hey guys, this is the second short story that I've written for my CW10 class. Ang hirap nga nitong isulat kasi ang hirap nung character profile na napunta sa akin. We we're forced to make a story out of a very peculiar character, so pagpasensyahan nyo na lang ito... i'd like to hear some of your critique of this story ... thanks and enjoy (I hope) reading!!!
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“Wake up sleepy head. We have a lot of things to do.” Chris lighted up a cigarette and took long deep puffs of intoxicating fumes. It was a peaceful Sunday morning. The mansion was quiet. Warm rays of sunlight penetrated the draperies festooned over the windows of the master bedroom. Pristine solitude reigned over the empty mansion. “Just fifteen more minutes. Besides, we’re in the Philippines now. Didn’t you tell me being late here in this country is just ok?” Brad turned onto his tummy and pressed his face firmly on his pillow. At just the tender age of 20, Christian Evans is living the American Dream. From being a humble PA, he becomes one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors not to mention one of the highest paid actors of his time. His latest movie “The Waiting Years” grossed at $50 million just on it’s first week. He owes it all to his friend Brandon McCormack. He was the only one who constantly pushed him to small insignificant roles in low budget films. “Hey, you’ve got to start small. Don’t worry; I know you’ll be big someday. I just know it!” Chris still remembers Brad’s encouraging words when he starred in an experimental film “The Abbey”, which critics hailed as a riveting performance by a newcomer. After giving such a breakthrough performance, Chris received many offers to star in movies by big shot Hollywood directors like Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. As a token of his insurmountable gratitude for all the things his friend Brad has done for him, Chris appointed Brad as his manager and publicist.
Chris smiled as he reminisced the good times he had with Brad - partying, drinking, smoking pot, and having wild sex. Chris never knew he was gay until he met Brad in college. Their friendship began when Chris bumped into Brad during lunch. Chris reverently apologized to Brad. He knew that if he didn’t, he’d get clobbered the next day. Brad had this cocky aura that enveloped him, which made him appear brutish. In reality, Brad is a cool, happy-go-lucky guy. He just looked that way because he believed that looking like a biker was cool. Brad said that it was ok and asked if Chris had company. “No. I have trouble making friends here. Everyone here is just so snobbish.” Chris uttered. “Don’t worry. I’m not snobbish though I believe that I’m part Scottish.” Brad joked. Chris laughed so hard people in the cafeteria stared at him. Brad said, “I think we ought to eat outside. People are starting to look at us like we’re a couple of Sloppy Joe’s waiting to get eaten.” Chris agreed and so they went out. From then on they we’re never apart, literally. They even shared an apartment near their college. After partying hard one night, they staggered their way back to their apartment. Drunk and woozy from heavy drinking and smoking weed, they both fell down on to the floor. Brad started to stare at Chris’s eyes deeply and said, “Man, you sure have beautiful eyes.” Chris replied, “Dude, I think you had too many booze. You’re starting to creep me out.” “But you’re just so damn hot. If I we’re a fag, I’d be on top of you right now and making sweet love to you.” Brad leered. Chris smirked and said, “Then why won’t you? What’s the matter, you chicken?” Without notice, Brad pressed his lips onto Chris’s and passionately kissed his best bud. Brad was never aware that secretly, Chris liked what he was doing to him. They stood up from the floor and slowly removed their clothes as they kissed and caressed each other. Brad pinned Chris down hard on the sofa. They both succumbed into blissful oblivion.
Their friendship had never been the same since that fateful incident. They had become what Westerners call “life partners” - the homosexual version of the heterosexual relationships. But misery seems to follow Chris. On a rainy night, Chris decided to go out to a fancy restaurant and book them a romantic candlelit dinner. What he saw in that restaurant was probably the most hurting thing Brad had done to him. He was there having a romantic candlelit dinner with a woman. She was a beautiful blonde babe with voluptuous bosoms and a delicate body. Chris couldn’t contain his anger. He knew that if he made a scene his career would be in hot water. He just went out of the restaurant and went into a dark alley and cried. He cried and wept as if someone or something very close to him had died. Yes, something had died and it’s his love for Brad. He took the ring on his coat’s pocket and looked at it with rage. It’s a beautiful 24-karat gold engagement ring. Apparently, he was going to propose to Brad on that romantic dinner he was going to book. He threw the ring into the street and he cried some more. He went into a gay bar and got wasted. He drank more than 20 bottles of beer and smoked a few joints. He saw this amazingly hot built young man on the dance floor. He approached him and asked if he could dance with him. He didn’t care about his career anymore. He didn’t care if he were to be identified in that bar. All that he wanted to was to make the pain go away. The young man agreed and they started to jive. The young man was checking him out; he was all over Chris. Why wouldn’t he check Chris out? After all, he did resemble Tom Cruise though not entirely. He had some features that vaguely resembled Shane West’s. His eyes, cheeks, and lips are that of Tom’s while his chin, his nose and ears are that of Shane’s. Chris stands six feet three inches tall and he also has a well-built body. So is there a reason not to like Chris? None and Chris knows it. The man asked Chris if they could go somewhere more private. Chris groggily agreed. The young man drove them to the nearest motel and they had what Chris thought was the most kinkiest and hottest sex he’s ever had with someone he never knew. He didn’t believe in casual sex but this time it’s different.
He broke up with Brad the very next day. He said he just couldn’t keep up with Brad’s games anymore. “What games? I’ve never played ANY games with you!” Brad shouted to Chris. “I saw you. I saw the whole thing. I saw you with a woman.” Chris muttered. “What? Is that what you’re jealous about? Chris, she’s my sister I’ve been talking about!” Brad argued. “Yeah, and I suppose groping and kissing your sister in public makes it more convincing.” Chris fettered to let his tears out. He didn’t want to show his weakness to Brad. “Please get out of my house.” Chris said while tears fell from his eyes.
Chris sighed and let out two glistening droplets of tears from his weary eyes. He couldn’t believe that after all that Brad had done to him, he would forgive him and let him keep his job as his manager-publicist. For friendship’s sake, he thought. Even if Brad had told him that he had a child with the woman in the restaurant, he still kept him close. Even if Chris knew that Brad was just using him, he still kept Brad close. Even if he wanted to let Brad go he couldn’t because he would just yearn for Brad’s comforting arms. He doesn’t know what he sees in Brad. Yeah, he’s a handsome fellow. He resembles Brad Pitt in every angle. His nose, lips, eyes – he’s the perfect clone of Brad Pitt. But beauty is skin deep, Chris always thought. But something about this guy makes his spine tingle and his heart beat faster. But what is it? Chris thought that he’d never know.
He took his turn-of-the-century pocket watch from a side table drawer. It reads 8:25. It has always been in that position. He never dared to have the darn old thing get fixed. He didn’t want his pocket watch to run again for it would mean him breaking a solemn promise to his beloved Pappy. This pocket watch was given to him by his great grandfather who raised him alone when his mother shot herself on the head when Chris was just 1. He was a great old fellow. He taught Chris many life skills that he possesses now. But the most important life skill that his Pappy taught him would have to be “constant vigilance”. “Never be struck down because you have neglected to be on the look out!” his Pappy would always say. But even more important than life skills, his Pappy also gave him a vintage pocket watch on his 8th birthday. Inside the cover he etched, “To my dearest apo, may this watch remind you of punctuality and constant vigilance! Love, Pappy.” He called his great grandfather Pappy because his Pappy reminded him of a character in the animated show Popeye. Pappy was Popeye’s father, ever watchful for his son’s protection. His Pappy worked at a steel factory, which gave him a well-built physique that just added to his resemblance of that cartoon character. He had snow-white hair, face etched with years of experience and a body similar to that of a 40 year old. They lived a happy content life on a dilapidated nipa hut somewhere in the outskirts of Manila. Chris had always wanted to be a doctor. He figured if his Pappy were to retire, he would have to take care of him. He reckoned being a doctor would certainly make his Pappy not just proud but all the more secured. His dreams of becoming a doctor came to a sad conclusion when his Pappy died in a bizarre accident in the steel factory. Apparently, the crane carrying a huge batch of steel rods malfunctioned and dropped the rods. His Pappy was directly below where the crane stopped so the one of the rods impaled him. At the precise moment, his pocket watch stopped when his Pappy died. At his Pappy’s wake, he promised to be a good boy and he also promised that he wouldn’t have his pocket fixed so that he’d always remember his Pappy - such stern words for a ten-year-old boy.
With no one else left to go, he braved the streets of Manila. He begged for alms, he picked pockets; he even ate out of garbage just to survive. An American by the name of John Evans adopted him on a massive adoption program of street children conducted by the DSWD. John Evans felt really sorry for the kid. The DSWD said that they found the kid unconscious on a street with his behind profusely bleeding. When the child came to, he told the DSWD that a foreigner abducted him and repeatedly raped him for nine days. John Evans happened to be a volunteer worker for UNESCO and wanted to help Chris get a fresh new start. John Evans legally adopted him and they flew back to America. He also christened the child with a new name – Christian Edward Evans. John was a great father. In fact, John reminded Chris of his beloved Pappy. When John asked why Chris didn’t look like a typical Filipino, he told him that his father was an American G.I. and his mother was a half-American half-Filipino prostitute in Subic. Chris politely asked John to stop his inquiries about his past. John understood Chris’s sentiments perfectly. Time went by, Chris grew into a fine young man, which made John extremely proud. He graduated top of his class in high school and had won a lot of competitions both in academics and sports. After his graduation, Chris asked his adoptive father if he could go to college in California. He missed the tropical climate of the Philippines and said that he couldn’t bear the chilly winters of New York. John agreed to his adoptive son’s suggestion and even gave him the keys to his new car. Chris hugged John tightly. “You know what dad, you’re the greatest thing ever to happen to me.” John smiled as tears of joy flowed from his eyes.
“It’s been fifteen minutes Brad. Wake up or we will be late for my press conference.” Chris was preparing their breakfast in the kitchen downstairs. They were staying at Chris’s mansion in Manila. He always wanted to have a mansion in his country. “Just a minute! God, is it really this hot in here every morning?” Brad complained. “Wait until the dry season kicks in, then you’ll know the meaning of hot.” Chris replied. Brad hugged him from behind and kissed him. “Oh I do know the meaning of the word hot.” Brad caressed Chris’s tummy and lingered down south. “Brad, you dirty little…” The melodious chimes of the doorbell interrupted Brad’s exploration. “I’ll get it.” Brad said. He hurriedly went to the door. “Just a minute! Shish, can’t you wait?” As Brad opened the door a familiar face registered on his sight. “Emily! But what are you doing here? How did you…?” Emily McCormack, his wife, interrupted Brad. “How dare you lie to me? How dare you! You always said that you and Chris are just friends! But what is this!” Emily threw black-and-white pictures of Brad and Chris kissing in a restaurant. “You had us snooped?” Brad queried. “Brad, I’m so sick and tired of you leaving me alone with Krista. I know that being a manager means being with your celebrity client all the time but IS HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM PART OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION TOO!” Emily dropped to her knees and shed tears. Brad tried to comfort her but she pushed him aside. “When will this charade ever end Brad? I thought you love me!” Emily wept bitterly. “I do love you, it’s just that…” Chris cut Brad short. “I want him by my side. I want him to be close to me. I want him to be with me, forever.” Chris finished what Brad was trying to say. “But, but, your relationship can’t be! You’re both men! Haven’t you two got the decency to act accordingly?” Emily argued. “He first loved me and you just came tagging along. You have no right whatsoever of owning him.” Chris was now furious. “BUT I’M HIS WIFE! Isn’t that proof enough! I need him Chris! I need him to be by my side more than ever now that we are going to have another baby.” Emily disputed. Chris was petrified after hearing those words. “You two pull yourselves together. We must go back to the States and go to my doctor immediately.” Brad was startled by what Chris said. “Why so you could remove my baby again! I know you Chris! I know that you were the one who encouraged Brad to have Krista aborted!” Emily furiously rebutted. “Emily! You shut your stupid mouth. You don’t know what you’re saying. Besides, it’s not good for you to be so mad. It’s not good for the baby.” Brad finally spoke. “No, I don’t want your baby to be aborted. Brad, I’m sick. And I think you have infected Emily and your unborn baby.” “Sick?” Brad questioned. “Brad, I’m sick and we need to get you two tested.” Chris reassured. “Tested for what? A severe case of herpes?” Emily joked unintentionally. “OF AIDS YOU BITCH!” Chris shouted so loud his voice echoed around the hollow mansion. Once again, silence reigned over the mansion. The hungry black clouds ate the cheerful sunlight. Soon it grew dark and thunder broke the deafening silence. It soon began to rain. First soft drizzle that soon became a harsh downpour. Lightning stroke here and there. The rain bombarded the hefty roof of the mansion. Brad broke down in tears. Chris never saw Brad cry. Brad always seemed strong able to take whatever misfortune life brings. But he wasn’t strong this time, this rainy Sunday morning.
