Damien Damon Soria Mendez

After the fiasco that happened earlier and thank god Thomas cleared the weirdest misunderstanding of my life, I got a text from my best friend Mikael.

"Damien, I need your help. Can you come over?" Mikael's text said.

I grabbed my bike and headed to Mikael's, his house is a bit far but thankfully I learned how to ride a bike a couple of months ago. As I was pedalling, I saw Michelle walking out from a local cafe shop. I swerved and pedalled towards her.

"Wew Michelle. I never thought you liked coffee." She jumped, clearly surprised and almost spilled her drink. She recovered and smiled.

"Jusko Damien, muntik na talaga yon." She said, checking her dress if she got any stains.

"Hehe sorry."

"Ano pala ginagawa mo rito? And you're out this late?" Tanong niya, iniinom na niya ang binili niyang Espresso.

"Just saying hi. Ikaw anong ginagawa mo rito tyaka I don't know you're a coffee kind of person." I asked her back. I really didn't know she was a coffee person, akala ko tea person siya.

"Ahahaha, eto? This is going to be my friend tonight. May gagawain pa kasi akong research." She answered. Matapos ang ilang minutong pag-uusap nagpaalam na akong at tumongo na sa bahay ni Mikael.

****

"Thank god you're here." Mikael greeted me, he opened the door and I was immediately approached by his siblings. Onyx Autentico Torre and Lauren Autentico Torre. These children may be cute to others but they are a nightmare to me. Pa anghel-anghel lang sila pero kapag may nagawa ka sa kanila na di nila gusto o hindi sundin ang utos nila, they'll eventually snap and come up with a plan to get you back. 

"Kuya Damien!!" Sigaw ng mga bata. Lumuhod ako at niyakap silang dalawa.

"Nasaan na ang bunso niyo Onyx?" Tanong ko kay Onyx na halatang inaantok na.

"Natutulog na kuya, kanina pa pinatulog ni kuya Mikael." Aniya.

"Ahh, sige matulog na rin kayo." Baling ko sa kanya.

"Sige po! Goodnight po!" Onyx bids goodbye, he grabbed Lauren and they headed upstairs. I immediately crashed on their sofa at agad binuksan ang TV nila. Dumating naman kaagad si Mikael na bitbit ang damit na susuutin ko ngayong gabi.

"Wow lakas mong maka tambay ah." Birong sabi ni Mikael, hinagis niya ang mga damit sa mukha ko.

"Hindi naman ako nang hingi ng tulong ah." Banat ko, bumogtong hininga si Mikael sa sinabi ko.

"Fine, I'm sorry." He said. Masayang gagohin si Mikael pero kabag napipikon ay talagang nagiging isang dragon.

"Let's cut to the chase. Ano ba problema mo? And is it really this life threatening na isinugal ko ang beauty sleep ko?" Kinagat ni Mikael ang mga labi niya, at namumuo rin ang mga pawis sa ulo niya. He really did messed up.

"I cheated on my girlfriend." My jaw dropped when he said those words. Hindi ako makapaniwala na magagawa ni Mikael ang pagchecheat. 

Yes my best friend Mikael is already taken, matagal nang may relasyon ang gagong to but am I jealous of him? Heck no. Base sa mga nakikita ko sa relasyon nila, napaka stressful ng isang relasyon. I still supported their relationship kasi best friend ko siya, but this? This is just a problem I don't want to associated with. 

"ANONG GINAWA MO?!" Napasigaw ako sa pagkagulat. He hushed me and he started to look around, hindi ko namalayan na kami lang pala ang hindi pa natutulog sa bahay nila. 

"I messed up man." Sabi niya, halata sa mga mata niya na nagsisi siya and he really should. You don't want to cheat on ANY girl. That was an advice my mom told me over and over.

"No shit Sherlock." Banat ko. He buried his head in his palm.

"Ano bang ginawa mo? Is it really that bad?" I asked, hindi parin maka paniwala na si Mikael Mavid Autentico Torre messed up this bad and he dragged me with him.

"Stupid alcohol." He replied.

"So lasing ka, jusko Miks you know you can't control yourself kapag lasing ka." Not to be a total douche bag but I'm starting to like this drama unfolding in front of me at sa sitwasyong ito, para akong ina na pinapagalitan ang kanyang anak.

"Give me the details." Bumogtong hininga si Mikael at nag simulang mag kwento.

"Nangyari ito kahapon, birthday ng pinsan ko. We went to this local bar at night kasi "boys night out daw". Parang may kidlat na tumama sa pagkatao ko. That was how I was born, a mistake. A stupid mistake. I snapped back to reality and continued to listen to his story.

"I had too many liquor, alam ko ang sarili ko, so I started to dance at the dance floor, shaking off the negativity and just want to enjoy the night, but I think I enjoyed too much." He added.

"Did you ravished someone?" I hesitated but pushed the question, I just wanted to know how bad is this problem. He nodded to my disbelief.

"I woke up naked and I saw a note, this person thank me for the "wild" night."

Binigay niya sa akin ang sinasabi niya mesensahe, I looked at him and seeing him crying made my heart hurt. He did messed up but he's clearly guilty about it.

"I don't know what to do Damien." Umaapaw ang luha sa mga mata niya.

"Me too buddy, I'm at lost words here." I hugged him tightly because that was the only thing I can do for him right now.

"You've been here right? With her? How did you survive that?" Biglang siyang nag tanong, it took me off guard. He unknowingly unlocked a buried memory, isang memoryang sana makalimotan ko pero sadyang ayaw itong mawala.

"I'm sorry, I know she's a taboo now pero gusto ko lang malaman paano mo ba binangon ang sarili mo." I smiled in reply. Nag-flashback lahat ng narasan ko sa lovelife. Ang mga matatamis na simula at ang masakit at mapait na pinakahuli. It's one of the reasons why I don't want to have a relationship these days. I just want to finish my high school days with my Dracarys Fam.

"In my story, wala naman ang may kasalanan. Pinagtagpo pero sadyang kaming di itinadhana." I gave him probably one of my fakest smiles.

"You just have to you know. Nangyari na ang nangyayari. I can't lose myself trying to hold on to someone who doesn't care losing me. At sa sitwasyon mo Miks. Accept your mistake, hindi na yan magbabago. Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a mistake not a life sentence.  Gagawin natin niyan ng paraan." I smiled at him and my heart literally had lips and grinned as well when I saw him smile. I'm still good at solving problems and that puts a smile to my face.

****

After a couple minutes, we decided to go to sleep, pinatulog niya ako sa guest room nila, pinilit kong maka tulog pero hindi gusto ng katawan ko na matulog. I opened my phone and started to surf the web. Try to find out how to solve this messed up problem. Internet isn't really a good option but it did kinda, sorta help.

"In a relationship expect to have some ups and downs, mistakes are inevitable but these mistakes can also be a foundation to build a strong relationship with your significant other." An article about relationships said.

Nagdamag kong nilamon ang buong Google para sa problemang hindi naman sa akin. Hindi ko na man lang namalayan na umaga na pala.

"Damien halikana breakfast is ready!" Mrs. Torre called out, I looked at the clock and it was already 5:42 in the morning and classes starts at 7:00. I shugged it off and walk out of the room. Pumikit kaagad ako sa liwanag ng ilaw. Madilim pa sa labas kaya inilawan ni Mrs. Torre ang flaurecent lights. Nag labasan ang pamilyang Torre na halatang gusto pang matulog. I rushed towards Mikael, honestly I chuckled a bit when I saw him. Lumolobo ang mga mata niya, siguro umiyak ang gagong to magdamag.

"Anak anong nangyayari sa iyo? Your eyes are swollen. Umiyak kaba kagabi?" Biglang bumuhay si Mikael nang makita niya ang nanay niyang tinitignan ang mga mata niya. Of course I had to save him.

"Sorry Tita we were watching uhhh... Toy Story 3 last night."

"Ganon ba?" Mrs. Torre laughed a little, she bought it thank god.

"Ikaw anak ha, pigilan mo na yan. Umiiyak dahil sa Toy Story 3, jusko naman po." Mrs. Torre left shaking her head. Mikael smiled and thank me.

"How're you feeling? Did you cryed it out last night?"

"Nakita mo naman ang mukha ko diba?"

"That's good, crying is good. Crying is how your body speaks when your mouth can't explain the pain you feel." I said, I really am good at this, baka eto na ang magiging trabaho ko.

"Salamat Damien ha sa lahat." He said, and that made me smile.

"You're welcome. It's my pleasure to help you bud." I replied as we continued to eat breakfast.

"By the way, handa ka naba sa culmination?" Biglang tanong niya habang kumakain ako. Muntik na akong ma lunokan sa kinakain ko. I didn't even realize na culmination day na pala ngayon.

"No not really."