te quiero (novel)

12 - The Tweet That Went Viral

Now that there was a face connected to the guy, my socmed accounts were constantly getting blasted with repeated questions about whether or not I was really dating Zylo Reed Di Vaio.

I'd started to get used to it. I mean, I thought I'd gotten used to it. It became my new normal and I'd already made peace na I was somehow a public person na rin. But then the engagement suddenly rose to new heights and totally threw me off just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore.

I was in the middle of work when my Telegram suddenly exploded nonstop with notifications, along with my Twitter and Instagram. Thinking there was a new update, I checked the group chat first.

Shane:
WTF. DUDES. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

Then I saw that she sent a screenshot of a tweet. Upon reading the name and the content, my eyes widened in shock.

It was Zylo. Yung portrayer ni Ate.

Can I have my own Chynna too?

What the hell? His tweet startled me so much that my mouth hung open and I forgot to breathe for a second.

Chynna? As in the Chynna from the story? Ilang beses ko tinitigan yung tweet, stupefied. Was he really pertaining to the Chynna from the story? Was this photo even legit?

Ate Via:
HOLY SHIT. WHAT'S GOING ON? DID HE READ IT?

Shane:
I think he did. Look!

There was another screenshot. This time, with a tweet that said, Yo, this story is chill af. It's cute.

Sa sobrang gulat ko, halos mabitawan ko yung phone.

Ate Via:
OH MY FREAKING GOD! NAKAKAHIYA! WHY IS HE READING IT? HOW DID HE FIND IT?

Shane:
I think your readers gave him the url, ate

Ance:
Hala. Haha ramdam ko na panic mo, ate

Despite myself, I panicked with them. Sobrang dami at hindi tumitigil ang mga nagta-tag ng account ko at napakarami na rin na nag-retweet ng tweet niyang 'yon. My hands shaking, nagmamadali akong nag-private ulit ng social media accounts. My heart was hammering so wild in my chest that I thought I was going to burst into pieces and blood was rushing to my face so fast that I felt a bit dizzy.

Oh, my gosh.

Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng mararamdaman ko. I felt so embarrassed for some reasons. And scared. And confused. Kung ako mismo nagkakaganito, what more pa kaya si Ate na nagsulat n'on?

Even more pressuring for me was the notion na baka makarating kay Rhys yung tungkol sa story! Buti na lang wala na siyang sumunod na tweets after that. There were several DMs here and there, asking about his tweet, but tumahimik na rin after a while. I thought the storm was over when everything became quiet until another storm, a much bigger one, came knocking down my defenses. When my phone started blowing up again after a few weeks, I was half afraid that it could be related to the story again. Na baka may nangyari na naman and finally, nakarating na sa mga tinataguan ko ang tinatago ko.

Fortunately, it was just my guy friend, Noah, acting silly ang clingy again. Nag-chat siya nang paulit-ulit sa GC naming tatlo ni Joaquin, our other guy friend, about this event he helped organize.

I met the both of them during college, in one of the university parties. Medyo unexpected na magiging friends kami since we were from different programs, but we hit it off really well. Sila lagi ang nakakasama ko kada may parties talaga, lalo na part ng band si Noah. Sometimes I'd go watch them play beer pong. Most times, we just drove around the city to eat and drink. They were also very good friends with my cousins, even with Amia dahil naging ex niya ang cousin ni Noah.