Wow. Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it. : [b]CHAPTER 19.[/b] [i]Saturday. [/i] I had nothing to do the whole day. I was thinking kung anong ginagawa niya or anything like that. But I know that wasn't healthy, so I just played some basketball game with my neighbors. Nung gabi na, I logged on at YM. Ewan ko ba, usually, Saturday night, I'll be at Dirk's with my friends. But tonight, it seems like I'm confused and messed up.. gusto ko lang magpahinga muna and think things over. I've been involved with some girls before, but.. this one's different. Seriously. Parang.. she's for keeps. So I have to make things right and avoid screwing up. [i]"Well, honestly, Rhys. You screwed up already. Alam mo namang off-limits siya.. pero gusto mo parin siya." [/i]I whispered to myself sarcastically. [i]"Galeng mo, Rhys." [/i]I smirked. I was just staring at my YM when someone logged on. [b]Yana Antonio is online.[/b] lightningdude1218: yana whizgirlame.o: uhh.. hi. lightningdude1218: i have something to say to you. lightningdude1218: sa monday. Eto na talaga. whizgirlame.o: oh. okay. lightningdude1218: may pupuntahan ka ba bukas? whizgirlame.o: wala.. why? whizgirlame.o: pero prolly, since nandito si kuya, may mga unplanned activities siguro. lightningdude1218: kuya? you didn't tell me may kuya ka. whizgirlame.o: did you ask ba? lightningdude1218: hinde. lol. 1 point for you. *blush smiley* whizgirlame.o: what's with the blush icon? lightningdude1218: what does it mean ba? whizgirlame.o: nahhh.. anyway, see ya soon. bea's here. [b]whizgirlame.o has signed out.[/b] May kuya siya? Dang. Akala ko nag-iisang anak lang siya. Eh ba't di siya sinusundo ng Kuya niya? Tsk2. [b]BUZZ![/b] Napatingin ako sa window na nagpop-out sa screen. gabaltuna. gabaltuna: rhys lightningdude1218: hey. gabaltuna: how'd you been? lightningdude1218: good. kaw? gabaltuna: heard.. you're getting along with yana. lightningdude1218: you heard it right. gabaltuna: you goin out? if you wont mind me asking lightningdude1218: idk. must go. bye. gabaltuna: oh. bye. I signed out. Well, let me tell you about my story with Gabby. We've been in the same circle of friends since gradeschool. Although she went to an all-girl school and I, to an all boy-school, we still managed to meet and hangout after school or during Saturdays. I liked Gabby before. I liked her as just "Gabby" - back to the days when she was just normal. And I meant, not the most beautiful and most popular Gabrielle "Gabby" Altuna. Yes, she was the prettiest kahit nakabaseball cap siya, nakashorts, or naka loose tshirt lang. Hindi siya naconscious sa dating niya, and I liked it. I don't know what happened though, she liked this guy named "Joel". I never really met the guy, ayaw niyang pakilala o pakita saken. [quote][i]"Ba't.. ba't ka nakaganyan?" Naalala ko yung araw na yun. We hanged out at LunarSky one Saturday afternoon. She wasn't in her usual ponytail inside her red baseball cap, her maong knee-lenght shorts, her red sneakers.. she wasn't Gabby. "Uhmm.. hindi ba maganda?" She asked innocently. Ewan ko, pero nakatingin lang ako sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko. She's my bestfriend, at ayokong masaktan siya. "Hmm, maganda ka." I smiled in assurance. Totoo yung sinabi ko, maganda siya. No, mas lalo siyang gumanda. "Eh ba't parang.." "Well, I just thought.. mas gusto ko yung ponytail and baseball cap than the hairband and the long straight hair." I winked. "But Joel-" "Joel?" Napatingin ako sa kanya. "I mean.. remember mo yung gusto kong lalaki?" She said in a blush. "Ah, right. The jerk." "He's not a jerk. He just doesn't see me as.." "That?" I asked. "You changed.. so that he'll notice you?" I asked angrily. "I didn't change. It's just that.. I just want to be noticed." "Nino? Ni Joel? Sino ba iyan?" I asked. I don't know, but I felt some kind of jealousy and curiosity all at the same time. I mean, sino ba itong si Joel na ito for Gabby to change?! "He's someone we both know. You don't have to meet him." She said and walked away.[/i][/quote] Di nagtagal.. she's not my Gabby anymore. She was everyone's Gabby - especially guys. Hindi ko alam kung anong naging reaksyon ko sa pagbabagong yun. But I got jealous and angry at this Joel all at the same time. I want to punch his face, kick his body and spit on him. Why? For changing Gabby into someone I do not know na kahit ganun na siya kaganda, hindi niya parin ito napansin. What I found out was completely a different story.. and a different Joel. [quote][i]"Gusto mo ba talagang malaman kung sino itong si Joel na ito?!" Gabby shouted at me. I just kept silent. I was waiting for her to explain everything. She scoffed. "Ikaw." She said in almost a whisper. Napatingin ako sa kanya.. my eyes wide in confusion. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?" "Joel is Rhys Romualdez. Si Joel ang bestfriend ko. Si Joel ang gusto ko simula pa noon. Ikaw.. na walang pagtingin saken." She started to cry. "Gabby-" "I understand. What we have is simply platonic. What I have for you though is different." "You didn't have to ch-" "I had to change. I had to let you see that I'm a girl, that I can be a girl. That I can be someone you can get involved romantically. That I can be a girl and a friend all at the same time. I wanted you to see that Rhys." Tears were streaming at her lovely face. I couldn't help but look at her. "Gabby.. I've seen that." "You have?" "Yeah. But-" "It was still.. nothing." She said again in a whisper. "Yeah. I'm sorry." "No, I understand. I'm sorry. Maybe.. maybe.. we're just meant to be this way. Just.. this. Friends." She said and stood up from the bench. "Gabby!" I called up to her as she started walking away from me. "I have to say, you're indeed lovely." I smiled at her. She smiled back sadly and went on her way.[/i][/quote] After that day.. the first time na nalaman ko I was Joel, I made things easy for her and she did the same thing. We started avoiding each other for almost 2 years since grade six. We stopped hanging out with each other. I then started hanging out with Vincent Yap nung grade 8. So it was really a bad time for the two of us. I missed her a lot, but we just had to make things easy for the two of us - for her, especially. Then, nalaman ko nalang nung grade 8 that every guy was digging her. Guys from Xavier, Lasalle, San Agustin, Maranatha, Don Bosco... everyone. Dun ko rin nalaman that she was becoming a popular face at the metro among the guys and girls. Then suddenly, she was branded a "flirt", a "GR", a "pacute", "mang-aagaw" and every nasty names. And I just wanted to punch all those people who made those. I'm still a friend to her.. until she was back to her mission with the courtesy of her friends pushing her through. She wanted me again - [i][b]not as a friend.. but more than that[/b][/i]. I knew it. It was going to happen sooner or later. I'm going to forget her and despise her sooner than I have been expecting. And yes, I started avoiding her to the max. Super distansya talaga ako. And I even had to hate her to do so. So I guess, up to now, medyo dumidistansya parin ako. But if given the chance na she'll decide to be back as "friends" nalang talaga, I would always wait for the time. I'm open to negotiations. *winks* [b]SUNDAY.[/b] "Mom, I'll use the car for awhile." I said to her. "Uy, why? San ka naman pupunta?" "Hmm.. maglilibot-libot lang. I needed to relax." "Sure ka?" "Yep." I grinned. "Wag pasakyan ng babae ha?" She teased me and we both laughed. Kaya lumabas ako ng bahay. Pupunta sana ako ng baywalk, pero masyado namang emo dun. Di nagtetext si Yana eh. Text ako ng text, wala namang reply. Baka enjoy na enjoy sa pinuntahan nila ng pamilya niya. I just drove around the place.. when I decided to come see their house - again. Nung nakarating ako dun, I stopped and looked around. Dun ko nakita yung Mommy ni Yana na nagdidilig ng halaman sa harap ng wall nila sa loob. Hmm.. guess I have to do my 3rd bravest mission. "Hmmm, good morning po." I smiled. Muntik nang mapatalon ang mommy niya when she heard my voice. She suddenly regained her composure. No doubt, mommy to ni Yana. "G-goodmorning?" She greeted with hesitation, maybe trying to remember who I am.. or kanino akong anak or anything as such. "Yeah, goodmorning Ma'am. Hmm, I just wanted to know if Yana's there?" "Y-Yana? Are you a friend?" "Yes." I smiled at her. "I have another intention by going here though, Ma'am. If you would hear me out." Her mom paused and looked at me.. [i]amazed, perhaps? [/i]