Chapter 6

When the activity in the gymnasium ended, we were told na pwede na rin kaming umuwi and there will be no further classes ahead. After that annoucement, parang mag zombie na dinumog si Noah sa stage ng mga fangirls niya. I restrained from doing anything, nagtataka pa si Gwen kung bakit wala akong ginagawa. 

And why should I be frantic like those fangirls? I had a date with Noah, had pictures with him, nasolo ko na 'yong tao at hindi 'ko na kailangan pang magkandarapa pa sa kanya. If he puts his attention to everyone, wala naman akong magagawa do'n. He just took me out on a date at wala ng iba pa.

"Look at Noah, halos hindi na siya makalusot sa mga fangirls niya," ani Gwen habang pinapanood namin sila sa tuktok ng bleachers. 

"Mabuti nga kinakaya pa ng security. They need to get him out of the campus immediately, baka masaktan pa 'yan si Noah."

Gwen giggles, "I know you cared for him, Tate! Siguro ang lakas talaga ng epekto niya sa 'yo. You never laid eyes on boys naman, iba siguro ang tama niya sa 'yo. And thank me for putting you in this position."

I rolled my eyes, "Yes thank you for making me the center of attention."

"Still, we didn't ask for it!" ani Gwen. "And yet it happened!"

When we saw that Noah has been assisted by the security to walk out of the gymnasium, pansin ko naman na palinga-linga pa siya sa paligid niya and I'm not sure if he's looking for me because he intend to see me right after. 

Nang kumalma ang loob ng gymnasium, karamihan girls na lang ang natira sa loob dahil nauna nang umalis ang mga boys na walang pakialam kay Noah. I even heard na mawawalan pa sila ng chance to take their girl out to Prom dahil sa pakulo ni Noah. Well, I think it's one of the good thing the school did to make everyone engage to the event. I'm not looking forward to it but I also want to be there. I'm not even sure if I have a date on that night, or maybe kaming dalawa lang ni Gwen ang magsasama until the end.

Or maybe until the end of the school year, kami pa rin ang magkasama, who knows?!

As we left the bleachers and scurried through the hallway of Noah's fangirls, we actually made it out fine. Good thing at this moment, hindi ako pinansin, wala sa akin ang atensyon dahil ang lalaking kinahihibangan nila ay nasa harap na nila so they don't need me. That was a relieved for me but when we walked out of the campus, nagkukumpulan pa rin ang mga students sa labas at nakabantay silang lahat sa sasakyan ni Noah.

They are taking pictures and filming what's happening. Medyo lumalayo na lang din kami ni Gwen dahil ayokong makisawsaw. Ayoko ng issue, I don't want to put myself on some situation na hindi 'ko alam ang kalakaran.

But not that long when the students screams, napatigil din ako sa paglalakad ng pigilan ako ni Gwen para tingnan kung anong nangyayari. And then we look at the direction where they are all looking, at tama nga ang hinala ko, Noah comes out of his car. The security stood beside him para ilayo ang mga tao sa paligid niya and one thing that made me nervous, papunta siya ngayon sa direksyon namin.

Naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng hawak ni Gwen sa braso ko. Parang naninikip naman ang dibdib ko sa paglapit niya sa amin. Gusto kong tumakbo at talikuran siya dahil ang mga mata ng estudyante ay nakatuon sa amin. All of them are already for what's gonna happen. I even saw Cirie on the side, crossing her arms, jealous of seeing Noah coming closer to me.

"He's a man of his word!" Gwen squeals, but she kept her posture when Noah finally stops in front of me.

We don't know why our surroundings became quiet. We only heard the shutter of their phones. Gosh, sana lang hindi nila i-upload sa internet because my life would be doomed. Hindi 'ko pa napapaliwanag kay mama kung ano-anong pinaggagawa ko, she would beat me , definitely! And I don't know with my dad, he's been hoping that I'll take a boy home I always bring books back home.

"Hey, Tate." He smiled, aabutin pa sana niya ang kamay ko but I immediately put it behind me. Ayokong magkaroon ng issue sa harap ng mga schoolmates ko. Dating him is already enough, ano pa kaya 'tong mangyayari? "I did say I'll meet you right after the activity, right?"

Tumango ako, "Yup, but I didn't know you're serious with it. Akala ko umalis ka na."

"I'm not leaving. Not without you."

"Ugh!" Gwen grunted beside me. Napangisi naman si Noah sa reaksyon niya.

And I remained my composure, hindi pwedeng bibigay na lang din bigla. "What do you mean?"

"Well, our date last week cut short right?" He asked and I nodded. "And I told that I'll bring you somewhere else but that didn't happen. I just want to do it now with you. We go elsewhere, but if you're just free and okay with it. I'll understand your decision--"

Gwen cuts him before he could even finish his sentence, "She'll go with you."

"Really?" Kumunot ang kanyang noo. He look at Gwen. "Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't get formally to introduce ourselves but Tate already told me something about you. I'm Noah, and it's nice to meet you!"

Sabik na kinuha ni Gwen ang kamay ni Noah at nagshake hands sila. "Yes, I know you very well kahit hindi ka na magpakilala. And yes, I'm Gwen. Tate's best friend. And whatever she told you, that's fine by me. You have to go out with her now, wala naman siyang ibang gagawin kung hindi ang ubusin ang oras niya sa pagbabasa ng libro."

"Gwen, you're saying too much!" saway ko sa kanya.

"Well, that's fun," hagikgik pa ni Noah. "So, would you come with me?"

As if may choice pa ba ako at magiging masama pa ako sa tingin ng mga schoolmates ko kung tatanggihan ko pa si Noah. Masabihan pa akong choosy. So I agreed to go out with him which brought our surroundings filled with too much noises from his fangirls. 

"So, shall we?" Noah asked and I nodded.

Hinarap ko naman si Gwen and she gave me her approval. "Go for it, girl. Don't worry about me, you should go out with him... tapos i-chika mo ulit sa akin kung anong mangyayari ah." Bulong niya sa huling linya niya.

Muli ko namang binalingan si Noah para tumungo sa sasakyan niya. The security paved our way pabalik sa sasakyan ni Noah. Hawak-hawak ni Noah ang kamay ko but when we're trying to scurry through the students, may kumalmot sa braso ko at nang habulin ko nang tingin kung sino iyon. I saw Cirie walking out of the crowd and that made me feel very angry on her. Hinawakan ko naman ang braso ko kasi unti-unti kong naramdam ang hapdi.

As soon as we got on his car, mabilis na binuksan ni Noah ang pinto ng sasakyan at saka ako pumasok sa loob. He roam around to get inside the drivers seat. Tinted ang bintana ng sasakyan kaya hindi nila kami makikita sa loob but they keep taking pictures of us. Medyo nakakairita rin pala.

As I put my seat belt on, Noah started the car and a minute later, we leave the campus.

Pareho kaming nakahinga ng maluwag ng makalayo-layo kami sa school. We both laughed when we realizes that we've been getting a lot of attention there and he immediately felt sorry for putting me into that situation. I made him comfortable na wala naman sa akin 'yong nangyari, he's being too kind to me at okay na rin 'yon sa akin.

"So, where are we heading now?"

"Secret," he told me with a sneaky smile on his face. "I don't want to tell it now, I just wanna surprise you."

"Then it's not a surprise anymore, duh?"

He chuckles, "I see, but I hope you'll still like it."

"Oh, I'm hoping for that. You brought expectations so I'm kneeling to that."

"Sure, I'll give you that." ngisi pa niya.

When I noticed that we've been driving ahead to the Hollywood sign. Napahawak naman ako sa braso niya, not intentionally, pero doon ko lang naramdaman kung gaano ito ka-firm ang muscle niya. Unti-unti ko na lang din naman binawi ang kamay ko, at sana hindi niya napansin 'yon.

"So we're going to hike to see the Hollywood sign?"

Noah nodded, "Yup, that would be a great addition for the date right? And we could wait until sunset. You know how beautiful it is."

"I don't." sagot ko sa kanya. "I've never been up there, this would be my first time."

"I see that you're having a lot of your first time on me, huh?" he smirked.

"Of course, I never dated anyone but you."

"Well, lucky me." He chuckles.

Not that long when we reached the base area where we will be started to hike up the hill. Dahil hindi ko naman alam ang gagawin ko. Noah lead the way until we finally reach the top at almost sunset. Medyo malamig dito sa itaas kaya hinaplos-haplos ko ang braso ko para naman mabawasan ang tindig ng balahibo ko.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

"Wait let me remove my jacket," aniya.

Pipigilan ko pa sana siya na tanggalin 'yon but he insist. Nang ipapatanong niya sa balikat ko ang jacket ay napansin naman niya ang namumulang kalmot sa braso ko.

"Hey, how did that happen?" He asked, worried came plastered in his face.

"Someone did that when we're heading your car," pag-amin ko sa kanya.

"Do you know who did it?"

Tumango ako, "Yes, but I don't have to tell her name. She's just being too harsh on me, nasanay na rin naman ako but she gets physical this time. But you don't have to come at her. Ayokong magsimula na naman ng gulo between us. But I'm trying to avoid her, I think you should know that." I smiled, even thought that doesn't made him fine.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga. "Fine, but let me know if she did it again to you, okay?"

Hindi ako sumagot.

"Hey, Tate, promise me."

Tumango ako, "Sure, okay..."

"Cool." he nodded. "And what about the PROM? Are you going to join the drop box?"

Nagkibit balikat naman ako, "Hindi ko alam..."

"Why not?"

"Bakit ka pa magpapa-contest? Why don't you pick me again?"

He chuckles, "Then people would say I have my favorite. Well, this is your school principal's idea and he knows that you and I went on a date so he think it is a good idea to do the same thing. But if I luckily picked you, that would be great, right?"

Tumango ako, "Yup, that would be fine... but I'm also hoping you would pick Gwen. She really likes you."

"You like more, right?"

I smirked, "You never know that, Mister Beckon."

He laughs, "And I'm going to know that, Miss McLaren. Watch me."

We watched the sun goes down and get to see the city lights turned up. Mas lumamig ang paligid kahit na may jacket na akong suot. But I guess, this sums up my date with Noah.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Noah."

"Of course, it's my pleasure." he smiled. "Would you like to do this again?"

"Watch the sunset?"

He shrugged, "Maybe, but the date. What do you think?"

I hummed, thought it in my head then I shrugged off. "We'll see about that, Noah."

We ended the date by him taking a picture of us. I pleaded him not to post it online and he gladly take it seriously. We also became mutual on all our social media's. I don't know how this will went but I'm pretty sure, this will work out perfectly.

Noah took me home and we became closer together, became friends I think. But do I hope for more than that? I'm not sure... we'll see.