Coke

Author’s note: This story is half-truth, half fiction. The past few weeks were so stressful and draining due to work. Naramdaman ko na lang na gusto ko itong isulat.

Sabi nga ni Ricky Lee sa paborito kong nobela niyang “Para Kay B” ay hindi mo makakatuluyan ang great love mo. Ang correct love mo ang makakatuluyan mo.

Ngayon naniniwala na ako. More of love story ang istoryang ito pero marami ding kantutan, including wild sexcapades.

August 2021.

IT was a relatively lazy Friday afternoon. I was eating Shakey’s pizza and gulfing 1.5 coke at meryenda at my old room in our house in Cubao. I used to live there until my fiancee and I chose to live together.

The torrential rain, lightning, and thunder were my constant companion that day. Binuksan ko ang luma kong drawer para maghanap ng personal files, papers ko, na gagamitin sa kasal.

Nabuksan din ang isang alaala ng kahapon.

To my surprise, what I found na nakasingit sa mga papel na tila niluma na ng panahon ay isang photo namin ni Precious, my ex-girlfriend na sineryoso ko talaga before ko nakilala si fiancee.

May 2013. . .

Fuckboy na ang term ngayon pero dati chickboy or playboy ang tawag and I admit being one noong kabataan ko.

Babae? Marami akong niyan dati. Pero retired na ngayon.

Sa Polytechnic University of the Philippines, lahat ng colleges sa bawat floor ng main academic building and even sa COC and CEA ay may chick ako.

Sa matao at maingay na kalye ng Teresa sa Sta. Mesa, Manila kung saan nandoon ang PUP, lahat ng hahanapin mo ay makikita mo. School supplies, computer shops, pagkaing kalye, you name it, nandoon.

Ginawa ko daw Teresa ang buhay ko noon sabi ng mga kaibigan ko: tinuhog ko lahat.

I was 18 when I met Precious and dinala niya ako sa langit in our short but sweet relationship.

Summer noon. Incoming fourth year college na ako and nagsusulat na for an online news website.

Shakey’s V-League ang kino-kober ko and I had this high school friend na volleyball fan. Since she was seeing my Facebook posts, she texted me one Sunday.

“Uy! Kumusta ka na? Naks. Big time na ah. Manonood kami ng classmates ko ng laro ng Ateneo mamaya,” wika niya.

“Doing good naman. Thanks. Sakto, magko-kober ako mamaya. See you.”

Sumakay ako ng fake taxi papuntang PhilSports Arena sa Pasig and everything was customary. Cover ng laro, interview with coaches and players after the game, sulat, and email.

May naka-MU din ako da…