few hours ago was sleeping with her head on his thighs. It was 2 o’clock dawn. Boracay’s breeze that moment was chilly that he shivered in such a way not to disturb the suicidal lady. He had no shirt. His Penshoppe tee was a good bandage wrap.

Vanessa coughed and that triggered her to vomit. When alcohol was cleared out of her mind, she then noticed the shirtless guy beside her. When she recognized that he was the peeping tom before she fainted and that they were alone on the sands at that point of time, she decided to scream “Rape!” and call the authorities. But none came out of her mouth but acidic vomitus.

David laughed.

“What?!” Vanessa said as she wiped her mouth.

David replied sarcastically. “You wanted to scream right? Don’t worry, I don’t take opportunities with a drunk suicidal woman. And look what you’ve done…my Levi’s is now a vomit absorber.”

She felt guilty. She wanted to say “Sorry” but she couldn’t as of the moment. “Then why are you shirtless?”

David pointed a finger at Vanessa’s hands and said, “My Penshoppe tee is now a blood absorber.”

She sighed and remained quite when she saw the improvised bandage on her wrists.

“Okay…I don’t want to argue with you…Miss...whatever. I’m sorry. I brought you here because some other guy there at the bar might find you and do to you the thing which you thought I was doing to you. Now that you’re awake and in to your senses…and seems like you have no plans to thank me…then I’ll better go coz I’m damn sleepy.”

Bravo! Bravo! Vanessa thought. He’s intelligent…like all of them. Vanessa, this is a temptation. His words are darts. “Thank you.”

“Seems like you’re forced. You’re welcome, anyway.”

“Look…Sir…whatever,” Vanessa wouldn’t let a man insult her. “You know what? You’re arrogant. Can’t you understand? I’m a lady… and who’s the woman do you think who would not think that someone like you would not do the thing you males love to do to me?”

“I already apologized.”

“Fine then. Vanessa…I’m from Bacolod.”

David felt butterflies in his stomach when the lady offered to shake his hands. He smiled like he never smiled before when he replied, “I’m David. Small world…I’m a Bacolodnon too.”

They never slept. Who knows what they chatted about all throughout the dawn. One thing was certain for David. He was no longer King Torpe but rather King Kong, a beast who had found his beautiful maiden whom he was ready to climb buildings and fight airplanes to prove his love for.

Boracay sunset is lovely. For Vanessa, Boracay sunrise was lovelier.

***

The Holy Week was over and the gang went home to Negros. David didn’t mention Vanessa to the Tropang Tanggero. That was why his friends kept on asking him who was the girl he was with the night he was lost at Club Paraw.

“It was a friend…we just talked.” David answered when his friends asked when they’re back drinking at People’s Village.

“Friend? If I know…you kissed her?” Miko asked.

“Was it torrid? French?” Mark added.

“Shut up! She’s only a friend.” David was sweating. He grabbed a pizza to hide his nervousness.

“You know what King…I’m in doubt about you. Actually, we are doubting you.” Mark talked to David with a serious face. “You didn’t score even a point in Boracay while Rene here scored there ten points….”

“We’re suspecting that you’re gay,” Rene quipped.

“WHAT?! Come on, guys…you can’t do this to me. I mean…we’re friends since high school…you know me quite well.” David wanted to burst. He didn’t know if he was angry or not.

The three moved closer to David as if doing a group hug. “It’s okay if you’re gay David,” Miko whispered. “We will accept it. After all, we’re best of friends, right guys?”

“Right,” chorused Rene and Mark.

“Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter to us. We love you.”

“Yeah. And if you want, you can have a taste of anyone of us,” Rene joked. Mark and Miko slapped him.

“ALRIGHT! Enough of this stuff,” David spoke finally. “If you guys really think I’m gay, then let’s have a bet. If I get myself a girlfriend by the end of the month, you’ll buy me an iPod Nano and stop this gay issue.”

“If you’re not hooked by May, you’re gay, you will lick our arm pits, and you will give each of us an action figure from your Marvel heroes collection.” Mark said.

Damnit! “Okay, deal.”

***

He was in love with Vanessa. What’s the point? He was in love with any girls before her. The lacking spice was courage, the courage to tell her his feelings. They were having a constant communication after the Bora holiday. They had lunch and dinner together already at some restaurants in the city. Vanessa wasn’t saying something. He was mute. Friends? To hell with it.

Vanessa wasn’t in love with David. Warren was her world and she wasn’t ready to explore other planets. What’s the point? It was the end of her world. Warren seemed to be happy with a slut the last time she saw him. An alien named ‘David’ was offering her his world. Why not live on it? Panakip butas? To hell with it.

***

They were at Imay’s one night. The restaurant was famous in the city for seafood and superb chicken binakol.

Everyone’s attention was caught by the singing of waiters at the table near the entrance. The waiters got tambourines. The stereo on the walls was screaming the Happy Birthday song. One of the waiters offered a cake with a candle to someone on the table. The celebrant blew it. Applause.

“That’s crazy, tsk tsk,” Vanessa muttered. They were done with the main course. They were having buko pandan for dessert.

“Yeah right,” David agreed. “Maybe it isn’t really his birthday. They just requested those waiters so they could avail the free cake.”

Laughs.

“I love you.”

Vanessa heard the three words myriad times from seventeen men. Her reply in her mind was always, Liar!

“I love you.”

She pretended not hearing David. You’re deaf. His words will kill you. Believe me.

“I love you,” David said for the third time.

“I’m sorry…you’re sayin…?”

“Please Vanessa…you’re the first girl whom I had said those words with all courage. Will I say it for the fourth time?” David’s hands reached for Vanessa’s.

She looked at the hand which was over her hands. The warmth electrified her. God, why am I this cursed? She couldn’t say a thing. Yes, she had heard the words “I love you” many times. But the way David said them was kind of…different.

“Phaul, Kevin, Martin, Pedro, Fitz, Adrian, Leandro…”

David wondered why Vanessa was replying names of boys.

“…Gian…and Warren. Seventeen guys already said that they love me. But they left me. I’m tired. You know what David, I was about to kill myself. Because of you… you shithead men!” It was a miracle. She tasted a salty fluid which flowed down from her eyes. “I’m tired of your lies. You’ll not be different from them.”

David was out of words. He pitied Vanessa. He couldn’t believe her confession. What an irony to his bored lonely life.

“I mean it. I love you. I will never leave you.” He tightened his grip of Vanessa’s hands. “I understand if you don’t have feelings for me. It’s okay. But please give me a chance to show my love to you. Can we try it? At least…?”

She pulled her hands and grabbed her bag. “It’s getting late, David. We’ve got to go.”

They parted without saying good bye.

***

An eighteenth? Why not have another try? I got nothing to lose. I already have a degree in Master of Arts in Breakups. I’m stronger now. David is hungry. I’ll feed him until he’s full. He will be my girltoy. Sorry David, I’m hungry also. I’m hungry for revenge.

***

This is more difficult than I thought. God, I already bargained to You. Please, give me what I asked. I love her very much. She’s scarred. I want to erase those scars. And my masculinity’s at stake. Lord, help me. I never felt braver to a girl before.

***

“Yes.”

They were walking out of the San Sebastian Cathedral. The morning Sunday mass had just ended. David heard Vanessa saying something which ended in ‘–es’. He wondered what it was. Matress? Caress? Press?

“Yes.”

Yes? Maybe she’s thinking of Yes FM, the famous FM station in the city with wacky disk jockeys.

“Yes,” Vanessa said for the third time.

“What do you mean ‘yes’?” He asked her at last. They were at already at the Bacolod City Public Plaza which was in front of the cathedral.

“Yes…I love you too…I’m your GF now…and you’re my BF.”

The words were angel’s song. David never heard such sweet music since his mother’s lullabies a long time ago. He thought it was a dream. But he could inhale the pollution and the sun at the zenith burned him.

All throughout the afternoon, people in the public plaza had one topic for gossip. It was about a young man who screamed “I love you, Vanessa” so loud it echoed all throughout the place. Some thought he was crazy. Some thought he was corny. Some thought he was super baduy.

***

“Guys, this is Vanessa, MY GIRLFRIEND.”

“Ohlala!” Miko said.

“Ohmigod!” Mark said.

“Wowowee!” Rene said.

David never felt so proud in front of the Tropang Tanggero. He won the bet. It was April 30 and the gang was at People’s Village.

Gulps. Gorges. Toasts. Toilet Jokes.

Vanessa was shy at first. David’s friends were a bit naughty but as they went along with their conversations, she was getting comfortable. They were not rude to her, after all.

“Excuse me,” Vanessa said as she stood up to go to the restroom.

“Babes, shall I accompany you?” David said, calling Vanessa ‘Babes’ for the first time.

“It’s okay…I’ll be fine.”

When the cat was away, the mice went wild.

“Damn you, Pare! So you’re not gay after all,” Mark said tapping David’s back.

“Yeah…and she’s gorgeous! What so far? First base? Second, third, or home run?” Rene kidded.

“Home base!” Miko shrieked.

“SHUT UP! She’ll hear you. I’m not as promiscuous as any of you. I love her. I respect her,” David said seriously.

“A typical first timer,” the three chorused.

“Whatever!”

Vanessa came back with the barkada doing a group hug. More gulps, gorges, toasts, and toilet jokes. Vanessa felt like she’s part of a family. David’s planet was incredible. She was enjoying her stay.

When they went home that night, David said to his friends, “Guys, I may be drunk but I did not forget.”

“What?” Rene said. He was a zombie.

“My iPod!”

David’s friends felt like vomiting out their stomachs.

***

Sandra: A game? That’s all it is?

Vanessa: Uh-oh.

Sandra: Bes…I thought you’re tired. Enough of this stuff.

Vanessa: I’m numb. I’ll never cry again. I promise.

Sandra: Then don’t ever say that I didn’t warn you. Boys will be boys.

Vanessa: Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’m enjoying with David. But of course, I’ll try not to fall. I’m tired of falling.

Sandra: Yeah…coz when you fall, no one tries to catch you. Right? Right? Right?

Vanessa hanged the phone.

***

There came a time in his life when he thought he was gay. He was a Mama’s Boy. He was a geek. He didn’t know how to fight. In high school, he would faint when a girl classmate talks to him.

But he’s no faggot. He had no abnormal testosterone level. And thanks to his barkada. He was able to explore the world of manhood.

David’s first crush was their high school class valedictorian. He got inferiority complex so he wasn’t able to talk to her.

His second crush was a childhood friend. Friend. Just friends.

His third crush wasn’t that good looking. But he felt something special for her. He and his crush’s brother became close. His crush thought he got homosexual relationship with her brother. She made him invisible for good.

Enough of crushes. David decided to try the real thing. Three girls were enough lessons. I’m not a faggot. Next time, I’m gonna kiss the girl.

Who would have thought that he would be rewarded for a sin committed? He was not able to attend the masses last Holy Week but he got hooked at Boracay. God is good. If it’s for you, it’s for you. His last hangout with the Tropang Tanggero at People’s Village was his last. He bargained to God stopping drinking for a love life. He got what he wished; he had to fulfill his promise.

He loved Vanessa so much. He would do everything for her. He bought her clothes. He drove her home. He paid her bills. He carried her shoulder bags in public.

He would have wanted to correct Rene that a girl’s kiss wasn’t like eating sizzling sisig. It was like eating fruit cocktail on a tropical island. You can taste pineapples, papaya, cherries, and nata de coco.

He would never forget his first kiss with Vanessa. They were at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon. The tilapias were their witnesses.

***

Don’t you ever wonder why we met in such a place? / Why we wore the same shirts and did some funny things? / Don’t you ever wonder why we felt it on that moment? / Our eyes were never blinking / Our smiles were never wider

Divine intervention / And God is the reason / Why we met in such a place /And felt it on that moment / Divine intervention…

Paolo, her eleventh boyfriend, was the vocalist of Helga, a local reggae band. Paolo was sweet but he never made a single song for Vanessa. Unlike David. His song, ‘Divine Intervention’, composed only for her, was the sweetest gift she had ever received on her birthday. David’s live performance, with his guitar named Queenie, was a bonus.

What she admired most about David was his wisdom. I wasn’t wrong. He’s intelligent. And he’s not damn a liar. Her eighteenth boyfriend loved to ask her mind bogglers which the majority she never answered correctly. David would demand a kiss for her to know the answer.

She also liked David performing magic tricks. She wondered how he had learned such tricks. He got quick fingers. She would just stare and get awestruck after a few winks. David was a wizard.

Am I falling to his magical trap?

“I dunno…” That was what she answered to Sandra when her bestfriend asked one afternoon about her feelings with David. They were at the newly opened SM City Bacolod in their routine Friday window shopping.

“You know what Bes, sometimes, dunno means ‘yes’.”

“Uh-oh?”

“Really.” Sandra looked at her like she’s being squeezed.

“David’s the sweetest so far. I don’t know ‘til when. I know quite well how things work. I can write a book entitled, ‘How To Predict When Your BF Would Be Leaving You’.”

“Haha. Well, you better be careful this time. I don’t want my bestfriend be found bloody on Bora’s sands.

Divine intervention? She wondered whether it was as it was. She was about to end her life but a new life sprung out of nothing. Her trip to Boracay, somehow, was never wasted. She was reborn.

The longest relationship she had was with Alfred, her fourteenth guy. They lasted five months. It will be record breaking to reach half or more than half of the year.

She couldn’t understand. One night, she prayed that nothing bad will happen within six months.

***

May 31. They visited David’s relatives in Himamaylan and watched the spectacular Santacruzan. David’s cousin was the Reyna Elena.

June 17. Rene’s birthday. Since David wasn’t drinking anymore, his celebrant friend requested him to drink just one shot of gin for the occasion. Rene put something secretly in the glass. David was drunk that night after drinking half a case of Red Horse. The next morning, Tropang Tanggero apologized and said that they missed drinking with King Torpe.

July20. Date at the Palamunitan in Valladolid. Vanessa’s diary entry was seven pages long. David got wounds courtesy of the tilapias’ fins.

August 15. David was formally introduced to Vanessa’s parents. A silent dinner. The parents didn’t care about their daughter. How much more with their would-be son-in-law?

September 22. Home base.

***

On the 29^th of October, they would be celebrating their sixth month-sary.

They say that people who survive suicide attempts tend to live their lives to the fullest. It was true with Vanessa. She was never loved by a man as much as what David did. She got future plans already: a small house and ten kids. It wasn’t a game anymore. She was not familiar with the word ‘revenge’ anymore. Boys will be boys. But David is not a boy. He’s a man.

“I love him, Sandra,” she confessed to her bestfriend one afternoon.

“For good?”

“For eternity.”

***

He was planning to end everything with Vanessa on the 29^th of October.

David was in heaven for the past five months. He became a man he wanted to be with Vanessa. He realized that he wasn’t a loser after all. He was just a late bloomer. He loved Vanessa. But that love grew tired as time passed by.

Yes, he was in heaven. But heaven has many levels. David wanted to proceed to the higher levels.

***

October 29. Kuppa’s Cafe.

“I have something to tell you,” David said.

They ordered pizza and Ceylonese tea for appetizer.

“I have something to tell you too.” Vanessa was excited.

“Okay, you go first,” David replied.

“Not fair. You first. You opened it.”

“It’s over.”

Vanessa wondered. After a moment of silence, she replied, “Oh…yes…appetizer’s over. Shall I order for the main course?”

“It’s over.” Vanessa never saw her boyfriend that serious before.

“What do you mean?” She felt nervous.

“It’s over…this…this relationship.”

SLAP!

***

The world was again on her shoulders. It was unexpected. David was breaking the record. Six months. But what happened?

She walked out of the café after their silent argument. She couldn’t bear the burden. A déjà vu. Her eighteenth tragedy.

“I loved you. I used to.” David said not looking straight at her eyes. “But it’s over. I guess I’ve fallen out.”

“That’s it? After all?” Tears leaking was the phenomenon she couldn’t explain. I though It wouldn’t cry for a guy anymore?

“I’m sorry. We did try. It didn’t work.”

“You made love to me!” It was a high pitched whisper. Someone from the nearby table seemed to hear them but they never bothered. “I gave you everything!”

“I’m sorry. It was a mistake.”

Son of a bitch! If only you know you’re my first on the bed! “I love you, David. Please don’t do this to me.” She never begged a man for his love before.

“I was just a guy…a hungry guy wanting to try his first time. I’m full. And I don’t love you anymore.”

She found herself sobbing inside a taxicab a few minutes later.

***

He was thinking if he did the right thing. Am I that cruel? I don’t love her anymore. Things may get worse if we will go on. And about what happened to us…well, we both liked it.

It seemed that he understood why Rene, Mark, and Miko, were always changing girlfriends. There will always be a crave to taste a different flavor in the hearts of men.

Ningas kugon is a nature of Filipinos. David was excited at first to have a girlfriend but he felt tired when he got what he wanted.

Since he got no girlfriend already, he began to drink again. He missed the liquors. No one was happy with his breakup but Rene, Mark, and Miko.

“Welcome back, King Torpe!” The Tropang Tanggero said as they raised a toast.

***

EPILOGUE

December 24. Vanessa’s dead body was found bloody on the floor of Room 106 of Boracay Shores Inn. The island police suspected that she committed suicide. The autopsy revealed that she was three-months pregnant.

January 1. New year, new life. He finally solved his identity crisis. While pyrotechnics roared the atmosphere, David was making love to the man of his dreams.

THE END

EROS

About the Author

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