Unang Kabanata

[X Highschool― The year 2010]

On the first day of school, the huge campus ground was occupied by busy teachers, students, and staff.

Kung baga, sa ilalim ng tirik na tirik na araw, mahinahong naghihintay ang mga mag-aaral na matapos ang "welcome announcement" ng punong-guro upang makaakyat na sila sa kani-kanilang silid-aralan.

Meanwhile, Veronica Garcia with her imperfect facial features almost cursed Miko Diaz, her boy-best friend to death. Sino ba ang hindi maiinis? Kanina pa'tong mokong to eh! Sinasadya ba namang itaas ang palda nya!

Ugh!

Irritated, nilingon nya ito ng may pagbabanta sa kanyang mga mata. "Bwesit ka Miko!" She whispered, giving him the middle finger.

But the man only smirks and to intensify his silliness, he purposely sticks his tongue out. "Bleh! Panget mo!"

At duon magsisimula ang mala aso't pusang pagsasama ng dalawa within this huge campus of which they will share a lot of highschool memories with.

✧✦

[Inside the classroom of Section X]

Siguro, lahat naman tayo sasang ayon na kapag may bagong dating o kung baga "transfer student", nagiging automatik crush ng bayan lalo na pag pogi't maganda. Aminin man natin o hindi, iba yung thrill kapag may bagong mukha or "shining new toy" at yun nga ang narandaman ni Veronica nung moment na pinakilala ng kanilang guro ang isang "average boy" pero medyo matangkad, singkit, nakasalamin, at mukhang amoy "johnsons baby cologne" na lalaki.

Parang yung napapanuod natin sa anime the second the other party passes the other character, biglang maglalaho ang lahat sa paligid. Yung tipong slow-motion na para bang silang dalawa lang ang nasa kasalukuyang sitwasyon.

Maya-maya pa, Miko intentionally shuts Veron's open mouth na halatang naglalaway sa bagong boylet. Dahil duo'y, tiningnan nya ito ng napakasama habang nag-iisip ng mga paraan kung pano ito etotorture ng matindi.

"Class, Lance Rivera is from Cebu and I hope," tinapik ng guro ang kanyang balikat sabay sabing, "You will adjust instantly. Well, lahat naman ng classmates mo eh, friendly, hehehe..."

"Thank you po."

"Hmm... you can occupy the seat beside Veronica, Uh... Veronica, right?"

Delighted, hindi sya kaagad nakapagreact. Grabe! Nang-aasar ba ang tadhana? O, na sense ba ng teacher na crush na agad yung Lance?

Hmmm...

Quite suspicious.

"Hello? Iha? You okay?" Tanong ng teacher na naka-angat ang kaliwang kilay.

"Loka po." Sabat ni Miko na nakatawa.

"Huh?"

"Yung pangalan ng babaeng to. HAHAHAHA! Loka-loka po."

At dahil dun, halos lahat ay nagkaroon ng maliit na pagakakataong' tumawa. Natabunan tuloy ng malakas na halakhak ang buong silid-aralan.

My gosh! What a first day!

Irritated, kinurot ni Veron ng napakasakit ang kamay ng lalaking mahilig syang e-bully mula pa nuon. But then, she stops torturing him the second Lance showed right in front of the two. Para syang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig at yung mala tigre nyang ugali ay naging kyut na kuneho "real quick"

"Hello po..." Sabi nya at sheyt! Ang bango na lalaking to!

Kayaaa!

"Uh..." She gulps the liquid inside her mouth because it feels so wrong to talk to him as close as this.

Hmmm...

"Bale, dito ako pinaupo ng teacher..." He smiled adding, "Nice to meet you."

Actually, she has many words to say pero dahil attractive masyado ang nilalang na'to, lahat ng salita ay biglang naging bato.

Badump...

Badump...

Badump...

Homaygawd! Kalma Veron!

Paulit-ulit nyang sinasabi sa kanyang sarili. "Hello! Hmm... Hindi po'ko weird, hehe. Ano, uh... medyo tanga lang minsan, ganun..." She said, offering him her awkward smile.

"Okay lang. Cute ka naman eh."

Mama!

She is freaking sure she's blushing now! Grabe yung mga paruparo!

Ack!

"Ang landi neto ah."

"Hn? Ano yun?" Tanong nya na halatang hindi alam kung ano'ng ibig sabihin ng slang na word na yun.

"Wala..."

"Okay..." He smiled na nagpakaba pa lalo ng marupok na dadamin ng isang Veronica Garcia.

✧✦

"Tigilan mo nga'ko Miko Diaz!" Sigaw nya na sobrang naiirita. Sino ba naman ang hindi? Kanina pa nya halos ipagsagawang crush nya yung transferee.

Ugh!

One of the worst scenarios ever!

"Ba't ka nahihiya? Totoo naman ah!" He said, teasing her for sure. And to annoy her more, he keeps on poking her back with his rough finger just to see that irritated face again and again.

"Wala ka bang ibang hobby? Tigilan mo nga ako!"

"Ayoko!"

Habang nag-aaway ang dalawa, patuloy naman sa pagdagsa ang mga estudyante sa loob ng canteen at halos lahat ay nagmamadaling makabili para sa kanilang recess.

"Susundutin ko yang mata mo, sige ka!"

"Susundutin ko yang mata mo, sige ka!" Ulit nya para mainis pa syang lalo.

When she realized she won't win over his silly teasing anymore, she breathes heavily, and forces herself to somehow smile just to never feed his ego dahil alam nyang, magiging masaya ang mokong na'to once nakita na naman nyang nakasimangot ang kanyang muka dahil sa matinding inis.

"Hoy! Palaka!" Tawag ni Miko para mang-asar ulit. "Hoy! Galet ka?"

"Hindi, masaya ako, bakit?"

"Weh? Patingin nga, pano'ng masaya?" He laughs while hugging her from behind. He has been doing this lately at kung hindi lang sila matalik na magkaibigan, mapagkakamalan talaga silang magkasintahan.

Pero masagi pa lang sa isip yan ni Veron ay para na syang masusuka. Yuck! She knew, she isn't his type dahil lagi nya namang sinasabi na may iba syang crush pero weird lang, kasi, ni minsan, hindi naman nya pinapakilala kung sino.

Hay naku, lalaki nga naman...

"Hoy! PDA!" Sumbat nya na sobrang naiirita.

"Ayoko! Ang bango mo kaya..." Bulong nya ng napakahina habang nakatingin sa kawalan ng sahig.

"Huh?"

Ano daw? 

"Close talaga kayo no?" Lance exclaimed, genuinely smiling na para bang natutwang makita ang dalawa.

Sa isang iglap, bigla na namang umamo ang mukha ni Veron na pilit inuukit ang matatamis na ngiti sa kanyang labi.

Samantala, napipilitan man, pinilit nyang luwagan ang pagkakayakap sa kanyang katawan para panuorin na namang maging baliw ang babaeng to sa iba. "Oo, close kami. Bakit?" Sambit nya na medyo may pagbabanta. Mismong sya'y naguguluhan din kung bakit bigla na lamang, ayaw nyang may kumakausap na ibang lalaki kay Veron.

What the hell?

"Hmm, wala lang, hehe," Lance answered, sincere.

"..."

"Ah! May... may kasama ka? Gusto mo sumabay sa'min?" Ani Veron na sobrang nasasabik.

"Okay, lang ba?"

"Oo naman!" She smiled as she turns to face Miko and instantly holds his hand to say, "Miko, diba?"

He failed to recognize everything the second she holds his hand. Damn! This has been the fourth time she initiated touching his palm and he doesn't understand every time any of their body touch, iba yung kaba.

Ibang-iba.

"Okay..."

"Miko, you're the best!" She exclaimed, excited. "Lance? Actually, pwede mo kaming gawing kaibigan, k-kung gusto mo lang naman..."

As a response, Lance curves a beam because somehow, watching them earlier made him feel secure that these two could have a huge piece of his life.

It's like, the first time he sees them, he already knew that they will share the biggest part of their lives and the only thing to do is to let life write the chapter that they will soon discover as the bond goes on, continuously.

"Miko, diba?" He asks, initiating to shake hands with Veron's best friend.

"Hn..."

"Lance nga pala."

"Okay."

"Yey! So, tatlo na tayo?"

The boys look at her, smiling to declare each other's genuine intention. "Yeah." Sagot ni Miko na hindi kailan man matanggal-tanggal ang kakaibang tingin sa kanyang kaibigan. "Kung sa'n ka masaya, ok lang naman ako'ng sumama..."