It was a week after my fateful encounter with Vince, and yet I couldn't stop myself from fidgetting whenever his name would be mention, or if I happen to spot him walking along the school coridors.

The day Vince declared he would make me his girlfriend--that is if I continue to threaten him-- was the day I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him. It was weird, I know. Maybe I was just warry he would make his threat true?

"What's up with you?" Bianca Lucero, a friend of mine, asked me. She was still  busy applying her favorite lipgloss while eyeing me through the mirror. "Bakit ba nakatulala ka lagi this past few days?"

Do I dare tell her my secret?

I wasn't entirely alone with her. Our group--we call ourselves the Pink Angels--had the entire ladies' room to ourselves. The cousins, Georgina and Ashley Anderson, were both combing their silky straight hair, but I knew their ears were waiting for my reply. Lalaine Aquino was twisting her hair in to a loose but chic bun with the help of Sandy Lacson.

I couldn't help it but admire the scenario. Sometimes, I couldn't believe it that I am friends with these five pretty girls. We were all so different in personalities, and yet we remained friends since first year high school.

Among the girls, I have known Bianca, and her twin brother Benjamin, since kindergarten. our parents were partners in one of their businesses. You could say I am closer to Bianca than the rest of the girls. And I did consider everyone my friends, it was just that the others had a tendency to stir gossips around.

No, I wouldn't risk letting everyone, and I mean everyone at school, know how Vince was driving me crazy!

I shook my head, my wavy locks bouncing at the side of my face. "Hindi naman. It's just your imagination, I suppose..."

"Oh, well," Bianca said, now fixing the curls of her hair. "Suit yourself." She fixed her angel brooch on her uniform--all six of us wore it like a badge, a sign that we are the girls of the Pink Angel--before she spun around and said, "Let's go girls, time to rock this school with our beauty."

I just had to smile. Bianca always had that confidence in her. "Tara."

I grabbed my shoulder bag and started for the door when Ashley said, "You go ahead na, Cheska. May pag-uusapan lang kami ni Bianca."

I was about to say something when Bianca nodded, telling me in silence to go ahead. And even though I had a bad feeling about it, I left the room with a troubling mind.

***

"Tingnan mo si Francheska... Ang ganda naman niya..."

"Syempre, 'di ba nga, model siya ng isang beauty product?"

"Hay... Ang swerte talaga niya. Bukod sa maganda na, mayaman pa!"

I will never get used to my schoolmates talking about me or staring at me as if I wasn't there. I suppose I should be flattered, but I never wanted the attention. Drawing too much attention sometimes was a bad thing--people think you're different just because you had more than what they had. I never really saw it that way. My family was blessed with more wealth than we ever needed, but my mom taught me I shouldn't get it into my head.

But I did wish that I was just like the rest of the regular students here in St. Bernadette Academy. I could do things with out too many eyes watching my every move.

"Uy si Vince!"

Alarm bells rang in my ears. Just hearing his name made my knees buckle. Vince! Why was he here? Of course he should be here--we go to the same school!

I plastered myself on the wall, between two lockers and scanned the tide of students in white and blue uniforms for any signs of Vince walking among the crowd in the hallway.

"Si Vince absent na naman!"

I let out a sigh. So much for eavesdropping--it could lead one into trouble.

And why was Vince not in school today? That no-good, good for nothing guy, didn't he know the value of school?

And why was I even concern about him? And for the love of sensibilities, why was I even disappointed he was not in school?

"Bakit ba ako biglang nalungkot?" I whispered.

"At bakit ka nandiyan?"

I jumped in place, my heart almost leaped out of my chest. I placed my palm over my heart to control its erratic beating.

Standing before me was Alexis Marie Salvacion, a fellow senior student. She wore here usual glasses and braids, but there was something different about her. Something about how her eyes sparkled or how her wide smile reached her ears. Then I realized the reason. Benjamin Lucero was beside her.

I gave both a smile. "Hi Alex, Benj!"

"Hello, Cheska," Benjamin greeted back. "So... what exactly are you doing there?"

"I... uhm..." Hiding. "W-wala naman. Giving way lang sa mga dumaraan." It was so lame for an excuse, I know.

Alexis giggled. "Ang bait mo talaga! Kaya nga ang laki ng utang na loob ko sa 'yo, eh."

I knew what she meant, and it made me smile. A couple of months ago, Benjamin made a bet with his friends to make Alexis fall for him. But little did he know, Alexis already knew of his intent and was planning to humiliate Benjamin. Well, things didn't work out that way they wanted it to be--both fell with each other. And it took a little help from me to make them realize the things they were missing in life with both of them avoiding each other.

And now here they were, only a moment away from becoming an official couple.

"Don't mention it," I said. "I always wanted to help you, guys."

"By the way," Benj interjected, "may poetry reading mamaya sa Book Club. I know you like poems. Punta ka mamaya, ha?"

I loved poems! And I would be glad to join them. I was about to say yes when a thought occurred me. "I can't today. Sorry--meeting with the--"

Benjamin's face fell. "Right, I get it. May meeting kayo kasama ng mga Pink Devils."

"Benj!" Alexis hissed, giving Benjamin a stern look.

Benjamin could only shrug at her. "Eh, totoo naman, ah! Hindi ko pa rin nakakalimutan ang ginawa ng grupo ni Bianca sa 'yo."

Alexis placed a hand on Benjamin's arm. "Past is past. Tapos na 'yun. Forgive and forget na lang tayo, then move on."

I was grateful that Alex had no ill towards my friends. We call ourselves Pink Angels, though there was really nothing angelic about us, and the crowd who followed us are the Pink Angel Society. It felt actually weird to have a sort of fandom adoring us, watching our everymove and highlights of the day, copying our styles and likes. But my friends seemed to enjoy the attention, so I never gave it a thought anymore.

Through out the remaining of the day, I noticed something odd about the way my friends behave. Normally they were all giggly and way talkative than you would ever imagine. Sometimes they would even pick on some students that didn't seem to make the cut on what they deemed as cool people.

But today, they were all silent, and aloof.

A feeling of dread swept over me at the end of the day when Ashley announced: "Francheska, we need to talk."

Lines creased my forehead as I eyed Ashley standing before me inside our club room. I looked over her shoulder and saw Bianca leaning back on the wall, busy with her iphone. Standing with Ashley were our other friends.It buffles me to her Ashley making such an announce. Normally, it was Bianca who does it. But now, Bianca seemed to detach herself from the group.

No. Maybe I was just over thinking. Perhaps they only have a gossip to tell me. I gave all the girls a smile. "What is it?"

Ashley crossef her arms over her chest. "We are removing you from our group. From now on, hindi ka na isang Pink Angel."

It was all to late before I could react as Lalaine and Georgina held my arms before Ashley snatched my angel brooch pinned on my neck tie. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks when I saw my angel brooch slipping from Ashley's hands and went straight to the trash bin.

#TheNerdClubCheska
#MaxineLaurelStories