Piper

3

Piper.

Piper.

Piper.

I never thought i'll lose my mind after riding the back seat of a bicycle with Piper.

It's not even funny how much i thought about her and that little moment we had.

It was crazy.

I remember all the crushes I had since I was 12 years old. My friends called it "crushes", My Mom and Tita called it " puppy love " while Dad simply referred to it as "headache".

This is not the first time I felt butterflies in my stomach. Marami na akong nagustuhan na mga lalaki lalo na nung pumasok ako sa high school.

I feel giddy iniside kapag kinikilig ako, napapangiti na lang ako tapos namumula ang aking mukha and that's that!

Iniisip ko na lang na bakit ba naiiba ang nararamdaman ko kay Piper compared to my previous experiences.

May mga manliligaw din ako pero hanggang doon lang. I was too busy to be anyone's girlfriend. I am a goal centered person. Natatakot ako na once magka boyfriend ako masira lahat ng mga plano ko for the future. Ganun ako ka paranoid pag dating sa sarili ko. My mom doesn't even need tell my priorities to straighten them out, nag kusa na ako and isa yun sa mga katangian kung bakit proud sakin si Dad.

Pero bakit pagdating kay Piper, I am willing to break my rules, di ko na sinusunod ang aking routine just to get a glimpse of her face!

I was obviously the talk of the school after what happened. Tinatanong nila ako kung paano ko nakasama si Piper at kung bakit daw ako naka angkas sa bike kasama siya. Sabi nung iba sinira ko daw yung unspoken rule kaya dapat daw ako parusahan.

Of course, they were joking about the punishment but still... Masaya ako dahil naka angkas ako sa bike at kasama ko si Piper.

Ang tanging sagot ko na lang sa mga nagtatanong sakin at sa mga nagagalit sakin is

" Kapitbahay ko siya, and we were running late. "

I regret that i said that. Kasi lalong gumulo at mas naging makulit lang yung mga classmates ko sa pagtatanong sakin.

Habang ako'y gulong gulo na sa mga nararamdaman ko, Piper and Timothy were .....

Piper and Timothy.

Walang nag bago sa kanilang dalawa. Although nung araw na umangkas ako sa bike na lagi nilang ginagamit pag pasok ng school ay absent si Timothy.

Madalas nakaupo sa center ng cafeteria namin si Piper and Timothy. Napapalibutan sila ng mga jocks and preppies, pero ni isa sakanila ay walang nag lakas loob na lapitan yung dalawa para guluhin at kunin yung table kahit na silang dalawa lang ang nakaupo dun.

Kaya naman laking gulat ko na lang ng bigla na lang ako hilahin ni Timothy sa table nila at inaya ako na doon na din daw ako mag lunch.

The whole time I was there, I am simply looking at my food. Hindi ko magawang itaas ang aking paningin kasi natatakot ako na pag tumingin ako ay magtama ang mga mata namin ni Piper. She was just sitting across from me habang si Timothy naman ay katabi ko lang.

Timothy put his arms around me at nginitian ako nito ng sobrang lapad.

" Hi, you're Piper's neighbor, right? " it was the first time that me and Timothy actually spoke.

" Y-yes. " i said nervously.

He grinned at parang pusa siya pag nangiti siya dahil nawawala ang kanyang mata. Binitawan niya ako para makakain siya ng cheese burger.

" So... You're the they've been talking about... How do you manage to spend 10 boring minutes with Piper? "

I shot a glimpse to Piper and she just rolled her eyes. Nakampante ako na tignan siya dahil busy na busy siya sa phone niya. Ang laman lang ng tray niya ay isang carton of milk, banana at sandwich.

" Don't you think that Piper is boring? " pang uudyo ni Timothy sakin. I heard Piper huffed at akmang babatuhin niya si Timothy with the banana she had pero di niya ito tinuloy.

" I'm not boring. " sabi ni Piper while crossing her arms.

" You hardly talk to anyone and you're always on your phone... " Timothy continued " I think that's the definition of a boring person, Piper. "

" I don't talk to just anyone because as much as possible I avoid useless conversations and besides why do i have to talk when i don't have anything to talk about ? I'm always on my phone because... Well... It's none of your business Timothy! " Piper was pissed. I could sense the hint of annoyance in her voice. Mukha naman tuwang tuwa si Timothy sa ginagawa niya.

" Anyway, I'm just surprised that you let someone ride at the back seat of our bike. Hindi ka naman maalam mag bike na may kaangkas, di ba? " usisa ni Timothy.

It all made senses to me kung bakit nung una ay parang matutumba kami. Hindi pala sanay at maalam si Piper na mag bike na mag kaangkas sa likod. Pero nagawa niya pa din akong iaangkas kahit first time niya lang gawin yun.

My heart felt warm.

A feeling that I did not felt for all the past crushes i had.

Piper sipped on her milk. Lumabas na naman yung dimples niya sa left cheek ng mag half smile ito.

" It wasn't that hard, actually. " sabi niya.

I spend lunch time sitting with the ever so popular Piper and Timothy. Timothy did most of the talking habang nag siside comments lang si Piper pag kinakailangan. Ako naman ang kinu kwentuhan ni Timothy ng kung ano-ano. He's telling me about last summer where he went over seas to Maldives for a vacation but then he got sick and all the crazy stuff he did to get better.

It was fun hearing all his stories. Nag babanter din yung dalawa every now and then. Mostly because Timothy is always trying to get on Piper's nerves. Natatawa na lang ako sakanila.

Para silang ako at ang little sister ko pag nag-aaway kami.

Mabilis na lumipas ang lunch time at nag si balikan na ang mga students sa mga classroom nila. Nagpaalam naman agad si Timothy samin na may pupuntahan daw siya sa faculty kaya mauna na daw kami pumunta ng room.

So that means magkasama na naman ulit kami ni Piper. We're alone together again.

Ramdam ko na parang may fire works sa loob ng katawan ko and my heart is beating irrationally dahil we're walking side to side. Katulad ng dati, tahimik lang kaming dalawa na naglalakad pero hindi yun awkward...

It just felt right.

Pero nakakalungkot nga lang at kailangan na namin maghiwalay. Mabilis kaming dumating sa tapat ng classroom ko. I faced Piper at napatigil siya sa paglalakad papalayo sa akin.

" Piper! "

She turned to me. " Yes? "

I was having an inner conflict kung bakit ko ba tinawag ang pangalan ni Piper, eh wala naman akong ibang sasabihin sakanya. I just want to stay with her longer, that's all.

" S-see you later. " sabi ko. God, i'm so awkward.

Piper laughed softly. And OH MY GOD! Was it music to my ears!

" We live across from each other. I'm pretty sure that we will. "

But this is just one of the many stories were i fell in love with Piper.

It's about how Piper made me watch a movie that i used to ignore when it's being showed on T.V.