AGS 4: The Best Man's Wedding

Chapter 9: Ghosted

A/N: Warning. Read at your own risk.

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We all have our deepest, darkest secrets in life, and Clark will always be the temptation I wanted to forget but never did.

When I was ten, nasa end of Grade 4 ako at that time, Clark and Kuya Ronie were already in their short courses. Kuya took up HRS. Clark took up caregiving. Pre-med for Clark since he still wanted to pursue medicine like Tito Ferdz. Sixteen na sina Kuya during those times.

Since our family owed something sa mga Mendoza because of what happened to Clark, we always welcomed him sa bahay any time na gustuhin niya.

Kuya Matthias went to college sa UP Baguio na super layo na sa amin since umiikot ang family namin sa Visayas and Mindanao area. Ang naiwan sa barkada ni Kuya na common sa bahay sa Makati, si Clark na lang.

Papansin pa ako noon kay Kuya Ronie kasi nga wala akong friends at ayaw ni Mum na lumalabas ako. Muntik na akong ma-kidnap, so halos ikulong ako sa bahay para lang hindi na maulit ang nangyari. Pinag-homeschool na lang din ako para maiwasan kong lumabas.

Some old folks sa province even made fun of us because of the song Sitsiritsit and its lyrics about a man taking a kid in exchange for a doll. It was a dark joke because Kuya Ronie really let me take by a man in exchange for his freaking toys. Kaya nga nag-stay na lang kami sa Manila.

Wala kaming toys at that time. Banned ang laruan sa bahay. Even stuffed toys. Clark was the one who recovered Kuya's favorite dino plushie named Mr. D to its potential disposal kasi ayaw nga ng parents namin ni Kuya na may natitirang laruan sa bahay na sure na pag-aawayan namin ng kapatid kong bruhildo.

Clark would take Mr. D sa malaki niyang backpack and he would let Kuya to snuggle his favorite toy kahit kaunting time lang. Then Clark would take Mr. D again as if Kuya Ronie was a prison na kailangang dalawin ng family niya every now and then.

Dumalas sa bahay si Clark because of that. Nauuna siya sa kuwarto ni Kuya nang one hour kasi nga, hindi sila same ng schedule ng pasok. Mas maaga siyang umuuwi galing school.

And one afternoon in October, I sneaked into Kuya's cabinet in his room para gulatin ang kapatid ko.

I was a kid . . . a very stupid kid . . . na sobrang papansin at sobrang kulit. Wala akong friends, wala akong kalaro, and I wanted to have fun.

Nagtago ako sa cabinet, then Clark came in. I didn't have any plan to freak Clark out at that time kasi si Kuya Ronie ang main victim ng prank ko.

Clark removed his white caregiving uniform and his white slacks. The only clothes remaining on his body were his white tank top and white shorts--yung damit niyang puwede nang pambahay. He called Kuya for a second.

"Two pa?" Clark peeked at his watch. "One and half hour pa naman. Kaya 'yan, dude."

Clark was sixteen years old, almost a grown-up guy. His voice was almost full and manly, but with a hint of playfulness in it. He stood so gracefully and folded his clothes neatly above the side table.

Kuya had his own TV and computer set sa room. Clark took a CD from his backpack and inserted that sa VCD player ni Kuya. That was across the cabinet where I was hiding.

Clark took a huge notebook and a lot of stapled papers. Naupo siya sa rug na nakalatag sa wooden floor, then the CD started playing. He was focused on the notes, and I was watching the movie he played.

It didn't look like a movie. There was a lady wearing a cute blue tank top and a short skirt. Then there was a man wearing a casual shirt and jeans. Nasa sala silang dalawa, sa may couch.