On the other hand…

Gerald can’t help but to smile… Hindi sya makapaniwala sa nangyari kani-kanina lang. Pwede naman syang umatras pero di nya ginawa. “Hmmnn.. It’s not bad at all…”.. he whispered.

He look back… the girl is still standing on the same spot where he left her…looking at him na para bang kakainin sya ng buhay. He smiled and wave at her…… to his surprise…the girl lift her hand and made a “dirty finger” sign and walk away… He chuckled. “cute!!”.. he exclaimed.

He went back to the court and start shooting some hoops… but the smile on his lips remain… Loko-loko ka talaga Gerald… Stop thinking about it… it’s just a kiss with a not-so-ordinary girl… Kung tutuusin. .. He doesn’t need to look very far to find some girls who’s willing to be kiss by him… and it’s not the first time that a girl stole a kiss from him…

…but this gal is different… saan ka ba naman nakakita ng nanghahalik na babae pero di naman marunong humalik… plus bonus of her physical looks…. Even she tried to hide her real beauty….. He still can see her cuteness behind those black outfit with skateboard on her hand…. Gerald shoot the ball…and made it to the net… “Chinese-skater gal……cute… real cute……”..

“Hey… para saan yang smile na yan?!!”… Fred tried to take away the ball from his hands…but he couldn’t.. Gerald already shoot the ball and made it… “Is that from the scene earlier?”…

“Nakita mo??” Gerald looks surprise…

“Hahaha!! Well.. From the ball that hit her head….to the fingers running through her hair… to the kiss….and also the dirty finger….”… Fred teases him… “and lastly.. The mischievous smile.”..

“Loko!! Ginawa mo naman akong movie… at talagang pinanood mo lang ako ha!!”.. he tried to hit him with the ball…but Fred caught it…

Fred still laughing… “Don’t tell me… you like the girl… Bro.. she’s not your type!”..

Gerald look at him… He’s right… She’s not his type… He likes girls who’s clean looks with slight make up on… yung mahinhin kumilos… yung masarap alagaan…. Yung hindi nagmumura ….or nagdi-dirty finger…

“Hoy!! Natulala ka na dyan!!”…agaw pansin ni Fred..

“I don’t know bro… somethings different about tthat girl.. There’s something about her that I think I’m willing to know…”.. he said..

Fred looks surprise…”Bro… Are you serious?… You got to be kidding me?! Nakita mo ba yung itsura ng girl na yon… She looks like a Chinese anime rockstar… para syang Chinese version ni Avril Lavigne….”

“with an exceptional hair…” agaw ni Gerald…

“Her clothes…parang kakainin sya ng buhay dahil sa laki….”..

“..with a slim body..”.. agaw ulit ni Gerald…

“You can’t hardly see her face…kasi tinatago nya sa buhok nya…na para bang si sadako ng the ring…”..

“With a very fresh breath… with a lips that taste like candy….”.. He smiled…

Fred quietly stared at Gerald… “O-uh.. Mukhang tinamaan ka sa Chinese skater gal mo ha?!”…
Umiling si Gerald…”Hindi tinamaan… siguro I just wanted something different… Boring na kasi yung mga nakapaligid sa atin… Don’t you get tired of those girls na walang alam kundi magpacute.. I mean.. don’t’ get me wrong… I still like NORMAL girls ok.. But would it be nice to actually have something different.. Exciting di ba?? Na ang GF mo.. Kakaiba..”..

“Ano yan.. Parang guinea pig?… trial and error?.. Susubukan para maiba?? Bro…she’s still Human …you know…may puso…may kaluluwa… wag mo naman paglaruan!!”.. litanya ni Fred….

“Ok.. Father Fred… Listen to me first… Hindi ko sya paglalaruan.. I just wanted to know her more… What’s her likes…and dislikes.. Ano ang pinagkaiba nya sa ibang girls… Why does she dress and act that way?…”..

“And then what??.. Kapag nakuha mo na ang sagot mo… what’s gonna be the next step??”… Fred ask..

Gerald stare at the ball…. “I’ll figure that out when I cross that road…”.. then he shoot ….made it..

Iiling-iling si Fred… “I can smell trouble!!”…

Gerald chuckled… “I still can smell her hair… it’s sweet!!”..

…………………….

Kim still felt insulted… Kundi lang talaga sya nakapagpigil… binalikan na nya ang lalaking yon at pinagsasampal…”Hayop!! Bastos!! Walang modo!! Unggoy!! Sh**!!! Manyak!!……….”.. gigil na pinaghahampas nya ang nadaanang puno…

Si Matt ay walang tigil ang katatawa…..samantalang si Mel naman ay ngingiti-ngiti habang sinasaway si Matt…

“Sige…Tawa pa… akala nito… kapag ikaw naman ang hindi nakagawa ng dare….lagot ka sa akin!! Lintik lang ang walang ganti!!”… duro nya kay Matt…

“Maawa ka naman dyan sa puno… hindi naman ikaw ang nagtanim nyan… Kasalanan ba ng puno kung di ka marunong humalik…”… hirit ni Matt…

“Matteo…… wag mong ubusin ang pasensya ko ha!!”.. sigaw ni Kim…

“Tama na Matt… “.. saway ni Mel… “Kim.. Hayaan mo na… atleast…masasabi mo na ngayon…may first kiss ka na!!”…

“HE!! Isa ka pa… Akala ko pa naman…kaibigan ka…”.. simangot ni kim…

“Hahahah!! Wag ka ng magpaka senti mode…. Di bagay sayo… “…sagot ni Mel..

Kim grinned hard… Minsan naisip nya…. Mga kaibigan ko ba talaga ito??….

Inakbayan sya ni Matt… “O.. alam ko ang itsurang yan.. OO.. KAIBIGAN MO KAMI.. Pero paminsan-minsan… kailangang turuan ka naming maging matapang… kasi hanggang ngayon… hindi ka pa rin manhid… Kim.. Dapat matuto kang magpakatigas… Pano kung bigla kaming mawala ni Mel.. Hindi habang buhay…nandito kami para suportahan ka… kailangang matuto kang tumayo at magpakatatag sa sarili mong mga paa… Hindi tayo nabubuhay sa fairy tales… walang happily ever after… prince charming??… pakulo lang lahat yon…!!”.. litanya ni Matt…

“OO nga Kim.. Hindi lahat ng sitwasyon.. Iintindihin mo… Kailangang matuto kang umakto na parang balewala lang… hindi ka mamamatay dahil lang sa kahihiyan…. Wag mong intindihin ang sasabihin ng iba… dahil hindi naman sila ang nasa sitwasyon… Ikaw… kung ipapakita mo sa kanilang kaya mo….at di ka apektado.. Mas rerespetuhin ka nila….at hindi ka nila kakalabanin…”.. sabat ni Mel..

“Alam ko naman yon eh…. Salamat sa paalala!!”.. ngumiti si kim… pero di umabot sa mata… Ganon ba talaga kadali yon… ang magtago ng tunay na nararamdaman… Tinignan nya ang dalawang kaibigan… They’ve been together through wellness…and also in worse… Walang nangiwan sa ere…. Pero wala ring nagtanggol… para sa dalawa nyang kaibigan… nasa tabi lang sila…pero kailangang matuto kang lumaban ng magisa… lalo na kung makakatulong ito sa pagtatayo mo ng sariling moral…. Pero isa lang ang nakakalimutan nila… I still have a heart…. ....that still beating… hurting when I’m in pain…. ...crying when I’m wounded…. ..searching for someone….when I’m in my lowest moment… heart that is wanting to be loved!!…

“Anak!!”… sigaw ni Auntie Pokie… may hawak itong nangingintab ng pulang gown…”Anak!! Tignan mo!! Ang ganda… Bagay sa inyo ni Melissa!!”…

“Sige Kim… Alis na ako…!! Bye!! Bukas na lang!!”.. natatarantang Melissa… Hatak nito si Matt na tumatawa….

“Teka Mel… ang ganda oh… sukatin mo muna!!”…

“Gusto mong masaktan!!”.. Mel warned Matt…

“O sige Kim… bukas na lang!!”… Matt took off with Mel..

“HOY!! Wag nyo akong iwanan… Tulong!!”.. Kim shouted..

“Anak… Tignan mo!!”… Auntie Pokie said…. “Oh… nasan na si Melissa??”..

“Wala… Nalibing na po… kasama ni Matt!!”.. simangot na sagot ni Kim…

“Sukatin mo ito anak!! Dali!!”.. excited na sabi ni Auntie Pokie…

“Eh Auntie…. Masakit ang tyan ko… CR muna ako!!” she grabbed her stomach and acted like it really hurts then run inside their house….straight to her room…

Pagpasok sa kwarto… umupo sya sa harap ng salamin… her eyes looked dreamy… then she saw the pretty darn brown eyes…staring at her…a faint smile suddenly appeared on her lips… she felt her heart skips… Loka ka…. Bawal kang magtatalon dyan… di ka pwedeng magkagusto don… pang normal na tao yon… di ka normal!!… then her smile slowly fainted… her heart stops skipping… now she felt empty….. DI KA NORMAL!!