14.

Avril's POV

I shut my laptop and lay in my bed. Nakakainis na! My accounts are flood of messages and notifications. Gerald's fan girls kept on asking me. Pa'no ba nila nalaman ang pangalan ko?

They are so irritating! Ugh. I stood up at kinuha ang cap 'ko, pupunta na lang ako sa park. Sunday naman ngayon at kagagaling ko lang sa Church.

I went to the garage and get my bike. Mag-ba-bike na lang ako to have some exercise na rin.

Nag-earphones ako at pinlay na ang playlist 'ko.

♬♪♩ I don't even like you

Why'd you want to go

And make me feel this way

I don't understand what's happen

I keep saying things I never say ♬♪♩

I feel like uhh . . conscious because some of the people recognize. I even saw them murmuring while pointing at me. I avoided my gaze at them and just continued biking.

♬♪♩ I can feel you watching even when you're nowhere to be seen

I can feel you touching even when you're far away from me ♬♪♩

Binilisan 'ko ang pag-pedal sa bike ko and I even bow my head. Ganito pala ang feeling kapag na-li-link ka sa isang artista. It's like . . you feel like you haven't some privacy, you feel so conscious on what will they say about you whenever when they're murmuring.

♬♪♩ Tell me where you hiding your Vodoo doll

Cause I can't control myself ooh

I don't understand it

Wanna runaway but I'm trapped under your spell

And it hurts in my head

In my heart

In my chest

And I'm having trouble catching my breath ohhh ohhh

Won't you please stop loving me death? ♬♪♩

Tinabi 'ko ang bike 'ko sa isang puno at in-off ang music sa phone 'ko. Pumunta ako sa isang tindahan sa park and bought one bottle of water.

The vendor gave me the bottle.

"Wait.. di'ba ikaw yung sa tv? Yung kasama ni Gerald? Teka! Ikaw ba yung girlfriend niya?"

Napatigil ako sa pag-inom ng tubig and smiled at her.

"I'm sorry po ate. But I'm not his girlfriend. I'm just his classmate. Thank you nga po pala."

Then I went away. I sighed. I saw people staring at me while murmuring something while the other people don't mind. Why don't they mind their own business? It's irritating!

"Don't mind them."

I turned around and saw a guy wearing a cup and a jacket he also wearing a shades. Wait.. he's familiar! I stared at him.

"Ge-gerald?" I whispered. He nodded.

"Ba't ka nandito? Baka pagkaguluhan ka nila?" I asked him.

"Gusto ko lang sanang magpahangin hanggang sa mapunta ako dito kakalakad. Pero narinig 'ko ang pangalan ko at pangalan mo na pinag-uusapan and then I saw you. By the way, I'm really sorry."

I sighed. Wala naman akong magagawa diba? Tsk.

"It's ok." Then I smiled.

"Do you mind if . . sumama ako sa'yo?"

Umiling ako. "Just don't recognize by someone." I heard him chuckled.

"Sure."

We started walking at the park, I don't bother if some people were murmuring. Bahala sila.

"Nga pala, I will make things clearer. May conference ako next week kaya lilinawin 'ko na kung sino ka."

I smiled.

"Talaga? Good to hear that. Nakakailang na kasi ang mga fans mo."

"Yeah. Dati gusto kong mag-artista pero nung napasok 'ko na ang showbiz I feel like gusto 'ko ng umalis. Wala na kasi talaga akong privacy."

I feel sorry for him, I can feel the sadness kasi within his voice. Mukhang malungkot nga talaga siya, I can't saw his eyes kasi nga naka-shades siya but I feel it.

"By the way, ang saya kahapon no?" I changed the topic.

"Yep. Masaya pala talaga kayong kasama. Atsaka nakakatawa pala si Kyla, silang dalawa ni Zeus ang pinakamaingay kahapon eh."

I chuckled. He's right, silang dalawa ang maingay kahapon. Sanay naman na ako kay Kyla pero mas maingay si Zeus. Yung tawa pa niya ang nangingibabaw sa lahat.

"Your right. Hahaha! They look cute." I commented.

"Pero ang alam 'ko, Zeus had this 'crush' for Gabriella and then Ji was already courting Kyla."

I am literally shocked. So, totoo pala ang sinasabi sa'min ni Kyla?

"Really?! Kala namin nagloloko lang si Kyla nung kinukwento niya 'yan. Crush kasi niya kayong lahat."

He chuckled.

"Ofcourse, expected na 'yun. Ang gwapo kaya naming lahat." Then nag-pogi sign siya.

I rolled my eyes atsaka siya hinampas sa braso.

"Kapal." I joked. Tumawa naman siya kaya natawa na din ako.

Natahimik kami after no'n but I stopped nung nakita 'ko siyang huminto at nakatingin sa malayo.

"Hey? Are you ok?"

Para namang nagulat siya pero ngumiti din siya agad.

"Ah . . yes. May naalala lang. Tara punta tayo do'n."

I nodded and we ran towards the place. Ma-puno yung part na 'to ng park tapos walang masyadong pumupunta do'n. Actually, wala ngang tao eh. We just walked and walked then I saw at my peripheral vision na may tiningnan si Gerald sa isang puno. Lumapit ako sa kanya at tiningnan yung tinitingnan niya.

Gerald
+
Junella

That names were written in the trunk of the tree.

"Kapangalan mo." I whispered.

"Baka naman gawa ng isang fan 'ko. Tsk. Gwapo ko talaga."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh. . please." I stared at the tree. "Ang cute, no?"

He nodded.

"Gusto mo gawa din tayo?" Then he winked.

I frowned at hinampas siya sa braso. Tumawa naman siya.

"Kinilig siya." Tapos sinundot niya ang tagiliran 'ko.

"I'm not." I said but he just laughed.

But I was shocked nung nilapit niya ang mukha niya sa mukha 'ko.

"But are you aware that you're blushing, Ms. Pendleton?" He asked teasily.

Lumayo agad ako sa kanya at hinawakan ang pisngi 'ko. Nag-ba-blush? Baka naman niloloko lang niya ako!

I heard him laughed again. Hinampas 'ko naman siya pero mas lalo siyang natawa.

"Gerald naman!"

"What?! Hahaha! It's true! You're blushing."

"Hindi no!"

"Can you see yourself?"bThen he poked my cheeks. I feel like my cheeks burned up when he did that but he laughed again. He's teasing me!

"Ta-tara na nga!" Then I started walking.

Naramdaman 'ko namang sumunod siya dahil tumatawa pa din siya.

After a while, hindi na siya tumawa. Nasa side 'ko na lang siya habang naglalakad kami. He stopped and sat under the tree. He removed his shades, jacket and cap. Ok lang naman kasi wala namang tao sa part na to.

"Upo ka dito oh."

He tapped his side kaya naupo na din ako. I stared at nowhere. Napaka-peaceful kasi ng lugar, ang ganda ng ambiance ng lugar.

"Pasandal ah?"

I stiffened when I feel his head on my shoulders, I heard him chuckled. Habit, eh?

I feel something weird. Parang . . parang . . tumingin ako sa paligid. Nevermind.

"Ang sarap mong kasama, Avril."

I feel my cheeks burned up again. Why? I just find myself smiling at sinandal 'ko ang ulo 'ko sa kanya.

"Ikaw din."

Then silence ate us. Then there's this weird feeling, may kakaiba talaga eh. Bakit parang pakiramdam 'ko may nakatingin sa'min?

And then I realized it when something flashed not far from us. Napaayos ako ng upo maski si Gerald.

"Sht." He cursed atsaka niya sinuot ang mga pang-disguise niya kanina. Ngayon ko lang din napansin na nawawala ang cap 'ko.

He ran towards where the flash came from. I followed him na rin and saw two silhoutte from a far.

Tumakbo lang kami ng tumakbo hanggang sa mapunta kami sa part na matao. We just followed them but the other people recognized me and their murmuring business has started. Biglang lumipad ang cap ni Gerald. Oh no! Kinuha ko kaagad yun but when I will gave it to him. It's too late.

"Kyaaah! Si Gerald Francisco! Atsaka yung girl!"

"Ohmygod! Magkasama sila! Pa-picture tayo!"

"Ang ganda pala nung girl sa personal."

"Gerald, pwedeng pa-picture?"

"Totoo atang nag-de-date sila. Girlfriend niya nga."

Ang daming nagsasalita, ang gulo. Some people are talking to me. Ang dami nilang tanong, and then I realized it, I can't saw Gerald. Even the two persons who took pictures of us. Napapikit ako ng mariin and did my best just to get out of the crowd.

Gerald's POV

"Gerald, san ka galing?"

Tumingin ako sa manager 'ko.

"Sa tabi tabi."

He held his head na parang naiirita siya.

"Now, explain this Gerald Francisco."

Binigay sa'kin ni Manager Jay ang iPad at naka-open yun sa twitter.

They were caught again at the park. Maybe this picture confirmed that they were in a relationship. Gerald's girl, known as Avril was in the park a while ago and I think that its proven that they're not only just friends. Just looked at the picture, your question will be answered.

Napapikit ako ng mariin. Why do they kept on making stories?! At yung picture. . nung nakasandal ako sa balikat niya.

"Bring that girl on the conference meeting next week."

"What?!"

"Do I need to repeat it again?"

"Pero manager. . hindi naman kami."

"I hope the media will believe you." He said sarcastically.

"They won't believe you Gerald dahil sa mga nakuha nilang picture. Hay pasaway ka talaga! Isipin mo na lang ang gagawin nilang chismis kapag itinanggi mong girlfriend mo 'yan."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Dalawa lang naman 'yan. It's either your image will be ruined or hers. Or maybe both? Career mo ang naka-sacrifice dito. Wala naman sigurong mawawala kung sasabihin mo sa kanilang girlfriend mo siya di'ba? Just.. trust me Gerald. Dahil baka isipin nila na you are a playboy, womanizer or isipin nila na that girl is a slut. Alam mo naman ang mga isip ng mga tao ngayon."

Then he walked out of the room. I need to talk to Avril. I really do. Kahit na mahirap maging artista dahil walang privacy, gusto 'ko pa rin to. I need to clean my name pati siya.

I sighed. What should I do?