Author's Note
This story is not for sensitive and not open-minded people. I just wrote this to spill my emotions and for the sake of creativity. Please don't judge me for being "green". I'm a good and sane person. Trust me ;) Hope you enjoy reading and don't forget to vote!
------
Komportable akong umupo sa sofa na nakaposition sa tabi ng puno na nasa garden ng pinaka-famous na student sa university namin si-Alec. Jeez...it's cold out here. Pano ba naman, nakasuot ako ng off-shoulders na shirt at jeans then sandals. Hindi ko naman alam na magiging ganito pala kalamig. Thank God, madaming tao dito na tumutulong para mabawasan yung chilliness dito. It's quarter to twelve in the New Year's Eve, fifteen minutes bago ang pagpasok ng year-2017. Lahat ng mga students na mula sa university eh nagsasayawan kasabay ang malakas na tugtog ng DJ, which is helping to cover the noise of firecrackers and trumpets na nagmumula sa streets. So ang pinaka main mood ng gabing ito ay party at kasiyahan. Young, wild and free.
Alec's place is always the venue para sa yearly tradition ng mga taga university namin, which is called the-New Year's Kiss. Yet, first time ko ito in the whole four years na pinasok ko sa university namin. I don't really like going at parties at all. In fact, pinilit lang ako ng mga kaibigan ko sumama tsaka...well, naaawa rin ako sa sarili ko kasi hindi pa ako nagkaka-boyfriend simula nung maging grown-up ako. Hanggang M.U. palang ako. Pero maybe this time I can have one. Sabi ng mga kaibigan ko maganda naman daw ako, at sa tuwing tinatanggi ko iyon ay sinasabi nilang-"Sus! Pa-humble pa e!". Well, ayoko namang maging mayabang pero maganda naman talaga ako, kulang nga lang ako sa confidence. With my black, shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, and "sexiness", I know I can have one. I grin at the thought. This time I can have one!
Even though first time ko 'to, I already know what's the main event of the New Year's Kiss and what's this whole event is for-romance. When the clock ticks at eleven-fifty-nine, you will kiss the person you like until the year ends and after that? You can do whatever you fucking want! Take him/her sa dormitory or apartment mo, have a relationship, and of course-have sex. Hell, that's a pleasure. Kung meron isang lalaki na gusto kung i-share ang pleasure na 'yun tonight? Ang lalaking iyon ay ang bestfriend ni Alec na si Evan.
Crush ko na si Evan simula nung third-year college and up until now at fourth-year I am still fucking falling for him. He's tall and smart, with a hair na pwedeng i-man bun, deep-brwon eyes and... he's fucking single! Damn, he's so hot and wala siyang girlfriend? How come?
The universe is truly on my side this time. Haha!
Fortunately, parehas kami ng course at minsan ay nagkaka-interact kami, at meron akong feeling-feeling lang-na meron din siyang gusto sakin. Sometimes, nahuhuli ko siyang nakatingin sakin at minsan gusto niya ako laging ka-partner sa mga reports namin. Hindi ko alam kung anong ibig sabihin non. Ano bang ibig sabihin non? I'm perplex. Naga-assume lang ba ako? Sana hindi. Sana he really likes me too at sana ako ang halikan niya ngayong gabi.
"C'mon, Ellen, let's dance!" sigaw sakin ng kaibigan kong si Aimee. She's gone dancing and right now mukhang lasing na siya.
"Lasing ka nanaman, Aimee. Perhaps you should get some rest na muna." sagot ko.
"No! I don't wanna rest. Let's just dance, Ellen. C'mon!" Hinawakan niya yung kamay ko and starts to pull it, pero I try my best para pigilan yun.
"Ayoko sabing sumayaw. You know that I'm not good at it!"
"Oh," she calms, "Come on, I'll teach you!" Ugh! Lagi na lang siyang nangungulit and this time she's pulling harder kaya naman I try my best again to resist it.
I look around while Aimee's still pulling my hand, and spot Evan's eyes watching us from the sofa na nakahilig sa mataas na fence ng garden. No! He's not watching us! He's actually gazing at me and he seems to be very amuse. Mukha ba akong tanga or funny as I resist Aimee's pull? Siguro. Nagtitigan kami ni Evan and I blush. Nakalimutan ko na tuloy na hinihila ako ni Aimee. Shit, ang gwapo niya talaga. Sign ba 'to na gusto niya rin ako? Na ako ang babaeng hahalikan niya? Sana.
"Nine minutes before eleven-fifty-nine!" sigaw ni Alec mula sa stage. Evan and I quit staring at tumigil na rin sa wakas si Aimee sa paghila. Umupo siya sa tabi ko.
"Ellen, it's near!" she squeaks, hysterically. "Do I look well?" I nod, sympathetically at inumpisahan niya nang kumuha ng mga makeup sa pouch niya.
Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko, na parang mailuluwa ko na ito. Shit. It is really near. Ilang minuto na lang at malalaman ko na kung gusto ba talaga ako ni Evan o hindi. Tumingin ako sa kanya and there he is; still sitting, his arm resting on the back of the sofa, staring at me. I'm stun by his scrutiny. His deep brown eyes is melting me. Grabe, sobrang sexy niya. I blush and bite my lower lip in extreme naughtiness. He licks his lips. Oh! What does that mean? Shit, tigilan mo nga yan Evan. It makes me naughtier.
Tinanggal niya ang mga mata niya sa akin at tumayo mula sa inuupan niya then... Is he heading towards me? Tumingin ako sa ibang direksyon at bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
I look up at him and there he is-fetching some beverages sa table na nasa tabi ng sofa na kinauupuan ko. Fuck, nagiging ilusyonada nanaman ako. Once more, na stun nanaman ako sa kagwapuhan niya. I blush. Tiningnan niya ako and he grins and head back to his seat. Nalilito na ako. Ako ba talaga ang hahalikan niya?
"Do I look well?" tanong ni Aimee, fully retouched.
"Yes, you look beautiful." sagot ko.
She grins. "This is your time, Ellen." Niyapos niya ako. "This is your time."