🐰7th Charm🐰

 "PEEWEE! WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME??!!" I cried as Peewee packed her clothes in a large suitcase, "I can't, Peewee! I can't!" I would have been in his lap if he hadn't just grabbed my head to get me out of the way.

"OA that's it, Oreo, huh?" He said, "You cry as if I'm going to die. I'm just going to Paris for God's sake." He rolled his eyes.

"That's it! That is Paris, Peewee! So far away! Ricci left so did you?" This time I was really crying. Ricci called me yesterday, he told me that he'd be gone for only God knows how long because of an emergency in their province. His parents lived in Cebu and his father had a stroke. Their business was in ruins and they had to help their sister save money.

Now it's Peewee who's leaving. He was chosen to be an exchange student at Helix U's partner school in Paris. As far as I know, the major stockholder of that university in Paris was a board member of Helix U, grandmother of Heaven's friends Kalidasa and Rumi dela Cuesta. Heaven is very close to Kali dela Cuesta so he might be able to help me if ever I request to be sent to Paris together with Peewee. But just because I was so far away from the moon, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I cannot! I think they might have been married to Rose. That is a big no- no! As in No with a capital N meaning NEVER!

"It's only five months, Oreo. We can always video chat or message each other. It's not as if we'll stop communicating. Your OA really." Peewee said as she continued to dress up.

I said, "If you want to be there, you'll be free. You don't have to be a fan of your brothers and sisters to protect you."

It stopped what it was doing and gave me a deadly look, "I'm not as landly as Ricci, you're a witch!"

I kissed him and shook his arm, "Just promise me, beks! You won't boyfriend there then you should still be a virgin coming back."

He nodded his head and my nose widened, "Loka-loka! Of course it's Paris, witch! There are a lot of fafa materials there but for the record, I'm not as good as the heavenly Ricci so don't waste tears and saliva on that, okay?"

I sobbed, crying again. "So I'll always be with Heaven? I'm going to be mad at my cousin!"

"You're lucky you have a hot dog." He whispered.

"Peewee!" I was annoyed by the rebuke.

"Fine!" He rolled his eyes but when he saw me tearing up again, he suddenly turned serious and manly. "Don't cry, baby girl. It's only been three months, so we're not going to buy it. I'm a very good friend and a good friend of mine."

In annoyance I slapped him on the arm, "I'm not retarded!" I'm complaining.

"Yes but it's close." She said, but I cried even more. He nodded and then leaned towards me to hug me, "Come home, back. I'll find you a boyfriend there."

"Giro is all I want." I answered with a wry grin.

"We'll see." He answered meaningfully. The moment I looked at him was a little bit of a shock.

"What do you mean?" Nagdududang tanong ko sa kanya saka nanggigilalas na itinulak siya palayo, "don't tell me you're really not a gay and you're falling in love with me?!"

Isang malakas na pitik sa noo ang isinagot niya sa akin.

"Rugby pa more beks ng matokhang ka na." Maasim ang mukhang aniya, "Ang lawak ng imagination mo noh? Kung ginamit mo sana 'yan sa mga subjects natin baka sakaling matuwa pa ako sa'yo."

"You're so salbahe!" Inis na sabi ko habang sapo ang noo. Lalagyan ko na lang ng facial mask later para pretty pa rin ako tomorrow. Mahirap na, baka ma-giwan pa ng bakas ng kuko ng malditang bakla doon tapos makita ni Giro and then ma- turn off siya sa akin. No way!

"'Wag mo nga akong paandaran ng ka- coñohan mo." Nakasimangot niyang sabi, "Beks, in span of five months, we'll never know what will happen. My point is, I'm sure that you'd eventually moved on with that asshole Giro when I come back."

"Oo naman. Naka- move on na ako during that time because magiging kami na ulit." Confident kong sagot.

Napapailing na lang sa akin si Peewee at hindi na sumagot. Kaya pinanood ko na lang siya sa tahimik niyang pageempake. Mamaya ko na lang siya ulit kukulitin.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

"My bestfriends are gone! Pumunta na sila sa far places. Iniwan na nila ako!" Malakas kong pag- iyak at sa gilid ng mga mata ko'y nakikita ko ang walang pakialam na si Vitto the nerd na abala sa pagbabasa ng makapal niyang Biochemistry book.

The nerve! No one ignores me when I'm looking adorably sad and crying!

Naiinis na humarap ako sa kanya saka tiniklop ang binabasa niyang libro. Yamot siyang napatingin sa akin. Kita niyo, effective!

Muli akong umatungal ng iyak, but he remained impassive while looking at me. Nakakainis na lalaki!

"So why are you here crying to me?" He lazily asked.

"Because if you'll make me a potion then Giro will come back to me and I won't be sad because I'm not alone anymore." Mabilis kong pahayag.

Tila walang interes na humarap siyang muli sa makapal na aklat at hinanap ang huling pahina na binabasa kanina, "I'm always alone but I'm not lonely." Aniya.

"I'm not you!" I irritably hissed.

"Exactly!" He grouchily closed his book as he snapped at me. I was stoned, my jaw hanging in surprise. He was seriously angry but still his voice sounded so regal. "You're not me so I'm so pissed off that you don't have any idea how irritated I am to you right now!" He hissed.

Gosh! Ni hindi nga kami close para maapektuhan doon pero nasaktan talaga ako sa sinabi niya! Irritating daw ako? Madalas kong naririnig iyon sa ibang tao, but hearing him say that word to me, I felt like bursting into tears again. He's really a bad person! A bully kind of nerd!

"I- I'm crying na nga e," I sobbed, "Dapat naaawa ka sa akin!"

"Hindi ka nakakaawa! Nakakairita ka!" Masungit na bulalas niya at padabog na tumayo sa kinauupuang high stool. I was frigid as he passed by and walked out on me. Nang tuluyan siyang makalabas sa silid ay naiwan ako kasama ng mga papatuyong dahon sa laboratory.

Laglag ang mga balikat na napatunganga na lang ako sa salaming pader na kaharap ko. Now that Peewee and Ricci aren't here and my cousin Heaven is busy with his own life, I don't know where to fit myself into.

Hindi ako umalis ng laboratory. Hindi ko din naman alam kung saan ako pupunta. Kaya nang yumupyop ako sa mesa ay hindi ko namalayang nakatulog pala ako. Nagising lang ako nang makarinig ng ingit na mula sa hinilang upuan. Dahil nakatagilid ang mukha kong nakapatong sa braso ko'y tumambad sa akin ang isang bottled water pagkamulat ko palang ng mga mata.

"Laway mo." Boses pa lang ay alam ko ng si sungit na Vitto iyon. Pero nang marealize ko ang sinabi niya'y mabilis akong tumuwid ng upo saka nanlalaki ang mga matang pinunasan ang gilid ng aking mga labi. Umasim ang mukha ko nang maramdamang wala namang basa doon.

"Liar!" Inis at nanliliit ang mga matang bulalas ko sa kanya.

Wala man lang siyang reaksyon. Nanatili siyang seryoso habang binabasa na naman ang makapal na Biochem book niya.

"Sinabi ko bang naglaway ka? Ang ibig kong sabihin uminom ka ng tubig para 'di ka matuyuan ng laway." Patamad pang sabi niya na lalo kong ikinasimangot. Sigurado ba siyang tao siya? Walang taong kasing expressionless at emotionless gaya niya! Alien siya! Isa siyang nerd na alien!

"Bakit ka bumalik? 'Di ba naiirita ka?" Masungit ko sabi.

"Bakit hindi ikaw ang umalis?" Tanong nito nang hindi man lang tumitingin sa akin. I irritably puffed out a breath. Lagi na lang niya akong sinusupalpal. So ungentleman! So unlike Giro! E bakit ko ba siya kinukumpara sa Giro ko e sa itsura pa lang malayong- malayo na. Lalo na sa ugali!

Padabog na kinuha ko ang bottled water sa mesa ngunit nakagat ko ang ibabang labi nang hindi ko mapihit pabukas ang takip. Susubukan ko pa sana ulit pero baka magasgasan lang ang smooth palms ko kaya 'wag na lang. Inilapag ko ang bote ng tubig saka itinulak ko iyon palapit sa kanya. Engrossed na engrossed yata siya sa binabasa niya kasi hindi man lang niya napapansin ang bote sa tabi ng pang- nerd na book niya.

Impatient na inabot ko ang bote saka itinuktok iyon sa mesa. Pinukol niya ako ng namamatay na tingin. Gusto ko siyang belatan pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko. Masabihan pa akong childish, sa ganda kong 'to?

"Open it, please." Pamaldita kong pakiusap.

"Tch!" Iritable niyang palatak at inagaw ang boteng hawak ko. Walang kahirap- hirap na pinihit niya pabukas ang takip saka inilapag iyon sa mesa. Ibinalik niya ang atensyon sa binabasa at uminom naman ako ng tubig.

"Eat up." Sabi pa niya. Tinakpan ko ang bote at nagtatakang tumingin sa kanya. He nonchalantly pointed his finger to a paperbag in front me, which I never really noticed, without breaking gaze at his book. "Nakakatuyo ng utak ang gutom." Sabi pa niya.

"Hindi ako gutom!" I scowled and held my chin up proudly. Hindi ako mukhang pagkain noh! Matapos niya akong away- awayin at sungit- sungitan? Never kong kakainin ang bigay niya!

"Okay." Hindi apektadong sagot niya. Bahagya pa siyang dumukwang upang abutin ang paperbag sa harapan ko. And my stomach suddenly churned when I caught a whip of a whole wheat carrot cake muffin. Mabilis kong hinuli ang kamay niya.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay, and I awkwardly smiled at him.

"Are those carrot muffins?" I smiled sweetly at him. He impassively nodded, "Thanks!" I beamed as I snatch away the paper bag from him. I excitedly opened the paperbag and my eyes glimmered as I saw the cute box of muffins. Inilabas koi yon at agad na nagtubig ang mga bagang ko nang makita ang muffins. I got one and took a huge bite. Napapikit ako sa sarap. Carrot muffins never fail to brighten my mood.

Nilingon ko si nerdy Vitto na seryoso na naman sa pagbabasa. Napangiti ako. Kahit papaano ay may itinatago din palang ugaling tao ang alien na ito.

"Bakit walang carrot smoothie?" Sinubukan kong humirit.

Inihinto niya ang pagbabasa at malamig akong tinitigan, "Makuntento ka sa tubig."

Napangiti pa rin ako, "Next time may carrot smoothie na huh?"

"Kailan mo ba ako titigilan?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Kapag binigyan mo na ako ng anti love potion." I took another huge bite of my muffin. Hmm, divine!

"You're hopeless." Naiiling na aniya.

"I'm not hopeless. I'm just in love."

Natigilan ako nang bigla siyang tumayo saka tiniklop ang librong binabasa.

"Well, you might as well just start crying again." Aniya habang tila bored na nakatingin sa akin.

"B- Bakit naman?"

"Kasi hindi kita gagawan ng potion mo." Sagot niya saka ako tinalikuran para pumasok sa lab. I even heard the door clicked like he intentionally locked it.

Inis na isinubo ko ang natitirang muffin sa kamay ko. Akala niya huh? Hindi ako si Oreonina Acosta kung susukuan ko siya ng maaga.

Well, you might al least get used with my presence from now on, Blake Vitto Alonzo. Dahil hangga't wala sa mga kamay ko ang anti- love potion na iyon ay hindi kita titigilan.

I smiled wickedly as I picked another muffin. Sa halip na maging pessimistic ay parang lalo pa akong ginanahan para i- pursue ang undying love ko.

Just wait for me, Giro. Mababawi din kita sa two- faced na Rosenda na 'yan!