I glanced outside when I heard loud noises. Tiningnan ko ang orasan at napagtantong dismissal na pala. I sighed and looked at our professor who's still busy pairing us up on our upcoming activities.

"de Guzman and Hermosa, you're the last pair." I stopped writing when I heard the other surname. Guzman?

"Sir! Bakit sila ang pair? Ang unfair naman po, mga matatalino 'yang dalawa eh." I heard of my classmates said. I closed my eyes and sighed.

I don't want to be partnered with him, too.

"Kung gusto mong pumasa sa subject ko Villanueva, umayos ka. Dismissed, see you next week." Our prof said as he leave.

I stood up and was about to go out when I felt someone tugging my shirt. I look around and saw the man I hate the most. Julian.

"What?" I asked him.

"Ayokong maka partner ka. I can do the project alone." He said while fixing his hair.

"Look, de Guzman. Ayoko ring maka partner ka sa project na 'to. At dahil ayaw mo rin naman akong maging partner, might as well I'll make my own project." I told him.

"Good."

"But I'll tell prof Villadesma about it." I told him. He looked at me at kumunot ang noo niya.

"Don't you dare Eliana." he said.

"Sasabihin ko sa kaniya na nag-iinarte ang ka partner ko. You know de Guzman, just tell me. Madali naman akong kausap. Oh baka naman ayaw mo talaga kasi natatakot ka na malamangan ka?" I told him and chuckled. "Don't worry de Guzman, hindi naman kasi ako tulad mo na selfish. 4th year college na tayo, grow up." I said and left him there with his friends.

•••••••••••••

Three days has passed pero hindi pa rin nagkikibuan ang dalawa. Which made Julian frustrated dahil hindi naman siya pinapansin ng partner niya. On the other hand, Eliana is busy making list on what they should do on their project.

"Dude, puntahan mo na kasi si Eliana. Ilang araw na lang, pasahan na ng project." His friend, Kai, told him.

"No, Kai. Ayoko. Hayaan mo siya ang maghabol sa akin." he said while munching his food. Humagalpak ng tawa ang dalawang kaibigan niya dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. "What the hell is funny?"

"You." he heard a voice behind. He looked around and saw Eliana. He sighed. Here we go again.

"Uy! Hi Eliana! Ganda mo ah." Jerome said. Kumunot ang noo ni Julian. Jerome looked at him and pouted. "Eto naman, nag compliment lang eh."

"What now Eliana?" he asked. Naglapag si Eliana ng papel sa mesa niya. He looked at it and looked at Eliana, who's infront of her.

"Tomorrow. After class, I'll see you at your house. Buy those stuffs I wrote down in that paper. Bye." she said and with that she left.

"That damn girl is annoying me." he said. 

"She looks hot tho." Kai said out of the blue as Julian glared at him. 

I'll make sure she'll regret this. 

••••••••••••

I was on my own to Julian's house. Umuwi na muna ako sa bahay para iwanan ang iba kong libro. They were heavy.

Nang makarating ako ay may body guard sa labas ng gate. I looked around the house and was amused dahil sobrang laki pala talaga ng bahay nila.

"Sino hanap nila, miss?" The guard asked me. I looked at him and smiled a bit.

"I'm Julian's classmate po. Is he here?" I asked.

"Ikaw ba si Eliana? Kanina pa si sir naghihintay ma'am. Pasok ka po." he said. Kanina? Ang usapan namin ay 5:30 p.m. It's still 5:20 tho?

Ang arte talaga.

I went inside and saw him at the sala lying down the sofa.

"Ba't ngayon ka lang? I hate waiting, Hermosa." he said in a bored tone.

"Eh kanina ka pa pala naghihintay ba't hindi mo sinimulan ang project? Dami mong sabi." I said and put things on the sofa chair.

"Tss. Let's just start." He said and opened his laptop.

2 hours. Dalawang oras na ang nakalipas at matatapos na kami sa ginagawa namin. I checked the time and it's already 7:45 p.m. Medyo gutom na ako, at etong demonyong ito, ni kahit biskwit hindi ako binigyan.

Tangina.

"Will you stop munching loudly? It annoys me." I told him. He looked at me and stopped eating.

"Do you want me to slow down for you?" He asked. I didn't answer him instead I finished the last paragraph and print it.

"Ayan, natapos na ang project natin. Baka naman pwedeng makauwi na ako?" I told him.

••••••••••••

"What's the rush, Eliana?" Julian asked her. Eliana rolled her eyes for the nth time.

"I want to go home. Hindi ko kayang makasama ka sa iisang lugar, Julian." She said at inayos ang kaniyang mga gamit.

"Wow, you hate me that much?" He said. She stopped and look at him.

"Obvious ba?" she said and was about to leave the house when Julian stopped her.

"Hey! Wait! You haven't eaten yet!" Julian said. Eliana faced him and crossed his arms.

"The reason why I am leaving. Ako na nga ang nag-isip ng ideas, ako pa pina type mo. I gave you a paper, ikaw na bahala mag explicate nun, pero hindi mo magawa. All you did was to eat and munch like a pig." Eliana said. "Ni hindi mo nga binigyan ng pagkain. You are so freaking annoying!"

"Hey, Eliana! You're saying too muc—" he was about to say something when Eliana stopped him.

"This is what I was called for? You? Goodness gracious." She said and left Julian hanging.

The next day, Julian was waiting for Eliana outside the gate of the school. He admits he went too far last night. Bibigyan niya naman talaga ito ng pagkain, kaya lang umalis kaagad.

Natigil ang pag-iisip niya nang nakita niyang lumabas sa sasakyan si Eliana. He called her.

"Hermosa!" he shouted. He ran to her at sabay na silang nag lalakad ngayon.

"Don't talk to me. Everyone might think that we're friends, de Guzman." She said as she walked a bit fast.

"Aren't we?" He asked. Eliana stopped from walking and faced him.

"Stop messing my day Julian. Ke-aga aga namb-bwiset ka." She said and continued walking.

"If it makes you feel better, you can slap me. Lightly." He said. Hindi nag dalawang isip si Eliana at sinampal nga si Julian.

"Ouch!" he winced.

"I an just doing what you told me, Guzman." she said and smiled. "Kita tayo sa garden ngayong lunch. Let's reherse our presentation. Importante 'yun so you have to be there. Bye." she said and left.

Lunch time. Eliana is on her way to the garden. She already bought food for herstelf at umupo kaagad.

Julian came a bit late kaya naman pinagalitan na naman siya. Their routine continued for 2 weeks.

At sa 2 weeks na iyon ay maraming nangyari. Eliana was curious on why Julian is being soft to her. Hindi naman dapat ganoon dahil para talaga silang aso at pusa kung mag-away.

Ang sabi naman ng kaibigan niyang si Lottie, ay crush daw siya nito. Which she never believed dahil hindi naman talaga totoo ito. Julian loves teasing her. They hate each other.

Pero, sabi nga nila diba? The more you hate, the more you love, Eliana.

Eliana laughed at that idea. Kinalibutan siya sa isiping iyon.

Naputol ang pag-iisip niya nang makita ni siya Julian sa harap niya.

He tilted his head as he smiles.

"Just..." God, why did she feel like this? So, shy? "Just why are you here?" she asked.

"Date tayo!" he suddenly said. She was speechless. Julian still have that smile on his face.

"D-date? Ha! Sorry but I have to go home and laugh at that idea." she said and drink her tea.

"Grabe naman 'to. Ayaw mo ba akong ka date?"

"Are you even hearing yourself Julian? Gusto mo akong i-date? For what?" she asked.

"I like you, Eliana." he said which made Eliana's heart beat faster. She couldn't think straight.

"Huh?"

"I like you, Eliana Hermosa. Noon pa." her eyes widened.

"Alam mo J-julian, gutom lang 'yan siguro. Oo, you should eat." she stood up and grabbed her things. "Kita na lang tayo bukas, for our last rehersal sa presentation."

At naiwan sa garden si Julian.

•••••••••

Nandito kami ngayon sa tambayan namin Julian everytime we have our rehersal. Last day ngayon, at bukas na ang presentation sa project namin.

Kung nagtataka kayo kung ano ang project namin, pinagawa lang naman kami ng blog at website at kailangan pa naming i-present lahat ng 'yon.

Kaya naman umabot kami ng 2 weeks dahil sa website namin. I was busy scanning my notes when I noticed Julian. Sobrang tahimik nito, kanina pa. I sighed.

"How's the website?" I asked him. He was serious looking at his laptop.

"Good." he replied shortly.

"Galit ka ba?" I was annoyed.

"No. Are you?"

"Hindi." I said. He just shrugged and continued doing his work. I sighed.

Dahil ba 'to kahapon? His confession? Damn.

"Are you mad because of what happened yesterday?" I asked him. He looked at me for awhile at bumalik ang atensyon niya sa laptop niya. "Look, I was shocked, okay? You were so serious yesterday."

"Seryoso ako, Eliana. Seryoso ako sa iyo." he said coldly.

"S-sabi ko nga." I said and cleared my throat after. "O-okay. Tomorrow. After our presentation. Let's have a date." I said and scratch my head.

"Really? You mean it?" Happiness was evident on his voice. I nodded and smiled.

The next day, I went to school early dahil may presentation pa kami by 10 a.m.

We had classes first before we presented our projects. Kami ang panghuli. I was shaking. Gumagana naman ang website, natatakot lang ako dahil alam kong malaki ang expectation ng prof namin sa amin ni Julian.

Top students. Laging nasa honor roll.

When it's out turn, Julian suddenly grabbed my hand and squeeze it. I looked at him and smiled.

"We'll be fine." he said. My heart beats fast.

Okay, I'll admit it.

I like Julian de Guzman.

Natapos ang presentation namin at syempre, pinuri na naman kami. I was happy. Lunch time. Julian and I went to a restaurant where we can eat and celebrate our success.

Nag order na siya and here we are waiting for the food. Julian cleared his throat. I looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you for cooperating, de Guzman. Our project was a success." I told him and smiled. He smiled back.

"Thanks to you too. I can date you freely now, right?" he suddenly asked. I was taken a back.

"Date? As in always na tayong magd-date?" I asked.

"Yeah, and I'll court you too." he said.

"Hindi ba masyadong madali, Julian? People might—"

"People will talk. Let them. Their opinions mean nothing to me." he said. I nodded.

"Are you sure about me, Julian? Maraming magagandang babae sa school nat—"

"I don't expect you to change. I don't want to." he said. "You know everytime you make me angry. I fantasized about you."

"Shut up, de Guzman. Nakakadiri." I said and laughed. "Are you sure you want this? There's no turning back now." I asked him.

"I should be the one asking you that, are you sure now?" he asked. I nodded. He smiled.

"I guess this mean that we have to stick to each other now, hm?" he asked. I chuckled.

"If you break my heart, I will deny everything and erase you." I told him.

We laughed and shared the food together.

I guess it's not bad falling for your enemy, huh?