Chapter 31
COSETTE
“Have you told your mom already about our weekend plans?”
It was the week before our midterm exams as seniors, and Dex suggested we free up this weekend to sneak in some study time at their place in Beaufort.
“Yeah. Surprisingly, she was a little suspicious when I said I’m going with two other guys, but was more than happy to allow me when I mentioned you were coming,” he said, eyes still on the road as he was driving us to school.
“Well, your mom knows me. She knows I’m not the kind to say we’re going somewhere to study but really we’ll be… doing, uh— something else.”
Smooth. Real smooth, Cosette.
As if things between us weren’t already awkward the past few weeks.
Since that first date when we almost had sex if not for my forgetful self that I no longer have the house to myself, we haven’t tried anything yet.
It doesn’t help that we’ve practically had phone sex, masturbating while looking at each other through our windows.
I mean, it’s pretty clear that I’m no longer the innocent virgin I once was, but Nero and I haven’t seen each other naked yet. Things were easier with Siege and Dex the first time because I didn’t know them since I was in my early teens, unlike how I’ve known Nero for years.
It’s not that I didn’t want to try, but it’s different when the heat was naturally there, and not having a parentless home was a surefire way to kill the mood.
Have I mentioned how my dad has been working from home since the night I told him that I had three boyfriends?
Yeah. Just because he’s accepting doesn’t mean he’s supportive in all aspects of this relationship.
Still, I respect my dad too much to complain. After all, his house, his rules.
“Are you riding me?” He suddenly asked, trying to fill the silence that grew in the car, but it seemed he was having the same line of thinking as I had been before he realized his mistake. “I mean, are you riding with me? To, uh— their place. After school. On Friday.”
If I were a third person in this whole debacle, I probably would’ve laughed at how tense we both are. After choking on my own spit.
“Yeah. I’d love to ride… with you.”
I was practically flying out of Nero’s pickup once we were parked, pushing the door even though Dex was already on the other side pulling it open for me.
“Woah, easy there, sweetheart,” he said at the force of my push, a hand on the door to stop it from hitting the car parked next to us.
It didn’t take long for him once he looked me and Nero over, seeing the aversion of our eyes and the faint redness on our cheeks.
Dex sent a subtle smirk my way, making me heat up even more as he said, “Still no action, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, wanting to pinch his side, but I didn’t want to turn violent when it’s not a life or death situation. “Want to get booted from the group chat again?”
The threat was effective enough that the smirk vanished from his lips, only rolling his eyes as he greeted me a good morning with a kiss on the lips.
Siege came for me right after, giving me the same peck without a care in the world that we were out in the open at school.
To be fair, I couldn’t find it in me to care, too. Until I was pulling away, seeing Nero and the jealousy flashing in his eyes.
“Dad, we’re studying. Dex and Siege are asking me and Nero to help them review for the exams. It’s not like we’re going to be out and about, committing crimes around town,” I said, groaning as I sat on the couch, arms crossed as he towered over me.
I practiced what to say the whole day so that it would sound as innocent as possible, but he was already saying ‘no’ before I could even get out the whole spiel I prepared.
“So, you’re going to be inside the whole time?”
“Yes!”
“You’re going to be inside a house, for forty-eight hours straight with three men who are your boyfriends. That correct?”
I walked straight into that one, didn’t I?
“Yes, studying.”
Dad looked at me as if he were a sassy mean girl, complete with his hand now on his waist as he popped one hip out.
“Look, dad. I respect you. I respect our relationship, and I know all of this has been out of character for me. That you’re not used to me being this open with boys, and love.
I know you look at me and still think I’m your little girl.
In some ways, I would still be. But I’m going off to college soon, and I’d rather not have to keep things secret from you just to avoid feeling like I’m disappointing you,” I said, getting it off my chest.
I thought back to the night that I confessed to him, introduced my guys to him, and sometimes, I would wonder if under everything, maybe he was still questioning my choices.
Apart from the three, Dad was the next person I can think of to whom I can share my secrets too. Maybe we wouldn’t be as close as real best friends do because I’d rather die than let him be privy to my sex life, but I want him to be someone I can trust, knowing he wouldn’t judge me.
At the look on my face, he sighed, kneeling down in front of me as his own expression softened.
“You’re not disappointing me,” he said, cupping both my cheeks in his palms, tapping them softly in a fatherly way.
“If anything, I’m disappointed that maybe I’ve been too focused on work that we haven’t had a heart-to-heart talk in forever.
You used to tell me about cute boys in school, you know?
I’m not sure you remember, but you would, when I take you to Jodi’s and buy you a milkshake. ”
Surprisingly, I do remember.
“Yeah, but that was in middle school. Even if you bribed me with milkshakes from Jodi’s now, don’t expect me to start talking about my guys like I would with a girl friend.”
My dad only chuckled, nodding and putting his hands on the couch on both sides of my knees.
“Maybe not. But I do want to be the cool dad you talk to when you want to ask what kind of gifts one of your boyfriends would want for their birthday. Or when you need to cool down after a fight with them and you need me to pick you up. I realize now that by being strict, well, it might just push you farther away. Am I right?”
I pursed my lips, really thinking about it before I shook my head. “Maybe? I doubt it. You know I’m way too much of a people-pleaser. Though, I’d appreciate it if you trusted me to become my own person and explore.”
Dad broke into a smile at that, no doubt appreciating my honesty. “Good. I guess I don’t completely have you wrong, anak.”
He stared at me for a long time, then he nodded, spreading his arms wide. I took the cue, leaning in for a hug, and for once, I felt like the puzzle pieces in my life were falling into place.
Because a part of me always worried that I’d have to keep my dad and my guys separate. That this whole polygamy thing would be a problem, not with strangers who I don’t care about, but with my dad, who was an important part of my being.
“I love you, anak. I am always here for you, and please, just… just be safe,” he muttered to my temple, and I nodded, my hug around him tightening.
“I love you too, dad. Trust me when I say, you’re part of the reason I vow never to settle with men who won’t treat me right. How could I when I have a man like you as my dad?”
Instead of melting at my sweet talking, dad only laughed, pulling away, and turning around to walk back to the kitchen where he was cooking our dinner. “Ikaw talaga, mambobola ka. Sige na, you can go to your weekend thing.”
“Love you,” I sing-songed, standing up and heading up the stairs to start packing my overnight bag.
Out of habit, I looked out of my sheer curtains, seeing Nero topless, doing the same thing.
And all I could think about for the rest of the day was how I’m thankful that I had made no kind of promise to dad that we’d only be studying.