CHAPTER 5

Chrisnah's Point of View

The air was thick with disbelief. Michael—a girlfriend? It felt like the ground had just shifted beneath us, throwing everyone off balance. This was Michael, the flamboyant, ever-dramatic Michael, who wore his identity like a neon sign. And yet, here he was, introducing us to Xylene, a girl who stood next to him with a grin that could light up a room.

Wasn't he... well, wasn’t he gay? But then again, people are more complex than simple labels. Still, the shock was palpable. Xylene was undeniably beautiful, with a quiet elegance that contrasted sharply with Michael’s loud and colorful persona. If anything, it seemed almost unfair—like the universe was playing a prank on her by pairing her with someone like Michael. But hey, love works in mysterious ways, right?

My mind was spinning with questions and half-formed thoughts when Zoey’s voice cut through the haze.

"Huh?!" Michael blurted out, his face a perfect portrait of confusion as Xylene's grin widened.

"What—" Michael started to say, but before he could form a coherent sentence, Zoey erupted.

"Waaah! I thought you were gay?! You’re even more flamboyant than me! And now you have a girlfriend?!" Zoey’s voice was a mixture of disbelief and betrayal, like she’d just discovered her favorite show had been canceled.

Michael’s brow furrowed, his confusion deepening as he tried to process what was happening.

"Maybe Michael was just waiting for the right time to introduce her," Kuya Quentin offered, his voice uncertain as if he was trying to make sense of it himself.

"He's still gay, but you know, he's still a man. He can still be attracted to a woman. And it looks like Xylene tamed the gay," Ate Chary added, nodding as if she had solved a complex puzzle.

The group murmured in agreement, heads nodding as they tried to reconcile the Michael they knew with the new information. We had only known him for a short while, and we had assumed so much about him. But now, everything felt like it was up in the air.

My gaze drifted back to Michael and Xylene. They were still standing there, Michael looking like his world had just been turned upside down, while Xylene smiled as if she had just won the lottery. They actually looked... good together. Xylene’s simple beauty balanced Michael’s extravagant style, like yin and yang.

But beneath that observation, something else simmered—something I couldn’t quite name. Was it sadness? Confusion? Maybe both. Why did I feel like this? Why did the sight of them together make my chest tighten?

"Michael must have some strong charm! Look at him, he got a girl!" Kuya Crane teased, wrapping an arm around Michael’s shoulders.

"Eeww, get off me, Fafa Crane! I like you better—aww!" Michael yelped, trying to shake Crane off as Xylene playfully smacked him.

"This baby of mine, his flamboyance is acting up again," Xylene said, her voice dripping with affection. Kuya Clive chuckled and let go of Michael, who looked like he’d just escaped a death sentence.

The banter continued, but my mind was elsewhere. Was it right to keep calling Michael gay? I mean, we never meant it in a bad way—it was always just playful teasing. But now that he had a girlfriend, it felt... different. Like we were stepping on unfamiliar ground.

"They’re so sweet," Zoelle said, her voice light with amusement as she watched them.

"But we’d be even sweeter if we were together, Z," Kuya Quaid flirted, raising his eyebrows in a way that made Zoelle freeze, her cheeks flushing pink.

There it was—Kuya Quaid, ever the smooth talker, making a move on my best friend. But Zoelle was all about K-pop, and I was the only one who knew that Quaid’s playful flirting was hiding something real. But he kept his feelings buried because of that cursed Bro Code.

"Stop messing with my sister, Quaid," Zethus warned, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"Tsk, okay, boss Zethus. Bro code, and it was just a joke," Quaid surrendered with a sigh, raising his hands in mock defeat. Zethus just nodded, as if giving his blessing.

"Can we all eat now that we're already complete?" Kuya Crane suggested, his voice cutting through the tension. We all nodded, the promise of food luring us away from the whirlwind of emotions.

Michael and Xylene were invited to sit down, and as Xylene happily took a seat next to Ate Chary, Michael followed, looking like the weight of the world was pressing down on him. As for me, I quietly started eating, though every bite felt like lead. My appetite had vanished, replaced by a gnawing sensation I couldn’t shake.

Michael's Point of View

"Hey, Xylene!" I pulled at her hair the moment we were out of sight from the others. The bell signaling the end of lunch had already rung, and people were starting to head back to class, but I couldn’t wait another second.

"Ouch, twinnie!" Xylene winced, trying to pry my hand away, but I held on, my frustration bubbling over.

"You! Why did you say you were my girlfriend?!" I demanded, my voice rising as I felt the last shreds of my composure slipping away.

Her grin widened, and she gave me a look that was equal parts mischief and triumph. "Why not? I just wanted to see if that lesbian you told me about would get jealous!" she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I stared at her, my brain short-circuiting. What had possessed her to pull such a stunt? This girl was nuts—absolutely nuts!

"Xylene, stop being gross! That's a lesbian you're trying to make jealous! Have some mercy!" I groaned, feeling like I was caught in a bad dream. But Xylene just laughed, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"Who knows! There are so many gays and lesbian who end up together!" she teased, as if this was some kind of cosmic joke and she was in on the punchline.

I nearly gagged at the thought. Not that I had anything against Chrisnah or lesbian in general, but I was gay—capital G, all the way through. And the idea of Chrisnah being jealous? That was absurd. Ridiculous. Impossible.

"Can you stop it! You're giving me the creeps! And Chrisnah is tougher than me, okay! Oh my gosh, you don’t want to make that lesbian mad!" I said, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling creeping up my spine. Xylene, however, seemed unfazed.

"But you keep talking about her! Even to Dad, you keep mentioning her!" she pointed out, her tone teasing but her eyes sharp.

Her words hit me like a splash of cold water. Fine, I did talk about Chrisnah a lot—to Dad, to Xylene, to anyone who would listen. But it wasn’t like that! It wasn’t what she was insinuating!

"Cut it out! Or I’ll pull your hair! I’ll never fall for Chrisnah! I’m looking for a guy, and she’s looking for a girl! So don’t be mischievous!" I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended as I tried to rein in my temper.

Xylene just giggled, dodging as if I was really going to pull her hair. "Just make sure you don’t eat your words, okay! Or else I’ll make you eat Mang Tasyo’s fighting cocks! Chrisnah is prettier! Prettier than you!" she sang, sticking her tongue out at me like the brat she was.

I wanted to strangle her. Or better yet, let Mang Tasyo’s roosters do the job. How did I get stuck with a twin like this?

"Go to class! You’re ruining my day!" I hissed, pushing her toward her classroom, hoping to get rid of her before she caused any more trouble.

"Okieee! See ya later, alligator!" she called out, skipping away like she hadn’t just turned my life upside down. I turned my back on her, muttering a string of curses under my breath. If I didn’t love her, I would’ve thrown her to the chickens myself.

Xylene Michelle Dela Fuente—my twin sister, not my girlfriend. But with the way she acted, you’d think she enjoyed making people think otherwise. Our bond was tight, sure, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t a pain in my perfectly styled behind.

Life has always been an uphill battle for us. A daily grind that doesn’t seem to let up. But even in the toughest of times, we manage to find joy. It’s just the three of us now—me, Xylene, and Dad—but that’s okay. We’ve learned to make it work, to push through every day, even when it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders.

Xylene and I wouldn’t even be in this prestigious school if it weren’t for the scholarships we both managed to secure. We had to work for it, claw our way out of the depths of our circumstances. Life hasn’t been kind, but we’ve got big dreams. We want to lift Dad out of this struggle, give him the life he deserves, a life far removed from the hardships we’ve known.

Moving to Manila was daunting. We came from Baguio, and the shift was overwhelming. I half-expected to feel lost and lonely here, to pine for the mountains and the cold breeze we left behind. But to my surprise, we found warmth in the kindness of our neighbors. They welcomed us with open arms, especially Mang Tasyo, who, despite his obsession with cockfighting, became like a second father to us. He’s a character, that’s for sure.

Now, as we navigate this new life in the bustling city, I find myself grateful. Grateful for the people we’ve met, like Chrisnah, who’s become my first real friend here. She’s got a special place in my heart—so close that it almost hurts.

But don’t get the wrong idea! We’re just friends, okay? Seriously!

Then again… who knows what the future holds? Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after, things might change. The winds of fate are funny that way. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?

Chrisnah’s Point of View

“Baby, say ah!”

“What the heck, Xylene!”

“Eeehh, just eat this, baby! I’m trying to be sweet, oh!!”

“Ugh! You’re gross!”

We all watched, half-amused, half-mortified, as Xylene tried to force-feed Michael, her so-called boyfriend. The way Michael scrunched up his face in disgust was priceless, yet he couldn’t refuse the bread she was shoving at him.

“There! Very good, baby!” Xylene clapped like a proud mother when Michael finally caved and took a bite.

“You’ve got such a sweet girlfriend, Michael! Hey, Ali, could we be like that too?” Kuya Clive teased, glancing at Alison, who was silently munching on her food.

Ali paused mid-chew, her eyes narrowing dangerously at my brother.

“Do you want me to stab this fork into your throat?!” she snapped, her voice dripping with menace. My brother, in true cowardly fashion, scooted closer to Kuya Quentin, whining like a child. “Quentin, look! It’s Ali!”

“Don’t make Ali mad,” Kuya Quentin chuckled, gently pushing Kuya Clive away from him. Ali just rolled her eyes, turning back to her meal with a huff.

Ali and food—they’re inseparable. She might look slim, but trust me, she could down ten servings of rice at Mang Inasal without breaking a sweat.

“At least my baby Michael and I are sweet,” Xylene chimed in, all sugary smiles. “Right, baby?” She nestled closer to Michael, batting her lashes in a way that would’ve been cute if it wasn’t so… unsettling.

We all burst out laughing when Michael’s face twisted in pure horror, trying to shake her off.

We’ve been hanging out with them for a while now, and one thing is clear: Michael, despite having a girlfriend, hasn’t lost an ounce of his flamboyance. Xylene, on the other hand, is relentless in her affection, even though Michael’s disgust is as obvious as the sky is blue. She dotes on him, sticking to him like glue, always hovering. It’s like she’s got some sort of radar—wherever Michael is, she’s not far behind.

And me? I’m not jealous, okay?! Yuck, perish the thought! But, sometimes, just sometimes, I get this weird itch, this irritation bubbling under the surface. It’s like, ever since she showed up, I’ve lost my favorite pastime—teasing the hell out of Michael. I miss messing with this flamboyant guy!

“Get away from me, Xylene! My God!” Michael whined, practically shuddering as he tried to peel her off.

“You two are so adorable! It makes me want a flamboyant boyfriend too!” Ate Chary laughed, eyes sparkling with mischief as she watched them.

“Do you want me to be gay?” The room froze. Every single one of us turned to stare at Kuya Quentin, his words hanging in the air like a bomb waiting to go off.

Zoelle paused her K-drama, Ali stopped eating, Kuya Clive stopped pestering his best friend, Kuya Crane and Kuya Quaid stopped talking mid-sentence, Zoey stopped chewing, and even Zethus and Michael were left with their mouths agape. Xylene, for once, was speechless, her eyes wide with shock.

As for me, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Kuya Quentin. Ate Chary, meanwhile, had gone beet red, her laughter dying in her throat.

We all knew there was something between Ate Chary and Kuya Quentin, a secret crush they thought they kept well hidden. But this—this was the first time Kuya Quentin had openly flirted, and we were all stunned into silence.

“Ahm.”

“T-that was just a joke. I know it’s not funny!” Kuya Quentin stammered, his bravado crumbling as he blushed furiously, and Ate Chary quickly looked away, her face a mirror of his embarrassment.

We exchanged glances, trying—and failing—not to let out the squeals of excitement that threatened to spill over. We’ve been rooting for these two for ages, and this… this was gold.

“How sweet!” Michael broke the silence with his sarcastic drawl, causing the tension to shatter as we all burst into laughter.

“Hey, we’re sweet too, baby! I’m always sweet to you!” Xylene piped up, causing Michael to grimace again, but this time with less vigor, as if even he was growing tired of resisting.

“Michael is so disgusted with you. If I were you, I’d break up with him!” Zoey teased, smirking as Xylene turned to her with a grin.

“I won’t leave my baby, even if he’s disgusted with me!” she declared proudly, puffing up her chest like a warrior going into battle. “Right, baby?” She shot Michael a look so saccharine it could give you cavities.

Michael just rolled his eyes, and we all broke into fits of laughter again. But amidst the laughter, I felt that gnawing irritation return. What’s wrong with me? These past few days, I’ve been getting easily annoyed, especially when I see the two of them together. It’s like something’s off, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

Lunch break ended, and we all headed back to our classrooms. The buzz of the lunchroom faded as the bell rang, and we scattered like leaves in the wind.

“Finally!” Michael sighed, exhaling like he had just escaped a prison cell.

“What’s up?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as we walked side by side.

“Finally, girl, I’m free from that Xylene!” he said, his voice dripping with irritation. Xylene had excused herself to go to the library, leaving us alone.

“You’re too hard on your girlfriend,” I remarked, tilting my head as I studied his expression.

“Girlfriend?!” Michael snapped, turning to me with his brows furrowed in disbelief. “You really believe that chatterbox is my girlfriend?!”

“Well, isn’t she?” I asked, now genuinely confused. He rolled his eyes so hard I thought they might pop out of his head.

“Girl, I’m as gay as a rainbow parade! Can’t you see?! I’m even prettier than that chatterbox!” he declared, flipping an imaginary lock of hair over his shoulder with a dramatic flourish.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my mind reeling.

“Then what is Xylene to you?” I demanded, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

“Xylene is my twin! My fraternal twin, to be exact. She’s just a crazy prankster who decided to pretend to be my girlfriend for kicks!” Michael ranted, continuing to walk as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on me.

What?! Xylene is his twin?! And all this time, I thought…

“We’re fraternal twins, that’s why we don’t look alike,” Michael continued, not noticing that I had stopped walking, “My twin is just a mischievous troublemaker with a brain that’s all scrambled! She must be sniffing Mang Alberto’s stinky socks because she’s totally out of it! If she keeps this up, I might just feed her to Mang Tasyo’s fighting cocks—”

His voice trailed off as he kept walking, his rant echoing in my ears, but I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think.

Xylene and Michael… twins?! And not a couple?!

The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks, but instead of feeling relieved, my heart started racing. I don’t know why, but knowing that Xylene and Michael aren’t together… it made something in me light up. A spark

I didn’t know was there.

A smile crept onto my face before I could stop it.

What’s happening to me?!