Bakla Ako, May Reklamo?

The school sent the students unusually early that day. Like he always did after the usual end of class, James went with the other boys from the third grade class to the nearby church courtyard to play. He was the youngest in the class and he was the frail and lanky boy who was always bullied. But this did not stop him from joining the other boys. After all, his older brother was one of them. After playing tag, luksong baka, hide and seek, and all those other games that boys of his generation played, Ferman — one of the older guys in the group asked James if they could all go home with him and continue playing there. Excited to bring home some friends and show off his new Nintedo Family Computer, James agreed.

Only two other boys went with Ferman and James as the others already went home with their yayas, who apparently have gotten wind of the early dismissal and fetched their wards at the “usual” playground. So Ferman, Rick, Sean and James spent the rest of the afternoon playing the then-newest and coolest games on the “famicom”. Afternoon nap was a requirement in James’s household and his yaya, Melody, made sure this was enforced. Rick and Sean were not big fans of the afternoon naps, and wanting to spend the rest of their free afternoon playing, decided to go home. Ferman stayed and Melody willingly accommodated Ferman and allowed him to sleep on the other bed.

James was not a big fan of this sleeping rule either so he pretended to sleep until he sensed that Melody was already in the living room watching her daily dose of daytime soaps. But even before he got up from bed, Ferman was already atop his small, lanky body, kissing his lips. James hesitated and sat up, forcing Ferman to the side.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m a boy, you’re a boy! We can’t kiss,” said James angrily.

“No, it’s not like that. I’m just practicing. Have you ever kissed a girl before,” Ferman replied brutely.

“Nope.”

“Well then, today’s your lucky day. You’re gonna learn from a pro. I’ve kissed a lot of girls before and it’s fun.”

“But I’m only 8. I’m not expected to kiss girls yet. You’re already 10, you, can kiss girls.”

“Don’t you have a crush in school? Come on?”

“Yes I do. But I wont tell you. It’s a secret. I don’t want her to find out.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Well, I have the biggest crush on Leila! She’s my crush! There, I said it. Now tell me who your crush is.”

With a bit of awkwardness and a childish kilig, James uttered the name of the most beautiful girl in the world in his eyes,”Catherine.”

“Hah! I’m gonna tell her and everyone else!”

“No! Please don’t! It’s a secret! It’s our secret. Promise I won’t tell Leila or anyone else.”

“Okay, but on one condition. You have to kiss me.”

“But why? It’s gross. Kissing boys is gross!”

“No, just think of it as a practice. Let’s just think that we’re kissing our crushes. It’s really that easy.”

“I don’t know. We can practice with our hands. Besides, we’re not gay. Are you?”

“No, I’m not. That’s why we’re practicing to kiss so when we kiss them, they will like it and we will not be embarassed.”

“Still. No.”

“Oh, come on. You’re such a sissy! Fag!”

“I’m not! I’m not a sissy! I’m not a fag.”

“If you’re not, then kiss me!”

With aversion in his eyes, James gave in. No one is gonna call him a sissy nor a fag and he will, at all cost, make sure of that. Ferman raised his right hand up to James’s eyes and gently covered them. As soon could see nothing but white glistening dust spots in the midst of darkness, James felt Ferman’s hot, warm breath enveloped his lips. In his mind, James imagining Catherine’s red lips, her pale fair skin, her charming eyes. Catherine was now kissing him — gently, softly. Then he felt Catherine inch her tongue slowly into his mouth. Ah, the taste of sweetness! His young, untrained member started getting stiff, but he didn’t budge. Until he felt a hand on it.

He opened his eyes and realized what was going on. Catherine’s face was now replaced by Ferman’s.

This is a sin! He was not supposed to think about things of this nature yet, much less act on it. He pushed Ferman away.

“This is wrong! We’re too young! And we’re both boys!”

“It’s not wrong. We’re just practicing remember?”

“But not like this! You told me we were just gonna kiss. But you put your tongue inside my mouth!”

“It’s part of the drill. You have to use your tongue when you kiss!”

“But…”

“Tell me you didn’t like it.”

“I did, but… we’re both boys!”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re just getting ready to kiss girls. Come on, let’s try it again.”

“No, I don’t want to. It’s…”

“If you don’t, I’m gonna tell everyone in school that you kissed me.”

Scared of being called a fag by his peers, the innocent boy agreed with much hesitation. Ferman instructed him to just “feel” it and think of Catherine. This kiss was longer. James wanted to stop, but the taste of Catherine’s sweet lips was overpowering. James started fighting playfully with her tongue. It was blissful. Then he felt it again. His growing member was now hard as wood. He felt a warm hand getting inside his knickers. He didn’t stop it. At this point, he knew it wasn’t Catherine’s. But he did not stop. At the back of his mind was his friends laughing at him and calling him names. And oddly, he was liking what Ferman was doing to him.

With his free hand, Ferman got James’s right hand and brought it closer to his crotch. James was shaking in fear. Ferman wanted him to follow his lead…

[TO BE CONTINUED]