He Is The Man ❤️

The New Version

All smiles ako habang nakatingin sa sarili mula ulo hanggang paa sa harap ng salamin. Hindi talaga ako nagakamali sa pagpili ng damit na'to. Bagay na bagay ang pulang minidress sa make-up ko. Im sure hinding-hindi ako mapapahiya sa gagawin ko.

Perfect. Gorgeous.

I was wearing my high heels when I suddenly heard a ring of a phone.

Ops! That was mine.

Kinuha ko iyon at tinignan ang caller. It's Roxanne.

"Oh? Why did you call my dearest friend?"- I already have a guess kung bakit nanaman to tumawag. Tsk.

"Yna Collins, please lang. Wag mo nang ituloy ang binabalak mo. I heard that Emmanuel guy could be quite dangerous. Hindi natin alam kung ano'ng puwedeng mangyari kapag nag-eskandalo ka sa party."- Babala niya.

I just laugh."C'mmon, Rox. When did you start being boring? I am not going to make a scene. Ipapakita ko lang sa kanya kung sino ang kinalaban nya."

The Emmanuel guy is my latest boyfriend and he is one of the varsity players in the  basketball team of our school. Hindi ko na alam kung pang-ilan na siya sa mga naka date ko these past two years.

But, hell. Siya palang ang kauna-unahang lalaki na may planong ipahiya ako sa buong school. Everyone knows in the school that we're on, pagkatapos malalaman ko nalang na ibang babae ang niyaya niya sa victory party. I look stupid in front of many people. That is one of an unforgivable sin. My pride won't accept that forever.

Biglang hindi nag salita si Roxanne sa kabilang linya. I know what she's thinking. Roxanne knows me more, more than I know myself.

"Yna, don't you think that you're just wasting your time dating all these jerk?"- I can feel na may pag-aalala ang boses niya. Somehow, I suddenly felt guilty. I don't want her to get worried about me. "Minsan ay naiisip kong hunting-in si Reid at ibaon siya sa lupa. I swear mata lang niya ang walang latay kapag nagkita uli kami."

I laugh in amusement on her. Roxanne knew my history with men. Since the day that Reid made me cry 3 years ago, I pledge to my self that I will never let any guy to that to me again.

I began to date just for fun. Aminado ako na masarap sa pakiramdam ng isang babae na maraming nagyayayang lumabas dito. It was a privilege that I didn't get to experience three years ago. But I closely guarded my heart. I will never allow any guy to get close to me ever again.

"There's no harm in dating, Rox. It is natural in every girls at our age na makipag date at mag-enjoy."- I said.

"Its not what I think, Yna!"- Sabi niya. Defensive much? Haha. "What if may mangyaring masama sa'yo? I don't want you to get hurt again."

Bigla tuloyng lumambot ang ekspresyon ko sa mukha ko.

"I won't get hurt, Rox. I will be hurt if I fall in love and thats too impossible to happen. Ngayon pa ba na sila na ang kusang gumapagapang papalapit sa'kin?"

I decided to change myself completely three years ago. I change in a way of my pananamit at pag-aayos sa sarili. Ang dating maong pants at t-shirt ay pinalitan ko ng blouse at maiksing skirts. I change my rubber shoes to a very gorgeous heels. I also vowed to myself that I would never let a guy tell me that was ugly and not worth his time.

Marami sa mga campus figures ang lumalapit sa akin mula noong freshman pa lang ako. Kaliwa't kanan ang mga nagyayayang makipag date sa akin, most of them were certified jerks and players. Nalalaman ko ang background information ng mga ito dahil bukod sa hindi naman ganoon kalaki ang university namin ay news writer ako ng The Hot Zone, ang official publication ng skwelahan namin. Pero mas tamang sabihin ko na official gossip corner ang newspaper namin dahil mas maraming nakakalap na tsismis ang mga ksamahan kung writers.

I opted to go for the playboy types. Madaling pakisamahan ang mga ito dahil alam ko kung hanggang saan ang limit ng mga ito. Alam ko'ng hindi dapat paniwalaan ang mga pambobola ng mga ito. Kapag sa tingin ko ay malapit na akong ipagpalit ng mga ito sa ibang babae ay pinuputol ko na agad ang kung anumang relasyon ko sa mga ito. And I do it without regrets.

"Gaga ka rin talaga, ano?"- Asar na sabi sa akin ni Roxanne sa kabilang linya. "Mas gaga ka pa nga sa'kin. At sadista ka pa."

"You can't call me a 'sadist', Rox dear because I don't love them. Isa pa, they're also not serious on me. I'm just giving them the privilege of being their so-called girlfriend"- I said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, I have to go. Clarence will arrive here and he said he'll go with me. You know, I am spoiled to that cousin of mine."

I already hung up before Roxanne can protest again. I took a final glance at myself. "You look perfect, Yna Collins."

I was about to go out when I saw a wrapper of a lollipop that is pinned on the cork board na nakadikit sa pader ko. Sa tabi nun ay isang panyo rin na matagal ko nang nilabhan pero hindi ko naman alam kung paano ko ibabalik sa may-ari.

I smiled. That was long ago when the guy let me borrow the handkerchief and gave me a candy. Matagal ko na ring itinago sa kanya ang  puso ko nang isang gabing nakatagpo ako ng isang estranghero. Hindi ko na kasi sya nahintay kasi tinawagan ako ni Roxanne at sinabi nyang susunduin nya ako sa paborito naming kainan. Sayang lang dahil hindi ko na nakita uli ang lalaki.

Ano kaya ang iisipin nito kapag nakita nya ulit ako ngayon? Will he like the new me? Or, he would say that the old Yna who loves to live simple is nicer than today?

Napailing nalang ako. I guess, not. Who I am now was a hundred times better than who I used to be three years ago. Wala nang may gusto sa Yna noon maliban kay Roxanne. Hindi na'rin naman siguro ako matatandaan nung lalaki.

The dull old Yna had already vanished into thin air. I said in my mind.

Wala nang maghahanap sa akin.