who am i to you?

23

TW: Homophobia. Bullying. Slurs. Violence

***

In the middle of that night, rain was pouring hard. On the side of the road, just beside a lamppost, I saw him there. And when I approached him, the first thing he gave me was a smile.

"Basang basa ka!" Pinayungan ko si Vy kahit hindi naman na kailangan.

"Sorry," Vy said with a smile.

I pulled him beside me so we can fit under that one umbrella. Kahit basa na siya ay hindi ko siya hinayaang mawala sa ilalim ng payong kahit 'yung kabilang balikat ko naman ang nababasa. Like that, I guided him to Xenon's car, stopped right across the street. I opened the door to the back seat for him, getting him settled bago ako sumunod at umupo sa tabi niya.

"Sorry, for your seat," I told Xenon who's eyeing us from the driver's seat.

"Its fine," he dismissed me. "Ayos ka lang ba?" tanong niya kay Vy.

Pareho naming tinignan si Vy, naghihintay sa sagot niya. He looked at us innocently, nodding. "Yeah. Just a little wet."

"A little?" I blurted out.

His hair already lost its curl due to being wet. His hoodie hugs his body, even his shorts. And he's even barefoot. My eyes traced back to his face. From the light inside Xenon's car, I saw a faint violet color on Vy's jaw.

While Xenon started to drive, I examined Vy further. Hindi muna ako nagtanong kung anong nangyari. That's not important right now. Ang importante ay makauwi kami at mapalitan na agad siya ng damit.

Right after the call, I went to Xenon's room, urging him to drive me somewhere. Nagreklamo pa siya dahil kaya ko naman mag-drive na dahil nag-practice na ako noong bakasyon but I'm not confident and I'm not in the right mind to drive. When he saw that I was distressed, he got the idea and got his keys. Everyone is already in their rooms, getting ready for bed kaya hindi napansin nila Mom na umalis kami.

When we got back to the house, Noona opened the gate and the front door for us. Pareho kaming gulat. Gulat ako na gising siya lalo't mas gusto niyang natutulog 'pag umuuwi sila para makabawi. Gulat naman siya na umalis kami.

"What are you doing going out in the middle of the night? At kung kailan umuulan pa?"

Xenon is walking right in front of me and Vy is behind me so hindi siya agad nakita ni Noona. Nang makita naman niya si Vy ay nawala ang galit niya at napalitan ng pagtataka at pag-aalala.

"Hello po," Vy greeted her shyly.

Noona eyed me questioningly but instead of asking me, she stepped aside so we could get inside. "I'll get a towel."