"He's My Hopeless Romantic"

Chapter 1

     I couldn't stop whimpering about my best friend. Alam mo yung isip na biglang 'sana minahal ko nalang ang best friend ko'? Ako yun eh. Ang napaka-tangang babae na inisip lang ang sarili, tulad ng lahat ng babae sa paligid. It was called 'affliction' by the loss, infirmity from your past and wished for it to have happened again. The magnitude for me to cry was as strong as its intensity. Before I could stand up from this melacholy, it was just another timelapse of skeptism.

     Once upon a time, an introvert by the name Peter flocked his last sight of seclusion. He's silent, understanding, and he's the man who won't let you settle a problem alone. Peter's best friend was Adrianna, and yes. I'm lucky to be that Adrianna. Short for a completion of Adrianna C. Torres. I think we're just the perfect concoction of setting off a crime of evil. Well, evil in our language. Opposite strangers at the beginning, now best of friends. This is just another sick love story I have treaded into. A recipe for drama that all love stories have to have. But I do believe love doesn't need much crap to do with an interesting one.

     Noon, si Peter lang ang nandyan. Tahimik sa isang silid. May sariling mundo at kausap ang sariling isip. Lagi siyang umaasa sa babaeng alam niyang 'di niya makakatuluyan. Matataas ang kanyang kilig sa mga crush sa TV, napaka-weirdo niya talaga tulad ko. Mas naging-weirdo naman siya nung nakilala ako. Alam ko iba ang naiisip ng ibang babae sa kanya, but he'll always be my hopeless dreamer.

     It was precisely this day when I recalled the last day of junior year. I never bothered getting up of bed for I knew I wasn't an awardee, unlike Peter who was a consecutive honor student. Today was the threshold of Science High Recognition Ceremony but still I knew I had to come for my sister's graduation afterwards. Inayaw kong maging kasama si ate sa parehas na paaralan, pero dito ko naman pala makikilala ang manunulat ng aking pag-ibig.

     "Anna, bangon na!"

     Not ideal for a motivationless morning. This is why I hate sharing a room with my sister, now robing up in the dusted graduation toga.

     "Malamig na yung pagkain mo. Gising na at tulungan mo ako ayusin yung ate mo. Ang hirap kayang ayusin si Yanna!"

     I let myself roll off the floor. Nonetheless, I had to move someday.

     We arrive by the steps of the gymnasium. I was the reason again for leaving my sister late. Seniors flock the doorways while the junior awardees were already settled inside. It was embarrassing for me to watch my batchmates come up the stage while I still bothered to come and watch. Nag-start na ang awarding program habang binilang ko pababa ang mga tao hanggang umabot sa pangngalan ni Peter. Siya naman talaga ang pinakahihintay kong panoorin dito eh. Wala, crush ko nga.

     "Peter Jeffrey Salazar, first honorable mention." It just won't stop budging. My goosebumps were as high as skyscrapers when his image was flashed onto the screen. Mamaya, tinawagan rin siyang "Best in Conduct". I now felt uneasy for turning him to a wild monster, but I'm surprised for his discipline. Deserve naman talaga ni Peter yun eh.

     "Go Peter!!!" With the recognizable echo of my voice, I caught his attention while he smirked back. His chinito eyes made him seem like a Hollywood actor walking up for Oscars when he smiled. I really feel guilty when I teased him for being ugly and gay. It was our life anyway, he teases me for being a man trapped in a woman's body. And I liked it when he acted gay just for me to smile.

     Tinulugan ko nalang ang mga sumunod na awardees. Susunod na si ate Yanna para sa mga graduates. It just bugs me to see my family proud of my intelligent sister and compare her with my stupidity, in fact it's true so I didn't need to complain.  Pero nakaka-iritang pakinggan na ampon lang daw ako. Ish. Now I was left with orders to take the pictures. How frustrating.