Array
(
[text] =>

A/N: Video: You Belong to Me covered by Jason Wade.

Chapter 19

Daniel's P.O.V

"Mate, you have to tell Angelo about it sooner or later." Alex threw his arm dramatically up in the air. He has been pestering me and his girlfriend Dianne in telling Angelo about Jared for the past week. We were at the lounge area of our class floor when he pulled me over to the corner of the room.

"I'll tell him soon... I just.." I was cut off when the guy with the softest voice I've heard at our back spoke up.

"What is he gonna tell me?"

We both look at our back at the same to find Angelo standing, his right eyebrow quirked as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was wearing a hooded leather jacket and he looks really good in it. In fact, he looks good on whatever he wears.

You see, one more day to go and it had been a month since Angelo accepted my offer to court him. I never thought that courting process would take a lot of time and effort just to get the precious dream of my life; or at least to Angelo.

Australians nowadays wouldn't even know the meaning of courting- and that includes me; well before I decided to pursue Angelo. Most of aussie lads would just asked a girl out and see where things would go and the first date would either end up in kissing or in bed, either way it would always end up in sexual exploration.

But the thing with Angelo was all new and challenging to me- and I love challenges. I guess that was the reason why I never been into serious relationship after Jared's mother, it was the challenge I was looking for and obviously, most girls I dated were never been a challenge. They were easy and doesn't give a damn what I really wanted.

With Angelo, everything was worth it.

It started just as when I received an urgent call from Veronica, Saturday morning. That time, it has been a week when Angelo decided to avoid me because I confessed that I liked him. The poor guy was so confused and all I want is to comfort him but he just won't let me. I could see the fear in his eyes while his tears were falling down from them. But I didn't regret anything in confessing my true feelings for him because it was all true, and I was determined to prove it to him and to everyone.

After receiving the distress call from Veronica, I quickly dialed Dianne and Alex to come and meet Veronica with me. Since No Limits Bar, our usual meeting place, was holding a bachelor party that day, Dianne offered her place to meet up. And so we did.

I came to Dianne's house just right after Alex and Veronica. We were all present there except the subject of our urgent meeting, which would be Angelo, but we had two extra company- Dianne's parents, and considering that they were with us around the table, I took it as a sign that they know the situation.

I told everybody what happened and how I feel sorry about Angelo's feeling that moment. I told them that I actually didn't have any plan on how to proceed from what I've started. To my confusion, I spilled my juice that Liam- Dianne's dad, offered me twice, until Veronica decided to let me get dehydrated and not give me a glass of water anymore.

After telling what happened a week before, Dianne's parents started to tell their story. Of course the girls and surprisingly Alex were interested and keen to hear their story. Turns out that Liam and Scott were both straight before they met each other. Their story was full of confusion, hurting each other unintentionally, arguing, competition and making up. In the end, they accepted each other and what they were feeling for each other even if a lot of people around them were against their relationship. They weren't classifying themselves as 'gay' but rather 'straight' as they were not attracted to other guy. I could say that what they have was true love and that they were really soul mate. It's just the hateful society who tries to cut the bond of soul to each other if the two people weren't strong enough to fight for it.

It seemed like my situation with Angelo had some similarities with Liam and Scott after all.

Veronica told me that she would make sure that Angelo would give me a chance to prove my worth to him. She said that she would meet Angelo the next day and talk to her until she convinced him to let me once again.

"So if he ever gave you chance, what would your next move?" Alex asked, while hugging Dianne from behind her. Everybody looked at my direction and all I did was shrugged my shoulder.

"I don't know actually. Maybe, asked him in a dinner date, give him a flower and chocolates, or a puppy or a baby?... or what did I say? We couldn't have a baby, could we?" I stammered.

Everybody looked at me and sighed in unison. "Mate.." Scott looked at me. "Angelo is not a girl and flowers and chocolates would just hurt his ego. After all, Angelo is still a man."

"And he hates me calling him Angie because it was too girly according to him, remember?" Veronica huffed.

"Well, what should I do?" I asked to no one in particular.

Everybody went into thinking until Alex had a bright idea. "Say, what was Angelo's national background?"

"He's half-Filipino and half-Italian. But he spent most his life living in the Philippines." I answered quickly.

Dianne and Veronica sniggered. "Looks like someone is paying a close attention" said Dianne.

I blushed a bit but straightened my seat to act cool. "So what it has to do with my next move for Angelo?"

Veronica's face lit up as if she got what Alex wants to say. "Yes, that's right. You're a genius Alex!" Veronica boomed.

Veronica told me that every culture has different strategy to woo a girl, or in Angelo's case, a boy. Since Angelo has been living in Philippines his entire life, he might be consider my plan to get him in Filipino way.

After the meeting, we thanked Liam and Scott for their hospitality as well as Dianne. Alex decided to stay in Dianne's place for a while, that left Veronica and me to go on our way.

While I was walking up to my car, Veronica called me from my behind and waved me to come closer to her. And I did.

"I have to tell you something that might help..." she whispered. I wait for her to continue. She heaved a big sigh. "I am not in the position to tell you this but it's for his sake."

"What are you talking about?" I was confused all of a sudden.

She sighed again. "I'm talking about Angelo. I won't give you the detailed version but the overview will suffice.  Did you see the fear in his eyes when you confessed to him?" I nodded. "Well, it's because he's afraid to get hurt again."

"Why? What happened? You said again..." I asked.

"You see, there's this guy named Nathan. He was Angelo's best friend and..." she paused a moment while looking at me. "...first loved." I felt a twinge of jealousy and my face betrayed me from hiding it. Veronica looked at me but said nothing. "Long story short, Nathan love Angelo but it wasn't same as Angelo feels. So, Angelo decided to come with his mother here in Australia and he never talked to Nathan or to any guy for a long time."

I was trying to contemplate the idea of someone hurting Angelo. It was just so wrong, the guy was pure and innocent and all that stupid Nathan did was break his heart.

I was cut off from my thinking when Veronica snap her finger. "What I'm trying to say is that Angelo is broken. And I trust you that you can fix him. That's why I'm helping you. But if you hurt him once, I would never forgive you." Veronica had some teary eyes while saying those last words, and I could really feel that Angelo was really important to her.

When I came home, I didn't waste any time researching about Filipino culture on asking a person out. The whole research ended up in one word: Courtship. I clicked on several links and most of them were saying the same strategy. These includes Harana  (serenade; a guy singing to the girl he wanted to court outside the girl's home during night or day), courting the parents as well, flowers, and be a gentleman.

I could try to do the Harana with Alex as my guitarist. I'm confident about my voice though Alex always complains about my singing. According to my best friend, I always sound like a dying whale whenever I sing. Well, I beg to differ because Jared always wakes up to my singing every morning, I can say it was pretty effective to my son.

I couldn't wait for Wednesday to come to university and see Angelo. Though, the worry inside me hasn't subsided yet, I'm pretty confident that Veronica did her job really well.

Sunday evening, while Jared and I were having a dinner and my mum was away, I got a call from Veronica telling me that Angelo was willing to give me a chance. I did my happy dance with Jared laughing at me the whole time. Veronica added that Angelo has no idea that she spoke with me and the group and warned me not to messed things up. And I promised that I won't.

Monday and Tuesday was the usual office work as a part time clerk. However, I didn't feel I was working all along because I was too busy thinking about the strategies to court Angelo. It gives me a tingling sensation in my gut.

Wednesday came and I couldn't calm my heart pounding hard in my chest all the way to the University. I even asked Alex if he can give me a lift. I couldn't drive because my hands was sweating and shaking up from tense.

I almost run over with Angelo again just as when we were getting out from the elevator. Surprisingly, he was the first one to say 'hi' to us with his usual satisfying smile. The awkward atmosphere between us seemed to evaporate right after he flashed his smile.

We went to the class like the usual, just like before the confession and awkwardness strikes.  Just like before, we were back to talking to each other again, sharing stories and jokes as if nothing had happened. But then again, this is Angelo. He is good in hiding his feeling and I can feel it.

Right after the class, Alex went ahead to pick up Dianne from their house to give her a lift. That left me with Angelo alone.

"Would you....would you...." I tried to say something but I just chocked up every word I was trying to say.

"Have lunch together? Of course I do." He offered, walking ahead of me leaving me behind.

He ordered his usual favourite lunch- KFC gravy ,while I got a sandwich from Subway. We were eating silently under the shed on the Parkland until the freaking ugly Ibis bird decided to snatch up my food from my hand.

Angelo laughed at my reaction as I tried to get my sandwich back. Unfortunately, the ugly bird knows how to fly and it took my sandwich with him.

As soon as Angelo's laughed died out, awkward silence enveloped us once again, and so I decided to break the ice.

"Anj..." I started. He looked up at me with his brown tantalizing eyes. "I'd like to say sorry about what happened before...I shouldn't have..." I shook my head.

"What? You're regretting that you told me about your feelings?" he asked, his face expressionless.

"No.." I said, a bit louder so birds around us flew away. Angelo snickered. "I mean, I would never regret my feelings for you. I would never hurt you and if you could just give a chance to prove myself to you...."

"I'm broken Daniel." He said, lowering his gazed on the ground.

"I'll fix you. I wouldn't try but I will do. I promise that I will fix you." I said sincerely. He looked at me, his eyes were full of worry and fear but I gave him a look of determination and passion and love.

"I know nothing about courtship." I took his hand. "But for you, I will court you until the day I die."

He smiled and stood up from his seat and he started to walked. I followed through, trailing behind him until I caught up by his side. "Will you give me a chance?" I asked, hoping and praying that he would say yes.

"Yes." That's all he said. I stopped right on my track while he continued to walk back to the university. I was standing on my track and my mouth was probably hanging wide open. I couldn't believe that he said yes to me, even though Veronica gave me a head start. It just feels good to hear it coming from him. I made my victory dance in my head as I ran to catch up on him.

The first week of my strategy was full of chocolates and cards and love letters to Angelo. Everyone was looking at me whenever I slip a letter in Angelo's bag or leave it on his table. The letters were full of cheesy and romantic pick-up lines that Alex taught me. However, Angelo doesn't seem impressed by it and the chocolates would always end up in Alex stomach. Angelo, before I knew it because Veronica forgotten to tell me, doesn't like chocolates or any too sweet stuff. I guess my letters were sweet that's why he wasn't impressed as well.

The next week, I tried to add up some spice to my romantic strategy. Veronica said that Angelo love green rose. So I ordered a dozen of it just for him. Unfortunately, the nearest flower parlour in town doesn't sell green roses. So I bought white ones and had to improvise instead. I bought a colour green dye and soaked the roses for all day. The next morning, the roses were all green but much darker shade of green. When I gave it to Angelo, he just looked at it and told me that it was fake. Of course I denied it. But Angelo had a way to tell if I'm lying or not, until I admitted that the roses were really white and that I just soaked it up in dye. To my surprise, he actually liked my effort for making it green for him and he appreciated it a lot. I finally got 1 point!

Third week has been improving and Angelo was finally noticing my effort. However, I felt that it wasn't enough to get his sweet 'yes' so I had to end up in my biggest weapon and final resort- The Harana.

I planned it with Alex since, who by the way doesn't like the idea of it. I wonder why. Anyhow, he agreed to help me and be my guitarist while I take the role of singer. We planned it to do at around 6 o'clock in the evening when Angelo is surely home. And so we did it.

Angelo's apartment neighbourhood was silent and the dog in the next apartment was howling. We stood right in front of Angelo's door while Alex was trying to fix his out of tune guitar. Then he did the first strum of it. The dog kept on howling. And then I started the first stanza of 'You Belong To Me' by Bob Dylan. The other dogs started to bark and they almost beat my lovely voice by it. Alex was trying not to laugh but I could feel his shoulder shaking while keeping his out of tune guitar playing. The lights of the neighbourhood turned on one by one followed by a guy screaming 'Shut up!' Poor guy, I bet he doesn't know the real meaning of romanticism that was defined by my voice.

I finished the second stanza of the song but Angelo hasn't come out yet, but I was sure he was home. Alex almost died from trying not to laugh for unknown reason, I wonder if my best mate hit his head and got crazy. Just as when I was about to hit the chorus for the second time, Angelo came out from his apartment with a surprised gasped.

"Oh my gosh! What are you doing?" he whispered yelled. I didn't answer him; instead, I kept on singing and finished my song. After I finished, I gave him a smile and took a bunch of green dyed roses from my behind and gave it to him. One of the neighbour shouted 'if you do it again, I'm gonna call the police!'

I was about to retort when Angelo took the flowers from me and laughed. Alex didn't held himself anymore and laughed the hell out of him with Angelo while I was there standing confuse in front of them. Angelo then screamed sorry to the guy who threatened  to call the police. I thought maybe he wanted to show the police my talent as well.

"What are you doing?" Angelo asked me for the second time.

"I'm doing a Harana for you." I answered. Angelo wiped the tears away on his eyes from laughing so hard. He then invited us to come inside his apartment. Alex, still laughing so hard, refused to come and left me alone with Angelo.

The man of my dream offered me a glass of orange juice while watching some anime from his television. Angelo defines cuteness just by himself.

"Why did you that Harana for?" he asked while sitting on his couch.

"Well, I just want to show you my talent. I hoped you liked it, though Alex's guitar was a bit out of tuned." I explained. He then laughed hysterically while holding his stomach. That was the cutest and most real Angelo I've ever seen since I met him.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry.... It's just..." he couldn't continue as he started to laughed again. After a while, he calmed down and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Daniel, I'm not a girl." He started. "I appreciate your effort from chocolates..." I cut him off.

"That Alex ate..." I chimed. He then sniggered.

"..Yeah. And from the cards, and the love letter that full of cheesy remarks, the green roses and now this Harana." He sighed. "But I'm not a girl. All I want you to do is be the real you. I want you tell and show me the real you, and I to you in return."

"I'm sorry, I thought since you're a Filipino, courting you is the best way to ask you out." I told him, a little bit embarrassed now.

He smiled. "Daniel, we're on 21st century now. Though I appreciate your way of courtship, but let's be honest, that strategy was way back 1800's." I scratched my head while thinking about my research about courtship, and he was right, all that I did was way back my grand-grandfather's days. "I don't want to forget all the things you did as it was really sweet. But now, can we start over again by sharing the story of our lives with each other."

Ever since that night, the endless talking and chats and text messages have started until the rest of the month. I learned a lot more about Angelo aside from my personal observation and so he did about me, though, I still avoided telling him the truth about Jared.

Right now, I was standing in front of him. He was waiting for me to tell it to him, though he doesn't have any idea on what it was about. Or so I thought.

"I'm outta here." Alex slid away and ran down to the stairs. 'That traitor.' I thought to myself. I faced back Angelo. "Let's sit right over there." I offered. He nodded and followed me to table just outside the balcony of the building.

"I've wanted to tell you this for a long time now, but it always seems like I couldn't find the right moment." I started. He was looking at me, his face was expressionless and I couldn't read what he's thinking. So I continued talking. "I have a son."

[text_hash] => d7b3775d
)