[b]25.[/b] "Geeez, geek. I got my dress na. Pinakita na saken ni Mommy straight from Hongkong." She grinned. "As in, sakto talaga sa binigay ko na sketch sa kanya." "Of course, your Mom's a fashion designer kaya." "Eh kahit na noh." She laughed. "Sino pala date mo? Si Vince?" "Errr.. hindi eh." "Anong hindi?" "Alangan naman si Rhys.. eh si Gabby na date nun." I glared at Bea. "Oo, Bey! Si Rhys nga!" I answered sarcastically. "Naku.. eto naman. Joke lang nga eh. Eh hindi naman pwedeng pumunta ka ng PromBall na walang date. Ano ba iyan.." "Meron na akong date." I said softly. "Meron ka? Kung hindi si Vince o si Rhys... sino naman kaya?" Then she glared at me. "Nakuu.. ikaw Yana ha. I don't like that na.. may minimeet ka pa bang ibang lalaki ni hindi ko alam?" Bigla namang may tumabing mga babae samen na kabatch din namen. "Hey, Yana. Hi Bey." Sabi ng isa sa tatlong babae. As far as I can remember, Nella yung name. Naghi lang din kami ni Bea. Then the girl turned around to her friends. "Oo. Si Raphael sana yung gusto kong kadate, nga lang sabi ng friend niya, meron na daw siyang date." Sabi ni Nella. Yeah, eavesdropping is bad.. pero naririnig namen eh. Kahit si Bea tumigil at tumahimik para makinig. "I wonder who.." "Ako din eh." "Pero, malamang totoo naman talaga Nels. Sabay kaya promnight ng karamihan dito saten." "Yeah. Guess, I'll just find someone else na wala pang date." Nella said and they went on talking about dates and prom and all. Bigla namang napatingin saken si Bea. "You know that Raphael?" She asked. "Hmm, Raphael who?" I asked. "Perez. Yeah, if I got it right, Raphael Perez ata eh." Ako naman yung biglang napatahimik at napatingin nalang kay Bea. "W-What about him?" She paused and think for awhile. "Wala lang. I find him cute.. a lot of girls do." She said and winked. "Ahhh.." "Oh well. So.. back to the topic? Sino yung kadate mo?" [b]1 message received. +6391788923** Hey.[/b] Sino naman to? "Sino yang nagtext?" Bea snatched my phone away from me. "Sino to?" "Sa tingin mo ba kilala ko din? Di nga nakasave ang number eh." "Reply tayo." [i]?[/i] [b]1 message received. +6391788923** Hahaa. Raph. Remember? From last night?[/b] Napanganga si Bea kaya naman kinuha ko ulit CP ko sa kanya. "Ano ba iyan? Sino daw?" Nang napatingin ako sa cellphone ko, napanganga din ako at napatingin kay Bea na nanlilisik na ang mga mata. "Whaaaaattt?" "Raph? From lassssttt nigggghttt? Sino iyan, Yana?" She asked habang nanliliit parin ang mga mata saken. "Errrr.." "Akin na nga yan." She snatched the phone away from me again. [i]Raph? [/i] [b]1 message received. +6391788923** Yeah, Raphael Perez. Kaw ha, kinakalimutan mo na kagad ako. [/b] "Shit." I said to myself na narinig ata ni Bea. "Holy shit." She said while locking her eyes at the cellphone's screen. "Raphael Perez? You went out with him last night?" "Well.. it was a dinner.. with.. with my parents.. and his? Alam mo yun." I reasoned out. "Ang defensive mo." She then laughed. "Pakilala moko, Yans!" "Ha?" "Anong 'ha'? Ayaw mo? Damot." "I mean, syempre, why not." I flashed her a grin. [i]Oh right, I'm sorry. Kinda spaced out eh. Hmmm, where'd ya get my number? You text?[/i] [b]1 message received. +6391788923** Oh, got it from a friend. He's got a big crush on you e. Hahahaaha. Err, just forgot to ask something. [/b] "Ang haba ng buhok mo, Yana..." She laughed again. "Kunin ko narin number niya ha? Pwede ko pa tong mabenta. Hahahaha." [i]Hahaha. Yeah, right. Forgot? Ano pala?[/i] [b]1 message received. +6391788923** Oo. Hahaha. Big time! What's your dress' color pala?[/b] "Ano sabi? Ano daw ang itatanong?" "Ano daw color ng dress mo." "Aw, right. Di ko pala yun nasabi." "OMG." She looked at me again. "Wag mong sabihing.... siya ang partner mo sa prom?!" "Well.. kasi ano.." HIndi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko. "Bwahahahahhahahah!" "Bakeettt?" "Ang haba ng buhok mo!" She laughed again. "Oh, bilis na. Ano raw yung color ng dress mo?" "Black." [i]Right, I didn't mention anything about it pala. My bad. Sorry. :] Black. [/i] [b]1 message received. Raph Perez Ayoooon. Black. Okay. Thank you! See you on Friday. [/b] [i] Sure, NP. [/i] "Waaaaahhh! See you on Friday dawwww!" Bea kept shrieking at me. "Ang sweet naman... nakuuu, start of something new ba?" Napatingin lang ako sa kanya. "Ano ka ba noh? May 3-month rule tayo." "Kahit na no! Wala nga yan kay-" "Kay?" "Kay.. Basha.. sa One More Chance, diba? Heehhehe." "Tigilan mo nga ako sa ganyan Bea. Walang something new samin ni Raph. We're jus-" "Ano tawag mo? Raph? OMG. Close na kaagad kayo ha?! Hahahahaha." "We're just friends. We'll always be friends." I smiled at her. "Eh si Vince?" "Errr.. ikaw nalang magyaya sa kanya." "Ako? Ba't naman ako?" "May date ka na?" I asked her. "Kungsabagay... marami ka namang boylets dun eh." "Actually, wala pa. Si Vince sana.. kaso kala ko kasi kayong dalawa ang magkasama.. but since Vince is out of the picture, ilalagay ko nalang ulit siya sa picture ko. Sana wag mang basted. Papatayin ko talaga siya no!" "Hahahaha. Di yan..." I smiled softly to Bea. [hr] [hr] [b]February 22, 2008. Prom Night - Middle Age Theme[/b] Bea got Vince as her date. Di na nakapaghindi si Vincent since ininsist ni Bea na meron na daw akong date. Syempre, ginawa niya yun nang hindi ako kasama. I don't want to be put in an awkward situation with Vince and my bestfriend no. Tsaka.. out of the picture na muna ako diyan. So.. prom night na. Home service ang lola niyo. Raphael will be here in an hour. Nakaready na yung buhok and make up ko, bale retouch nalang ako mamaya before leaving the house. Ayoko rin naman kasing maghintay si Raph eh. Nakakahiya kaya yun. [b]1 message received. Raph Perez I'm on my way. Black tuxedo lang ako. Take your time. [/b] [i]Sure sure. Good. Thanks. Ingat.[/i] [b]1 message received. Geek. Huuuuiii. Excited na co! Ano update diyan? Get a pic of you and Raphael together ah?[/b] [i]Hahahha. Of course. I'm all done. Retouch nalang pagdating niya.[/i] [b]1 message received. Geek. Oh, good good. They're still doing my hair. Finish na make up co. I'll be all done na rin by the time Vince is here. [/b] [i]Hahaha. Wag pahintayin si Vince ha? Be gorgeous, geek. [/i] [b]1 message received. Geek. 'Course! Wonder who's gotta take the crown home tonight?[/b] [i]Hahaha. You shouldn't wonder na. Kay Gabby na yan. [/i] [b]1 message received. Oh really huh? I've got a bet, it'll be between Gabby, Hannah, Kinny and you. [/b] [i]Oh, ba't nasali naman ako diyan?[/i] [b]1 message received. Geek. Eh friends tayo eh! Hahaha. Cge na, I'll text you later. Makeup time na. Hihihihi. Mua. Ingat.[/b] [i]You too. TC. [/i] So ayun nga, 5:30pm. I slipped on my ballgown and niretouch na nila yung makeup ko. Tama namang dumating si Raph. He waited daw at the living room with Dad. Chika-chika siguro sila? xD "Raph's here na." Mom said and looked at me. "You are lovely." She said while holding my shoulders. "T-Thanks." I smiled. "Okay.. you go down na. No stress ha? Ingatan ang beauty." "Thanks Mom." I hugged her and started walking outside my room. Dahan-dahan akong bumaba ng hagdan kasi medyo mabigat yung gown ko. Kasi nga diba, middle ages yung theme namen? So medyo.. yung pang ball talaga na gowns nuon sa France or England. Yung ganun. Bonggang-bongga talaga. Pati hair. Then I saw Raph sitting with Dad at the living room. When they saw me approaching from upstairs, they stood up, Raph did and smiled at me. "Lovely." He said grinning. I smiled at him and made a ladies' bow. "Merci." I grinned back. "Shall we?" He took my hand and he bid goodbye to my parents. But then Mom insisted that we should take pictures daw muna kasi I still have an hour pa naman daw to get through to the hotel. Ayun, photoshoot muna. Then pumasok kami sa car na dala niya.. he got a license na pala, so he can drive around na. Sabi niya nga dapat di siya uminom mamaya para di kami mapano. XD Before I got down from the car, he looked at me. "Oh right, muntik ko nang makalimutan. Here.." I put the corsage on his pocket sa chest and smiled at him. But he was still looking at me. "Alam mo ang ganda mo." He said and started chuckling. "Yeah, right. Natatawa ako." I said to him. "Ha-ha-ha. At nagpapatawa talaga ako eh no?" "Oh come on! Cut that one out for me Raph." "Seriously.. ang ganda mo. Kung ayaw mong maniwala edi wag. Wag ka lang mabigla kung sabihan ka din ng ganyan ng ibang lalake mamaya." He said and got out of the car and opened the door for me. And who said chivalry is dead? *grins* Nung papasok na kami ng hotel, I figured out na baka he's serious nga. "Raph?" "Yep?" He turned to look at me while smiling. "Thanks." I smiled back. "Thanks.. for? Being my date.. or being your date.. or.. for saying you're beautiful?" "For.. everything? You got a black tuxedo pa oh." I held his tuxedo. "Aww, right. Bummer nga ito eh. Pero okay lang. Kung ganito kaganda at katalino date ko, no problem with me." He winked and chuckled again. "Thanks." I said and cut the conversation kasi baka kung san pa ito mapunta. "Hindi pa ba natin bibilisan? Medyo late na tayo eh." He smiled. "Oh right." So binilisan namen yung lakad papunta sa function hall. Then the doors opened and everyone stared at us. I kind of blushed kasi nakakahiya naman yun. Parang dramatic entrance. Kumpleto na yung lahat. I thought nga konti pa lang at kami yung mauuna. Sheeesssh. Nakakahiya. "Dalhin mo nalang sila sa smile. Late pa naman tayo. Better give them something reasonable. You're all pretty so dapat lang na malate." He said in between gritted teeth while smiling to everyone. "Right, thanks." I smiled too. Bigla naman akong tinawag ni Bea so napaupo ako dun sa kanila. Nga lang, nung nakita ko ang mga tao sa table nila.. medyo napaatras ako at napadalawang isip. Rhys was sitting at Vincent's left side.. Mukhang alphabetical order to ah. Bad. >.< I looked at Bea pero nagwink nalang siya and looked at Raphael. She's like saying.. 'ayos lang, kasama mo naman si Raph'. So ayun nga, dumiretso kami dun sa table nila and sat down beside her. "Hey Vince." I smiled at Vince. "Hey, Yana. Looking good." He said and winked at me. "Thanks." Bigla naman akong sinipa ni Bea sa ilalim ng table. I looked at her and she pointed Raph. "Oh, right. Uhmm, Raph, these are my friends. Bea and her date, Vincent.. or Vince. Bea, Vince, this is my date, Raphael Perez." "You can call me Raph." He grinned at them. "Nice meeting you." He smiled at Bea. "Paree.." He greeted Vince and made some boyhood greeting with him. Something like that. So, ayun, usap usap and all. Then konting program, yung mga kachuchuhan like reading of the class prophecy, class history and everything else. I looked at Vincent and Rhys na masayang nag-kukwentuhan sa gilid namen. I mean, akala ko ba nagkasapukan ito? Friends na sila? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad na nagkaayos sila, pero wasn't it really fast? Ibang-iba talaga ang mga lalaki sa mga babae no? We chatted happily at the table naman. Everyone was laughing kasi "gago" daw si Raph kung si Vincent pa. Kahit sina Rhys and Gabby nakisabay na rin sa kagaguhan ni Raph. Ayos naman siya. "He's really nice pala talaga noh? Parang ang gaan-gaan ng feeling ko kay Raph." She smiled. "Yeah." "And.. he's damn cute." She winked. Hindi na ako nakapagsalita kasi nagtayuan na ang karamihan. First dance na pero I'm not sure kung sasayaw kami ni Raph. But when I was about to ask him, he was standing at my front na and smiling. "Can I have this dance.. with.. you?" Napanganga ako sa kanya. I looked around and some of the girls were looking at the two of us. Then I caught Rhys glancing at my way. I smiled at Raph. [i]"Sure." [/i]