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Law students they said, have no time for love, lust, or any other words that start with the letter ‘L’ (or any other letter for that matter) that doesn’t have anything to do with the Law.
Yet somehow, Manuel L. Quezon had.
But then again, he wasn’t called the Golden Boy for nothing.
The man was undeniably smart—for someone who rarely spent his time in the library and more on the beerhouses around the campus, Quezon somehow was miraculously able to still maintain his QPI above what is required (much to chagrin of many of many of his and Sergio’s classmates) and he was quite an eye candy (handsome wouldn’t cut it really, for it seems best to compare him to a Roman god). Beauty and brains, what else can anyone ask for?
But if there was anything negative that can be said about the Quezon, it has to be the fact that the other has a temper that can be compared to a General of the highest ranks, what with the profanities and all.
Many say that it’s a major turn off.
Sergio says that it’s one of the things that make his dorm-mate more human.
“Puñelas talaga yang lumpong ‘yan! Akala mo kung sinong magaling ‘di naman marunong maglakad!” Quezon growled, throwing his New Civil Code at his bed, the pocket sized book, bouncing around and nearly falling off the edge.
Sergio paused reading the photocopy of a 32-page case, looked at the opposite bed and caught the other man cursing their paralytic Dean, though it’s the poor pillow that’s facing the full extent of his verbal wrath.
Despite himself, Serging’s lips formed a small smile. He crossed his legs and made him comfortable on his own bed. “Nonong,” was Quezon’s nickname, though Quezon prefers that only a few call him as such and Serging was one of the lucky few that could, “Parang ‘di ka pa sanay kay Atty. Mabini. Ano nanaman bang nangyari ngayon?”
“Tangina niya kasi,” Nonong lifted his head, but didn’t look at Serging. “Tangina is Vatican a state daw.”
“O anong sagot mo?”
“Malamang oo.”
“Tapos?”
“Tinanong ako kung paano ko nalaman. Sabi ko kasi sa Lateran treaty. Tangina, hiningan pa ba naman ako ng kaso e putang ina naman sinabi ko na yung Lateran Treaty naman talaga yung nagsabi. Puta, cite jurisprudence pa. Tangina nung lumpong yun.”
Serging sighed and gave Nonong a patient look. “’Wag mo sabihing nakalimutan mo yung Holy See v. Rosario?”
Nonong raised his head, turning to Sergio with a raised eyebrow. “Yung Holy See v. Rosario? Tangina yung kasong yun? Nandun na cite?”
When Sergio shrugged his shoulders, Nonong returned to shouting expletives at the pillow.
Osmeña chuckled and returned his attention back on the case.“Iba pa rin kasi ang nagre-review Nonong,” he muttered.
“Tanginang review yan. Gust ko na kumuha ng bar.”
Serging didn’t answer. Instead, he returned to the case in his hand, wanting to finish this one in order to move on to the next one as soon as possible. Two paragraphs in however, his attention as well as his case was taken by Nonong who grabbed his reading material.
Before Serging can react however, Nonong sat close beside Sergio—too close—tossing the reading on the study table at the foot of Sergio’s desk, joining its fellow photocopied cases.
Sergio felt his heartbeat quicken, though he isn’t sure if it is due to sudden irritation or the sudden nearness of the other man. “Na unsa ka man Nonong?”
As usual, the other was oblivious to his distress. Nonong’s forehead was creased, his eyes unfocused. He seemed to be thinking something deep. “Hindi ako makapag-aral.” He said, hanging his head. “May… may nangyari.”
Serging said nothing and waited for the other to speak.
And when he did, the first word was like a cut through the gut. “Goyong,” –Nonong’s current boyfriend who he has an on and off relationship with—and the man who Sergio knew he could not even dare or have a chance to compete with.
Like Nonong, Goyong was present when the Lord rained the blessing of beauty and brains in the world. The other possessed a model worthy physique (and if Serging wasn’t mistaken, he did model and was featured into that women’s magazine event COSMIC? COSMOS? That Nonong went to, despite having a finals exam the following day) who even graduated top of the class in ARENEYO when he was in college, not to mention that he was a pisting yawang del Pilar.
Really, a bastard from Cebu with fairly average looks who spends his time with law books than other people cannot compete with that.
“Anong mayroon kay Goyong?” Serging asked, dreading the answer already whatever it may be.
The change in Nonong’s stance—the tears that formed around his eyes even with the obvious attempt to control them and the clenching of the fabric of the mattress—spoke to Serging faster than the words that escaped Nonong’s lips.
“Break na raw kami. For good.”
Serging felt disgusted of himself when a little flicker of delight spread through his being.
Because why should he feel delighted knowing that Nonong himself is nowhere near delighted?
That part was easily squashed, however, buried under the deepest pits when tears continued to fall on Nonong’s face.
Nothing hurts more than seeing the one you love cry.
Sergio wanted Nonong to be logical about it. He wants to tell Nonong that they’ve broken up and before and got together again for a number of times already.
He wasn’t given the chance when Nonong spoke, the words garbled with his attempt at composure. “Sabi niya… hindi niya raw akong kayang iwan… pero mas hindi niya kayang iwan si Rusca. Puñelas! Mas mahal talaga niya si Rusca!” More tears streamed down Nonong’s face, and before Serging can control himself, he pulled the other towards him. Nonong immediately buried his head on the space between neck and shoulder, and clung to Serging like a desperate not to drown.
The only comfort that Sergio could think of at the moment was to rub circles on the other’s back; and repeatedly saying a hushed, “Tahan na, Nonong.”
Sergio had no idea how long it took for the other cease his weeping, but he did.
They stayed like that, in each other’s arms. Sergio knew that he would have preferred it had circumstances been different but… no. It’s vile to think of using the other’s moment of weakness for his own gain.
Sergio felt even more disgusted with himself.
The hands that gripped Sergio’s shirt loosened, prompting Sergio to remove his hold of the other.
But Nonong didn’t immediately remove his head on Serging’s shoulder. Instead, his hands moved to the side of Sergio’s arms, gently squeezing it. “Salamat, Sergio.” He pulled away, and Sergio couldn’t believe how well put Nonong looks still, despite the redness of his eyes.
“Wala naman akong—“
“Tangina manahimik ka muna,” the words would’ve seemed harsh, but the bite clearly wasn’t there, what with Nonong looking all dejected. “Salamat kasi… nakinig ka.”
Sergio gave a smile, showing nothing of the pain within, of the hurt seeing the one you love hurt by another. “Ano ka ba, magkaibigan tayo ‘di ba? Kaya nandito lang ako, ‘pag kailangan mo ako.”