“A man can tell a thousand lies, I’ve learned my lessons well…” lyrics from the song “Live to Tell,” from the Queen of Pop Madonna sets the mood appropriately for the love of the unrequited kind and the resulting tempest with Awra Briguela and Feng dela Cruz as its main starrers.
Briguela, for the longest time, was the young fairy mascot in the immensely popular FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano led by superstar Coco Martin.
Mcneal, his real name, to many, especially to the young and growing up as gay in this millennial age, has become a symbol of sorts, of anything that is pink, funny, and with the general society more tolerant of gayness and irreverence, catapults him from obscurity to a person of instant popularity.
What sets Briguela apart, Vice Ganda. Viceral acts as his mentor and this heir apparent stature gives Briguela premium and he being the probable gay idol will be a reality in due time.
His high profile projects of late are the iWant series Batang Poz and James and Pat and Dave.
Raffy, or Feng, to his many followers and subscribers, is a vlogger, an eye candy that so fits the heartthrob mold and many opine is also an “influencer” of sorts.
I still do not buy this whole shenanigan called as “influencers influencing” because I have yet to see a product that the public so embraced and loved to the point of it being no longer available in the market because of these so-called “influencers” lured them to purchase.
An heir apparent and an upstart, what a potent combination, with emerging power oink couple written all over them. To those who are curious about the level and gravity of noise and pollution the two concocts and how much emotions and feelings they are able to stir, available for those who show even an iota of interest to this social media altercation are two versions – the Briguela narration and Feng’s rendering of their flirtation, friendship, fixation, business deal or personal relationship.
Reading the exchanges and exposition of the duo, one may wonder, what the hell is wrong with these teens? Another reaction will be, good thing they are not my kids or kin, definitely grounded disciplinary action for both. Of course, the most common feedback as to why these fledglings are preoccupied with matters of the heart and they being so antsy to prove that the definitive incarnation of the truth is Awra or Feng’s and vice versa.
Not wanting to dismiss these tirades as “away bakla,” the fascination with the woven tales by Briguea and Dela Cruz of some pink community members, who are pulling all the strings to make it an issue of national importance is outright laughable. A classic example of what idle minds can do.
Briguela is pictured as the aggrieved, innocent and his only fault was falling in love with the wrong person. Dela Cruz is scheming, treacherous and the predator in the story.
Frankly speaking, it takes two to tango so in this case, both are at fault here. Awra is a willing victim. He knew from the start that Feng is an ambitious young man and sees being “intimate” with him as just for show, to boost his stock and vlogger market value. And it did.
The upside to this fruitful collaboration – a progressive pairing of two young gay men who are not afraid to show their true colors and feelings. Of course, the downside, notoriety plus the bashing, cursing and hating that are part and parcel of a fame whoring package.
Who then tells the truth? Should we even go there, pick and champion a side when we know for a fact that Briguela and Dela Cruz are so freaking young and they are so entitled to do stupid things?
Let us allow them to discover the wisdom from the folly of their actions. For now, they might be hating each other to death but in time, cliché as it may sound, it will heal all wounds.
Awra’s “little miss” pride, Feng’s “binatlyo” callousness, and all the other creatures who supposedly has an opinion or another layer of truth to their emotional skirmish, sooner than soon will be all forgotten and they will just laugh about this foolishness.
If they were able to establish a solid friendship prior to this episode, then the future looks bright for them.
In case their friendship was founded on shallowness and pettiness, then they can always charge all these as a growing up experience. Accepting the fact that some things and relationships are not meant to be and being gracious that before they can even say I love you, the truth has some them free.
Now, they can live to tell the tale and that they have learned their lessons well.