How To Get Over Him (Short Story)

i k a a p a t n a k a b a n a t a

Marami na akong kahihiyan na naranasan sa maiksing buhay na ikinaloob sa akin ng Diyos. Hinding hindi talaga ako nilulubayan ng kamalasan kahit ano pa man ang gawin ko. Simula pa lang noong bata pa ako, halata mo na kapag naglalaro kung gaano ako kalampa. Pero ito... itong nangyari sa akin ngayon... ito na ata ang isang kahihiyan na papasok sa Top Five Most Awkward Moments ng buhay ko.

"Raven? Raven Romualdo?" I blinked rapidly three times. Hindi ako makapaniwala.

"...Clay?" Natigilan din sya. "Oh my god. Clay!"

Hinagkan niya ako ng mahigpit, parang agad na nakalimutan na kanina lamang ay hinampas ko siya ng bag.

It's Raven! My childhood friend! Huli ko siyang nakita ay noong Grade 6 pa kami, bago tuluyang nagmigrate ang pamilya niya sa Canada. Naalala kong binigyan niya ako ng promise ring dahil nangako kami sa isa't-isa na balang araw ay ikakasal kami...

Tahimik akong naglalaro sa playground noon. I was from a preppy kindergarten school at not to brag pero talaga namang anak ng mayayaman lamang ang mga pwedeng pumasok dito. Lahat ng classmates ko sinundo na ng driver nila, pero for some odd reason, hindi pa rin ako sinusundo. I had a feeling na distracted and parents ko. Probably di nila naalala na early dismissal kami ngayon. I sighed. At least maganda ang playground ng school ko.

"Wag mo kamayin ang buhangin!" A boy appeared out of nowhere and took my hands. "Ugh, ang dumi, look."

I looked at my hands and saw that they were covered with black marks. I shrugged.

"You're a girl, you should be more responsible for your image." Sabi niya, pinunas niya ang kamay ko sa uniform niya.

"Nadumihan ang polo mo!" I gasped. 

"Okay lang yan, I'll tell my mom I got dirty while playing. Ikaw baka pagalitan ka kapag nakitang nagdudumi ka." He explained. 

I blushed. The boy was cute. He had messy brown hair and gray eyes. I wonder if nakatira siya malapit sa subdivision namin? He looked foreign though. But he was fluent in Tagalog. Probably half?

"I'm Raven. You are?" He extended his hand.

"I'm... Clay." Nag-hesitate ako. My hands were dirty.

He reached for it anyway and shook it. His hands were rough.

"You're pretty." He said. My Grade 3 self was shook. Natahimik ako kahit na usually ay madaldal naman ako. There was something about him that hypnotized me.

"Uh," I muttered.

"Clay, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Ha?"

He sheepishly rocked on his toes and looked at the ground, refusing to meet my eyes. So cute. But... why me? He literally met me seconds ago.

"You're the prettiest girl in this school." He said. 

"Ok." I said without thinking.