Morning came and just what I suspected, I have this huge eye bags. Oh well it’s worth it. I get up from my bed and checked my phone. 7 am, looks like she’s still sleeping.

To: Hazelnut eyes

Good morning.

 I put it back on top of my study table and went out from my room but then I heard my phone beeped. I run towards where the sound came from. When I was near the table I tripped on my blanket lying on the floor, luckily I was able to grab on the table. Unfortunately, I accidentally kicked the foot of the table. Ouch! I ignored the pain and grabbed the phone. Without checking I opened the text message and read,

Good morning! Let’s meet outside. Oh by the way this is my new number. –Mikey

Argh! The heck. I laughed at my reaction earlier. Pie can even let me ignore the pain. Realizing my clumsiness earlier, I checked my toe. They look normal, no dead nails. Phew! But it still hurts. I lie on my bed and stare at the ceiling. I really don’t know what’s happening to me. Should I keep this going? What if she doesn’t like me? What if she’s not into this kind of relationship? What if she’s just friendly? What if? What if…..? Argh! I wiggled every single part of my body then screamed this is killing me. At that exact time my phone rang. I slowly stood up and picked up my phone. Again without looking I answered the call.

Me: Hello?

No response on the other line. I checked the caller ID. But it was an unknown number.

Me: Hello? Who’s this?

Person on the other line: Uhm? I’m sorry. I am your secret admirer.

Hearing that a question mark can be seen on my face I bet. I scratched my head and tried to find the right words to ask this anonymous caller her name.

Me: I’m sorry but can I ask for your name?

Person on the other line: Oh? My name? Well you know my name.

Huh? This is odd. I can’t recognize this person’s voice.

Me: I’m sorry but I don’t think I know you. I have to go. Bye.

As I was about to end the call, I heard someone laughed on the other line. I tried to listen, there was 3 other man’s voice laughing on the other line. I silently listened to the voices and then it hit me. Me: Hey! Dumbskateers. Not funny!!!!

Mikey: (yes ,my weirdo cousin): Hahahahaha! You’re really funny. C’mon! Is that how you treat your admirers?

Me: Hey quit it! Stop with the “admirers” thing. I don’t have any. And stop fooling around and mess up other people’s morning.

Marky (what the heck! Now the weirdest one): Hahahaha! Oooohhhhh! You sound like an old person. Just hurry up and get down here. Did you forget that you’re gonna lose and get tanned today?

Me: Huh?! Say’s who. Just prepare your skin and some dried fish while you’re under the sun.

Michael: Oh. Great food! I’m really hungry. (and lastly food addict cousin). Ouch! (I heard a loud thud) What was that for?

Mikey: That’s for always eating our share. We just ate like 10 minutes ago and now you’re hungry again?

Michael: It was already burned, we walked from our house to Kim’s house.

I heard a continuous thud…. Thud… !thud!…

Marky: We live just 2 blocks a way pig!

Thud!…thud!…thud!…thud!…. Poor Michael.

Me: Hey! Dummies. Quit it. Just come inside and let’s have some breakfast before the battle begins.

All of them on the other line: Awesome!

Me and Michael: Kim, you’re the best! (saying it at the same time with Michael)

Me and Marky: Kim, is always the best! (and again, saying it with Marky. So predictable. Just wait for the last one)

Me and Mikey: I’m the best! (They are so predictable)

All of them on the other line: Hey!

Me: Hahahahaha! You’re really dummies. You always say that every single time I invite you to eat here.

Michael: You’re Dad’s cooking is the best. (Thud!) Hey. I was complimenting.

Mikey: Let’s just go inside. Bye Kim. Race you to the kitchen. The loser gets a slap on the forehead.

As he was saying that I was already running outside. I saw Marky and Michael running towards the front door, while Mikey, let’s just say he’s still on the phone.

Mikey: what the heck?! Cheaters. I didn’t said go yet.

Me (still on the phone with Mikey who’s standing outside our house): There was no rule man. Hahahaha. Get here and prepare your forehead for 3 slaps. Bye!

As a punishment, we all get to slap Mikey. He’s forehead is really red. Hahahahaha. We started eating as soon as the food was served. The room was silent, you can only hear them munching. These Dummies are big eaters. Good thing I was the only child. I shoved in a lot of rice. Yes you heard it right. I eat rice for breakfast, and for lunch and dinner as well. You can’t blame me. I’m a growing child. Hahahaha!

After eating we went to the court to kick some . Don’t mind me. I just feel like it (the “kick some ” phrase) was cool in that sentence. Hahahaha. Okay! Let the battle begin. We gathered at the center of the court, and let the all-time-favorite decision maker  pick-up a stick. It doesn’t matter to me whether I get to team up with any of them. But Mikey is really the best among us. He has these tricks to let you fool around while he’s taking a shot.

There was this one time when I have to guard him, he dribbles with his right foot forward while trying to move forward but since I am the best guard among us. He’s having a hard time getting through me. But just like what I’ve said he has some tricks. While dribbling he lost the ball, it bounced on his feet leaving it bouncing a little bit lower than his reach. So as my instincts kick in, I tried to snatch the ball, then that’s when he picked up the ball again and dunked, leaving me on the floor. Clever isn’t it?

So here we go, 4 sticks are in Mikey’s hands 2 are short and the other are longer. I get to pick first since they love my mother’s cooking. Theses pigs can be really weird. Just give them food and they will treat you like a royalty. Anyways, I pulled out a stick and hid it behind my back. Then, Marky pulled out a stick as well hid it behind his back, and then Michael who just copied us. Then Mikey, who doesn’t have a choice, hid it as well. “On the count of three we all reveal the sticks. Okay? One two….” Mikey shouted. “Three!” all of us shouted as we showed the sticks. Marky and I got the shorter sticks which leads to us being the defender too. Marky’s really good point guard. He’s a three pointer. But the problem is the other team has Michael. He’s big and if he stands in front of you, you won’t see the ring. I bet Michael’s going to guard Marky, while I’m going to deal with Mikey again. The game will be race to 21, whoever gets 21 points wins. And so the game begins.

It was 10 in the morning when we finished our game. We were really sweaty. It was a really tough game but in the end someone will have to be punished. Guess who’s going to be punished.

Marky and I….. Great. This is just great. Wearing a jersey right now is a bad idea. I checked myself and yes, I was wearing one. It is a sleeveless jersey. This is awesome.

So here we are, getting dried up under the sun while the other two pigs get to eat ice cream across us under a shady tree. Torture, I know! These guys are really cold-hearted but I get to thank them. Since they enjoyed their breakfast at my place, they agreed to let us stay under the sun for just 2 hours. Told you they are pigs who melt their heart with just good food.

Staying under the sun is too boring so I decided to check my phone. Hmm? Is Pie already awake? Guess not yet. No text messages from her yet or maybe she doesn’t want to text me because of my ridiculous voice. “What’s the matter Kim? You look disappointed. Don’t worry we’ll get back on them next time.” Marky asked me while patting my back. I guess it shows on my face, a disappointed face because of Pie. “Yeah. We’ll definitely get those two next time.” Sigh. “Is there any other thing bothering you?” Marky asked me worriedly. Out of the three, he’s the serious one. I usually talks to him about my problems and he also tells me his problems. Unlike those two ice cream eating pigs, Marky’s the gentle. With head low I told him “Well there this girl….”. “WHAT?! LOVE PROBLEM?!!!!!” he shouted enough for the two pigs to hear. Now this is the bad side of Marky, he easily gets surprised. I wasn’t able to continue what I was going to say because the two pigs came running to us and bombarded me with question. I can’t even understand a word they’re saying. They’re talking all at once. “STOP!!!” I shouted pushing their faces away from me. “Okay. Just listen to me first.” Then I told them about Pie.

Sigh. They all sighed after I told them everything. They all treat me like a boy so they’re cool with me liking a girl. “Kim, just go with the flow. Don’t stress yourself with girls. Be like me. Girls gets stressed out whenever I turn them down” Mikey boastfully said. I just rolled my eyes at him. He’s showing his fats, I mean his so-called biceps. “Quit it Mikey. You’re disgusting.” I said throwing my shoes at him. Well he dodged it. “Seriously dude, you don’t have to think about it too much” he said giving my shoe back. “It’s just that this is new to me. I haven’t had any of this when I was in middle school.” “That’s because you’re too into studying.” they all shouted at me. “Hey. I was playful too. I always play basketball with you guys” I tried to defend myself. “You were really busy with your books, you didn’t even notice a junior was having a major crush on you. Everyone in class teases her to you whenever you pass by their room.” Mikey said. “Wait what?!” I seriously didn’t know that. “Okay. I guess I was so dumb to notice the things happening to around me but I really want to know if this is really love or just a little crush. Is she into me to?” I asked them with a sad face. “Kim, I know you’re older than me but I didn’t know that you are this dumb. Hahahaha” Marky finally said something but it turns out it wasn’t helpful so I hit him with the shoe I threw at Mikey earlier. “You’re not helping. C’mon. Just help me figure this out” I said messing my hair. “You know what we do have a secret. We’ll share you some tricks we use to some of the girls” now Mikey is starting to get my attention. I looked at them as they grin. And I don’t like that look, it means something bad is going to happen to me.

“Okay so here are the steps. First, try asking her out personally and catch her smile when you do that. Girls can’t contain their feeling. Their lips say it all.” Mikey started the ball rolling. “Second, stare at them for a long time. Then if she asked you what or is there something in my face, just smile. They normally blush. Again check her lips. If she rolls her eyes on you and get annoyed I bet she’s going to remember you” Marky added. “Lastly, hold her hand and try to intertwine your fingers. Tighten you hold on her hand. If she tightens her hold to your hand, it means she likes it.” Michael ended it. “See? It’s very easy. Simple gestures make them smile. If she doesn’t like you at first, I bet she’ll like you after those simple gestures.” Mikey stated proudly. “I can’t believe you guys, so you’re all doing that to get a girl” I looked at them in the eye one by one. “Nope I’m not doing any of those things” I said as I stood up and walked away from them. “Hey! Where are you going?” Michael shouted. “Home. Bye guys! It’s already over 2 hours under the sun” I said at them and waved while walking back home.

After that talk with my cousins, I became really anxious about this feeling. This is new to me. And I can’t think of anyone normal enough who could help me with this. 1 more day then I’ll be back to school. Pie sent me a text on the same day as the basketball game; she said she’s going to her grandparents. We started to say our good nights and good mornings every day after that night where we had some chit chat. I also added her on facebook and followed her on Instagram. Looking at her picture whenever I misses her.