ROSES AND CURTAINS [A BOY LOVE NOVEL]

XXII

"Aray! Putang ina ka bakla!"

Justine takes away his arms full of scratches, matatapon ang alcohol. "Para kang tanga bakla! Sayang yon! Bayaran mo yan!"

"Sinasadya mo eh!"

"Kung gusto mo lumaki yang mga gasgas mo bahala ka. Ikaw na tong ginagamot eh."

"Kung tumulong ka kanina wala sana akong gasgas galing dyan sa punyetang Patina na yan. Nabarda ko na siya tapos tumitig ka lang!"

"Pinipigilan ko nga kayo!"

Paloma arrives in their hide out, behind the school, may mga dalang softdrinks at tinapay. She too has bandages across her arms and her face. "Oh, libre ko sainyo. Salamat sa resbak mga chingu-yah"

Tataasan siya ng kilay ni Justine. "Oh, edi ano tama ako na hindi magandang idea yang hanapin niyo per section si Ben Zayb" Paloma seats beside Justine and hugs him. "Thank you pa din, Justine"

"Leche kang babae ka."

Tantan finishes cleaning his wounds and sat beside the three of them. Silence covers the area. "Grabe mga beh napadugo niyo ilong ni Pattina. Alam ko na kasunod nito."

"Guidance" sabay-sabay sila. The three of them laughs out loud! My God! What a day!

"Naalala mo beh yung nag-away tayo nung sabayang bigkas din tapos hinagisan mo ako ng gunting pero sa pisngi ni Genevieve Matala tumama!"

"Oo teh, transfer tuloy si bilat ng school. Ako pa aawayin ng nanay niya kasalanan ko bang saluhin ng mukha niya yung gunting?"

"Ano sasabihin natin kay Ma'am Rose? Mga beh gago kayo kinakabahan ako"

"Eh di yung totoo na hinablot ni Pattina buhok ni Paloma kahit wala naman siyang ginagawa. Saka isusumbong ko din siya na member sya ng sorority saka nagyo-yosi siya sa cr ng girls"

"Hindi ba gumanti yang mga yan?" Tantan asks.

"Takot lang niyan samin ni Paloma, di ba teh?"

Paloma nods, she rests her head on Justine's.

"What the fuck happened?" Mapapatingin ang magkaka-ibigan sa likod nila. It was Aki!! They all stand up and ran towards him! ''Buhay ka!" sigaw ni Tantan! Aki receives the hug! Tantan notices that may mga bandages din siya sa wrist area. He suspects that he lacerated himself, so he calls him out. But Aki explains he got into a minor accident. Tantan doesn't believe him and twists his arms. Aki screams in pain! "What was that for?!?!"

"Hindi mo kami maloloko. Itigil mo yan Aki kasi isusumbong kita kay Papa tas isusumbong ka ng Papa ko sa Papa mo."

Aki makes a cute face and slides his arms around Tantan's waist. Like a snake he seduces his way out of the threat. "Please don't do that. Hindi ko na kayo makikita"

"Kung kailangan mo ng kausap lagi naman kami nandito hindi mo kailangan gawin yan!" Tantans scolds him.

"Yes po Tantan." He pouts his face.

"Bakit ka naglalas-las?" Paloma asks.

"It's just a wound, come on. Ako nga dapat magtanong sa inyo. Why do you have those?"

"Hindi ba uso riot sa school niyo?" Justine asks. Iiling si Aki. "Eh kaya pala. Riot tawag diyan Aki. Natalo ng mga Diwata ang mga Hathor"

The three of them went on business as usual. Aki has his small board and they started computing the points for the dare. Mayabang si Justine dahil may dala siyang resibo. He shows all of his texts with Benedict. The two of them are sweet! This leaves Tantan getting jealous all over again. But he conceals it. Justine's points raises and he's now on 70 points. Tantan then shows his sketchpad, yung unfinished sketch ng interior ng simbahan with Benedict on the altar, cleaning.