A Levelheaded Lass

ALL - Nineteen

“Weh?”

“Joketime ‘to, ang wala.”

Inabutan ako ni Zoe ng limang piso. “O ‘yan, bigyan mo lang barya mga bata diyan magkakaro’n ka na ng kausap.”

“Wala kang maloloko dito Gia.” Sabay bukas ni Tanya ng bagong bili niyang libro.

I gasped. I can’t believe I can still call them my friends.

Ganoon ba kahirap paniwalaan na kami na ni Gavin? Ang hirap ba? Ang imposible ba? Bakit ang sama nilang kaibigan? Bakit wala man lang suporta?

Hinampas ko sila pareho sa braso. “Grabe ha, salamat sa pagtitiwala niyo. Ramdam kong kaibigan ko kayo, salamat.”

“Walang anuman,” sabay nilang sagot.

Inirapan ko na lang sila. Andito kami sa kwarto ni Tanya, ganito kasi mag-bonding, papabayaan namin ang isa’t isa sa kung anong gustong gawin. Si Zoe, manunuod ng movie sa laptop, si Tanya mababasa ng libro, at ako naman eh magte-text sa boyfriend ko. Hihi. Ang sarap sabihin, boyfriend ko si Gavin! Boyfriend ko si Gavin Chavez!

Nang marinig namin ang boses ng artista sa pinapanuod ni Zoe ay napalapit kami ni Tanya sa kaniya at nakinuod na rin. It’s time for drama plus romance with so much feels movie, One More Chance.

We were watching the movie when my phone rang. Upon unlocking my phone, I read our endearment.

"Hi Babe," he started.

"Hi, kamusta ka dyan?"

"Okay naman. Naka-4 scenes na kami. Kayo nila Tanya, ano ginagawa niyo?"

I faked a cough. "Nanunuod kami ng movie Gavin, One More Chance, boyfriend."

He sounded confused, "Oh... okay? Bakit One More Chance?"

"Ewan ko dito kay Zoe..."

I was cut in my sentence when my friends pushed me away. "'Wag kang maingay, do'n ka nga!"

Ouch, they don't love me anymore. Should I cry now?

Pumunta na rin ako sa terrace at nakipag kwentuhan sa boyfriend ko. Mas naging sweet at malambing sa akin si Gavin, kaya naman araw-araw akong kinikilig.

'Pag hindi kami nagkikita, may ipapadala naman siyang flowers. Kapag naman magkasama kami, nanunuod lang kami ng movie sa bahay. Ite-text niya ako pagkagising niya, pag nasa set na siya, pag break time, pag pauwi na siya. He keeps me updated because that's what I told him to do so. Alam ko naman eh, na sa umpisa pa lang maaaring ganoon nga ang mangyari.

We have to be in a relationship secretly because he still have this "teen celebrity image" to take care of and a contract with his manager who's obviously a big fat possessive. And he also doesn't want me to earn bashers just in case the public won't take "us" the right way.

I can still remember that night inside our mini theater room, the movie has ended and we're still sitting on the couch with our fingers intertwined.

"I promised your dad that I would love you the way you deserve..." I looked at him, seriously looking at our hands, "that's why we're going to take it slowly, okay? Uunti-untiin natin ang pagsabi sa public ha?"

I nodded. "Pero kailangan pa ba talaga malaman ng lahat na tayo na? I mean, isn't it more perfect if we will be together with only few people who knows?"

"You really don't have any idea how proud I am to have you beside me, do you? I love you Gianina, so much. And I want them to know how lucky I am to have you. I am proud that you're mine."