15.

Avril's POV

Napatingin ako sa text ni Gerald kanina sa phone 'ko at sa media.

From: Gerald

There are medias outside our school. Careful. I'll explain later.

I dropped my phone at the passenger seat. He don't need to explain, I saw the tweet yesterday. And the nerve! They even mention my account!

Kanina pa ako nandito sa loob ng kotse 'ko. And it's already passed 7:00 in the morning, late na ako. Inuntog 'ko ang ulo ko sa manubela. How can I get inside our school without seeing by the media? Right! It's impossible. I have no choice.

I sighed and count numerous times in my mind before doing my troublesome decision.

Kinuha 'ko ang bag 'ko at ang phone 'ko atsaka lumabas ng kotse 'ko. The media's attention suddenly turned into mine. Dire-diretso lang ako pero within just a snap, pinagsisiksikan na nila ako. Great! I tried my best just to get inside our school, and when I did it hinarang na sila ng guards. I brushed my hair in frustration, isabay pa tong menstruation 'ko. *sigh*

I snapped back nang maalala kong late na ako. I ran as fast as I can and when I am on the room, nandun na ang teacher. I knocked on the door.

"Goodmorning ma'am. I'm sorry I'm late."

Nag-nod naman siya kaya pumasok na ako. I went to my chair beside Avah.

"Are you ok?" - Avah

I saw at my peripheral vision that Shan, Yanna, Kyla, Nika and Gab are throwing looks on mine. They look so worried. I looked at Avah and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I'm not."

"We already saw it." - Avah

"We're just friends." I mumbled.

I saw her smiled.

"Did I asked something?" She giggled.

Napatingin samin ang mga kaklase namin dahil do'n. Nagpatay-malisya naman kaming dalawa at lumingon pa sa iba. I glared at her nung nabalik na yung attention ng classmates namin sa teacher namin.

I can't focus on the discussion, I was distracted. Ugh.

"You may now take your break."

I stood up and arrange my things.

"Tara na. Gutom na 'ko." - Kyla

"You're always hungry." I joked.

They all laughed.

"Wala ka pala eh." - Gab

"Keri lang. Maganda naman ako eh. Hmph!" - Kyla

We all laughed again. Baliw talaga siya.

"Avril.."

I turned around and saw Gerald.

"Yes?"

"Can we talk?" He asked.

Napatingin ako sa kanila but they just looked at me teasily.

"Ehem. Makaalis na nga." - Shan

"Let's goo!" - Yanna

"Babyee." - Nika

I looked at him. And nodded.

"Uhh.. sa garden?"

I nodded again. I just followed him walking through the garden. I can saw that some students are looking on us at para silang kinikilig? Oh man!

Pagdating namin do'n sa garden, walang tao. No wonder favorite spot 'to ni Gab.

"Look.. I told you na may Press Conference ako next week diba?"

I nodded. bit my lower lip and tilt my head. Well, Just a hobby. He sighed and I can see the hesitation in his eyes. But aside from that, he's still handsome. I giggled in my mind. No wonder naging artista siya.

"My manager.. Manager Jay told me to bring you there and tell them that.. you're my girlfriend."

What the hell?! It's not making sense! And before I stop myself, I burst it all.

"Do you know how hard I get through from those media outside our school?! Do you know how conscious I was whenever someone is staring at me and murmuring something?! Do you know how irritated I was whenever I open my accounts and saw those bunch of messages bagging me?! Do you know that.. I feel like.. I have no privacy! And now you're telling me na you'll confirmed their story-maked issues? Do you even think na mas lalal--"

I stopped. I looked him. He seemed so sad. Guilt is written over his face. His happy-go-lucky ambiance was gone. She seemed so upset and.. hurt. I facepalmed in my mind. My questions! Gahd! Ofcourse nararanasan niya 'yun or maybe worse than that. I sighed.

"I-I'm sorry." I mumbled.

"No.. I was the one na dapat magsabi niyan sa'yo. I'm sorry Avril. I didn't intend to take you to this problem. I'm really sorry."

Napa-yuko siya. Now, I can feel the guilt. Mukhang nasaktan ko ata siya. No, nasaktan ko talaga siya. He's right, it wasn't his intention.

"Why?" I asked him out of the blue.

He looked at me.

"What.. do you mean?"

I sighed. And look directly in his eyes.

"Why do your manager want to tell that?"

He looked straight in my eyes and walked towards me.

"He told me that if I don't there are two possibilities who can ruin my career. First, it can ruin my Pretty Boy image into a Playboy or a womanizer because those pictures seems that were so sweet. Or maybe your image, some may think that you're a slut same way around. Second, it may happen both."

I stepped back as I saw his serious face. He has a point. Iba na ang isip ng mga tao ngayon. They making the small things one of the big deals even if it wasn't. They can think of it. Because they just judge without knowing the true story. Baka nga may sarili na silang ending. People these days..

I looked at him again at nakatingin rin siya sakin. It's like he's waiting for my answer. I sighed. Ang gulo! I don't know. I'm confused. Naguguluhan na ako. There are both positive and negative sides. I sighed. Goodluck to me.

"Gerald.."

I smiled sheepishly.

"Pu-pumapayag na.. 'ko."

× × ×

Gerald's POV

"How can we get out of the gate with that bunch of medias? Tinakbuhan pa ako nila Shan. Dinamay mo pa kasi ako eh."

I looked at her.

"Joke lang!" She told me and smile.

I saw him pout his lips while looking at the medias outside. Cute.

"Iwan kita dito eh. Kung di lang kita crush."

I chuckled in my own thought.

"Huh? What did you say? Hoy! You're planning to leave me here? At ano yang crush crush na yan?"

Napatalikod ako at napa-facepalm. Did I say it out loud? Dapat sa isip 'ko lang 'yun.

"Wala. I was just practicing my lines." I lied.

"What? You even practiced your lines here huh? Gusto ko ng lumabas. I'm craving for a strawberry ice cream."

Sa totoo lang, I have a bunch of disguises in my bag. Gusto ko lang talagang patagalin yung stay namin. I want to spent more time with her. Secret lang ah? Crush ko kasi siya eh. Pabayaan na lang. I slapped myself in mind. So gay.

"Can you tell me about yourself?"

She looked at me. Ba't ang ganda niya? Amp. Nakaka-inlove. What the? I'm really a gay.

"I'm sorry but I don't usually telling something about myself to the person I'm not close with. In short, hindi tayo close."

Ouch! She hit the word.

"Aw!" I hold my chest. "Grabe ka sa'kin. We should be close kasi lovers tayo." Then I winked. I laugh when I saw her blushed.

"Co-correction. Fake! Lovers." She whispered. I laughed even more when I noticed that her cheeks blushed even more.

"A-akin na nga yang ba-bag mo!"

I gave her my bag while laughing. After ilang seconds, I saw her smiled, then sumimangot at tiningnan ako ng masama. Uh-oh. Mukhang alam 'ko na kung bakit. Kinuha 'ko yung bag 'ko.

"Meron pala niyan diyan?! Hehe. Akalain mo 'yun?" Then I laugh awkwardly. She just glared at me.

"Psh. Mag-disguise na tayo. I really want to eat ice cream!"

I search for a disguise. Mapapabilis pa tuloy. Sayang! Tumalikod ako.

"Tapos na!" - Avril

"Tapos na din ako."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" We both laughed.

Nagpapaluan na kami sa sobrang tawa. Hahampasin niya dapat ako but I step aside at tumalikod. Pagkaharap 'ko naman pinapalo niya na 'yung sahig while laughing out loud hanggang sa masubsob na yung mukha niya. Pero siyempre imagination 'ko lang 'yun! Hahahaha! Grabe! Ang wild! XD

The truth is we just laughed to each other's disguise.

Pagkatapos naming tumawa, tiningnan 'ko siya. Ang ganda niya kahit pang-clown yung buhok niya, ang colorful nga eh! XD Hahaha! Tapos naka-nerd glasses siya tapos may fake mole siyang malaki sa butas ng ilong niya. Mukha tuloy.. kulangot! Pfft.

While ako? Well, I don't need to describe. Basta gwapo ako!

"Pfft. Let's take it seriously." She told me.

Sumunod naman ako sa kanya. Sinuot ko yung blonde na buhok tapos nag-nerd glasses ako at retainer. Pagkatingin 'ko sa kanya, my jaw dropped. How can she be beautiful like that?

Naka-suot siya ng brown na wig na may bangs sa harap tapos naka-nerd glasses din siya at may.. pfft. Seryoso talaga siya sa fake mole? Pero medyo maliit naman 'yun tapos sa medyo baba ng pisngi niya yun nilagay. It suits her. Really.

"Tara na?" I asked her. She nodded.

Una siyang lumabas sa gate at mukhang hindi siya pinagkaguluhan. After five seconds, sumunod na ako. I saw her on her car.

"Avril."

I smiled at her.

"I know an Ice Cream Parlor near here. Want to come? My treat."

She smiled at me and headed to my Car's passenger seat.

"Tara!"

I smiled. Cute.