The Unfortunate Crush (Published under UKIYOTO PUBLISHING HOUSE)

Prologue

I'LL always love the combination of blue and white. It reminds me of the sky and the clouds and the sea and its waves. It reminds me that even though blue is the color of sadness, coolness, and the color of the bruise, once it is combined with white, they become the color of serenity.

Blue and white, when combined, are the colors of calmness after a strong storm. They are the colors of second chances. The colors of new hope.

"We are now flying at 10,000 feet." I heard the chopper pilot said.

"10, 000 feet Charlotte Northeast Romblon approaching," sagot naman ng co-pilot dito.

I don't know about their codes and keywords kaya ibinalik ko nalang ang aking tingin sa bintana.

What I see right now is an endless view of sea of clouds. And what did the pilot say again? 10,000 feet?

"Miss Milagrosa, have you eaten your lunch? Medyo matagal pa tayong makakarating sa paroroonan natin," My boss said while he's checking his phone.

Marahan akong tumango. "Yes po, Sir."

He then sighed and shook his head.

"I know you didn't, hindi ka na lumabas sa office kanina para maglunch. There's a sandwich in the paper bag beside you. Kumain ka."

Napasinghap ako at umiling. "Hindi ako gutom, Sir."

"Come on, Antonia. You know the drill. We're not in the office so you can just call me by my first name."

I sighed. "It's fine, Rett. And thank you by the way pero hindi talaga ako gutom."

Ngumuso ito at saka tumango.

"Fine. If you're hungry, just eat. Klaro ba tayo doon?" Sinserong tanong niya habang tinititigan ako.

A giddy teenager who is so crazily in love...

Ganoon na ganoon ang pakiramdam ko kapag tinititigan niya ako ng matagal.

Na kahit bente singko anyos na ako ngayon ay pakiramdam kong teenager pa rin ako. And that's probably because he is the love of my youth.

His gaze reminds me of those youthful days.

'Yung mga araw kung saan pasimpleng nagpapapansin ako sa kanya kapag nasa basketball court siya ng subdivision namin. 'Yung mga kanta na pinapakinggan ko noon kada nagkakagirlfriend siya ng bago and how I would cry all night because those songs are so relatable. I also remember the song "Pretty Boy" by M2M. It was the song that I would always play because the message of the song is also the message that I want to say to him.

He became the center of my youth. Na kapag magbabalik-tanaw ako kung ano ang memorable moments na mayroon ako noong teenager ako, ang memoryang agad na maalala ko ay ang mga alaala na patungkol sa kanya.

And I will never forget the day when my heart was shattered because I found out that he's got crush on my best friend, Danabel.

Nagkakilala ang dalawa noong 18th birthday ko. Since he is my brother's bestfriend, dumalo siya sa debut ko. No, scratch that. Hindi lang pala dumalo. Siya talaga ang naging escort ko.

I remember how I feel so elated during that time. Pero agad ding bumagsak nang malaman kong gusto niya ang kaibigan ko.

Nagkatuluyan silang dalawa, and they look so happily in love with each other.

Habang heto ako, na-stuck pa rin sa pagkakagusto ko sakanya. Hindi makamove-on.

What can I say? He is my first crush, my first love, and my first heartache after all.