“So that’s your secret?”.. Gerald ask… Papunta na sila sa school…

“Secret?”.. tanong ni kim…

“Sa buhok mo… si Auntie Pokie….” Gerald smiled…

Kim blushed… nahihiya na sya sa lalakeng ito… lahat na lang ng sikreto nya nabubuko …. She tried to move away as far as she can…. Ayaw na niyang makipaglaro sa lalakeng ito… dahil she knows that he will never stay… NEVER.. Na kapag nagsawa na ito sa company nila….aalis na lang ito na parang bula……. She tried to walk faster ….pero sa kamalas-malasan… she tripped…and almost landed on her face kung di lang may kamay na sumalo sa kanya… baka nawasak na ang mukha nya…

Eh sino pa nga ba ang sasalo… eh di si knight and shining armor… why does he have to be nice??… nahihirapan na nga siyang I-erase ito sa sistema nya… pero padagdag ng padagdag ang pogi points nito…

“Are you ok??… Hindi ko alam kung clumsy ka talaga…or gusto mo lang na lagi kitang sinasave para mapalapit sa akin?”.. Gerald winked…

She pushed him…. “Alam mo ikaw… di ko alam kung pano mo pa nadadala yang ulo mo….sobrang laki oh…. Sa kayabangan!!”….

“Eh pano…layo ka ng layo… para naman akong may sakit nyan eh… Naaksidente ka tuloy…dahil sa kakalayo mo.. “.. He neared himself and whispered to her ears… “Do I affect you that much?”…

Kim’s eyes widened… she felt goosebumps all over her nerves… Lahat na yata ng buhok nya sa katawan nagsipagtayo…. Butterflies on her stomach… uhoh… she knows she needs to be far… real far from him… her body is reacting too much… “GET LOST!!”… she said…then rode her skateboard…”Matt race tayo!!”… then she took off…

“Teka… daya mo!!”.. habol ni Matt…

Naiwan si Gerald na iiling-iling…. At si Mel na nakatingin lang sa kanya…

“Is she always this scared?”.. Gerald asked Mel…

“Ano ba talaga ang balak mo sa kanya?? Bakit ka pilit na pumapasok sa buhay nya??” Mel asked…

Gerald look at her… “I know you’re just trying to protect your friend… pero wala akong balak na masama… I just want to know her!!”..

“Tapos… kapag nakuha mo na ang gusto mo… ano ang kasunod?”..

Gerald frowned… looks confused… Ano nga ba Gerald?..

Mel tap his shoulder to get his attention… “Ngayon.. Masisisi mo ba siya kung bakit lagi syang takot sa mga katulad mo?”.. then took off and rode her own skateboard….

Gerald was left wondering again… DAMN… ano ba ang gagawin ko… I myself can not handle just the taught of hurting her… Eh kaya mo bang lumayo?.. Gerald tried to imagine himself going back on the days were he don’t know her yet…….. He knows that those days were all dull… ngayon na nakilala na nya si kim at ang mga taong nakapaligid dito…he felt his life is different… parang mas nagkakaroon ng kahulugan… But can you able to stay for her…….. The idea is not bad at all.. Staying with kim as long as she needs him…is not bad at all…. But idea is different in reality….can he keep a promise?? …….

The next morning… Kim found Gerald in front of their ref trying fix the groceries… She found it real cute so see a filam guy trying to fit himself inside the small ref….

She look at her self in the mirror… decent naman sya…with red shirt that filled with skulls and black cargo pants…with converse shoes….

“Wala ka bang bahay?” she asked…

Gerald look at her with a big heartwarm smile…. GAGO talaga itong lalakeng ito… hindi marunong magpakapangit… laglag na naman ang puso ko…. Sino ba ang tanga na hindi mahuhulog sa grinch na ito…

“Meron… pero I don’t want to eat breakfast by myself again… Mas masarap yatang kumain na maraming crowd… Saka I bought some food… nag grocery ako… nakakahiya kasi na nakikikain ako…at ang lakas-lakas pang kumain…”…

“Ikaw?? nag grocery”…she asked..

“OO naman.. May alam naman ako kahit konti…”.. he winked…

Sige pa…. sige pa… magpacute ka pa….. … Kim control yourself…

“ehem…” she cleared ..” N-nasan si Auntie”…

“Sabi nya kukunin daw nya yung gown na pinatahi nya dyan sa kapitbahay nyo… “..Gerald starting to put the apron she made… “Sabi ng Auntie mo…feel at home daw ako… bahala na daw akong gumawa sa kitchen nyo… You don’t mind diba??”… he asked…

“May magagawa ba ako… eh in-invade mo na ang kitchen namin… plus…kapag okay kay Auntie… okay na rin sa akin yon….”….

“Kim!! Kim!!”… tawag ni Auntie Pokie… “KIm tignan mo yung gown…tapos na oh… ang ganda-ganda!!”.. excited na sabi ng Auntie mula sa labas ng bahay.

“Patay!!”.. nanlalaking mata ni kim… “Hoy ikaw… di mo ako nakitang bumaba ha!!”.. turo nya kay Gerald…

But before she can climb upstairs…. Auntie Pokie saw her already… “kim dali… sukatin mo ito!!”… she’s holding a bubblegum pink gown.

“Aaahhh… Eeehh.. K-kasi Auntie.. Masama ang pakiramdam ko… papanhik muna ako!!”… nagkunwari syang may sakit…

“Teka… Your not sick!”… buko ni Gerald…

Kim gave him a warning look…

Gerald smiled…”Auntie…ganda nga ng gising nyan eh… tumatawa pa nga kanina yan!!”…

Kim grabbed the comb right next to the mirror…and threw it to him…but he was able to avoid it…

“Anak!! Ano ba yan!! Wag ka ngang namamato…baka matamaan niyan si Gerald… O sige na sukatin mo na ito…para malaman ko kung kasya ba o kailangan kong iparetoke pa….”..

“eh…Auntie…di ko naman sigurado kung sasama ako dun sa kasal na yon…wala naman akong kakilala don…ang layo-layo pa… saka…bakit pink?”…

“ay…hindi pwedeng di ka dadalo… kamaganak pa rin natin yun…saka anong gusto mong kulay ng gown..black…eh kasal kaya yon…sige na…sukatin mo na ito.”

“sukat na!!”… Gerald …

Kim grabbed the brush and was gonna throw it to Gerald…but Gerald hide behind Auntie Pokie…. She has no choice but to get the gown. “Umuwi ka na nga sa inyo!!”…sabi nito kay Gerald…

“Kim!! Wag ka ngang bastos… sige na….akyat na!!”…

Gerald was finishing up on preparing the breakfast when he heard Auntie Pokie’s voice….

“Ang ganda-ganda ng anak ko!! Bagay na bagay!!”…

He look at the stairs.. There she is with the pink gown that lasted only in the middle of her thigh….showing her long legs … The gown is made out of silk the fits her slim body … and with spaghetti straps that shown her shoulders… her porcelain skin fit’s the color of the gown… she looks lovely …not just lovely… she looks like a princess… no a queen… Gerald lost his voice… his heart skips… his throat dried up… para syang natuka ng ahas… why does she affect me this much?…

“anak!! Ang ganda!! Di ba masikip?.. Okay ba ang sukat?”… voice of Auntie Pokie that woke him up from dreaming… “siguradong maraming lalakeng aaligid sayo!!”…

Gerald look at Auntie Pokie… did he heard her right… other guys around Kim?? He didn’t like the idea… not AT All… He look at Kim again.. All of sudden.. .he hated the gown.. He wanted to ripped it off and threw it away, knowing that other guy will see her with that look. Nope….nope… bad idea!!

“anong masasabi mo Gerald??”.. tanong ni auntie pokie…

“Okay lang po!!” he answered coldly….

Kim was disappointed of Geralds’ answer… GAGA…ano bang hinihintay mong sagot nya… na maganda ka… na bagay sayo.. Ayan… umaasa ka na!! “BIhis na ako!”.. she said and went to her room…

Breakfast was oddly quiet for Kim and Gerald… Matt and Mel was doing all the talking. But despite the silent treatment …Gerald still hand over the rice to Kim… then the eggs… then the bacons… he put water on her glass… Kim kept her silence… but was aware of how Gerald making sure she has food and water. She was pleased by his actions…… she looks at him… ano kaya ang drama nitong lalakeng ito… kung tutuusin…ako dapat ang galit!!

Kim washed the dishes…Gerald was quietly helping her…. He moved near at her…whispered on his ears… “pupunta ka ba don sa kasal?”.. he asked…

Kim was tickled on his breath in her ears…. She moved away…”H-hindi ko pa alam…”..she answered…

Gerald frowned…”So may balak ka ngang pumunta don…suot-suot yung gown na yon?”…

“ Eh alangan namang maghubad ako don…”…she said…”atsaka…bakit ka ba nagagalit?”

“Wala!” then took off…

Sungit talaga ng lalaking yon…. Balik na naman si Grinch… teka…baka naman may bipolar yon… sala sa init, sala sa lamig… the Bipolar Grinch…

Gerald was watching Kim being comb by Auntie Pokie makes him realize something..… He can’t stay mad at her… kung tutuusin…di naman kasalanan ni Kim kung bakit sya nagagalit… di sya pwedeng magalit kay Kim..….. She’s so fragile … so before they leave… he taught of a plan…

SASAMA SIYA.... BAHALA NA SI BATMAN KUNG ANONG MAGIGING DAHILAN NYA... PERO... SASAMA SIYA!!