Love, Love

Chapter One

Chapter One:

The history of my first love and Robin.

Robin Castillo is like the Troy Bolton of our school. Gwapo, sikat, crush ng bayan, basketball player, pero humble, mabait, at hindi mayabang. Pogi kung sa pogi si kuya. Even our teachers think he's the most handsome sa batch- well, sa buong school. But he never bragged about it. In fact, he even hates it kapag center of attention sya. Para syang isang math genius na hindi aware sa level ng katalinuhan nya. Ganon sya ka-humble. Except to me. Hindi ko gets kung bakit pag dating sa'kin, ang taas ng confidence nya sa itsura nya.

Yes, I told you. We're not close. We're not even friends. Not until Harry (barkada nya) started courting Hanna (barkada ko).

Freshman year nung tinamaan ako sa kanya. I'd like to use the term tinamaan since it's the best word to describe the sorcery that happened to me in the morning of our first day. I knew universe was really playing with me nung pag pasok ko ng classroom, Robin was there, sitting with his friends and enjoying their summer stories. As if in a rom-com movie again, nag-freeze ang buong paligid ko. Biglang may glowing flowers and petals sa paligid ni Robin, as his movements went slowmo again. Feeling ko pa nagti-twinkle twinkle 'yung mga mata ko habang tinititigan sya. Ganun kalala 'yung tama ko sa kanya. Kung hindi pa siguro dumating si Brenda at ginulat ako, mapapansin na ako ni Robin na titig na titig sa kanya.

Anyway, the beginning of the school year went... okay. No, not okay. Sobrang bothered ako sa nararamdaman ko. I mean, twelve years old palang ako pero hindi na ako mapakali just because of a boy? I'd like to dismiss the idea na in love nga ako kay Robin, but how do I explain this feeling, right?

Obviously, crush ko si Robin. And how is Love Lyn when crushing on someone? WORST. I didn't want to let my guards down, and I had to protect this secret no matter what. So I did what I thought was the best thing to do. To pretend that I don't like Robin at all. How?

"Excuse me. Upuan ko 'yan." I told him one morning na naabutan ko syang naka-tambay sa pwesto ko.

What's wrong with that I said? Bakit pinagtinginan ako bigla ng mga kaklase naming malapit sa'min?

It took him almost 30 seconds to snap. He immediately stood up from my seat. "Ay sorry, Lo-"

"Okay." I said in flat tone. Binaba ko lang dun 'yung bag ko at umalis na ulit ako.

"Ano 'yun, Love? Ang init naman ata ng ulo mo, ke aga aga?" Brenda commented 'pag labas namin ng classroom.

"What? Hindi mainit ulo ko ha. Ano bang ginawa ko?"

She looked at me as if I said something ridiculous. "Anong gina- Tinarayan mo lang naman si Robin."

"Anong tinarayan? Nilagay ko lang naman sa upuan ko 'yung bag ko ha? Anong pagtataray dun?"

"Uh... Siguro 'yung tono mo, tsaka 'yang mata mong umiirap habang nakatingin kay Robin. Hoy, Love Lyn." We stopped and she grabbed my arm. "Akala mo hindi ko napapansin? Ano bang masamang ginawa sa'yo ni Robin? Para kang laging may dalaw kapag nandyan sya eh."

Okay. That's it. Si Brenda 'yung kausap ko non. Best friend ko si Trisha, pero mas best friend ko sya. Since grade school solid kami. Nagkakahiwalay lang minsan dahil nagiiba ng section, but she's my BFF. And she can see through me.

"Wala! Ang OA mo. Wala nama-"

"Hep!" She leaned closer to my ears. "May crush ka kay Robin, 'no?"