🌺

"What?! Dos said that?"

Kulang na lang ay umabot sa kabilang dulo ng sportdfield and boses ni Lia kaya't agad tinakpan ni George ang bibig ng kaibigan niya. She told her everything that happened the other day at mas kinikilig pa ata ang kaibigan niya sa kanya.

"Shh! Baka may makarinig," she whispered while looking around like a paranoid person. Lia violently removed her hand from her mouth and held both her shoulders to shake.

"You're not taking this away from me since this is my ship," she muttered before squealing. "Oh. My. Gosh! He said he loves you! I fucking knew it! My ship is sailing! It's fucking sailing!"

"Lia!" she whisper-shouted while trying to hide her face from everyone around them. Though she doubts if they were even listening or something. "Please..."

"What?" anito sabay irap. "Ang KJ mo. I'm just celebrating 'no. It's not every day that your best friend lands on one of the hottest guy in school. And a senior at that. Haba ng hair. Kainis."

She didn't know how to react on that. Siya kasi mismo eh hindi pa rin makapaniwala talaga sa mga nangyayari. She feels like she'll be having whiplash from all of this being so bilis and all of a sudden. And dami rin niyang tanong on how and why things suddenly took a 180-turn.

Kasi parang kelan lang, she hated Dos' guts and he was so irritated with her. Tapos ngayon, bigla eh he's saying "I love you" na and she's sobrang kinikilig. Like, how did this all happen ba?

"So, kayo na?" Lia dropped the question all so sudden like a bomb. Napakagat siya sa kanyang labi.

"Umm..."

Honestly, hindi niya alam. She's so young pa, for Pete's sake. Kapag ba nag-aminan na ng feelings, sila na? If he said he loves her, does that mean he's her boyfriend na?

"I don't know, Lia."

This made her best friend raise an eyebrow. It was like she was mentally telling her to explain or elaborate. Lia even folded her arms making her look away.

"I really have no idea, Lia," sagot niya and heaved a sigh. "Saka I have no idea what we are in the first place eh. Are we together na ba since we both like each other? Am I his girlfriend na ba after he said he loves me? I'm losing my mind here."

"He didn't tell you na kayo na?" She shook her head in response making her friend grimace. "That means you two are not officially together. Parang, mutual feelings lang but you two have no label. Let's just say you two have a mutual understanding thing going on."

"Is that bad?" She bit her lower lip.

"Hindi naman as long as you're both aware kung ano yung meron kayo," Lia explained shrugging. "I'm no relationship expert kaya wala rin akong masasabi about diyan."

Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng lungkot. For what reason, she didn't exactly know. Pero it's okay naman siguro that they don't get in a relationship muna since she's still too young. Tapos next year, he'll be off to college. It would be too complicated.

"G," pukaw sa kanya bigla ni Lia. "Do you want to be with him? As in, with labels and all?"

Without even thinking, her heart said yes to her best friend's question. But she wasn't able to voice it out. She's too shy to admit that someone who's just starting her life is too much in a hurry to get into a relationship. Nangunguna pa rin sa isipan niya ang laging pinapaalala ng daddy niya na 'Books before boys'.

"Of course," she whispered. "I like him too, eh."

"Then tell him you want to be official with him," anito. "Simple."

"I can't," she said heaving a sigh. "Bawal pa ako mag-boyfriend. My dad will be so disappointed in me. And what will other people say? I'm too young to be in a serious relationship."

"G, stop overthinking things," Lia gently patted her shoulder. "Sabi mo nga, you're young. You're allowed to like someone and to fall in love—"

"You like someone, G?"

Nagulat sila't sabay napatingin sa may likuran. It was Addy. She's smiling cheerfully while holding three plastic bottles of soda. Agad siyang napatingin kay Lia who rolled her eyes at napasalumbaba sa kandungan nito.

"Um... K-Kinda," alanganin niyang sagot. Mukhang napansin agad ni Lia ang pag-iiba ng kanyang boses kaya napatingin ito sa kanya. She looked at her like she was asking her 'why' or 'what's wrong'.

Hindi na lang siya nagpahuli sa best friend at inayos ang pagkakaupo. She made her smile more genuine this time.

"It's just a simple crush, Addy," ulit niya.

Addy's mouth formed an "o" bago naupo sa may harapan nila—one level lower than them, at inabot sa kanila ang dala. She just smiled and said thank you pagkaabot nito ng bote sa kanya. Lia on the other hand wouldn't stop staring at her kaya hindi nito napansin ang iniabot ni Addy so the latter just placed it on the floor.

"So, who is it?" magiliw na tanong nito. "Is it Jarvis Montecillo? I heard someone say na nakita niya daw kayo yesterday sa library together."

"Ahm, no. He just accompanied me kasi wala akong kasama sa table," paliwanag niya dito. "We're just friends."

"Really? Sayang naman because you two would've looked so cute together," anito habang binubuksan ang hawak na bote. "Didn't you say you had a crush on him?"

"I uh... I just find him sweet and really handsome," she defended. She also tried to sound as casual as she could because ayaw niyang mahalata nito yung pagiging awkward niya since it might spark trouble or something. "Um. Enough about me na lang. How's your day today, Addy?"

"Really good, actually," sagot nito in a very enthusiastic tone. "I bumped into Dos kanina and he helped me with my stuff. He's such a gentleman, 'no?"

Agad napataas ang kilay ni Lia after hearing what Addy said sabay tingin dito.

"Y-Yeah," she whispered—unsure of how to react to her statement. "He'a really nice."

"I heard kaso from the others na he's not the type to care for others especially girls," makahulugang sambit nito. "Diba you said he was mean to you?"

Alanganing napangiti na lang siya't napatango. Then she saw Lia roll her eyes.

"So feeling mo special ka na niyan?"

Addy gave a meaningful shrug. It was like she's agreeing but giving us the benefit of the doubt.

"I mean, why else would he help pick up my things tapos hinatid niya pa ko sa room? He even carried my things for me."

She was rendered shock sa biglang sinabi ng kaibigan kaya't napatingin siya agad kay Lia. Clearly her best friend didn't believe Addy.

"Huwag ka ngang assuming," supalpal agad nito kay Addy which shocked the girl. "Hindi dahil sinamahan ka at dinala gamit mo, may meaning na. And besides, alam ng lahat na si George ang gusto ni Dos. He even saved her from that bitch."

Nanlaki agad ang mata niya sa tinuran ng kaibigan. "Lia!"

"What?" patay-malisya nitong sambit. "Totoo naman. Ang lakas ng loob sumugod-sugod. If Dos didn't arrive, I would've clawed her face right there and then."

"So it's true?" Addy said feigning innocence. "You and Dos are a thing? Akala ko you said he annoyed you and di mo siya gusto?"

"Well I—"

"And didn't you say you'd never like someone him kasi he's a bully? And he's really mean?"

Huh? Did she say that ba? She can't remember.

"I said that?"

"Yes," Addy said as she nodded. "I remember it clearly. Lia was telling you din nga na it's not good to judge him agad eh."

Maybe she did say that. But people tend to say things they don't mean kapag galit, right?  And Dos did prove he's not at all bad naman to her. Is it wrong ba for her to like him after that?

"It's like kinain mo lang what you said before, G," Addy continued chuckling. "Oh my gosh. Is he the one you like?"

Hindi siya nakaimik. It's like, what Addy said linda hit something in her. She suddenly felt conflicted and confused again.

"Because that would really be cute," patuloy pa nito. "I mean, you used to hate each other diba tapos ngayon you like each other na. It's like straight out of a romance novel!"

She blinked. Cute? Wasn't she implying kanina that Dos like her? Bakit ngayon she's saying na bagay sila?

"The only problem lang is if like sa stories eh he's doing this because of a bet," Addy added. "Or to prove that all girls likes him. Even you."

"Addison," Lia called with a warning tone.

"What?" patay malisya nitong sambit. "I was just laying out the possibilities. Kasi parang last time lang eh they're at each other's throats tapos ngayon they like each other agad. Don't you find it fishy?"

She couldn't say anything. Kahit gusto niyang sabihin that Dos isn't like that, what proof does she even have? Sa katunayan, she might have a point kasi everything happened so quickly. And she's not even sure if Dos really does genuinely like her. He did say she was shallow before. What changed? As much as she wants to believe, should she? Well, he did kiss her so that must've meant he really liked her, right? No one would go kissing girls just because of a stupid bet, right?

Not if it's his ego on the line...

"Do you realize how passive-aggressive your statement is?" Lia spat gaining back her attention. "Dos likes her. End of discussion. Stop making it seem like he doesn't. Close ba kayo? So you two even talk? Hindi diba. So please do us a favor and shut the hell up."

Addy's mouth gaped. "I was only trying to share my thoughts, Lia. I don't want G to end up getting hurt. Dos is cold and arrogant. A total bad boy. He doesn't deserve G."

Didn't she say Dos was a gentleman pa lang kanina? Wasn't she all praises pa lang when he helped her out?

"I'm just concerned as her friend," patuloy nito. "Sana ikaw din."

"But implying like Dos wouldn't genuinely like her in a short period of time is not what a friend should say, dumbass," Lia hissed. "You should just close that mouth of yours instead."

"So you're saying I should stay quiet and just let our friend get hurt?" Addy fought back. "Wow. That's so genuine of you, Lia."

"The fuck?! Are you even hearing yourself you stupid bit—"

"You already hurt me," she suddenly inserted herself in their discussion making both girls turn to her.

Hindi niya na kasi kaya. What Lia said about Addy sounding like Dos wouldn't like her really hit a nerve.

Bakit? Was she really that shallow para hindi magustuhan ni Dos? Does she really don't have any substance? Was she not pretty enough? Or does she not have a great personality? Is it really impossible to fall for a person that quick?

But what really triggered her was what Addy said about Dos.

Dos isn't cold. If he was, why does she feel warm every time she's near him? He's not arrogant either. Maybe a little bit but it's not like what he says isn't true.

She may be young but she knows a good person when she sees one. And Dos is a good person. He isn't the type of guy who'd bet on something like that. Or honor his ego over such trivial things. Dos is more than his image.

At isa pa, napatunayan niya nang he's not a bad boy. And even if he was, that won't stop her from liking him. And if she does get hurt, that's on her na. It's a risk she's willing to take.

"Who, G?" Addy suddenly asked. "Did Dos dump you?"

"No," she answered looking straight at her. "You. You're the one who hurt me, Addy."

"What? Why? I'm just trying to protect you," she immediately defended herself. "You know I would never deliberately hurt you."

"Really?" she said raising an eyebrow. Enough is enough. She can't keep being nice to someone who doesn't deserve it. "Because last time I checked you bribed Luke to bail on my audition because you deliberately want to sabotage me."

Addy's eyes grew wide.

"W-What are you saying?" anito. "I... I would never do that! Especially to you. Luke's just putting the blame on me kasi I refused to go on a date with him—"

"I never said Luke told me anything, Addy," she said as one corner of her lips rose.

"I swear, G. Why would I sabotage you?" Addy was still insisting her innocence. "I mean, I've always supported you. Ever since we were freshies. I didn't even want to audition if you didn't insist on it. Whoever told you, I'm sure she's just jealous of our closeness—"

Addy even had the audacity to look at Lia which made the latter raise an eyebrow and was about to throw a fit.

"Stop the lame innocent act, Addy," she cut her off and then rolled her eyes. "Kung there's someone here na genuine to me, it's Lia. Not you. It would never be you."

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Addison.

"Now tell me. What did I ever do to you to deserve that?" She challenged her ex-friend.

She was expecting an apology or her walking out to dodge the subject but what she witness next was totally unexpected.

Addy's angelic expression full confusion and helplessness suddenly shifted into a demonic—slightly creepy, expression emphasized by her smirk.

"Because I'm bored," she flat out said. "And you're a stupid trusting bitch who has no idea you're being played with."

🌺