Friends Don't Do This

CHAPTER 11: Highschool

ALISTAIR

JUNIOR HIGH school pa lang, kilala na ni Alistair si Eros dahil iisang paaralan lang ang kanilang pinapasukan.

Nakilala niya ito nang maiwan niya ang kanyang sukli sa isang tindahan sa tapat ng kanilang campus. Hinabol siya ni Eros na humihingal--he was the type of guy who'd go out of his way just to do something nice.

"Kuya! Kuya!" tawag ng isang batang lalaki mula sa kanyang likod. Hindi naman sigurado si Alistair kung siya ba ang tinatawag nito kaya, syempre, 'di niya iyon binigyan ng pansin.

"Bingi ka po ba? Kanina pa po kita tinatawag, 'di ka po lumilingon!" gigil nitong sabi nang tuluyan na siyang nahabol. Humawak ito sa uniform niya para patigilin siya sa paglalakad.

It was indeed Alistair that the kid was calling.

Nang hinarap niya ito, nakaabot na ang isang kamay nito sa kanya, may sampung pirasong piso sa palad nito. Ang isang kamay naman nito'y nakapatong sa tuhod para balansehin ang hinihingal na katawan.

Alistair was in eighth grade, with enormous spectacles perched awkwardly on his nose and wavy hair that nearly obscured his entire face.

The boy standing in front of him looked impossibly small, barely reaching Alistair's chin when he stood up straight. If it weren't for the same school uniform he's wearing, Alistair would've assumed the kid was still in elementary school. He looked so young, like he could've been a seventh grader at most.

Pawisan ito--ngunit hindi marungis. Kahit na uwian na ay malinis pa rin ang damit nito at walang bahid ng gusot o mantsa. His hair was even combed nicely. Alistair smelled fresh vanilla emanating from the boy's skin.

"I have a name," he responded, his voice tinged with indifference. He didn't know the kid, and it was clear the kid didn't know him either. "Stop calling me 'Kuya'."

"Eh 'di ko alam pangalan mo po, Kuya! Ano po gusto mo itawag ko sa'yo? Hoy?!" The boy's face turned as red as a tomato, his glare sharp and intense. The sight made him smile secretly. There was something amusing about the kid's anger. "'Di mo po ba kukunin 'tong sukli sa kamay ko? Ngawit na po braso ko!"

'How can he be both respectful and rude at the same time?' Alistair was amused.

"Thanks, Butler," he said calmly, as he gently took the money from the boy's hand.

Napaigtad sila pareho nang makuryente ang nagdaop nilang mga palad.

'Static electricity out in the open...?' Confused na tanong ni Alistair sa sarili. Sandali niyang binalewala ang naisip.

Calling the little boy a 'butler' was petty, but he couldn't resist waiting for a reaction.

The kid didn't disappoint. He kicked him in the knee before sprinting away. The boy even glanced back, grinned mischievously, and then took off again. Pinagmasdan niya lang ito hanggang sa mawala na ito sa kanyang paningin.

The spark he felt when their skin touched sent an uncomfortable sensation twisting in Alistair's gut.

Simula noon, palagi na niya ito napapansin saan man siya magpunta. It didn't help that they were living in the same neighborhood.

--

ALISTAIR LEARNED that the boy's name was Eros when they were both in ninth grade. Sa tagal niyang pinagmamasdan ito sa malayo, inabot ng isang taon bago niya napangalanan ang batang bumalik ng kanyang sukli.

He couldn't help but be in awe as the name rolled off his tongue--it was a name perfectly suited for such a lovely boy.

Thanks to his gossiping classmates and Eros' popularity in school, he was able to know stuff about the kid without any hassle.