"You shouldn't have said that." I told him once we entered the trike. He looked at me in confusion. "Why? Wala namang masama sa sinabi ko diba?" He asked. I looked at him. I can feel the tension between us. I don't know why but it's just that I can sense that there is something wrong. Although I am delighted by his confession earlier, I don't feel it right since there is a humor with him and Trixie being together. I can't ask him 'cause I don't have the right. I can't demand it since I'm not his.

"I can... I can see you just as a friend, Colin." I don't know if it's just my imagination but I saw pain passing through his eyes. With all the thoughts running in my mind, I couldn't tell it. I don't want to add another stress to him, especially that the election will happen tomorrow.

He just nodded. "I can work on that." He simply answered and smiled at me. I looked away. How could he work on that when he never denies the fact that he and Trixie are together?!

I didn't answer him. I kept the silence between us and so did he. I arrived at our home. I didn't look back at him. I even heard him say goodbye but I didn't answer him. I don't know. This situation between us became so confusing day by day.

That night became heavy for me. I shouldn't have said that to him. Election na bukas. Hindi na dapat ako sumabay sa mga isipin niya. Perhaps, I should say sorry tomorrow? Tonight? No. He might be busy tonight. But tomorrow feels like forever! I can't sleep right now! I need to talk to him. Why is he not messaging me? Is he mad? Maybe he doesn't want to talk to me anymore.

"Fuck this is so confusing." I cursed myself.

Dumb and sleepless. That's how I look after that night thinking of him. Today's the election. I don't know if I should approach him. Maaga pa pero hindi ko na siya hinanap. I didn't even receive any message from him last night. Perhaps, I made him upset or mad or confused or maybe he's starting to avoid me-

"Stella!" Someone cut off my thoughts. I was walking in the hallway when someone called me. I looked back and saw Carlo waving his hand running towards me. "Hi! Good morning." I greeted him. "Sobrang formal mo naman! Good morning din! Botohan na ngayon diba?" Masayang bati niya. I nodded at him. I even look back hoping that he's with someone. "May hinahanap ka? Si Colin ba?" Tanong ni Carlo. I looked at him. Halos sabay na kaming maglakad. Maraming napapatingin sa kaniya dahil bukod sa may itsura siya ay kilalang mayaman ang pamilya niya. Son of the Governor, that's Carlo.

"Wala naman." Sagot ko sa kaniya. Mukhang hindi siya naniniwala sa sinabi ko kaya inirapan ko siya. "We're not okay. I think I made him upset yesterday." I honestly said.

"Upset? Si Colin? Upset? Sayo? Nako kahit ata sakalin mo 'yon magpapasalamat pa 'yon sa'yo e'!" Sagot naman niya saakin. Napakunot ang noo ko sa kaniya. "Kaya pala badtrip ang gago kagabi." He whispered but it reached my ear. "Yeah. Do you know where is he? I just want to talk to him." I said. Nanlaki ang mata niya sa sinabi ko kaya napakunot lalo ang noo ko. "Nako, h'wag muna. Hayaan mo siya. Kasalanan niya naman kaya siguro kayo nag-away." Sagot niya sa akin. "No. It's really my fault-"

"Una na ako, Stella. Punta ka na lang sa auditorium mamaya after ng botohan!" He cut me off again. Wala na tuloy akong ibang choice kundi ang dumiretso sa room. Maaga nagsimula ang botohan since there are thousands of students na boboto at isang araw lang ang eleksyon. Probably by tonight maipapakilala na ang mga nanalo.

Afternoon starts at senior high na ang mga naboto. Sa gymnasium ang venue. There are students assisting the voters, in our school we called them the COMELEC. Per section ang voting para mas organized. By batch din ang pasok sa gymnasium.

I am sitting at the front still thinking of where Colin was. The COMELEC member is explaining the proper way of shading the ballots. We were given one ballot per student. And right at the top of my ballot is the name of the man who keeps running on my mind.

PRESIDENT

o COLIN YMIER VELASQUEZ (ACTS)

o SHAUN RICO MELECIO (CHAMPS)

I shaded the circle beside his name. I voted for those candidates who are deserving to be in that position. Those people who are genuine public servants.

Almost 5PM when I reached the auditorium. Kanina pang 2PM tapos ang botohan. I was in the last row of the auditorium near the exit. I just want to know if he's okay. I know that he'll win but he wanted all of his team to win the election.

I saw him and I was ready to approach him when Trixie hugged him on his waist and held his arm. I can only see their backs. Looks like they are talking to someone but I can't see who. I shouldn't be here. I can feel this heavy feeling inside me. Someone's supporting him right now and she had all the right to demand and do those kinds of things to Colin since she was his girlfriend.

Gathering all my stuff I put on the chairs and ready to open the damn door when Carlo opened it from the outside. For fuck sake!

"Uy Stella, kanina ka pa? Aalis ka na?" He asked while looking at me. I just nodded. I don't really have the energy to talk to someone right now. "Nakausap mo na si Pareng Colin? Ayun oh nasa baba." He pointed to Colin. I just looked at where Colin was. Trixie is beside him. Halatang nag-uusap na sila. Wala na ang nakayakap na kamay ni Trixie sa braso ni Colin kanina.

"Huy, Colin! May naghahanap sa'yo!" Nagulat ako sa biglang sigaw ni Carlo. Halos napatingin lahat ng tao sa kinatatayuan namin. Colin looked at us and arched his brow when our eyes met. Shit! Tangina talaga ni Carlo. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin nang makitang nagsimula siyang maglakad papunta saamin. Trixie looked at us. She looks... upset? Natataranta akong tumingin kay Carlo bago ngumiti at patakbong tinungo ang pinto ng auditorium. Buti na lang at nakalabas na ako roon. Rinig ko pa ang sigaw ni Carlo sa akin na bakit daw ako aalis.

I was trying to walk faster than I could. I can even feel the slight pain on my foot since maghapon ko nang suot ang heels ko. Hindi rin ako makatakbo dahil pakiramdam ko matutumba na ako in any moment.

"Fuck this thing." I stopped when I reached the hallway. I tried to remove my heels and massage my foot a bit. Nagulat na lang ako nang may lumuhod sa harapan ko. It was Colin!

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. He held my foot and massaged it gently. The pain is slowly fading. He didn't answer my question. Patuloy lang siya sa pagmamasahe ng paa ko.

"You shouldn't be here. Tuloy pa rin ang bilangan. They needed you there." Pagsasalita ko ulit. Ibinaba niya ang paa ko bago tumingin sa akin. "HIndi ka dapat nagmadali sa paglalakad. Tingnan mo nagkapaltos ka pa." He said worriedly.

"I'm sorry." Maiksi kong sagot. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya. Hindi ko kayang titigan siya. "Forgiven. Kahit hindi ka na mag-sorry." Doon ako napatingin sa kaniya. Ang nakakunot kong noo ay lalong lumalim nang nakita siyang nakangiti. "Masaya ka?" I asked him sarcastically. "Oo. Nag-sorry ka e'." He chuckled kaya hinampas ko siya sa balikat. "Kasalanan mo rin naman!" Paninisi ko sa kaniya. Kaya lalo siyang natawa.

"After nito. Tatakbo naman ako bilang boyfriend mo." Seryoso niyang sabi. I can feel my heart beating faster and louder. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa kaniya. I can see the sincerity in his eyes. Ganito naman palagi ang nararamdaman ko tuwing tumitingin ako sa mga mata niya. I always felt that his eyes were hypnotizing me. Ramdam ko ang kaba sa sarili ko. Wala akong mahanap na salitang maisasagot sa kaniya kaya nanatili ang katahimikan sa amin.

"Uwi na tayo?" Pag-aya niya sa akin. I couldn't think straight kaya tumango na lang ako. Bigla naman s'yang tumalikod sa akin at lumuhod. "Sakay ka sa likod ko." Sabi niya kaya nabigla ako.

"Kaya ko naman." Sagot ko sa kaniya. Obviously, tinatanggihan ko ang alok niya dahil baka mahimatay ako sa hiya. "Masakit na ang mga paa mo. Baka lumala pa 'yan." Sagot naman niya. Nagulat pa ako nang alalayan niya ang mga paa ko at kuhanin ang mga sapatos ko. I was now barefoot. Tumalikod uli siya sa akin kaya wala akong nagawa kundi ang sumakay sa likod niya. He held my knees gently and I circled my arms on his neck. He even carried my shoulder bag on his one arm together with my shoes.

"Mabigat ako. We might fall." Nahihiya kong saad. I felt him chuckling. "H'wag kang mag-alala bago ka mahulog, nauna na ako." Sagot naman niya kaya hinampas ko siya sa balikat. "Stop joking! Kapag ako nahulog dito lagot ka sa akin!" Banta ko sa kaniiya. "Kanina mo pa ako sinasaktan ha! Pasalamat ka crush kita." He suddenly confessed. Kaya nanlaki ang mata ko.

"Did you just confess to me?" I asked him. Napatawa naman siya bago at bumulong. "Tangina di pala halata." I heard it since our faces are near to each other. "Shut up." Dahil sa hindi ko rin alam ang sasabihin ko ay pinatigil ko na lang siya. Pakiramdam ko ay mahihimatay na ako sa kahihiyan kahit hindi naman ako ang umamin sa aming dalawa.

We reached the campus parking lot and saw his motorcycle. Ibinaba niya ako at isinuot sa akin ang mga sapatos ko. "Okay lang ba na rito tayo sumakay? O sa tricycle na lang?" He asked me while handling his helmet. I nodded before accepting his helmet. Akmang kukunin ko na iyon nang siya mismo ang nagsuot sa akin nito. "Are you going back here?" I asked him while fixing his helmet on my head. "Secret." Nakangiti niyang sagot. I rolled my eyes since wala naman siyang maayos na sagot sa akin. "Sakay na, Miss. Ihahatid na ang prinsesa." Pang-aasar pa niya kaya tinarayan ko siya lalo. "Cute mo." Sagot naman niya. Trip niya ba talaga akong inisin ngayon?

Inalalayan niya ako bago siya umakay. HInawakan niya ang kamay ko ang siya na mismo ang nagpulopot nito sa bewang niya. "Kapit ka sa akin. Baka mahulog ka edi kikiligin naman ako n'yan." Panloloko niya sa akin kaya kinurot ko siya sa bewang. "Baliw ka ba? Edi namatay ako if ever mahulog ako here!" Singhal ko sa kaniya kaya tuwang tuwa siya bago paandarin ang motor.

Nakarating kami sa bahay nang matiwasay. Hinubad ko ang helmet at inayos ang buhok ko. Iniabot naman niya sa akin ang bag ko bago isinuot ang helmet. "Tawag ako sa'yo mamaya." That's not a question nor request. He stated his words like I don't have any choice but to answer his call. I arched my brow. "How do you think I'll answer your call?" Panghahamon ko sa kaniya. Ginulo niya ang buhok ko bago nagsalita. "Syempre para sabay nating malaman ang results." He chuckled. I nodded and realized that he'll go back to school and wait until the results out.

That night, he called me at almost eight in the evening. He said that the results are out. We waited until COMELEC announced it. Nakavideo call iyon kaya kitang kita ko siya habang nakatingin sa unahan. His background is still at the auditorium. I can see Carlo sitting beside him. He even waved his hand to me.

The COMELEC starts announcing those who won in the lower positions such as those grade level representatives. Some of his team lost the election. He hugged his fellow candidates comforting them. I even heard him say na walang nasayang sa mga lumaban. He told them na patuloy ang magandang serbisyo. Despite the results of this election, he kept pushing his fellow young leaders to become better public servants. Indeed, he's a great kuya for them.

The lower positions are now done and the announcer proceeded to the higher positions. Luckily, it was dominated by their party. HIs vice president won! I saw Rica, their vice president, hugging Carlo who's eyes were wide in shock.

"And the president for this academic year..." I can feel the sweats on my hand kahit na alam kong mananalo si Colin. Nakatingin pa rin siya sa unahan at seryosong pinagmamasdan ang mga resulta.

"Continue your service, Mr. Colin Ymier Velasquez." Pinal na anunsyo ng tagapagsalita. I closed my eyes thanking God. Pakiramdam ko ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag sa sinabing iyon. Nagsisigawan ang nasa kabilang linya at niyakap siya ng mga kasamahan niya. Tuwang tuwa lalo na si Carlo kaya napatalon pa siya habang inaalog si Colin. I laughed dahil ending ay hinampas ni Colin si Carlo dahil sa kalikutan.

He looked at me. Bakas na bakas ang saya sa mukha niya. I mouthed congrats at lalo siyang ngumiti. "Thanks, Miss President." He said. We bid goodbyes and goodnight before ending the call.

That night, I felt better. No more confusing thoughts...

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