Sweet Romantic (Loose Trilogy #2)

Chapter 11: Gatekeep

"As what I've expected, you won!" Kuya Miso congratulate me. I kept on smiling.

I did again. Champion. Pinatitigan ko naman ang award na hawak ko, it feels so overwhelming. I also has expectation on myself to win.

Binati rin ako ng ibang council leaders, especially Kyle. Who even insisted to treat me coffee. Ang mga kaklase ko ring nakasalubong ko ay todo bati rin sa akin, ganoon din si Jia na parang maiiyak pa. She kept on saying that she's proud of me. Hindi ko naman maintindihan ang sarili, why I feel so fluttered of it.

"Nandiyan na si Josaiah!" My smile slowly fade, when all of their eyes went on that guy. He's still wearing his slash.

Nakuha niya ang titolo sa pagkapanalo, people majority vote for him. Nakakagulat din na makita kung gaano karaming likes ang natanggap niya. I didn't know that he has this huge fanbase. Sa pagkakarinig ko, he got 3k likes.

On the other hand, Isaiah didn't won. But Kiara from STEM won the same award as Josaiah.

"Teka lang, Presi, ah." Tuluyan nang naglaho ang ngiti ko nang umalis pati si Jia. She ran over Josaiah. Nilapitan pa siya ng ilan sa mga kaklase ko, just to congratulate him.

He won... he did. Even some people will come and peak his face, and congratulate him. Nakatitig lamang ako sa kaniya, hanggang sa may takas na ngiti na sumulpot sa mukha niya. Which I often see.

Namataan ko pa sina Lisianthus na nakalapit sa binata, the guy just keep on smiling. Hindi na nawala 'yon. Ilang linggo o araw ba ang lumipas? Bakit biglang may nagbago sa pakikitungo niya? Ilang araw na akong nawala at nakaligtaan ang kaganapang 'to? Bumagal ang paghinga ko, my shoulders went down.

"He's slowly becoming confident, you must be happy on other's win too, Amari." Gulat naman akong napalingon kay Kyle. His eyes are also darted to the guy. "Hindi lahat ng panalo ay magiging sa 'yo, your win can be considered as lost when you can't see someone as person, but as an enemy."

Naguguluhan naman ako sa sinambit niya.

"Anyway, congrats. We did well to end this program." Ngumiti siya sa akin. There's something on his smile, that I can't identify. Parang may gustong ipahiwatig. Tumalikod naman siya sa akin.

"Congrats, Josaiah!" I kept hearing that on different people.

Hanggang sa mga sumunod na mga araw. Josaiah's popularity got used by our section. Our section didn't got known as our section itself, but as Josaiah's section.

At tila sa isang ihip... everything has been change.

"Josaiah, sama ka sa amin sa recess."

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa ballpen na hawak ko. Kung ano-ano na ang naisusulat ko sa likod ng notebook ko.

"Sige, basta treat mo." Nakaw-tingin akong lumingon sa kaniya, they're already working towards the door. Kasama niya si Lissy at Marcus.

They look like bestfriends actually.

"Kapal!" Hinampas naman siya sa braso ni Lissy, which just made him laugh.

"Kailan pa sila naging magkaibigan?" Pagbubusisi ko. I got lost here at the classroom, just for a week to represent our school. Then now, he already collected a lot of friends?

Ang pagkakaalam ko pa, nagkaroon na rin siya ng kaibigan sa ibang section at strand. Bukod pa noong nagsimula ang pageant.

"Last-last week lang, Presi. Bakit?" Jia ask in confusion, kunot pa ang noo.

That fast?! Akala ko introverted siyang tao?

"On how?" I asked for more. I really need to feed this confusion.