Chapter 2
THE PROM

Noah didn't encourage me much, but it was still worth it. One glance was all it took to send shivers down my spine.

"Coreen..."

I almost jumped from my seat when someone poked me and called my name. It was Noah. My heart skipped a beat upon seeing him. He ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up, and making the scent waft toward me.

Act normal, Coreen. Chill! Breathe in! Breathe out!

I couldn't blame Reina if she froze every time she saw Yñigo. It was a normal reaction when you saw your crush. But the thing was, she had many crushes: Benjamin, Yñigo, Nash... The list went on and on. But for me, there was only one. I swallowed a few times before I dared to respond to him.

"Yes?"

I wonder if the time would ever come when I didn't have to ask him why he was looking for me. I would just know that he was looking for me because of me.

"Can you give Reina's excuse letter to your teacher? She won't be coming in today. She's sick," he said.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked him, but I couldn't hide my excitement.

"Flu. Don't worry about her. She'll be all right." He smiled and tapped my shoulder lightly.

My heart melted. It was a small gesture, but it made me fall in love with him all over again.

I had always imagined what would happen when we were together. I've always daydreamed about being friends with him. He wasn't an  easy object of affection in real life. He was too focused on his music that everything else faded into the background. It was all he could think about. He avoided girls so I knew that there was never going to be anything more between him and Muse—a crush maybe. But then again, it was a huge deal for me that he had a crush. Apart from Muse, I didn't think he would be interested in anyone else.

"Go, Noah!" I cheered loudly when he performed again during our school's festival.

I was glad he noticed me this time, because I had been screaming my lungs out. He smiled. Of course, I died. That's how it always went with him, you know—a little response from him and I'd fall again right away.

"Coreen, thanks for the support." My heart jumped when he said that after their gig.

"No problem. It was all for you..." I smiled.

He scratched his head and lowered it. I caught his eyes, and noticed his cheeks had turned red.

"Oh, okay..." he said and turned his back. "Bye."

Whoa! I jumped up high! I saw it. I saw it. I saw his cheeks turn red. He was embarrassed. I had an effect on him. Oh, my God!

That was why I kept on working hard. I updated my wardrobe and hairstyle. I didn't have pimples, but I visited the dermatologist more often to make sure my skin was flawless.

In Grade 10, something crazy happened to me. Prom night was coming up for the 11th and 12th graders.

"I wish Miguel would invite me," sighed Reina. We were sitting inside the classroom. There was a commotion outside, but I had chosen to stay inside the room and stare blankly into space.

"Coreen..." one of my classmates called me. "Hmm?" I lazily answered him.

"Come here for a sec," he said.

My brows furrowed. "But why?"

"Just come here quick!"

He and two of our classmates looked excited to see me at the doorway.

"Reina, wait for me," I told her and stepped out of the room. Outside, people were preoccupied by something happening down the stairs.

"What's happening?" But the people were already pushing me to go down. "What's going on?" My voice went up a bit, but they were just laughing at me.

I thought I saw Noah leaning on the wall downstairs. He was talking to Warren, Stan, and Joey. While talking to them, Noah glanced my way as if they were talking about me.

"Go, Stefan!" I overheard them teasing.

Oh my! Is this it? My jaw dropped upon seeing the red balloons, flowers, and tarpaulin printed with the words: "Please be my date, Coreen Samantha R. Aquino."

I covered my mouth as the girls screamed excitedly.

"You're so lucky!" they said.

As I was looking at shy Stefan, about to approach me, holding a bouquet, a piece of paper fell right by my foot. I looked at where it came from and saw the noisy girls, waiting for me to answer Stefan. I bent down and picked up the piece of paper.

Say no, Coreen. And be with me. -Elizalde

I looked at Noah, who shook his head before he turned his back on me. Without a second thought, I turned down Stefan. In their disappointment, the onlookers' world, it seemed, came crumbling down; but I felt my world was bursting with new life.

"Finally! Noah's inviting me to the prom," I excitedly told Reina, shaking her by her shoulders.

"Ouch! For real?"

She sounded unconvinced. Do I sound like I'm joking?

I gave her the letter. She frowned.

"This is Rozen's handwriting," she confirmed.

I took the letter back. She shrugged.

"It's from Noah. I saw him shake his head while Stefan was proposing to me," I insisted.

Reina and I argued, but in the end, I stuck to what I knew was true. It would be embarrassing to check with Noah so I secretly smiled to myself.

I prepared my gown. Everything. My batch's prom wouldn't be happen until next year, but the last thing I expected to happen was going to this year's prom with the ultimate love of my life.

"Hey..." I felt goosebumps rise on my arms when Noah visited me in the classroom.

I was pretty sure my envious classmates would get more envious now. My legs trembled as I faced him.

"Uhm..."

"Prom's tomorrow. Our driver will pick you up," he said.

I nodded and smiled. "No problem. Okay," I answered and then he left.

I woke up early the next morning to prepare for the prom. I readied the camera, my gown, sandals, and makeup.

"Coreen, can you give this to Noah?" Mom said, handing me a gift.

"Okay," I answered happily.

"That boy is really nice, isn't he? I think, among the siblings, he's the most earnest," Mom added.

I felt proud of Noah. Even my parents praised him. "I mean... I know Reina's doing her best, right?" "Yes. I'm actually helping her," I admitted. Mommy and Daddy looked impressed with Noah. He was in a band, but he still got good grades.

He was one of the top students in Grade 11.

I changed into my gown after my makeup artist finished applying my makeup. I heard a car park outside our house.

I thought Noah was picking me up, but it was a driver.

"Where's Noah?" I asked him after sliding into the backseat. "He's already in school," he answered.

I nodded in disappointment then waved goodbye to my parents as we drove off.

I was so happy. I felt like I was going to my own wedding, and Noah was waiting for me at the altar. I couldn't wait for us to finally be together. I was on cloud 9.
But when I arrived at school, I was running late. Gosh! Everyone was already inside. I hurried in. I didn't wear a nice gown and put on makeup just to miss prom all because I was late.

There I saw Noah, wearing a black coat and tie. I waved at him. He nodded back. I waited for our names to be called to enter and walk on the red carpet. My heart was beating so fast.

"Stefan Andrei Cruz and Careen Fuentes," the emcee called.

Stefan took his date to the red carpet. I was really impressed at how our school organized this prom.

"Noah Reigan Elizalde and—" I positioned myself near the stairs in front of Noah.

Noah seemed surprised by what I did. Someone nudged me to the side. Our gowns brushed against each other.

"—and Trisha Roncesvalles."

I froze from where I was standing. I felt bullets of cold perspiration on my face while I was looking at the two of them walking on the red carpet. Then they sat beside each other.

I'm not Noah's date? I felt someone approach me and grab my hand. My heart broke into a thousand little pieces. He's not... Noah's not my date. I was stupefied.

"Rozen Gaiser Elizalde and Coreen Samantha Aquino."

He smirked at me. His diamond earring sparkled in the light. "You... You tricked me!" I yelled at him.

I knew he was evil incarnate, but I didn't know he would go this far.

"I didn't." His smile grew wider, his face contorting into a weird look that would freak anyone out.

I took my hand back and left him alone. I picked my gown so I could run fast. I couldn't go home yet. My parents would know what happened between me and Noah. I needed to go somewhere else— somewhere not here.

I'm so embarrassed. I genuinely thought that Noah would be my prom date, but I was so wrong. It was Rozen all along.

"Coreen! If you didn't want to go to promo, you could have just told me. We can always go somewhere else," Rozen said. I didn't know the monster was following me.

"I hate you so much!" I yelled at him as I wiped away my tears. I stopped running, allowing him to catch up with me. "I hate you so damn much!" I said, hitting his chest weakly with my fists. "You fooled me! You made me believe that I was going out with Noah— not you!"

"So what?" He laughed. "Am I not big enough a challenge for you as my brother?"

"You're a playboy, for Pete's sake! Stop this, Rozen!" I screamed at him.

"So, even though I'm a playboy, I'm still not challenging enough for you? I dare you to make me fall for you, Coreen. I promise I'll make it challenging enough for you."

"Why would I do that? I get nothing from that!"

Shit! I continued wiping off the tears that wouldn't stop falling down my cheeks.

He offered his handkerchief to me. I rejected it and continued crying in the Plaza Maria Clara Garden. We were standing in front of a fountain. I should leave. All I wanted to do was cry all my anger and annoyance away.

"I hate you so much, Rozen Elizalde," I told him over and over again.

He lowered his head and reached for my face. He sat near the fountain and wiped my tears using his handkerchief.

"What do I have to do to make you fall in love with me?"

I glared at him. He can't be serious, right? He couldn't look me straight in the eyes, and focused on wiping away my tears that wouldn't stop falling down my cheeks.

"Damn... You're so beautiful," he said, then sighed.