Chapter 23

Raphael Pov

"What the fuck happened Ralph?!" I yelled as soon as I saw Ralph who is sitting outside of the hospital room.

My brother just rolled his eyes before standing up. "Dareen just have a small scratches Rap. No need to yell."

"You texted me that-"

"...he almost bump by the car, he and Chiara." Ralph finished my sentence.

Napahilamos ako sa mukha ko. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have left earlier.

"He's inside resting. Don't worry to much. He only got few scratches. Tsk. You're acting as if he's really fucking hit and having a concussion." sabi ni Ralph.

I glared at him. "I'm not worried." pagtanggi ko.

"Say that to the pigs." pambabara niya naman sa akin.

"Tell me Raphael. That boy... he is a gay, right?" tanong ni Ralph na tinanguan ko lang at papasok na sana ako sa kwarto pero napatigil ako sa sunod niyang tinanong. "Do you like him?"

I turned to Ralph, my older brother. "What kind of question is that Ralph..." I halted in mid sentence when I saw Ralph's expression. He smiled at me mockingly. The heck with my brother.

"Why deny it Raphael?"

I laughed.

"I don't deny anything. I said, I don't like him." I persistently said.

"Yeah? And pigs can really fly?"

Suddenly, I feel annoyed by Ralph's tone.

"Ralph. Ypu know how much I hate them." I'm talking about gays. I just want to remind his mind that I hated them. Cause, it looks like he already forget it.

"Exactly. You hated them but why do Dareen..."

"He's a special case." I interrupted him.

"Tsk! It's not a sin to like gays, Rap. And of course, I knew the fact that you hated them yet..."

I sighed. "There's no point in discussing this fucking matter, Ralph."

"There is Rap. Dareen... he likes you. Do you know that?"

I stop for a moment. No. I think my world literally stop running after what I heard. Dareen like me. I thought he is just messing with me. I thought he only played with me. Dareen liking me was not really that surprising in the first place. But why did I act like that earlier? Shame on me.

Everytime we fuck. I noticed. I noticed something from him but I didn't think about it nor take time to think about it. I thought that expression was only due to our sex. I thought he gave that kind of expression because of pleasure.

If he likes so what it is to me? Do I like him? Of course no. I'm already tied to someone long time ago. The fuck! To admit, I like having sex with him. I like it when he suck and played with mine. And I just returned the favor to him. It's like giving and taking, vice versa.

"Do you know Rap?"

"Ralph..."

"Okay, hindi na ako magtatanong pa. Pero Rap matanda ka na. You're 32, running 33 hindi ka na bata na kailangan pang pagsabihan sa mga desisyong gaggawin mo. Ngunit gusto ko lang sabihin Rap na isipin mo rin ang epekto ng desisyon kay Dareen. I knew you haven't moved on from the past. I knew too that you're just denying the fact that you like because you think you're still tied to her."

I gritted my teeth. "There is really no point in fucking saying that kind od thing to me Ralph."

"If you think about it thoroughly. There is Rap. You said, you don't like him then don't give Dareen. Stop what the two of you are playing. Stop giving him mixed signals."

"I don't give him mixed signals Ralph!"

"You're rising your voice brother." may diing wika ni Ralph.

I closed my eyes. Ralph is now pissed. Even if Ralph and I have almost the same features. You can really differentiate us in just one glance. Ralph have this kind of expression that attracted anyone by just his smile. He is friendly, approachable, and generous. While me it the fucking opposite and I also a selfish fucking man. Hindi mabilis magalit si Ralph samantalang ako lagi namang galit. I knew that fact.

"Raphael, Dareen is also a human. He have feelings, hindi mo mam gusto ang pagdating niya sa bahay ninyo, I mean sa bahay mo yet you also knew that he didn't like it in the first place. So don't be so harsh on him."

"I'm not harsh." I said.

"Tsk! You're attitudes really sucks until now Rap."

I glued my eyes on Ralph, scrutinizing. "How the hell did you know the fucking fact that he likes me and we're fucking messing around, huh?"

Ralph shook his head. "You cuss a lot. Anyway, how do I fucking know? I heard him myself talking to Chiara earlier. And how do know that you're playing with fire? Tsk! Who would fucking give him a damn kiss marks on thighs and on the neck? Don't tell me your dogs?"

"For a man brother, you're creepy. Really? Eavesdropping?"

"Whatever. Pumasok ka na dahil aalis na ako para puntahan ang asawa ko. And by the way, my daughter is there as well. She's too worried of Dareen just like you."

---

Pagkapasok ko sa room ay tulog si Dareen. Chiara is also asleep on the other bed. Nasa room kasi sila in which parang suite type siya.

I sauntered towards his bed and look at him peacefully sleeping. Dareen has really this kind of face that's similar to woman. He have a soft features that pink lips, that kind of eyebrows, that soft porcelain skin. Kailangan lang ata ng buhok na mahaba at masasabi ko nang babae na talaga siya.

I was about to lift my hand up and reached for his forehead that has a small scratch but I retreated back my hand. What the fuck ?! What the hell did you do to me Dareen? Why did you messed with my brain?

The fuck! I don't know but this past few days... I feel warmth in his arms. I feel comfortable in his small fucking arms. I like it when he hug me after we had sex. I must be crazy but now I like it when he teased me. I'm also getting used in his noise, to his presence. Especially, his coffee. Hinahanap-hanap ko iyon bawat umaga. I tried finding the same kind of coffee, the same taste of his coffee but I didn't find one. His coffee is special. I don't know where did he learn but it's inimitable.

Since time immemorial, I hardly sleep at night. I find it hard to sleep that's why I devoted my time working. I only sleep three to four hours for a very long time since then. Then lately whenever I sleep beside Dareen, nakakalimutan ko na ang oras. Nagigising ako may araw na pero noon five in the morning, I'm ready to go to work. When I sleep beside him I feel like hours run fast.

Do I like this small man? Do I like you Dareen? If I like you, then why do I feel like it's not right. Or the time is not right? If you like me Dareen. Why me? What have you seen on me that you like? I'm not good to you. I don't treat you better. So why? Why do you like me, Hernane?

"Ayiiee! Baka ma-fall ka na sa akin n'yan?" he teased me. He's really good at it.

My eyebrow arc when Dareen spoke while his eyes were closed. A sly smile formed on his small pink lips. Dareen opened his eyes.

"Are you feeling well?" I asked him. Then I step forward.

Bumangon siya at umupo sa hospital bed.

"Konting galos lang naman."

"Any fracfure?"

"Wala dahil flexible ang body ko." he answered while grinning from ear to ear.

"You should be careful, Dareen. You're in my house, you are under my care and if anything happens to you..."

"Tch! Ayos lang ako Rap saka inaalala ko lang naman ang bubwit mong pamangkin."

Dareen Pov

Talagang bonggang-bonggang ang resting ko dito sa hospital. Shemz! Sino ba naman ang mag-aakala na dadalhin ako dito sa hospital noong driver ng sasakyan na muntik ng makasagasa kay Chiara. Villager din siya doon sa MV. Gulat na gulat si Ralph nang makita niya kami ni Chiara na nakasunod ang kami sa kanya dito sa LCL Hospital.

Akala ko lilinisan lang ang sugat ko at finish na. Kaso talagang pina-rest nila ako dito sa LCL Hospital. Akala ko ay bongga na iyong private room dito the last time I went here. The accident na muntik ko nang mapatay ang ex ko. Ang di ko aakalain ay parang may hotel type na room pala sila dito sa top floor ng hospital.

Ayaw ko sana. Nagpakipot naman ako ng konti kay Ralph na huwag na kasi di naman talaga ako napuruhan. Konting galos lang sa maputi ang makinis kong braso, legs at maliit sa noo. Pero dahil mapilit Ralph g-in-rab ko na ang opportunity na makapag-rest sa bonggang hospital room na ito.

Pagkatapos malinisan ng sugat ko at magamot ay pinaderitso na kami dito at sumama talaga dito ang bubwit. Friends na friends na kami ni Chiara. Bestfriends na kami. Umiiyak pa siya habang ginagamit ang sugat ko. Bawal sana siya dito kaso napakiusapan naman ni Ralph kasi may impluwensya sila dito. Ang bubwit na Chiara na kaibigan ko na ngayon ay umiiyak dahil sabi niya dahil daw sa kanya kaya nasugatan ako.

"Raphael will surely scold me Dareen." alaala ko sa nguwa ni Chiara kanina. Naiiyak siya dahil baka daw mapagalitan siya ni Rap.

"Oh my gosh! You skin Dareen. It will surely leave a scars. Magiging ugly ka na talaga for real."

Natawa na lang ako kay Chiara. Pagkatapos naming magchika ni Chiara ay dumating naman si Ralph para sana kunin siya kaso gusto ni Chiara na magpaiwan dito kaya hinayaan na ni Ralph. Ralph bought some foods for our dinner. At pagkatapos n'on nakatulog na kami ni Chiara dahil gumagabi na rin.

Hanggang sa nagising na lang ako may nakatitig sa ganda ko. Feel na feel ko talaga iyong matalim na titig na iyon. Para bang gandang-ganda sa akin! Shemzz! Humaling na humaling yarn! Lihim kong sinilip kong sino at nakita kong si hubby iyon I mean si Rap. Of course. Tinukso ko naman ng very slight. Hanggang sa tuluyan ko nang binuksan ang maganda mata ko at nag-usap na kami ni Rap nang maayos. Pero syempre ngiti-ngiti akong sumasagot sa kanya. Hanggang sa sumeryoso na siya.

"You should be careful, Dareen. You're in my house, you are under my care and if anything happens to you..."

"Tch! Ayos lang ako Rap saka inaalala ko lang naman ang bubwit mong pamangkin." pagpuputol ko sa kanya.

Bumuntonghininga siya.

"I shouldn't left." aniya.

Tinapik ko ang gilid ng kinauupuan kong hospital bed. His thick eyebrow arc. "Upo ka dito." sabi ko.

Umiling si Rap pero umupo din naman sa tabi ko.

"Ayaw mo ba gumawa ng kinky things dito sa hospital Rap." pabulong kong tanong sa kanya ng makaupo siya. Sinilip ko pa si Chiara sa tabi dahil baka gising ang bubwit.

"Tssk! I'm not like my friend Hernane." Nang sabihin iyon ni Rap ay nakangiwi siya.

"Hmmp. Uuwi na ba tayo?" natural lang na tanong ko kay Rap na para bang uuwi na kami sa bahay namin.

"Tomorrow." maikling sagot niya.

"Saan ka matutulog. Uuwi ka?" sunod kong tanong.

"Nope. I'll be staying here as well. Tatabi lang ako kay Chiara."

Ngumisi ako sa kanya at ginapang ko ang kamay ko sa braso niya. "Tabi na lang tayo."

"No."

"Tabi na sabi tayo." ulit ko at nakurot ko siya.

"No." matigas na niya namang tanggi.

Ayaw ko na sana siyang pilitin pa kasi baka magalit na sa akin kasi namula na ang mukha niya kaso umandar na naman ang katigasan ng ulo ko. Ewan ko gustong-gusto ko lang siyang inisin at tuksuhin ngayon.

"Tabi."

"No."

"Tabi sabi, e."

Napakuyom si Rap sa panga niya at umusal, "Sa bahay na."

____
Bear with my errors. Wala pa akong panahon mag-edit. Kaya pagpasensyahan n'yo na.
Thank you for reading!❣