Song: Girls Like You- Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B

Attractive

He slowly smirked at me. "Hello, Princess."

My jaw dropped. At ang lakas nga naman ng loob niyang ngumisi sa akin! I glared at him and clenched my jaw.

I can't believe that he's a family friend! I will never befriend a guy like him! He's so... annoying, irritating, so full of himself! Lahat na ata ng hindi magagandang salita ay bagay na sa buong pagkatao niya!

"Kelsey, what are you..." hindi maituloy na sasabihin ni Mommy. Marahas ko siyang binalingan ng tingin at sabay tinuro ang bwisit na lalaking iyon.

"This guy spilled his drink on my dress! And he did not even bother to say sorry!" I glared again at the stupid man in front of me. Hindi parin nawawala ang ngisi niya sa kanyang labi.

"It's not my fault that you were careless. You were blocking my way for your information!" agap nito. I rolled my eyes.

"E, hindi naman sana mangyayari 'to kung hindi ka lang kasi tatanga-tanga-"

"Kelsey!" hindi ko naituloy ang sinasabi ko dahil sa pag-saway sa akin ni Daddy. "Watch your mouth!"

I opened my mouth to answer, pero sa huli ay wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang ngumuso. Ayan tuloy at napagalitan pa ako!

"I'm sorry, Francisco. It seems like your son and my daughter didn't have a nice introduction. And my daughter didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Bernard. Kelsey," bumaling ang mas nakakatandang lalaki sa akin. Nahihiya ko siyang binalingan ng tingin. "I'm sorry for what my son did to your dress."

Narinig kong tumawa ang kumag niyang anak. I glared at him again. Sinuway naman siya ng kanyang mas nakababatang kapatid.

Binuka ko ang aking bibig upang may sabihin pero tinikom ko nalang ito at nahihiyang nag-iwas ng tingin.

"Girls are very sentimental." The stupid guy mumbled. I gritted my teeth!

Ugh! He's so annoying!

"Shut it, Benj!" his younger sister hissed at him.

Buti pa itong mas nakababata niyang kapatid ay mas matured mag-isip sakanya! Habang siya, hindi ata binisita ng adolescent period niya kaya ganito at sobrang isip bata! Nakakainis!

"So," my mother started. "Since we are already complete... I guess it's time for us to introduce our daughter." My mom chuckled.

"In a proper way..." she added. Natawa naman ang mga magulang noong bwisit na lalaking iyon.

Pinalapit ako ni Mommy sakanya. She rests both of her hands on my shoulders. Hindi ko naman magawang iangat ang tingin ko sa pamilyang nasa harap ko. Pag kasi tiningnan ko sila, makikita ko lang iyong bwisit na lalaking 'yon.

Ayoko namang masira ang araw ko! And also... I just don't want to see that stupid smirk on that man's mouth. He's annoying me.

"This is Kelsey," ani Mommy. Nag-angat ako saglit ng tingin at tsaka nginitian ang babae niyang kapatid.

Sayang at may babae pa naman siyang kapatid pero hindi niya alam kung paano rumispeto ng babae. So disappointing.

"Hi! I'm Brittany! It's nice to meet you!" bati nito sa akin at tsaka nilahad ang kanyang kamay sa akin. Nagagalak ko namang tinanggap iyon. I smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

Nilingon ni Brittany ang kanyang kapatid. Nginisian niya ito at tsaka humarap muli sa akin. Tipid ko siyang nginitian ulit. Mamaya maya pa ay naglahad sa akin ng kamay iyong bwisit na lalaki.

"Benjamin," he said simply. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at tsaka tinitigan ang kanyang kamay.

Sandali akong nag-isip kung dapat ko ba 'tong tanggapin o hindi. Baka kasi kapag hinawakan ko ang kamay niya mabahiran rin ako ng dumi sa budhi niya.

I felt my mom pushed me a little to signal me to accept his hand. Nilingon ko si Mommy at nakitang nginingitian niya ang pamilya ng lalaking 'to.

Umirap ako. I sighed heavily before I accept his hand. "Kelsey."

I shake his hand quickly. Ngumisi si Benjamin sa akin. I heard his sister giggling silently beside their mother. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.

Their mother made her stop from giggling. Ngumiti ito sa akin. Tipid ko siyang nginitian.

"Hi," I whispered. She giggled.

"Oh, dear! It was so nice to finally meet you! I've heard so many things about you!" bati nito sa akin. She kissed both of my cheeks. "I heard you're currently taking up Architecture. Is that right?"

I smiled. Thank goodness Architecture was brought up in this conversation. That made me brighten up my day again.

"Ah. Yes po! I'm on my last year already."

"Wow! That's a good thing! Bernard, sa wakas ay may makakatulong ka na sa negosyo mo!" ani Tito Francisco.

"Oonga, e. Buti ka pa nga at may katulong na!" they both chuckled dahil sa sinabi ni Daddy.

"Oh. We forgot to tell you that Brittany is actually taking up Medicine and Benjamin here is already an Engineer. He topped the boards last year!"

Medyo nagulat naman ako sa impormasyong iyon. Akalain mo nga naman at may propesyon pala ang isang 'yon! More so... he even topped the boards! Unbelievable!

Binalingan ko ng tingin si Benjamin. Nang makita niya akong nakatingin sakanya ay ngumiti siya sa akin na para bang proud na proud siya sa sarili. Umirap ako.

Matalino nga, bastos naman. Wala paring kwenta.

"We are hoping for you two to work together someday after you graduate, Kelsey. It seems like you're very good in your profession. And it will also be a good thing since our families are business partners!" Tita Barbara chuckled.

"Naku! Maganda nga iyan, Barbara! Kelsey is a consistent dean's lister in her class. Tiyak na maganda ang kalalabasan ng negosyo kapag siya na ang naghandle nito." Sabi ni Daddy.

Woah! Hindi pa ako nakakagraduate pero ito na agad ang iniisip ni Daddy. Medyo napressure ako doon ah!

"Oh my! I can't wait to see an Architect and Engineer tandem!" nagagalak na sinabi ni Mommy.

Tandem? Anong tandem?! As if I'm going to work with this guy?

No way!

"It will be such a chaos." Brittany whispered. Yeah, right.

Ngayon pa nga lang hindi ko na masikmura ang ugali ng lalaking ito, e. Paano pa kaya kung maging magkatrabaho na kami? Baka makagawa pa ako ng kasalanan at hindi ko na masunod ang isa sa mga utos sa ten commandments.

Matagal pa ang naging usapan na iyon hanggang sa nagpaalam na kami sa isa't isa. Niyakap ako ni Brittany upang magpaalam. Habang ang kanilang mga magulang naman ay nakipagbeso sa akin. Benjamin stayed at his position habang pinapanood kaming magpaalam sa isa't isa.

Nang makita niyang bumaling ang tingin ko sakanya ay mapangasar siyang kumaway sa akin. He smirked and mumbled a goodbye to me. Umirap ako at tsaka tinalikuran na siya.

Gosh! He's so annoying! Hindi ko akalain na may sobrang nakakainis palang tao. I hope I won't ever see him again!

Dalawang araw makalipas ang business party na iyon ay hinatid ako ni Daddy papasok ng school. I kissed him on the cheek before I get out of his car.

"Text me if you need someone to pick you up after school." He reminded me.

"Hindi na, Daddy. Baka sumabay nalang po ulit ako kay Troy." I said. My father nods his head.

"Sige. Mag-iingat ka, anak. Do well today."

Ngumiti ako. "Of course, dad."

Pagkapasok ko sa school ay agad akong sinalubong ng mga kaibigan ko. Marami kaming magkakaibigan pero iisa lang ang hinahanap ko.

Si Troy.

It's weird that he's still not here. He's usually very early. Baka nga siya na ang nagbubukas ng school sa sobrang aga niyang pumasok, e.

"Where's Troy-"

"Looking for me, Kelsey?" I was about to ask for him nang bigla naman siyang tumabi sa akin. He put his arm around my shoulder.

"I thought you're late." Sabi ko.

"Of course not! I just had to pass something to my professor kaya medyo hindi ko na nasabayan ang mga ito na salubungin ka," he pointed at our friends. "But I'm glad that the first thing you did was to look for me instead of greeting them back."

Troy smirked. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko nang dahil sa sinabi niya. Oh shit! I haven't greeted our friends back!

"Shit. I'm sorry!" pagbawi ko. "Hi! Good morning!"

Tumawa ang mga kaibigan namin.

"It's fine, Kelsey." Sabi ni Jeya. "Sanay na kami."

Pabiro siyang ngumuso, kunwari nasasaktan siya. Tumawa naman ako at tsaka pinisil ang kanyang pisngi. She slapped my hand away.

"Ew! Stop that!"

Tumawa kami nang dahil sa reaksyon niya. I saw Kira checking the time on her wrist watch.

"Guys, I'm going to be late. See you later!" sabi niya bago siya tuluyang mag-paalam.

Nang dahil rin naman doon ay napatingin ang iba pa naming kaibigan sa kani-kanilang mga relo. Most of them realized that they're running late kaya naman ay mabilis silang nagpaalam at tsaka tumakbo na patungo sa kanilang assigned rooms.

Natira kaming tatlo nila Jeya at Troy.

"Paano ba 'yan? Mukhang iiwan ko na rin kayo. My first class starts in fifteen minutes. As much as I want to talk to you, guys... ayoko namang malate. Kaya..." hindi na tinuloy ni Jeya ang kanyang sasabihin dahil alam na naman namin ang tinutukoy niya.

"Bye, Jeys!" sabi ni Troy. Kumaway naman ako sakanya upang mag-paalam.

"See you later!" sabi niya bago siya tuluyang lumakad palayo sa amin. Binalingan ko naman ng tingin si Troy. He smirked at me.

"My first class starts in an hour." He informed me.

"Mine's in thirty minutes."

"I guess I just have to walk you to your class then?"

"That will be a good idea." Ngumiti ako sakanya at tsaka ipinulupot na ang aking braso sa kanyang baywang. He smiled.

Pagkatapos noon ay lumakad na kami patungo sa classroom ko. Sinusundan naman kami ng tingin ng ibang estudyante dahil sa itsura namin ngayon.

Some of the students here might think that we're in a relationship... but the truth is, we're not. We're just very close with each other. He's the greatest friend I've ever had.

We both share a brother and sister love. I don't know what I'll do without him, though. High school palang, siya na ang kasama ko. Kaya ngayong graduating na kami, natatakot ako na baka maubusan na kami ng oras para sa isa't isa kapag nagtrabaho na kami.

Kahit na magkapareho kami ng kurso, hindi naman nagtugma ang schedule namin. And that sucks, we're supposed to be classmates. Pero dahil mas nauna akong mag-enroll sakanya noong pasukan dati ay hindi kami naging magkaklase.

Pero masaya parin naman ako na nasa iisa lang kaming university. Atleast hindi kami nagkahiwalay.

Tumigil kami sa tapat ng classroom namin. May iba akong kaklaseng babae na binati ako at tsaka nahihiyang binalingan ng tingin si Troy. He smiled at them and greeted them a good morning.

"Good morning, Troy!" medyo nahihiyang binanggit ng mga babae. Mamaya maya pa ay narinig ko silang naghahagikhikan.

Umiling ako at bahagyang natawa. Kahit saan talaga mag-punta, napaka chick magnet nitong si Troy.

Magpapaalam na sana ako sakanya nang maalala kong may sasabihin niya pala ako sakanya.

"Oh! I have to tell something to you and Jeya later." Sabi ko bago ako tuluyang pumasok ng classroom namin.

"What is it about?" he boyishly inserted both of his hands inside his pocket.

"It's about what happened during the business party."

Niliitan ako ni Troy ng mata, para bang may pinapahiwatig. Umangat ang gilid ng kanyang labi. Umirap ako.
"Ohh... this seems interesting." Agad akong umiling.

That event won't ever be interesting lalo na't nandoon 'yong bwisit na lalaki na 'yon! Ngumiwi ako at tsaka umiling.

"Not really. Someone just annoyed me to death."

"Was it a guy?" he asked. Kumunot naman agad ang noo niya.

"Yeah!" medyo iritado kong sinagot.

Maalala ko lang talaga 'yong lalaking 'yon... nag-iinit na agad ang dugo ko! Sobrang nakakainis siya!

Troy let out an exaggerated sigh. "This guy is already annoying me kahit wala pa iyong buong kwento mo."

I chuckled. "Mas maiinis ka kapag sinabi ko na sa'yo ang buong kwento."

We both chuckled again until we separated ways. Saglit lang kaming naghintay para sa aming professor at agad rin naming nagsimula ang klase. I gave my full attention to class.

This is my last year in college. I have to give my all. This will be the deciding stage. I need to prove to them that I deserve to have a latin honor. After all, I am very passionate about this course. I always give my 100% even if it was hard for me to.

Habang inaayos ko naman ang aking mga gamit ay nag-paalam ang ibang mga kaklase ko sa akin. I smiled at them. Nang matapos ay agad akong nagtungo sa labas ng classroom. Nagulat ako nang makita ko si Jeya at Troy na mukhang hinihintay na ako.

"Di ba mamaya pa ang dismissal niyo?" I asked.

"Maaga kaming dinismiss ng prof." Jeya explained.

"My professor's absent." Sabi naman ni Troy.

I sigh. Sabay sabay naman kaming naglakad patungo sa canteen.

"So... ano na, girl? Sabi nitong si Troy may kwento ka raw!" medyo excited na tinanong ni Jeya.

"At talagang inunahan mo akong sabihin sa kanya ha?" siniko ko si Troy. Pabiro naman siyang umaray.

"Well, the story seems interesting kaya hindi ko agad napigilan ang sarili ko."

Umirap ako. Humanap muna kami ng mauupuan bago kami umorder ng pagkain. Troy initiated to get mine kaya ako itong natira sa table namin.

I decides to check my cellphone while I'm waiting for them. Unang bumungad sa akin ang isang notification na galing kay mommy. She tagged me on a post in Facebook. I immediately swiped my phone to see it.

Bumungad sa akin ang litrato ko noong business party. The photographer who asked for my solo picture probably uploaded it already at nakita ito ni Mommy. She shouldn't have posted it! Nakakahiya! Her Facebook friends might see it!

My beautiful daughter, Kelsey Alena.

Medyo napaismid ako nang mabasa ko ang caption niya. Nakita ko ring marami na ang nag-react sa post niya. Some of her friends even commented! Marami sakanila na nagsasabi na ang ganda ko daw at kamukha ko raw si Mommy. Which my mom will immediately reply with...

Naku! Maliit na bagay...

Hindi ko naiwasang mapaismid muli nang dahil doon. Some says that I look like my dad! Which my mom will reply with...

Kailangan mo na atang magpacheck ng mata. Ako kaya ang kamukha niyan!

Ah! Gosh! My mother!

Sa dinami-rami ng mga comments na nabasa ko, iisa lang ang nakapukaw ng sobra sa atensyon ko. It was a comment from Benjamin's mother.

So Beautiful Kelsey... I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of boys lining up for her.

Whoa... that was such an unexpected comment. Pero mukhang hindi naman nagulat si Mommy sa comment na 'yun dahil nakapag-reply pa siya.

Oh, dear. I am still not ready for it. They will need a thorough examination from me before they pass my taste.

Umirap ako nang mabasa ko iyon. My mother seriously needs to stop using social media.

Wala sa sarili ko naming pinindot ang profile ni Tita Barbara. Her cover photo is their family picture. Nag-init naman agad ang dugo ko nang makita ko ang itsura ni Benjamin. Hindi talaga mapapagkailang gwapo nga talaga siya. Mapapicture man o personal. But his attitude stinks! Walang kwenta parin ang looks niya kung wala namang kwenta ang pag-uugali niya.

He's so annoying.

I decided to check Tita Barbara's account habang hindi pa dumadating sila Troy. Most of her posts are about her family. May mga post siya na nakatag sila Benjamin. I was about to click his profile when Troy and Jeya arrived.

Ah thank god! Buti at hindi ko tinuloy na bisitahin ang Facebook profile niya! Baka mag-init lang lalo ang dugo ko.

"So..." Jeya started. She placed her tray in front of us. She started eating her fries. "Ano na iyong kwento mo?"

I sighed then I started telling them everything. Given that Troy is a good listener, nakinig muna siya bago magtanong. Hindi kagaya ni Jeya na hindi ko pa natatapos ang kwento ko, puro tanong na agad siya.

"Gwapo ba?" she asks when I finally finished telling them the story.

"Uhm..." I struggled to find the right answer.

Alam ko ang sagot sa tanong na iyon. Obvious naman. Pero bakit hindi ko agad masabi kung oo ba o hindi?

Kahit sino atang makakakita sakanya, parehas lang ang magiging opinion namin. Benjamin is very handsome. His eyes are very mysterious, his lips are so pink, he has a very strong jawline, and he is very tall!

Gosh I can't believe I noticed that! Was I checking him out to notice these?! Ugh!

"Pwede na." I continued, I tried so hard to sound convincing. Troy chuckled. Nilingon ko siya at nagtatakang tiningnan.

"Oh come on, Kelsey! Your tone says the otherwise!" sabi ni Jeya na medyo natatawa ngayon. Umirap ako.

"How am I supposed to sound huh? Excited? Kinikilig? Ganon ba?" I said irritatingly. "After all, he's been such a dick to me, I don't think I will ever get 'kilig'. I get that he's very attractive, but his attitude stinks so no thanks."

"So you admit it, Kels. The guy is attractive!" Jeya exclaimed excitingly. Umiling ako at umirap muli. "What is his name though?"

"I will not tell you." Mabilis kong sinagot.

"Keeping it to ourself, aren't we?" pang-aasar ni Jeya. I hit her playfully. Tumawa naman siya. "Hmp... Selfish."