Mimi Turns Pretty - SOON TO BE PUBLISHED ✅

Chapter 20

Siguro bumabawi sa akin ang pagkakataon, because Chase is the perfect catch. Kahit na galing sa mayamang pamilya, he never appears arrogant, if anything he's almost embarrassed about it. He says it's because he feels like he hasn't worked hard enough to feel na deserving na siyang maging may-ari ng kumpanya ng pamilya niya.

"I was a bad kid, I mean I wasn't like mean but I feel like I glided through life when I was younger." Chase says as he pours the wine.

"What do you mean 'glided'? You think you had it easy?" I ask.

He nods, "Oo. Feeling ko I should have had some kind of hardship nung bata ako. Back in High School I was part of the varsity team so I was treated nicely. I didn't get any flak for not getting to class on time or if I miss deadlines to school projects."

Napaisip ako, parang hindi naman siya bumabagsak dati nung High School kami, "Did you get special treatment sa academics?"

He shrugs, "I don't think so. Well I hope not, badtrip 'yon if they gave me special recognition dahil they liked me and not because I studied hard."

Then I remember, he was one of the awardees nung graduation. Even back then he was good looking, smart and athletic but I don't think he had a girlfriend, "Teka. Bakit nga pala parang wala akong nabalitaang naging girlfriend mo back in High School?"

He smiles, "I had a girlfriend but we kept it a secret, si Chessie? You know Franchesca?"

Kumunot ang noo ko then when I remember who he's talking about nanlaki ang mata ko, "Franchesca Dizon? Yung valedictorian ng batch natin?"

He grins, "Kita mo na? Hindi mo alam no? Her parents were super strict so we had to keep it a secret. Para ngang hindi kami no'n kasi we were just talking over the phone, chat gano'n. I didn't even get the chance to date her properly or go to their house. Ayaw niya."

Franchesca was pretty pero hindi gaya ng pretty nila Steph and she was the type na hindi mo pwedeng i-bully dahil babarahin ka talaga. She was the type who wouldn't keep her mouth shut if she sees some form of injustice. She's helped me out a few times dati kapag binu-bully ako nila Steph. Hindi siya in-attempt manlang i-bully ni Steph dahil for sure mapapahiya siya, she's that smart.

"Wow. Grabe, I feel like I just won the chismis lottery with this info, but I don't spread chismis so..."

He laughs, "I don't think it would be that big of a deal kasi ang tagal na no'n."

Dahil nagkukwento naman siya I ask na rin, "When did you guys break up? And why did you break up?"

He shrugs, "Right after graduation nakipag-break na siya sa akin, I was hoping nga na pagdating ng College we would be able to date for real na pero she said na malamang doon rin ang punta namin dahil hindi niya maipapangakong makakasama ako sa priorities niya. She was determined to graduate top of her class ulit so hindi naman para hadlangan ko ang goals niya sa buhay."

I bite my lip before asking, "Did you... love her?"

He scrunches up his nose, "That's how it looks like no? That I didn't care enough for her na I just followed what she wanted. She didn't want us to date for real back in High School and I let her. She wanted to break up right after graduation and I let her rin. I didn't even fight for it."

He looks at me intently, "I just believe that things happen for a reason and there's a time and place for everything – cliché as that sounds. I was not be her priority then but who am I to ask her to consider otherwise? Sino ako para magdikta ng mas malaking importansya sa buhay niya?"

I grin, "You didn't answer my question."

He thinks about it for a second, "Did I love her? Maybe. I'm not sure. That was a long time ago."