Two Steps Behind

Freshman Night

It has been 3 days since her meet the parents stint that she pulled on me. It's Tuesday and we were getting busy organizing the Freshman Night. Myrtle and I were in charge of the decoration. The theme that the Seniors picked is 'Rock Royalties'. So the Gym was decorated with black and silver curtains, with cut outs and other things related to the Rock music genre. We were cutting out some of the decors when a guy approached Myrtle. 

"Hi, Myrtle." The guy said. 

"Hello, Craig." Myrtle said nonchalantly, I can over hear them as Myrtle was sitting across me on a make shift table we had. 

"Uhm, I was wondering if you would be my date for the Freshman Night, since you're single and you must not have a date yet." Craig said casually. 

I looked into Myrtle whose head is still down, cutting out the things we were assigned to cut out. 

"Sorry, Craig. But I'm going with my girlfriend." She said nonchalantly. Which made me smile secretly. 

"Huh? As in one of your Girl Friends?" He said for clarification. 

"Did I stutter?" Myrtle finally looked him in the eye. 

"No. You didn't." Craig said whose head is now down.

"I said I was going with my girlfriend, as in someone I'm in a serious relationship with." Myrtle finally said.

"Alright, sorry that I assumed you're still single." Craig said as he walked away.

"You were such a mean girl, you know that? Sungit mo dun." I asked her out of the blue.

"I know, but I have no interest in going out on a date with a guy." She said frankly.

"So, I'm your girlfriend now huh?" I teased her. 

"Devin. I just had to say that so he would leave me alone." She admonished me as I let out a chuckle. 

"Okay. What ever you say boss." I gave her a sweet smile.

"Okay." was all she said.

I was silent, until a rowdy group came in the Gym, Myrtle and I looked up, I saw the uneasiness on Myrtle's eyes. I carried the stool and sat beside her. 

"Hey, you want to go for a snack? Gutom na ako eh." I asked her as she goes back to working on cutting the cut outs. 

"We can." She smiled after finishing a cut out.

We stood and I held her body close to mine. She does this, whenever she sees her best friend or her ex-boyfriend or any one of their common friends, I learned to pick it up and distract her from them. We silently walked out of the gym as the rowdy group now looked at us both, as we walked towards the door. Some are whispering and then laughing. Until someone from the group had the guts to speak out.

"New girlfriend you replaced me with, I expected you'd do better Myrtle." His ex Will said mockingly. I stopped her in her tracks. Nag-pantig ang tenga ko sa sinabi ng baboy na to.

I went up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, before punching his face once.

"That is for cheating on Myrtle." then I lunged one more punch to his face.

"That is for cheating on her with her best friend."

And another quick punch to his face.

"That is for insulting me." I said calmly.

Before letting go of his shirt, Myrtle and their other group mates were visibly stunned at what just happened. I heard him run towards me. I caught his arm and twisted it to his back, threatening to break his arm.