On Mark the First

Let me tell you the story of the Mark who is not my best friend. And this happens in the summer of 2008. I am doing an internship at a bank, an internship that is boring as hell. Boring with a capital B because I hardly have anything to do and even less to learn but mostly because it is the first word in this sentence. It may have been less so if I had met Mark, but at this point, I don't even know his name. To me, he is just the tallish, chinky-eyed intern from UP, and he isn't very handsome. Interesting maybe, but only vaguely attractive.

Fast forward to a few months later. Despite being crazy busy with senior year, I am on guys4men every night, often for several hours. My addictive personality is in full gear. I feel that I have to check every single profile online or I would miss my shot at The One. I don't mean Neo. Although finding Keanu Reeves online would also be great. But I digress. But instead of Keanu I find Mark, and his pictures are so scandalous that I think I must be mistaken. But it is indeed him and here is an example of the messages we may have exchanged.

1. Drew 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:12
Hey, I think I recognize you. Did you intern at a bank last summer?

2. Mark 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:14
yup. do i know u?

3. Drew 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:16
I don't know if you remember but I also interned there. I was with a certain group.

Password: xxxxx

4. Mark 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:17
ah, i remember. wow it's a surprise seeing you here.

5. Drew 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:18
Yeah. When I saw you last summer I never thought that you'd be... naughty. :P

6. Mark 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:20
you don't know how naughty i am. haha.

7. Drew 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:23

I'm curious. ;) Let's meet on Saturday.

8. Mark 01. Jul. 2008 - 01:24

ok sure. what's your number?

Then it is Saturday afternoon. It is raining. It is also cold. I text Mark that I'll wait for him at a cafe and that's what I do. For an hour. He is late because of school stuff. Maybe that is true because he has his laptop with him. We talk for a while until the rain stops and then we walk to a nearby restaurant to have dinner. I almost order sisig because that's what I always order at this restaurant. And then I realize that we might make out at some point afterwards and for a split second I'm not sure I should order the sisig. And then I go ahead and order it anyway. Later when we are making out I taste the garlic and grease on his tongue. But that's not yet for an hour or two. Right now we are eating and, in between spooning and chewing, talking about everything but anything sexual. I feel like maybe I won't be getting into his pants after all. But dinner is over and he doesn't split, he asks what we should do. Of course I say let's hang out. I'm very good at hanging out, especially the let's-sit-here-and-enjoy-each-other's-company-in-silence variety. Furthermore, I imagine that if we do that, it'll get boring enough for him to want to have sex with me instead. He agrees (to hang out, not to have sex). I suggest further that a nice place to do that would be the balcony at P-. I explain that it is close to my dorm and has a view of the Marikina valley. I don't mention that it is one of my favorite places.

When we get there, Mark tells me that it is a nice place, with a nice view. This ticks me off a bit because the place is not just nice - it's great. But I let it slide as I sit on the floor. Mark sits beside me. His knees don't touch mine. I light a cigarette.

Look at the moon, I say. Whose face is that?

It's the man on the moon.

It looks like the Playboy rabbit to me.

That's because you're naughty.

No I'm not. You're naughty.

Well, not really. I just like to take pictures of my body.

I think it looks like a woman.

My body?

No, the dark spots on the moon.

(In the background, dance music comes to life. The dorm party is starting.)

Oh. It's a full moon today.

I can see that.

Well, I can feel it. 

He flashes me a smile.

Don't tell me you're a werewolf because that's going to be cheesy. 

I put my left hand on his thigh.

No, I don't care for that shit. What I meant was that full moons make me happy.

Seeing the moon just makes me sleepy. It reminds me of a children's song. Something about the moon being big and round so big and round round like a plate. And when I think of that song I remember afternoon naps. 

The explanation is a build-up to leaning my head on his shoulder. He takes my left hand and massages it gently.

Sleepy already? What about...

What about what?

I look him in the eyes. His face is just an inch away from mine.

You know.

He kisses me. I taste the garlic and grease on his tongue.

I kiss him back. And then we suck face for like, a long time. And in direct proportion to time, the intensity grows until both our shirts are off and we're groping each other frantically. This is difficult to do when you're squatting on the floor but if we stand up the people at dorm will totally see. Out of the corner of my eye I see someone on the fifth floor walking along the corridor. This is getting too dangerous.

I lead Mark down the unlighted path behind P-. It's a forest back here, and completely dark. The only eyes belong to those who don't care anyway. We make love like animals.