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Nakakahiya. . . sobra. That was what I thought as I recalled what happened when I said "I am open to relationships" over the mic. I was standing there, and probably, no one was paying attention to me at that moment. Buti na lang ay walang lumapit para kausapin ako. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko kapag nagkataon.

Oo, wala pang nag-respond, but later on, I doubted that someone will ever take the opportunity. Baka alam nilang may mga nagma-Mic-Taking talaga at nagsasabi ng gano'n dahil lang sa dare. Baka rin naman walang nakapansin. And. . . ako? Halata namang hindi ako magkakaroon ng gano'ng relationship. Si Abby nga, hindi na ako napapansin 'pag nandiyan na ang iba niyang mga kaibigan, and that's one of the problems I face when it comes to friendship. . . sa school. Romantic relationship pa kaya? Yeah, I know that this is just a place of lies, but of course, sino bang gustong maging partner ang isang tulad ko?

Hah, hindi nga ako maganda, e.

Napabuntong-hininga ako nang makita ko ang sarili ko sa salamin. I looked at the cubicles that were reflected by the mirror. They were all open and vacant, and because of that, I knew that I was alone. Ibinaba ko ang pouch ko sa gilid ng sink. Cleanliness is really observed here in Town in a Building. Nice.

I slowly removed my mask. I knew that I could get caught, and I could be the talk of the people here for hours because I took my mask off, but I didn't really know why I didn't care. I think. . . maybe it's because I am just a newcomer in Town in a Building, and they still don't know me. They won't care about me. . . not yet.

Nang makita ko ang mukha ko sa salamin, nahiya ako bigla, at hindi ko alam kung bakit. Nagdala naman 'yon ng agarang pagka-inis sa akin. Bakit ba hindi ko kayang tingnan ang mukha ko nang hindi nagki-cringe? Bakit kapag haharap ako lagi sa salamin, pakiramdam ko, ang pangit-pangit ko?

Agad kong naisuot ang maskara ko nang may narinig akong footsteps. Shit, shit, shit. Dala ng pagmamadali, sa ilalim ko na lang ng buhok ko ni-lace ang ribbon ni Cerulean imbis na sa ilalim ng kalahati. Habang naglalakad ako papuntang labasan ng restroom, hinagip ko ng tingin ang salaming nagpakita sa akin ng repleksyon ko. Ugh, why do masks look good on faces? ang pagtanong ko sa sarili ko nang makita ko ang maskarang maayos na nakalapat sa mukha ko.

Nakasalubong ko ang isang babaeng nakamaskara, of course, sa labasan, at iniwas niya ang tingin niya sa akin. Sa bagay. . . kahit ako ay umiiwas sa mga "blank" glances ng mga taong nakakasalubong ko randomly.

Nakita ko na agad sina Maddie at Lannie—ay, mali—sina Veronica at Paris na naghihintay sa akin. Nakatingin lang sila sa akin nang magsalita si Veronica.

"Okay ka na?" ang tanong niya na nagpatango sa akin.

"Saan naman tayo ngayon pupunta?" ang tanong ni Paris sa aming dalawa ni Veronica.

"Aba, aywan ko," I giggled. "Ako nga dapat ang itu-tour niyo rito, e."

"Sa baga—Cerulean, nasa'n 'yong—" Veronica said. "Nasaan 'yong dala mo kanina?"

"Ano—put—!" Agad akong napatakbo patalikod at pumasok na agad ako sa restroom na nasa kanan ko. I was about to reach for my pouch, which was near the sink.

"What the heck?" I mumbled after I realized that the pouch was not there anymore. My phone was in the pouch! So as the keys of our house. Ang bobo ko naman! Lalo akong nainis nang marinig ko ang sarili kong boses sa utak ko, at ito ang narinig ko: Idiot, restroom ng boys 'to.

Mabilis akong naglakad palabas ng restroom na pinasukan ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala! Ang huling nangyari sa akin 'yon ay noong mga eight years old pa lang ako. Damn, I'm almost 17, nangyari pa 'yon! I heard the most irritating tone of my voice in my head. Ang tanga ko talaga.

Napabuntong-hininga ako nang makapasok na ako sa restroom ng girls. Agad kong inabot ang pouch ko at lumabas. My feet were quick enough to get to Veronica and Paris in seconds. I grinned to forget the mistake I just did. And it still didn't help.

"Nakita namin 'yon," Paris laughed.

"Shh lang kayo," I said and grinned. . . again. "Grabe, akala ko nawala na talaga 'tong pouch ko."

"Na-check mo na ba ang laman niyan?" ang tanong ni Paris. As I was shaking my head, I opened my pouch and examined if anything was missing. Good, I thought as I saw nothing was lost.

"Don't pull your phone out of your bag, pouch, or whatever," Paris added.

"Huh? Ba't naman?" ang tanong ko, at naglakad na kami nang mabagal.

"Bawal makita ng mga tao ang mga phone ng kahit sino rito," Veronica said. "Madali kasing makikilala. . . lalo na 'yong mga lockscreen nila ay ang mukha nila."

I don't have my face in my lockscreen. Maybe I'm safe.

"They can also put spyware—external or even internal," Veronica continued while giving me Cerulean's Scrapbook of Moments, which I recently handed her. "Trust me—18 na 'ko."

Maddie didn't have to tell us she was already 18 just to have my trust. She already got my trust. Damn, she's even closer to me than I'm closer to my classmates.

Ramdam ko ang paglipas ng mga segundo habang naglalakad kami palayo ng washroom. Palapit kami nang palapit sa set ng mga couch na pinanggalingan namin kanina. I could still effing remember what I said for the Mic-Taking. Gago, nakakahiya. And all at once, I was unknowingly staring at the person who gave me that dare.

He was standing there, looking at the view the balcony offers him. No doubt, the sky soared above him and this building, but the view from my perspective was still breathtaking. The white doors that open to the rectangular balcony were not even a hindrance for me to appreciate the view. Chris's unmoving position was an example of beauty in stillness, and I had to admit. . . it was the kind of art I like to draw.

"Dear, nice titig over there," ang patawang sabi ni Paris.

"Chris Hartell pala tipo mo," ang bulong ni Veronica.

"H-ha?" Napatagal ang paglingon ko sa kanila dahil para bang ayaw kong pakawalan ang kagandahang kanina ko pa tinitingnan. Sa paglingon ko, wala na sina Veronica at Paris. Baka trip nila akong asarin ngayon, ah.

"Uy, 'wag niyo 'ko iwan dito!" ang napalakas kong pagtawag sa kanila. Hindi ko pa ikinagulat na may mga ibang tao sa paligid kong napatingin sa akin. Sa bawat paglingon ko, pakiramdam ko ay mas lalo akong nagmumukhang tanga. Pero I felt like I belong, e, and I did think I really did. Sa'n na kaya 'yong dalawang 'yon?

Kukuhanin ko na sana ang phone ko mula sa pouch ko nang naaalala kong hindi dapat ilabas ang phone kung nasa Town in a Building ka. Paano ko naman kaya malalaman 'yong oras?

"Hi," ang marahang sabi ng pamilyar na boses. Ah, I hate you, dear, I thought.

"Sa'n ba kayo nagpunta?" ang bigla kong tanong nang makita ko ang mga mask na pink at mauve na nasa mukha ng mga kaibigan ko. "Away niyo ba 'ko?"

"Hindi, dear," ang natatawang sagot ni Paris. "Nag-iisip lang kami ng paraan kung paano namin kayo maiiwan ni Chris mo."

"Chris ko? Akin? What?"

"E, alam naman naming gusto mo siya," ang banat pa ni Veronica. "Your secret is safe, Ce."

"Ce? Anong Ce?"

"Cerulean." Oh. Okay.

I glanced Chris's way once again. I felt a slight urge to be there, beside him to see the sky the way he could see it. It's slightly pink pa naman din. Hindi na makulimlim tulad kanina.

"Dear, okay lang sa'min, promise." Dahil sa sinabi ni Paris, napatingin ako sa kaniya agad. Sumenyas siya sa akin na para bang tinuturo niya si Chris.

"Ano?" I asked in spite of the fact that I knew what she was talking about.

"Lapit ka," ang bulong ni Veronica.

" 'Yoko nga."

Paris immediately yet gently took my arm and led my steps a little. The moment that I realized we were heading to the balcony, I felt my heart give my ribcage a few little punches. Few seconds later, I was already beside Chris. His fragrance reached my senses once more. Damn, that beautiful scent.

Ang lantod ko naman. . . .

Lilingon na sana ako sa likod ko nang marinig ko ang boses na alam kong gusto kong marinig pang muli.

"Miss, what time is it?"

I glanced at Veronica and Paris, and they were not beside me. . . but my attention was surely held by Chris at that moment. Wait, what?

"Pardon?"

"What time is it? Cerulean?"

Tiningnan ko ang wrist ko para makita kung anong oras na, at naalala kong wala akong suot na relo. Pero imbis na sabihin ko munang wala akong relo, I found myself asking something else.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked. . . foolishly.

"The sky is beautiful right now, gorgeous," he calmly said, facing me. "I would like to see the beauty of this type of sky everyday, so I want to know the time."

"I don't have a watch at the moment. And yeah, I agree. The sky is gorgeous."

When those words escaped my lips, he pulled a forbidden thing out of his pocket—his phone—in front of me. He also smiled as if I said something wrong.

"Bakit mo 'yan nilabas?" ang tanong ko. "Aren't you scared of any spyware?"

"Gusto mo bang. . . " he said, making my breathing pause for a while, "pagdudahan kitang naglalagay ka ng spyware sa mga gadgets ng mga tao rito?"

Of course, no.

"Ayaw ko, of course."

"Then why do you ask?" he stepped closer, and I didn't find it exciting. For the first time, I feared him. But it didn't change the way I see him. Okay, maybe, a bit.

"Nagulat lang ako," I said as the feeling of being weak took over me. It wasn't sad. It was just that his personality was overpowering mine.

"Naisip ko lang. . . hindi ka ba natatakot sa maaari nilang magawa sa'yo?" I added. "Baka kasi—"

His manly hand gently tapped my right shoulder. With an unpredictable smile plastered on his face, he fully turned to me and said, "I don't have to fear this town, gorgeous. I almost have this memorized."

"Yeah, this town is. . . gorgeous."

"No, it's you, gorgeous."

He called me 'gorgeous,' really. . . maybe because I am in a mask and my ugly face is hidden. In spite of that thought, I smiled back at him only to find him turning away from me to the metal railings of the balcony. His wild eyes were set on the sky we both find beautiful.

"Please don't be surprised by this question," I said, staring at the slightly pinkish sky in front of us that shows the prettiest clouds. "What makes the sky beautiful to you? Do you like nights better?"

"You're wrong."

"Then why do you like a sunset?" I asked with a somehow-close-to-funny tone.

"Because I like sunsets. And I like the sky's dominant blue shade," he said as if he was feeding me with words. "And when I like something, I don't easily see the things I quite don't like 'bout it."

Bahagya akong nagulat sa mga salita niya. Bukod sa meaningful ang mga ito, marami siyang sinabi. He opened up to you because you're too talkative and too irritating, my mind went.

I was dying to say the name of the dominant shade of the sky since my knowledge in shades and tints is pretty. . . good. I guess. I always wanted to paint, but I was always scared to see my first failing artwork in painting, so I stay in my medium—charcoal.

'Di nagtagal, nagsalita na rin ako.

"I know that dominant shade aside from pink. I won't tell you," I playfully (but not that playfully) said. The dominant shade of the sky was Cerulean, and. . . yes, that's my effing name. . . this mask's. I reckoned that he didn't know the shade's name, and that was a ridiculous act. My brain didn't even realize that he might have known that already and that he might call me "assuming."

Ang daldal, my mind scolded me with confidence-demeaning thoughts.

"I already know the name of that shade," he said. "It's your name, gorgeous."

"Oh, shit," I mumbled.

Quickly, I was trying to think of a thing that could take our minds away from the silly error I did.

I finally had a thought that he might take it as a joke because. . . this place is filled with lies.

"You like the shade Cerulean," I said with a crackless voice. "I like you."

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