A Diary Of A Hopeless Romantic Booboo COMPLETED (Published by PHR)

5

Paul-ing In and Out Of Love

Kompleto ang mga kaibigan ko nang datnan ko sila sa disco. Nakaupo silang lahat sa isang pangmaramihang mesa. I spotted Carmie, Rubie, Jackie, Norie, Romie, JC, Karen, and...

Napatitig ako sa tila naligaw na mukha sa mesang kinauupuan ng mga kaibigan ko. Naligaw na gender din yata dahil sa pagkakaalam ko, ang birthday gimik namin ay all-girls night out—JC was also a girl at heart. The unfamiliar face was a guy.

At nang makalapit ako nang husto, napagtanto kong hindi lamang siya basta guy. Isa siyang handsome guy.

Handsome guy, aka my waterloo. Immediately, my sense of vision transmitted the message to my brain and my brain scattered reactions to my nerves. In short, I was all set to undergo a panic attack.

Tumayo ang lalaki nang tuluyan na akong makalapit. He was tall and lean, too. Tall and lean guys, aka drooling factors. Napatulala ako sa kanya.

"Kat, we would like you to meet Paul," nakangiting pagpapakilala ni Romie sa lalaki. "Paul, she's the one we're talking about na gusto naming ma-meet mo. She's Katharina, our fashion editor."

The guy smiled, flashing his perfect set of white teeth. He stared at me with his expressive eyes. Perfect smile and penetrating stare, aka melting factors.

Nagkamay kami. His hand was big and warm.

"Hi, Kat. It's a pleasure to meet someone as lovely as you," he said in a sultry pitch.

Lalo pang kumabog ang dibdib ko nang dalhin niya sa kanyang mga labi ang kamay ko. He kissed my knuckles without breaking eye contact.

I swallowed hard. Bahagyang pinanginigan ako ng kamay. Alam kong napansin niya iyon dahil bahagyang kumunot ang kanyang noo at napatingin siya sa akin.

"Your hand is cold and shaking," puna niya.

Saglit na napangiwi ako pero agad din akong ngumiti. Nakarating sa pandinig ko ang mahihinang singhap ng mga kaibigan ko. Mukhang naalarma rin sila.

My friends knew my hopeless case. Kaya siguro nag-exert sila ng effort na i-set up ako kay Paul. Pero hindi ko talaga kayang kontrolin ang natural shameful reaction ko kapag nakakaeng-kuwentro ako ng guwapong lalaki. It was like an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Kung bakit naman kasi kailangan pang sabihin ni Paul na nanlalamig at nanginginig ang kamay ko.

"I... I—"

"Mahilig kasi siyang magtodo ng aircon sa car," sabad ni Jackie na mukhang hindi rin sigurado kung puwedeng pumasang alibi ang sinabi niya.

Napatango na lamang ako.

"Okay," sabi ni Paul. "Come on, let's take a seat, Kat."

Umupo na kami. I glared at my friends secretly. How could these bitches come out with the idea of giving me twice a surprise this day?

"By the way, Kat, friend ng kuya ko si Paul. He's twenty-eight years old and an engineer," wika ni Jackie.

"Tell me about yourself, sweetie," sabi sa akin ni Paul.

"Ha? I... I..." Hell! I was already twenty-six years old, for Pete's sake! I needed a boyfriend so desperately. Kailangan kong labanan ang sakit ko kung ayaw kong tumandang dalaga. "Well, I—"

"Si Kat? She's fun to be with," putol ni Carmie sa sasabihin ko.

"Yeah. Marami siyang unique amusing gestures," segunda ni Rubie.