Oh, Boy!

10

10

Joshua skipped his Biology class and he went to his favorite spot in Manila Bay. He was currently smoking when there was a three-wheel motorcycle stopped in front of him aboard with MMDA staff.

"Excuse me, sir, this place is prohibited from smoking. May I see your ID?" said the guy who was holding a pad of paper and a ball pen in his right hand.

Joshua immediately throws his cigarette. "I'm sorry," he said. His hands were in the air like surrendering to the authority.

The guy with a ball pen nodded. "I just need your ID."

Joshua bit his lips. "Sorry, I don't have my ID with me," he lied. He hid his ID in his pocket.

"Don't tell us that you don't have a school ID," the female staff interjects, emphasizing the words 'school' and 'ID'. She's raising her eyebrows like she's out of patience. "And don't you feel ashamed smoking here while wearing your school uniform? Why are you here and smoking anyway? Don't you have a class today?"

Joshua's throat bobbed up and down. His heart was beating so fast, he was so nervous. His mind went blank and he didn't know what to do. He didn't expect this to happen, he just wanted to get away from everything to breathe and relax for a bit. "I-I'm sorry, I will not do this again."

The guy with a notebook holds his shoulder. "Relax, we're not going to put you in jail. We just need your ID to settle this properly."

Joshua was about to surrender his ID when Dwight suddenly appeared like a hero ready to save him. "What's the matter here, Ma'am and Sir?"

The lady staff turned her head to see where the voice coming from, and again, she was raising her eyebrow like judging Dwight. "We need to give him a ticket for smoking here. And who are you? What's your relationship with him?"

"I'm Dwight, and his.." Dwight paused. "He's my friend. How much can I pay for the fine?"

"It's 2,000 for first offense, but we still need his ID."

"I will pay 20,000 pesos. Just spare him. And we promised he would not do this again."

The lady staff stared at him for a second. "Do you know what you're doing? That's bribery. We are MMDA and we are just doing our job, don't take it personally. Now we need your ID too."

*****

Dwight watched Joshua sitting in front of him. They are now inside the waiting room in the Tabaco department of Manila City Hall. It's so obvious by the looks of his face that Joshua was so anxious—or maybe he's avoiding his gaze intentionally from him, his arms folded over his chest.

"I'm sorry," they said in chorus.

Joshua's eyes widened and Dwight continued speaking. "I'm sorry about last time. I just realized I don't have a right to be mad at you because of what I've witnessed." He shook his head and then smiled to assure Joshua that he had nothing to worry about. "You don't have to explain anything to me. That's fine. Because we are not official, right?"

It's not fine for Joshua. He told him that day (before Dwight caught him kissing someone else) that he loved him.

Joshua gazed at Dwight, his eyes were full of sincerity. "Don't say that. You have a right to be mad. That day is supposed to be our official day, but I ruined it in an instant."

Official? Day? Dwight's hand landed on his chest. What's with Joshua's voice and words that made his heart jump? But before he could say anything, Tanya arrived in a hurry. She hugs her son. "What happened huh? Someone called me that they caught you smoking. Didn't I tell you to stop doing that? You're still too young."

"You shouldn't be here, I can handle myself." The voice is minimal, but Dwight hears it, making him curious as to why Joshua has this cold treatment to his mother.

Tanya acted like her son did not say those words.

"Let's go home. We already fixed everything. Nothing to worry about anymore," Tanya stated.

"Wait, we?" Dwight interjected.

Tanya turned her head to look at Dwight. "Yes, your mom is here."

Dwight followed the direction where Tanya's eyes landed. There, he saw his mom standing behind the door. She's wearing a tortoiseshell blouse with a black shoulder bag from Gucci. Dwight tried to read what was on her mind

"Dwight, let's go," Catherine said without expression.

Dwight's lips twitch. "No."

Tanya held Dwight on his shoulder, and then she whispered. "It's okay, son. I already talked to your mom. You need to go home."

Dwight slid his eyes shut and blew a loud breath. Fine. He looked at Joshua. "Do you know how to drive?" The latter just nodded. "Take my car." He throws his key and Joshua catches it.

Dwight hugged Tanya before he walked away.

*****

Catherine remains indifferent while she's driving, eyes on the road like she's alone, she doesn't bother to look at Dwight in the rear-view mirror. But Dwight was used to it. Sometimes he wants to ask if he's their adopted child.

Dwight did not want to talk to her mother either, but he was forced to speak when he noticed that the direction they were heading to was not the right route to their house.

"Where are we going?"

"You're not going home," Catherine stated.

"What? Where are you taking me?"

"To your temporary apartment. You're gonna stay there until I arrange everything," she said in command.

Dwight's eyebrows met. "What are you talking about?"

"When did you learn to talk to me like that? Where's your manner?" Catherine countered.

Dwight could feel his blood rising. "Stop this car right no, I'm not going with you."

"Trust me, this is for your own good."

"STOP THE CAR!"

When Catherine pulled over, Dwight climbed out of the car immediately. Catherine opens her car's door to follow her son.

"Dwight, can you listen to me please? Stop being a kid!" It's the first time that Catherine screamed at her son, especially in a public area. It's not professional.

Dwight paused but he did not turn his body around to face his mother. He just listens.

"You can't go back to our home, or else your dad will kill you. Don't worry you're just  gonna stay there temporarily."

"I don't need your apartment. I can live on my own."

Catherine nodded. "I know, but eventually your dad is gonna look for you, and he will find you wherever you are. You know your dad, he is stubborn just like you now. He will always get what he wants. He can use your friend or anyone for you to surrender. That's for sure the last thing that you want."

Dwight turns around, facing his mother. Confuse. Is she acting like a mother now after so how many years? "What is this about?"

"Do you want to be free right? I am doing you a favor. You're gonna stay in the apartment for just one week while I'm processing your documents to study in the US."

Dwight was still confused, he just graduated from college. Business management.

Catherine continued. "I'm all aware that we raised you in a tough way. I know you're pressured because of our expectations. I saw your hardships. I'm all aware of all your special days that we missed because, you know, the nature of our business...We did that because we want to give you a great future and we know that to have a great future, you need to be ready for that. That's why we trained you to be a great person. We pressured you to be excellent in everything..." Catherine needs to catch her breath, she wipes her cheeks that gets wet with tears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I did not become a mother to you. But please.. Come with me...I-I'm setting you free now. Go to the US and study your dream course. I want to see my son as a doctor in the future."