#elfili

TIGMÁ

A PeniLaez Fan Fiction

Tigma – was a youth’s first taste of war or love.

The air is thick because of humidity, a usual ambiance during the near end of a school year. Most of the teens outside at this time can either be seen sitting under the rusted roof of a sari-sari store, sweltering with sweat and dust.

Under Aling Idyang’s store was Placido, elbows resting on a bamboo table and on top was a misted cola and pinned inside was a straw, bubble gurgling which the waiting boy kept on staring at. It was the least he can do since he was waiting for his friend Tadeo to come out from the gates of Unibersidad de Manila.

He knew that his friend will eventually cut class as he usually does, and though he condemns this kind of activity he can’t really change his friend’s mind about its habits, all he can do was to hang out with Tadeo whenever his class is finished. Apparently his 3:00 PM class was cancelled due to his professor’s emergency meeting in another school; this news was eventually spread until Tadeo himself knew about this from another classmate. Then Tadeo messaged Placido if they can meet outside near the gate but he didn’t mention what they will do, and as a good friend Placido just went out and waited for Tadeo.

Placido’s head was bowed down, almost asleep when someone called his name, “Plaz! Uy, buti naman hinintay mo kami, kala ko uuwi ka na eh” it was Tadeo but he was not alone. “Ito nga pala si Juanito, kaklase ko.”

Juanito, a guy from the same strand as Tadeo extended his hand for a shake which Placido shook without even caring that his hands were drenched in sweat, “Basa ah.” Juan pointed out then gave a little laugh, “Ay! –“ Placido wiped his hands on his uniform, “—Sorry.” He replied sheepishly.

He knew Juanito from the intramurals where he was the opponent’s team captain versus their department’s team. He was tall with a slick combed hair with some locks occasionally falls out then he combs it back with his fingers, he has a fair skin but looks a little darker than usual because of the outside trainings he does for the university game.

Unlike Juanito, Placido is somehow naïve and does not partake with their school’s sports activity that much, though he casually drinks beer with his friends after school and plays online games on the side, he have a pretty well academic life which his parents acknowledge.

“Saan ba tayo pupunta?” Placido asked, “Com Shop?” Tadeo replied. He stood up and slung his backpack on his back, buttoned his open shirt and left with Tadeo.

The computer shop was humid, suffocating, and crowded with kids and teens alike, but this is their usual hang out place. Most of the computer shop around their school has a price of 15 pesos per hour but here it is only ten which for the frequent customer is quite a deal.

Playing online games isn’t really Placido’s hobby, he just gets dragged by Tadeo most of the time since Tadeo doesn’t have many friends in their school since most of them consider him a ‘bad influence’ which is partly true but not completely. For Placido, Tadeo is his older brother which does not help him in his academic life but helps him in practical ways street wise. Tadeo introduced him to many things; beer, casual smoking, billiard houses, places around his school that he wasn’t even aware that existed, how to fight, love advices, girls, and porn sites. All of which are Tadeo’s field of expertise, though sometimes Placido always nudge him the fact that they won’t be forever young and that they need to work something out in order for them to have a good future which in reply, Tadeo just smiles and tell Placido that “Everything will sort out soon.”

“7 na ‘tol. Malayo pa uuwian ko, mauna na ako.” Juanito told Tadeo while they were hanging out in the same sari-sari store earlier. “Kala ko ba pwede ka hanggang 9? Talk shit ka naman eh” Tadeo said which made Placido snicker. Even though he was with Juanito for the whole time this was the only moment Juanito acknowledged his existence by lightly punching his arm and said, “Tinatawa-tawa mo?” while flashing a grin.

“Ganyan yan si Placido, patawatawa lang pero sa isip niya kung anu-ano na sinasabi niya sayo.” Tadeo said,

“Uy hindi ah, natawa lang talaga ako kasi sinasabihan mo si Juanito na talk shit eh parang ikaw hindi.” Placido’s unexpected reply to Tadeo’s taunting made Juanito guffawed and in return made Placido laugh as well.

“Parang gago lang ah.” Tadeo responded to Juanito’s laugh, “At least parang lang eh ikaw gago talaga.” Juanito remarked which again made Placido laughed, “Placido wala ka namang inaambag sa usapan eh, tinatawanan mo lang kaming dalawa.” Tadeo said to Placido.

“Alam mo, pinapahaba mo lang usapan Tads eh, uuwi na ako!” Juanito told Tadeo while grabbing his bag from his seat.

“Diba sa tulay daan mo?” Tadeo asked, “Oo, bakit?” Juanito replied, “Oh, pareho lang pala kayo ng dadaanan Plaz eh, sumama ka na kay Juanito.” Tadeo pointed to Placido, “A-ah, pwede rin naman?” Placido replied.

“Taga-saan ka ba Plaz?” Juanito asked. – ‘Plaz’, a nickname that isn’t really supposed to be used by people Placido just met, ‘Plaz’ is a name given by his parents which was adapted by his closest friends and for him this nickname is something that isn’t really supposed to be used by someone who doesn’t fully know him, but why wasn’t he bothered when Juanito called him by his nickname? He can’t comprehend how, but thank God for the creation of the night that hid the sudden flush of red on his cheeks.

“Doon banda sa may 7/11 pa-palengke.” Placido murmured back. “Oh, sa likod ka lang pala eh, pwede pa kita mahatid.” Juanito, in a manner Placido could not decipher if it’s a suggestion or a joke. Tadeo butted in saying, “LOL, ano yan? Kinder 1?”.

“Hindi, gago ka talaga Tadeo. Tara na nga Plaz.” – The mention of Placido’s nickname once again made a jolt inside him. “Paalam na Tadeo, alis na kami.” Juanito said, Placido did not mention anything instead he just waved goodbye to Tadeo and slowly walked away with Juanito.

The jeepney, like all jeepneys are crowded. The orange neon lit jeepney was even warmer because of the said light, It felt as if everyone inside was being squeezed out of moisture, sweat leaking from the neck and the back of the earlobes, and the stench was even worse. Though everyone smelled bad, Juanito on the other hand smelled as if he just got out of shower, Placido thought. Juanito’s perfume is probably those branded oil based ones that stays on your clothing and skin for the rest of the day and Placido was very much intoxicated by the hints of Juanito’s perfume.

Both of them were on their smartphones, Juanito scrolling through his Instagram account and Placido scrolling through his e-reader, nut Placido was being distracted by the shiny drop of sweat in Juanito’s neck that crawls down slowly making him gulp and then quickly shifting his attention back to the e-book he was reading. “Tigilan mo na Placido Penitente” Placido’s thought incessantly blocking what he just saw. Juanito held his phone close to Placido’s face, “’Plaz, tingnan mo ‘to oh, ang ganda ng sapatos, mukha bang bagay sa akin para sa sunod na tournament?”, Juanito showing what seems to be a latest rubber shoe from a well-known brand being sold online. Placido nodded then answered, “Bagay naman, pero mas mukhang bagay sayo yung kulay puti.”, then Juanito tapped the picture of the white colored one and said. “Oo nga, mas mukhang magandang panglaro. Ikaw ba, hindi ka ba naglalaro?” Juanito asked, “Hindi eh, wala akong hilig.” Placido replied only to get an “Aah.” From Juanito then once again silence filled the gaps between their conversations. Oddly enough Placido hinted a fruity smell coming from his mouth, only then he realized that Juanito was chewing some strawberry candy during the time that they were together. Is he going to kiss someone tonight? Placido couldn’t help to think.

In all honesty, Placido wanted Juanito to ask more. He won’t care even if it’s the most daring question being asked because he will surely make up something just for him to answer the question. Juanito’s presecence brought a dense yet soft feeling within Juanito, like how a large pillow feels when it is on top of your stomach. It feels weird, and completely foreign to Placido but he does not fully acknowledged it.

“Para po!” — One passenger said. “Andito na pala tayo. Baba na uy.” Juanito said, Placido quickly stood and got out of the jeepney with Placido with behind him.

They stood beside the 7/11 when Placido said, “Hindi ka ba sasakay ng tricycle?”, “Ah, Oo, bibili lang ako sa 7/11”, “Um, sige na Juanito, paalam, see you sa school.” Placido waved goodbye and walked away from Juanito.

When he was about to make a turn towards their street he realized that there was something on his pocket, it was a strawberry candy. He ran back to 7/11 then saw Juanito crossing the road; this made him curious because why did Juanito even cross the road to ride another jeep if the tricycle station was just across 7/11?

When Placido got home, he searched for Juanito’s name on Facebook, “Juanito Pelaez” he typed. It loads slowly then a profile appeared, the picture was Juanito slam dunking a ball into the ring of the court, and below it was his information. Apparently, he wasn’t from Placido’s place, Juanito’s house was farther maybe a kilometer far but definitely on the same way as Placido’s, this information made Placido unrelentless, queasy and more significantly, happy.

Today I have returned to destroy this system, precipitate its corruption, push it to the abyss to which it runs insensate, even if I have to spill torrents of blood and tears.