My sister has managed to come up with some crazy plans for me to get back to school. Kung ako ang papipiliin, I would give up my studies for a while pero iniinsist ni Ate Neah that I should get back to school. Baka kasi I can trace whoever placed a spell on me. It could be one of my exes or one of my flings.

            Nakasakay ako sa front seat while Ate drove me to school. We were silent for the whole trip. Natutulala pa rin ako sa mga nangyayari sa buhay ko ngayon. Can you believe it? Spells and incantations exist!

            “Here we are.” Sabi ni Ate as she parked the car just blocks away from the University gate. “Now, act natural and don’t panic. Treat this as your first day of school.”

            “This will be so weird. And so awkward.” I replied. I got out of the car and went inside the school.

            How Ate managed to get me back to school as Christina, I do not know. As far as I can remember, she used to be a full scholar in this school, and almost all of the school officials know her since she bagged the Quiz Bee trophy, few years ago.

            My class schedule’s still the same. I was on my way to my Ethics class nang makasalubong ko si Melissa, my girlfriend. Her long silky black hair bounced gracefully as she walked papunta sa building. Pareho kaming HRM ang course.

            “Hey babe.” Shoot! I’m supposed to be a stranger to her. Just a regular woman, as Christina, and not as Christian.

            “Huh?” Melissa obviously was confused. She stared at me like I was the freak in a show.

            “Oh… Uh… What I mean to say was, Hi Melissa…” I said and feebly giggled.

            “Do I know you?” Melissa asked with a cute dimple in her right cheek. Her tone was kind, and would definitely make you smile.

            “Oh. Um… I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Christina. I’m Christian’s cousin. I just moved here… from Africa..??” What the heck was I saying? I just moved here from Africa? That’s a line from Lindsay Lohan’s movie, Mean Girls. I am so stupid.

            “Oh, hi! Please to meet you!” Melissa said as we shook hands. “It’s been days since me and Christian talked.” She added with her voice getting weaker, at napapansin ko parang lumuluha siya.

            “Ah… Talaga? Maybe he was very busy. Hindi ko nga siya naabutan sa bahay pagdating ko. Sabi ni Ate Neah, he’s out of town daw.” I added a lie.

            “Huh? Eh, ngayon ang deadline sa Reaction Paper niya for World Literature! He might get flunked again!” Melissa said in a worried voice as she hurriedly walks to our room, and I was following her.

            “But you don’t have World Literature, right? Natapos mo na.” I know that. We used to be classmates kasi, and take two ko na itong World Lit. Kakatamad kaya magbasa ng English literature.

            “Yeah, pero I always do his papers, even if he won’t ask me too.” Melissa replied with a smile. “Teka lang, how did you know na tapos na ako sa World Lit?”

            “Oh…” Dang! Anong alibi na naman ba ang sasabihin ko? “Uh… Christian told me a lot… about you. Sabi nga niya, it’ll be good if I’ll stick with you lalo na’t baguhan pa ako dito.”

            “Awh…”Melissa smiled. “He trusted me with you?” Her eyes went watery again, na parang maluluha na.

            Damn it. Andami palang efforts ni Melissa na binabalewala ko.

            “Hey Mel.” One guy approached us, and it was River, ang kabarkada ko.

            Out of the blue, I blurted out: “Yo, Pare! Wazzup!” EFFIN’ FVCK! What did I just blurt out? Nasanay kasi ako sa greeting ng barkada namin.

            River gave me a nasty look.

            “You knew him?” Melissa asked.

            “Do I know you?” River asked, too.

            “Oh… Uhh… Umm… Nakwento ka sa akin ni Christian.” Then I gave a wide awkward grin.

            “Ay, oo nga pala. River, this is Christina, cousin ni Christian.” Melissa introduced me to him. This feels awkward; getting to know them again, when in fact I know them already. We shook hands and he added:

            “Nasaan pala si Christian? Absent siya kahapon sa aming practice, papalapit pa naman ang Sportsfest.”

            “He went on a vacation daw, eh. Sabi niya, he need a breath of fresh air.” I lied to him. Siyempre, I can’t tell him na I’m Christian, at naging babae ako!

            “Huh? Paano yan? We need him!” sabi ni River. He added and faced Melissa, “San ba siya pumunta?”

            “HE’S IN TAGAYTAY!” I abruptly added.

            The two of them stared at me, and I just replied with a smile.

            “I will tell our Captain about this. Maybe he’ll call him mamaya.” River responded. “Oh, anyways, Melissa. If it’s not too much, can I invite you again for dinner tonight?

            Wait a minute. River’s inviting my girlfriend for dinner? And he said ‘AGAIN’? I frowned at him and stared at Melissa, waiting for her answer.

            “I don’t know, River. I have a lot of things to do pa kasi---“

            “Please naman, oh. I know naman, wala kang gagawin tonight eh.” River persuaded.

            “Actually, may mga papers pa kasi akong tatapusin---“

            “Your papers or Christian’s?” River asked. “Come on, Mel. For once, stop doing things na hindi naman dapat ikaw ang gumagawa.”

            “I appreciate your concern, River. Pero, I really have a lot of---“

            “You enjoyed naman our last dinner, di ba? Sige na naman, Mel.” River insisted with his pa-cute smile.

            “River?” Melissa said while staring at the ground. I can tell she’s getting pissed off by the sound of her voice. “I say, No.”

            River kept quiet, and said. “Ok, Mel. I get it. Maybe next time?”

            Melissa replied with a smile, and then River took off.

            “You two have been going out?” I abruptly asked, with my left eyebrow raised. My tone was serious and I am really pissed with both of them. How dare they stab me at the back!

            “No…” Melissa whispered. “It was just one time nung nalaman kong may other girls pala si Christian, and I went to their house to talk to him for confrontation, kaya lang he wasn’t there. It was raining hard when a car stopped, and it was River. We just had coffee, and had a few talks, and that’s it.” She added in a sad tone.

            I felt guilty with what happened. I think it was that time when I went out with my barkada and got home drunk, aside from the one with Ursula.

            “Why didn’t you say ‘Yes’ for another dinner?

            “I don’t want Christian to get upset. Minsan na siyang nasaktan nung ginawa siyang pang-display ng first girlfriend niya. As her second girlfriend, I promised na never kong gagawin yun for him.” Melissa replied, as tears fills up her eyes.

            “There must be loads of guys, so eager to ask you out. Why not choose them?” I added. Pati mata ko, parang naluluha na din.

            “’coz I love Christian.” Melissa simply answered, as a single tear fell from her right cheek. She was still smiling, with her cute dimples.

            Dang it! I have been neglecting Melissa and had my attention to my barkada and to the other girls when she was there, being loyal to me. From that moment, I wanted to hug her. I wanted to tell her the whole truth.

            “Melissa…” I think it would be better if my girlfriend finds out about what really happened to me. After all, andami na niyang sinakripisyo for me. “I’m---“

            RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNGG!!

            The school bell rang, and it was a hint na magsisimula na ang klase.

            “Oh shoot! We’ll gonna be late!” Melissa ran papunta sa staircase, and I followed her.

            Would it do well if I’ll tell her the truth?

END OF CHAPTER THREE