TIE OF LOVE

Mikaeel

"Are you kidding me?" gulat na gulat kong tanong kay Maxim ng sabihin niya sa akin na isa akong maid waiter sa maid cafe na itatayo niya sa Festival na gaganapin sa Stanford High School for boys. Not that I'll mind if everyone is actually a boy.

Inayos nito ang salamin niya sa mata at saka tuwid na tumingin sa akin. His two amber eyes bore into mine and as if he's daring me to say no and then I'll be sorry if I'm going to say it.

"You look like a girl though and that there will never be a problem. At saka isang araw lang naman ito. Pumayag ka na Mikaeel at saka wala ka namang gagastusin e. Lahat sagot ng club and besides, nobody will know that it was you."

I heave a sigh. Maxim's adamant about me being a maid. Every year, SH celebrates Festivals like this. We called it the SH Charity Festival. Every cent we earn goes to our chosen and sponsored charity. And of course, Maxim chose a home for the Aged who were abandoned by their families leaving them all alone and getting old. If it wasn't for the said charity, I'd decline the job.

"Are you sure about that? I don't like the idea of being bullied."

"Oo naman. Trust me and besides, we're not even famous, to begin with. We are just an average joe," he said, assuring me.

"Okay," finally I gave up. Mukha naman hindi papayag si Maxim pag tumanggi ako.

So yes. Napa-oo na rin ako. Bukod kasi sa classmate ko si Maxim, kasama ko rin ito sa part time job tuwing Sabado at Linggo sa isang kilalang resto malapit lang sa aming dorm. He was like kinda best friend for me. And he's my roommate as well.

Pareho OFW ang magulang niya na nasa Italy at ako naman ay pinag-aaral lang ng tiyuhin kong Americano, kapatid ni Papa kung kaya sa dorm kami tumutuloy.

Isa akong fil-american at isang secondary student senior high dito. Isa akong scholar ng school at hindi sa nagmamayabang, may utak din naman ako kaya kahit papano, it helps me a lot to get through my education life. May monthly pension naman akong natatanggap mula sa America dahil american citizen ako bukod pa sa allowance na pinapadala ni Uncle Smith sa akin. May mga business kasi sila ni papa noon na lumago ng lumago na kanyang mina-manage. And some, well I don't know really. Papa never told me that business. Hindi naman ako nangulit. I trusted Papa more than anyone else.

Kami na lang kasi dalawa ang natitira. At itinuturing niya akong anak. Si uncle ay kasali sa LGBT at ngayon ay may asawa na ito na nasa Army. They really wanted me to adopt pero sinabi ko na bisita-bisitahin ko sila sa America every vacation. Is not that I don't like having new parents, I just want to be independent. I was raised to be like that

"Good morning son," sumalubong sa video via video calling application ang mukha ni Daddy Smith katabi si Papa Tyler.

I yawned and smiled at them.

"Good evening Papa and Daddy," bati ko sa kanila habang bumabangon pa lang.

"Are you coming this Christmas? Your Daddy booked us tickets to Paris to spend our Christmas eve there," excited na sabi ni Papa Tyler.

"Really? I definitely will come Papa!" biglang na-excite ako sa sinabi niya.

Paris? Like Paris!? Pangarap ko lang iyon puntahan. Dati kasi noong nabubuhay sila mama at papa ay plano na talaga namin iyong puntahan. Ngunit hindi lang ito natuloy noong nakasama sila sa isang airplane crash. Pareho silang namatay sa accident na iyon when I was eleven.

"Have you decided to come and study here? Your papa and I are both missing you Mika," sabi naman ni Daddy, pouting. He's a little bit soft and emotional kaya naman hindi ko mapigilan ang ngumiti though I don't like being called Mika. It kinda sounded weird and girly.

"I've told you Daddy that I'll come after high school. Few months and it's done. You'll never know that I'm there already," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Okay take good care son. We will be waiting for you before Christmas alright?"

"Got it pa!"

"See you soon son," sabi naman ni Daddy Smith bago nag-flying kiss sa akin.

Nag-flying kiss back din ako sa kanya.

"A Lolita maid uniform?" nanlalaking matang tanong ko kay Maxim habang nakatingin sa black costume na ang laylayan ay abot hanggang tuhod lamang at medyo may pagka- puff ang skirt na nakahanger sa club namin with matching head dress, black knee-length combat boots at wig na nakatuwid at lampas pwet na haba. Of course this kind of costume should only wear by women. I repeat, by WOMEN and since Maxim has chosen this stupid theme, I don't have any choice, at least in my side because I can never say no.

"I-try mo nga. Gusto kong makita if bagay sa iyo," sabi nya lang sa akin.

"Sa dorm na lang kaya?"

"Nope. Dito mo na isukat para makita ko kung kasya sa iyo."

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi isukat iyon. Medyo natagalan akong makapagbihis dahil sa corset na hinihila pa ang mga laces at tinatali pa. It feels so ridiculous. Damn it.

"Hoy dahan-dahan naman!" reklamo konsa kanya habang hinihigpitan niya ang pagkakahilabng tali ng corset.

"Wag kang malikot, Mika. Kailangan talagang mahigpit ito. Bear with me a little bit," sagot niya.

I feel like my stomach got twisted. Ganito pala ang feeling ng mga babae noong panahon na uso pa itong corset.

"Are you okay?" tanong sa akin ni Maxim pagkatapos.

"I'm not!" mabilis pa sa kurap ng matang sagot ko. "I can't breathe."

Napatawa si Maxim.

"Napasobrahan ko yata ang paghigpit," natatawa niyang sagot niya at bahagyang niluwagan ang tali ng corset.

Noon lang ako nakahinga ng maluwang.

Okay, for the sake of the charity. Yes, for the sake of charity.

He then proceeded on putting the wig on me and applied some light makeup to me.

"You can open your eyes, Mika," sabi ni Maxim sa akin.

I opened my eyes and saw if I looked ridiculous but no. Instead, I saw a small little lolita girl with violet eyes reflected in the mirror. I'm sure ako pa rin naman iyon but I almost look like a girl. No, I mean I do really look like a girl.

Ugh.

"You're beautiful, Mika," sabi ni Maxim. His face was flustered.

"Eh, Dude. I'm a guy. Don't say like that," natatawang sabi ko sa kanya.

"No kidding. You're really beautiful," dagdag pa niya.

"Should I feel proud of something?" natatawang tanong ko sa kanya.

"You should. You should. You'll pull a lot of customers during the festival. I can see it," aniya pa.

Ilang sandali lang ay lumabas na kaming dalawa sa dressing room. It took me a lot to go outside to be honest lalo na't nasa labas ang ilang mga kaklase kong kasali rin sa staff ng festival.

"Omg is that you, Mika? Wow, you're such a cutie! I feel like I'll gay for you, baby" hindi makapaniwalang sabi ni Red, his eyes are twinkling.

"Tabi kayo. This lady belongs to me," sabi naman ni Yuri sabay kunwaring pinagtutulak ang mga kaklase namin. He cupped my face and he stared at me. "I declare that this cutie belongs to me. To me alone. You guys understand that?"

Binatukan ko siya.

"Ouch! That hurts!" reklamo niya sa akin.

"Lalake ako loko. Kaya lang ako nagsuot ng ganito dahil sa Festival at kay Maxim," natatawang sabi ko sa kanua

Maxim smiled.

"I told you. Para kang babae. Bagay na bagay sa iyo ang costume. Mas lalong nangingibabaw ang violet mong mga mata. Kung hindi lang flat iyang dibdib mo, babae ka na," kumento ni Steven, an openly gay na kaklase namin.

Bahagya akong sumimangot. I admit I do look effeminate. I'm short for American standards plus I'm slim. My eyes are kinda Japanese since Mom's bloodline came from Japan but I got my eye color from dad who was born Albino. And sometimes I am mistaken for a girl, especially if I let my hair grow long. I tried to go to gym para lang ma-tone down yung katawan ko pero I quit pagkatapos. My body aches after doing some lifting dumbbells at halos hindi ako makabangon.

"Ba't kaya hindi nyo subukan magsuot nito?" tanong ko sa kanila.

"Don't worry, magiging maid din kami ng cafe. Each one of us has the same outfit so it's all equal," sagot ni Maxim. "Basta ayusin lang natin bukas para kumita tayo at magkaroon ng pondo ang club natin sa darating na Christmas Eve. The charity needs the money during that holiday," dagdag pa niya.

Tumango ako sa kanya.