Keber ni Oscar Wilde

This part is extracted from Chapter 18. (Wel is also Samuel, as explained further in earlier chapters.)

Ethan was supposed to meet a business client but he changed his mind. He took the other elevator down and rode in his car. Speeding off on the road, he reminisced the special times he and Wel had spent together—Wel crying in a comfort room cubicle, that first kiss in his office, the incident in the comfort room at the hotel in Baguio, the night he had cried to Wel, the afternoon when Wel had opened up his true feelings, and the night he had lied to Wel. All those combined were not just worth half-a-million. It was too priceless just to forget.

Upon realizing that, he made a quick U-turn and headed back to Sunspot Hotel.

Meanwhile, at the bar, Kenneth broke his promise. He showed Wel a tiny box with a silver ring in it.

“Engagement ba `to? Sinasabi ko na nga ba, wala kang gagawing matino, eh.”

Sitting opposite Wel, Kenneth moved himself closer to the table. “Mahal na mahal talaga kita. At least, ‘di ‘to kontrata. Bumalik ka na sa’kin.”

“Heller! May tiwang ka na talaga sa utak, ‘no? Alam ba ng jowa mo ang kataksilan mong ‘to?”

Kenneth lowered his head. “Hindi.” Then he straightened on his seat. “Pero ipapaalam ko rin sa kanya.”

“Na ibe-break mo s’ya o pagsasabayin mo kami?”

Kenneth knew he couldn’t choose the latter. “Oo na. Ibe-break ko s’ya.”

Wel took time into consideration. “O sige. Makikipagbalikan ako sa’yo kung ibe-break mo s’ya—pero now na.”

“Huh? Sa susunod ko na lang ibe-break si Brando.”

Brando pala, ha! Wel took a mental note of it. Fortunately, Kenneth’s phone was on the table. “Hindi mo kayang gawin ngayon? P’wes—“ he snatched the phone—“ako ang gagawa.”

“`Wag!” Kenneth tried to snatch back and failed.

Too late Wel had already dialed up. “Hello. Is this Brando? Anyway, ako nga pala ang ex ni Kenneth. Alam mo bang nagtataksil s’ya ngayon? Isa lang ang dahilan kung ba’t ako tumawag: Turuan mo s’ya ng manners ‘pag nagkita ulit kayo, ha. Ikaw din—baka i-break ka n’ya informally. Wanna talk to him? Here he is.” He handed the phone to Kenneth.

Kenneth had been worrying but it aggravated when he found out that it was a real call.

“O, ba’t ‘di maipinta ang mukha mo?” Wel teased more.

Kenneth pressed the end-call button. “Ba’t mo ginawa ‘yon?”

“There. Malinaw ang usapan. Hindi ka nakipag-break so hindi ako makikipagbalikan. May formal closure ka pang nalalaman. Manloloko.”

“Bakit mo’ko binigla?”

“Binigla mo rin ako, eh.”

If Kenneth had just lost Brando, he couldn’t let this moment pass away and be partnerless. He calmed himself and sat beside Wel.

“Sam, minsan sa buhay n’ya, sinabi ni Oscar Wilde ang ganito: Nagpapakasal ang lalake out of boredom; ang babae naman, out of curiosity.”

“Eh, sa’n ka do’n? ‘Di ka naman babae. ‘Di ka rin lalake. Sa palagay ko, may personal na galit sa’yo si Oscar Wilde. At ‘di ka naman magpapakasal, eh. ‘Pag tumuntong ka sa simbahan, tiyak na bubuka ang lupa.”

“Makinig ka muna. Kaya lang naman ako nakipagrelasyon kay Brando, kasi bored na ako. Saman—“

“Ah, gano’n? So na-bored ka rin sa ’kin no’n kaya ka nakipag-break, tama ba?”

“Listen to me first.” Kenneth shifted closer and hung his whole arm along the length of Wel’s back from shoulder to shoulder. “Nakipagrelasyon ako kay Brando kasi bored na ako. Samantalang ikaw, mahal kita.”

Another plan sprouted in Wel’s head. He teasingly ran his hand across Kenneth’s thigh until it reached his crotch, stroking gently and meaningfully. He knew Kenneth was getting aroused because he felt “it” growing bigger and harder.

“May sasabihin ka pa ba?” His tone was cool.

Kenneth’s eyes were deliriously blinking. “Sam, maha—argh!” he silently moaned in pain, mouth ajar.

Wel had just located his nuts and squeezed it a bit hard. “Hoy! Minsan sa buhay n’ya, sinabi ng lola ko ‘to: Ang lalakeng manloloko, manloloko habambuhay.”

“S-Sam, wait,” Kenneth painfully begged, hand cupping his crotch.

“Tama lang sa’yo ‘yan para ‘di ka na maimpluwensyahan ni Oscar Wilde,” Wel said with a sneer.

Suddenly, Ethan came, staring at Wel.

“Anong ginagawa mo dito?” Wel asked.

“Mag-usap tayo.”

“Isa ka pa, eh. Alam mo bang may trauma na’ko sa pakikipag-usap? Gusto mong magaya kay Kenneth?”

Ethan looked down at Kenneth who was crimping in pain. He didn’t care at whatever was going on with that foolish guy. He took Wel’s hand and dragged him out of that bar.