Red Dahlia

Chapter 01

"Wag mo 'kong tinatarantado Delilah ah!" Sigaw ni Chas kay Dalhia habang hinahanap ang cellphone nya.

"Hindi mo makikita ng buo 'yang cellphone mo kakatawag mo sa'kin ng Delilah." Dahlia said flatly.

Bobo pala sya, Dahlia pangalan ko. Pitong taon na kaming mag-kaibigan, Delilah pa rin tawag sa'kin?! Ano hindi sy'a maka-move on sa ex n'yang pinagpalit s'ya sa afam?!

Chas found a girlfriend last year, who was two years older than Dahlia and him, and Chas loved her. Chas is a soft-hearted person who easily becomes attracted to others.

Delilah and Chas had just been in a relationship for two months when Delilah disappeared; they discovered she was in America with her new foreign partner. Sumama sa afam.

"Nagrereklamo ba'ko kapag tinatawag mo 'kong Cc?! Ginagawa mo 'kong bakla!" Chas said irritatedly.

"Ang haba kaya ng pangalan mo!" Dahlia answered.

Chas and Dahlia have been best friends since 7th grade and are at the moment in their second year of college. Dahlia desperately wants a gay best friend; she dreams about having a gay friend who will make her a doll, a friend who will do her hair and makeup, but because Chas is a true straight person, she can't change him into someone he isn't. Nabigo siyang palambutin ang puso ni Chas.

Chas is always there for Dahlia, through her first heartbreak, puberty, her first breakdown, her first high honor in senior high school, her first time getting "Tres" in major in college, and her first time sobbing because of sunburn in their ROTC training. Chas was present during all of Dahlia's early successes and failures. He has never left.

Their course was a Bachelor of Home Economics. It's not what Chas wanted, but he chose to be with Dahlia. Chas wanted the criminology course; he imagined holding a weapon rather than a spatula or a tray to serve food. But because he owes Dahlia his life, he can't let her take home economics alone and burn down the entire school.

"Dahlia Hope ano ba?! kapag talaga may nagkulang sa mga ingredients ko sisiraan kita sa crush mo!" Chas  was losing his patience.

"Oh ayan na! masyado ka." Dahlia rolled her eyes. "Cellphone lang 'yan, ipagpapalit mo 'yung kaligayahan ng puso ko para d'yan."

Chas replied. "Ang arte mo." 

Dahlia moved her hand to pinch Chas' arm. Dalhia and Chas are used to being treated as if they were siblings who quarrel endlessly but always end up in each other's arms, whether in sorrow or joy.

It all started in seventh grade. Dahlia first approached Chas on foundation day. Each student has their circle of friends, but Dahlia is doubtful of Chas. Chas is always among the girls, laughing and talking. Dahlia believed Chas was gay, which is why she decided to make him her friend.

Dahlia gradually loses her assumptions. Chas is man! The girls who are often with Chas are the ones who have a crush on him! Habulin lang pala ng babae kaya halos babae ang nakapaligid, sad'yang mapang-husga lang si Dahlia.

Marami tuloy naging kaaway si Dahlia noon dahil pinagkamalan siyang inakit si Chas para maging kaclose n'ya. Naging close naman talag sila at naging magkaibigan, or let's just say na naging ultimate bestfriends sila. 

Carlos Chas owes Dahlia his life.

Paano ko nga ba nasabi na Dahlia saved Chas' life? Because of a holdup incident, Chas' parents passed away together. After Chas's parents were shot and robbed of their car and belongings, the suspects showed no mercy and shot both of them because Chas's father refused to give them what they had fought so hard for, mga bagay na dugo't pawis ang kanilang pinuhunan upang maipundar. After being identified, the two suspects are still being held in jail at nahatulan ito ng habang buhay na pagkakakulong.