Marian's POV

Patrick invited me out on a date again. Ibig sabihin interesado pa din siya sa akin, ibig sabihin baka may chance na hindi ako tumandang dalaga. This would be the first time that I'd go on a second date with someone. So far, sa lahat naman kasi ng nakadate ko siya lang naman ang matino.

I needed to stop looking for more in a man. Because let's face it, hindi naman ako makakahanap ng lalaking perpekto sa ideal man ko. Kaya kahit hindi kasing gwapo ni Tom Cruise si Patrick at hindi siya kasing kisig ni Brad Pitt, at wala siyang humor na katulad ni Adam Sandler, matino naman siya, hindi maluwag ang turnilyo niya sa utak, may maayos na trabaho, hindi babaero, walang bisyo. That was enough for me.

I was getting myself ready for our date when my phone rang. It was Seth. I texted him earlier saying I can't come to his place to clean it up because I was going on a date with Patrick.

"You're going on a date?" Iyon ang bungad niya sa akin.

"Oo." Sagot ko. "Bakit?"

"I... I need my laundries done. Wala na akong susuotin."

"Seth, kalalaba ko lang noong isang araw. Nasa closet mo yung mga damit mo."

"But my favorite shirt is still in the laundry. I need it now."

"Seth naman, bigay mo naman sa akin 'tong araw na 'to. Dito nakasalalay ang future mo." I muttered. "Alam ko na papupuntahin ko na lang si Flor-"

"No!" Mariin na sabi niya. "Alam mo naman ayokong sinu-sinong pumapasok sa bahay ko."

"Iba na lang suotin mo. Lalaban ko na lang pagkatapos ng date ko."

"Marian..." He whined.

"Ayaw mo lang yatang matuloy date ko."

"I don't care about your date." Nag-iba ang tono ng boses niya. "I just want my shirt."

"Hindi talaga ako pwede ngayon. Naka-oo na ako kay Patrick."

"Saan ba kayo pupunta?" He asked.

"Hindi ko pa alam. He's just going to pick me up."

I heard his sigh. "Just... be careful, okay? Kapag may ginawang katarantaduhan yang Patrick na yan, tawagan mo agad ako."

"Concerned ka rin pala sa'kin." Dinaan ko na lang sa tawa when I felt something flutter inside of me when he said those words.

"Pag may nangyari kasing masama sa'yo wala ng maglilinis ng bahay ko." He said.

My smile disappeared. Kaya naman pala. "Sige na, mag-aayos na ako. Baka mamaya nandito na si Patrick."

Seth's POV

I couldn't help it. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong puntahan si Marian. I just had to know where they were going. I parked my car acrossed her house and from there I could see her through the window in her room. She just got out of the bathroom with only a white towel covering her body. Fuck! Hindi ba siya marunong magsara ng kurtina. What if someone else sees her?

She took out a bottle of lotion and sat on the end of her bed. She started lotioning her arms and then she moved on to her legs. My throat suddenly felt dried out as I watch her cross her legs, her towel hitching up, so she could put lotion on it.

It's getting hot in here. I turned up the air conditioner in the car.

Pagkatapos niyang malagyan ang parehong hita niya ay tumayo siya at ibinaba ang blinds sa bintana niya. Damn! I thought I was going to get a good show.

What the hell? Si Marian yan. Si Marian na OC at bungangera. What had gotten into me? I shouldn't be having these thoughts about her. I wanted to hit my head against the steering wheel.

It took about half an hour for Patrick to arrive. Even his car looked as boring and generic as him. Naglakad siya papunta sa pinto ni Marian at pinindot ang doorbell. Bumukas iyon at lumabas si Marian mula doon. He offered his arm which she gladly took and they walked together to his car.

The car drove away as soon as they got in. Nang medyo malayo na sila at sigurado kong hindi nila ako mapapansin, I followed behind.

Sa isang mall siya nakarating. He drove into the parking lot and parked his car there. Hinintay ko silang bumaba bago ako bumaba mula sa kotse. I put on my cap and followed them into the mall.

Pumunta sila sa ticket booth ng movie theater. Ah, the movie theater. This Patrick guy's a sneaky little bastard. That's where the magic happens. That's where you get to the first base. Hell, I got my first handjob when I was a teenager in a movie theater.

Marian's POV

Bumili ng popcorn at soda si Patrick bago kami pumasok sa sinehan. Pinapalabas pa lang ang trailer ng ibang upcoming movies nang makapasok kami sa loob. Patrick took my hand as he guided me to our seat.

We sat there waiting for the movie to start. He stretched out his hands and yawned, pagkatapos ay ipinatong niya ang isang kamay niya sa likod ng upuan ko. Hinayaan ko lang siya at ibinalik ang atensyon sa malaking screen sa harap ko at sa popcorn na nginunguya ko.

He slightly leaned to my side of the seat. "Ang ganda ng movie, 'no?"

"Trailer pa lang ang pinapalabas." I said, quietly laughing.

He flustered, taking his arm back like he'd touched a hot pot. "Oh, I mean the trailer— ang ganda ng trailer."

I nodded my head, still with a smile on my face. I found his awkwardness cute. Hindi katulad ni Seth na sobrang presko.

"I never thought I'd go out on a date with you again after what happened last time." He said, touching his nape.

"I had a great time with you, Patrick. Bakit naman hindi ako papayag na makipagdate ulit sa'yo?" I smiled.

"SUNOG!!! SUNOOOOOG!!!" May sumigaw sa bandang likod.

Nagulat si Patrick sa sigaw at biglang nabitawang ang popcorn at soda na hawak niya. Natapon iyon sa damit niya. He got up in panic and started running to the aisle kung saan nagkukumpulan na ang mga tao palabas. I couldn't believe he just left me to fend for myself.

Tumakbo na din ako palabas sa sinehan. The crowd were in panic. They were pushing and shoving each other, desperate to get out. Gitgitan kung gitgitan. May tumulak sa akin mula sa likod ko at nadapa ako. I landed hard on my knees but no one seemed to care. Hindi ko alam kung hindi ba nila nakikita dahil madilim sa sinehan o wala lang talaga silang pakialam. I struggled to get up but I couldn't. Hindi ako makaahon dahil siksikan na talaga ang mga tao. People will trample me if I stay like this.

Oh my God! This will be the death of me. I don't want to die a virgin!!!

Just then, I felt two hands hold me by the waist. It lifted me, helping me up. Kahit na nakatayo na ako ay nararamdaman ko pa rin siyang nakahawak sa akin. As if the person was shielding himself from the people around me. Sinubukan kong lumingon sa likod ko para makita kung sino iyon pero hindi ako makagalaw dahil sa mga taong nakapaligid sa akin at bukod doon, di ko rin naman siya makikita sa dilim ng sine. But I could feel him, his hard chest against my back, his hands on my waist... I'd never felt this safe.

Thank God, I was able to get out safe. Lumingon ako para pasalamatan kung sinuman ang taong tumulong sa akin pero paglingon ko wala na siya. I looked around and saw a tall man wearing a red cap, rushing out. Likod niya na lang ang nakita ko pero feeling ko siya yun.

"Hoy, mama! Hoy!" Tawag ko sa kanya at hindi man lang siya lumingon. Lalo pang binilisan ang takbo niya.

"Marian!" Biglang dumating si Patrick. Hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang balikat. "Kanina pa kita hinahanap. Akala ko kung napano ka na."

"You left..." I paused and sighed, and I just decided to let it slip. I shrugged his hands away from my shoulders. "I'm going home."

"Marian, I'm sorry. M-m-may trauma ako sa sunog... Kasi noong bata ako nasunogan kami..." He continued to mutter incohorent explanations and I started to walk away. I just walked away from him with a heavy heart. Another disaster date. Siguro nga I was meant to be alone forever. I wasn't meant to be with anyone. I should just quit finding love and accept the fact that I was going to grow old by myself. Pagod na ako sa mga lecheng date na 'to. Kung tatanda akong dalaga, edi tatanda akong dalaga. Ayoko na ipilit!

I took a taxi home. Wala pang limang minuto mula ng makarating ako sa bahay nang may tumawag sa akin. Tumingin ako sa screen ng phone ko at nakita ang pangalan ni Seth. I quickly picked it up, itching to vent my frustration out.

"Are you still with your date?" He asked.

"Seth, he's a bigger asshole than you." Sabi ko.

"What happened?"

"Iniwan ako ng gago noong nagkakaguluhan na sa sinehan. Muntik na akong maging pancake!"

"Where are you?"

"At home." I answered.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." Sabi niya bago ibinaba ang telepono.

Seth could be an asshole sometimes but it wasn't like he was purposely being an asshole. It just came naturally to him. I was beginning to understand and accept that. Probably because even though he was an asshole, he was a loveable asshole... sometimes.

Wala pang sampung minuto nasa harap na ng pinto ko si Seth. Tuloy-tuloy siyang pumasok sa bahay at umupo sa harap ng tv kung saan ako nanonood. I followed him, sitting next to him.

"Ano nga ulit nangyari?" Tanong niya. Kinuha niya ang isang bowl ng popcorn na nakapatong sa coffee table habang ang mata niya ay nakapako sa romantic movie na pinanonood ko.

I scooted closer to him. Humiga ako at inunan ko ang ulo ko sa hita niya. He didn't mind since we we're already both comfortable with each other. Nagtatabi nga kami sa kama eh. "Yun na nga. May sumigaw na sunog doon sa sinehan. Tapos tumakbo yung gago, iniwan ako. Noong nagkakagulo na, nadapa ako buti na lang may tumulong sa akin. Kung hindi, siguro pisa-pisa na ako ngayon."

"Gago pala yun!" Sabi niya habang ngumunguya ng popcorn. "Isipin mo na lang blessing in disguise yun, kasi una pa lang nakilala mo na ang totoong ugali niya. Doon pa nga lang iniwan ka na niya."

"I know. Yun nga din naisip ko." I pouted. "I give up on dating. Siguro sign na ito. Kung hindi para sa akin, hindi ko na dapat ipilit. Imaginin mo ah, meron anim na bilyong tao sa mundo pero bakit mag-isa pa rin ako?"

"You have me." He said, looking down at me.

Sana ikaw na nga lang pero hindi pwede. Hindi naman ako ang type mo. "Iba ang ibig kong sabihin. I want someone who I can be with for a lifetime. Sa tingin mo meron lalaking nakalaan para sa akin?"

"Sure, he's probably having the time of his life right now with no clue he's going to fall in love with a crazy nagging bitch."

I smiled. "I've always wondered if God gets excited when He finally find the person He created us to be with. Meron kaya siyang OTP?"

"OTP?" He asked.

"OTP! One true pairing. Yung dalawang characters sa tv show na gustong gusto mong magkatuluyan." I explained.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "So, you're saying we are all just giant reality tv show?"

"And maybe the angels are the fandom." I said.

"You're crazy." He laughed.

"Siguro kapag nakakasalubong natin yung taong gusto niya para sa atin tapos hindi natin napapansin nagsisigaw siya sa frustration, parang kapag nanonood ako ng teleserye tapos hindi magtagpo-tagpo yung dalawang bida, gustong-gusto mong sumigaw na 'Siya yun tanga! Siya na yun! Lumingon ka kasi! Kung saan-saan ka tumitingin!'."

"That's some imagination you've got." One corner of his lips curled up.

"Sa tingin mo nakasalubong mo na siya, yung taong para sa'yo?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know... maybe..." 

"Paano kung tayo pala ang OTP?" I playfully asked. Dinaan ko na lang sa biro iyon but I really meant it.  "Wala ka bang nararamdaman kapag magkasama tayo o naiisip mo ko?"

"I touch myself when I think of you." He said, matter of factly.

Napasinghap ako at namilog ang mga mata ko. "SETH!"

"Meaning I rub my temples because you give me a fucking migraine." He rolled his eyes.