Invisible

Chapter 6

Same Mistakes – One Direction

"You know, Parry? He's such a twist." I complained to Parry. A couple of weeks after the wedding, today was finally the day of our graduation. I could feel it in my bones, I'm so damned excited. I could finally say good bye to high school and hello to college. But yeah, right now, I'm complaining to Parry via phone call about Darren's crazy rants when we were in the wedding day and when a cute blondie attempted to flirt with me. "It's so god damn confusing."

I heard her laugh at the other line. "Maybe he's just so over protective for you, Nicole." She said. "You know, you're friends for twelve years and never in those times have you ever tried to flirt to other people." I sighed at that. Okay, well I'm sixteen and never have I ever tried to flirt. "Maybe he's not used to see you flirt with other men."

I sighed. "I never flirt with him." I told her. "How am I not allowed to flirt with other men when he cannot even appreciate my affection for him?"

"I don't know, girl," she laughed again, "Do I look or sound like a love expert to you?" she asked. "You know, I have to get a little nap for later, since I'm about to graduate and finish high school."

I sighed. Really? I need her and now she's going to trade me with just an afternoon nap? "Fine." I grumbled and declined the call as I started to pick some good things to serve as Pasalubong to TitaMadelle once we get back to the Philippines.

I rummaged through the racks and took a look at the blouses there. I took one out, after deciding that the clothing material was a cute thing to give to my aunt. I went to my mother who was picking a lot of items by the perfume section. We're buying a lot of stuffs for one person? Irrational.

"Hey, mom," I called, "I think Tita Mads would love this one." I told her handing her the pink patterned blouse.

"Oh, great, this is so cute." she agreed and I smiled. "Why won't you shop around for something for yourself?" she suggested and I found myself furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"For me?" I asked. "I don't need anything."

"Yeah, but how about this?" she suggested. "Why won't you shop around and whatever items you think you like would be bought by me, then consider it as my graduation gift?"

"Anything?" I asked her and she nodded. "Okay."

"For some reason, I have a feeling that someone would suddenly ask you out after graduation." My mom beamed as she saw me in my best girly state. "Maybe you could find yourself a boyfriend!"

I frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be against that idea?"

"Oh, darling," she laughed, "I met your dad and dated him when I was fifteen! You're sixteen and you should start getting out with males!"

"I..." I stammered. I am interested with someone who doesn't seem to care about me as someone more than a friend. "I don't know."

I looked at myself at the mirror. My hair was perfectly curled, my dyed highlights were curled too, of course, and giving my hair some defined style. My face was mildly covered with cosmetics. A pair of crème coloured heels faultlessly matched my floral dress. This is really my most girly state in my sixteen years of existence.

"Well," my mom said as she picked her purse. "Let's go get you that high school diploma, then."

"Let us all give Mr Darren Espanto and Ms Nicole Aguilar a warm applause as they sing the graduation song for tonight, entitled Same Mistakes by One Direction!" the MC announced and Darren and I went up the stage, both of us had our microphones for the performance for the graduation.

After singing, there comes the final say of the MC, few gratitude words from the administrators and staff of the school and soon enough, we were pronounced as graduates!

The ceremony was finally over when Darren and his family came up to me and my mom. "Hey, congratulations to the both of you," TitoLyndon said with a smile as he clapped Darren on the back and politely kissed my cheek afterward. "So, do you mind if we invite you two for dinner?"

"Mom said it would be awesome if we celebrate, knowing we're a group of friends." Darren chuckled as he moved beside me. "And I would love to give my graduation present for you."

"Wow, good. Coz I bought you one," I laughed. "Well, my mom has the final say to your invitation. But if you'll ask me, of course, I would give it a go." I told him, "Oh, and by the way, can we have a selfie?"

He nodded while laughing and I lifted my phone up as I took a picture of the two of us. "You two, are so cute!" my mom exclaimed. "Can you explain why you aren't together?"

I don't know whose face was redder, Darren's or mine.

They just laughed at us and my mother dropped the subject and finally agreed to Lyndon's offer for the dinner. Being in a group who weren't even that in love with fancy foods, we decided to just enter and eat in a diner that serves the best Buffalo wings.

Our families were in the diner while Darren and I decided to get out and stargaze, something that we often do when we're together. "Here, I hope you like it." he handed me a small wrapped box and I laughed.

"At least I know that you wrapped it," I joked and he rolled his eyes playfully. "Here's yours, Darren." I handed him my gift which was neatly wrapped. Don't blame me, I have better hands.

We opened our gifts and both gasped in admiration for each other's gifts. He gave me a necklace with a flower pendant, being someone who was addicted to floral stuffs. The flower had pink petals and the centre was a black diamond, making it more captivating.

"Holy Macaroni! A dog tag!" he exclaimed happily. "Thank you!"

I smiled. "You're welcome and Thank You for this one. It's really beautiful." I said, taking it from the poorly wrapped box and attempted to put it on my neck. "The only bad thing is that its clasp is small and my hands aren't coordinated." We laughed at that.

"Here, let me," he took the necklace from me and put it around my neck in one swift move. "I never thought it would look beautiful on you."

"Does the dog tag look good on you, too?" I asked him while I fumbled with the small pendant on my necklace, feeling the cool of the slate metal.

He took the material and put it on. Darren had this certain poor addiction towards dog tags and bracelets or wrist bands, as he calls them. So it wasn't that much of a struggle to pick something for him as a graduation present.

"Darren, Nicole," we heard Tita Marinel's call and turned around her, holding on the small barrier of the pick up car of the Espanto's where we're seating and chose to stargaze. "Wings are ready, we should eat." She said with a smile and didn't wait for us, instead went in and sat with the others.

"We should go." Darren said as he hopped off the pick up, helping me as I followed suit on going down.

I jumped off the pick up, holding Darren's hand while I jumped. His hand was warm, the normal warmth that he possessed ever since.

"Oh, I want to give you something else, too." He said and smiled.

"What is it?" I asked, looking up at him. He leaned in closer, giving me a kiss on the cheek before dashing off to the diner and leaving me at the spot, frozen still as I absentmindedly touched the spot of my cheek that he kissed.