But you make me wanna act like a girl. Paint my nails and wear high heels
Yes, you make me so nervous that I just can't hold your hand

-Heart Attack by Demi Lovato

--

Bailey was giving Lena weird looks. Kanina pa iyon simula paggising niya. Maaga kasi siyang bumangon. Naglinis siya ng bahay at saka naligo. Ngayon naman ay nag-aayos siya ng sarili. It wasn't a drastic makeover though. She's just trying to learn how to put a little makeup. She figured that since Cyrus always looks so good, it wouldn't hurt for her to try to look good as well.

"What?" tanong niya nang umungot ito. Natanong tuloy niya ang sarili kung mali ba ang paggamit niya ng eyebrow pencil. "Masyado bang makapal ang lagay ko?" tanong niya sa alaga, to which he answered with another whimper.

Her eyebrows felt sticky. Parang nilagyan ng clay ang mga kilay niya.

"Hmm... maybe it was too much."

Pumunta siya ng banyo para maghilamos. It took her a while to take it off. Pagkalinis niya ng kilay ay hindi na niya iyon ginamit. Kinuha na lamang niya ang paboritong eyeliner at nilagyan ang gilid ng mata. But she was still not satisfied. It made her eyes too dark. Para syang dadalo ng goth party.

She dropped the pencil in frustration. Maybe she shouldn't try changing herself too much. He likes her the way she is already, doesn't he? But she wanted to make an effort to look better for him. She wanted him to find her beautiful every day. Gusto niyang sa kanya lamang ito titingin. She wanted him to like her more.

God! What is happening to her?

She knelt on the floor and gestured Bailey to come closer. When he did, she buried her face in his neck and let out a muffled scream. Minsan, gusto niyang hilingin na sana kagaya pa rin sila ng dati, noong sila lamang ni Bailey ang magkasama. Things were simpler back then. Natatakot siyang maging sobrang saya. Baka hindi niya kayanin kapag binawi.

Lumayo siya ng bahagya kay Bailey at saka pinisil ang pisngi nito.

"You like Cyrus, don't you?" she asked. "I like him too. I like him very much."

She pressed her forehead on his.

"And that scares me."

--

Lena didn't eat breakfast. Para kapag kumain sila ng tanghalian, magana siya. Matutuwa kasi si Cyrus kapag kumain siya ng marami. Sumisikip na nga halos lahat ng pantalon niya sa kanya dahil palagi siyang kumakain. She was used to eating just once or twice a day, pero simula nang maging sila, pinakamababa na niyang kain ang tatlo sa isang araw.

Nakakabubuti naman iyon sa kanya dahil bihira na siyang nmamutla at mahilo. Minsan na lang, kapag nakakalimutan a rin niyang kumain.

Frustrated with makeup, she decided to not try and put anything on her face anymore. At least, not for the day. Magpapaturo na lamang siya kay Kenna o Lacey para hindi maaksaya ang mga gamit niya.

Mahirap pala ang maghintay. Parang lalong bumabagal ang oras. It's already ten thirty in the morning and the clock seemed to have gone really slow. Sinubukan niyang matulog ulit pero hindi naman siya dalawin ng antok. Gusto na niyang kumain. Nagugutom na siya. She wished Cyrus would arrive sooner. Siguradong mas masarap ang dadalhin nitong pagkain sa kung anumang lulutuin niya. Not that she can cook, anyway.

Kahit si Bailey, hindi mapagtiyagaan ang luto niya. She tried to feed him once with menudo (or what looked like it). He snubbed the food and ran away. Maybe he thought she's trying to poison him. It wasn't that bad, though. Hilaw lang lahat ng gulay, malabnaw ang sabaw at matigas pa ang karne. Pero kinain pa rin niya iyon dahil gutom na gutom na siya. Tapos ay hindi na siya sumubok ulit.

She rearranged her things to make herself busy. Nanuod din siya ng TV. Which was a good thing dahil nalibang siya sa panunuod sa Cartoon Network. Kaya medyo nagulat siya nang marinig sa labas ang sasakyan ni Cyrus.

Patakbo niyang tinungo ang pintuan, muntik pa niyang matisod si Bailey na walang kamalay-malay na natutulog sa daanan niya.

When she opened the door, he was just about to knock. She realized that she must have looked too eager to open the door. Good thing he didn't point that out, if he ever noticed. He was holding two plastic bags in his hand.

She widened the door and let him in. He stopped in front of Bailey, who was already awake, and patted his head. They followed him to the kitchen.

"Kumain ka na?" tanong nito.

Agad siyang umiling.

He took one box from the plastic bag and opened it. To her dismay, it was a vegetable dish. Laing.

"O, nakasimangot ka na naman."

"Gulay, e," sagot niya.

"Masarap 'yan."

"Wala nang iba?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

He removed another take out box and opened it to reveal chops of lechong kawali. She pulled the box towards her and pushed the other towards him.

"No, they go together," he told her.

She didn't believe him. Kaya inilabas niya iyong ketchup niyang iba't iba ang kulay saka siya kumuha ng kanin na dala rin nito.

"What's that?" he asked when she squeezed the purple ketchup out of the small sachet.

"Ketchup."

"Bakit ganyan ang kulay?"

"You haven't had this yet? Anong klaseng childhood meron ka?"

"A healthy one," he replied with a grimace. He shuddered when she dipped the pork in the purple ketchup and ate it.

Naglagay siya ng isa pang kulay. Kulay green naman. Isinawsaw niya ang lechon doon at saka iniabot dito.

"Try it."

"No!"

"Sige na. Kakain ako ng gulay," pangako niya.

"Kakain ka naman talaga ng gulay."

"Try mo lang kasi. Masarap 'to."

"I can't even look at it, Lena. How do you expect me to taste it?" nakangiwi pa rin nitong tanong.

Tinakpan niya ang mga mata nito gamit ang isa niyang kamay at isinubo sa bibig nito ang pagkain. He didn't take it well. He looked like he was about to throw up.

"Now you know why I react like that towards vegetables," she told him.

Kumuha ito ng tissue at iniluwa ang pagkain. "That's different. Vegetables are good for you. This isn't."

"But it tastes good!"

"Hindi rin." Kumuha ito ng isa pang pinggan, nilagyan ng laing, kanin at lechong kawali. Pinagsama nito ang maliit na piraso ng lechong kawali at laing sa isang kutsara saka ipinakain sa kanya. "This tastes good."

And she couldn't argue. Hindi iyon kagaya ng ibang gulay na kinain niyang lasa talaga damo. Malinamnam ang laing, saka manamis-namis dahil sa gata. He seemed satisfied when she didn't complain. He continued feeding her.

"Kaya napapagkamalan kang tatay ko, e," sabi niya rito.

He scowled and dropped the utensils. "Don't remind me."

She smiled sheepishly. Kinuha niya ang kutsara't tinidor at iniabot sa kanya, urging him to feed her again.

"In my defense, para ka naman talaga kasing bata minsan, except when we kiss."

Her face turned ketchup red in an instant. Pupunta sana siyang banyo nang mahawakan nito ang braso niya.

"San ka na naman pupunta?"

"Kasi naman!"

Her reaction made him laugh. "I was just teasing you. Masyado ka namang affected."

Because he affects her. So much. And most of the time, her feelings overwhelm her. Thankfully, he was kind enough to change the topic.

"Punta ka sa wedding, ha."

"Hindi naman ako invited."

"Kasi matik na kasama ka do'n. You're my date. Of course, you have to be there." His hand slid down to her pulse and added, "And you'll be catching the bouquet."