Chapter 2
THE PROM
Noah didn't encourage me much, but it was still worth it. One glance was all it took to send shivers down my spine.
"Coreen..."
I almost jumped from my seat when someone poked me and called my name. It was Noah. My heart skipped a beat upon seeing him. He ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up, and making the scent waft toward me.
Act normal, Coreen. Chill! Breathe in! Breathe out!
I couldn't blame Reina if she froze every time she saw Yñigo. It was a normal reaction when you saw your crush. But the thing was, she had many crushes: Benjamin, Yñigo, Nash... The list went on and on. But for me, there was only one. I swallowed a few times before I dared to respond to him.
"Yes?"
I wonder if the time would ever come when I didn't have to ask him why he was looking for me. I would just know that he was looking for me because of me.
"Can you give Reina's excuse letter to your teacher? She won't be coming in today. She's sick," he said.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked him, but I couldn't hide my excitement.
"Flu. Don't worry about her. She'll be all right." He smiled and tapped my shoulder lightly.
My heart melted. It was a small gesture, but it made me fall in love with him all over again.
I had always imagined what would happen when we were together. I've always daydreamed about being friends with him. He wasn't an easy object of affection in real life. He was too focused on his music that everything else faded into the background. It was all he could think about. He avoided girls so I knew that there was never going to be anything more between him and Muse—a crush maybe. But then again, it was a huge deal for me that he had a crush. Apart from Muse, I didn't think he would be interested in anyone else.
"Go, Noah!" I cheered loudly when he performed again during our school's festival.
I was glad he noticed me this time, because I had been screaming my lungs out. He smiled. Of course, I died. That's how it always went with him, you know—a little response from him and I'd fall again right away.
"Coreen, thanks for the support." My heart jumped when he said that after their gig.
"No problem. It was all for you..." I smiled.
He scratched his head and lowered it. I caught his eyes, and noticed his cheeks had turned red.
"Oh, okay..." he said and turned his back. "Bye."
Whoa! I jumped up high! I saw it. I saw it. I saw his cheeks turn red. He was embarrassed. I had an effect on him. Oh, my God!
That was why I kept on working hard. I updated my wardrobe and hairstyle. I didn't have pimples, but I visited the dermatologist more often to make sure my skin was flawless.
In Grade 10, something crazy happened to me. Prom night was coming up for the 11th and 12th graders.
"I wish Miguel would invite me," sighed Reina. We were sitting inside the classroom. There was a commotion outside, but I had chosen to stay inside the room and stare blankly into space.
"Coreen..." one of my classmates called me. "Hmm?" I lazily answered him.
"Come here for a sec," he said.
My brows furrowed. "But why?"
"Just come here quick!"
He and two of our classmates looked excited to see me at the doorway.
