"Welcome and enjoy our foundation day!"

I almost jumped when the confetti blew up along with the tune of the drum and lyres. Kanya-kanyang cheers na rin ang mga estudyante. The whole gymnasium was full kahit na ang ibang students ay nasa mga booth na nasa field.

I couldn't help but swallow hard. The memories of what we did last night came to me and I couldn't help but be teary eyed. Kasi naman... we managed to pull it off! As in me, Vench and his swimming team. Even iyong arts club gulat na gulat nang makita nilang ayos na ang lahat. They even acted like they were part of it kahit na ni isa sa kanila walang sumipot kagabi. Sure, they were part of the previous part but to take the credit and to act as if they were rightful to be given credit kasi natapos nila, pissed me off.

"Okay ka lang?" biglang sumulpot si Vench sa tabi ko. Huminga ako nang malalim.

We were in the backstage at kahit na hindi kasama si Vench at ang mga kasama niya sa production, I allowed them. After what they helped, they earned it. Mukhang wala rin namang problema sa iba kasi mukhang masaya pa sila.

For the first time, I didn't want Vench to leave me. I didn't want to be alone with the production. Naiinis ako.

"I'm fine. Uhh, okay lang ba talagang nandito ka? I mean, wala ka namang gagawin sa class mo?" I asked him.

Ngumisi lang siya at saka umiling. "I'm fine, okay? Wala rin naman akong gagawin doon." He chuckled.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Thank you," I sincerely said. His forehead creased as if it was such a miracle na hindi ako nagsusungit sa kanya. Umirap lang ako at saka umiling. Humalukipkip ako habang tinitingnan ang mga nasa stage.

"Congrats, Arts Club! Good job in meeting the deadline!"

"Thank you po!"

"Iba ka talaga, Ellaine!"

"Wooohh partida nakapanood pa ng meet! How to be you po!"

I heard their laughter echoing here backstage. I gritted my teeth. I was already pissed pero nadagdagan pa. Wow. Credit grabber. I honestly don't care about what they will think of me now. Kung hate nila ako, fine! Kung tingin nila bossy ako, fine. But at least, I was true to my commitment. I have been sulking for the past few days pero now, I just couldn't stand and look at them like everything's okay cause it's not.

"Hey, Miss Pres?" Vench called but I didn't listen. I fisted my hands as I looked back at them. Naka-circle pa silang lahat at sobrang saya pa nila sa mga papuri ng mga professor at ibang student.

I won't make a scene at baka madamay na naman si Vench, but I won't let them think na they did something kahit wala. It would be their conscience na. Bahala sila.

Nang makaalis ang ibang naroon at tanging taga-production na lang ang natira ay saka ako lumapit. Narinig ko pa ang pagmumura ni Vench nang sumunod sa akin. They were all smiling and quite proud of each other hanggang sa nakita nila ako.

Natigilan sila at saka tumitig sa akin. "Miss Pres," Ellaine said, smiling. I kept my poker face and looked at them one by one.

"Don't be credit grabbers. Kung may totoo mang successful sa pagkabuo ng foundation day, it would be the swimming team. Bakit kayo tatanggap ng credit kung hindi kayo sumipot kahapon. Ni isa sa inyo walang sumipot. It was the swimming team who did your job. They stayed up late just to finish that para hindi kayo mapahiya. If not for them, walang foundation opening ngayon dahil hindi niyo naman natapos ang stage. Walang pupuri sa inyo kasi hindi naman kayo ang gumawa talaga. Don't be a credit snatcher. Nakakahiya sa kanila."

And with that, I walked away. I was supposed to be in there to watch over everything, but too much na naman yatang tinapos namin ang gawain na sila dapat ang gumawa tapos sila ang naki-credit at hindi pa kami nakapag-enjoy. Tsk. I'm out.

"Where are you going today? Sama ako sa inyo." Lumingon ako kay Vench at ngumiti. His face was still in awe as if hindi siya makapaniwala sa mga nangyayari.

Napakurap-kurap pa siya at agad na napaayos ng tayo. Kinunutan ko siya ng noo.

"What?" tanong ko ulit cause he was reallt speechless.

He let out sigh and stared at me for a bit. I just looked at him, too, not saying anything. In the end, he smiled at me and tousled my hair.

"Congrats, Miss Pres," he said to me before giving me a smile like he was some proud dad or something. For some reason, I looked at him longer. That's when I realized na gwapo pala talaga siya. I mean, I now get why a lot of girls swoon to him. Tapos idagdag pa ang fact na para siyang walang pakialam. That just makes him more attractive.

He's annoying, but at that moment, I felt at ease with him. It was like finally, I felt like someone understood me other than my family. Naiyak tuloy ako. I felt teary-eyed, so I kind of looked away. Ngayon lang din nag-sink in sa akin how much I owe him for the past days.

After the scandal with Gab, I really thought na I would be a loner na for the rest of the school year. And that was fine with me... but then here comes Vench and his friends na kahit makukulit ay hindi man lang ako j-in-udge. We may not talk about it, they may not see it, I could sense it ever since pinasama nila ako sa kanila.

I suddenly felt ashamed dahil ang sungit ko kay Vench. He doesn't deserve all the bitterness that I have in life because of what happened with me and Gab. I sighed again before looking at Vench. He was still looking at me like he was just there, waiting for me to say something. I bit my lip and couldn't help but pout.

"Thanks... for everything."

His forehead creased. "What?"

I shrugged. "Thank you for everything. I am not saying anything but I'm really thankful for you and your friends. You're annoying, but I won't deny that you've been really helpful to me the past few days, and for that I thank you very much...salamat..." I sincerely smiled at him. He wasn't able to answer immediately. I even saw him smirk after.

He shook his head and tousled my hair again.

"Tss. No problem. Sabi ko sa yo, eh, nandito lang ako. Matagal na akong nandito, Resche. You're the best president... minsan bossy ka nga at tactless." He laughed. "But that doesn't mean that you're all that. You care for the student government, and I can see that. Plus, I could see how much you try not to be the same bossy Resche, so that's a good start, huh. I know leading a school can give you a lot of pressure, and I totally understand. Nobody is perfect, Resche. No leader is and will ever be perfect."

Hinaplos niya ulit ang aking buhok. Hindi ako makapagsalita. Suddenly, I felt like my cheeks just heated. I swallowed hard and heaved a sigh. I bit my lip and gave out a small smile.

"Thank you ulit," mahinang sabi ko. He chuckled again.

"No problem."

Napakurap-kurap pa ako nang bigla niya akong akbayan. My heart skipped a beat. Shocks. What the hell?

I calmed myself because I felt like my heart just went rouge! I cleared my throat and slowly moved away from him. "Uhh so, do you have something to do?" I asked him out of nowhere. He looked at me intently. Next thing he did was that he was already smirking. Mas nilapit niya pa ako sa kanya!

My gosh! What is happening with you ba naman kasi, Resche! So weird! Why are you so nervous! Ughh. I rolled my eyes and tried my best to get these feelings off my chest because it cannot... ughh whatever!

"Hmm, wala naman. Ikaw ba? Busy ka pa rin ba?" tanong niya pa.

I pouted a bit and just shrugged. "No I'm not. Bahala na sila roon. Wala naman sila kagabi," sabi ko pa at humalukipkip. Tinawanan niya lang ako. Tumango-tango pa siya at saka hinila na ako para maglakad.

"Sige, sama ka sa amin? I'll be with the boys though." I looked at him.

"Where are we going? I mean saan tayo tatambay?" We started walking. Nagkibit-balikat siya.

"Ewan. Tara puntahan muna natin iyong mga gunggong." He laughed again. I just rolled my eyes again. Hinayaan ko na siyang hilahin ako paalis ng gymnasium. I smiled to myself and shook my head. Hila-hila niya naman ako. The next thing I knew, nasa may locker room na kami ng swimming team.

We stopped and I immediately creased my forehead at him. "Wait ka lang diyan, puntahan ko ang mga gunggong," natatawang sabi niya pa. Bahagya naman akong natawa at napailing na lang. Humalukipkip ako at saka hinintay nga siya roon. I pressed my lips together as I waited for him. When he got in, narinig ko agad ang super ingay na namang mga lalaki. Gosh. They are so chaotic.

Hindi ko sila masyadong nakasama kagabi kasi inis ako at focused nga sa ginagawa namin, but I saw how they were so energetic kahit na galing pa silang swim meet. I saw how they bonded and they were really fun to be with. It was so nice lang.

"Hoy, gago!"

"Aray, tang ina mo!"

"Sa booth na kasi tayo!"

"Erp sa kain na tang ina, tomguts na ako!"

"Hoy, hoy, teka lang iyang mga katakawan niyo! Hi Miss Pres!"

I couldn't help but laugh when they all stopped because they saw me. Nasapo ko na lang ang aking bibig. Like a master, Vench then walked towards me. Humawi naman sa dalawa iyong mga kasamahan nila sa swimming team. It was like there was a red carpet for him as he went to me. I bit my lip as I contained my laughter. Nakasunod naman sa kanya sina Brice at Landon na pawang nakangisi rin.

"Oh, edi tahimik kayong mga ungas kayo," sabi pa ni Brice. Nagbulungan ang mga kasama nila at nagbulungan pa ang mga ito. Napailing ako. Mabilis na nag-iwasan ng tingin ang mga kasama nila.

Ang dami pala nila sa swimming team. There were like 10 then plus Vench, Brice and Landon, so yeah. Vench went to my side. Nagtikhiman naman sila na para bang mga nabilaukan. Napailing ulit ako.

"Ang iingay niyo. Sasama si Miss Pres sa atin kaya tara na at gutom na rin ako," Vench announced. Agad na naghiyawan ang mga kasama niya.

"Iba ka, Master! Ikaw na!"

"Sana all close si crush!"

"Hoy gagu!"

I don't know why but I suddenly felt my cheeks heating up when I heard that. Nagkatinginan pa kami ni Vench kaya it became more awkward! My gosh!

"Ehem. Uhh tara," sabi niya pa at saka ako hinila. Sumunod sa amin ang mga kasama nila at para kaming nagpa-parade papunta sa mga booth. Pinagtitinginan na nga kami but I was too busy laughing with Vench's teammates to be even bothered by the stare that they were throwing at us. Panay lang kasi ang tawa namin dahil ang kukulit ng mga kasama ni Vench. Nilibot pa namin ang buong booths sa field after naming kumain ng street foods kanina. Yep, iyon na ang lunch namin.

"Uy, doon tayo mga par! Lezzgo!" I heard one of them say. Parang mga batang nagtakbuhan sila ng mga kasama nila papunta sa basketball booth. I couldn't help but laugh again. Naiiling na lang si Vench bago ako hinila para na rin sumunod sa kanila.

"Here." Binigyan ako ni Vench ng bola. Sumimangot ako.

"Hindi ako nagba-basketball," sabi ko pa. Ngumisi lang siya at saka mas diniin sa akin ang bola.

"Come on, halika na. It's fun!"

"Vench! I don't know nga!"

"Tuturuan kita! Dali!"

"Ugh! Whatever!" I rolled my eyes and hinayaan na lang siyang hilahin ako para maglaro kami.

"Woohh! Naks naman talaga, Master!"

"Sana all!"

Napairap na lang ulit ako nang marinig ang kanilang mga cheer.

"Alright, here," sabi ni Vench habang pumupuwesto sa likuran ko. I heaved a sigh as I felt my cheeks heating up as I felt his presence behind me. I swallowed hard when he assisted my hand to the angle of the ball.

I pouted and tried to listen to him kahit na parang ang distracted ko. Kasi naman, e!

"Then angle it like that." He continued to guide me. "And shoot it." I let go of the ball and because Vench was almost the one doing it, na-shoot iyon. Hiyawan ulit ang narinig ko sa mga kasama namin. Napailing na lang ulit ako. I bit my lip and got another ball. Kalaunan, na-enjoy ko na rin iyon.

It was a day full of laughter. I don't know how it happened but I was really happy being with them. Kahit na inaasar nila ako at si Vench, still, it wasn't that awkward. May moments lang talaga. But the overall experience and being with them, it was just amazing. Ang saya sa pakiramdam. Nilibot namin ang buong school tapos ay naglaro at nanood kami ng mga laro.

Now nga ay nasa football field kami.

"Lez go, ABM!"

"Go, go, go STEM!"

Kanya-kanyang cheer ang mga strand kaya pati kami naki-cheer na rin.

"Woohh!" I shouted and even laughed at Vench's friends na nagsasabunutan na.
"Your friends are chaotic!" I said while laughing. Ngumisi lang ulit si Vench at sumandal sa aking balikat.

"Hmm, pasensyahan mo na. They're not as prim and proper as you like," bulong niya pa. Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko at agad siyang binalingan. Umalis siya sa pagkakasandal sa akin, nakangisi pa rin.

"Prim and proper, huh?" I asked. He chuckled and just shook his head.

"It's fun to be chaotic sometimes, right?" he fired. I couldn't help but laugh and just shook my head. I shrugged.

"Guess so."