Too Cliché

TC [4] Oh

James invited Clarissa to go to the mall and watch the Mockingjay Part 2. Queenie wasn't with them since she was too busy in their school's pep squad. As James was driving the car, Clarissa keeps on looking outside the car and oftenly smiles.

It bugs her brother a lot, not knowing what makes his sister look like that. She was silent but always smiling. Did his sister took drugs? Oh please, no.

What made Clarissa smile like that? Edi syempre ang ka-date niya noong isang araw. She couldn't get over the fact that she had a date with her brother's best friend. Kapag naiisip niya ang mga pangyayari noong isang araw, kinikilig siya. At sa mga oras na ito, gustong-gusto niyang kiligin pero pinipigilan niya. The last thing she wanted to do right now is letting her brother know about their date. Because if he does? She'll end up getting a non-stop lecture from him. "Don't fall in love with him. You'll get hurt---" bla bla bla.

"What's wrong with you? You look like a crazy woman with that smile on your face. May nangyari bang maganda na hindi ko alam?" James asked but Clarissa did not hear it. She was in her own little world, not minding what was happening in the real world.

James noticed her absence of mind, so he said the only word to make her snap out of it. "Patrick." And just like a little kid who wants a lollipop, she looked.

"So that's what was making you smile? My bastard best friend?"

"Hoy, ang sama mo. You can not just call your best friend bastard." Nakasimangot na sagot nito sa kuya niya.

"Ewan ko sayo." He said, rolling his eyes. "So siya nga? Siya yung iniisip mo kung kaya ngumingiti ka diyan? Did something happened when I asked him to keep an eye on you?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Sht. "H-ha? Wala n-naman. Nanood l-lang kami ng tv tapos k-umain." She said, stuttering. Her brother noticed the way she spoke, making him smirk because he surely knew she was lying.

"I don't believe it for a second. Cut the lying, princess and tell me in one word what you did the other day."

Malamang sa malamang, sasabihin niya ang totoo. Kahit kelan ay hindi pa nakapagsinungaling ang dalaga sa kuya nito.

Napabuntong-hininga siya bago sinabi ang salitang sana ay hindi niya sinabi. "Date."

After she released the word from her mouth, James stepped onto the brake and widened his eyes at her sister. Buti na nga lang at kakaunti lamang ang mga sasakyan dahil kung hindi, nadomino-effect na sana kami ngayon.

"Date? Tangina date?" Napahilamos ang kuya nito gamit ang kamay. "At pumayag ka?" He asked him.

"Well, the both of us wanted to get out from that house. Date was just his metaphor plus it was just a friendly date." She said defensively. "Its not like we're ever going to a date as a couple, you know."

"I'm sorry. Its just, you know how I feel about your feelings for my best friend. You know how he is around girls and how he treats them in the end. Not that he's never going to be serious in his relationships. Let's just say, he is not that ready to be in a serious and steady relationship with someone right now. And princess, please understand that you're the last person I wanted to be hurt by his actions."

She understood her brother. He was too protective and too caring but she does not give a damn. She knew he was just worried about her.

"I know. We just had a friendly date. Yes, it made my heart go racing. Oo, kinilig ako ng todong-todo. Syempre kasi date yun. Nasa bucket list ko kaya ang makadate ang crush ko." She said smiling.