kundiman.

chapter 3.

Jason calls his dad to tell him not to pick him up since Kyle and Brian offered to take him to the mall.

"Wow! Really? Already making new friends eh Jay. Good job ha. Just stay out of trouble," his dad says.

"Dad it's only Kyle," Jason says humorously.

"Okay okay. Just be safe ah. And come back home quickly. Don't get used to going out everyday."

"Okay Dad."

"Love you son."

"Love you dad."

"Awwwwww still a big daddy's boy huh Jay?" Kyle says.

"You're still a meathead huh Kyle?"

"Oh shut up I benchpress more than you."

"Exactly. Meathead."

Kyle glares at Jason. Jason giggles. "Get in the backseat freshman."

////////

Clara thinks in confusion with what she's feeling as she rides home with Jamie.

"He's not too good looking... he's tall yeah... but," Clara whispers to herself.

"Girl, who are you talking to?" Jamie asks.

"Ha? No one. It's nothing."

Jamie looks at Clara with a raised eyebrow and proceeds to remove the aux cord from her phone.

"I wonder who he is," Clara whispers once more as Jamie pulls into her driveway.

Jason's wide brown eyes, curly hair, and dimples can't seem to make their way out of Clara's head, as much as she fights it.

She locks herself in the bathroom and stares at her reflection. "He's not even that good looking! Why are you like this? It was just an accident! Don't think anything else of it!" she scolds.

"Girl? You okay?" Jamie asks curiously just outside the bathroom.

"Oh yeah. Yeah girly I'm okay."

Clara comes out after splashing her face with cold water. She's met by Jamie waiting at the door.

"Oh. Hey," Clara says surprised.

"Girl. What's going on?" Jamie asks.

"Nothing! What makes you think something's going on?"

"You're acting weird. And you're talking to yourself... is it a guy? Oh my gosh. Is he cute? Who is he?"

"Jamie!"

"What?! Is it a guy?"

Clara scowls at Jamie but says nothing.

Jamie gasps. "IT IS A GUY!! CLARA! REALLY? IT'S ONLY THE FIRST DAY AND YOU'VE ALREADY FOUND ONE?! Ehehhhhhh sana all."

"Oh hush Jamie. He's not even cute. I just ran into him that's all."

"Then why are you like that? Why are you acting so weird?"

"I... I don't know," Clara says with half a pout.

"Did you get his name?"

"No."

"Tomorrow we'll find out who this mystery guy is."

Clara shakes her head and laughs as Jamie invites her to the kitchen for some food.

///////

The boys make it to the mall. There's barely anyone there.

"Where is everybody?" Kyle asks.

"Well it is a Monday," Brian replies.

"Guys do I really need to go through with this? I mean... "

"You wanna make a better impression on my sister or not?" Brian asks bluntly.

Jason looks at Brian, doesn't say anything, and sighs.

"Exactly. So come on. We gonna get you some drip." Brian says encouragingly.

They end up buying Jason a whole new wardrobe. They also end up buying Jason new, more stylish glasses. Although Jason's father is very wealthy, as he is the CEO of a commercial construction company, Jason never really let himself show off how wealthy he is.

"Bro. With all this, I'd be surprised if the whole school doesn't go for you," Kyle exclaims.

"Do I really need all this?" Jason asks.

"Dude. Throw away everything in your closet. From now on you are a new man. A fresh... man. Get it, cuz you're a freshman... and..." Brian runs out of dumb things to say.

"Are you out of dumb things to say?" Kyle asks.

"Yeah. I'm done," Brian says as he giggles.

The two then take Jason to the barbershop.

"Just a low taper fade on the sides and back, keep the top a little long," Kyle instructs to the barber.

"What does that even mean?" Jason asks with a puzzled look on his face.

"It means you're gonna have every girl dropping their jaws when they pass by you," quips Brian.

The barber focuses in on the tiniest detail, ensuring Jason's hair is lined up crisply.

Jason puts his new glasses on and turns toward the mirror to see the finished product.

"Wow," he says at a loss for words.

Kyle and Brian raise their eyebrows in shock.

///////

Later that evening, Jason lays out the outfit he had planned to wear for tomorrow and FaceTime's Kyle and Brian.

"Yo does this work?"

"What. The..." Kyle cuts himself off before he could finish.

Jason managed to match a red Billionaire Boys Club shirt with blue jeans and neon green Yeezy's.

"Bro are you tryna look like a Christmas tree?" Brian taunts.

Kyle and Brian lose it and laugh uncontrollably.

"Ok guys alright. Instead of laughing you could just help me."

"Do you really want to wear those shoes?" Kyle asks.

"I'm open to suggestions," Jason responds.

"If you really want to wear those highlighter shoes, replace the blue jeans with baggy khaki slacks and then wear a black hoodie underneath your khaki trench coat," says Kyle.

"Nah bro. You want him to look laid back. You're making him look like he's too good for anyone. Try replacing the shoes with the Pine Green Jordan 1's, with black ripped jeans, and your black velvet hoodie. Wear a beanie while you're at it," says Brian.

"Now he looks like he's lazy. No girl wants a lazy guy Brian," Kyle exclaims.

"But no one likes a douchebag Kyle!" Brian retorts.

"So what's wrong with trying to look good? At least it shows he cares about himself!"

"And what's wrong with looking laid back? At least it doesn't look like he's stuck up!"

"GUYS! SHUT UP!" Jason screams.

"Black sweater, white collared shirt underneath, black ripped jeans, vans! That's it. I'm meeting you guys in the middle. Halfway dressed up halfway comfortable. Now shut up. Thanks guys. Good night." Jason hangs up and leaves Brian and Kyle by themselves.

They stare at each other.

"We are such great teachers," Kyle says.

"Agreed," Brian replies.