This is where it all started.

Despite my love for speed, hindi pa ako sumasali ng race sa Double O Seven. I guess hindi pa ako ready to compete against someone.

"Gel!" called Frankie, waving me to follow her.

I laughed at how excited she was. Dapat lang naman kasi na ma-excite to be at a place like this. It was crawling with cool people our age e.

Following her, I spotted Paolo. Our eyes met, and his face brightened at the sight of me. He waved us over to where he was. He grinned when I got closer. Wala na yung braces niya, which only made him look more attractive.

"What's up, Pao?" Frankie greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Frankie," he nodded, his grin never faltering.

"Kanina ka pa?" she asked him.

I fought the urge to ask about Oliver.

"Not really."

I casually looked around.

"Good thing Jesse's not here," he said.

"Why?" I asked, still looking for that familiar blue car.

"Alcante's here with his girl."

I whipped my head back to him.

Nandito yung girl that Oliver was talking about last February? Yung girl na he let go kasi he decided na they weren't meant to be? That same girl na he was still friends with even now?

I wasn't exactly sure if naka-move on na si Oliver. He looked better than before. When we went to Siargao for the summer, he was okay na naman even after namin mag truth or dare and Jesse jokingly grilled him about Lana. He was cool with it.

Yun nga lang. With Oliver, you never know.

"I thought friends si Kuya with Lana?" I asked, tilting my head.

Paolo shrugged. "Doesn't mean he's friends with Alcante."

I nodded. That was true.

"Let's go say hi to Oliver!" yaya ni Frankie.

"Already did," Paolo replied. "Kayo nalang."

I made a face. "Do we have to?" I sort of whined to Frankie.

Wala talaga ako sa mood to go there and meet those people. Socially awkward? Yes, ako yun. Shy type nga, remember?

Tapos idagdag pa yung fact na Oliver used to like Lana, and now boyfriend niya si Zeo Alcante na friend din nila. I didn't trust myself to go there and not be judgmental. Ayokong maging nitpicker pero when it came to Oliver, I was a bit protective and biased kasi e.

"Why not?" said Frankie. "Friend natin yun. Cheer mo naman."

If I know, gusto mo lang ma-meet up close si Zeo Alcante e.

"I can cheer Ollie naman from the sidelines," I reasoned.

"What's the big deal?" Paolo asked me. "Go say hi."

I almost glared at him. Almost.

"Fine," I muttered.

And so, pinuntahan namin ni Frankie si Oliver. As expected, he was right at the heart of the crowd, surrounded by people who were admiring him. Oh, and he wasn't alone ha. He was with Lana and Zeo Alcante. Awesome.

"Why are you doing this to me, Aphrodite?" I mumbled, whining silently to the goddess of love. "I thought you'll help me get over him."

"What?" Frankie asked curiously.

I shook my head quickly. "Nothing. Tara na." I pulled her with me to continue walking hanggang sa we made it to where they were.

Oliver's eyes flickered over to mine, his head tilting in wonder. His mouth closed from laughing at some joke, then his lips stretched into a small smile habang nakatingin lang siya sa akin while papalapit ako.

I mean, kami. Habang papalapit kami.

Geez, why did I feel like melting right now? Why did he have to look so cute? Hindi ko ma-take yung stare niya. Why was he staring like that?

I took a deep breath and gathered my courage. Hi lang naman 'to, right?

"Hey, Ollie." I smiled at him, stepping closer to him and his other friends. I looked at his company and smiled politely.

"Been a while since I've seen you here," Oliver mentioned.

"Yeah, nakaka-miss," I replied, glancing at his car.

"You wanna race?"

I looked at him incredulously. "Frankie and I just wanna wish you good luck."

Frankie nodded, patting him on the back. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," Oliver simply replied.

"Ah! 'Di ba ikaw yung girl that time?" Lana spoke up, looking straight at me. She was tall, had fair skin, and dark long curly hair. She was as pretty as I remembered her. "Angelica?"

I blinked. She knew my name. I reluctantly nodded, not sure what to say. How did she know my name? Ah, I think Oliver might have introduced me back then. I don't remember, I left them agad e.

Lana's face broke into a huge grin. "Hi!" As if kulang pa, she waved her hand at me.

"Hello." I smiled a little and bowed my head in response.

"Ang cutie mo!"

She was like a ray of sunshine sa pagiging friendly. Napapa-step back ako sa sobrang shine ng aura niya. Ito siguro yung mga type ni Oliver. Social and outgoing. Unlike me, who was an introvert and shy around big crowds (like now).

"I'm Zeo."

I lifted my face and saw Zeo's hand reached out to me.

Mestizo talaga siya, no doubt about it. But he got nothing on Jesse, I could say that much. Of course, it was possible na bias ako. This was my big brother's nemesis kaya. Loyal ako.

Hmm, dapat ba akong maging friendly? Oh, well. I should be polite. I accepted his hand, shaking it. Pero when I pulled my hand, he didn't let go.

He pulled me closer and said with a crooked grin, "Do you like Ollie?"

I stared at him with wide eyes.

What. On. Earth.

"N – No."

His grin broadened. "Ows? You're blushing oh."

Oh, my gosh! He caught me!

Oliver smoothly stepped between us tapos tinulak niya gently papalayo si Zeo from me hanggang sa bitawan na 'ko ng Soledarian Lion King. Oliver faced me, blocking Zeo from my view. His expression was nonchalant, parang he didn't just interrupt Zeo.

"Sino kasama niyo?" he asked casually.

"Um." I glanced at Frankie. "Just us."

"Where's Jesse?"

I shrugged. "No clue."

"Nandito si Paolo. Go stay with him."

If I didn't know him, I'd say he was awfully concerned about me. Leading sa possibility na he might like me or have feelings for me. Pero since kilala ko siya, I knew na ganyan lang talaga siya. He was the type to sincerely care. Kaya nga it was hard not to fall for him.

"I will," I replied. "Just wanted to wish you luck."

He nodded, and then raised his hand to pat my head – like a puppy. Or worse, like a little sister – further proving what he told Jesse a year ago. Ouch.

"Later, Angelica."

The corner of my lips turned up at his use of my full name. It was never 'Angel.' Not anymore.

"Friends ba kayo or what?" Zeo Alcante suddenly asked.

"It's not what you think," sighed Oliver, finally turning to face Zeo. "Kapatid siya ni Jesse. So we ended up in the same circle of friends."

Zeo and Lana's mouths turned into O's.

Another proof that Oliver never talked about the group – or me. Either way, it hurt din. It was like he was a whole other person when he was with them.

Zeo winced and turned to me. "I feel bad for you, being related to that guy."

"Mufasa," Lana said like a scold.

Mufasa? Weird nickname. Oh wait, I get it. Lion King kasi siya. Kinda funny.

Anyways, what Zeo Alcante said struck a nerve. Nawala pagiging shy ko instantly.

"That's okay," I told him, smiling innocently. "It sure beats being related to you."

I heard Frankie gasp beside me, while Lana burst out laughing and giving me a thumbs up. That was odd. She wasn't offended sa sinabi ko about sa boyfriend niya?

I looked at Oliver and saw him chuckling quietly.

Gosh, I just loved his smile.

"You got your brother's humor." Zeo nodded, looking impressed.

Deciding it was a compliment, I said, "Thank you."

Fortunately, bigla kong nakita si Matrix (Jesse's younger teammate) from afar. Nakaisip kaagad ako ng excuse to get away. I wasn't comfortable being here – being with them. I felt like I was invading something between the three of them kasi. I felt like an outsider.

And I didn't like it. I didn't like the feeling of being an outsider with Oliver. It reminded me of how much we got close before, how I thought I knew all there was to know about him.

But then later finding out that I was only deluding myself. The truth of the matter was, it was impossible to break through his walls. I didn't like thinking that there was that side of him na hindi ko maabot, no matter how hard I tried and how close we got.

"Um, una na kami," I declared. "I just saw a friend."

"Paolo?" Oliver asked.

I shook my head. "No, someone else."

His expression changed and his eyes grew dead cold. Just a smidge, though.

"Michael?"

"Matrix, actually," I said slowly, a little confused at why he suddenly brought up my ex's name. "Alright, bye!"

I turned to leave but my eyes found Oliver's, making me halt for a second. It was like may sinasabi siya pero nakaka-frustrate kasi hindi ko ma-gets whatever it was. Alam mo yun, I've watched his facial expressions so much na most of the time I could read him na pero there were still times like this na wala talaga akong idea.

We stared at each other for a moment before I moved again and left na talaga. I even heard Lana's farewell, but I pretended na hindi ko narinig.

Gosh, I'm so awkward talaga.

"Hey, san tayo pupunta?" Frankie said.

Nagising ako. I immediately stopped walking. Nakalimutan ko na where kami pupunta. Saan nga ba again? I saw someone e. Sino ulit?

Oliver's chinito eyes...

Oliver's cute smile...

Oliv – Stop! Concentrate, Angelica!

Ah! "I saw Matrix," I finally answered, looking around until I spotted him.

"Oh, cool! Where?"

I nodded to a tall figure grinning at us. "Ayun oh."

"I'd give anything to see Jesse's face when he finds out you mingled with Alcante," said a deep voice behind me, sabay akbay sa akin when he caught up beside us.

I rolled my eyes. "Sabi mo nga, 'what's the big deal?'"

Paolo laughed. "Alam mo sagot diyan. 'Di ba, Matrix?"

Tumawa din si Matrix. I shot him a look, causing him to smile sheepishly at me.

We were in the same year, kaya I could act very casually around him. I ignored the fact na medyo adorable yung look niya tonight. He could really pull off that boy-next-door thing with his clean-cut hair and fresh-looking face.

"Sorry, Gel," he said. "Tama si Paolo. Baka nga he'll shoot the messenger pa e."

"Kuya's laidback," I countered. "I doubt he'll do that."

Paolo snorted. "Not when it comes to you."

"Dude's right," Frankie whispered.

I sighed. Honestly, tama sila about Jesse.

Overbearing? Yes. Suffocating? Yes. Did I still love the buffoon? Sigh. Yes.

My eyes wandered around the huge crowd forming along Largo Avenue, not wanting to think about my big brother anymore.

Ooh, start na ng race. Nakita ko agad yung blue car, making me smile slightly. Then I saw Zeo and Lana on the sidelines, my eyes settling on the girl.

Kanina, I wanted to dislike her. Horrible, I know. Kahit naman ako ashamed sa iniisip ko earlier e. I really wanted to see something that would make me dislike her – anything to prove that she didn't deserve someone like Oliver.

But I was proven wrong. She was so genuinely nice. Yung aura niya, nakakasilaw. How could I hold a grudge against someone like that?

It made me wonder... For thinking like I did before about someone I barely knew, for being unfair and not giving her the benefit of the doubt na parati ko namang binibigay sa iba... was I the terrible one here?

If that was the case, maybe I didn't deserve Oliver either.