Si Will ang tinuturing taga-plano ng groupo namin, ito'y dahil halos lahat ng outings na pinlano niya ay natuloy.  Pursigido talaga siya na maghang-out kami kaya't gagawin niya ang lahat para lang hindi maging drawing yung plano. Siya yung nakikipag-usap sa mga magulang namin, naghahanda ng inuman at snacks, at minsan tumutulong sa mga gawaing bahay para mabigyan kami ng pahintulot.

Yun nga lang, siya yung palaging nahuhuli sa meet up.

"Nasaan na ba siya?!", bulalas ni AJ. Kinuha niya yung mga salamin niya at inilagay ito sa lamesa. Minasahe niya yung noo niya.

"Wow, you're one to talk." I scrunched up my nose, not bothering to look up from the laptop. "Kayo ni Will yung palaging nahuhuli kaya't sanay na kami. Nagulat nga ako dahil early ka ngayon."

"Sabi niya importante e."

"Ah, so yung research natin dati hindi importante?"

"Hindi."

Tumawa siya nung sinapak ko siya.

"Ewan ko sa kanya", I said, sighing as I laid back on the chair. "Obsessed talaga siya na mahanap yung catfish na yon"

"Ah musta pala yon? Okay kalang?"

"No", I said, voice dripping with loathing. "I swear if malaman ko kung sino yung humawak sa diary ko-"

"Aya"

Liam.

My eyes immediately shot up from the laptop and I felt butterflies explode inside my stomach.

Liam was walking over to us. He was wearing denim ripped jeans and a white hoodie. His curly hair was messier today, like he just rolled out of bed. His dark brown eyes bore into mine as soon as he sat down beside AJ. I averted my attention to the small golden chain he was wearing.

It was a thin, barely noticeable chain that disappeared underneath his clothes.

I knew that necklace all too well.

Yun yung kwintas na binili niya para kay Hannah noong anibersaryo nila. Alam ko yun dahil binili niya 'to sa online shop ng pinsan ko at ako yung nag-deliver sa kanila.

He really isn't over her.

He cleared his throat to catch my attention but I avoided his gaze.

And of course AJ, the number one meddler in our group, leaned over to me and whispered, "He has something to say, Aya."

Grunting, I met Liam's gaze and I noticed he was nervously playing with his hoodie's string.

"Look Aya", he sighed, biting his lip. His eyes kept darting from me, to the wooden table, to floor-to-ceiling window that gave us a view of downtown's busy street. "I'm sorry for ya know..."

He coughed and scratched the back of his head.

Awkward.

"For?", AJ urged, nudging Liam in the side.

"For calling you an attention whore. That was out of line and wrong for me to say. Sorry na nagsabi ako sa'yo ng ganun at sorry din na hindi kita pinaniwalaan."

"Do you believe me now?"

"Yes"

"Okay. I won't say that I'll forgive you dahil parang may mixed feelings ako—" AJ coughed to hide his giggle at the word 'feelings' and I kicked him under the table. He let out a yelp and Liam's eyebrows shot up at him.

"Wala", AJ said, smiling too widely for my taste. He went back to playing with his phone. I saw him smirk so I kicked him again and he sneakily stuck his tongue out at me. "Oh, nandito na siya."

Mia.

Napalingon ako sa bintana noong may nakita akong lumabas mula sa isang mamahaling kotse. Itinapon niya yung Gong Cha na dala-dala niya (wala na atang laman) sa basurahan na nasa labas ng Café Luvia.

Ah nakalimutan ko na ayaw pala ni Mia yung mga drinks sa café na 'to (ewan ko sa kanya masarap naman yung frappe nila).

Kaya pala nahuli siya, bumili pa siya ng milktea.

"That's okay", sabi ni Liam at napalingon ako sa kanya. Halata na nalilito siya dahil sa mga kakaibang reaksyon ni AJ, ngunit pinabayaan lang niya ito. "Nandito ako para ma-earn yung forgiveness mo. Atsaka may ... personal grudge ako sa catfish na yun"

"Heyooooo the party is hereeee" Papunta si Mia sa amin habang suot niya yung pinakamalaki niyang ngiti. Kumindat siya sa akin at napasumpa ako.

Eto na si self-proclaimed Miss Matchmaker.

"Asan si Yuki?", tanong ni AJ kay Mia.

Napangiti ako ng konti. Matching colors yung suot nila. Of course, hindi intensyonal, walang balak silang dalawang magkajowa at never pa naging sila, pero halata yung crush ni AJ kay Mia.

"Si Miss Busy? Fellowship ng tennis team daw kaya di siya makakasama", sabi ni Mia habang pa-upo sa katabi ko. Suot niya yung paborito niyang pula na tube dress na nagma-match sa kanyang pula na laptop bag. "Atsaka bebe time nila ngayon ni Kuya Ralph."

"Andito si Kuya Ralph?", tanong ko.

"Nah. Nandoon siya sa Cebu. Video chat day nila ngayon. Ewan ko bakit hindi nalang sila maghiwalay."

"Bitter ka lang."

"Cheater si Ralph, eh", sabi ni AJ. Parang galit siya. He discarded his phone and rubbed his hands on his face. "Sure matagal na yun pero once a cheater always a cheater."

"Hoy pinsan ko 'yan", sabi ni Liam, sabay ikot ng kanyang mata.  He crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair, letting out a grunt. "Pero admit ko mali yung ginawa niya. It hurts when you get cheated on. Pero he's changed."

For a moment, I could've sworn he glanced at me when he said the words 'cheated on'.

Definitely still not over the Hannah and Mark incident.

"Ayoko pa rin sa kanya", AJ said, and Mia nodded in agreement. "Kaibigan ko siya yes, pero never ako magtotolerate ng cheater."

Tumawa si Mia at parang namula yung mukha ni AJ.

Kinikilig ba siya?

"So yung cheater sa relasyon bawal? Pero sa gen math quiz pwede?", Mia teased, unzipping her bag to pull out her laptop. She unconsciously flipped her wavy hair and I could see AJ doing his best not to stare.

"Of course."

"Naku po", sabi ko. Iniligay ko yung kamay ko sa bibig ko para matago yung lumalaking ngiti. "Merit candidate ka pa naman."

"Candidate lang naman", sabi ni Liam. He propped his chin on his hand and smiled. "Ako naman yung palaging nanalo sa vote."

My heart skipped a beat.

How can his smile be so cute?

"Wow akala mo nanalo ka dahil sa 'kabaita' mo", AJ teased, nudging him, their white chairs let out a thump from the movement.

"Yun naman basehan ng pag-vote, eh!"

"Asus, binoto kalang dahil gwapo ka."

"Gago sino boboto para lang sa looks?"

Mia whistled under her breath. I bursted out laughing.

Iniisip niya ata yung panahon na elementary kami at binoto niya yung crush ng bayan sa elections kahit na medyo ewan yung mga sagot niya sa Q&A. Buti nalang nag-bago na si Mia, lalo na pwede na kaming bumoto next year.

My phone suddenly chimed.

The unknown number, again.

'Aya, I know who the catfish is'

Napamura ako at napalingon silang lahat sa akin.

'Sino? Sino ka? totoo ba yung sinasabi mo?' I sent the immediately. My fingers started to tremble and I felt as if I've just been dipped into ice cold water.

"Gurl, okay kalang?", Mia asked, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Para kang nakakita ng multo."

Multo.

Not as scary as a ghost, but definitely just as mysterious.

My phone chimed again and I almost dropped it.

'I'll tell you at the end of the month. But first you have to make a deal with me.'

I was about to type down another message when the person texted again.

'I was there sa party niyo at nakita ko siya sa room mo. Hawak-hawak niya yung diary mo.'

"Sino yan?", tanong ni AJ, leaning forward eagerly. "Si Will?"

"Anong deal?", tanong ni Mia habang nakasimangot. Binabasa niya yung conversation namin.

"Yung drug dealer mo ba yan?", tanong ni AJ. "Baka ma gg ka niyan."

Liam rolled his eyes as AJ laughed. "Sira ulo ka talaga, J."

'You have to date Liam for a month. Kahit fake lang wala akong pake. Tutal hindi pa siya nag deny na kayo na.'

Dafaq—

"AHHHHHH!", napasigaw si Mia. Tumayo siya bigla at sumayaw na parang batang binigyan ng Jollibee.  "YES! YES! YES! AYA YOU HAVE TO DO IT!"

"Do what?", tanong ni AJ. "Aya, sino ba yan?"

"Some dude knows who the Catfish is!"

Lumaki yung mga mata ni AJ at Liam. "Seryoso ka, Mia?!"

"Yes pero bago niya sabihin kung sino yun dapat si Liam—" tinuro niya si Liam at si ako at gumawa siya ng heart-shape gamit ang mga daliri niya at napasigaw siya uli.

"Hindi kita maintindihan Mia."

Another new message.

'So, is it a deal?'

This made no sense.

My phone was suddenly taken from my cold, shaking hands. I looked up to see Liam regarding me with an unreadable expression.

AJ quickly squeezed closer to Liam to look at the messages. The more he read, the more confused he looked.

"I SHIP IT!", sigaw ng bestfriend ko habang tumatalon. Napatingin yung ibang mga customers sa kanya pero hindi niya ito pinansin.

Liam's fingers flew over the phone, typing.

He didn't look at me.

I didn't know what to do, so I just stared down at my clenched fists.

Me and Liam?

An actual couple?

Parang naging bingi ako. Wala kong may marinig. Walang boses o tunog na pumasok sa tenga ko, maliban sa tibok ng puso ko. Yung puso ko ay ibon at yung dibdib ko ay kulungan.

Ayaw na ng ibon sa loob.

Gusto na niyang lumabas.

Hindi ako makahingi. Parang nawalan ako ng bokabularyo.

Ano kaya yung tinype niya?

Magagalit ba siya ulit?

Tangina. Ni-reject na nga niya ako dati. Mauulit pa?

My phone was suddenly placed infront of me.

Mia screamed with joy and hugged poor AJ who looked like me in my precalculus class - utterly confused.

Liam's long fingers left the phone and I read the most recent message he sent to the unknown number.

My heart did a backflip.

'Deal'

I looked at him, confused, conflicted and bursting inside.

He smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling like a million stars.

"Thank you for availing your one month trial, babe"

~~~~~

A/N: tangina pati ako nakilig dun ah HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

anyway, hope you liked it! 1599 words yoooo.

Don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts! Thank you for reading (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤