🐰10TH Charm🐰

"Vitto!" I excitedly called as I saw him passing by in front the library building. Alam kong doon ang punta niya ng ganitong oras kaya inabangan ko talaga siya doon. Hindi siya huminto pero napansin kong binagalan niya ang paglalakad. With a wide smile, I chased after him then clamped my free hand on his arm. He flinched as he irritably threw me at look but I still smiled sweetly at him.

"Doon tayo sa gazebo. I'll show you something!" I dragged him enthusiastically in the direction of the gazebo next to the library, and I grinned even wider when he didn't object. I urged him to take a seat and I pulled the printed documents from my pink laptop bag and handed them to him. He reached them with a frown.

"I typed everything that we finished yesterday 'til late night then I passed it to my professor early this morning and he appreciated me for the very first time!" Masaya kong pagbabalita habang pumapalakpak pa. Umayos ako ng upo pero hindi nawawala ang malawak na ngiti sa mga labi.

"Kaya nga as a thank you gift, I prepared something edible for you!" Dugtong ko pa, "And guess what!"

He lazily looked at me like he was expecting the worse, "You burned your kitchen?"

Napasimangot ako, "Bad ka! Hindi naman ako gano'n ka- bad na cook!"

Instead of speaking, he turned to look at the paper I had handed him. I was expecting him to say good job or congratulations but he remained impassive and silent so I guess he wasn't happy for me and it made me somewhat disappointed. But even if that's the case, I was still excited to make him taste my creation.

Kinuha ko ang customized box ng muffins sa dalang paperbag at proud iyong pinakita sa kanya.

"Dyaran!" I cheered as I opened the box showing 4 pieces of carrot muffins. Actually ay marami dapat 'yon pero apat lang ang mukhang edible so yeah, pwede na rin. "C'mon! Get one and taste it." I urged excitedly but his expression was unreadable while looking at them.

"Promise! Masarap 'yan!" Sabi ko pa saka inilapit lalo ang box sa kanya.

Walang salitang kumuha siya ng isa doon at naramdaman ko ang puso kong nagtatalon sa tuwa. I almost stopped myself from breathing while anticipating for his reaction when he took a small bite. But then he suddenly turned pale and threw it up.

"What the—! Is this really food?" Bulalas niya habang 'di maipinta ang mukha. Worried na kumuha ako ng isa at kumagat. Jeez! Ang sama nga ng lasa! Iniluwa ko din iyon at nararamdaman ko din ang pagkawala ng kulay ng mukha ko.

"Dang! You're making it a habit to feed me spoiled goods!" He exclaimed crossly.

"Hindi 'to panis noh!" I countered, my voice shaking from embarrassment. "T- Tsaka s-sabi ni G- Giro masarap daw ang mga muffins na bini- bake ko."

"Your ex is a liar then." Lalo pang umasim ang mukha niya, "and one more thing. I'm not Giro." Malamig na dugtong pa niya saka inilapag ang hawak na papel sa upuan at iniwan akong naiiyak doon.

Pero Giro used to tell me that he loves the goodies I bake for him. At hindi ko naman talaga alam kung masarap ba 'yon o hindi dahil hindi ko naman ito tinitikman. Confident lang akong masarap talaga iyon dahil 'yon naman ang sinasabi ni Giro. And he told me that Giro was a liar... which is true. He even cheated on me.

Napaiyak ako. This time ay hindi na pa-atungal pero tahimik na pag-iyak. I was so embarrassed. So my confidence in baking all this time was a fraud. Maybe Giro hadn't told me the truth to keep me from hurting. Pero hindi ba sinaktan niya din naman ako sa ginawa niyang panloloko sa akin? All this time he wasn't honest to me and here I am doing everything to get that freaking anti- love potion. Nagalit na naman tuloy sa akin si Vitto. Lagi na lang siyang disappointed sa akin. Wala na akong nagagawang tama para sa kanya. Siya na nga lang ang nagiisang kino- consider kong friend dito pero hindi ko man lang siya magawang mapasaya. In fact ay lagi pa siyang aburido dahil sa akin.

He is honest to me, like Heaven, Pewee and Ricci. Sinasabi nila ang totoo sa akin kahit masakit. Pero in the end ay pabor din naman sa akin iyon dahil hindi ko na uulitin ang parehong pagkakamali. Mag- aaral na talaga akong mag- bake. Hindi ko na pakakainin si Vitto ng mga pagkaing lasang panis!

Nahinto ako sa pag- iyak nang biglang may tumabi sa akin at nabigyang pag- asa ako ng makitang si Vitto iyon. He came back!

"Tsk! You cry so loud that I can still hear you from afar." He said sternly and I know he was lying. I glared at him.

"Anong kailangan mo?" Initsa niya sa kandungan ko ang isang puting panyo.

"Wipe your face." Utos niya at nakasimangot naman akong sumunod.

Tumikhim siya, "I know some place that serves a carrot- flavored ice cream." Aniya. Pagkarinig pa lang sa carrots ay dinadagsa na ako ng adrenaline.

"Libre mo 'ko?" Tantya ko sa kanya.

Kinuha niya ang nagkalat na papel sa upuan at ang pink laptop bag ko. "Tara."

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Parang batang excited akong napapalakpak ng ilapag ng waiter ang order naming carrot ice cream. We're in a pastry shop near DLSU. Hindi naman kalayuan ito sa Helix U at hindi rin traffic kaya nakarating kami agad. Sad to say ay bike ang mayroon itong si Vitto kaya nag- taxi na lang kami papunta rito. Affordable ang mga goodies dito at dahil malapit sa school, karamihan ng mga customers ay estudyante.

"Itadakimasu!" I beamed as I clap my palms, imitating it to the Japanese animes I've watched. I started digging in the ice cream and I felt the seventh heaven as it melted in my tongue. So good. Lasang- lasa 'yong carrots tapos pinalinamnam pa ng milk at cheese. Yummy!

Nang bumaling ako kay Vitto ay tahimik lang siyang nanonood sa akin. nang ngitian ko siya'y mabilis siyang umiwas ng tingin.

"Is it fun to ride a bike?" I asked trying to open up a conversation.

"Aside form it's smoke- free, yeah." He shrugged then focused his attention on the book in front him.

Napasimangot ako. Hanggang dito ba naman ay dala niya ang makapal na book na 'yon? Bahagya akong dumukwang upang isara iyon. Kunot ang noong tumingin siya sa akin.

"I was eight when my mom used to tell me to stop doing extra things in front the food." Pangaral ko sa kanya.

"I'm sorry but I don't have a mom to remind me of such things." He responded coldly.

"I don't have one, too." I replied. I don't want to be awkward to him. I honestly like his company even though he's so stingy and moody most of the time. He's so honest. And I like honest.

"Welcome to the club." He nonchalantly said while flipping his book.

"But I have my cousins and my friends so I don't feel lonely at all. Plus, I have you now." Nakangiting sabi ko at bigla siyang natigilan, "A- And," tumikhim ako, "You have me now, too. So stop being masungit na and smile once in a while." He paused.

"How long are you planning to stay?" Bigla niyang tanong na ikinatigalgal ko. Nang hindi ako sumagot ay sumandal siya sa upuan at tumingin sa labas. "Nevermind." He muttered.

Nang tumingin siya sa akin ay hindi ko maipaliwanag ang ekspresyon sa mga mata niya, "About the potion you were asking me—"

"No!" Bigla kong sabi na ikinagulat niya pero mas ikinagulat ko. Gosh! Ano bang mga sinasabi ko? I'm starting to become crazier! I mean I don't really care with that potion thing right now. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung gusto ko pang balikan si Giro. Siguro oo, pero ewan! Nalilito talaga ako. Kahapon sa library ay hindi na ako nakaramdam ng labis na selos nang makita ko sila. Siguro ay nasanay na lang din ako. A, 'yon na nga marahil ang dahilan. But what I was sure right now was that I wanted to know more about this man in front me.

Napalunok ako, "I—I mean, I don't want to stress myself now so no, let's not talk about that right now. Ang sarap ng ice cream dito noh?" Mabilis kong pagpapalit ng topic.

"You're obviously obsessed with carrots." Komento niya at nakahinga ako ng maluwag ng bitawan niya na ang topic about sa potion.

"You know I would trade all my branded bags for a piece of anything that has carrots on it."

"Guess it explains the color of your hair." Aniya. I pinched some strands of my hair and checked it. The color of my hair is strawberry sombre. It is a pale blonde ombre highlights toned to pale peach and it really had somehow resembles a color of a carrot, just the pale one.

"Pangit ba?" Bigla akong na- conscious. Dati ay wala akong paki sa sasabihin ng iba bukod na lang kung si Giro iyon. But now I badly wanted to hear Vitto's say about my haircolor.

"It suits you well since you love eating carrots." Kaswal na sagot niya at nakahinga ako ng maluwag.

Giro used to hate this color of my hair. Mine was naturally brown but since I was obsessed with Korean make- ups and fashion, I dyed my hair half a year ago before our trip in Korea. Balak ko talagang ibalik na sa dating kulay ang buhok ko pero bigla kaming naghiwalay. At mukhang wala muna akong balak na ipa- dye iyon sa normal hair color ko ngayong nalaman kong gusto iyon ni Vitto.

Malawak akong napangiti, "I'm happy. You complimented me for the first time." Hindi ko maitago ang galak.

Vitto lazily puffed a breath, "Just eat, woman." Utos niya.

She rolled her eyes, "It's Oreo. Not woman."

"What's the difference?" He asked like he was so bored.

"I'm calling you by your name. It's so unfair that you call me woman." Pagrereklamo ko saka sumubo ulit ng ice cream. I smiled at its divine taste.

"It's bunny for you, then." Aniya na ikinatigil ko.

"Bunny?" Kunot ang noong tanong ko.

"You're a carrot- obsessed woman so it's bunny for you." He said.

Napangiti ako. Endearment niya ba 'yon sa akin? He made me an endearment without realizing it! This man is so innocent! Pero syempre hindi ko na babanggitin 'yon. Baka bawiin pa niya e. "Then its carrots for you." I beamed.

"What?" He asked somehow confused. Lumawak ang ngiti ko.

"If I am your bunny, then from now on you will be my carrots."