I thought I hadn't prepared enough to visit Nay Kla's house for lunch with his gay son. Excited naman ako na makilala ang family niya dahil panay in ang pagku-kwento niya sa akin tungkol sa pamilya niya. Nay Kla has been very good to me, she was acting like a mother-figure to me, and she was so nice, as she always look after me.

But looking after me was too much for her to do now.

She doesn't need to watch on me over and over again. I should've been very careful in bringing Hayden in my house. Kaya nga hindi ko na 'to pinadaraan sa front door at sumasampa na lang 'to papasok sa bintana para walang makakita sa kanta, but Nay Kla just got an eagle guy in keeping in touch with me.

And that's not good.

I wore a shirt and pants, I looked in the mirror to check if my hair was good. It was. I sprayed some perfume to make myself smell nice. I don't know what Gio was like in person, but based on his mom's stories, he was nice, hot, and smart.

I perfected the wrinkle on my shirt by gliding the palm of my hand on it. I stepped out of the house and found myself crossing the street to get to Nay Kla's house. I took a deep breath as I raised my hand to knock on the door. When I got the courage to do so, I knocked on the door, and as I waited, I looked back to the Cummings house, and it was sad and terrible.

As I turned my head back, I was surprised that it was already opened and a man with grey eyes came into my sight. Hindi ko maialis ang tingin ko sa mata niya.

"I supposed you're Mitchel Burrow," he said, pointing awkwardly his finger to me. 

I smiled awkwardly in response. "Yes, yes. . . I am."

"Come on in, Mom's waiting for you," he said, and as I walked in, I knew I would be here for a long time. "I'm Giovanni anyway, but my Mom usually called me Gio," pagpapakilala nito sa akin.

Inabot niya ang kamay niya sa akin at tinanggap ko naman. Malambot ang kamay niya, but the way he held my hand was firm enough to break it. Napalunok na lang ako ng laway. 

"Oh, it was you! I've heard so many things about you," I tried keeping up the conversation, and I hope I wasn't really awkward.

But then, he laughed awkwardly, even scratching the back of his head. "I hope what you heard about me wasn't bad at all."

I waved my hands and shook my head. "Hindi, hindi! I don't think your mom would do that to you. . . Nice to meet you."

"Yes, nice to meet you, too. Come with me, please."

"Alright, I will."

Sumunod lamang ako sa likuran ni Giovanni at napakagat ako ng labi nang bumaba ang tingin ko sa pwetan niya. My hands balled in fists. I resisted in doing such scandalouos act. Nasa bahay ako ni Nay Kla, and it wouldn't be nice for me to do it. Gio was stall, he was taller than me, he could be more than six feet tall, he got a bit of a muscle in his arms. I think he was working out, and I don't think he was gay?

Maybe Nay Kla was just too proud to call him he was gay? I just don't see it, but he was a treat. I could have him for lunch until dinner, and even breakfast.

Nang marating namin ang kusina ay inanunsyo naman ni Gio ang presensya ko. Nay Kla and her husband saw me. Lumapit naman ako sa kanila at excited na lumapit ito sa akin at niyakap ako. She was excited to have me around, and of course meet her son.

Pinaupo nila ako sa dining table. Gio was the one who assisted me. Nahihiya ako dahil alam kong si Gio ang bisita at dumalaw sa kanila, pero parang ako pa ang nagmukhang bisita.

Nay Kla was busy enough to serve the food to the table. Her husband was assisting him until they finally settled everything and join us around the table. Napatingin naman ako kay Gio at nakangiti naman ito sa akin, ibinalik ko rin naman ang ngiti sa kanya. He was really cute. Mabalbas din siya, but he shaved. He's such a gorgeous human being, I wonder why he has no boyfriend yet?

"I'm happy all my boys are here," Nay Kla said, looking around the table. There was her husband, her son, and me, who wasn't even related to them. She has a few daughters, but they've got family out there whom she visited a few months ago. "I'm happy 'nak you visited us today. . . Mag-stay ka tonight, 'di ba?"

Tumango naman si Gio. "Yes, I'll be here for a few days. Didn't I tell you about this?"

"Hayaan mo na. Makakalimutin na talaga ko." Hagikgik pa ni Nay Kla. "Ikaw rin, 'Nak Mitch. . ." Tingin nito sa akin. "I've been wanting to do this, and I'm glad na nahanap ko ang time to do it."

"Thank you, Nay Kla for inviting me. . . I really appreciate this. . ."

"You're welcome! Let's eat na. . ."

Sinimulan naman namin ang pagkain. Nay Kla cooked most of Gio's favorite dishes as she said. There was Beef Caldereta, Pork Chop, and Mashed Potato, and she also made some Buko Pandan as Gio said it was one of his favorite desserts. He could be mine.

All throughout the dinner ay tahimik lang din naman ako. Kapag tinatanong nila ako ay doon lang din ako sasagot. From their discussion, I just confirmed that Gio was gay, and he was thirty and got no boyfriend. Nang sabihin pa ni Nay Kla 'yon, I knew he glanced at me, pero hindi lang ako nakatingin sa kanya. If I looked back at him, we both knew how that would end. But not now.

"How are the Cummings?" Nay Kla asked.

Kumunot ang noo ni Gio at muntik na mabuga ang juice na iniinom. "Ano? Anong Cummings?"

"Iyong kapitbahay namin," dagdag pa ni Nay Kla. "Iyon ang apelyido nila." He put up a straight face as soon as her mother explained it. I knew what he meant by that reaction. "Lately, they've been fighting. . . Nag-aaway pa rin ba sila, Nak Mitch? Naririnig mo pa rin ba sila?"

Tumango naman ako. "Sa umaga hindi na gaano, but I could still hear them fight over some things. Hindi ko lang alam kung ano talagang dahilan."

"I hope they won't fight anymore," she sounded worriedly. "Buntis pa naman itong si Renee. Hindi maganda ang ma-stress siya. Sana alagaan niya ang sarili niya. Kung minsan, susubukan ko nga bumisita sa kanya. . ."

"Mom, I don't want you to put yourself into others' problems," sabi ni Gio sa akin.

"Hindi naman ako nakikisali. I was just trying to be a good neighbor."

Umiling pa rin si Gio. "Kahit na. I think let's just forget about that topic for now, and let's just hope for the best of them, and hopefully they could resolve what they were going through. . ."

Bumalik naman kami sa pagkain, but this time, Nay Kla served the dessert and Gio couldn't be more excited about it. But what they didn't know, as he was sitting across me, Gio's foot was playing with mine. Hindi lang ako masyadong nagbibigay ng reaksyon because his parents were just around the table, and we cannot get caught.

With every bite he did sa kanyang dessert, I knew it had a different meaning. Kaya nang matapos kaming kumain ay nag-presenta ako na maghugas ng kinain namin, but they didn't want me to do it, but Gio said it would be nice if I helped him. Pumayag naman ang nanay niya kaya naiwan kaming dalawa sa kusina at naghuhugas.

"You're gay, right?" he asked, almost a whisper.

Napakagat ako ng labi. "I am, and your Mom told me you are."

Napangisi naman ito. "Well, I've been out to them since nine years ago, I guess they knew I've been a total loser for not having any girlfriends or boyfriends. . . But what they do not know, I usually got them, just not for a long term."

"So, you do. . . Hookups?" 

He nodded. "Always has been. You?"

Tatango sana ako, pero naisip ko, lately, I was out of the culture at hindi ako nakasasabay. "I was. . ."

He scoffed. "Oh, you were? Are you in a relationship right now? You didn't mention that." Taas pa ng kilay nito sa akin.

"No, I'm not in a relationship."

"Dating?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"So, you're not just into hookups anymore? Sayang naman."

"I just haven't seen anyone lately."

"How come?" he asked. With his question, he was being so interrogative. I don't hate it, but he was someone I just knew, and I felt like I'd been judged already. "Okay, don't bother answering it. . . I like this, Mitch."

He grabbed my butt cheeks and even grope his hand on it. Natawa naman ako.

"I'm a top, and I wanted to fuck you. . ." bulong pa nito.

"You can, but not in your parent's house," sagot ko pa.

"I'll come by in your house later," he said. "We shall do it there."

Inalis naman niya ang kamay niya nang marinig namin si Nay Kla na papunta sa kusina at kinausap kami. Tinapos na lang din namin ang ginagawa namin.

Later on, niyaya naman ako ni Gio na pumunta ng club, and if I knew one, dalhin ko raw siya ro'n. We planned it and we left together to go to a club. Throughout the night, I wasn't myself when I saw Zeke around. I wanted to ditch Gio and go see my man, but I couldn't. I also don't want him to engage in a situation that where has no idea about that's why I was pulling him away in a possible situation where Zeke could see us.

He wouldn't forgive me if he saw me with another man.

It wasn't the club Zeke worked at, so he was here for a reason. I left Gio on our table while I was heading to the restroom, and I stopped as soon as I found Zeke with Renee. Initially, I thought they had something going on with each other that's why I sent Hayden a message and a photo that they were talking to each other. Tumuloy ako sa restroom at pagkatapos ay bumalik kay Gio, pero tila naiwan ang isipan ko sa nakita ko.

Hayden didn't reply to my message, but he already the messages I sent. I wasn't honest with Gio, I wanted to have fun with him because he was a funny and hot guy, but my mind was on Zeke, Renee, and Hayden.

Hindi na rin kami nagtagal. I went home with Gio in my house. Sinilip ko pa ang kabilang bahay, pero mukhang walang tao. Kinabahan naman ako dahil baka sinugod na ni Hayden si Zeke. Hindi ko naman sinabi kung saan club iyon kaya kung puntahan man niya iyon, he would have to ask around.

Gio and I hooked up. He topped me all night long. He was having a good time, getting so much pleasure with what we do, but my head wasn't with what we do. Hindi ko na lamang ipinahalata sa kanya. I gave him the best thing he could get from me, and I knew he wouldn't regret it.

When he finished, he asked me if I wanted to come, but I didn't choose to. He stayed in my house, and I asked him if his Mom would be mad at him if he didn't come back home, the only answer he gave was I'm not young anymore to be told what I need to do.

He left my house early in the morning, and just a few minutes later, I heard Hayden and Renee fighting again. Napabitaw na lamang ako nang malalim na buntonghininga. I knew this time they were fighting because of the message I sent to Hayden, and I was so sorry that I had to fire up the situation again, but if Renee was cheating with Zeke, Hayden should know about it, too.

Zeke mentioned he hadn't hooked up with women anymore and he doesn't like women, but what if, Zeke impregnated her and Hayden thought it was his child? This is fucked up. I don't know what was real or not. This is messy, and it seemed like there was no way out of it, but see how it will unfold. 

I hope Renee and Hayden resolve their problem soon enough, or else I'll be moving out so I can get some peace because after all, I was a part of this affair, and now, the wave of regrets comes crashing down on me.

Fuck this shit!

***