Gerald look at the page.......... He shook his head.............dami ko na palang atraso sa kanya........

The page contained a "piso" coin in the middle.....and a print of...."BET FOR MY LOVE!".....all over the place..........

He really needs to talk to Kim......

Kung alam lang niya ang lahat ng pinagdadaanan ni Kim noon....hindi na sana aabot sa ganito ang sitwasyon nilang dalawa..........He was so stupid of not seeing it..........masyado siyang naging komportable sa sitwasyon nila noon.......at hindi niya napansin na kailangan nga pala niyang bigyan ng assurance si Kim.......he taught his actions is enough…..he taught wrong!

He took a deep breath..........sana hindi pa huli ang lahat.......

------------------------------------------------

It was late when Kim arrived home..........madami silang in-edit sa project nila...... She was really tired.........

"Thanks David.........ingat ka sa pagdrive ha!!".......hindi na niya pinababa ito dahil nakita niyang pagod na rin ito....

"SIge Kim....kita na lang tayo sa school bukas!".....paalam nito...

Kumaway siya......hinintay niyang makaalis ito bago niya isara ang gate..........

Pagpasok niya ng bahay....nagulat siya ng biglang bumukas ang ilaw.........she saw Gerald standing on the corner.............

Hindi na sana niya papansinin ito....pero humarang ito sa daan......

"Tell me the truth.........boyfriend mo na ba iyon?"... duro nito sa labas ng pintuan......

Napakunot si Kim ng noo......."At anong pakielam mo sa buhay ko.....at pati lovelife ko ....pinakeke-elaman mo?"....

Lumapit sa kanya si Gerald............Kinakabahang umatras siya...........but to her dismay......her back was on the closed door...........wala nang maaatrasan.......

Gerald was still getting too close............she tried to push him....but he was too steep......

"I have to care.........coz I know I owe you a lot!"....he whispered....

Lalong kumunot ang noo ni Kim....."W-what?"....naguguluhan siya..........she look at Gerald......she was surprise on what she's seeing.............. Nawala ang aroganteng Gerald.....it was replaced with a fondness.....caring........maybe loving?............Sige pa Kim.....umasa ka pa..........ayan ka na naman.........gusto mo na namang masaktan...........

Then she remebered David's advice earlier........"When your ready to face him eye to eye.....and tell right in front of him....that you're over him!....then it's really over!"....

Kaya mo bang sabihin Kim...........kaya mo ba?..........not with those puppy eyes.................Damn.......... "s-stop looking a-at me......".....she whispered............

Gerald chuckled.......He backed off......."Sobra ka naman........hindi naman kita kakainin ng buhay........."....he sits in the couch....."Can we talk?"....he said seriously..........

Kim pinched herself in the arm......."Aray!!"........she exclaimed.......

BIglang tumayo si Gerald......"Are you Okay?".....

Hindi......hindi talaga siya nananaginip............. ano kayang nakain nitong tao na ito........bakit biglang naging mabait?........"I-im Okay.......ikaw?.....okay ka lang ba?"...bigla niyang naitanong......

Gerald smiled...."I'm half perfectly fine! ..So...can you sit down....and talk to me.........".....

“Half perfectly fine?”……parang ngayon lang niya narinig iyon ah!

“Siguro kung kakausapin mo ako….I’ll be perfectly fine na!”…..he winked….

Kim sits at the very end of the couch......

"Para naman akong may ketong niyan........"...sabi ni Gerald.....at lumapit sa kanya.....He sits right next to him.....

Kim tried to focus herself.......naiilang na siya......."Ano ba ang paguusapan natin?".....she wanted to finish this conversation as soon as possible........

Gerald took out the scrapbook under the pillow.......

Nanlaki ang mata ni Kim......"P-pano mo nakuha yan?".......kinuha niya kay Gerald ang scrapbook.........

"I'll be honest........when I first saw the scrapbook.......nagulat ako......hindi ko alam na nakatreasure pala ang lahat ng memories natin......... "...bumuntonghininga siya......"And I was even more shocked....when I found out that all throughout our relationship......may gumugulo pala sa isipan mo.....".....

Kim just stared the scrapbook......natatakot siyang humarap kay Gerald.......ayaw na sana niyang malaman pa ni Gerald ang mga pinagdaanan niya noon............

"Kim?.........why didn't you tell me?".......

Kim still kept her silence............anong sasabihin niya............eh di yung totoo...........loka.....para ano pa?......diba late na naman na!! Kim shook her head......."There's no sense of going back..........tama na Gerald.......wag mo nang ibalik pa ang dati!"...

"Pero.......I need to know............ and I think I deserve to know the truth!".....said Gerald....

Bumuntong hininga...........truth daw.............. madali bang magsabi ng totoo............ hindi!! kasi sinungaling ka na talaga.............. gaga!! Bigla niya tuloy nabatukan ang sarili niya....."Aray!!"....

Natawa si Gerald.........."If you have any plans on lying........don't even try!... I've known you for so long......at hindi ka makakapagsinungaling sa akin!"....

Napatingin sa kanya si Kim....."If you really know me that much.......then why you didn't see my needs before?"...bulong niya...

Gerald smile faded........He look at Kim.....

They're eyes met...........

"Kim......I can't read minds.......hindi ako manghuhula........ ang akala ko noon...okay tayo...... ni hindi sumagi sa isip ko na nahihirapan ka na pala........"....he took a deep breath...."I'm sorry!!"...

"I'm sorry too......... Nagexpect ako na mamahalin mo rin ako........alam ko naman kung saan ako nakalugar!!"....

"B-but......I did L........"....he didn't finish his sentenced.....

"Tama na........wag mo nang pagaanin ang loob ko........okay na ako!!"....she said...

"Pero....listen ....."....

"Please.....".....agaw ni Kim...."Tama na........let's move on....please"....pakiusap ni Kim....

Tinignan siya ni Gerald...."Is this really what you wanted?".....nasasaktan siya....pero ayaw niyang pilitin ito....

Kim stared back at the scrapbook........tumango siya......

"Well...........can we at least be friends?".....inalok nito ang kamay......

Nagulat si Kim.....friends?.......tama ba ang dinig niya........friends daw?.......tinitigan niya ang kamay nito.........kaya niya bang makipagkaibigan dito........

"Please?".....Gerald beg...

Kim couldn't help but to smile.......ginagamitan na naman siya ni Gerald ng mga taktika nito........"Eh kung sabihin kong ayaw ko?"....

Gerald smiled....."TOo bad....alam mo namang hindi mo ako maitatapon ng ganon-ganon lang!!".....

Kim chuckled...."OO nga eh........para kang yung pusang ligaw........kahit ilang beses ng iligaw.....bumabalik pa rin!!"....

"SO....can this cat be your friend?".....he said..still offering his hands........

"Fine!!"....inabot niya ang kamay nito........

They're hands cuff for a while...before Gerald let it go........... Uh-oh...she didn't like that feeling.........parang nanghinayang ang kamay niya ng bitawan nito......... Tandaan mo Kim.....his only offering a friendship!!.........friendship lang!!.....

Gerald stood up....."Goodnight friend!! and yeah...... please keep the scrapbook........ kapag ayaw mo na....ibigay mo na lang sa akin!! those were really nice memories....."...

"Ano ka...sinusuwerte...........pinaghirapan ko yata ito.............gumawa ka ng sarili mo!!".....tumayo na rin si Kim....at lumakad papunta sa kwarto niya.........

"Kim...........thanks for the friendship!"....he said....

Kim smiled......."Yeah!"......and walk away.......

Gerald watch Kim..as she entered her room.......He took a deep breath......"Sana nga....Sana nga.......friends lang ang tingin ko sa iyo!!"....he was dissapointed on how their conversation ended up....he was expecting more...........pero...ayaw niyang biglain si Kim....maybe......just maybe........she will accept me again not just a friend........

Kim was hugging the scrapbook while sitting on her bed.........Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari......... next thing she knows...magkaibigan na daw sila.....daw?.......... OO nga daw..... daw ulit?........ eh sa "daw" daw eh?.......puro ka naman daw!!.........bahala na.........eh sa kaibigan daw kami eh!! ...sige na nga............. daw!!