"Because I've waiting for you, wait for this.
Dream to come true, just to be with you"
-Mayonnaise

*****

I rolled my eyes when I noticed a guy staring at me. He looked like a complete fool, nakatayo na parang timang habang nakatitig sa akin. Almost every student around was busy with their own lives. Some were still in class, trapped by professors who could talk endlessly with their past experiences, while others were eating as they waited for the gates to open. And I couldn’t understand why this guy’s stare was so intense when everyone else seemed too wrapped up in their own business.

Mukha ba akong kawawa?

I'm now standing near the campus' main gate. I've been sitting here for almost thirty minutes, dito sa batibot, which is parang waiting area na rin namin kapag uwian.

My brows are practically touching in frustration since the gate is taking forever to open, and the heat only makes it worse. I keep pacing back and forth between the main gate and the second gate, checking if it’s finally open, but wala. Laging Malas. Napapagod lang ako kakabalik.

“Kuya guard, 4:30 na. Open mo na 'yong gate!” narinig kong sigaw ng mga junior high school students sa likod na— tulad ko, mukhang irita na rin dahil sa init.

Because of that, I immediately glanced at my phone to check if it was really 4:30. But I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw that it was only 4:15 pa lang. Mga loko-lokong bata!

In an instant, the guy who was staring at me lately stepped closer to me, walking with such arrogance as if he owned the place. His smirk and the way he looked at me were infuriating, making me feel like wiping that smug expression right off his face.

“Hey, I’m Clyne. Nice to meet you!” even his tone dripped with confidence, as if he could have me with just a snap of his fingers.

Tinignan ko siya na parang wala akong pake sa presence niya sabay balik ang tingin sa gate.

“You looked like my ex. Can have we date?” after he said that, a slow, smug smirk spread across his lips. I looked at him, both annoyed and a little shocked, my brows furrowing in disbelief. Taking a steady breath, I slowly raised my hand and flashed him my middle finger.

I won’t ever let myself be his rebound. I know my worth too well for that. I refuse to be someone’s backup just because I remind them of their past love. Besides, I have no desire to date a guy like him. I’m not naïve enough to ignore the warning signs. Early red flags are already a sign.

“Hindi ka pa ready?” hirit niya. “If ayaw mo, fubu na lang tayo? Maraming babaeng tulad mo na mabilis mahulog sa guy na like me.”

Hindi ko siya pinansin.

“You should be proud. Sa daming babae na narito. You are the winner. Nakakairita nga ang iba. Ang dumi manuot ng damit. Labas dibdib. And your fits got my attention. I love conservative one.”

Biglang kumulo ang dugo ko sa narinig. Tumingin ako sa kaniya na parang ubos na ang pasensiya.

“If you think it’s so easy for you to get women just because of your looks, please, have some compassion for them. I'm not misogynistic enough to judge the women who fall for you so quickly. I can’t help but wonder what your parents taught to your sister, “magdamit siya ng maayos para hindi mabastos,” habang ikaw na lalaki, wala. It’s sad that it’s the women who are being lectured by your parents at hindi ikaw na dapat pigilan ang libido ang rumespeto.”

Tumingin siya sa akin nang masama na parang naapakan ko ang ego niya. The flirty look of him quickly became anger. Tinignan niya ako mula taas hanggang baba habang magkadikit ang kilay.

“Tama naman sila. To be honest, kaya kayo nababastos kasi nagpapabastos kayo. Ang pagpakita niyo sa lalaki ng katawan niyo is like a door opening to everyone.”

I looked at him as if I were about to annoy him further. His tone made it clear that he was extremely irritated by what I had said. Well, he started this, tatapusin ko lang.

“Kapag ba tinaga kita sa leeg. Hindi ko kasalan kasi hindi ka naka-turtle neck?”

I heard him curse under his breath. It looked like he realized he was beaten. He quickly averted his gaze and turned his back on me, trying to walk away.

Well, victory on you, Quezhia. You did well.

I let out a deep breath once he was far enough away. It felt like I was floating in the air, filled with joy, as a calming song played in the background. One man down, one man down.

"Pst, Miss Carter," It felt like the calming music came to a halt, and I fell back to reality when I heard a man’s whisper coming from behind me, causing my brows to furrow in confusion. Tang-ina talaga ng mga ito.

Base on what I heard, I recognized this voice . So, I won't turn around and I might even slap his face intentionally. Pinahiya niya ako sa harap ng classmate namin tapos pinamukha pa niya sa lahat na hindi ako ka mahal-mahal?

“Why? Have you ever been in love? Have you ever loved?” I mumbled, mocking at what he said earlier.

“Very good, Mr. Gonzales,” Sir Belindo praised him. Of course, oo, natalo ako. Buwiset kasi na Ethan 'to! Natanggal pa ang angas ko. “Okay class, let's give them around of applause.”

I shook my head and shot a glare at the teacher standing in front of the class. If only he hadn’t tried to show off by coming up with a debate, my life would still be peaceful. But now? It feels like I've been hit by a sniper, even though I wasn’t the target.

I rolled my eyes as I heard them clapping. Sir made us stand in front of him, and I noticed Ethan smiling at me—but I just ignored him. Everyone was applauding, but I knew all the praise was really for Ethan. Of course, lalaki, eh.

When a man achieves something remarkable, everyone praises him as if he's a rare phenomenon, fueling a sense of superiority—a confidence built on individuals that often lead to arrogance. Yet, when a woman outshines a man, her success is brushed aside, dismissed as if nothing happened.

Fuck this society's mindset.

"Okay, take a sit."

Plastic akong ngumiti kay sir Belindo sabay diretsiyo sa puwesto ko. I noticed that everyone is looking at me, laughing. Mukhang tuwang-tuwa sila sa nangyari.

"Kainis! Nagpa-debate pa kasi itong tao na ito. Natalo tuloy. Tapos si Ethan? He accused me na hindi kamahal-mahal," naka kunot noo kong sabi sabay padabog na umupo sa upuan ko.

Laking gulat ko nang tinignan lang ako ni April nang nakakaasar, kaibigan ko na laging nagpapakulo rin ng dugo ko.

Everyone seems to hate me, and I can't even figure out why. The only person who’s been there for me is April—my one and only friend on campus since we started high school. We’ve known each other since elementary school, back when we had a much bigger group of friends. But as we grew older, that circle slowly got smaller, and now it's just the two of us—and that's okay. April is fun to be around, and I genuinely enjoy her company as my friend.

"Alam mo na ba ang kasabihan?" she raised an eyebrow and gave me that mischievous smile—it could only mean trouble. "The more you hate, the more you love, gaga!" she teased, giving my arm a playful slap before bursting into laughter, na parang elephante.

The crowd went silent. Gulat akong napatingin sa kaniya, halos lahat kami nagulat sa tawa niya and even our boring professor caught her attention.

"Miss. Adelaide Prillene Bergonia, tawa nang tawa parang kinukurot ang puke!" sigaw ni Sir Mani habang naka kunot ang noo. He's the type of teacher na laging galit. Instead of being calm, lagi niyang dinadaan sa sigaw at pagpapahiya.

I admit, it was April's fault, but he had no right to embarrass her in front of the entire class. What made it even more infuriating was that he chose to use some inappropriate words while doing it.

April has this incredibly loud and infectious laugh, so even the corniest joke ends up being funny. Honestly, sometimes her laughter is way more entertaining than the joke itself. It’s hard not to smile when she gets going, but that doesn’t mean he should have treated her like that.

"Kung tatawa ka lang sa klase ko. Much better na lumabas ka na lang," dagdag ni Sir Belindo. Nakita kong napaurong bibig ni April at bakas sa mata niya ang pagkagulat. I felt bad for her.

"So-sorry po, Sir Belindo," April looked down at the floor as she spoke, her voice trembling. It was clear she didn’t expect that kind of reaction. Who would be happy na mapahiya, right? I could see the embarrassment on her face, and it made me feel frustrated for her. It’s tough to see your friend hurt like that, especially when she didn’t deserve it.

Sir Belindo was about to say something when his cellphone suddenly rang. He quickly answered it, and I could see him grinning like a fool at whoever was on the other end. It was almost amusing how happy he looked. A moment later, after they finished their conversation, he took a deep breath, and his stomach seemed to round out even more. It was clear he was in a good mood, but I couldn’t help but wonder what could make him so happy in the middle of class.

"Okay class, I have an urgent meeting. it means we have an early dismissal. Next group. Review your reports. Kayo next na mag de-debate," saad ni Sir Mani sabay ayos ng gamit niya at dali-daling umalis.

"Hey, Miss Carter," I was jolted back to reality by a comment from the guy behind me. I turned to look at him, my brow furrowed in confusion. But Ethan just smiled at me, so I rolled my eyes in response.

"Yes? Do you need something? And how can I help you?" I asked, sarcastically and I raised my eyebrow to look superior.

I know that’s not really me; I’m not the type to be mean or snobby. I just don’t like their approach. Just because he’s the SSG president, does he think he can act that way? Sure, he’s good-looking—definitely one of my types! But the way he treated me earlier? That’s a huge no for me. And isama mo pa ang the guy from earlier. Grabe. Mga lalaki talaga. Wala nang ginawang tama!

"Bukas na po kasi 'yong gate, alam kong uwing-uwi ka na po," biro niya sabay tawa nang mahina na lalong nagpataas ng kilay ko.

See? Insensitive jokes? Sino naman ang mahuhulog sa lalaking 'to? He's not even worth it to chase.

"Miss Carter?" he said it as if he finally came to his senses, probably because he noticed I was staring at him with a look that clearly said I wasn’t interested.

"Excuse me? Anong uwing-uwi na? May hinihintay pa nga ako, eh. . . boyfriend ko!" I lied about the last part and tried to act tough, but he just laughed and mimicked my expression. I couldn’t believe he found it so amusing. Nakakatawa ba iyon?

"By the way..." he looked away.

I took a deep breath, naiirita na. Tinignan ko lang siya mula ulo hanggang paa. But I my eyes stayed at his shoes.

Some says that if you feel uncomfortable with that person look at them and stare at their shoes, promise titigil sila.

Ilang saglit I heard him took a deep breath.

"uh, hindi po, speaking of you're not busy, how about let's go out and eat," he stuttered as he tried to change the subject, a nervous smile creeping onto his face. It was clear from his expression that he was a bit scared. I couldn’t help but feel a little satisfied at his reaction. It was nice to see him flustered for a change making it hard for me to suppress a smirk.

See? Confirm. Natakot yata sa kagandahan ko. Well, small things.

"You mean date, huh?" I clarified while looking into his eyes, but I quickly turned away when he met my gaze with a serious expression. A moment later, I felt a chill run down my spine as he leaned in closer to me. My heart raced, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. The tension in the air was palpable, and for a second, I felt completely caught off guard.

"Yes, it's a date po and libre ko na po," he continued to stare into my eyes while I pulled my face slightly away from him, feeling the tension building between us. I was acutely aware that even a small shift could bring our lips dangerously close to touching.

So, he's asking for a date? Pagkatapos niya akong i-joke time kanina, mag-aaya siya ng date? Ang kapal ng mukha?!

Anong oras ba?

Of course, magpapalusot ako. Hindi naman puwedeng magbabati kami agad, ano siya? Lucky?

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko sabay kagat ng ibabang labi, thinking kung ano ang sasabihin ko.

"Uhm... sasamahan kong bumili ng pocket book si April, ih," I excused myself, even though I knew April had gone home a while ago because she was embarrassed about what had happened. I hadn't even managed to find her. I had no idea how she managed to slip out of the gate so quickly.

"Edi isama po natin si Adelaide," he replied then he smile like a kid. "Treat ko po kayo."

Halos malaglag ang mga mata ko sa gulat. Natawa ako nang tinawag niyang Adelaide si April. Ni-halos biyakin niya ako na parang buko kapag iyon ang tawag ko sa kaniya.

I closed my eyes again, trying to think of another excuse. I felt completely cornered, with no choice but to go along with it.

I pouted a little, then smiled at him modestly as I opened my phone and tapped on the Messenger app. I pretended to open our conversation with April, hoping it would add some credibility to what I was saying. I was nervous, but I tried to keep my composure, knowing that I needed to come up with something believable.

"Uh, Ethan— na una na raw si April, next time na lang daw siya bibili since nawalan siya ng mood," mahinhin kong sabi, s'yempre with a touch of serious face para hindi ako mag mukha hindi kapanipaniwala, 'no!

He nodded and smiled like a good boy, and I couldn’t help but admire his features even more as the sunlight hit his face. The way the light accentuated his jawline and the warmth of his smile made him look almost irresistible. I found myself momentarily lost in thought, forgetting about the debate na nangyari kanina.

"Okay, then, let's go po," he said this as he stood up and grabbed my arm. I was about to react to his sudden behavior, but I had no choice but to go along with him since I didn’t really want to go home just yet. The last thing I wanted was to face the awkwardness para lang hindi ko makita ang mga tao sa bahay since I have a family issue.

Mabilis kaming nakalabas sa gate and he's still holding my arm. Para akong batang nakakabasag ng pinggan tapos dadaan sa mall na may mga babasagin na gamit.

"Where do you like to eat?" he broke the silence because we had been walking and no one had spoken.

We stopped walking when we reached the tricycle lane to look for a tricycle.

"Miss Carter, where are we going to eat?" he repeated while simultaneously grabbing my chin using his left hand, forcing me to look at him.

Naptigil ako. Ano ito?

"Uhm... ikaw bahala, sabi mo treat mo. So, it's your choice kung saan tayo kakain," I replied and smiled at him. Kitang-kita ko ang mukha niya ngayon, hindi kami gaano naglalapit since he's an introvert person, pero nag president ang gaga.

Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang hinawakan pisngi ko.

"Ang cute mo!" he squeezed it with his right hand and his left hand stayed at where it belong.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla akong namula. I didn't expect that! Malandi pala itong si Ethan?

"Gaga, saan tayo kakain?" pag-iiba ko sa usapan. And also para matauhan siya.

"Mag da-date," he corrected me. I turned to face the ground because for no apparent reason, my heart was currently thumping quickly.

Shit, ano itong nararamdaman ko? Dapat galit ako sa kaniya! Quezhia, itulak mo! Bakit nagpapaloko ka sa mga lalaking tulad niya?

"I'm craving sa pizza, do you want to eat po in Greenwich, though?" he asked. Bakas sa mukha niya na nahirapan siya sa pag-iisip kung saan kami kakain.

I nodded.

"Uh, sige... sure, sa Greenwich," I replied then I looked at him like an innocent child. I saw him smiled and at the same time he hold my waist and he pull it closer to him.

Mas lalo tuloy bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa ginawa niya.

Isang mapusok na gawain ito para sa kababaihan na tulad ko, hindi ba niya alam 'to?! Kung nabubuhay lang kami sa nakaraan baka pagkamalan na kaming malanding mag asawa sa kalye.

I cleared my throat and smiled as I looked at him. He bit his lower lip and released his grip on my waist, then scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish. "I'm sorry. I thought it was okay," he said, his tone apologetic. It was a little endearing to see him like this, and it made me soften my stance just a bit.

"Oh, sakay-sakay, kaya pa tatlo," saad ng tricycle driver dahilan para napatingin ako sa tricycle niya, pero napalaki ang mata ko nang makita kong apat na 'yong laman!

Gagawin niya bang sardinas ang pasahero niya?

Samantala, nakita kong dumeretso si Ethan sa kabilang tricycle at hindi pinansin 'yong isang nanghahakot ng pasahero.

So, no choice ulit ako at sumunod nalang sa kaniya. Nag mumukhang aso na 'ko dito!

"Kuya, Greenwich po dalawa. One hundred na, tara agad," saad niya sa tricycle driver na naka upo sa tricycle nito at mukhang nagbibilang pa ito ng mga pinagpasadahan niya. Nakita ko namang tumango 'yong tricycle driver kaya dali-daling kaming sumakay.

"What do you want to eat?" tanong niya sabay abot sa 'kin ng menu. Kauupo lang namin. Good thing we were lucky to have a few people today, because if marami tao we might be waiting for a table today.

"Hmm, ito lasagna chicken combo.” Itinuro ko ang napili. I saw him nod in agreement. He took the menu from me, likely planning to choose what he wanted to eat. I watched him as he scanned the options, curious about what he’d pick.

"What if someone is planning to court you, Miss Carter?" he asked, but his gaze stayed at the menu.

I looked at him in surprise, completely caught off guard. I never expected him to ask me that. I was shocked. Like, girl, hindi ako sanay sa topic na ganiyan!

Since I wasn't into the topic, I quickly brainstormed something to change the subject. The whole idea of love felt so cringe worthy at the moment. It seemed like he only brought me here because he wasn’t satisfied with our debate earlier and wanted to dig deeper into my thoughts.

I cleared my throat. "Just call me Quezhia na lang, Ethan. It sounds corny kasi to stick to last names," I said, hoping to shift the focus away from the previous topic. I noticed him shaking his head, but he kept his gaze on the menu, seemingly contemplating what to order.

"Sure, I’ll stop calling you by your last name, but I’ll just call you ‘mahal’ instead," he said, looking seriously into my eyes. I felt my cheeks flush at his words, taken aback by the unexpected  nickname na ginawa niya. It felt surprisingly intimate, and I wasn’t sure how to respond. Part of me wanted to laugh it off, but another part of me was intrigued by the way he said it.

"I was planning to court you, mahal? Payag ka ba?" he added but he remained staring at me as if he had found the courage to express what he had been thinking for a very long time. My heart suddenly beats abnormally. So, bunuksan ko ang cellphone para pakalmahin ang sarili.

"It's okay kung ayaw mo," saad niya sabay tawag ng waiter para ma-serve na 'yong order namin.

"Since the aim of courtship is to make you fall in love, if you decide not to accept me, I won't give up. I’m willing to take the risk," he said, looking at me earnestly. "To show you that I’m sincere about my feelings, I won’t stop pursuing you, even if there's no assurance. Because that’s what you truly deserve."

My cheeks turned red after hearing that. hindi ko alam ang sasabihin, leaving me confused. I was speechless. I had never encountered a guy like him before. Usually, when you tell a guy you're not interested, they just stop and start criticizing your appearance. But he was different. It’s true that if someone says no, you should respect that, but I was genuinely amazed by what he said. It was refreshing to see someone so sincere and willing to take a chance, and it made me question my own feelings.

Because he was still staring at me, my hand was shaking. However, the silence was shattered when a basketball player entered who appeared to have just finished practice.

"Uyy pre, swanty, oh... parang mama mary 'yong ganda," narinig saad ng isang lalaki dahilan para mapakunot noo ni Ethan, mukhang narinig niya rin.

"Tanungin niyo pangalan I-treat ko kayo," dagdag pa niya na mas lalong nagpakunot sa noo ni Ethan. Kahit ako ay napakunot ang noo ko sa narinig ko.

I feel so uncomfortable kapag may mga grupo ng lalaki na lalapit sa 'kin. Tapos asking for my name! Para tuloy akong pusang pinaliguan ngayon sa takot.

My pulse raced as I watched one of their companions approach me. Saka ko lang din napagtanto na kasama rin nila 'yong varity sa school namin, na si Zadoor. Crush ng buong campus dahil chinito kuno.

"Hey chix, what's your name?" saad ng lalaking lumapit sa akin, amoy na amoy ko siya, amoy araw ampota.

"You sound disrespectful, man. Stay away from her," Ethan chastised the guy, and he quickly backed off. I crinkled my nose at the lingering odor he left behind, feeling grateful for Ethan stepping in. It was a relief to have someone stand up for me like that.

"Gago pre, may jowa," I overheard the man who smelled like the sun. I saw everyone laughed, but Zadoor didn't. He just gazed at me like an idiot.

Nagru-rugby siguro 'to.

I sighed. Thank goodness Ethan was here. Without him, I didn't know what I would have done. I jumped slightly when he suddenly grabbed my hand, caught off guard by the gesture. It was unexpected, and I felt a rush of warmth spread through me at his touch.

"From now on, I’m always going to be by your side. There are still plenty of sleazy guys around," he said, his jaw clenching as he emphasized the words "sleazy guys." Was he jealous? The thought made me feel a mix of amusement and warmth, and I couldn’t help but smile at his protective tone.

"I wont let anyone na bastusin ka ng ganiyan," he added causing me to shiver unexpectedly.

Just like what Ethan said earlier, you never know when it’s time to love; your heart will tell you. And when it happens, you’ll end up eating your own words...

God, he seems to be right, and it looks like it’s happening to me now. I felt a sinking sensation in my stomach. You are doomed, Quezhia.

*****
I'm Getting Older While He's Not
#UnconditionalLoveSeries
-Kyahhhgorgeous