This Is Why I Love The Color Red

Ymir

[Listen to THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL by ABBA]

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"You're the only girl I've told stuff about my drafts in songwriting..." Boys are great liars. It usually starts when they say 'you're the only girl—' when in fact, they have already told it to plenty of girls.

After my Tagaytay trip with my family on New Year's Eve, when I came home that night, I went straight to a random guy's invitation to his house. Boredom crept in while I was staying in my room during a special occasion since our family no longer celebrates January 1 in the same way. It sounds dumb to agree to go to a guy's house when you don't even know each other, but that's how dating apps work.

"Let me have your phone! I'll swipe for you."

"Make sure you choose the handsome ones..." Asia added as we waited for the bus to Zambales.

"Give it here, you've been swiping too much!" I took my phone back from Rio's hand and began swiping until I came across a picture of a gym rat.

"Swipe right on him!"

"He looks too basic!"

"Give him a chance; he might look handsome in person if you meet him!" Rio swiped right on a guy named Ymir.

"Let me chat with him." What can you do when your gay friend grabs the phone before you can agree? I mean, maybe I need this? One of the reasons I'm going to Zambales is because I still feel heartbroken over Dos.

'Hey...'

'Hi haha.'

'Wyd'

'Just waiting for a bus here at Monumento station.'

'Oh, I'm nearby.'

'Nice.'

'Where are you headed?'

'Zambales.'

'Awe, I was just about to invite you hehe.'

'Maybe when I get back to Manila.'

I read their conversation. Rio chuckled, trying to hide the fact that this poor guy was talking not to EL, but to EL's friend, the gay one.

"Thank me later; he looks yummy." Swiping through his pictures made me realize he had a sexual appeal. Not conventionally handsome, but his aura exuded masculinity.

"I'm stuck with this guy now."

"What do you want to eat?"

"Can we order a bucket of Chickenjoy?" He looked shocked.

"I'll try." But we ended up eating food he ordered from a nearby cafeteria. The following hours were filled with us watching FlipTop battles or him explaining his interest in different rappers and rap songs. It was amusing how passionate he was about it, instead of being afraid that I might not be into it.

The usual happened. He asked for sex, but I told him I just started my period that day and wasn't feeling horny. Ymir had just returned from spending New Year's in Cavite while I was in Tagaytay. I obliged to his request for a blow job. Afterward, he fell asleep, but I couldn't. I stared at his face; he looked innocent while sleeping. I tried to wake him up at 6 am to let him know I was leaving, but he was still too asleep. He had told me the night before that he needed to get me home before his family returned later that day. I didn't want to meet the mother of a guy who had snuck me into their house.

I grabbed my bag and rushed out of his house. I had trouble booking a Grab because I didn't know the directions from his home and could only pay with e-cash. You can't use e-cash on jeeps or tricycles. The area was noisy, surrounded by street vendors. Different types of transportation were visible. Welcome to Caloocan City.