BRO, YAM!

Chapter 4

After 10 slaps or so, I started to calm down. "Ano ba ang kasalanan ko sayo?" sabi ni Brent. "Hello? Ang dami mong kasalanan sa akin, noh?" sagot ko. "Fine. Sabihin mo nga." And so I mentioned every mistake na nagawa niya. Yung time na nakabangga siya sa akin, yung time na iniinsulto niya ako... "See? Marami kang kasalanan!" sigaw ko sa kanya. "Then bigyan mo ako ng chance to start over." Tapos niyang sinabi yun, pumasok siya sa isang classroom tapos lumabas. Lumapit siya sa akin at nag sabi, "Hi. I'm Brent Rhyle Ortega. It's nice to meet you." "And your name is?" "Stephanie," Ay wait! Bakit nag squeak? Haha. Rewind. Ehem. "Stephanie Isabelle Santiago." tapos sabi niya, "Come, walk with me Steph." We walked outside to the garden. Wow! Ang ganda! Ang mga bulaklak nag bloom, parang spring na ata, ah. The garden smelled like roses, lavenders, and lilacs. I took a deep breath to remember the smell. We stopped at the very center of the garden. Then he told me, "Stephanie Isabelle Santiago, would you like to hang out sometime?" wala akong maisagot kundi mag nod. Ang nice niya pala. He's gwapo, gentleman and with just the right amount of medyo good boy and medyo bad boy. How can I say no to... Teka. Ano ba tong mga sinasabi ko? My gush. Nevermind. Nagpapatay-malisya na naman ako. Wag nalang kayang sirain ang perfect moment with the smell of lovely flowers and the garden. Biglang nag ring ang phone ko. Si Kuya.

Stephanie? San ka? I need you to come home right now.

"Okay, Kuya. Coming. Bye."

"Ah. Uhm, Brent... I'll go. I mean will go on a date with you, Ah. Uhm. I mean, I have to go. Home!" Shete! Natulala ampeg. I started walking and tiningnan ko siya ulit. Awwee. Kawawa naman. Uy! Steph! Makonsesnya ka naman! sabi ng mind ko. "Uh. Brent?" tumingin siya sa akin. "I would like to hang out sometime." tapos nginitian niya ko ng malaki. Akala mo lagpas langit na. Haha. Hindi naman ako ganyan na pagkatao. Kasi, I believe na everybody deserves a second chance, but not for the same mistake. Who knows? Baka ma impress pa ako ni Brent.

BRO

She said yes! Haha. Overjoyed lang ampeg? After she left, sinimulang ko nang pumunta sa parking area sa school at sumakay sa Mercedes Benz ko. Nang makarating ako sa bahay, Ate was waiting for me. Let me tell you more about my Ate. Her name is Blaire Ianne Ortega. She's very pretty and smart. People call her Blaine. May ka fling fling siya with a guy named Steal. Pero I don't know him that much kasi si Ate, hindi niya gusto mag share sa kanyang love life. 

"Brent? Where were you?" sabi ni Ate. "I was at school doing projects." Shhhh. Wag mong sabihin ni Ate na na convince ko si Crush na mag hang out kami. Na feel ko ang mga pisngi ko na nagsimulang namula. "O? Bakit ka namumula?" sabi ni Ate. Wala lang Ate. Kinikilig lang ako. Haha. Shete. Ang OA ko. "Wala lang to. Ang init kasi, eh." Ang init daw. Tapos airconditioned naman ang buong bahay. Wew. 

SIS

After I talked with Kuya, he told me na there will be an event a Studio Wednesday next week. So dapat mag prepare ako. Monday pa lang, ah. Anyway, pumasok ako sa room ko at natulog agad.

Nandito ako sa loob ng room namin nang nag ring na ang bell. Paglabas ko, nakita ko sa Dre at Allan. Lumapit ako sa kanila at nag share sa mga nangyari kahapon. "OMG Bestie! He asked you out?" sabi ni Dre. "Yes. FRIENDLY hang out lang naman." sagot ko. "Anong friendly? Hindi mo ba nakita na si Brent ay na head over heels para sayo?" Ano daw? Si Brent? Awh, oo. Pero I like someone else kasi. "Kinikilig na ako atetech!" sabi ni Allan. Gago. Mag hang out lang, in a relationship agad? Di ba pwedeng friends lang muna? "Tara!" hinila nila ako. "Asan tayo?" sabi ko. "You need a makeover." sagot ni Dre.

BRO

Tonight's the night! Mag hang out na kami ni Crush! Wew. OA na ata. Keep cool nalang. Then, I texted her.

To: Stephanie 

Kita tayo sa mall. See you at 8? :)

Ilang minuto, may reply.

From: Stephanie

Sige. I'll see you there. 

Nagbihis ako agad at pumunta sa mall. Nang makarating ako sa mall, 7:55 na. Nakita ko sina Dre at Allan. "San ba si-" hindi nila ako pinatapos ng biglang sinabi nila na. "Your date awaits."

SIS

Wow. Pinaganda nila ako ng maayos. Parang may fashion show. Haha. Tiningnan ako ng mga tao. "Steph? Your date is here." sabi ni Dre. "Uy! Wag mong gamitin yung term na 'Date' how about 'Friend' nalang kaya?" dinala nila ako papuntang Gabby's Bistro. Nakita ko agad si Brent. Pumasok ako at tumingin ako kay Dre at Allan. Nag bigay sila ng thumbs up. Hayyys. Breathe in, breath out Stephanie. Sabi ko sa sarili. "I thought you weren't coming?" "Ha. Fine, I'll just leave them." tumayo ako at nag walk out. Hinila niya ko pabalik. Ouch naman. Baka maputol yung kamay ko. "O? I thought you didn't want me to be here?" sabi ko tapos nag 'annoyed' face. He just laughed and laughed. After dinner, nag window shopping kami. He tried to hold my hand pero pinalayo ko agad. Rejected! "Friends lang tayo, ah. I'm sorry, okay?" nag nod siya. 

BRO

Ouch. First hang out namin, friendzoned agad. Bitter mode, ON. Lumalayo ako sa kanya. Naglakad-lakad pa kami nang makarating kami sa Blue Magic at binilhan ko siya ng purple na bear. "Ang cute! OMG. And you got it right!" Ano? Ano ang nakuha ko? "Ang color! Favorite ko to! Purple!" Awh. Strike one for Brent Rhyle Ortega. Haha. Lumabas kami sa store habang hawak-hawak ni Steph ang bear. "Thank you for tonight, Brent." sabi niya. "You're welcome." "Pero, I think it would be better if maging friends na lang tayo, okay?" OUCH. Diretso sa puso. Emote na naman. San ba yung vodka? Magpalasing na ako. Haha joke. "I have to go. Thank you Brent." hinalikan niya ako sa cheek at namumula agad ito. "Bye, Brent."

SIS

Shete! Anf cute niya kiligin. Haha awh. Pero friedns lang kami. Nothing serious. After I left, I received a text from Dre.

From: Bestie-Dre

Kumusta ang date?

Here she goes again with the date. Friends lang kami! Nag reply ako

To: Bestie-Dre

Okay lang. Pero we're just friends.

BRO

"Brent? Why are you crying?" sabi ni Ate. Huh? Anong crying? I don't cry. Maybe just a little bit. "Wala lang to Ate." sabi ko. "I know you're not fine. Care to share?" I breathed in. "Ate, what do you do if your Crush friendzones you?" Nag-iisip si Ate. "It's simple. You have to prove to her that you are worth more than just a friend. Make her feel special, be different from other guys. That's how you win her heart and escape the frienzone." sabi ni Ate.

Stephanie Isabelle Santiago, humanda ka sa akin. You will be mine.