Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 00:32:48 +0800
From: Reggie Tangan <reggietangan@edsamail.com.ph>
Subject: JOY Chapter 5

J O Y
by Reggie Tangan

Disclaimer:  all of the characters portrayed here are used fictitiously,
and used for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to the characters
and situations are purely coincidental.

This story is for adults only; if you don't like sexual themes,
please leave immediately.

for reactions, critiques please send me an email
at reggietangan@edsamail.com.ph
or visit my website at http://www.reggietangan.cjb.net/joy

************************************

"Fidel"

"I just tell you, I can't do it," Travis told me.
"What if Paolo knows about this, I can't keep it from him forever,"
I said, "Not by you at any given chance."

I told to myself this had got to stop. Paulie has come back from the
dead and he wants me back. And its bad, very bad.

"I see what's up," Alex blurbed, "Its a common problem with lovers,
mainly men,"
Travis and I gave Alex dirty looks.
"Please, it also happens to women as well," he continued, "I'll tell
you we can't let go our first loves."

Alex, Travis and I were having a conference call amidst troubles often
popping out in the wrong time and the wrong place. Paulie, my first
love in high school came back from Cebu, and hunted me down (well, not
really) and admitted he has still feelings for me. Which is good in
a way, but I'm already committed to Paolo, which is totally bad.

"Well if that Paulie guy gets a hold of you, your love life will be one
helluvaride to Nowheresville." Travis said, smugly.
"Per-leeese, Jet. Try to avoid Paulie," Alex said.
"Easier said than done." I said.
"Well, if Paulie wants you so badly..." Travis thought of a revelation,
"Acquant him with Paolo."

Which is good idea but I was very skeptical at first. But it kept me
thinking. Will Paulie quit getting me back when he sees me and Paolo
very happy? Or will he pursue more fiercely than ever?

Stop the questions, I feel like I'm in a soap opera. My mind gets
filthy with more questions.

I don't want to get dirrty.

***

Later that day, Paolo and I were having an improptu lunch date at the
store Tonj. Though the house rules dictate no food drinks allowed, Paolo
and I seemed to break all rules for the sake of hunger.

"So I think we should go to Club Mint/Babylon tonight?" Paolo said.
"Tonight? It's only Wednesday, right?"
"Exclusive party," he said, "Of something."
"Let me think about that." I said.
"Please?" He smiled, trying to convince me to go.
"I have a thing going to parties with unknown themes. Ok, I'm in."
I replied. Then Paolo gave ne a small peck on the neck.

But it was an exclusive party. I thought. Maybe they'll be press
people coming in and out taking pictures of gay men partying and
conversing about their private lives and be chronicled the next day.

Sounds nice.

"You'll be surprised when we go there." I said.
"Great!" He said, and he pulled out something from the counter.
"Wear this..."

He pulled out a black long-sleeved turtle necked shirt, with one
slightly defined design on the shirt. What is it? Oh, a dragon.

"Awww, that's sweet," I crumbles down, "You bought this for me?"
"Yeah, I did."

That shirt thing was really sweet. But holding the shirt it made me
remember something back in time.

Flashback South Merville High, 1997

One time, Paulie and I were window-shopping at Makati Cinema Square.
I saw this cutest necklace made out of beads, and I didn't have mobey
at that time, and Paulie saw that I liked the necklace.

"Wish I could have that necklace." I said, desperatley wanting that
neclace.
"You will. Soon." Paulie said.

The next day after school in out hangout, Paulie pulled out something
from his bag. Surprised, he pulled out the necklace I wanted to but
from Makati Cinema Square.

"Awww, that's sweet," I crumbles down, "You bought this for me?"
"Yeah, I did."

With a small reassuring kiss he asked me.

"Promise me to never let go?"
"Promise."

***

Alex then hooked up with one his customers at Tower Records. His name
was a bit eccentric but eye-catching. Meet Ken Tatlongreyna, a lowly
nineteen year-old student from Ateneo. Alex always wanted to date some
guys who are still studying. Not that they were young and robust, it
just makes Alex remember his days back at school.

Don't remind me, though I had my share of exploits in school.

Ken was always shy and submissive. He only favored studying and
listening to music. It was just one of days when Alex was going around
in his job and Ken needed some help in looking for a CD.

Alex fancied the dry wit Ken had.

"No. You're wrong. This is NSYNC's first album," Alex argued with the
young kid.
"Please, this one," he showed Alex the CD cover of the album, "It's from
the UK, I hope you guys here have it." Ken said.
"Sheesh. You have to be specific. We only have the US version."
"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England."

Later, the kid apologized to Alex, and with a little effort the young
mouseketeer (as I would like to call him from time to time) asked Alex
out for coffee. Which is a bit robust for Alex since the mouseketeer
had the nerve to outwit him.

"Yeah. My break is at five." Alex said. He didn't realize he agreed.
"That's cool. I'll be at Starbucks G4." The boy smiled back.
"Yeah."

Alex told me that Ken had 'the most beautiful eyes,' we couldn't hold
up the conversation. And it was already eleven o'clock at night. We
were having our usual nightcap of coffee.

"Yeah. You've told me for the tenth time," I said.
"Come on," Alex calmed me down, "I think he's the one."
"For sure?"

One of the factors that lead to Alex hooking up with Ken was the music
thing. Ok. Ken's music was only limited to boy bands and girl groups.
He was a big fan of NSYNC, and he has a huge crush on its lead singer,
Justin Timberlake. And I'm telling you that Justin guy is really hot!

One night Ken had a huge fight with his folks, and because of that he
decided to run away and go to Alex's place. It was raining, so when
Alex opened the front gate he saw a very wet Ken.

"What the?"
"Sorry, I have nowhere else to go." The poor wet boy started to sneeze.
"Come in get yourself warmed up, I'll lead you to the bathroom and get
washed up before you get a cold." Alex said, angling Ken as he struggled
to get onto the house.

Ken later explained that his parents didn't like his performance at
school and that his emotional rollercoaster was was driving them nuts.
Alex just sighed in relief seeing that Ken was safe and sound with him.

For now.

"You know," Ken leaned closer to Alex, "You're the first guy that I
really like, you know, like, I really, really like."
"Am I?" Alex look flattered, he continued to look into Ken's beautiful
eyes. "I think so."
"Just shhhh." Ken ordered, touching Alex's lips trying to silence him.
"What?" He tried to squeeze Ken for information.

With one quick motion, Ken slowly kissed Alex passionately. Afterward
there was some groping involved. The heat prompted them to take off
their clothes, all that was left was their underwear.

Alex had the urge, but seeing Ken as a very young person, he didn't
know what to do about the sex thing. He thought it was sexual
gratification of another sort. Or is it just he was already accustomed
to older men and never had the chance to make out with yoounger guys.

Alex politely asked Ken. "Is this your first time?"
"Ummm. What about it?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to know." Alex wanted to stop the sexual urge.
"I hate to break it you but, yes, its my first time."
Alex felt relieved for one moment, and he thought, it wasn't a bad idea
to make love at a first timer.

And they did it. After that they hugged each other giving assuring
glances. Soon, they dirfted off to sleep. Ken was hugging Alex ever so
tightly and feeling the warmth emanating from him.

***

Alex told me that making love to Ken Tatlongreyna was really and eye-
opener of something.

"The thing is with Ken, you get to rediscover your innocence. Like, as
if it was your first time again." Alex said.

Ken later moved into Alex's place indefinitely. Though, Ken had resolve
his issues with his folks, he was better off in an environment that he
can handle. That was Alex's pad. I think Alex has found the one after
that stint with Unattainable.

Does dating younger men make us feel more empowered, or something else?

***

Travis was in no means happy. Not by Alex's new-found love, and it
wasn't the love that made him very happy. It was the time when Travis
forcefully have to go to this function and meet The Boss' wife.

It wasn't a social event, this was part of Travis' Ad company to gather
more clients to the firm.

"Mr. De Leon, I'd like you to meet my wife," the Boss introduced Travis
the very different skanky-dressed woman. Immediately, Travis hated the
person. And when he feels he hates the person, believe him, you will
also hate the person without knowing anything.

It's a bit unfair but it's all for the course of social climbing.

"Just one of the reasons why I suck up because of the prestige." He told
me once.

"Nice to meet you," Travis shook hands with The Boss' Wife. The Wife had
a stern grip when she took hold of hsi hand. Travis didn't mind at first.
But he kept his guard on.

"Dear, I have to meet some clients over there. Please enjoy yourselves
at the function." The Boss said. Travis found the function very boring,
and very low-income. Not to mention it was held at The Manila Hotel.

The Wife wanted to start a conversation. Travis thought this won't be
that boring to talk with a total skank.

This could be fun disecting her. He thought.

"So Mr. De Leon, I've heard so much about you," The Wife said, she
seemed to look at Travis' chest eventhough the cool blue Giordano
polo shirt covered it.

"Yes, well..."
The Wife suddenly pinched he fingers onto Travis' chest.
"Ahhh!" In a flirty kind of stimuli. "You've been working, right?"
He hated every pain inflicted by that woman.

"Mrs..." Travis wanted to warn the flirtatous woman.
"Don't formal me down, Travis," she ordered, amidst the huge number of
people inside the room. Travis wanted to avoid any further embarassment
by this Wife. He felt like he was in the movie 'Disclosure.'

By all means very scary.

"There's been a mistake. Everybody knows I'm..."
"Dating someone?" She interrupted. "Very feisty you are."
"Please, Mrs..."
"I said, no formalities." The Wife demanded.

Travis wanted to flare up in front of the woman who was beginning to
annoy him with nonsense flirting. Thinking The Boss' Wife's infidelity
would be disastrous if it came from him. He didn't want to flirt with
disaster, but disaster was flirting with him.

"I have a room here upstairs, I thought you can come later," she started
to move her hands on his chest again.
"With all the people here inside is pretty distracting enough," Travis
said, trying avoid another less substantial advance from The Wife.

Travis wanted to be frank for real. He's taking a huge risk, if it meant
looking for another job.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude," he began to talk in 'being frank'
mode, "I hate to break to your face. If you so happen to like young,
virile men, I do like young, virile men."

The Wife looked a little ghastly as her mouth opened, as if she felt the
whole world fell down on her and her life was passing by. Then a second
later, she smiled.

"Oh, you're a riot!" She started to laugh hysterically and the wine
goblet she was holding was sloshing champaigne all over the carpet.
"It's true. I like young virile men. I'm gay!" Travis tried to convince
The Wife, verbally-pushing what he said is true.
"Oh, please stop it..." The Wife continued to laugh uncontrollably, and
now everybody in the function room started to stare at Travis.

Now he's embarrassed, when he wanted The Wife to embarrassed.

***

"Eventually, The Boss' Wife got the picture the next day, and she vowed
never to talk to me again," Travis said, concluding the idea of flirting
with disaster.

"The idea of a woman flirting with you is a disaster." I said.
"So where's Alex and that mouseketeer?" Travis asked.
"They're back at Glroietta. Paolo will bring them along to Fidel later."
I answered.

Travis and I were in Fidel, our usual rendezvous point before gooing to
Club Mint/Babylon for tonight's exclusive party. Seeing the posters in
front of the door. The theme was about certain nude photographs taken
by some real artsy photographers.

I got a chance to check them out and they were hardly anything erotic.
But really artsy. Some of them were on sale. I might buy one for myself.

A few minutes later, Alex arrived with Ken, holding hads while walking.

"Hey, what's up?" Alex shouted.
"Hey!" Travis greeted the happy couple.
"Guys, you've met Ken..." as he looked on Ken with a gesturing smile
plastered across his face.
"Where's Paolo?" I asked. "I thought he was with you?"
"Change of plans. We went ahead, he said he was having problem with
the truck," Alex said.
"Dearie me, I hope he comes soon." I said.

Then out of the shadows popped out a shadowy figure and he seemed to
call out my name...

"Jethro!"

All of the guys looked towards where they heard the sound. They thought
it was Paolo.

"Great. I thought you weren't coming..." But then I looked around, it
wasn't Paolo.

It's...

"Paulie?" I stood up in awe.

"Paulie?!" All of the guys spoke out chorusly.

As soon as ecerybody stood up from the table Paolo enters Fidel and
immediately spots us.

"Paulie?" Paolo looked at Paulie.

"Paolo?" Paulie looked at Paolo

Staringly, they said...

"Cousin!"

"Cousins?" As I look both Paolo and Paulie, they both shook hands and
looked at me. Together they said...

"Jethro?" They looked at each other and realized. Paolo knows my first
love, but he didn't realize it was his cousin who came back from Cebu.
Paulie didn't know the person was I crazy in love was his cousin.

"Jethro?" They looked again at me.

I wanted to die.

To be continued...

************************************

for reactions, critiques please send me an email
at reggietangan@edsamail.com.ph
or visit my website at http://www.reggietangan.cjb.net/joy