The following Monday, halos lahat ay may nasasabi sa kumalat niyang picture sa internet. He became the topic of every conversation in high school, but it's the first time na hindi nya iyon nagustuhan. He was played. Kung kailan pa naman gusto na niyang mag-seryoso.

Mas aware na siya sa presence ni Jasmine ngayon. Madalas silang magkita sa school. Kapag nakikita nitong nakatingin siya, ngingiti lang ito na para bang wala itong masamang ginawa sa kanya. He didn't know why she did what she did. Sa unang tingin dito, parang wala itong magagawang masama sa kahit sino. Totoo pala talaga yung kasabihang do not judge a book by its cover. A pretty face like hers could surely fool anyone.

Ang isa pa sa ikinasama ng loob niya ay ang pagkakalat nito sa buong klase ng plano nilang date noong Sabado. She told everyone in her class that he will be waiting for her. And he did. At ngayon, tanga na siya sa paningin ng marami.

What he couldn't understand is why. Sa dami ng naging girlfriends at flings niya, wala pang gumawa ng ganoon sa kanya. Kahit nga yung isa na lumuhod at umiyak pa sa gitna ng mall nang makipag-break siya, hindi gumanti sa kanya e. So ano ang rason ni Jasmine kung bakit nito ginawa iyon sa kanya?

--

"Nakatingin na naman sya sa 'yo," Aubrey told Iya. Nakatingin ito sa likuran niya so alam niya agad kung sino ang tinutukoy nito.

"Hayaan mo sya. Libre naman ang tumingin."

Aubrey sat on the chair next to her. She leaned closer.

"May something ba sa inyo ni Hanson?"

"Sa kanya, meron. Sa 'kin, wala," sagot niya.

"Oh? How come?"

"Kasi ayaw ko sa kanya."

"Bakit naman?" kunot-noo nitong tanong. "Ang weird mo. Lahat ng babae nagkakagusto sa kanya, tapos ikaw, ayaw mo? Are you playing hard-to-get?"

Umiling sya. "He's just not my type."

Aubrey gaped. "How can he not be your type, Iya? Abnormal ka ba? Magpatingin ka kaya sa opthalmologist!"

She rolled her eyes. "Hindi ko naman sinabing hindi sya gwapo, Aubrey. All I'm saying is, that's not enough to make me like him."

"You don't like hot and handsome bad boys?" hindi pa rin nito makapaniwalang tanong.

"Yes. I like nice guys."

"You're boring!" Pagkasabi'y lumipat na ito ng upuan. Yung malayo sa kanya. She sighed. Boring na ba ngayon ang magkagusto sa matinong lalaki? Hindi niya alam kung bakit nauso yung thrill-seeking sa love. Girls, even the nice ones, go for bad guys. Kasi raw may thrill. Hard exterior daw kasi yung badness ng mga ito pero may soft-center.

She wanted to puke at the idea. It may be true na lahat ng tao, kahit gaano pa man kasama ang ipinapakita, ay may kabutihan din sa kaloob-looban niya. What she doesn't get is why they have to keep it to themselves. And why people fall for that. Because that's quite stupid.

Paano naman siya magkakagusto sa taong paiba-iba ang ipinapakitang ugali, walang regard sa babae, masyadong self-centered, narcissist, gusto sya lagi ang nasusunod, nagkakalat ng kung anu-anong masamang balita and doesn't take no for an answer?

Pagod na pagod na ang tenga ni Iya sa pakikinig. Parang lahat ng prof nila na pang-umaga ay ganadong-ganadong magsalita. She almost dozed off nang mag-lecture ang Social Science teacher nila. Nakakantok ang boses nito. Dagdag pa na malapit nang magtanghalian at gutom na gutom na sya.

Nang sa wakas ay mag-dismiss ito, halos patakbo siyang pumunta sa cafeteria. Madalas mauna sa kanya doon ang kakambal and today was no exemption. Naka-order na si Ken nang dumating siya. Wala naman siyang reklamo sa mga binibili nitong pagkain. Halos lahat naman kasi ng gusto nito ay gusto rin niya.

She was extra glad today kasi wala sina Aubrey at Hanson. She thought she could finally eat in peace. Hindi pa pala.

"You went out with Jeremy yesterday?"

"Who told you?" pabalik nyang tanong.

"It doesn't matter. Hindi naman kita isusumbong kay papa. Basta, next time, magsabi ka sa 'kin para alam ko."

"Okay. I'll do that. Thanks."

Nagpalinga-linga ito.

"Where's your friend?"

"Who?"

"The tall guy with long hair? I forgot his name."

"Hanson?" Kumunot ang noo niya. "He's not my friend."

"He was insisting—"

"Ang pagkakaibigan, hindi pinipilit. Kapag ayaw ng isa, walang magiging connection ang dalawa," paliwanag niya.

Ken frowned. "Why do you sound so defensive?"

"I'm not. I just don't want people, especially you, to think that we're friends."

"What's the big deal? Hindi ba, noong high school naman, iba't ibang klase ng tao ang kaibigan mo?"

"Noong high school yun. Now's diffferent."

She gave out a sigh. The talk suddenly made her lose her appetite.

"How so?"

She gave her twin a pleading look. "Ken, if you won't stop asking questions, then I won't be able to eat."

Ken raised his hands. "Okay. Eat up."

--

Jasmine Manalang

Paris: I just want to ask why.

Jasmine: Then ask. :)

Paris: Why?

Jasmine: No reason.

He grimaced. He was played for nothing? Ganoon na ba sya ka-worthless?

Paris: Are you sure or are you just shy to admit it?

Jasmine: I'm sure.

"Damn it."

Paris: I thought we had an understanding.

Jasmine: Ang assuming mo naman.

Paris: Why are you doing this?

Jasmine: I told you why.

Paris: Yung seryosong sagot.

*Jasmine Manalang saw this*

Paris: Sagutin mo naman. Please lang.

*Jasmine Manalang saw this*

Paris: Did you even like me?

*Jasmine Manalang saw this*

*Jasmine is typing...*

Jasmine: I did. Once. But never again.

*Jasmine Manalang went offline*

He sighed. So she did like him, but not anymore. Did he do something that turned her off? Iyon ba ang rason kung bakit gumaganti ito sa kanya? But why? If she did like him, she could have just told him. He'd like her back.

--

The following day, nakasagap ang tenga ni Iya ng mga bali-balita tungkol kay Hanson. Ipinagkakalat ng mga kaklase nya. Si Aubrey ang pasimuno. Talagang na-corner pa siya nito bago magsimula ang klase para lang magkwento.

"And you know why he got his long hair?" tanong nito.

Umiling siya. Pero hindi niya interesadong malaman kung ano ang rason. Aubrey gave it to her anyway.

"Kasi raw, he's been dumped by someone he really loved before. And then, sabi nya, he will not cut his hair until she comes back to him." Pinagdaop nito ang mga palad nito. "O, di ba, ang romantic!"

Hindi niya ito pinansin. Yun kasing sinabi nito. Parang pamilyar.

"Yung ex nya... sinabi nya ba kung ano yung name?"

Nag-isip ito. "Uhm yeah, I think he mentioned it. Athena yata?"

Athena? Why does that name ring a bell?

Umangkla sa braso niya si Aubrey. "Alam mo, Iya, I think you should give him a chance. Broken-hearted naman pala sya kaya sya nagkakaganyan e. Maybe you could straighten him out."

"Bakit ba ipinagpipilitan mo 'ko sa kanya? If you like him, then by all means, be with him."

"I like him nga, but he doesn't like me. So do the math."

"I don't like him. You do the math," sagot niya rito.

--

Vacant period nila nang lumapit si Hanson sa kanya. Una niyang napansin ang buhok nito. It didn't bother her before. Kanya-kanyang trip lang kasi. Pero ngayon, parang nakikita na niya ito in a different light.

Siguro dahil may backstory pala ito.

"What do you want?"

"If I tell you, will you give it to me?" tanong nito ng nakangiti.

She shrugged. "Probably not."

Bumuntong-hininga ito saka naupo sa tabi niya.

"You're a tough nut to crack, Iya."

"If you're nicer, maybe you'll have a chance," she replied.

"I have a reason why I'm like this."

"Yeah, I heard."

Biglang nagliwanag ang mukha nito. "You did?"

"You don't look broken-hearted to me," she admitted.

"Well, because I've moved on."

"You've moved on?" Nagtaas siya ng kilay. "Then why the long hair?"

"E kasi..." He looked away and scratched his nape. "I-I guess I'm still waiting for that chance."

"It's still a no, Hanson. And it's a no you'll have to accept, whether you like it or not."

--

Hanggang makauwi ng bahay ay isip-isip pa rin ni Iya yung sinabi ni Aubrey sa kanya tungkol kay Hanson. Alam niyang narinig na niya iyon. Maybe someone else went through the same thing or she read it in a book or watched it in a movie, but it feels very familiar.

She was so lost in her own thoughts kaya hindi niya kaagad napansin na nagriring ang phone niya. And when she did, sakto namang nag-end ang call. It was an unknown number.

Maya-maya'y biglang tumunog ulit ang phone niya.

"Hello? Who's this?"

"Hi, Iya!" the caller greeted cheerfully.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Hanson?"

"I'm glad you recognized my voice."

"Where did you get my number?"

She heard him chuckle before answering. "I got it from Aubrey."

"I didn't giv—"

She groaned inwardly. Naki-text nga pala sa kanya si Aubrey kanina. Hindi naman sya madamot kaya agad niyang ibinigay dito ang phone nya.

"What do you want?"

"I have something for you," sagot nito.

"I don't want it."

"No, I think you do. Look outside."

Frowning, she too a peek out the window. Nasa ibaba nga si Hanson, may hawak itong malaking Hello Kitty na stuffed toy. Kumaway ito nang makita siya.

"It's yours if you want it."

She was torn between closing the curtains and running downstairs. Saktong wala ang daddy at mommy niya. Si Ken naman ay nakakulong sa kwarto nito.

"Come down, Iya," he teased.

"J-Just leave it at the gate."

Nakita niya itong umiling. "You have to take it from me personally."

"I don't—"

"Going once."

"Hans—"

"Going twice."

Napapikit siya. "Fine. Fine. Walang kapalit 'yan ha!"

"Just one date."

"No!"

"Okay." He ended the call, saka ito akmang aalis.

Patakbo siyang bumaba at lumabas ng bahay. Sayang din yun! She's collecting HK stuff kasi. Mapa-bolpen, shirts, hairclips, mugs, stuffed toys, pillows... Medyo obsessed na nga raw siya kay Hello Kitty sabi ni Ken.

And that stuffed toy in Hanson's hands looked so cute!

I can always say I'd date him pero hindi ako sisipot, pangungumbinsi niya sa sarili.

Ngiting-ngiti ito nang lumabas siya ng bahay. She reached out for the stuffed toy pero iniiwas nito iyon.

"Date first."

"What?!"

"You agreed," he said.

"Ngayon na?!"

Tumango ito. "Baka kasi hindi mo na 'ko siputin kapag nakuha mo na 'to."

Tumingin siya sa Hello Kitty na hawak nito, then back to Hanson. Magapauto ba siya?

"This is made from Germany," sabi nito sa kanya. "I ordered it just for you. But if you don't want it—"

"Wait for me. I'll just get dressed!" inis niyang sabi.