Letters to you;

Chapter 3

             Dear Noah,

    Remember when the school's intramurals came? We were doing a classic Filipino dance, partnered up. The girls played women back in the old day, with fans and lanterns, and you, along with the boys, were bandits who'd kidnap us. You were hired to kidnap me.

    I wasn't that interested in running, every time we were told to run, I'd scream but give up, and would earn disappointing looks from Miss Jackson, who got the dance from Youtube anyway.

''Do you want to be paired with someone else?'' I asked you, from my own reflection in your eyes, I could tell I was like a curious child to you. ''I wouldn't mind, are you.. uncomfortable?''.

    You didn't answer, so I bit my lower lip and waved my hand right in front of your face, ''Dude? You there?'' you blinked once then smiled, grabbing my hand like the bandit you were, ''No thanks, you make kidnapping easier for me.''.

    The practice went along smoothly, or so I recall, and you kept smiling every time you ran after me, like you were excited. I didn't get why you were smiling, or why the women back then were so weak, but I liked how happy you looked. I loved your dimples. And I still do.

    ''15 minute break!'' Miss would yell out to the whole mixed two classes, I raised my eyebrows, immediately making my way to Notch, trying to get the sweat off my forehead in the process. ''I saw that.'' She spoke first out of our walking-to-the-canteen-convo. I looked at her the same way I looked at you whenever I was stupid, a curious child. ''Huh? Saw what?'' I asked, then snorted in a pig way, ''Of course you saw it, you have eyes.''.

    Notch then rolled her eyes, ''Not that, you butt freckle. The eye contact thing, and when he smiled whenever he neared you.'' I looked at her, mostly thinking about the butt freckle thing instead of you (Sorry). Butt freckle? I didn't have any freckles--- Just pimples. I didn't have any freckles on my butt, did I?

    ''Bro?'' she smacked my head, I flinched at her sweaty hand, ''Huh? Sorry, I was thinking about butt freckles.'' She smirked, ''Or you were thinking about him.''.

    Butt freckles stayed in my mind for the rest of the practice.

    You came up to me later, after we all changed and freshened up, whatever sweat we had was gone. I raise my eyebrows yet again, (a habit I enjoy doing) as if to ask, ''Why are you always approaching me?''. He raised his eyebrows back, and I got confused. ''Why'd you come up to me?'' I finally spoke, when all you did was mock me for a minute and a half. You flattened out your lips, your dimples showing in the process. ''We're gonna do a study group later, my house. Wanna come?''.

    I was taken aback, I widened my eyes and clenched my shirt in a dramatic manner, ''Your house? Study?'' I pretended to choke and then stood up straight as soon as the principal passed by. ''Who's gonna be my arch-amigo in this cemented home of yours?'' if I was going to your house alone, with several guys, then sure, but I'm not exactly sure your friends knew how to study.

    ''Notch is coming, so of course you have no choice but to be forced.'' You spoke flatly ''Also, my house has an air conditioner.'', I stroked my chin in a ridiculous manner then giggled. ''Hell yeah!'' I know what you may think, why'd I even go to your house? To study? Nah, I planned it out ever since the beginning. I was going to eat all your snacks.

    But then later on your mom caught me (Spoiler alert) and smiled at me so nicely that I felt guilty and only got 1 pack.

    We reached your house, the first time I've ever been there, and prayed. I don't know why, but I just wanted to let God to know that I'm thankful for your existence and that I loved you at that time (Mostly because of the air conditioner being on) and fake cried.

    The five of us, Notch, Mark, Gerard, you and I were accompanied (Well not really, you just climbed up the stairs and threw your bag down inside a blue room) into your ''do not disturb zone''.

    It was so cold inside that I was about to cry actual tears of joy.

    ''Woah, it's so blue,'' I said, and stroked the walls, looking at all your pictures that your mom hung up for you, mostly consisting of graduations and awards in sports. I smiled. ''I like your mom a lot, you know?''.

    You looked at me, your eyebrows furrowed and your eyes narrowed, ''This is the first time you've seen her.''.

    We took a long time in studying that I almost fell asleep when you kept repeating how to get the answer, Gerard noticed me and smacked the back of my head, smirking. I didn't care, since that's how we were, but that just encouraged my head to hit the table straight on.

    ''Damn, my nose.'' I rubbed my nostrils and winced, but there was no blood stain on my fingers, so I assumed I wasn't bleeding. ''Woah, hold on,'' you grabbed my hand, connecting your forehead onto mine, staring into my eyes and your thumb trailing on top of my lips (Or as I prefer, under my nostrils).

    ''Dude, I'm not bleeding.'' You kept on stroking the area where I had a girlstache growing, I furrowed my eyebrows, ''Bro, I just said I'm not bleeding.''. You let go and laughed, raising your eyebrows, ''I know, but hell, your girlstache is the most obvious thing I've seen.''.

    I rolled my eyes at you but still stroked my growing stache, repeating in my head at that time, ''It's okay, my baby, I will soon shave you.''. Your mom knocked on the door, with a tray of cakes and a lemonade pitcher. I loved your family, I still do.

    ''Yes.'' I muttered, then continued into a heavy chant, ''Yes, yes, yes, yes.'' You looked at me as if I grew two heads then proceeded to eat both cakes, one that belonged to me. ''Hey, what the heck—'' before I could finish what I was about to say, you grabbed a handful of cake and smothered it all over my face.

    The other three were staring at us ever since the nose incident, I shrugged at them, got a handful of Notch's cake and smeared it from your chin down to your collarbones. You laughed, muttering ''Now you're even sweeter.''.

    I blushed, but I always do, so you didn't exactly notice it, I grabbed some of Gerard's cake to divert the attention from us to Mark. It ended up as food fight pt. 2.

    We all wiped ourselves clean in your spotless bathroom, even washing our face just to prevent ants from eating us into oblivion, I tapped your hand as soon as you opened the door, passing by me, I entered the bathroom as soon as you paused, turned and smiled. 'Cause I was happy. Even if just for a moment, I knew it didn't take much to be happy.

   The official dance came a week later, we were closer then, and instead of my wrist, this time you kept on holding on to my hand. ''Your hands are soft.'' You remarked right after you held it, squishing it occasionally. I snorted, ''Damn right they are.''.

    In the final, I tripped, remember? And you caught me again, but the timing was already set off, so we had to replace the king and queen of the festival, it was a mystery on how we even remembered their steps and if we even got them right—but all I can remember was grabbing your hand and bowing, the gym of parents and other grades clapping at us as sweat dripped down our foreheads. I squeezed your hand, and you squeezed back.