SHADE FLAURANTE's room is cold from the air-conditioner and it is half-past eight in the evening. The only light source is the color-changing moon lamp in the corner of his bedroom. There is the constant buzz of ART MENDOZA's phone set to silent, and ART frowns as they lie down in SHADE's bed, curled next to him. That said, an impatient and snickering CHASE ADRIAN ANGELO sits on a beanbag, with a half-opened comic book and a sleeping GEORGIE resting on his lap.
ART
Shay? Shay, wakey, wakey.
SHADE groans and snuggles closer to ART, burying his face in the crook of their shoulder.
ART
Shay? Shay... I have to go. Me and Angelo have to go. It's late.
SHADE:
(grumbles)
Five more minutes.
ART
It's been thirty minutes since you've last said that.
CHASE
(mocking)
Thirty minutes.
GEORGIE
(groggily)
Arf?
ART
I have to go.
SHADE
(groans, and pulls ART closer)
Do you have to?
ART
Yes, Shay.
It is quiet for three beats.
CHASE
(stands up and walks towards Shay)
See you tomorrow, baby boy!
ART slowly disentangles themself from SHADE to stand up. CHASE gives SHADE a sloppy, sticky kiss to his cheek. GEORGIE climbs onto the bed to lick SHADE's face.
SHADE
Thanks.
Fuck... fuck, that's so gross. Thanks, Joji. Stop it.
ART
I'll see you tomorrow. Are you going to school?
SHADE
No.
Art
Ay, okay. Then I'll see you within the week?
SHADE
Yeah.
ART
Take care of yourself.
SHADE
I'll try.
ART
Text me all the time. Text me every hour. When you wake up, and when you get to bed. Text me when you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner—
SHADE
(exasperated)
Yes, Art. Can you tell Joji to stop licking me?
ART
Promise?
SHADE
Of course. I promise. Tell Joji to stop now.
CHASE picks up GEORGIE, then walks to ART's side. He wraps an arm around them, and ART leans on CHASE to steady themself.
ART
Shay. You have to take care of yourself.
SHADE
I'll try.
ANGELO
Oo nga, bro. Mag-ingat ka, ha? I'll send you food.
SHADE
Thank you, Angelito.
ART
Bye, bye, Shay.
SHADE
Bye, bye, Art and Angelito.
GEORGIE
ARF ARF ARF ARF
SHADE
And Joji. Bye, bye, Joji.
CHASE, ART, and GEORGIE exit SHADE's room. In the living room, they bid farewell to ATE LYNN and promised to be back soon. They walk together, arm-in-arm, out of SHADE's gated village and ART refuses to let go of CHASE's arm as they walk through the crowded streetlamp-lit streets and get into an empty jeepney together. CHASE, ART, and GEORGIE sit in silence as the song Gitara by Paroka ni Edgar plays loudly on the jeepney radio.
CHASE
Doza?
ART
Hmmm?
CHASE
I'm gonna tell you something, ha? Something a bit... Ugh, don't panic. Just don't get mad, and don't get dramatic.
ART
O-kay?
CHASE
Look, Doza. About Flo... Alam mo naman he has a hard time telling people how he feels
ART
Obviously.
It is silent for four seconds. The radio sings, "Hahayaan na lang silang magkandarapa na manligaw sa'yo..."
ART
What do you want to say?
CHASE
Doza—
ART
Just say it!
CHASE
Fine. Doza, putang ina, mahal na mahal ka ni Flo. He loves you.
It is quiet for two seconds.
ART
(softly)
Shit.
CHASE
I know he's not going to tell you, so I'll say it for him.
ART
(flustered)
Ah... okay. Thanks. Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Angelo.
CHASEDid you know that?
ART
Medyo. A bit,
CHASE
Medyo?
ART
I've always known naman that he... uh... yeah. He felt that way. Pero kasi—
CHASE
Pero kasi?
ART
I... I didn't know it was confirmed.
CHASE
Well, I'm confirming it now.
ARTWhy?
CHASE
Kasi may itatanong ako. I need to ask you something.
ART waits for CHASE to speak.
CHASE
Do you love him, too?
ART stares at CHASE in silence. The radio sings, "Aawit na lang at magpaparinig, ng lahat ng aking nadarama..."
ART
(screams)
PARA! MANONG, PARA PO!
STOP THE JEEP!
CHASE
Gago, what are you doing?
The jeepney halts and swerves to the side. ART hands CHASE eight pesos as they jump out the jeepney as quickly as they can, GEORGIE clutched to their chest. CHASE screams after them.
CHASE
HOY! ANG LAYO PA NATIN SA MANDA, DOZA! GAGO KA TALAGA! BUMALIK KA DITO!
ART
(waves)
See you tomorrow, Angelo! Ingat!
GEORGIE
Bark! Bark! Bark!
CHASE
ANG LAYO PA NG BAHAY MO! PUTANG INA, YOU'RE SO STUPID! ART MENDOZA! TANG INA MO, ART MENDOZA!
YOU ARE READING
The Redamancy of Shade and Art (BOOK 2)
Teen Fiction(SEQUEL TO YOU'RE A MASTERPIECE) Shade Flaurante and Art Mendoza have a few things in common. First, they're both struggling Filipino teenagers. Second, they're both very, very, very queer. And, well, they're both extremely smitten with each other...
