Teenage Dirtbag (Opposites Attract-JhoCey Spin-Off)

15

The salty breeze from the Batangas shore caressed Jan's face as he nervously adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. His heart was racing, and his palms were a little sweaty. He stood on the edge of Guill's family-owned resort, staring at the picturesque scene before him. The sky was an inky canvas speckled with stars, and the moon cast a soft, silvery glow over the ocean. Fairy lights hung delicately around a makeshift gazebo on the sand, their soft twinkle matching the fluttering butterflies in his stomach.

A plaid blanket, neatly laid out on the beach, marked the spot for their picnic date. It was surrounded by small lanterns, giving the area a cozy, intimate vibe. And hanging among the fairy lights were candid photos of Stacey from high school—shots Jan had secretly taken back then. He had always wanted to keep those memories, even when he wasn't sure why.

Nick nudged him in the ribs. "Pre, okay ka lang? Mukha kang sinumpong ng LBM." He snickered as Guill laughed along.

"Pucha, hindi nga," Jan muttered, taking a deep breath. "Parang ang bilis ng lahat, 'di ba?"

Guill clapped him on the back. "Bro, alam mo namang tamang-tama lang 'to. Ikaw din naman nagsabi na sigurado ka na kay Stacey. Besides, we've been through worse. Remember high school?"

Jan smiled, though the anxiety remained. "Totoo 'yan." He glanced at his friends, grateful for their help. "Thanks, guys. Kung wala kayo—"

"Ano ba, drama? Tumigil ka nga diyan. Focus ka na sa plano," Nick interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Kailangan maganda yung timing mamaya."

Jan laughed despite the nerves. "Sige na nga. Tama kayo."

Just then, he spotted Stacey approaching. His breath hitched in his throat. She looked radiant, her smile lighting up the night more than any of the fairy lights could. She was wearing a simple dress, her hair loose and flowing. He quickly gestured for Guill and Nick to hide behind the gazebo.

As Stacey got closer, Jan gently covered her eyes with his hands, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Jan! Ano ba to? Ba't may ganito ka pa?" Stacey laughed, sounding a little curious and excited.

"Shhh. Trust me," Jan whispered, leading her closer to the picnic spot.

Once they were standing in front of the blanket, Jan slowly removed his hands from her eyes. Stacey gasped, her eyes widening at the sight before her. The picnic setup, the fairy lights, the sound of the waves—it was all so perfect. Then her gaze landed on the candid photos of her from high school, and she covered her mouth in shock, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Jan... this is... ang ganda," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

Jan smiled, a little shy now. "I thought you'd like it. Alam mo naman ako, mahilig sa mga memories."

Stacey turned to him, her eyes shining. "This is... sobrang special. Di ko alam na may ganito ka palang side. Nakakakilig ka ha."

Before Jan could respond, he grabbed the big bouquet of pink tulips he had prepared earlier and handed it to Stacey.

Her eyes widened even more. "Tulips... alam mo yung favorite ko?"

Jan nodded, his smile soft. "Of course. Yung favorite ng favorite kong tao."

Stacey laughed at that, shaking her head in disbelief as she accepted the flowers. "Grabe ka. Sino nagturo sayo maging ganito ka smooth?"

"Si Nick at si Guill," Jan admitted sheepishly, laughing along with her. "Sila pa rin ang coaches ko."

They both sat down on the plaid blanket, the mood light and easy as they began chatting about the past few days. There was a lot of laughter, playful teasing, and inside jokes that only they understood. It was one of those moments where time seemed to slow down, and nothing else mattered but the two of them. They caught up on work, random stories, and how MJ and Aiah's wedding preparations were going.

As their laughter died down, Jan and Stacey found themselves looking into each other's eyes. There was a softness to their gazes now, a warmth that spoke of how far they'd come.

Suddenly, Jan grinned and said, "May isa pa akong surprise para sa'yo."

Stacey's brow furrowed in curiosity. "Ha? Ano na naman 'to, Jan?"

Right on cue, Nick and Guill appeared from behind the gazebo, both holding microphones. Stacey burst into laughter, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.

"ANO 'TO?" she exclaimed, giggling at the sight of Jan's friends in their makeshift concert setup.

Nick cleared his throat dramatically while Guill tapped his imaginary microphone. "Good evening, ladies and gents," Nick started in his best announcer voice. "For tonight's performance, we present... an acapella rendition of *Out of My League* by Stephen Speaks!"

Before Stacey could react, the familiar chords of the song hummed softly through the air. Nick and Guill began singing the opening line in perfect harmony: *"It's her hair and her eyes today that just simply take me away..."*

Stacey chuckled nervously, her cheeks turning a shade of pink as she turned to Jan. "Ano meron, Jan?" she asked, her voice filled with both amusement and curiosity.

Jan took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. It was now or never.

"Stacey," he began, his voice soft but steady, "simula nung makita kita nung high school, wala na ata akong ibang hiniling kung hindi yung makasama ka araw-araw."

Stacey's smile softened, her heart swelling with every word he said.

Jan continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "Sobrang out of my league mo, pero hindi mo yun pinaramdam sa akin kahit minsan. Hindi mo alam kung gaano ako nagpapasalamat dahil dun. Simula nung umalis kami ni Mommy, wala na akong ibang nilook forward kung hindi yung makita kita ulit."

Just as Jan finished speaking, Nick and Guill hit the chorus: *"Cause she's all that I see, and she's all that I need, and I'm out of my league once again..."*

Stacey's eyes began to well up with tears. She thought to herself, *Finally, he's going to ask me to be his girlfriend.* She was ready. After everything they had been through, she was finally ready for this moment.

But then, something unexpected happened. Jan suddenly got down on one knee.

Stacey's smile faltered slightly as her heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced. *Wait, is he... is he really...*

Jan looked up at her, his face serious and full of emotion. "Stacey," he said softly, his voice shaking just a little, "masyado na tayong matagal naghintay para magkita ulit. Ayaw ko nang patagalin to. Sigurado na ako sayo."

He pulled out a small pink velvet box from his pocket, and Stacey's breath caught in her throat. When he opened it, a sparkling pink diamond ring glistened under the moonlight.

"Will you marry me?"

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Stacey stared at the ring, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst. She hadn't expected this—not yet, at least.

She opened her mouth to speak, her voice trembling. "Jan..."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but they weren't the tears of joy Jan had hoped for. Stacey gently reached out, closing the velvet box with trembling fingers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Jan's smile disappeared, replaced with a look of confusion and hurt. He searched her eyes, trying to understand what had just happened.

And in that moment, surrounded by the soft glow of the fairy lights and the sound of the ocean waves, everything felt uncertain.