Tristan opened his eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. He sat up and looked around. May babaeng natutulog sa tabi niya pero 'di niya nakita ang mukha nitong natatakpan ng buhok.

He began to panic. Nasa'n ba ako? Did a crazy fan finally manage to drug me and sleep with me? May paparazzi bang naghihintay sa labas? Pero may damit pa ako, siya rin, fully clothed pa. That's a good sign but who's this girl?

He gently nudged her shoulder. She stirred and began to remove the hair from her face.

* * *

"Mia!" Tristan exclaimed as she sat up.

Mia squinted her eyes at him. Halos bulag kasi siya kapag walang salamin or contacts. In normal circumstances, she would immediately recognize his voice but she was still disoriented after waking up so suddenly. Kinapa niya ang bedside table hanggang mahawakan niya ang salamin niyang may sobrang kapal na lenses at saka iyon sinuot.

Her eyes widened upon seeing Tristan, now fully awake. "Oh my God, gising ka na pala!" Shit, ang gulo ng buhok ko at ang nerdy ng hitsura ko 'pag nakasalamin—fuck, di pa ako nag-to-toothbrush!

Mabilis na tumayo si Mia at lumayo sa kama. She made sure to put enough distance between them for him to not notice in case she had bad breath.

"D-did something happen last night?" Tristan carefully asked.

"Wala!" mabilis na sagot ni Mia. The last thing she wanted was for her crush to think that she took advantage of him. "It seems like the drink that Luke handed to you was spiked. Your teammates said that you couldn't go home drunk and asked if you could stay here for the meantime. Bahay nga pala 'to ng tita ko. Pero nasa Ainsworth Park na rin tayo so madali ka lang makakauwi sa inyo."

"I'm so sorry, na-hassle ka pa. How can I make it up to you?"

"Wala 'yon. You don't need to make it up to me." Pero kung gusto mo 'kong i-kiss, okay lang din.

"No, I really want to make it up to you. At the moment, hindi ko pa alam kung paano pero I'll figure something out."

Mia just smiled at him and nodded, not wanting to argue with him further. Kung gusto mong bumawi, eh 'di good for me. Tatanggapin ko naman kahit 'di kiss.

Nginitian din siya ni Tristan pero biglang nanlaki ang mga mata ng binata as if remembering something important that he forgot. "I really have to go," he said. Halatang excited ito kahit nagmamadali.

"Ah, may date ka 'no?" Mia teased, wanting to lighten the mood and be friendly. He was too out of her league kaya iniiwasan niya nang hangarin na maging romantic interest ni Tristan.

Tristan bit his lip. "Actually, meron," he said, a bit flustered.

"With Kendra?" she continued to tease, ignoring the heavy feeling in her chest when he nodded.

She clearly saw his eyes light up as soon Kendra's name was mentioned. Pamilyar 'yon sa kanya, gano'n na gano'n din kasi siya 'pag naririnig ang pangalan ni Tristan.

Before Tristan could say anything, she blurted out one of the most painful things she could ever ask. "How about I help you with Kendra?"

Alam na alam niya kasi ang mga reaksyon ni Tristan kay Ken. 'Yong biglang nahihiya. 'Yong napapangiti na lang at kumikislap ang mga mata. That was the sign na kailangan niya nang mag-move on sa seven-year-long crush niya. 'Di naman magiging sila eh. Napakaswerte niya na ngang niyakap siya ni Tristan once, kahit lasing pa 'yon. So now she's offering to help him get his dream girl kasi kapag naging taken na si Tristan, mas madali siyang makaka-move on, 'di ba?

"No."

"Huh?"

"No, Mia. Thanks for the offer pero kaya ko na 'to," Tristan politely declined. "I really should get going."

"Ah, oo nga naman. Masyado ata akong naging feeling close when we're not really friends, just acquaintances. Pasensya na," she said, embarrassed.

"Hala, hindi naman sa gano'n. I just want to do this on my own and ayokong maabala ka pa."

"Okay then, good luck sa date mo." Hinatid niya si Tristan hanggang sa pintuan at pinanood itong maglakad hanggang sa gate. Before heading out, he turned back at her, beamed and waved exactly how he did seven years ago when they first met.

Unsurprisingly, her heart reacted exactly how it did back then. Jusko naman, gusto ko nang mag-move on, Tristan! Stop being so nice, please.

So she wouldn't have to help him after all. Gwapo, mabait, matalino at matipuno naman si Tristan. Wala nang dahilan si Kendra para i-reject 'yon.

* * *

Mia tried to take her mind off Tristan by baking. She loved to make food and was pretty good at it. If only her step-aunt didn't force her to keep modeling, she would've tried to get into culinary school. Buong araw siyang nasa kusina, gumagawa ng cupcakes. It was eight thirty in the evening and she was waiting for her last batch to finish baking when she heard the doorbell ring.

Next week pa ang uwi ng tita niya kaya nagtaka si Mia dahil wala naman siyang inaasahang bisita. She went out the door and walked towards the large iron gates. Madilim kaya hindi niya agad nakita kung sino ang nag-doorbell. Nakilala niya lang ang lalaki no'ng ilang hakbang na lang siya mula sa gate. To say that she was surprised to see Tristan standing on the other side of the gate was an understatement.

"Are you lost?" she asked as she opened the gate. 'Di niya rin masigurado kung joke 'yong sinabi niya o seryoso.

"Mia, pinag-isipan ko, I want your help after all," Tristan said. Direct to the point ito, 'di man lang nag-hi.

"You mean, help with Kendra?"

"Yes! Available pa ba 'yong offer mo?"

"Oo naman. What made you change your mind?" Mia asked. Tristan reversing his decision surprised her.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Tristan said, smiling widely. "About what changed my mind, medyo nakakahiya eh."

"Well, magpapatulong ka na sa 'kin, ngayon ka pa ba mahihiya?"

"May point ka." Tristan exhaled. "We met last night but now that I want your help, I need to ask this. Is it too soon to level up our relationship?"

"Le-level up our relationship?" she stuttered as she watched Tristan get down on one knee.

"Mia Elizalde, will you be my friend?" he said with a serious tone. "Sabi mo kasi acquaintances lang tayo eh, baka 'di ka willing tumulong sa acquaintance lang."

"Yes, I will be your friend!" Mia said as she forced out a laugh amidst her pounding heart. "Nag-jo-joke ka pala nang ganyan. Ginawa mo rin yan kay Valerian 'no?"

Tristan laughed with her. "Hala, bakit alam mo yan? 'Wag kang magpapaniwala sa mga tsismis."

"'Tsimis lang ba? Narinig kitang tinatawag 'yong pangalan niya kagabi habang natutulog ka," she joked.

"Naku, alam mo na ang sikreto!" Tristan replied, pretending to be shocked. It made Mia giggle. Nakiki-ride din naman pala ang binata.

"So new friend, what made you change your mind?" she asked again.

"Nakakahiya talaga pero sasabihin ko na sa 'yo." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I've had a huge crush on this celebrity, Selene, for five years. Nag-deactivate siya ng account three years ago at naglaho."

Hiyang-hiya naman 'yong seven years ko sa five years nito. Mia nodded, prompting him to proceed.

"And today, nalaman kong hindi pala siya nawala. Selene is Kendra and I just went on a date with her!"

"So alam mo na pala."

"Wait, you knew?"

"Oo, kaklase ko siya no'ng high school at nakatrabaho ko na rin siya as a model."

"Wait, so close kayo?" Tristan was staring at her, wide-eyed and excited.

Nakakasakit man ang excitement ng crush niya, nginitian ito ni Mia. "Close enough to be a decent wingman for you."

* * *

Kahit kahapon niya lang nakilala si Mia, hindi napigilan ni Tristan maging kumportable sa harap nito. For some reason, he felt like she understood him and had zero judgment on his long-term crush on a celebrity. 'Wingman' didn't really suit her.

"Hmm, how about 'wing girl'?" he said.

A sharp pang of guilt hit Tristan when he saw the slight blush on Mia's cheeks as she smiled back at him. Ang user-friendly pala ng ginagawa niya. Was it too much when he extended her friendship just for this? Surely, she was whole-heartedly willing to help considering that she was the first one to offer, right?