Me and Chase

m&c: 4.5 (side-story)

(Camille's POV)

Another typical day sa buhay ng isang Queen. Queen Camille Mia Martinez Brooks. I'm out with my bestfriend, Daurin Ann Cuanco Wyatt at a prestigious mall, exclusive for members only.

"Oh my gosh, Daurin! This dress would look super bagay sa'yo!" I said as I pushed her papuntang fitting room.

"Camz, di ko naman kailangan ng clothes, eh. I have a ton at home. And--"

I cut her off, "Just shut up and try it on! Oh, pati etong 3 shirts." and inabot ko na lahat.

The reason is because I saw Vince walking around this mall too. Ayaw kong lapitan niya kame, baka makita niya pa si Daurin. I know about Vince liking Daurin. Eversince 4 years ago, gustong gusto na talaga si Vince si Daurin. I'm not against it, kaso alam kong malabong magustuhan ni Daurin si Vince and since importante din sakin si Vince, ayaw ko siyang masaktan.

While Daurin was trying on clothes I ran to where Vince was, "Vinny!"

"Camille? What are you doing here?" he looked around, "Si.. Daurin?" he added.

"Daurin nanaman? Pano ako? Nakakatampo ka na ha.." then I pouted.

Tumawa naman siya, and he patted my head, "Ano ka ba, lab din naman kita."

I felt butterflies in my stomach, and yes. My unrequited love is Vince Auguste Martin Austria. I've been inlove with him since I was just in 5th Grade.

Why?

[ F L A S H B A C K ]

There was a point kase ng buhay ko na, I was being bullied because of my weight. Lagi akong inaasar na "Pig", "Tabachoy", "OinkOink", and as a child those words didn't help me to be able to grow as a healthy child. I started avoiding people, I stopped eating, and eventually I stopped going to school. My mom started to scold me, and she told me to go to school. And because of guilt, I did.

"Taba taba mo, Camille!"

"Camille! Oink Oink!"

"Camille the baboy! Oink!"

and so much people started gathering around me, pointed at me, and laughed. I wasn't happy with what was happening anymore, so umiyak ako. I wanted to go home, I wanted to get away from all this..

"Hoy! Wag niyo ngang asarin si Camille! Atleast hindi siya marunong mang-api ng kapwa, tulad niyo! Mga panget na nga kayo, pati ba naman kalooban niyo pangit pa din?!"

A kid with spiky hair said while glaring at everyone.

"Weh, totoo naman eh! Baboy si Camille!" ani ng isang kaklase ko,

The kid with spiky hair, grabbed him and started to throw punches to his face. All the kids around started to cry, "Tawag kayo ng teacher!"

Tumigil yung spiky-hair kid, at hinarap ang mga tao at bigla siyang nagsalita, "Isa pang asar niyo kay Camille, kayo naman gagantuhin ko! Tandaan niyo 'yan!" sigaw niya, at napatahimik sila.

Hinila na siya ng teacher na dumating, at dinala siya sa Principal's office.

I was stunned, and it made me want to cry. At dahil na-guilty ako nun, naghintay ako sa labas ng Principal's office hanggang sa lumabas yung batang 'yon.

After 30 mins, nakalabas na siya. "Suspended daw ako, 2 days." then he gave me a big smile,

"Sorry ha, dahil sakin napagalitan ka. Sorry talaga." Ani ko.

"Okay lang, basta pag may umaway sa'yo, sabihin mo sakin. Bubugbugin ko sila para sa'yo!" sabi niya habang nakataas ang dalawa niyang kamao.

Natawa naman ako, and I nodded. "Sige, bye na! Andyan na kase sundo ko. Bye bye, Camille!" ani niya.

Bago pa man siya nakaalis, hinila ko siya, "W-wait! A-a-anong p-pangalan m-m-mo?" tumingin ako sakanya, hinihintay na sagutin niya ako.

"Vince Auguste M. Austria!" ngumiti siya, at tumakbo na papaalis., "Bye!"

He was my superhero, and I will never ever forget that moment.

I started dieting para before I entered 7th Grade, I was a different person. I was a new me. Nung payat na ako, andaming nanliligaw sakin, pero I rejected every single one of them.

Hinintay ko na umamin si Vince sakin, pero ang tanga tanga ko. I shouldn't have waited. Nalaman ko nalang na may gusto siya sa new friend ko na si Daurin Wyatt. Daurin was a kind-hearted person. So, It wasn't a surprise kung bakit nagustuhan siya ni Vince.

Vince was my bestfriend, and Daurin was too. Umamin si Vince kay Daurin at sinabe niya kay Vince na parehas sila ng nararamdaman. Hanggang sa nalaman kong MU na pala sila. It really hurt, you know. Seeing the boy I love so much with someone other than me.

"Camille! Nagkagusto pala si Vince sa'yo nung 4th Grade hanggang 6th Grade! Kaso never mo daw siya napansin. Kawawang bata!" sabay tawa ni Daurin.

"Bata pa namin nun, pero gustong gusto ko si Camille nun kahit chubby siya. Kase napakabait niyang tao." sabat ni Vince habang nakaakbay kay Daurin.

I was stunned. I didn't know. If only I confessed to him, ano kaya kami ngayon? Grabeng regret dinanas ko nang marinig ko yung sinabe ni Daurin. But I hid everything. Di ko sinabe na gusto ko din si Vince noon, hanggang ngayon. Hanggang ngayon. Tanga tanga mo, Camille. I tried to be happy for them, but it hurt. Pero tiniis ko yun. Kase masaya siya. Kaya dapat masaya din ako.

Kaso, biglang nalaman ko na umayaw na si Daurin kay Vince. Di ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako or malulungkot, because seeing Vince hurt, hurt. Di ko alam yung rason kung bakit nagka-ganun, pero yun na yun. Wala na. Hanggang sa ngayon, the three of us are 11th Grade students na.

And here I am, still madly inlove with my superhero.

[ P R E S E N T T I M E]

"Sige na, Camille. Kailangan ko na umuwi. Hahatid ko pa 'to kay Mommy." sabay turo sa grocery bag niya na puro gulay ang laman.

"Ay sige, Regards mo naman ako kay tita. Ingat ka Vince! Tanga ka pa naman!" I said and nag belat ako sakanya.

He laughed, "How mature, Camille. 'Hi' mo din ako kay Daurin. Bye!" he said and left.

"Hoy! Walangya ka! Iniwan mo ako sa fitting room! Salita ako ng salita doon, wala naman pala akong kausap! Mukha tuloy akong monggi." Daurin who just got out of the store, whined.

"Oo na, sorry na. Hi daw sabe ni Vince." I quietly said.

"Vince? Nandito siya? San? San!" she looked around trying to find him,

"Wala na. Tagal mo kase mag-fit. Ayan nawala na!" I said trying to stop forming a smile on my face.

"Sayang naman. O, sige. bibilhin ko 'tong lahat, dyan ko lang. Wait for me!" she said as she headed to the cashier.

*

It might be wrong, and this might sound stupid. But this time, I'll try my best to capture Vince's heart. I love him, and no one will ever love him the way I do. And I know he deserves better than this. I don't think I deserve him. But maybe if I work hard, I might deserve to be with him, to be next to him, or be with him for the rest of his life.

I'm sorry, Daurin. Kung may feelings ka pa kay Vince, I won't give a damn anymore.

I'm gonna sweep him off his feet, and make him fall for me.

I'm gonna make him say that he loves me.