Halos ilang araw na rin ang nakalipas simula noong malaman ni Iya na binugbog ni Hanson si Jeremy pero hindi pa rin nababawasan ang inis niya rito. Nakapag-simba na siya't lahat over the weekend pero hindi pa rin siya kumakalma.

Ilang beses niyang kinumusta si Jeremy pero hindi ito nagrereply. Kapag naman tinatawagan niya ito, palaging out of coverage. Hindi naman niya ito masisi sa paglayo nito. Hindi pa man ito opisyal na nanliligaw sa kanya pero ganoon na ang napala nito. Paano pa kaya kung manligaw na nga ito o maging boyfriend niya?

She knew Hanson's a dangerous guy but she never thought that he would stoop this low just to have her. And she's not even his type. Ang hula nga niya, siguro ay interesado lang ito sa kanya dahil hindi niya ito pinapakitaan ng interes. Kumbaga, challenge.

Pero once na makuha na siya nito, mawawala na yung thrill. And he will move on to the next girl who caught his interest.

Thinking about it made her realize something. Siguro ay iyon mismo ang kailangan nya para tigilan siya nito. Just a chance. Maybe after a few days or a few dates, mawawalan na rin ito ng interes sa kanya.

So she deviced a plan to get rid of him.

She had to wait until Tuesday dahil absent ito ng Monday. And to make sure na hindi ito aabsent ulit kinabukasan, tinext niya ito, asking him to come to school because she wants to talk to him. Hindi ito nagreply so hindi siya siguradong papasok ito.

But he did come to school the next day. At pagkatapos ng klase, kinausap niya ito.

"Do you want to talk over dinner?" tanong niya.

"May pupuntahan pa 'ko," he answered curtly.

"Oh, okay." She noticed that he was cold towards her. Nagsawa na kaya ito kahahabol sa kanya? Kung ganoon naman pala, e di wala na syang problema. "Huwag na lang pala."

"Wait." Paalis na sana siya nang marinig niyang tumawag ito. "Ano ba kasi yun?"

"Look, kung may pupuntahan ka pa—"

"It can wait." Sa wakas ay ngumiti na rin ito. "Where do you want to eat?"

"Do you eat Korean food?"

Sa expression pa lang nito, alam na niyang hindi. Pero tumango na lang ito.

--

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, while trying to pick a piece of pork with his chopsticks. Mukhang iritado na ito dahil kanina pa nito gustong kumain pero hindi ito makakuha ng karne.

"I want to talk about us."

The pork that he was finally able to pick fell down on the plate. Tumikhim si Hanson saka kinuha ang tinidor na ipinangtusok sa karne. Saka ito pasimpleng tumingin sa kanya.

"Go on."

"I'm giving you a chance, Hans."

Napatigil ito sa pagnguya. He gave her a quizzical look.

"A what?" He seemed so lost.

"A chance. I'm giving you a chance."

Tumikhim ulit ito. "Okay." Okay? Nadismaya naman siya. She thought he'd be ecstatic. "So, girlfriend na kita?"

Nagkibit-balikat siya. "Yeah, I guess so."

"What's the catch?"

She frowned. "Catch? There's no catch."

"Nakakapagtaka lang kasi. After everything that happened, biga-bigla mo na lang maiisipan na sagutin ako."

"I guess it just took me a while to..." She bit her lip. Parang gusto niyang masuka sa sasabihin. "...t-to realize that I-I like you too."

It took a lot of effort not to grimace. Pinangilabutan siya dahil sa sinabi. Maybe in a parallel universe, she could hate him less. But not like. No. That's not even close to coomprehension.

Mukhang natuwa ito sa sinabi niya. Ngiting-ngiti ito. Gusto na nga niya itong pagulungan ng mata, hindi lang niya magawa. Ilang araw lang naman, pangungumbinsi niya sa sarili. Just a few days and he'll be out of her hair for good. Hopefully.

--

"No kissing. No holding hands. No hugs."

"Wala lahat?" dismayado nitong tanong. "Ano pa pala ang silbi na naging girlfriend kita? I'm a passionate guy, Iya. I can't live without kissing."

"Fine. Pero sa cheeks lang."

"Cheeks lang? Ano ka, bata?" reklamo nito.

Pinamulahan siya. "O-Okay. But let's keep the kissing to a minimum." Like zero times.

"What about dates?"

"Basta huwag weekdays." Inaasahan niya na after a week, makikipaghiwalay na rin ito sa kanya. She would even let him dump her. Basta pagkatapos noon, hindi na siya nito guguluhin pa.

"And don't tell anyone," dagdag niya. "Kapag nakarating 'to sa papa ko or kay Ken, lagot ako."

"So to top the no kissing policy, kailangan din na no telling? Seriously, Iya, what do you take me for?"

"Kung ayaw mo, e di huwag na lang."

Hans grunted. "Fine."

Nang matapos nilang kumain ay ito na ang nagbayad ng bill. Tapos ay inihatid naa sya nito. Gusto pa nga sana nitong hanggang sa tapat ng bahay nila, but she was quick to refuse. Mahirap na, baka makita pa sila ng daddy niya.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and waited for him to unlock the door. Alam naman niyang hindi ito gentleman, so hindi na siya umaasang pagbubuksan siya nito ng pinto.

He didn't unlock the door, though.

"Could you please unlock the door?" she asked in impatience.

"May nakakalimutan ka yata?"

She frowned. What does he want this time? As if to respond to her thoughts, he tapped his lips with his forefinger. Her cheeks turned pink.

"W-What for?"

"We haven't sealed the deal yet."

"The deal doesn't need sealing!"

Hans sighed then resigned to his seat. "Fine. I have all night to wait."

"Akala ko ba may lakad ka pa?"

"Bakit? Akala mo ikaw lang ang marunong magpakipot?" tanong nito ng nakataas ang kilay.

"I'm not gonna kiss you, Hans. Now, will you please open the door bago ko pa maisipang makipag-break sa 'yo?"

"A relationship that lasted for two hours. Wow, that's a record."

"I'm serious!"

"So am I," he replied. "I can wait all night. I'm not sure about you. What time is your curfew again?" natatawa nitong tanong.

She cursed mentally. Maya-maya lang ay hahanapin na sya ng daddy niya. Ano naman ang sasabihin niya rito? Pa, I'm stuck inside my boyfriend's car. He won't let me out because I don't want to kiss him good night.

Hinarap niya ito. Asiwang-asiwa siya dahil ang lapad-lapad ng ngiti nito. Talent na yata nito ang mamilit at mambwisit. Only child kasi kaya sobrang spoiled!

"Patayin mo muna yung ilaw," sabi niya rito.

She doesn't want to see the satisfaction on his face. Agad naman itong sumunod. Sighing, she reached for his face, cupped it in her hands and pulled him towards her. Smack lang! paalala niya sa sarili. The moment na nagdikit ang mga labi nila ay agad niya itong tinulak.

"O, yan! Now let me out!"

"Yun lang yun?!" reklamo na naman nito. "Ni hindi ko man lang naramdaman!"

"Oy! Three seconds din yun!"

"Yung pinakamaikling kissing time ko, isang minuto!"

"Smack lang yun?!" hindi niya makapaniwalang tanong.

"Natural, hindi," sagot nito.

"O, yun naman pala e. Sa 'kin kasi, smack lang."

"Hindi ko nga kasi naramdaman!"

"Ang dami mo na kasing hinalikan. Baka makalyo na yang labi mo."

"I could easily take advantage of you. You know that, don't you?" pananakot nito. She quikly covered herself with her shoulder bag. Maybe this is a bad idea. Dapat siguro ay hindi niya ito sinagot.

"I-I—"

He sighed. "Don't worry." He caressed her face with his fingers. "Ayaw ko ng pinipilit. Gusto ko responsive ang babae."

Lalo siyang namula sa sinabi nito. When he noticed that, he chuckled.

"Do you always blush that easily?"

"Pababain mo na kasi ako," simangot niyang sabi.

"Okay. Fine."

He unlocked the door, finally!

"Thanks."

"I'll see you tomorrow!" he said, waving cheerfully.

--

Kinabukasan...

"Uy! May flowers ka Iya o!"

Napatunghay siya nang magsalita si Aubrey. She saw Hans standing in front of her. May dala-dala itong isang pumpon ng bulaklak.

"Para sa 'kin 'yan?" tanong niya rito.

"May iba pa ba akong girlfriend?" nakangisi nitong tanong.

She blushed when her classmates ooh-ed.

"Kayo na?!" tanong nila.

"Just last night," sagot ni Hans.

Pinandilatan niya ito. Ano bang parte ng secret ang hindi nito naiintindihan?

"Pakipot ka pa, Iya e. Bibigay ka rin pala," Aubrey commented.

Hindi naging maganda ang dating sa kanya ng kumento nito. Pero hindi na lang sya sumagot.

Problema pa niya ang pagdadala ng bulaklak. Nang mag-lunch, sumabay si Hans sa kanila ni Ken. Masama ang tingin ng kakambal niya kay Hans. Lalo na nang makita nito ang bulaklak na dala-dala niya.

"Nanliligaw ka ba sa kapatid ko?" diretsahan nitong tanong.

She glanced warily at Hans. Baka bigla nitong sabihin na sila ng dalawa. Lagot siya!

"Yeah, I am."

"Itigil mo na," Ken told him. Una pa lang naman, alam na niyang ayaw nito kay Hans.

Hans just smiled. "Well, it's too  late for that."

Pinandilataan niya ito. "We're already—"

She kicked his leg.

"Already what?" kunot-noong tanong ni Ken.

"W-We already talked about that, Ken. I gave him a chance."

Napamaang ito sa kanya. "Seryoso ka? Di ba sabi mo ayaw mo sa kanya?"

"N-Nagbabago naman ang pagtingin ng tao."

Natigil ito sa pagkain. Mukhang bigla itong nawalan ng gana.

"Iya!"

"Sorry. Don't tell pa."

"Hindi ko na alam kung anong iisipin ko," naiiling nitong sabi.

"Ken, I think I'm old enough to decide for myself. Please, let me handle this."

"Bahala ka," he said in defeat.