// i'm not beautiful

Chapter 20

2nd day in Baguio

"Sorry Jasmine, di kita masasamahan ngayon. Alam mo naman, I need to look for Harvey. And from what I heard, sa Camp John Hay daw sila pupunta." page-explain ni Jen.

"It's okay. I prefer wandering around alone." That's a lie.

Mas better kung andito si Zac para man lang may kasama ako. Expected ko na hahanapin talaga ni Jen si Harvey and I'll end up all alone. Wala naman akong ibang kaibigan (Brett doesn't count, naghahanap yun ng chiks panigurado! Amp parang di kaibigan e) since pangit nga ako di ba huhuhu might as well go to Strawberry Farm! Yay, need to cheer up myself.

It was 30 minutes ride from Baguio City, not that far.

I got a text from Zac.

"Babe, nandito na ko sa Manila. Enjoy yourself there. Ingat. I miss you."

*sighs* Nagpapa-miss ang loko. Oo na, miss na rin kita. Di ako makapag-enjoy sa kahihintay kong bumilis ang oras para makita na ulit kita. I'm lovesick, eww.

I arrived at the Strawberry Farm. Matagal ko na tong gustong puntahan, wala lang talagang panahon. I love fruits, especially strawberry. Tapos ikaw pa mismo ang mamimitas nito, how awesome is that :) Buti na lang wala yung mga schoolmates ko dito, good vibes :">

It's more expensive to buy strawberries here than in the market but I don't care, this is priceless! This is heaven! Strawberry heaven, okay ang OA ko na. I got my basket and changed into my slippers (odiba, handa?) to start my strawberry-picking moment yiieee~

Tinutulungan pa ako nung ibang matatandang workers dito kung pano mamili ng magandang strawberry. Yipee, I picked enough for me, manager, my brother and Zac.

I don't want to stop, but yeah I need to stop, my money is limited.

"Jasmine! What are you doing here?" isang pamilyar na boses ang narinig ko sa di kalayuan.

"Oh hi Harvey. Di mo kasama si Jen?" nagtanong ng obvious.

"Ha? I didn't see her." sagot niya. "Why?"

"She's looking for you, of course. Ano pala ginagawa mo dito?"

"Ah. I'm craving for strawberries eh."

Sinamahan ko siyang kumuha ng strawberries. Ayoko pa kasing umalis hehe. Pagkatapos nun pumunta kami sa malapit na kalsada para bumili ng iba pang strawberry products.

"Ice Cream! Strawberry Flavor!" waaaaaa napalingon ako dun sa ice cream vendor.

"Gusto mo? It's my treat." sabi sakin ni Harvey. May karapatan ba kong tumanggi? Syempre wala! Hahahaha.

*1 messaged received*

 "Where are you? Mag-isa ka lang ba? --Jen"

Nag-text si Jen! I almost forgot na hinahanap niya pala si Harvey *face palm* Anong ire-reply ko? Baka magalit naman to pag nalaman niyang magkasama kami ni Harvey. Waaa scary~ Ayoko na maulit yung dati no.

"Yes I'm alone. Dito lang sa tabi-tabi ng Baguio, looking for souveneirs." I never wanted to lie in the first place. Sorry Jen.

"Problem?" tanong ni Harvey. "Di mapakali itsura mo jan."

"It's nothing." I continued eating my ice cream and I need to go back as soon as possible.

"Hey Jasmine, I already know the truth." biglang sabi ni Harvey.

"What truth?"

"Na ikaw at si Jasmine Fuentes ay iisa."

O_____________________O

Sa sobrang gulat ko eh nahulog yung ice cream ko. Oh boy, sayang! That's not the point here.

"Sorry, natapon yung ice cream mo. Nabigla ata kita."

"It's alright. Pa..pano mo nalaman?" iniwas ko yung tingin ko sa kanya. It's no use na magpalusot pa.

"I heard you and Zac talking about it.. on the rooftop.. and I also know that you and him going out is fake." narinig ko siyang napabuntong hininga. 

"I guess you already know that I like you." dagdag niya pa.

"Ummm..." what to say in this situation? "But..."

"Look at me Jasmine." hawak nya yung dalawa kong balikat at hinarap niya ko sa kanya. Tumaas balahibo ko. "I really, really... like you."

"I like you too...."

- Jen's POV -

Tinext ko si Jasmine, sabi niya mag-isa lang siyang naglilibot kawawa naman siya pero I need to find Harvey once and for all. Galing akong Camp John Hay, wala naman dun si Harvey. Sabi sakin nung classmate niya, pumunta daw si Harvey sa Strawberry Farm. I need to go there too.

Kaso pagdating ko dun... "Is that Jasmine?" nakita ko siyang nilapitan ni Harvey at binigyan ng ice cream.

Eh bakit ang sabi niya sakin sa text mag-isa lang siya? Liar. And they look so close together and talking something important. Lumapit ako sa kanila, in a way na di nila ko makikita but I can hear their voices.

"I guess you already know that I like you." what? Harvey likes her? Akala ko ba si Jasmine Fuentes ang gusto niya?

"Umm... but..."

"Look at me Jasmine. I really, really like you." What? I don't need to hear that twice from Harvey.

I was actually relieved that Jasmine Fuentes and Zac are dating. In that case, wala nang pag-asa si Harvey at baka.. baka magustuhan niya rin ako. We're old friends, we used to hang-out, I might have a chance, I'm clinging to that little hope.

Bakit hindi na lang ako? Bakit si Jasmine pa? Kailangan ba, magpapalit ako ng pangalan na Jasmine din?

That liar. I thought I can trust her, tinuring ko siyang kaibigan pero.. bat kailangan niyang magsinungaling? Maybe she wants Harvey all with herself.  I'm seriously mad at her.

"I like you too..." As I thought, sino ba namang makakatanggi sa isang tulad ni Harvey. So di totoo na hindi niya gusto si Harvey.

I'm done here, I stood and run to nowhere with my tears dripping on my face. Damn that Jasmine.

- Jasmine's POV -

"I like you too... 

*gulps*

".... but only as a friend. I'm sorry Harvey. And thank you, thank you for liking me."