Not All Thorns

Epilogue

"Hi, everyone. I'm Evangelle Heyrosa, eighteen years old. I live in Cavite. My hobbies are watching movies and playing mobile games. That's all."

It was the first day of class, and I saw the prettiest girl on the campus that day.

Sobrang simple lang niya. She has long black hair, like any other girl on campus. She has cute chinita eyes, like the other girls. She's taller than any of our classmates. Her lips are naturally pinkish. Her slightly thick brows are a little mataray. Her nose has a high bridge and is pointed. Her skin is soft beige. She walked gracefully and confidently.

But what made her special among the rest of these girls on campus?

"Hoy, Rion. Ambag mo raw doon sa pambili ng harina."

I was used to people treating me so special. But I really adored how she treated me as someone like her—a simple student here at NDU.

I'd never felt that as a challenge, like Chan-Chan told me. Hindi ko iti-treat as challenge ang pagka- crush ko kay Angel just because hindi ako special in her eyes.

I like her because she's genuine, and I knew she wouldn't drag anyone down just to please me or to catch my attention.

Her family is influential but dysfunctional. It was an open secret and headline-worthy for some news outlets. Kinalaban ng mommy niya ang family nila sa politics, and their side ended up losing to the Heyrosas.

Tapos nawala sila ng mom niya sa public eye for some years until she went back alone in the Heyrosas's arms. Ang ganda ng build-up sa kanya ng ibang online pages. She didn't like interviews, but some of those pages really highlighted her good deeds.

It's easy to say that I like a person because she's pretty or smart or mabait. Madaling mag-drop ng intention because the access was so easy, it didn't cost anything huge.

"Gelle, I like you so much!" "Nugagawen?"

"You like siopao?"

Pretty face and a cuss machine. Angel's not really angelic in her words, but she's different from any girl on campus.

Mahilig lang magmura pero pure hearted siya. Hindi niya nga alam kung bakit ang daming may crush sa kanya sa campus.

However, we all know na ayaw niya talaga ng relationship. Every day na lang siyang may sinasabihan ng "nugagawen" kapag may nagko- confess sa kanya. Even I received one of those. Hindi naman 'yon big deal for me since she gave me a chance to be her close friend and her uni partner until she told me about her family setup.

"Di ba, pumunta ako sa birthday ng best friend mo."

"Yeah. I saw you there."

"Ipinakilala ako ni Lolo Sev sa kanya. Malamang kasi baka lang . . . alam mo 'yon? May chance na puwedeng maging kami tapos family merging eme-eme."

"Oh . . ."

I thought she was talking about Chan-Chan and the possibility of him being her boyfriend.

"Tapos pumunta kami rito ngayon kasi pupunta yung kakambal mo. Kaya nga naka-formal kami. Kasi akala yata nina Daddy, introduction doon sa masungit na kamukha mo. Siyempre, iga-grab nila yung opportunity na baka maging mag-jowa kaming dalawa."

Then it struck me hard pagkasabi niya ng introduction. My mind instantly said, "Yeah. It could be her kai shao with Kuya Rhy."

But why Kuya Rhy?!

"Ayoko lang talagang umuwi sa 'min. Ayokong bigla-bigla na silang magga-grab ng chance sa ibang pamilya tapos ipapakilala ako sa iba't ibang lalaki na malay ko kung matino ba o hindi. Alam mo 'yon? Siyempre, natatakot din ako para sa sarili ko. Hindi na 'ko minor, e."