Ill-fated

2014, January 5th

      The blinding light of the sun and the ear-piercing sound of a woman's voice woke James up. He twisted his body to the left to have a glimpse of the clock beside his bed. He instantly got up when he saw the time.

      Then he shouted, "Ma, I told you last night to wake me up at 6 a.m.!"

     "I have been waking you up since 6! You didn't get up! So, I just thought maybe you need more rest." She answered.

      As the youngest child in the family, James often feels that that does not work in his favor. His mother makes him feel helpless, like a child who at all times needs her assistance. He grew up with three other siblings; each of which has a different father. His mother has this silly notion about love: Love is fleeting and that everything is temporary. She would often lecture this to the four of them, and they would inattentively listen to her. She married her first husband at 22, and every two years after that she would have a brand new boyfriend. At 49 though, she has the ability and energy of a teenager, provides for her family even though a single parent. All of James' siblings graduated from college; each has a degree to brag about.

     James is now in his last year, taking up Marketing in one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Thank you to the scholarship that he tirelessly worked for. Now, he must pass all of his subjects so that he can graduate. Sometimes though, James feels that no matter how hard he works, he still has difficulties understanding his subjects in school. Academics aren't his strongest suit. In fact, in high school, he would mostly excel in the field of arts. He wanted to take Fine Arts but that will only become a dream because his scholarship is for Marketing.

      He starts changing into his uniform. Today is his final exam. He needs to at least ace three of his 5 subjects or else he will not be joining his friends in the march. As he combs his hair, he started to look at his image in the mirror.

     "You look really cute, Sir!" He said to himself.

     If anyone can hear him, they will roll their eyes in disbelief. James knows how confident he is. It probably rooted from the fact that as young kid, he wasn't the cute type. He has had many insecurities: from being bloated to looking like an 80s commercial kid who endorses hotdogs. It wasn't until his teenage years that he started taking good care of his face and body. He became obsessed in making himself look more than appealing in the eyes of other people.

     Before he went down, he decided to message his best friend, Sasha. She has a car, and she will definitely be a big help for him to get to school earlier. He actually isn't late yet because his first exam comes in at 9 a.m. He has at least an hour and a half to get to school. Sasha replied and agreed to pick him up in front of his house. As he goes down the stairs, he can hear the quaint echoes of the television and the clicking sound of the oil in the pan; his mother's frying, so he thought. She's singing along with the vocals of that local singer she dearly loves. If there's anything that James inherited from his mother, it would be her ever-positive look at life; there was never a moment that James saw his mother looked at their situation in a negative eye. Because of this, James' mindset focused on making sure that he looks at everything happily.

     "Ma, I have to go. Can't take breakfast - running late!" He said. 

     "Just take this with you." She says while she hands him a zip lock plastic with a sandwich inside - her famous tuna sandwich.

     "Thanks!" He said as he showed her a big smile. James kissed his mother before he stepped outside to ride at Sasha's car; she's already  waiting for him.

      Luckily the traffic was bearable. They arrived at school at 8:35, just enough for James to get to class. As soon as the clock reached 9, his professor didn't waste any more time. They went on with the exam. By 12 noon, James has finished all three of his final exams.

      "I feel bad." He expresses as he sits down the gazebo in front of the school's cafeteria.

      "That's new! Where is 'happy-go-lucky' James that we know?" Sasha exaggeratedly answers.

     "Yeah! Are you really James? I thought you believe that we just have to be ALWAYS HAPPY?" Kate, another friend of his,  a plump woman of dark complexion, said.

      "Well, I am actually okay! I just, you know, think that I might not pass one of those three subjects." He explains.

     "Just don't mind it. I'm sure you will!" Kate answers.

     "Are you still game for tonight?" Sasha is confirming.

   James actually remembered agreeing to these two about partying tonight. It's Friday, so he presumed that it won't cause him too much trouble. He nodded to the two ladies in front of him and they started to leave the school. He thought about changing into something more comfortable so he decided to go back home. They all agreed to meet at 6 in the evening before they parted ways.

7 p.m. - Captured Bar and Club, Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City

     James takes another shot of vodka. He knows he can control himself when it comes to this drink. There's a little feel of dizziness but he assumes that that's because of the crowded place. His friends decided to go to this place when they were planning. This club is so f*****g lit, he thought. About a couple of men are absolutely breathtaking. There were those that looked younger than he is, and then there are those who appear like businessmen. The bar is mostly visited by the LGBT community. All sorts of labels coming from those letters may be found on this bar. This isn't the first time that James visited this place. He was here a couple of months ago with his ex-boyfriend, who picked up a fight with him in here - oh the drama! It was quite scandalous because that coward decided to confront him in this bar whilst they are having fun. If there's anything that angers James, it would be being a total a*****e. He never wanted to be confronted in public, nor should he say he never wanted to be confronted - that's it!

     "Can you still make it home?" Sasha asks him as he sips another round of vodka.

    "F**k off, Sash! You know how I am when it comes to this." His tone is not angry. He just got used to talking to his best friend this way.

     "Well, don't f*****g ask me to bring you home!" Then, she laughed boisterously.

     He just nodded to affirm this. Then, he excused himself to go to the toilet. He started walking towards that direction but he felt a little weird - maybe because he had a lot of drinks by now. The effect of the alcohol has slowly kicked in his system. He has a high tolerance over alcohol but this time he doesn't understand what changed. He felt like he's spinning in a wheel. He tries his best to walk straight until he suddenly jolts into a hard wall or so he thought because the smell of the wall is so manly. It smells clean, like a man who has just taken a bath. It's only then that he realized that it is indeed a man. He bumped on someone.

     "S**t! That hurts! Is Aren't you going to apolo - " He stopped in mid sentence.

     He decided to raise his head to have a better view of this man's face. To say that he was shock is an understatement; he's more like enchanted. In front of him is a man of 'no adjectives' will best suit his beauty.

     James came up with an idea fast. He decided to flirt with him.

   "Well, well, well..." He made sure that his voice is laced with so much lust. He admits that this is probably the first time that he will be flirting with someone. He normally is the one being flirted with.

     When he finally had a glimpse of how he looks, he bet men and women are throwing themselves at his feet. He has that air of mystery in him. His eyes speak of sadness  - one that James is not familiar with. This is maybe the reason as to why he became very interested in him.

     "Don't be too confident. You're kind is not even my type!" He whispered at his ear.

     "What? That was downright rude! Hey! Hey!" He shouted with so much anger. It is the first time that he flirted with someone and that was how he was received?

     James can now feel his ears getting warmer. He's so annoyed by how he said those words - his face, his tone, his arrogance! Everything about that man was downright rude!

     As James watched him walk confidently, he's silently gritting his teeth. That was such a shameful encounter. He wants to get back at him. He immediately turned to go back to their seat in the bar. He is sulking and it is evident in his face. As soon as he has taken his seat, Kate asked him:

   "What's with that face? What happened?" She's sounding so annoying now, probably because he still feels bad about that a*****e!

     "Well, guess what? He asks sarcastically. "I just got dumped by someone I was hitting on!" He exclaimed.

      The two girls in front of him became the most annoying thing that he ever saw. They both start laughing as if a solid joke was thrown at their face. This isn't funny,  he thought.

     "So, you finally got what you were looking for? Someone who's immune to your charm!" Sasha said while still laughing.

     "And maybe you were really dying to bring him home, right?" Kate seconded Sasha's thoughts.

      "I can take home whoever I want to take home, tonight!" He said this while standing up with his fists closed. He feels like punching these two ladies. Well, probably because of the alcohol that's why he becomes even more pissed off.

      James made sure that he shouted those words, just so that these two would shut the hell up. They both are really getting into his nerves. As he turns his head on the side, he met with those brooding eyes. Instantly, he knows that he needs to get his revenge. Without even thinking about anything and just becoming totally impulsive, he headed to the direction of that a*****e that put him to shame just minutes ago.

      "What did you say a while ago? That my KIND is not YOUR TYPE?" He said as he reached their area. He saw from his peripheral that his friends are now looking intently at him, puzzled he presumes.

     "Let's just see if I am really not your type." James added.

     The man was about to answer him, but James told himself "to hell with that." He confidently sat on his lap and without a doubt kissed him on the lips. His lips are soft. He opens his mouth to give the stranger more access to his. He tastes good, like the best that he has tasted so far. He had a couple of boyfriends but none of them tastes like this man. When he responded, James starts to moan, maybe because he feels absolutely freaking horny. However, he is still in his senses because he decided to pull his lips away from the strangers' and gave him the most sarcastic smile that he can give. He will leave him with an earth-shattering question, he figures:

     "I see. My KIND is not YOUR TYPE, right?"

    With a victorious grin, he stood from the man's lap and walked straight his friends. He immediately grabbed his bag and looks at the two of them who both are now astounded.

      "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" He shouted.

     The two hurriedly stood up from their seats and followed him going out of the bar. When he reached the exit gate of the bar, he felt the numbness of his knees. He actually can't believe that he did that. He admits that he's pretty adventurous with things, but he has never kissed a stranger that lustfully. He's used to men giving him those lustful come-ons. He never thought that he would ever do that, worst with a stranger.