The Gay That Broke My Heart

Chapter 6

"Lola Rosing, I'm home!" Czarina yelled the moment she opened the door to their house.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Lola Rosing shouted. "Come here and eat some merienda! I'm cooking banana cue."

And true enough, Czarina could hear the splashes of hot oil from the kitchen.

"Wow, that's my favorite!" She excitedly exclaimed. She put her bag on the couch and took off her shoes. She put her shoes neatly on the shoe rack that was just beside the main door. "By the way, Lola, I'm with my newly found friends."

"Really?" Lola Rosing immediately turned down the stove before excitedly going to the living room, which was partitioned by an elegant curtain made of seashells.

Rosing is excited that her granddaughter has already made friends on her first day of school, but at the same time, she's also nervous that Czarina will befriend those troublesome kids. Rosing parted the curtain and saw two boys and a girl who looked familiar to her.

“Hi, Lola Rosing!” Eve greeted Rosing while waving her right hand.

“Oh, hi, Eve! How’s your mother?” Rosing smiled when she recognized the girl. It’s the daughter of her goddaughter, Anna.

“You know my grandmother?” Czarina curiously asked.

The two men were just looking at the three of them having a conversation.

“Yep! She’s my mother’s godmother.” Eve turned to Lola Rosing. “Lola, I didn’t know you were the grandmother of Czarina. Is she the one you’re referring to before—the one you always mention in your stories?”

“Oh, yeah, she is,” Rosing giggled as if she remembered something naughty.

“Lola! Did you just gossip about me?” Czarina unbelievably asked her grandmother. She couldn’t believe that her grandmother was talking about her behind her back.

“Oh, no, Czarina. It’s not what you think. It is. Lola Rosing was just so proud of you that she kept on mentioning your name in every single story she told us,” Eve chuckled.

Czarina looked at Lola Rosing to get an explanation, but Rosing just shrugged.

“And who are these two handsome young men?” Rosing asked, changing the topic. It was as clear as day that Rosing didn't want to talk about it. She even averted her gaze from Czarina.

I wonder what Lola Rosing told them about me. Czarina thought.

“Lola, I’m Carlos. We met at the school during enrollment. And this is Angelo.”

Angelo slightly smiled when he met Lola Rosing’s eyes.

“Oh, yes! I remember you now.” Rosing’s eyes lit. It seemed like her granddaughter had found great friends. And she’s glad—very glad. “Well, I’m glad that I now know my granddaughter’s friends. It makes me feel at ease. Now come, all of you, follow me to the kitchen. I bet you are all hungry.”

Czarina wanted to ask more questions, but it seemed like her grandmother had no plans to answer them while her newfound friends were still around. So, she quietly followed them to the kitchen. She was the last one who entered the kitchen. Czarina saw that three of her friends were already sitting at the dining table while her grandmother gave each of them a plate and a fork. Czarina went to the cupboard and took five tall glasses. She put it on the table and then went to the fridge to get the orange juice. After a few seconds, Czarina is now pouring the orange juice into each glass and passes it to her friends while her grandmother puts the banana cue on a serving plate and places it in the middle of the table.

“Sit down, Czarina. You eat as well,” Rosing commanded. She went back to frying the bananas, and while waiting for those to be cooked, she put some banana cues in the food containers.

“How about you, Lola?” Eve asked while putting the banana cue on her plate. On the other hand, the two guys are already eating the banana cue.

“Oh, I’m good. I’m already full. I was eating those while cooking,” Rosing replied with a smile on her face. “By the way, why are you all here anyway? I’m sure you just didn’t drop Czarina off here without any reason.”

“Oh yes, Lola.” Eve swallowed her food first before answering, “The reason why we are here is that we want to ask your permission. Is it okay for us to invite Czarina this coming Friday? It’s my birthday, Lola, and we are hoping that you’ll allow her. And oh, you can also come, Lola.”

“Oh no, no.” Rosing waved her hand and gazed at Czarina, who was silently eating, not even looking at her.

Czarina knew that her grandmother would say no. She already anticipated it. After what had happened to her parents, she doubted that her grandmother would allow her.

“I’m too old for that.“

I knew it. Cytherea sighed. It would be so hard for her grandmother to trust her again after what had happened to her parents.

“But, yeah. You can go, Czarina.” Czarina’s eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t believe it. Did she hear it right? “It would be better for you to socialize with the other teenagers. Besides, I appreciate that your friends are the ones asking permission on your behalf. For them to have that courage only means that you’re in good hands, and they will not do anything to put you in trouble,” Rosing added.

“Oh my god! Thank you so much, Lola! You really are the best!” Eve was beaming with happiness. She even gave Lola Rosing two thumbs up.

“Thank you for the trust, Lola Rosing,” Carlos thanked Lola Rosing as well and Angelo gave Lola Rosing a gentle smile.

“You’re all welcome. Now, eat. I’ll pack some banana cues, too, so you can all bring them at home.”

Czarina stared at Rosing. Their eyes met and Czarina was in so much awe when her grandmother smiled gently at her before returning her attention to her cooking again. She suddenly felt emotional. Unshed tears were starting to form at the corner of her eyes.

Czarina looked at the ceiling in hopes that it would prevent her tears from falling.

So, this is what it feels like to have actual consent to do something you love or want to try to do, she thought to herself.

Deep inside her heart, she is happy that her grandmother permitted her to go, but at the same time, she is sad because of a lot of what-ifs. What if she told her parents that she was invited to a party? Would they allow her? Will they still end up arguing in the car? Will they still be alive? Will she be able to live her life differently? What if she was being honest? What if she didn't pretend that she's a goody-goody kid?

She no longer had answers to those, but maybe what happened today gave her the hint that it's better to be truthful. Czarina felt a warm feeling in her heart. Guess this is indeed a good place to restart my life and make good choices.

Thinking of a new fresh start, Czarina chatted with her newfound friends while enjoying the banana cues to their hearts' content. Rosing gently smiled as she saw her granddaughter smiling and laughing with her friends. Somehow, it gave her relief and put her heart at ease. She knows the parents of her granddaughter's new friend and they're good people. And for sure, they have also raised a good daughter. This time, Rosing knows that Czarina is finally surrounded by great teenagers who are not troublesome.

"It's already 5:30 PM, you should all go home already. Do your parents know you're here?" Lola Rosing asked when she noticed that the kids were still having a great time chatting. " The sun's down and your parents might be wondering why you're not home yet," she added.

"Oh, I already messaged my mother, Lola Rosing," Eve politely answered.

"Me too, they know we're here," Carlos stated.

"Same here, Lola," Angelo said as well.

"Wait, wait, wait," Czarina interrupted. She even raised both her hands as if she was stopping a car from both directions. "How did you guys send messages to your parents? I mean there's no phone signal here."

"Umm... wifi?" - Eve

"We have wifi, Lola?" Czarina asked. Her eyes were beaming with anticipation.

"Wifi? What is that?" Lola Rosing curiously asked. Her eyebrows crossed.

Czarina's shoulders dropped. She thought she'd be able to have access to the internet again, but boy, she's so wrong!

"There's an internet cafe, five houses away from here. You can purchase an hourly rate which is fifteen pesos to connect to their wifi," Carlos informed her.

"Really?" Czarina's face lit up. "Oh my god! I'm really going to purchase it to get access. Can we go now? Pretty please?" Czarina begged.

"Of course, I have to purchase it as well," Eve agreed. She stood up and gathered the dirty utensils and put them on the sink.

Carlos also stood up and took the rag beside the sink and started to wipe the dining table. Angelo, on the other hand, took the broom and started to sweep the floor.

Czarina felt so embarrassed watching her friends do the household chores while she was still sitting on the chair, doing nothing.

Eve was about to clean the dishes when Lola Rosing stopped her. "Oh, just leave it be. I'll take care of that, besides you are not allowed to touch the dishes since you haven't slept here yet."

"Huh?" Czarina strangely asked.

"It's a superstitious belief," Angelo explained. "They say it brings bad luck for someone to wash dishes in someone else's house. It's only okay if you have already slept in the house."

"Oh, really?" - Czarina.

"More importantly, it's rude to make the guests clean," Lola Rosing added. "Why don't you eat dinner first before you go to the internet cafe? Dinner is almost ready anyway."

"I'm sorry, Lola Rosing. I'm still full from the banana cue," Carlos declined, which was seconded by the others. "We will have to go home too after we drop Czarina again, but thanks, Lola Rosing. Next time we will definitely taste your specialty."

"That's great. Okay, I will not force all of you, but here, bring this home." Rosing handed the three of them each plastic bag that contains a food container full of the banana cue.

"Wow, thanks, Lola Rosing. You're the best!" Eve exclaimed.

"Thanks, Lola!" Carlos and Angelo said at the same time.

"You're always welcome. Now, go! It's getting dark already."

After the three said their thank-yous and goodbyes, they hurriedly went to the internet cafe and purchased wifi access. Each access is only good for an hour. After paying, they were provided with a small piece of paper that had a password to the wifi on it. Czarina bought a good for ten hours' worth of access. She was so happy that, finally, she was able to update her status. More importantly, Carlos is already her friend on FaceNovel!

Just how great was her first day of school?!