John's POV:
Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari sakin today. I became possessive because of a girl, who is not even my girlfriend... yet. Pero hindi ko siya titigilan hangga't hindi ko siya napapasagot. The first time I saw Beatrice, I knew something was odd. And then she triggered my attention and the next thing I knew, I was looking forward to getting her attention. I used my charm on her on the first day but it didn't work. I don't know if I was just challenged or she just bruised my ego that she got my full interest but i don't care anymore. There's some feeling inside of me that only she managed to bring out. So I made some research about her, got her name, and managed to be friends with her friends. Hassle nga lang kasi weekeneds yung schedule ng friends nya kaya I had to attend the weekend sessions, too. Not just that, I also bought chocolates for her na hindi niya pinapansin nung una. After I've done that, I felt like it was a wrong move kasi the next day, may mga nauna na sa aking maglagay ng chocolates and flowers sa desk niya. I even threatened some na naglakas loob maglagay sa desk nya when I was around and told them to back off or else they wouldn't like what i will do to them.
"John, may gusto ka rin ba kay Bea?" Lio asked him one day as he was placing the flower he bought before going here.
"Rin?" I asked him as I went back to my seat and he followed me there. Pucha karibal ko pa ata tong kaibigan ko. talu talo na lang?
"Yea you heard it right." He nonchalantly answered as he sat down beside me. "Halos lahat naman ata tayo dito, napapansin siya. She exudes beauty and probably brains kasi hindi siya nandito kung wala siya non."
"I guess."
"Pero, wala naman akong balak ligawan siya. Ayokong one day, maging undercontrolled by a woman at maging sunud sunuran sa kanya." tumawa ito. "Kaya, pare, good luck sayo kung itutuloy mo yan."
I let out a sigh. That's a possibility. Sa klase ng personality na pinapakita ni Beatrice, medyo kinakabahan talaga ako sa kanya. Kaya nga natuto akong manligaw nang palihim. Sa tanang buhay ko, ngayon lang ako nanligaw. Supposedly, nadadaaan ko ang mga babaeng nililigawan ko sa mga words of Zeus na lumalabas sa bibig ko. Ni hindi ko nga alam ang sense talaga ng panliligaw noon. Not until this week. Not until I met her.
"Thanks, bro." I said.
"Naku bro. Mabuti na lang at wala dito si Bry. Kung hindi, malalaman niya tong kalokohan mo at aabutin ka ng ilang libong kantyaw sa kanya. Pero on second thought, di naman pala kayo nag uusap non so baka mga pahaging lang maririnig mo sa kanya."
And upon hearing his name, my blood boiled hot. Matik na kase yan. He is the friend/nemesis i have. Lahat na lang ng atensyon simula nang highschool kami and to college, natuon dito. I tried to excel in sports and I did pero when it comes to popularity, ito pa rin ang mas nakakalamang. He made his name known and his father was so proud at him. Kaya naman sinundan ko siya when he was filling up some forms in highschool. I saw him on the registrar as he passed a UP Application form and i managed to use my charms to see what he's filled up as his course. I smiled when the course he chose happened to be mine also so I filled mine just the same. Hindi naman ako nabigo and I told my father that I passed but he just congratulated me and never came as my mother and I celebrated it on a restaurant. We entered the restaurant and my attention was caught by the three person gathered on a table. It was John and his mom and dad. They looked like a very happy family. Upon seeing them, I saw the old man focus his attention on us but that was just a second and he appeared as if he didn't see us. I also befriended his friends, Lio and Bruno and became one of them. At dahil magkakaibigan na kami, lumiit ang mundo namin. Whenever I get a chance on ruining his life, hinbdi ko pinaplagpas yun. And then his greatest love, fell on my hands. Nalaman kong in love sya sa org mate niyang si Pia kaya ang ginawa ko'y niligawan ko si Pia who willingly said yes on the day I told her that she's the most beautiful woman i've ever seen. I even went out with my friends kasama si Pia sa tuwing kasama namin si John. I always kiss her infront of him and I can see him feasting on his knuckles everytime. Minsan pa nga nagbiro si Lio that we should get a room kaya kunwaring inaya ko si Pia sa likod sa malapit sa storage room para sana magpahangin lang but it turned out Pia was so hot that time and I was just a man with needs. I was shocked to know that Pia wasn't a virgin anymore and I was. So I dumped her. And he was so angry when I told them about the dumping thing. He was not even saying a word that time. Nag iigting ang mga ugat niya noon sa kamao niya and he was reddish mad when he walked out. I know it was so childish of me but i can't help it. Natutuwa akong malaman na may kakayahan akong saktan siya, at Pia's expense pero hindi pa ako tapos doon.
"Or worse, baka matipuhan rin niya yung chick mo ngayon." sabi namn ni Rico na kararating lang, which made my blood reach its boiling point.
"Or worst, baka mas matawag niya pansin ng chick mo ngayon." sabad naman ni Bruno which made him lose his temper.
"Or worst-"
"I'll be the one to shut your mouths if you won't." I said while gritting my teeth.
"Eto naman. Chill ka lang bro. Masyado kang hot. Nasan na ba si manong at mapalakasan nga tong aircon." Lio said as he stood up to find his escape. I was about to shout at them when I heard Lio said "Hi."
Napatingin kaming lahat sa kanya and then I saw her standing there and we focused on them.
"Were you the first ones to arrive?" she asked us and no one said anything kaya napunta ang tingin niya sa akin.
"Uhm-" I cleared my throat but a lump is really there so i just nodded my head. Shit. Where did all my confidence go?
"So, you saw who put those things there?" sabi niya while pointing at her desk. 'I've been puzzled if those were really mine or just that naiwan lang ng mga morning class."
"No, those are really for you." I answered diliberately without thinking. And saw her expression until I realized that I'm becoming a fool. "Uhm, I was here early and I never saw it there when I arrived. Then I went outside tapos pagbalik ko nandyan na yang mga yan." I explained while holding my breathe. SHe stared at me for a long time.
"Really?"
"Y-yeah." I answered. And I saw her smile. Yung pilit. Yung line lang. But, hell. SHe looks more mysterious with that smile.
"Okay, then. Sorry again. I was just hoping na makikilala ko na kung sino yung mga nagbibigay nyan to thank them and maybe I could finally accept those gifts." She said and I think she bought my answer as she walked away from us and to her seat.
"So, kaya pala di mo tinatanggap yan kasi di mo kilala kanino galing?" I heard Bruno asked her.
She just turned to us when she reached her seat and gave us a smile as she pushed those things away from her seat and into the armchair beside her.
And then, I decided to introduce myself to her. I must muster all the courage to face her. Para naman di na masayang mga pinambinbili kong chocolates araw araw.
At first she was aloof, kanina nga habang hinihintay ko siyahindi ako mapakali. And when I saw her, I losteverything I've practiced as I held a bouquet inf ront of her. I stayed like that for some minutes and she was about to walk away when I held her hand. She flinched from my touch and she immediately got away from my grip. I went in front of her again and I knew we were making a scene but I didn't care. It's now or never, i told myself as I kneeled down in front of her to ask her out but my efforts were thrown to the garbage nang sinabi niyang hinding hindi siya lalabas kasama ako at hinding hindi niya tatanggapin ang kung anumang ibibigay ko sa kanya, But those became lies a while ago, and all thanks to that old lady. Siguro siya ang fairy godmother ko. and I immediately laughed at the idea. Naputol ang pag-rereminisce ko nang makita kong tumigil ang bus na sinakyan niya kanina. I was insisting on getting her home but she consistently refused and she was getting pissed at me, so I gave up at nagkunwari akong uuwi na but I just stayed in my car as I watch her ride a jeepney, hop off and ride a bus and now she's walking alone at this hour of night.
ANo ba tong babaeng to, di man lang ba siya natatakot na baka may magtangka sa kanya ng masama dito e halos wala pa namang tao. I asked myself as I watched her ride a bicycle. I was tempted to stop my car pero mahuhuli ako kaya binagalan ko lang ang pagtakbo until we reached the gate of a village I am familiar with. She got off from the bike and met with the security guard who seemed like he's waiting for her and hands her something and she went inside the gate. The guard gave the metro police a hand signal and every car came to a halt and stopped including me. Nasa harap ako kaya kitang kita kong lumabas ang isang Porsche convertible intersecting the a-while-ago-busy highway and I was stunned to see who was driving it.
No way. I told myself as I stared at the almost invisible back of the car which just entered the Forbes village gate. I recovered from my own shock as I heard the horns of the cars behind me. I stepped on the accelerator on a nowhere direction with her on my thoughts.
Who are you?
