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CHAPTER ELEVEN

LAURENTIUS IS dashing as usual. He could effortlessly make the people around him glance on his way. He had this aura that magnets or attracts people around his perimeter. Dumagdag pang nakakalulang titigan ang mga bright blue eyes nito. Mabait at friendly pa ito sa mga acquaintances.

"Hey, good morning, Denz," Laurentius cheekily greets Denryl with a big grin on his gorgeous face.

"Morning." Ngumiti naman siya kay Laurentius. "Will that be your order, Sir?" tanong niya rito.

"Yes, thank you," anito.

"That'll be 99 Pesos," lahad ni Denryl sa presyo. Agad na inabot ni Laurentius ang card niya kay Denryl.

Alam ni Denryl na mayaman ang pamilya nila Laurentius, but he didn't toke advantage of his new friend. Kapag ina-alokan siya nito ng libre, agad naman siyang tumatanggi. Nahihiya siya kahit kaibigan niya ito. Ayaw niya ring magka-utang na loob sa lalaki, baka kasi hindi niya kayang suklian ito.

Agad niyang ibinalik ang card ni Laurentius at nginitian ito while gesturing to the tables. "I'll call you po when your order is ready," Denryl instructed the guy, kaya humanap na ito ng ma-u-upoan malapit sa counter. And stares as Denryl does his job.

Binaliwala lang ni Denryl ang mga titig nang lalaki at pinagpatuloy ang trabaho. It seems weird, but maybe that's how Laurentius stares at his friends kung sakali man. Tsaka silang dalawa lang ang magkakilala roon sa café kaya siguro hindi niya malihis sa iba ang tingin. He doesn't know whether to basks into the guy friend's attention, or be bothered by it.

There's a couple of pretty girls on the other tables. Why don't he give attention and talk with them, instead?

Denryl's shift was almost done when Kelly, his best friend since elementary, barged into the café. Parehas nang university ang pinasokan nila, kaso sa ibang kurso rin ito pumasok.

"OMG, bhie! You won't believe sa sasabihin ko, like gosh!" Kelly exclaimed as she marched to the counter kung saan nandoon si Denryl.

"I'm busy, shoo ka muna," pagpapa-alis niya rito.

"Sungit," tampo kuno ni Kelly roon. "Isang Mocha frappe nga, tapos isang slice ng Mocha cake," Kelly orders immediately.

Denryl immediately rung her orders.

Agad niyang kinuha ang tray ng orders nang ma-i-lapag ito ni Denryl sa harapan niya. "Hihintayin kitang matapos sa shift mo, shuta ka," anito bago naghanap nang ma-u-upoan. Nang makita nitong nag-iisang naka-upo si Laurentius sa isa sa mga tables, agad siyang pumarini roon.

Inilapag niya ang tray roon at nginitian ang lalaki, bago umupo sa harapan nito. Laurentius smiles back at her.

"Hello," Laurentius greet her.

"Hello po," ang bati lang ni Kelly.

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"TARA, STREET food," anyaya bigla ni Denryl sa kay Laurentius na naglalakad sa tabi niya.

May ngiti sa labi ni Laurentius habang naglalakad sila, at ang kaniyang parehong kamay ay nakalagay sa bulsa nito. His hand is itching something to hold. Like, something warm and reassuring.

"Hm?" nagugulohang ani roon ni Laurentius at nawala ang ngiti.

Natawa ng kaunti si Denryl doon. "Street food tayo, libre ko."

"Like those sa mga bangketa?" tanong nito kay Denryl. "I heard they are dirty since they are beside the busy streets with smokes and dirts. Would they give me indigestion afterwards?"

Hay naku. Iba talaga kapag rich kid. "Oum," sagot ni Denryl sa lalaki. "Tsaka hindi sila marumi, ano. Promise, magugustohan mo sila. Kung hindi naman, aalis na lang tayo."

They stopped on their tracks at napa-isip doon si Laurentius. He was contemplating whether to agree or not. Since he trusted Denryl, he agreed afterwards.

Malapit lang sa campus nila ang street food vendors kaya ilang lakad lang ang ginawa nila. Denryl has been craving to eat 'pruben' since kaninang umaga. It is his favorite street food with a fresh BJ on the side.

Almost everyone loves BJ, am I right?

Pagkarating nila sa mga bangketa kung saan nagbebenta ng mga samo't-saring mga street foods sa unahan ng university nila, medyo kaunti lang ang mga tao roon. Siguro dahil alas 2 ang huling klase nilang dalawa. Maaga pa kasi para sa uwian nila kesa sa mga high-schools.

Excited na tumakbo si Denryl sa isang bangketa, kaya na-iwan doon si Laurentius na nakatingin sa kasama. Shrugging, agad siyang sumunod at pumanhik sa sinasabing bangketa. Mayroon doong glasses na nakapalibot sa mga panenda ni Manong na mga street foods on sticks. For him, it didn't look appetizing. Sa tabi kasi nito ay may kalan na medyo brown na ang ulay ng oil---due to the fact that kaninang umaga pa ito pinaglutoan ng mga panenda ni Manong. Safe to say, it is clean at hindi pa day-old ang mantika.

"Kuha ka na, Law." Denryl nudged him, kaya napabaling siya sa kasama.

Smiling, he reluctantly reached for a ₱25 fried chicken meat. Busy na roon si Denryl sa kakakain at kakasawsaw ng kaniyang paboritong chicken pruben. The ₱25 chicken doesn't look like those perfectly tender and golden brown chicken he usually eats in a buffet or restaurants, but there's a first time for everything.

Kumagat siya sa manok at nginuya ito. It doesn't tastes bad naman. Although it doesn't surpassed a high-graded chicken from a three-star restaurant. The rates on restaurants are only one to three stars. I don't know where those five-star rates came from.

Three Stars: The restaurant has exceptional cuisine and thus "worth a special journey" just to visit. Rather than being a stop on the way to a destination, this restaurant is the destination. This restaurant serves distinct dishes that are executed to perfection.

"Try mo itong pruben. Masarap 'to," biglang alok doon ni Denryl habang may ina-abot na chicken tidbits on a stick sa kaniya.

What's up with the sticks and chickens? "Thank you," sabi lang niya at tinanggap ang pagkain.

Shrugging for the second time, he bit off the piece on the top. It was plain, but still good. Para siyang balat or tigpi-tigping laman ng manok.

Narinig naman niyang tumawa si Denryl sa kaniyang tabi. Binalingan niya ito habang nginu-nguya pa rin ang pagkain at nagugulohan na tinignan. Sa kaniya nakatingin ang kasama habang natatawa ito.

"May sauce sa harapan mo, puwede mo isawsaw d'yan." True to his words, mayroon nga. There's four containers with different kinds of sauces there. The two looks like a ketchup with the other one has sili in it. He guessed that one is spicy. There's another container that has light brown sauce on it with a few sili and garlic thrown in it. Definitely a vinegar and soy sauce mixture. And the last one looks like a darker version of gravy. So, was it gravy but darker?

"So, uh, where do I dip this?" tanong niya sa kasama kasi hindi niya alam kung anong mas mag-compliment ang lasa nito.

"Iyang brown na sauce," suhesyon ni Denryl doon. "Medyo sweet iyan na ano kaya masarap i-pares sa pruben."

Agad naman niyang sinunod si Denryl. Nang masawsaw ito roon ay agad niya itong sunubokan. And it was.

Mas lalong sumarap ang sinasabing street food nang isawsaw niya sa sinasabing sauce. Aprobado naman siya sa pagkain.

"So this is why you like street foods," sabi niya roon habang tumatango.

"Yup," sabi ni Denryl, "ang mura pa."

Sinubokan din niyang isawsaw ang hawak na manok sa sauce na brown, kaya lalo itong sumarap sa panlasa niya. Nakita ito ni Denryl at nakangiti ng malaki sa ginawa niya.

"Gusto mo ng BJ?" alok ni Denryl sa kaniya.

Nanlaki naman ang mata niya sa narinig at halos mabilaokan sa kinakain. He didn't expect for Denryl to say that kind of thing.

"A w-what?" tanong niya roon at hindi pinahalata na nagulat sa alok ng kasama.

"Buko juice," ani Denryl. "Gusto mo ba? Baka kasi gusto mo ng panulak," Denryl explained.

"Oh . . ." What am I thinking in the first place? I thought he offered me a . . . nevermind. "Sure, why not?" sabi lang niya roon at nginitian ang kasama.

"Sige, sige. Bili lang ako riyan sa tabi." Iniwan muna siya ng pansamantala ni Denryl doon.

He pursed his lips there at hindi ina-akala na marumi ang isipan nang makarinig ng 'BJ'. He thought it was a blowjob. Like, you know. And he doesn't know whether to be disgusted or down with it. I mean, they're both guys, and the fact that Denryl is cute.

And those lips of his! His luscious and tempting lips na parang babae!

Bago pa pumunta sa ibang direksyon ang isipan niya, dumating na si Denryl na may dalang dalawang baso. "Here," sabi ni Denryl habang inabot sa kaniya ang isang baso ng some kind of white beverage. A buko juice.

Tinanggap niya ito. "Salamat," sabi niya, with a hint of awkwardness.

"Try ka pa," sabi roon ni Denryl, gesturing to the other fried food on sticks in the stall.

These are cholesterols and fatty oils, but Laurentius let himself eat with no guilt. It is his cheat day today.

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DAYS HAD passed until it became weeks, and into months. It was there first semester midterms, and they had bonded greatly.

Tanghali na natapos ang exam sa last subject nila, kaya nag-anyaya ng small celebration dine-in si Denryl sa McDonald's since iyon lang ang kaya ng sobrang ipon ni Denryl.

"Samgyupsal na lang tayo, I'll treat you," suhesyon doon ni Laurentius.

"Sure ka?" Tinaasan siya ng kilay ni Denryl. Agad siyang tumango habang nginitian ng malaki ang kaibigan with two thumbs up. "Sure ka na, Law, ha?"

Inakbayan niya agad si Denryl at isiniksik sa kaniya. "Oo nga kasi," natatawa nitong saad.

"Okay, gusto ko iyan."

Bago pa sila maglakad patungo sa sasakyan ni Laurentius ay biglang tumunog ang phone ni Denryl. Agad na tinanggal ni Denryl ang braso na naka-akbay sa kaniya at lumayu-layo ng kaunti upang sagotin ang tawag. Hindi niya alam kung sino itong tumawag sa kaibigan kaya nakatayo lang siya roon at pinagmasdan ang kaibigan.

The guy is so great. Kapag kasama mo ito ay parang gumagaan ang loob mo. He's a very trustworthy person, too. And the fact that he listens to every family problems he had on their household.

If only he could . . . he could decipher what kind of emotions he is feeling for the other guy. Is it . . . he doesn't want to say it. It is too gay.

Naputol ang pag muni-muni roon ni Laurentius nang dumating sa harapan niya si Denryl. Mayroon itong malaking ngiti sa labi na sandaling nagpalambot sa tuhod niya.

"Tumawag si Jeimson, okay lang ba sa 'yo na sumama siya sa atin? Sabi niya kasi tapos na rin ang exams niya, kaya nag-anyaya siyang kumain sa labas. Ayos lang ba?" paliwanag doon ni Denryl.

Medyo umigting ang panga ni Laurentius sa narinig. Ang alam niya lang tungkol sa kay Jeimson ay kaibigan na ito ni Denryl noong high-schools pa lang sila. Kaya rin siguro hanggang dito sa college ay magkaibigan at close ang dalawa. Minsan din ay sinasama ni Denryl si Jeimson sa lakad nilang dalawa, so he's tolerating the guy whenever he is around.

Binigyan niya ng pekeng tawa ang kaibigan upang hindi mahalata nito na hindi niya gusto na kasama rin nila ang lalaki. "Okay lang naman sa akin. We're friends naman, eh. You can tag him along, it's fine with me." Lies.

"Sige, sige. Tawagan ko lang siya," excited na turan doon ni Denryl at dumistansya ulit sa kaniya upang tawagan ang lalaki.

Why did he became so jealous and some kind of possessive dahil dito? Denryl was just his friend, for Pete's sake.

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"AH," RINIG ni Laurentius na sambit ni Jeimson pertaining to Denryl. Inangat niya ang kaniyang tingin at nakitang parang susuboan ng karne ni Jeimson si Denryl.

Medyo nanlaki ang mata roon ni Denryl at nahihiyang binuka ang bibig upang kainin ang karne. He soundlessly scoffed at buti na lang hindi ito nakita ng dalawa sa harapan niya.

Kanina pa medyo nakabungisngis ang mukha niya dahil siya sana ang tatabi kay Denryl, ngunit sumingit ang asungot na Jeimson at ito mismo ang tumabi sa kaibigan. Parang nangati tuloy ang kamao niya na ambahan ng suntok ang tarantadong lalaki.

"Salamat," pasalamat doon ni Denryl na nahihiya.

"You're welcome," nakangiting sambit naman ni Jeimson doon.

Ipukpok ko itong botelya ng soju sa ulo mo, eh. Epal nito, inis na isip doon ni Laurentius. Kinda psychotic.

Gumawa siya ng sariling pork wrap upang ibigay kay Denryl kasi gusto niyang higitan ang asungot na Jeimson. Nang matapos ay agad niya itong itinapat sa harap ni Denryl.

"Here, eat this," ani niya at nginitian ang kaibigan.

Napatigil sa pag nguya roon si Denryl at tinitigan siya at ang pork wrap nito. Si Jeimson naman ay nakamasid lang sa tabi nila at ikinuyom ang kamao sa ilalim ng lamesa.

"Hala, salamat," nahihiyang sambit ni Denryl doon at kinain na lang ang inalok ni Laurentius. It made Laurentius smile from ear to ear at nang-u-uyam na tinignan ang katabi ni Denryl.

Jeimson was pissed with his daunting smile and gestures kaya Jeimson also eyed the guy with the same manners.

"Babe," biglang bigkas ni Jeimson doon, still eyeing him with mischief, "how about we go on a date tonight? Let's go to that Candy Museum that you always told me you wanted to visit?"

Nanlaki ang mata roon ni Denryl at nabilaukan ito. Agad na tumalima si Jeimson na bigyan ng tubig ang katabi, habang nawala ang malaking ngiti ni Laurentius at napatulala na lang roon.

"Hinay-hinay ka kasi sa pagkain, babe. Ayan tuloy," tahan doon ni Jeimson sa katabi while patting Denryl's back.

"Okay na ako, thank you," sabi lang ni Denryl matapos nang maka-inom na ng tubig.

Laurentius, however, stares at them as they interacts. Of course, how could he not noticed? They do acted like a sweet couple kapag nakikita niya. He was so naive, akala niya single si Denryl at talagang close friend lang itong si Jeimson.

He felt raged inside him. He kinda felt betrayed from the person he thought he like. Oh.

He likes Denryl . . ?

Maybe he does. It is so gay, but he thinks---no. He knows he likes Denryl more than a friend should. But it is already too late.

"Ahem," tikhim niya roon. "I have to take the washroom. If you'll excuse me."

Dali-dali siyang umalis doon upang makatakas panandalian sa presensya ng dalawa. He never felt so betrayed like he is right now, like he doesn't know why. He was alright with Denryl being homosexual---he already knows his friend's sexuality---but not telling him na he was indeed dating this Jeimson? That's pretty messed up. Ngayon pa talaga na alam niyang may nararamdaman siya sa kaibigan.

If Denryl had told him he was dating Jeimson, would it prevent him from liking the guy? Will it give him a barrier from liking the guy?

Denz, why are you so . . .

xALPHA_SYRICx | SYRICH

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So, here's an update! I was about to update kahapon (Saturday), kaso I wasn't feeling it kasi iyong schoolmate ko sa old school ko was brutally killed by his live-in partner. Sumikip ang dibdib ko habang pinapanood ang video, tang-ina.

Anygays, siguro isang chapter langs ang flashback ng buhay college nilang dalawa. Dito nagsimulang maging cold at disdainful si Laurentius kay Denryl at Jeimson.

How was it? Was it pasado sa thing called 'the one that got away' or 'almost is never enough'?

So, hindi ko na pahahabain ang kuda ko. Tuwing weekdays or either Fridays ako palaging mag-a-update, kasi may sinalihan akong organization na may goal na maka-update kahit isang chapter every week. Kaya ayon.

Anygays, iyon langs. Byers. Ingats kayo! Love yah!