"Hey! Can you lend me your pen?" I asked Samuel, nagsusulat kasi ako ngayon at biglang naubos 'yong tinta ng g-tech ko.

"Okay." He handed me the pen that I gave to him.

"Thanks. By the way, paano na nga 'to?" I asked him. We're reviewing now, magfifinals na kasi kami next week. Malapit na magsummer vacation. Our family will spend the vacation in South Korea, need kasi sila mom and dad dahil sa expansion ng business namin.

He explained to me how to solve the equation and after that ay binigyan niya ako ng mga equations para makapagpractice akong magsolve.

"Here. Check." Inilahad ko sa kanya 'yong yellow paper kung saan ako nagsolve.

"Tama lahat." Napangiti naman ako. Sa ilang buwang tinuturuan niya ako, I can say that I improved a lot. He did too, 'yong accent nalang talaga, pero minor issue nalang din naman 'yon.

"Thank you." I smiled at him.

The exam day came, medyo kabado ako dahil syempre finals na, hindi ako pwedeng bumagsak. I studied well naman pero hindi ko pa rin maiwasang mangamba dahil 'nothing is certain' sabi nga nila.

The Math was still the hardest pero kumpara naman noon ay nakakapagsagot na ako ng maayos ngayon, mga dalawa o tatlo nalang kalimitan 'yong hindi ko siguradong sagot. As expected, pinakaunang nakatapos sumagot si Samuel, lagi naman eh.

Pagkalabas ko ng room ay naabutan ko siya sa gilid na nakatayo.

"How was it?" He asked me.

"Okay naman, I guess." I smiled at him, unlike before, hindi na ako mukhang constipated ngayon tuwing magtatapos 'yong exam sa Math.

"Want some chocolate?" I smiled when he handed a ferrero rocher to me.

"Salamat. Tara?" Sumunod naman siya sakin papunta sa paborito naming tambayan.

"Open it! Come on." He said, kabadong-kabado ako dahil ngayon na namin malalaman 'yong final ranking namin for the school year.

"I'm nervous, you know."

"Trust me, you're the top one." He said while looking directly at my eyes, bigla tuloy nawala 'yong focus ko.

"You think so?" Tumango siya sa akin. Huminga naman ako ng maluwag.

"Okay. I'll open it now." God, please. Binuksan ko na 'yong student portal ko and scrolled down to the homepage.

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag when I saw it!

"Rank 1 nga ako." Nakangiti kong sabi kay Samuel, I even tugged his uniform.

"Told you." He also smiled at me. "Congrats." Bigla ko namang naalala. Siya kaya?

I looked at the ranking again and I was so shocked when I saw his rank.

"OMG! Samuel!" Hindi ko alam, ang overwhelming masyado, parang gusto kong ipagmalaki, masyado akong natutuwa.

"Rank 2 ka!" Nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya. "I'm so proud!" Nakatulala lang siya sa akin. Mukhang ayaw maniwala kaya pinakita ko pa sa kanya 'yong phone ko.

"See that?" I pointed his name. "It's you!" Napakurap naman siya ng ilang beses bago bumaling sa akin.

"Congrats!" I said and I pinched his cheeks.

The recognition day came and I'm smiling so wide. Mom and dad kept on congratulating me.

"I'm so proud of you my princess." Dad said and he kissed my cheek.

"Thanks dad." I hugged him and mom joined us too.

We went to school around 4pm dahil 5pm 'yong start ng ceremony. I saw Samuel at the side with his uhm, hindi 'yong yaya niya dahil nakapormal iyon at lalaki, mukha namang hindi niya tatay dahil sa pagkakaalam ko ay walking xerox copy daw ng tatay niya si Samuel, eh hindi niya kamukha 'yong lalaking kasama niya kaya malamang hindi 'to 'yong daddy niya.

"Hey." I poked his arm. Magkatabi lang naman kami dahil magkasunod kami ng rank kaso nag-iingat lang ako dahil nasa kabilang side lang sila mom.

"Why?" He asked.

"Sino kasama mo?"

"Dad's assistant." He answered, bigla naman akong nalungkot, never ko pa kasing nakitang pumunta sa school activities namin 'yong dad niya. Masyado yatang busy sa business! As for my case, I'm thankful na kahit busy 'yong parents ko ay pumupunta pa rin sila sa mga important moments ng buhay ko, in fact, never silang nawala.

I was quiet the whole ceremony, I actually want to talk to Samuel pero baka makita nila mom at baka magtanong pa 'yon.

"Third Honors..De Almeida, Nadia Irene S." The emcee called. We clapped our hands, umakyat na ng stage si Nadia with her parents.

"Second Honors..Yu, Samuel Dionysius F." I looked at him and clapped my hands. He stood up, together with his dad's assistant. I was hesitant to take their picture from my seat but I eventually did it in a swiftiest way, gusto ko lang makunan ng photo 'yong special moment ng friend ko.

"First Honors.. Del Estrella, Julianna Astrid N." I smiled when my name was called, my parents also did the same thing. I clinged to their arms as we climbed the stage.

"I'm so proud of you, Astrid." Mom whispered and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Me too, princess." Si dad, habang sinusuot sa akin 'yong medal.

I'm so lucky to have them. We took pictures after the ceremony, I was so happy and I'm smiling the whole time.

"Baka gusto mo pang kausapin friends mo? We'll just wait outside." Mom said, agad naman akong napangiti.

"Okay, mom!" I immediately approached Samuel as soon as my parents left.

"Hey! Picture tayo." I said saka ko inopen 'yong front camera ng phone ko.

"Ngumiti ka naman!" I said.

"Nakangiti na." He said, napangiti naman din agad ako, bagay talaga sa kanyang ngumiti, ewan ko kung bakit minsan lang niya 'yon ginagawa.

"Good." I clicked the shutter. Nagselfie pa kami ng ilang beses bago kami nag-usap saglit. I told him that we're leaving next week at saka pa kami babalik kapag magpapasukan na.

"I will spend vacation here." He said. Ow, I hope hindi siya mabored.

"Okay. See you next school year then?" I said before turning my back.

"Ingat." I heard him said that before I walked away.

Mabilis na lumipas 'yong araw at natapos na nga 'yong vacation. Hindi ako nabore dahil maraming ganap at marami kaming pinupuntahan sa Korea, I even got to watch concerts with Lorraine because she's a huge fan of Kpop pala. Lagi rin kaming magkausap ni Samuel dahil masyado na daw siyang naboboring sa kanila, I actually feel bad for him.

"Nakapag-enroll ka na?" I asked him through phone call pagkabalik namin ng Pilipinas.

"Yeah. Ikaw?"

"Mom's secretary enrolled me." Pasukan na bukas actually, medyo naeexcite ako dahil panigurado marami nanamang challenges and I kind of love challenges.

"Oh. Accept mo ko." Naguluhan naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"What?" I asked.

"Sa facebook. I made an account." I rolled my eyes. Saka pa talaga siya gumawa ngayong nandito na ako ulit sa Pilipinas, no'ng nasa Korea pa ako nagkakausap kami through phone call, eh ang mahal kaya non pero siya naman 'yong tumatawag kaya hindi na ako nagrereklamo.

"Anong pangalan?" I asked while scrolling through my social media accounts.

"You'll see." I opened my facebook account saka ko tiningnan 'yong friend requests.

"Samdi Yu." Binasa ko 'yong nakita ko. "Ito ba?"

"Yeah." I immediately clicked the accept button. I also clicked his profile. I raised my brow when I saw his profile picture.

"Ow." Bakit picture namin? Pero wala namang masama kaya nagkibit-balikat nalang ako.

Maaga akong gumising the next day, syempre it's because I'm excited. Grade 8 na ako!

I smiled when I saw Samuel at the gate, sabi kasi niya hihintayin daw niya ako.

"Tara?" I asked him, tumango siya at sumunod sa akin.

"Magkaklase naman tayo siguro nuh?" Tumango ulit siya at itinuro 'yong papel na nakalagay sa pintuan ng grade 8 section A.

"Nice!" I smiled saka ako pumasok sa room. Magkaklase ulit kami!

"Hey. Sit there." I pointed the seat beside me, buti nalang two-seater na ngayon sa isang table.

"Is it okay with you?" Kumunot 'yong noo ko sa tanong niya. Bakit naman hindi? He's my friend.

"Of course." Umupo naman siya after non.

Pansin ko naman na sinusundan kami ng tingin ng mga kaklase namin. Karamihan sa kanila ay kaklase rin naman last year. Ano nanaman kaya?

"They're looking at you." I told him. Luminga-linga naman siya.

"Sayo kaya." I smiled because of his Tagalog. He really improved! 'Yong accent niya okay na!

"Tss. Sayo." He just chuckled.

"To the both of us, maybe."

Nadia and Stephanie were also on the same section as us. At syempre, inaasahan ko ng tingin na naman sila ng tingin sa amin. Bahala sila, isipin nalang nila 'yong gusto nilang isipin, total kahit ano namang sabihin ko ay hindi naman sila maniniwala. Sadly, people are that stubborn!

Days went on, okay naman 'yong lahat. I'm just a bit confused kung sasali na ba ako ng orgs, kailangan daw kasi 'yon for extracurricular. I actually want to join, kaso baka wala akong makasundo dahil sa pagiging introvert ko. Si Samuel naman laging kinoconvince ng mga higher years na mag try-out sa basketball, matangkad kasi siya.

"Bakit hindi ka magtry-out?" I asked him one afternoon habang nakaupo kami sa may football field.

"Wala lang." I can sense a possible reason kung bakit hindi niya pinapatulan 'yong invites sa kanya.

"Bakit nga?" I repeated. He sighed.

"I'll get busy if I passed the try-outs." Napatango ako, tama nga yata 'yong iniisip ko.

"Hey, don't worry. Sasali rin naman ako ng org at mabubusy rin ako. Pareho na tayo no'n." I'm actually not sure about it at hindi ko pa rin alam kung anong org sasalihan ko, pero kung 'yong reason kung bakit dinedecline niya 'yong offers sa kanya is because he doesn't want to left me alone, mukhang gusto ko nalang talagang totohanin 'yong pagsali ng org para hindi niya isiping maiiwan akong mag-isa.

"What? Are you serious?" Actually, ngayon palang yata ako naging sure. Tumango ako sa kanya. Bahala na yan, marami naman akong pagpipiliang orgs eh.

"Yes. So accept that." Nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya. Obvious naman kasi na gusto niya.

"Hmm. I'll think about it." Aniya saka tumalikod sa akin. My friend is really weird! Haha. Pero pustahan tayo, iaaccept niya yan.

My hands are kind of shaking while holding my application form. Hindi pa ako sigurado dito pero ito kasi 'yong club na pinakamalapit sa abilities and characteristics ko.

Hayy! Bahala na 'yan. It's actually the Science club.

"Del Estrella." The girl smiled at me, senior na yata siya. "Pasok ka na." She said, saka iminuwestra 'yong door. Iinterviewhin kasi ako ngayon.

Nagulat naman ako when I saw Heaven. Siya 'yong President? Teka?

"Uh. Hi!" He smiled at me.

Inabot ko naman sa kanya 'yong application form ko. As far as I know, he also won the SC election before the school year ended last year.

"The President is absent. I'm Heaven Salazar, the Vice President. I'm the one who'll interview you." Nakangiti pa rin niyang sabi. Grabe ah. SC President na siya tapos Science club Vice President pa. Ang active naman niya!

"Uh..okay." I tried my best to smile, syempre dapat mukha akong friendly.

He asked few questions. Simpleng mga tanong lang naman kaya nasagot ko rin ng maayos. Executive committee lang naman 'yong inapplyan ko.

"Okay. You're in." Nakangiti niyang sabi. "Congrats." What? Ang bilis naman yata. Tinanggap ko naman 'yong kamay niya.

"Thank you." Nakangiti kong sabi saka ako tumalikod.

"Miss Del Estrella. Wait for me." I was surprised because of what he said. Palabas na kasi sana ako ng room.

"Why?" I asked him no'ng makalabas na kami ng room.

"I actually have another proposal." Kumunot yong noo ko.

"What proposal?" I asked him.

"I'm actually planning to make you as a grade level representative." What?

"Ha?" Gulat kong tanong sa kanya. Hindi ko 'yon inaasahan kaya labis nalang ang pagkagulat ko. Tsaka, bakit naman ako?

He explained the details to me, it was actually so tempting. Ang galing kasi niyang mang convince. Oo nga naman, he won't be a SC President for nothing.

"I'll think about it." I said before parting ways with him. I actually wanted to say yes immediately pero ayoko namang magmukhang interesado talaga. I wanted to play hard to get, because mom said I should act like that para hindi mukhang easy lang.

"Hey, how was it?" Samuel asked when I went back to our classroom.

"I passed!" Nakangiti kong sabi.

"Congrats." I said 'thanks' at saka umupo na.

"Anong oras try-out mo?" I asked him because I remembered that he said it's today.

"Later. You can't watch, we have a class." I frowned, magcucutting siya?

"I'm excused." Nakangiti niyang sabi, probably noticing my reaction.

"I'm hungry." I said saka ako tumayo at naglakad palabas. Hindi naman talaga ako masyadong gutom, medyo naiinis lang ako dahil hindi ako makapanuod ng try-out niya. Gusto ko lang naman siyang isupport.

Wala 'yong focus ko sa daan habang naglalakad ko kaya hindi ko namalayang may nabangga na pala ako.

"Hey. Tumingin ka sa dinadaanan mo." Mataray niyang sinabi. I was about to say something when someone already did that for me.

"Hindi ka rin tumitingin sa dinadaanan mo. Stop blaming it on her." Samuel said saka hinawakan 'yong braso ko. "Masakit ba?" He asked saka tiningnan 'yong braso kong tumama sa semento.

"I'm okay." I smiled at him kahit medyo sumasakit nga ng kaunti.

I looked at the girl and I saw her na tulalang nakatingin sa amin.

"Oh my! I'm sorry Julianna. Hindi ko alam na ikaw pala." She said before walking away. Bakit umalis agad? Magsosorry pa nga ako ah.

"Are you really okay?" Lumipat 'yong tingin ko kay Samuel and I smirked.

"Playing as a knight in shining armor, huh?" I said before walking away. Hindi ako galit, gusto ko lang siyang asarin.

Hindi ako mapakali sa class no'ng hapon, Samuel already left for the try-out. And guess what? Absent din sila Nadia, balita ko manunuod daw sila. Medyo naiinggit ako dahil kaya nilang gawin 'yon. Si Samuel kasi ayaw niyang umabsent ako. Hmp, lagi naman akong umaabsent, bakit biglang ayaw niya?

I immediately went out of the classroom when the bell rang. Patakbo kong tinahak 'yong field papuntang covered gym.

Maraming tao pagdating ko doon, hindi naman puno pero marami. I immediately saw our classmates do'n sa pinakababang part. Hindi ko alam kung tapos na ba o hindi pa nag-uumpisa.

I sat on the middle part, medyo op ako sa mga katabi ko dahil ang ingay nila, panay ang kwentuhan.

"Ang galing pala talaga maglaro ni Samuel, nuh?" The girl on my right side said. Tumili naman 'yong katabi niya.

"True! Kaya nga tanggap agad!" What? Tapos na 'yong try-out?

"Excuse me, Miss." I said to the girl na katabi ko, gulat naman siyang napatingin sa akin.

"Y..Yes?" I smiled at her muna bago ako nagsalita.

"Tapos na ba 'yong try-out?" I asked using my friendly voice.

"Uhm, yeah. Pero may game pa, itetest daw nila 'yong mga bagong players." She answered, nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag. Makikita ko pa siyang maglaro.

"Okay. Thank you." Nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya bago ko itinuon ulit 'yong pansin ko sa baba. Samuel seemed clueless na nandito ako. I saw him picked the ball and shoot it effortlessly on the ring.

Gaano ba siya kasanay? Bukod sa Math, strength din ba niya 'yong basketball? I'm curious, that's why I want to watch.

Bigla silang nagsigawan no'ng pumito 'yong referee, hudyat na magsisimula na 'yong laro.

Oh my! Hindi ko alam na may talent pala sa pagbabasketball si Math freak! He's so good, hindi ko tuloy mapigilan na sundan ng tingin 'yong mga galaw niya. Sabi pa nga ng mga tao sa tabi ko 'shooter' daw siya.

Naisip ko lang, ang unfair naman! May alam siyang sports, ako wala! Hmp. Anyway, ang sakit na ng tenga ko dahil ang ingay kasi nila masyado.

"GO SAMUEL!" Napatingin agad ako sa sumigaw and I saw Nadia na nakatayo pa habang sumisigaw.

"Omg! Si De Almeida ba 'yong jowa niya?" I heard the seniors at the back talking. I secretly rolled my eyes, hindi kaya interesado si Samuel sa kanya. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit, maybe I should ask him next time.

I saw Samuel na pawis na pawis na, may towel din naman siguro siyang dala. Nagtime-out bigla 'yong team na kalaban nila kaya lumabas muna sila ng court. I was just busy watching him when someone in their team suddenly pointed me. What the? Napunta tuloy 'yong tingin niya sa akin. Maybe the people saw Samuel looking at someone kaya napunta rin 'yong tingin nila sa akin. Oh my! Nakakahiya, center of attraction tuloy. Nakakainis naman, kahit kaylan hindi ko ginusto 'yong ganito.

Napangisi nalang ako ng hilaw at awkward na kumaway. Nakakaloka naman!

Medyo gusto ko ng umalis kasi pinagtitinginan na rin ako, kulang nalang ay tanungin ako kung may relasyon kami. May relasyon nga pala kami, magkaibigan!

They won the game, as expected, magaling kasi 'yong mga kakampi niya, siya din syempre magaling! Bilib na bilib nga 'yong mga nanunuod, may nagsasabi pa na siya daw 'yong future captain ng varsity team. I'm actually happy for him, sa totoo lang.

Bumaba na ako mula sa inuupuan ko. I was about to go out of the gym no'ng bigla siyang humabol sa akin at hinawakan 'yong braso ko.

"Hey, I didn't know no'ng una na nandito ka." Hinarap ko naman siya after no'n.

"Bakit ka marunong maglaro ng basketball? Paano ka natuto?" Hindi ko mapigilang magtanong dahil nacucurious talaga ako.

He chuckled. "It's my hobby." What? Akala ko ba games hobby niya.

"Hindi ko alam 'yon, hindi mo sinabi sa akin na magaling ka pala magbasketball." I said saka ako nagsimulang maglakad.

"Bakit? Magaling ba ako?" Tss. Pahumble ba 'to?

"Hindi siguro." I sarcastically said.

"Sabi ko nga, hindi." Sabi naman niya saka tumingin sa baba. Aba! Sineryoso! Hindi ba siya nakakaintindi ng sarcasm? I thought he's smart!

"Silly. Ang galing mo! Nakakaproud." Nakangiti kong sabi saka ko kinuha 'yong panyo ko at pinunasan 'yong natitirang pawis sa noo niya.