Romantic Tides

Chapter 4

I  was left dumbfounded by that statement, but I shrugged the thoughts off. Malamang, dating show 'to, so he'll say words that will make me feel kilig. Right, that's the reason.

"Hi, Sol! In fairness with Jeremiah ha, he's actually easy to get along with!" Kai smiled at me. I am actually happy to hear that. Totoo pala yung sinasabi nila na kung paano umasta si Jeremiah on cam, ganoon din off cam. "Buti ka pa, nakasama siya. I was stuck with Jace, instead eh." I just replied. It was not bad being stuck with Jace naman eh, kaso ang awkward lang.

The hosts soon gathered all of us, at agad naman kaming lumapit. I was actually nervous sa results ng task because, alam ko na hindi masyadong maganda ang nagawa namin ni Jace. While they were setting up the camera, tinabihan ako ng isang lalaki. I just looked at him and realized that it was Jace. "Maganda yung gawa natin, don't worry." he said, not looking at me. "Paano mo nasabi na I was worrying?" I stared at him. Manghuhula ba ang lalakeng 'to? "I can just tell. Calm down lang!" he just laughed and we stopped talking again.

"Wow, seems like you're getting along with him well!" Kai whispered in my ear at kinurot ako sa waist. Hala siya? Maka kurot, akala mo talaga kung ano yung nangyayari? "Aray! Maka kurot ka ha.. nakikipagkaibigan lang yung tao." I responded at kinurot ko din siya.

"And we are back after the commercial break! The votes are in!" Host Jessica said. Lord, hindi naman 'to serious matter, pero help me! I thought as I fiddled with my dress. I felt a hand stopping me, and intertwining my pinky finger with his. "Kalma ka lang." he said and looked at me again. Hindi ko muna binitawan ang kamay niya. I'll just wait until the results are announced.

"Here are the final points. Alice and Zach gained 67 points, Harley and Sebastian with 72 points, Judy and Shawn with 83 points, and a tie! Kaelani and Jeremiah tied with Solein and Jacian, both matches gained 102 points!" Hosts Marky announced and smiled at us. Bigla namang may lumabas na TV sa kwarto at pinakita ang results namin.

Napansin ko na bumitaw si Jace sa semi- holding hands namin. He just placed his hands on my shoulder at niyugyug ako na parang buko. "We won, Sol!" he just said at tumigil na sa ginagawa niya. Agad naman akong bumaling kay Kai at Jeremiah, na nagyayakapan..
Sana all niyayakap.

"Congrats, Kai! And Congrats, Jeremiah!" I said. Bumitaw naman sa hug si Kai, at ako naman ang niyakap. Bestfriend goals talaga kami! Bumitaw naman kaming dalawa sa yakap, ngunit nagulat ako nang ako naman ang niyakap ni Jeremiah. S-shet, totong may himala.

"Congrats, Solein! And to you too, dude, Jacian!" bumitaw siya at nakipag 'dab' kay Jacian. Meanwhile ako, hindi pa rin makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko. I just stood there frozen. Ikaw ba naman yakapin ni Jeremiah ng walang warning?

"OMG, did he just.." Kai whispered at me. "He hugged me.. J-Jeremiah.. hugged me!" I whispered back at pa simpleng tumingin kay Jeremiah, na nakabalik na sa dati niyang pwesto, katabi si Kai. Kai was in between us, literally!

"Okay, pwede bang lumapit ang winners? We need a quick picture lang." Host Jessica said and we stepped forward. Shemz, nandito na naman yung photographer! Ano kaya next na ipapagawa sa amin para lang sa isang picture? Hays!

"Awkward tingnan, guys! Jeremiah and Kaelani, closer pa, then wrap your hands on her waist. That's it!" the photographer instructed. I noticed how everyone looked at them, bagay nga talaga sila. "Jacian and Solein, closer din kayo! Solein, lean ka onti kay Jacian and akbayan mo siya, Jacian, wrap your hands on her waist. Perfect!" agad siyang kumuha ng litrato. We were then informed na that was the end of Episode 1. Bukas naman daw ulit. Hays, salamat!

The hosts told us na pumunta na sa garden para kumain. Good news! Gutom na gutom na ang babaeng 'to!

I was about to go out when Jacian grabbed me, "We forgot to do this, so I'll just make the first move." he said as he pulled me into a hug. I was just standing there, shocked. I hugged him back and was about to pull away when he said something again, "Ako yung nanalo pero iba ang unang nakahawak sa trophy.", I pulled away and just looked at him. "Landi!" I joked, "That's why we are here right? To make landi." he chuckled and walked away.

Sumunod naman agad ako sakanya, nagugutom na talaga ako! Sarap siguro ng mga pagkain nila don, sana may pa Lechon sila para sa amin na mga winners. Joke lang, super demanding ko naman.

Bago muna yan, sinagot ko muna ang huling sinabi ni Jace. "Malas ka, hindi agad ako nadadala ng landi." I said and smiled at him proudly. "Oh? I guess, I'll work harder then, friend!" he said and ran off to the garden.

Daming ganap today ha! From saying na malas ang isa't isa, to doing this? Character switch in one day ang atake? Pero, I can't blame him, sa ganda kong 'to, kahit sinong siga ay lalambot.

~

We started eating and I got to know each contestant well. You could say na I made friends na agad, and I am so happy! In the campus kasi, 3 lang ang friend ko dahil shy type ako. Quadro kami nila Kai, Rianne, at Mikaela.

"Sino ang magtatabi mamaya sa pag tulog?" Judy asked suddenly. Patapos na kasi kami kumain, kaya napag usapan na namin ang pagtulog mamaya. "Basta tabi kami ni Solein!" hiyaw naman ni Kai, at natawa ako. "Tabi din tayo, Sol!" saad naman ni Violet. "Alam ko namang maganda ako, pero, please, huwag niyo ako pag-agawan!" I joked and everyone laughed. Wow, lumalabas na ang inner loud version of myself!

I was happy to make everyone laughed, it's the least I could do. Hindi kasi natin alam ang pinagdadaanan ng mga tao so, the least we could do is try and make them happy para mabawasan ang bigat ng problema na dinadala nila. That's what my Mother always told me. Hala?! Serious mode ang baccling?!

"Oh, sino maghuhugas?" agad kaming napa tingin kay Sebastian. Hala ka?! Pwede bang tumakas? "Bato, bato, pik nalang! Tara!" nag laban kaming lahat at ang final four ay kami ni Judy, Jeremiah at Shawn. Hintayin niyo ang kapangyarihan ng Reyna ng Bato Bato Pik!

Hindi ata tumalab ang powers ko tonight, ending ay kaming dalawa ni Jeremiah ang maghuhugas ng plato. Pero okay lang! Atleast, naka bonding ko na siya!

Napansin ko na tapos na kaming lahat kumain kaya dinala ko na agad ang mga plato at nilagay sa isang palanggana. Nasa loob pa kasi ang sink eh! Layo naman.

I walked up the stairs papasok ng bahay when I suddenly tripped, at muntik ng mahulog palikod. Buti nalang at nasalo ako ni.. Jeremiah! Ganito yung mga nakikita ko sa movies eh! Eto na yun! Kids, I have already met your dad!

"Careful, Sol." he said at inayos ko ang porma ko. Nag hiyawan naman ang mga hayop sa likod ko. "One point for Jeremiah!" Kai loudly said and laughed. Tumawa din silang lahat. Loko!

When we entered the house, sinimulan agad namin ang paghuhugas. Ako ang taga sabon, si Jeremiah naman ang taga rinse. Pak, teamwork! Ang mga anak naman namin— ay este, kasama pala namin ay nanonood lang ng movie. Bongga ka day!

Mabilis naman kaming natapos kaya tinabihan namin sila. Nakakita ako ng chichirya at kukuha na sana ako, nang biglang kumuha din si Jeremiah at aksidente kaming nagka hawakan ng kamay. Shet! The universe is in my favor right now!

"2 points for Jeremiah! Habol na mga lalaki!" Violet joked at tumawa silang lahat. Well, not all, focused ata masyado si Jace dahil hindi siya tumawa. Serious mode ang baccling! Nagka tinginan lang kami ni Jeremiah at tumawa na rin.

Hays, miss ko na cellphone ko! Na Tweet ko na siguro ang pangyayari ngayon sa dump ko sa X! Hahays. Bakit ba kasi need kunin yung cellphone eh? PBB ba 'tong pinasok ko?

I just focused sa movie hanggang sa matapos na ito, tumungo na kami sa kwarto namin. Hiwalay kasi ang kwarto ng mga lalaki at babae. We said our goodnights pero hindi muna ako pumasok dahil nauuhaw pa ako. I just grabbed a pitcher of water and poured some sa isang mug.

"Me too, please." I spat my water out of shock! Wala ba siyang mga pa warning? Nakakagulat naman, parang multo! "Teh, warning naman next time." I said as I poured water into his mug. Aatakehin ata ako sa puso!

I finished drinking at babalik na sana ako sa room namin, but I was pulled into a hug again by Jace. "Goodnight, Sol. Two points na din ako ha." he said at bumitaw sa hug. He just walked away as if nothing happened. The heck?