OIKOS: MaiChard Drabbles

15. Prom Night

Prequel to "# 9. This Time"

His hands were clammy, beads of sweat starting to form on his brow. He was standing in front of the most beautiful girl he has ever seen in his 16 years of existence and even with her pixie cut she was forced to wear and that shy smile, she looked like a goddess in her yellow spaghetti-strapped satin gown.

He was effectively mesmerized, his mouth slightly open then his face broke into a pie-eating grin because this beautiful stunner was his date for their junior prom. Then he got nervous as that thought finally sunk in that he almost dropped the corsage as he tied it around her wrist, earning a giggle from her.

"Huy, Drew! Wag ka nang kabahan. Di na nga ako galit."

"Talaga? Sorry talaga, Gara. Ang tanga tanga ko naman kasi. I'm really sorry. I know kung gano mo inalagaan yung hair mo. Ang haba na e. Tapos dahil sa katangahan ko, you had to get a haircut this short."

"Ay, di ba bagay saken?"

"Uy, bagay na bagay. No joke. Ang ganda ganda mo nga e."

They were shyly gazing at each other until they were startled by the honk of a car. It was RD, Drew's brother signaling for them to get in the car. He dropped them off at the hotel and into the ballroom they walked in silence until he gathered the courage to hold her hand.

"Margarette Maine?"

"Wow. Full name! Yes, Richard Andrew?"

"Can I have this dance?"

And he didn't let her go until their feet numbed from all the dancing and their cheeks hurt from talking and laughing all night. He led her back to their table and sat next to each other in comfortable silence. He gazed at her face, (she may or may not be trying to keep looking straight ahead but he saw her cheeks blush), then at that lone mole on her left shoulder. He had always been curious at how her lips would taste, or how soft her skin would feel beneath his lips when he kissed her mole. And it wasn't until he felt her jerk that he realized he just did. He just kissed her shoulder.

He felt another bout of nerves because she could very easily slap him for what he did. She turned her face to look at him and he closed his eyes waiting for the sting as her hand came in contact with his cheek. It did not happen. Instead, she lay her head on his shoulder and smiled. He lifted her hand from her lap and locked his fingers with hers. They only smiled as their classmates and friends teased them to no end.

That was how the night ended for them because the emcee announced that Gara's dad was already waiting outside to pick her up. They bussed each other's cheek and waved goodbye. It was one Saturday night they would never forget.

/

"Tapos, what happened?" Sam, his best friend since they moved to LA asked him. They were in a bar drinking and catching up.

"Life. Life happened."

"Ha? Ganon na lang yun?"

"Ayun. Monday came and before I went to school, my parents told me the news that we will be living in the States for good. I was so excited to see her again then I realized aalis din naman ako. So what's the point? Then ayun we left April the same year."

"Tapos? Di mo na sya kinausap? You kissed her goddamn shoulder, dude. Something that weird deserves an explanation."

"I should have, really. ang tanga ko lang. I just pretended nothing happened when I saw her again in class. Then two weeks before we left for the States, I found out na may boyfriend na sya."

"Duuude. Ang tanga mo nga. Tsktsk. You seriously should have talked to her. Kaya siguro walang tumatagal sayong girlfriend e. Si Gara ang point of comparison mo."

"Siguro nga. I can't help but wonder what could have happened between us kung inamin ko lang yung feelings ko for her noon."

"We'll you're going back to Manila for the photoshoot of your magazine's October issue, right?"

"Yes?"

"This is your chance to find out."