Sa mga sumunod na taon ay mas pinag-igihan ko ang aking pag-aaral. Doon ko ibinuhos ng husto ang aking atensyon. Knowing Ridge's accomplishments—the genius behind his own startup construction company, the sheer breadth of his capabilities—had lit a fire under me. Hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit mahalaga, kung paanong mahalaga, pero ayaw ko ng hindi ako matalino para sa kaniya. I was driven not just by a desire to meet him on equal footing someday, but by a newfound ambition to transcend my previous limitations. I couldn't afford to be average, not when my hero was nothing short of exceptional.

Lalo ring sumidhi ang ambisyon kong sundan ang yapak ni Mommy. I wanted to be an architect someday. Isa sa pinakamagagaling kung papalarin. So, I spent countless nights poring over textbooks, drafting tables filled with sketches and designs, and participated in every possible workshop and seminar that could give me an edge. My grades improved, reflecting not just hard work but a passion that had turned into an obsession.

Despite my efforts, encounters with Ridge were few and far between. Each rare sighting was like a glimpse of a celebrity, someone wholly unreachable. Madalas akong pumupunta sa bahay nila Reina dahil magkaklase pa rin kami sa mga sumunod na taon, at sa bawat pagkakataon na naroon ako ay bibihira na naroon rin si Ridge. Bakit nga naman ba hindi? Matanda na ito at may sariling buhay. And in those rare moments na magkakatagpo ang landas namin ay ni minsan hindi niya ako pinansin o nilingon man lang.

It reinforced the idea that he existed in a different sphere—a world where I still felt like an outsider trying to break in. And the lack of recognition from him only fueled my drive. Minsan, naisip ko na baka hindi niya ako pinapansin dahil hamak na mas bata ako sa kaniya. Dahil doon, na-excite tuloy akong tumanda.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong theme ang gusto ko," napanguso si Reina, sandaling huminto sa ginagawang pagsusulat. "I really don't want to have a sweet sixteen party, but Mom is insisting. She wants to make a big deal out of it."

Napaikot ang aking mga mata, sandali ring tinigil ang ginagawa kong pagbabasa. "Of course she would! Ikaw lang ang nag-iisang babae sa inyong magkakapatid kaya natural lang na gusto iyon gawin ng Mommy mo sa'yo. And it's not that bad, remember? We all had a lot of fun at mine last month." I grinned, recalling the night. "And we enjoyed those endless rounds of sparkling apple cider."

Natawa rin si Reina nang marahil ay maalala ang mga kalokohan namin noong gabing iyon. "Yeah, that was fun. I guess it wouldn't be so bad."

Just then, Aouie, ever the fountain of knowledge, chimed in. "Actually, sweet sixteen parties are quite significant in cultural terms. They originated in the Victorian era as a celebration of a young woman's coming of age, marking her transition into adulthood. It's like a modern debutante ball."

Reina and I exchanged a look, half-amused and half-resigned to Aouie's typical trivia onslaught. Sanay na kami na ganito siya. Ayos lang naman, pakiramdam ko nga ay mas tumatalino ako sa mga ganito ni Aouie.

"Thanks, Aouie," sarkastikong ngumiti si Reina. "Leave it to you to make my birthday sound like a historical event."

Aouie shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Just saying, it's an important tradition for many. It symbolizes a step into greater maturity and responsibility, and also, it's a reason to have a great party. Mapapasaya mo pa ang mommy mo!"

Nasa ganoong pag-uusap kaming tatlo nang sumulpot ang dalawang kapatid ni Reina. Si Reeve ang agad na lumapit sa kaniya, he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. Sandali ko itong binalingan ng tingin. He was clad in a fitted shirt that outlined his well-trained physique, paired with cargo pants and combat boots, ganoon rin ang kambal nitong si Paeng na dumiretso sa isa sa mga kasambahay upang humingi ng maiinom. Mga mukha silang pagod. Siguro ay galing sa kung anong physical training.

"Hey," Reeve greeted me warmly when he caught my eyes. Sa ilang taon na pagkakakilala ko sa magkakapatid na Santa de Leones, masasabi ko na si Reeve ang pinakamabait sa apat. And yes, mas mabait na 'di hamak kay Reina.

"Hi," gumanti ako ng ngiti.

Reina and Aouie exchanged a quick, knowing glance before bursting into laughter. Hindi ko naintindihan kung bakit. Si Reeve naman ay pagod na ibinagsak ang sarili sa couch, napahugot ng malalim na hininga.

"What was that about?" Litong binalingan ko ang aking mga kaibigan na mukhang hindi pa rin tapos sa palitan ng ngisi.

Still chuckling, Reina shot a playful glance at Reeve before spilling the beans. "Reeve has a crush on you!"

Napataas ang aking kilay, bahagyang nagulat. Hindi naman na bago sa akin na may mga nagkakagusto o minsan ay nanliligaw pa nga, kahit nitong mga nakaraang taon na hindi na ako nagbo-boyfriend, marami pa ring sumusubok. Nagulat lang ako dahil hindi ko inaasahan na isa si Reeve sa mga magkakagusto sa akin kung totoo nga ang sinasabi ni Reina. He was three years older, good-looking, wealthy, and obviously perfect in all senses. Kaya bakit siya magkakagusto sa batang katulad ko?

Binalingan ko si Reeve. He was shaking his head with a grin plastered on his face. Pinakiramdaman ko ang aking sarili... no. I didn't like Reeve, but he was beautiful. Iyon ang mas angkop na adjective para sa kaniya dahil hindi sapat ang tatawagin lamang siyang guwapo. Kulang na kulang iyon dahil sobrang ganda niya.

"Hinanap kita noong isang araw dahil sila lang dalawa ni Aouie ang nakita ko," malumanay nitong paliwanag sa akin. He didn't sound defensive at all kaya mas madaling paniwalaan. "These two assumed I had a crush on you, Thysie."

Hindi na ako nagtaka pa dahil kilala ko naman itong sina Reina at Aouie, ang bibilis ng isip. Napangisi na rin ako kay Reeve. I was about to respond when I heard one of the maids greet someone else entering the house.

"Magandang gabi po, Sir Ridge,"

My heart rate picked up at the mention of that name. Si Ridge! Hindi ko na matandaan kung kailan ko siya huling nakita dahil medyo matagal na rin. And I wasn't expecting to see him here today dahil wala namang okasyon. Pero... I tried so hard to compose myself even though my insides were crumbling. Dahan-dahan akong lumingon sa kagustuhang sumilay.

And then... I saw him—Ridge Franco—entering the house. Puting t-shirt at pares ng itim na pantalon. Simple at walang kakaiba sa suot niya pero kuhang-kuha pa rin ang atensyon ko. Tumango lamang siya sa bumating kasambahay, and then his sharp, observant eyes scanned the room. Sobrang sungit talaga ng lalaking ito.

Halos mawala na ang atensyon ko kanila Reina kung hindi nga lang ito muling nagsalita na halos yugyugin na ang braso ko para lang makuha ang aking atensyon.

"I know you haven't been into the whole boyfriend scene for a while, Thysie, but it would be so cool if you and Reeve ended up together. Para tayong sisters talaga! Napag-usapan namin iyon ni Aouie, and we're really excited! Reeve's really nice, and sweet—and you did say he was cute! Gusto mo ba ang kuya ko?"

"Reina," mahinang saway ni Reeve sa kapatid.

"Hindi gusto ni Thysie si Reeve," si Paeng iyon nang sumalo na rin sa amin. Naupo ito sa couch na malapit sa kinaroroonan ko, nakangisi. "Ako ang gusto niya."

"Itsura mo, Paeng!" Reina rolled her eyes. "Do you really think someone will like you over Reeve? Kahit si Mommy nga ang papiliin natin ikaw ang huli sa ating apat na pipiliin niya."

"Yeah," Aouie agreed and nodded her head. "You're like... the most obnoxious in the bunch."

Paeng just made face, hindi pinatulan ang atake ng mga ito. Kinuha lamang nito ang inumin na inabot ng kasambahay. "Salamat po, Ate Rica."

Agad na umingos si Reina. "Tanga, kahit magpanggap kang mabait ay hindi ka gusto ni Thysie! Malabo. Huwag ka nang mag-effort. Alam ng lahat kung sino ka talaga, Rafael."

"Ang daldal mo," Paeng snorted, busying himself with his drink.

Nabalingan ni Aouie si Ridge na lumingon lamang sa grupo matapos kausapin ang isa sa mga nakapaligid na kasambahay, something about preparing dinner.

"Hi Ridge," Aouie smiled but didn't wait for any response. Binalikan na ang binabasang libro dahil mukhang sanay naman nang hindi bumabating pabalik si Ridge maliban sa marahang tango, na siyang ginawa nito sa dalawa... at hindi sa akin.

To Ridge, I was invisible, not warranting even a flicker of recognition. It stung more than I cared to admit. Pero kahit paano ay nasasanay na akong ganyan siya. Hindi rin naman ako nagpapapansin or whatever dahil hindi ko naman ugali iyon.

"Hey, Ridge!" Si Reina naman iyon, tiningala ng tingin ang nakatatandang kapatid. "Did you give these two a hard time in training today? Mukhang pagod na pagod, eh."

Ridge's response was curt. "Not really. They just need to keep up with the pace,"

I quietly listened. Bihira ko lang marinig ang tinig ni Ridge kaya tuwing magsasalita siya ay talagang nakikinig ako. At dahil sa training na binanggit ni Reina ay bigla ko tuloy naalala ang gabi nang una naming pagkikita, I found myself wrapped up once again in the mystery of his bravery. I wasn't sure kung sumasagi pa ba iyon sa isip niya, pero sa akin ay madalas. Lalo kapag ganitong nakikita ko siya sa personal. Well, everyday ko naman kasing nakikita ang picture niya na hanggang ngayon ay naka-save sa phone ko.

Nagkatuksuhan pa ang mga ito. Syempre, pinagtulungan na naman nina Reina at Aouie si Paeng, si Reeve naman ay nakikitawa lang. Ako? I couldn't, for the love of me, find my voice. Hindi ko maintindihan kung paanong ganito lagi ang reaksyon ko kapag nasa paligid lamang si Ridge. It was so weird.

Hindi rin naman siya nagtagal, nagpaalam rin agad. "I'll have dinner served,"

Reina nodded, "Thanks, Ridge. We'll be in the dining room."

Iyon lamang at umalis na ito. I couldn't help but follow his movements with my eyes. His interactions were always so measured, so controlled—it was as if he consciously kept the world at a precise distance. Ang akala ko pa ay makakasalo namin siya sa dinner nang gabing iyon dahil siya ang nagpahanda, kaso nang tanungin ni Reina ang isa sa kanilang kasambahay kung sasalo ba si Ridge ang sabi ay hindi daw. Umalis daw at may pinuntahan.

That night turned out to be the last time I saw Ridge for a long while. He didn't show up at Reina's sweet sixteen party, and while I wanted to ask why, I held back. After all, what reason did I have? Medyo umasa pa naman ako na naroon siya sa espesyal na araw ni Reina. Hindi ko na nakausap pang muli si Ridge maliban ang gabi kung saan ko siya unang nakita. Gustong-gusto kong subukan na kausapin siya pero natatakot ako. Hindi ko alam kung saan o bakit dahil hindi naman ako ganito sa iba. Magaling akong makipag-usap. Well, maybe because I knew deep down that he was different. Hinding-hindi maihahalintulad sa iba.

Nakakalungkot nga lang na sobrang dalang ko siyang makita kahit iisang sociedad lang naman ang iniikutan namin. Lahat ng social events at party na imbitado ang mga magulang ko ay dinadaluhan ko kung puwede. Pasimpleng umaasa na makikita ko siyang muli. But he was always elsewhere, caught up in his own world—a world that seemed to operate on an entirely different plane than mine.

Despite his aloofness, or perhaps because of it, my fascination with Ridge never waned. Wala kaming kahit na anong interaksyon bukod sa noong gabing iyon, pero para bang habang tumatagal ay mas nagugustuhan ko lamang siya. I followed his career from a respectful distance, palihim kong sinusubaybayan ang lahat ng may kinalaman sa kaniya. It was creepy, alright. Pero wala naman akong ginagambala o sinasaktan sa ginagawa ko kaya siguro naman ay ayos lang? Bukod pa sa may kinalaman rin naman iyon sa pangarap ko, I wanted to be an architect. Ridge had a double degree in engineering and architecture. So, kung titignan ay parang idol ko nga talaga siya. He had carved out a niche for himself in the competitive landscape of construction and design.

Maging ang RHR Constructions, the company he had founded with his cousins not too long ago, was rapidly becoming a beacon of innovation and excellence in the field. Alam ko dahil may sariling kompanya rin ang pamilya ko, kung minsan ay naririnig kong nahahalo siya sa usapan ng aking mga magulang. Isa rin sila sa mga source ko ng mumunting balita tungkol kay Ridge Franco.

Under his leadership, his company had completed several high-profile projects, each more daring and complex than the last. They were responsible for the design and construction of a series of eco-friendly, sustainable buildings that had won several architectural awards, setting new standards in environmentally conscious design. Iyon kasi talaga ang sinusulong niya, sustainable living. His projects were not just structures. They were statements—bold declarations of modern aesthetics meshed with practical sustainability. Kaya rin siguro sobrang benta niya sa lahat ngayon dahil hindi lang siya basta negosyante, he had a vision for the future, and it was being etched into the skyline, one building at a time.

At tuwing mababasa ko sa kung saan ang mga achievement niya, sobrang proud ako. It was odd. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung kilala niya ba ako o natatandaan, pero kung umasta ako ay para bang girlfriend niya ko. I couldn't help but admire his dedication and passion. It inspired me, pushed me to aim higher in my own studies and budding designs.

I often wondered if he ever faced doubts or struggles, or if he was as unshakeable as his public persona suggested. The Ridge I remembered, the one who had saved me with such calm certainty, seemed invincible. But the architect and entrepreneur who now filled the pages of industry publications must have had his battles.

"Fuck!" Mahinang mura ko nang biglang tumigil at namatay ang makina ng sasakyan na aking minamaneho. Medyo inaantok na ako kaya hindi ko alam kung ako ba ang may kasalanan o kusa na lang talaga itong namatay. I tried turning it back on, pero walang nangyari.

Gosh. I couldn't believe this was happening—it was almost midnight, and the streets of Makati were unusually quiet at this hour. Dito pa sa tahimik na daan napiling bumigay ng sasakyan ko. Ni hindi ko nga maintindihan kung ano ang maaaring naging sira nito dahil well-maintained naman ito. Hindi ako maalam sa sasakyan kaya sinisigurado kong lagi itong napapatignan dahil iniiwasan ko talaga ang mga ganitong eksena. And yet, it still happened.

I glanced at the passenger seat, cluttered with various study materials. Hindi ko na kasi namalayan pa ang oras nang ubusin ko iyon sa puspusang pag-aaral sa paborito kong café, and now here I was, stranded. I twisted in my seat to crack my neck, trying to ease the tension building up. Nakakainis.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa bag at sinubukang tawagan si Trent. It went straight to voicemail. "Of course, you're not picking up,"

Booking a ride seemed like the next best option, but the reluctance to leave my car alone on a dimly lit street held me back. Naisip kong tawagan si Kuya Kelso para sana magpasundo nang maalala kong nasa Dubai siya ngayon para sa isa sa mga proyekto ng kompanya, pareho sila ni Ate Via. I could call my parents, pero paniguradong tulog na ang mga ito. At para saan pa ang paulit-ulit kong paalala kay Dad na hindi na ako bata kung sa minor inconvenience na ganito ay bubulabugin ko sila ni Mommy. Magmumukha akong katawa-tawa.

With a resigned sigh, I stepped out into the cool night air, walking around to the front of my car. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko, pero hindi rin naman puwedeng wala na lang akong gawin. I popped the hood and stared at the confusing mess of metal and wires, as if something might magically stand out to me. Knowing nothing about car mechanics didn't stop me from hoping for a miracle.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano ko katagal tinititigan ang makina habang pasimpleng nagdadasal na kayang ayusin ang problema nito sa pamamagitan lamang ng tingin. And then the sound of a car pulling up behind me caught my attention. Kahit bahagyang kinakabahan ay nilingon ko iyon sa kagustuhang makahingi ng tulong. The window of a sleek black BMW rolled down, lalo akong nagulat nang mapagsino iyon.

"R-Ridge," agad akong tumikhim at umayos ng tayo.

Ito na naman ang kakaibang kaba na nararamdaman ko habang pinagmamasdan siya. He was as impeccably dressed, even at this late hour, in a crisp white shirt slightly unbuttoned at the top and a dark blazer that matched the car's exterior. His hair was perfectly styled, and those intense eyes that missed nothing assessed the situation in a single glance. Mukhang galing pa siya sa trabaho. Anong oras na, ah?

"Car trouble?" Ridge's deep voice broke the silence.

"Yeah, it just... stopped," I replied, suddenly self-conscious about my disheveled appearance compared to his polished look. "I was about to figure out what to do."

Hindi siya nagsalita pero itinabi niya ang kaniyang sasakyan sa kabilang bahagi ng daan. He turned off his car and stepped out. Lalo pa akong kinabahan nang maglakad siya papalapit sa aking kinaroroonan. It had been a while since I last saw him. Parang mas lalo ata siyang tumangkad, mas lumaki rin ang katawan.

"Let me have a look," he said, moving towards the front of my car.

Napaatras ako upang ipakita sa kaniya ang nakabukas ng hood. I couldn't help but watch him intently as he leaned over to inspect the engine. He smelled nice!

"Looks like your alternator might be giving out," tahimik niyang komento matapos ang ilang sandali, his hands skillfully checked various components. "Do you have roadside assistance? They could tow your car to a shop."

I nodded, fumbling with my phone to find the number. "I can call them now."

Ridge straightened up, wiping his hands on a handkerchief he'd pulled from his pocket.

"I can give you a lift home if you like," simple niyang sabi na para bang hindi iyon sapat na dahilan upang sandaling tumigil ang mundo ko. "It's late, and waiting here alone isn't safe."

The idea of a ride home with Ridge, of spending more time in his unexpected company, sent a mix of excitement and nervousness through me. Hindi ako agad makasagot, parang nanuyo bigla ang lalamunan ko. "Kung... hindi naman makakaabala sa'yo. Salamat."

Ridge smoothly pocketed his handkerchief, sandaling binalingan muli ang nakabukas na hood upang ayusin at isara tapos ay ibinalik sa akin ang tingin. For a moment, his gaze lingered on me, and I felt a rush of self-consciousness wash over me. I was dressed in a simple college shirt and snug jeans, nothing out of the ordinary, except I hadn't thought to wear a bra, leaving the outline of my nipples embarrassingly visible under the thin fabric of my shirt. Hindi naman kaso sa akin ang ganito, sanay ako. Hindi kasi talaga ako mahilig magsuot ng bra. Madalas naman ay gumagamit ako ng nipple tape, pero ngayon, nataon na hindi.

He looked away almost immediately. "Do you often go around looking like that?"

His question, devoid of any judgment, still made my face heat up in a blush. Before I could muster an answer, he was already removing his blazer. Inabot niya iyon sa akin.

"Put this on, and gather your things. Make the call in the car."

Tumango ako at agad na tumalima. I took his blazer and slipped it on. It was warm and smelled faintly of his cologne, a subtle, clean scent that somehow made my heart beat even faster. Mabilis akong bumalik sa sasakyan upang kuhanin ang mga gamit ko roon. Nakasunod rin naman siya sa akin.

As I gathered my books and laptop, Ridge reached over to help, his hands brushing against mine as he picked up a stack of architectural drawings.

"You study architecture..." he murmured, a note of recognition in his tone.

I sighed, still flustered but finding my voice. "Trying to, at least. It's a lot more challenging than I expected."

He nodded. Walang ibang sinabi, tahimik lamang na kinuha ang lahat ng gamit ko at inalalayan ako hanggang sa kaniyang sasakyan.

Once we were both in his car, the interior enveloped us in a quiet comfort that made the space between us feel more intimate. Ridge started the engine before turning to me with a more serious expression.

"Where am I taking you?"

Sinabi ko sa kaniya na sa Iphigenia Tower sa McKinley Hill ang condo ko. Alam niya naman na agad ang daan dahil hindi na siya nagtanong pa. Tatawag na sana ako ng roadside assistance para sa sira kong sasakyan nang si Ridge na mismo ang gumawa nito. He gave them the exact location and a few instructions, minadali niya rin ang mga ito dahil hindi naman ganoon kahigpit ang security sa pinag-iwanan namin ng sasakyan.

And then the silence began to settle comfortably around us. It wasn't the tense, awkward quiet of strangers. It felt more like a reflective pause, as if we were both taking a moment to collect our thoughts. Siya ay abala sa pagmamaneho, ako naman ay nakatanaw sa labas ng bintana. Minsan ko lang makita si Ridge at hindi pa katulad ng ganito na kaming dalawa lang tapos hindi ko man lang magawang kausapin? Dapat nga ay sinasamantala ko ang mga ganitong pagkakataon. Ano ba naman, Amethyst?

"What were you doing out so late, if you don't mind me asking?" Kabado ako nang sa wakas ay mahanap ko ang aking tinig makalipas ang ilang sandali.

Ridge glanced at me, muli rin namang ibinalik sa daan ang tingin. "I could ask you the same thing."

I chuckled, accepting the gentle parry. "Fair enough. I was caught up studying at the café and lost track of time."

"And I was coming back from a late meeting with a client," simple niyang tugon.

Tumango ako. Hindi na nag-usisa pa dahil hindi naman dapat. Then, I remembered something, kaya muli ko siyang nilingon. "I never really got a chance to thank you for saving me that night,"

Pinagmasdan kong maigi ang reaksyon ni Ridge. Sandaling kumunot ang kaniyang noo na para bang hindi na natatandaan ang gabi na sinasabi ko. Inaasahan ko naman na iyon mula sa kaniya, kasi sino ba naman ako para maalala niya. Kaya lang, hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang makaramdam ng kaunting pagkadismaya. Ako nga lang talaga ang nakakaalala ng gabing iyon. Kunsabagay, trabaho lang para sa kaniya ang ginawa niya noon. But to me... I met my hero that night. Doon ko siya nagsimulang magustuhan.

"You don't have to thank me," he said calmly, his voice even. "I was just doing my job."

Job.

"Right." The word came out a little more deflated than I intended. I looked down at my books piled between us, dismayado. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito na parang hindi ako makapagsalita. Hindi naman ako ganito sa kahit sino. Kunsabagay, he wasn't just anyone. He was Ridge Santa de Leones, and at that moment, I felt worlds apart from him.

Ilang sandali pa ay natanaw ko na ang building ng condo ko, humimpil na sa driveway ang sasakyan ni Ridge. Tapos na... Tapos na ang moment namin at wala naman kaming masyadong napag-usapan dahil hindi ako makapagsalita. Nakakainis. So, kailan ko naman kaya siya ulit makikita? Isa? Dalawang taon ulit? Gosh. Tanda ko na nun!

Biglang may umilaw na ideya sa aking isipan.

I had an extra invitation card for my debut tucked into my bag. Inilabas ko iyon at lakas-loob na inabot sa kaniya. Bahagyang tumikhim para siguraduhin na hindi ako tunog excited. "I hope you can come."

Ridge took the card. He glanced down, noting the date.

"Your birthday is next week..." he murmured, almost to himself.

Pumunta ka, Ridge. Pumunta ka, please?

"Yes," mahina kong sabi. "Sana makapunta ka..."

Muntik ko pa talagang masabi ang 'please', buti napigilan ko.

Bababa na sana ako ng sasakyan nang maalalang suot ko pa pala ang blazer niya. I was about to remove it para sana maibalik ko, nang pigilan niya ako.

"Keep it," he insisted, a hint of sternness to his voice as he carefully avoided looking directly at my chest again.

Flustered, I quickly pulled the blazer tighter around myself and thanked him once more.

"I'll have someone drive your car here tomorrow morning. It should be fixed by then." Pahabol niya bago ako tuluyang makababa ng sasakyan.

"Thank you, really, for everything," I said, stepping out of the vehicle. Ridge didn't drive off immediately, para bang hinihintay niyang tuluyan akong makapasok sa loob. Kaya iyon na ang ginawa ko.

Hanggang sa makaakyat sa unit ko ay para pa rin akong lumulutang. Para bang hindi totoo ang lahat ng nangyari kani-kanina lang. It felt surreal, like a dream where everything was vivid yet slightly out of reach. Ridge had just driven me home, had conversed with me, and now possibly might attend my birthday. It was more than I could have ever anticipated.

Tapos ay suot ko pa ang blazer niya! Lalo lang napatunayan na totoo nga ang lahat ng ito at hindi gawa-gawa lang ng aking isipan. Gosh! Nanghihinang napaupo ako sa kama. I looked at the blazer, then at the neatly printed invitation on my nightstand, and allowed myself a moment to just breathe and take it all in.

Suddenly, a wave of giddy excitement reigned my insides. I let out a scream—a loud, exuberant shout that echoed off the walls of my room. I flopped back onto the bed, my arms spread wide, and my face split into a broad, unstoppable grin. What a freaking night!

The emotions that had been simmering throughout the car ride home, the casual yet intense exchanges, the subtle yet undeniable concern he'd shown, all came crashing over me like a tidal wave. It wasn't just the physical closeness or the fact that he had come to my aid. It was the realization that someone I had admired from afar, who seemed so untouchable, had stepped into my life, however briefly, and had been real and tangible.

Kinuha ko ang aking cellphone mula sa bulsa ng pantalong suot. My fingers brushed against the screen, waking it up to reveal the apps scattered across the background. Navigating through the folders, I found the photo album labeled "Hero". Puro mukha lang ni Ridge ang naroon, dumami na lang ng dumami ang laman ng album na iyon dahil panay ang nakaw ko tuwing may ipo-post si Reina na picture ni Ridge. Kahit sa profile nina Reeve at Rafael ay nagnanakaw ako. Kung bakit kasi wala siyang social media account para siya na lang sana ang nanakawan ko.

I tapped on one image, enlarging it on my screen. Holding the phone up, I stared at his digital likeness, a wry smile tugging at my lips. "Crush mo rin ako, Ridge, noh?"

Napangisi akong lalo sa tapang ko. Madalas ko kasi itong ginagawa, kinakausap si Ridge sa cellphone ko. Tapos... Kapag sa personal ay hindi naman ako makapagsalita. Boo hoo, Amethyst! Kainis talaga! Sayang 'yung moment kanina. Pero hindi bale, babawi ako sa susunod. Kung may susunod pa nga. Sana lang talaga ay pumunta siya sa birthday ko.

"Bakit pakiramdam ko... gusto mo rin talaga ako? Kunwari ka lang na hindi ako pinapansin, eh. What's stopping you, huh? Is it because I'm young?"

I chuckled to myself, shaking my head slightly at the absurdity of talking to a photo.

"Well, I won't be too young for much longer. I'm turning eighteen soon, maybe then you'd see me differently... Why wouldn't you? I'm pretty smart, not at all dumb. And hey, I think I'm pretty cute too!" I added with a flirtatious wink, even though there was no one to see it.

Sayang, Ridge! Sayang hindi mo nakita. Hm. Next time na lang, kapag puwede na.

"You'd be so lucky to score a girl like me, Ridge. God, listen to me, I'm insane!" I laughed out loud, the sound echoing slightly in the quiet of my room. Grabe. Ang saya ko lang talaga sa gabing ito. Sobrang simpleng interaksyon lang naman iyon pero para bang daig ko pa ang lumaklak ng isang bote ng vitamin c. Ang sigla ko!

Setting the phone down beside me, I leaned back against my pillows, the earlier rush of adrenaline from the night's events mixing with a touch of melancholy. Talking to Ridge's photo was silly, a bit of fun to wind down from the excitement, but it also underscored a poignant truth: despite the brief connection we'd shared, there were a whole world of reasons why someone like Ridge might not see someone like me in the way I hoped.

But fantasies were safe, comfortable even in their uncertainty. They allowed me to imagine scenarios where the world aligned just right, where the timing was perfect, and where feelings were reciprocated in the kind of grand, cinematic moments I'd always loved in stories.

I glanced back at the phone, the screen now dimmed to save power. The image of Ridge, still there but less visible, seemed to represent the gap between what was real and what was wished for.

"Sana pumunta ka sa birthday ko, Ridge... Matutuwa talaga ako."

The events of the night had unfolded like a serendipitous dream. From the frustrating breakdown of my car to the unexpected rescue by Ridge, each moment had seemed to conspire to bring us together, weaving a sort of alchemy that transformed simple coincidences into moments of significance. It was an alchemy of circumstance, a rare alignment of events that might never replicate itself again.

I allowed myself to dream a little longer, to hope a bit more.

Crush mo rin ako, Ridge. Kunwari ka pa.

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