2025, Raizen's POV
"Congratulations to both of you— my ex-boyfriend and my future boyfriend!"
Frankie grinned widely as she handed me and Percival each of a bouquet of flowers. I couldn't help but laugh as I accepted mine, "Thanks, Kie."
"Wait, ako ba yung future boyfriend?" Percival asked na gulat pa, "No, thank you!"
"Yes, tell that to my dad!" Frankie rolled her eyes.
Percival seems to enjoy na maging super close with his friends, and Atty. Hernaez saw that he and Frankie were behaving more intimately than one would expect from two people na friends lang.
Percival groaned but she ignored him.
She faced me instead, "Anyway, kanina pa ako rito but I haven't seen the president yet. Hindi ba pumunta dad mo, Rai?"
It's graduation day, and everyone's expecting my dad to show up. But I told him na 'wag pumunta.
These past few months have been nothing short of chaos. Hindi naman ako gumawa ng announcement about being gay because, frankly, I didn't see the point. It's my life, my truth.
But then someone confessed their feelings for me, and I turned her down, explaining that I'm pursuing a man. That was all it took for the news to spread like wildfire.
The strange part? I wasn't bothered by it. Not in the way I thought I would be. Sure, nawalan ako ng so-called friends, but I gained new ones din— people who actually understand me, who see me for who I really am.
It's like I'm finally breathing fresh air, no longer weighed down by the need to hide. No regrets, just a newfound freedom.
But then my dad got involved. He said we could "compromise." I thought maybe, just maybe, he meant meeting me halfway, accepting me as I am. But no. He wanted to use me.
Turns out, having a gay son is just another way to garner sympathy, to paint himself as some kind of enlightened parent in the eyes of others. Ang fucked up lang and 'di ko kaya yung thought na being used like that, of being reduced to a tool in his game.
So, I made my decision. I told him not to come to my graduation. He doesn't deserve to be here.
"Busy, he's the president after all." I shrugged. "Have you seen my mom though?" I changed the topic.
"Yep, she already left. She didn't want you to drive her to the airport since you have a party to host tonight."
I told my mom I insist pero makulit siya, driving her to the airport is not a big deal. I guess I have no choice but to deal with the party instead.
"Yun oh, see you sa Epsilon!"
I rented the whole club for tonight to celebrate our graduation. I think I need to get wasted before entering law school, 'no? I deserve this much.
As I changed clothes in the back seat of my car, my phone buzzed on the dashboard. I grabbed it from the passenger seat, nearly dropping my shirt in the process when I saw Damian's name on the screen.
"Hi," I said, unable to hide my grin as I tucked the phone between my shoulder and ear, pulling a clean sweater over my head.
"Hi," Damian replied, his voice was calm and soothing.
For a moment, neither of us spoke, the silence stretching comfortably between us. I could hear the faint sounds of traffic on his end, the rush of people in the background.
