Alejandro's Hombre

Ch.31: betrayal at its finest

"Rigz, hiramin ko muna 'tong pick-up. may pupuntahan lang ako saglit." wika ni Gabriel sa pinsan when they close the shop that evening. "I already sent Gift a message. sa inyo muna sya until I get back."

"sure. teka, bihis na bihis ka yata." ani Rigor na sinipat ang bihis nya. He's wearing a branded slim-fit jeans, red v-neck shirt and a navy blue blazer. He even wore an expensive perfume na pikit-mata nyang binili just to impress someone. "nakz. looking at your conyo get-up now, alam ko na kung sino ang kikitain mo."

Gabriel just gave his cousin a sheepish smile. he's not really comfortable to be in an expensive wardrobe like these ones he's wearing now, but he doesn't want his girl to be embarrassed when she's with him. she's being extra sweet ever since he got discharged from the hospital and she even want to have a dinner with him in her house, since her parents are not around.

"okay, you go now. It's not good to make a woman wait." Rigor said. "teka lang, Gabe. hang in there for a sec."

nagtataka na hinintay ni Gabriel ang pinsan na inangat ulit ang roll up door ng shop. maya-maya pa ay bumalik ito na may dalang isang itim na kahon.

"here." Rigor said and toss into him the box, that he caught in his hands. "never forget those."

His cousin winked and Gabriel immediately knew what he meant. He sniggered and shake his head, opening the box....

full of rubbers.

and they come in strawberry and orange variants.

and what's hilarious is this---they're not his size!

"damn it, Rigz. it's just a dinner date."

wika nya na natatawang binuksan ang pinto ng driver's seat at initsa sa passenger seat ang kahon.

"naku, Gabriel. para namang hindi nyo na ginagawa ang bagay na yan, huwag kang pabebe dyan. feeling virgin ka rin, eh."

"ue, bihis na bihis ka yata, Gabe. at puro branded pa." wika ni Luke na galing sa likod ng shop, sa storage room nila. kasama nito si Jiro.

"oo nga. may date kayo 'no?" wika ni Jiro  na tinapik ang blazer nyang suot. "iba talaga kapag syota ang kasama nito, lumalabas sa baul yung mga branded nyang damit. kapag tayo, lagi nyang suot yung tig-100 pesos na ukay-ukay sa tiangge na binabad nya ng isang araw sa kumukulong tubig at zonrox."

naghagalpakan ang mga ito sa sinabi ni Jiro. Gabriel just shake his head and smiled at his friend's silliness. puro talaga sila kalokohan kahit kailan.

"o sya, tama na yan. hayaan na nating umalis 'to at baka mahuli pa sa date nya. tigre pa naman yung naghihintay sa kanya dun." wika ni Rigor, na tinulak pa sya papasok ng driver's seat. "at hoy, wag mong kalimutang isuot yan. ayoko pang maging tiyuhin, ano."

"langya ka, Rigz. those rubbers are not even my size, you idiot!"

they both laughed at that.

"aba, malay ko kung ano ang sukat nyang sa 'yo. pagkasyahin mo na lang, stretchable naman siguro yan." wika nito. "lumayas ka na nga. kumain ka na rin ng balut, pampatibay daw yun ng tuhod."

"baliw!"

He could hear his cousin's high-pitched laughter as he roll the window up of the pick-up truck. He drive away, anticipating on seeing his girl after months of being admitted in the hospital. inaamin nyang sumama ang loob nya dito that time, dahil bibihira lang itong dumalaw sa kanya. lagi nitong dahilan ay busy ito sa café at pagod na ito pagka-uwi ng bahay nila.

He tried as much as he can to understand her. though, honestly---sa kanilang dalawa, sya itong laging umuunawa. his friends warned him not to be such a doormat when it comes to his girlfriend, for in a relationship, they must be equal at hindi lang sya ang dapat ang laging nagbibigay at sumusunod.