"Are you just gonna focus on your new phone and not actually eat? I mean, your shots are beautiful but please eat." Winona said to Lilianne, who is now just on her phone after she tweeted about their lunch. They are all sitting around a table in their school cafeteria.

"I agree with Winwin," Tristan said, mentioning the nickname they have given Winona. "And we should go back to our class in less than 20 minutes so you better hurry."

"Oh, come on. This is not just a phone, this is Blackberry. It has a keyboard and it is touchscreen! Plus I can use Twitter in it." Lilianne said promoting her new phone.

"Really? That's so cool! I only use Twitter on our desktop." Tristan replied.

"I know right! The old phones with only keypads cannot." Lilianne agreed.

"I still can't believe touchscreen phones are a thing now." Winona said.

"I'm planning to buy a phone that only has a touch screen without a keypad." Lilianne replied.

"Maybe if you should eat now, you can buy that." Winona joked which gained a hearty laugh from the two.

"Okay, ma'am." Lilianne banter as she put her phone in her pocket and started eating

——

They just sat on their respective seats after hurrying from the cafeteria when their teacher entered their classroom. Good thing they were not late.

"Good afternoon, class!" the teacher greeted which gain a response from the class.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Brown!"

"Do you know what day it is today?" Mr. Brown asked.

"February 1, 2012!" the whole class answered.

"Correct! It is the first day of the month of love. For today's activity, I want you to write a love or appreciation letter or it could be a poem to someone in this class." Mr. Brown announced that receives different reactions from the class.

Some complain, some are excited. Lilianne is contemplating. She looks at the right side of the room where Tristan is seated. He is the first one that she thought of after hearing the said activity.

"It could be a friend or a significant other. You will read that in front of the class before giving it to your classmate." Mr. Brown added as he is now distributing a stationery paper to the class "Write it here. I am giving you 20 minutes."

She now receives the paper. Is this the right time? She thought to herself. The right time to confess?

She has always been crushing on his best friend, Tristan. Nobody else knows except for her. She doesn't want to tell Winona too because she's afraid that it might ruin the friendship of the three of them. They were friends from kindergarten until now that they are in 10th grade and she doesn't want to ruin it just because of a petty crush. What if Tristan doesn't feel the same? It will be all awkward for them.

As if Mr. Brown is hearing Liliane's mind, "This is now your chance to confess to your crush." he joked which receive a laugh and tease from the class

Maybe this is really her chance. Mr. Brown gives her courage to express her feelings to Tristan as she grabs her pen and starts writing a poem.

"Five more minutes. If anyone's finished, you can present it to the class now." Mr. Brown said

Lilianne looked at the poem she just wrote. Is this it? All her hidden feelings for him through the years is just narrated is three stanzas that can be read in less than five minutes.

She heaved a deep breath and was about to raise her arm when someone do the same thing. "Me, Sir!" It's Winona.

"Okay, Winona. In front of the class." Mr. Brown ordered.

The class set their eyes to Winona as she stands in front of the class. Lilianne wondered who Winona was writing to.

"Dear Tristan," Winona started. The class is now looking at Tristan who is surprised to hear his name.

For some unknown reason, Lilianne feels uneasy. I mean, Winona is just writing an appreciation letter to their friend, right? What should she be anxious for?

But she is writing to the same person and it is not just an appreciation letter – it is a confession letter. Or more like a confession poem. She inhales and exhales as she focuses her attention on Winona.

"We have been best friends since we were kids and you know how much I love you." Winona pauses reading when the class starts to tease both of them. Mr. Brown told the class to stop and pay attention in silence as Winona continued. "And now, I am writing this letter to you to say that I don't just love you as a friend but more than that. I see you as a boy that I truly adore."

Lilianne's world stopped. Winona is still speaking but it feels like her ears cannot listen anymore. She looked at her paper. She can't do this. It feels like she's betraying Winona!

She needs to write another one. She can't think of anyone to write to but maybe to Winona. Just not to Tristan and most especially, not a confession one!

Lilianne wanted to ask the teacher for another paper but she waited for Winona to finish speaking. She doesn't want to be rude.

"Love, Winona." Winona ended and gained cheers from the class

"Woah, that was intense." Winona smiled at Mr. Brown's comment "You can give it now to Tristan."

Winona walks towards the direction of Tristan while the class is still hysterically teasing them.

When she finally gave it to Tristan, Mr. Brown spoke "How about you, Tristan? Can you read what you wrote in the class?"

"Uhm, wait. I'm not yet finished. Just one last sentence." Tristan replied as he quickly wrote something in his paper before leaving his chair. Winona gets back to her seat as Tristan stands in front of the class.

"My bestest friend," He started. "We have been best friends for a long time. I know that we are like sisters and brothers. I tried to ignore my growing feelings for you but I just can't. You're not just a best friend to me. I want us to be more than that."

Tristan pauses for a while when the class's teasing gets louder saying that the letter he is writing for is to Winona and they should start dating now.

Lilianne feels like she's out of breath. You can call her a bad friend but she is wishing that the letter Tristan is reading is not to Winona.

"Class, be quiet! Respect your classmate." Mr. Brown rebuked as the class obeyed. "Tristan, continue."

"I don't want to beat around the bush. I-I'm in love..." Tristan stuttered at the last part while the class was anticipating for him to finish. Tristan cleared his throat as he spoke again. "I'm in love you, Winona Roberts."

The class once again cheers for the two of them as it is now Tristan's turn to give his letter to Winona.

Lilianne doesn't know what to feel. She cannot look at her two best friends. Why is this happening to her? She wants to rip off her paper but she doesn't want to make a scene.

When the class was already back to a quieter ambience, she raised her hand to get the attention of the teacher.

"Yes, Lilianne? Are you finished?" Mr. Brown asked.

"Yes, but can I have another paper?" Lilianne responded.

"Why? You said you were finished. Why need another one?"

"I just want to rewrite my letter."

"It's fine. Let's save trees. Just read what you wrote to the class."

She was about to protest but the class is already encouraging her. She looked around the class and everyone was looking at her and waiting for her to stand. She made a little eye contact with Tristan but she broke in immediately.

"Go, Yanyan!" Winona cheered

"Okay," Lilianne had no choice. She stands from her seat and walks to the front. She inhaled deeply and started reading, "To my dearest friend, this is a secret I have been keeping. My heart for you is weeping."

She paused for a while. Is she really gonna do this? Will she embarrass herself in class? Will she confess to the guy who just confessed to another girl?

No, she will never do that. They are her friends. She does not want to ruin their relationship. "My beloved, thank you so much for everything. The laughter, the pain, and the in between. This poem for you, I am dedicating." she skips to her last stanza

"Long story short, I love you, T–" she paused, "To myself, be strong, I love you. Always and Forever, Lilianne Parker." she made up the last part.

Some of her classmates laughed because she is writing herself a letter. "Class, what's funny? Self love is important. Don't you love yourself?" Mr. Brown said which made the laughter subsided "You may go back to your seat now, Lilianne. That's a good poem." Mr. Brown said which Lilianne follows. "Is there anyone who also wrote a poem? Go in front of the class now."

——

Dismissal time. Lilianne is walking in the hallways of their school together with Tristan and Winona like the usual. The only difference is, the two are now holding hands which gives Lilianne a pang in the heart.

They exited the school gates and were about to turn where the way towards their neighborhood is, Tristan and Winona stopped walking. Lilianne noticed it and faced them, "Why?"

"We are not going home yet. We're sorry we haven't told you yet." Tristan apologies.

"Why? Where are you going?" Lilianne asked

"We're going on a date!" Winona squeals

Another pang in Lilianne's heart.

She was shocked, yet she smiled to hide the pain she was feeling. "Wow, that's so cool! So, you two are a thing now?"

"Yeah? I still cannot believe what happened earlier. It feels surreal." Winona said as if she is dreaming.

"Everything happened so fast. My mind is still processing that." Tristan agreed.

"So, I'm a third wheel now?" Lilianne jokes

"No, don't think like that! We're still friends." Winona said.

"Yeah, I hope this doesn't change our friendship. I hope this is fine with you." Tristan

"Sure, of course! I was just joking. I'm really happy for the two of you." Lilianne lied. She is mourning for her feelings deep inside.

"Aww, thank you so much!" Winona thanked Lilianne as she hugs her.

"Can you go home alone? We can walk with you first before we go on our date." Tristan suggested.

"No, please. I don't want to ruin your first date. I can handle this. It's not like I don't know our way home." Lilianne laughed.

"Okay, we should go now. Take care!" Winona bid goodbye.

"You too! Have fun!" Lilianne farewelled as she walked on a different path from the two.

Her smile instantly faded the moment she turned her back from them. She gulped an imaginary lump from her throat preventing herself from crying.