The Code of Aries ?

(50) Truth or Dare

"Spill the tea, Dom! Who is it? How'd you meet? Does he go to our school?" Mae asked while everyone else threw me questions left and right, hoping to know more about my private love affairs.

"Aren't I only supposed to answer only one question?" I teasingly ask, so another senior turns the bottle again and purposely stops it in my direction, making me laugh.

"Now you have to answer," they insist.

I hide my smile as I take a sip of my beer. While looking at the fire, I decide to tell them my 'secret' relationship in the most open yet private way possible. I want to brag about the person I love, after all. This is my only chance to do so.

"I'm only going to share a few things because I respect my partner's wish for privacy," I start, and the others already start teasing me before I can say anything else.

"Our paths crossed unexpectedly, and for a while, I thought the universe was just teasing me for making me meet such a person. We actually hated each other at first, but we eventually found common ground and somehow became friends. This person is the most breathtaking human being my eyes have ever laid upon, and the way they speak and carry themselves shows a maturity that balances out when we're alone because I'm the only one privileged enough to see his childish side. I may not be able to scream it to the world yet, but I love this person very much. That's all I can say," I say, and the group becomes completely quiet.

I expected them to cheer and tease me, but they didn't. And while everyone didn't say anything, Ashley grabbed my hands and squeezes it. And when I looked up, I saw Diane shedding a tear.

"Domingo, that is the most romantic thing I've ever heard someone say," Mae says, wiping the tears from her eyes as well. "Some of you might be a little dense, but as you might not know, I'm trans. And I hope one day I can meet someone who can talk about me in such a beautiful and respectful way like that," Mae then reveals, instantly putting a smile on my face.

Everyone starts comforting Mae as the others thank me for sharing a piece of my love with them.

Surprisingly enough, after answering that question, we didn't play truth or dare anymore and just started sharing our hardships with each other.

Mae talked about the struggles of transitioning and being one of the pioneers in our university who voiced out the issue with the school uniform, which is why LU University now allows trans to wear their preferred attire.

Kenzo from the Nursing Department also talked about the struggles that the pageant caused him. He talked about how some of his classmates teased him for wearing makeup during the pageant and for always using powder after classes. He explained to them that he's straight, but they still tease him by calling him 'bakla' (It means gay/queer, but in the Philippines, this word is usually used as an insult). He explained that his friends are the ones who tease him most of the time, so he doesn't really say anything since he feels it's just friends teasing each other. 

One of the seniors gave him advice by saying that it's normal for friends to joke around and tease each other. But when it's already hurting you or making you uncomfortable, it's no longer a friendly banter but an insult on your part, and most of us completely agree with that.

Another contestant talked about her broken family and how her mom scolded her for joining the pageant last year because it would only cost them money. She said her classmates had to give out donations so she could rent a gown. According to her, it was a touching gesture, but she still couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

This is what I meant when I said I like surrounding myself with people I'm not familiar with. Meeting and talking to them opens up so many worlds and perspectives, just like a book you've only seen the cover of but decide to finally read. That's why gatherings like this help us see a better picture of what the world is really about. Maybe by listening to other people's stories, we can realize that maybe, just for a little, our life is worth more than we thought it was.