Chapter Thirty Six
"Cold Shoulder"
Daniel Rouge Gustilyo's Point of View
It's already been a week since that incident happened. Both Eric and Theo stopped talking to me — Theo just started avoiding me like crazy. But I'm glad na umuwi ito ng bahay pagkaraang araw. Siya pa nga ang sumundo sa akin papuntang school. He must had a talk with his Mom. Pero ayun, we still don't talk. He's been giving me cold shoulder.
Every time we go to school, palagi itong nauunang pumasok. Tapos kapag uuwi naman, 'di na niya ako hinihintay sa loob ng classroom, nauuna siyang pumasok sa loob ng kaniyang sasakyan.
He's so good at being cold. After all his middle name is 'cold'. Maybe Theo just needs time.
Or maybe we both need time.
Kahit na alam kong walang kami.
On the other hand, about Eric.
'Di na rin ito nagpapakita sa akin. I wanted to see him to apologise at least for being an ass pero dahil palagi akong abala para sa school 'di ko na nagagawang makausap ito. Malapit na rin kasi ang sembreak kaya paspasan naman kami para sa mga deadlines at papalapit na exams. Idagdag mo pa na busy na ako sa pagmo-model dahil marami na'ng offers para sa akin ngayon dahil unti-unti na akong nakikilala.
Abala ako sa pakikinig sa guro nang bigla namang magring ang phone ko. I did not hesitate to answer it and excuse myself from the teacher at lumabas ng kwarto.
"Yes?" Tanong ko kay Azenette habang nakatayo ako sa labas ng pintuan ng kwarto.
"Dani! I have great news." Balita nito sa akin sa kabilang linya na ikinagulat ko naman.
"Ano po 'yon?" I asked her.
"Dan you'll be hooking a deal!" Napakurap naman ako sa sinabi nito sa akin. "People seemed to love your previous shoot, remember that one which you were dressed up as a woman and a man?"
Oh, that shoot for diversity — bigla ko naman itong naalala kaya napatango na lamang ako. "We got an offer from a famous brand, they want you for the campaign."
"I'll think about it."
"It's a pretty big deal, kaya kung ako sa'yo. You should take it." Her voice was convincing, but still I should think about it. "Anyway, aside from that wala ka pang manager right?"
"Do I really need one?"
"You have too, Romeo has Kei as his manager."
"I can do it on my own naman."
"Everyone says that in the beginning, then they'll be begging for one pag alam nilang 'di nila kaya. Kaya kung ako sa'yo pumayag ka na."
Kung magkakaroon ako ng taong mag-mamanage sa akin. 'Di ba parang may taong bubuntot para sa akin? Won't even let me do what I want? It's been months since I was freed from having an escort at ngayon gusto naman nila na may taong mag-mamanage sa akin?
"I'll think about it too."
But in the end I became indecisive. I've never been like this before, but ever since I met Theo and Eric I became skeptical on every decision I make.
...
After school the same routine, it's either Theo will be waiting for me sa loob ng sasakyan niya o 'di kaya may taong mag-pi-pick-up sa akin sa school. Nang makalabas ako ng classroom, Theo was leaning against the rear of his car, hands both intertwined at hawak-hawak pa nito ang kaniyang susi.
I observe him while he was trying to look away from me. As usual, he's still giving me that cold shoulder. Kaya dali-dali na lang akong pumasok sa front seat nito at saka nilock ang seatbelt ko dahil naiilang ako sa kaniya.
He then started his engine and drove his car. Habang nasa daan naman kami ay 'di ko maiwasang mapatingin sa bintana ng sasakyan nito. I want to tell him about the news but I don't think he'll even listen to me.
Alam ko na ayaw nitong makinig sa akin — my life is not interesting to him anymore.
But whatever, I still want to tell him about it. So I summed up all my strength and started speaking up about it.
"I have a good news." Panimula ko sa kaniya, at tiningnan ito pero 'di ito kumibo nang sinabi ko ito sa kaniya. He seems uninterested with the news. But I still want to tell him about it.
"I got a deal from a big company daw, for modeling, and I'm ... starting to get famous." Iniwas ko na lang ang tingin ko sa kaniya atsaka binaling ang tingin sa bintana. Parang nawalan na ako ng gana.
'Di siya nakikinig sa akin.
Pagkatapos ko 'yong sabihin wala na kaming imikang dalawa. The whole ride was a bore. Ang tahimik niya.
Nalungkot na lang ako bigla.
This wasn't the silence Theo and I share that I'm used to.
Pagkauwi ng bahay ay agad naman akong pumasok ng kwarto ko at naghubad ng damit para maligo. Pagkatapos ko namang maligo ay agad akong lumabas ng banyo habang pinapatuyo ang buhok ko, bigla ko namang nakasalubong si Theo na bihis na bihis.
"S-san ang punta mo?" Nauutal kong tanong sa kaniya. He just ignored me atsaka lang sinuot ang kaniyang relo. "Theo?" I asked him again.
I got annoyed that I grabbed him by the arm to turn around to me. "Theo? Sagutin mo ako." Utos ko sa kaniya.
He clenched his fist. "Why do you even need to know?" Nagagalit nitong tanong sa akin. "Kaanu-ano ba kita?" Ulit nito sa akin.
Napalunok naman ako dahil sa sinabi nito sa akin.
Damn it.
He didn't have to shove reality down my face.
"T-theo naman g-gusto ko lang kasing itanong sa'yo."
"You don't need to know." He coldly answered and then walked away from me. Leaving me baffled.
I know he's going somewhere.
He wore a formal attire.
He dressed himself in a brown long sleeves, black tight pants, and a black formal shoes. He even wore his favorite perfume.
I know he's going on a date.
© 062020
AN
083020 — the fact that Theo had the nerve to give Dani a cold shoulder na siya naman itong nanfloloko sa kaniya 🙄🙄🙄 ugh kainis
Anyway, happy 20k reads ROUGE! Mag3months na ang story uwu
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