Months have passed and the separation was taking its toll on both Kim and Gerald. They both tried hard to communicate in one way or another but it was causing them to miss one another more each day. Gerald focused on his basketball and was getting behind on his grades. His parents and even Kim’s mom were getting worried for the two. Gerald’s dad had the business know-how while Kim’s mom could provide the capital so they decided to start a supermarket business together to also give Gerald something else to focus on since he was a Business Management student.

Mel: Hey sweety, how are you holding up? May plans ka ba to come home for the Christmas holidays?

Kim: I really want to but my summer course is starting soon. Parang nagtatampo nga yun si Gerald sa akin eh, he hasn’t answered my calls. We planned to get together for the holidays kasi kaso lang I also really want to finish my course as soon as possible para makabalik na ako dyan.

Mel: Kaya pala masungit na naman yun.

Kim: Eh kasi we sort of had a fight.

Mel: Miss ka lang nun talaga kaya ganun sya ka-upset to hear that you can’t come home.

Kim: No, I questioned him about the school muse. I know I have no right to be hurt pero hindi ko naman talaga maiwasang masaktan when I saw photos of them na nag-de-date daw on my e-mail. Wala naman talaga syang dapat e-explain eh, he is free to date around. Nabigla lang talaga ako.

Mel: Oh no! I know how your mind works bestfriend. That’s the reason why you took that summer course instead of flying home, ano?

Kim: Medyo at first pero I really thought it was a great idea to take it para madali akong matapos.

Mel: You know naman na sya, he’s required to sit next to her on the table pag may mga function and events. Trust me, he is not interested in her. I’d be the first person na babato sa kanya if I see something I don’t like, you know that! Kasi naman itong si Alison, masyadong feeling no! Kahit ano ano na lang ang pinagsasabing mga lies about her and Gerald. Meron nga one time that Gerald visited her at home daw and had dinner with her parents. When I asked her the time and date, buking agad sya because that was the same time our whole group had a get-together at my apartment! That girl is a pathological liar, she is the last person I would listen to.

Kim: Okay lang naman sa akin if he starts moving on eh. Ginusto namin ito, I have no right to dictate what he wants to do with his life. Nasasayangan lang siguro ako sa friendship namin kasi I don’t think I’m ready to accept na happy sya with someone new.

Mel: Seriously, aside sa mga desperada who are reading too much between the very blurred lines, I have seen Gerald refuse and avoid every girl’s advances. Yun nga lang, he tries to be a gentleman and hindi sya upfront about his rejections. Pero in his own subtle way, he is trying his best to stay away. Don’t worry friend, kung meron na talaga akong mapapansin na hindi kanais-nais, you’ll hear it from me instantly. Right after I beat him up. I’ll be calling you even at the most ungodly hours kung magloloko yan!

Kim: Leave him be friend, it’s his choice.

Mel: It will be his lost anyway, ang ganda mo kaya. Any guy would be so lucky to be your boyfriend. Besides ang dami namang mga gwapo dyan di ba? Di ba you have been getting indecent proposals from a couple of cute guys from your uni?

Kim: Naku, don’t remind me. Kahit na they are older than me, napaka-immature naman! You won’t find a decent mature guy here who wants commitment unless you start dating those who are in their late 20s! Sugar daddy ang dating, no thanks!

Mel: Wow, no strings attached, I like the sound of that. You’re like in boy heaven sistah!

Kim: Nag-away ba kayo ni Matt?

Mel: Yung demonyong yun? Let’s just not mention bad words please.

Kim: What did he do this time? Forgot to change the toilet paper? Or did he mix the coloured and the white clothes turning all your shirts pink again?

Mel: Ayokong pag-usapan!

Kim: Oh come on friend, I’m missing out on everything tapos ipagdadamot mo pa talaga kahit lovelife mo?

Mel: Eh kasi may guy na nagpapadala sa akin ng flowers. We found out later that it’s that hottie from my class that I once said had a ‘yummy’ body. Yun, nagwala agad, accusing me of flirting and wanting to be with Mr. hottie! Sa tagal ba namang pagtitiis ko sa kanya, he still thinks I’d really have an affair? Bakit ko pa sya pinagtatyagaan if I want to be with someone else pala? Di ba ang babaw?

Kim: Nagseselos lang yun, konting suyo lang and you two will be all sweet again.

Mel: Naku, suyuin nya sarili nya! Imagine, pinapa-return pa talaga ang flowers. I’d look like such a loser! Besides ang ganda kaya ng arrangement sayang di yun ano!

Kim: What? You accepted his gifts? You really are one looney case you know that? Syempre naman kung ako boyfriend mo eh magtatampo talaga!

Mel: Hellerr! Ang hirap nga kaya maghanap ng pera ngayon no and the guy spent money for me. Who am I to turn my back on such a nice gesture? Napaganda pa ang apartment ko and I didn’t even have to spend a single cent! At least di ba napakinabangan ko ang pang-iistorbo nya.

Kim: Kaloka ka pa rin talaga, na miss tuloy kita bestfriend. Na-miss ko tuloy ang pig-out session natin and ing about those boys.

Mel: Umuwi ka na kasi para madamayan mo ako dito. Shaina is not as fun when it comes to these things. Ikaw ang magaling manglait sa mga kurimaw natin eh. Kaya nga we’re bestfriends kasi you are just as mean as I am.

Kim: Geez, thanks bestfriend. I so like the way you throw in your compliments.

***********************************************************

Gerald was so upset that someone actually e-mailed Kim those pictures of him and the school muse, Alison. They had a school function and of course as her he had to sit next to her the whole time. She kept coming too close to him and even clinging on to his arms which really irritated him. She even flashed her cleavage on his face at every chance possible! The worst thing for him was she hugged him the second that the camera flashes. That same photo unfortunately happened to arrive in Kim’s electronic mailbox! He tried his best to explain that it was nothing but Kim wouldn’t listen. He was getting very frustrated that she just kept reminding him that he is free to be with any girl that he can get his hands to. He had stayed true to his promise that he only wants her and no one else. It was killing him that he couldn’t prove it to her and he was having such a hard time trying to get her to believe.

The whole week he tried to find ways to prove to Kim that he had not dated other girls and don’t intend to. However he couldn’t think of a way to prove his loyalty.

Gerald: Dude, I really want to fly to Sydney and see her. I am so afraid of losing her. I think she got hurt by the photos even though she acted unaffected by it. I know what she’s like when she’s pissed off. She makes sudden decisions, baka bigla na lang sya maghanap ng iba! I really feel so anxious right now.

Matt: Why don’t you ask your parents for the airfare then go spend your Christmas with Kim? I’m sure she would love that. Pareho lang naman yan sya sa bestfriend nyang si Mel eh. Kahit pinagmumura tayo, super in love pa rin sila sa atin at hindi yan makatiis na hindi tayo makasama.

Gerald: I’ve tried pare kaso medyo strict parents ko ngayon with budget eh kasi ka-start pa lang ng business namin. I don’t know what else I can do to get her to believe me?

Matt: Have you tried sending her an e-mail and tell her everything that’s on your mind? At least with e-mail, ma-curious sya and she’ll read it in her own time. Kung sa phone kasi sometimes they don’t want to show that they care so pretend sila not to listen.

Gerald: Dude, you’re a genius! I love you man.

Matt: Gerald naman eh. Hinaan mo nga yang boses mo baka akalain ng mga tao I’m your pimp.

***********************************************************

Three months had passed and another semester was about to start before Kim could get herself to open up Gerald’s e-mail. She tried every way to be happy for Gerald in whatever decision he makes with his love life but it only made her longing for him ever stronger. Kim had been afraid to read what Gerald had to say knowing that her heart was not quite ready for the biggest blow just yet. She decided to put that e-mail aside until she’s good and ready. She didn’t quite get to that point but since she was just about to start another semester of her course, she thought there was no better time to accept their fate.

All night, all she could think of was Gerald’s sweet words to her. She spent the whole night reading the e-mail over and over again, even though it meant reading a 3-page essay on how much he loves her. She felt weak but at the same time, she wanted to do somersaults. She regretted not reading his mail earlier. She screamed and jumped for joy right after reading his e-mail.

She was unable to focus throughout her first day back in uni and decided to skip the last lecture and head home. She her laptop once again and beamed the minute she logged on to her e-mail account. She started typing madly. It took three hours of typing, deleting, editing, re-reading, re-editing before she was finally contented of her 3-page response to his 3-page love letter. She screamed once more before pointing the mouse key on the send button. She debated for another 10 minutes of whether or not she should click that button. “I think I”ll go have dinner first. Should the mouse accidentally click all by itself, then that’s the sign na dapat lang i-send ko ito kay Gerald and things will work out between us.”

Disappointed overcame her when she noticed that nothing happened to her screen 30 minutes later after she’s had her dinner. She schemed through her ‘love letter’ one last time before pressing DELETE.

“Arghh! Bakit ba puro Gerald ang nakikita kong letra sa book ko? Naloloka na talaga yata ako ah. Pero wheeeeeee! In fairness, he’s so sweet!” She jumped some more while screaming out all the giddiness that she was feeling. “I should call him right? Kasi hindi talaga ako maka-concentrate nito until I get to talk to him. Teka, that mail was last December pa. Am I too late? Does he still feel the same way? Well, he did say that he will wait for me. That he will stay in love with me. He won’t give up until I myself will look him straight in the eye and tell him that I don’t love him anymore. Hindi ko pa naman ginawa yun ah and I don’t think I will ever do it. Naku kung may makakakita sa akin dito that I’m talking to myself with matching jumping and screaming pa, ewan ko lang kung saan ako pupulutin mamaya ng mom ko!”

She scrolled down her mobile phone until she found Gerald’s name and hesitated before closing her eyes and pressing the call button. Her heart pounded like crazy the minute the phone rang. “What am I going to say? Oh hello there, I know I read your e-mail a decade later but I love you too! Naku how lame! Wait, his birthday is next week. I can greet him an advanced happy birthday. What if he asks why can’t I wait till next week to greet him? Hmmm…I have an exam next week and I’ll be too busy I might forget to call? Lame pa rin pero bahala na!”

“Please don’t pick-up, please don’t pick-up, or maybe I should hang up before he picks-up?”

“Hello?”

She got so startled when she heard his voice over the phone that she actually threw the phone out of nervousness.

“Hello? Hay naku, Ito na naman ang mga desperadang prank callers ni Gerald! ”

She quickly ran to pick up her phone from the ground. “Hello? Gerald?” She desperately hoped that he couldn’t tell through her trembling voice how nervous she was.

“Who is this?”

“Ang tagal na kasi natin hindi nakapag-usap, kaya siguro nakalimutan mo na ang boses ko.” She was disappointed that Gerald didn’t even recognize her anymore. She wondered whether her voice had changed like the difference that she noticed in his voice as well.

“Oh my God! Kimmy, ikaw ba yan? Naku teka lang, gigisingin ko lang si Ge.” He excitedly ran upstairs.

“Matt? Ikaw pala yan. Ay he’s sleeping pala. Don’t wake him up. I’ll call back later na lang.”

Matt: May sakit kasi yang loves mo kaya hindi nakapasok and he’s been stuck in bed all day. Don’t hang up, matutuwa yun to hear your voice. Kausapin mo na para mawala ang sakit nya.

“Matt, don’t worry about it, I’ll just call back later. Just tell him I wish he gets better soon.” She hanged up before Matt could even respond. She couldn’t understand what she was feeling, she just sat on her bed and cried. “Why do I feel so nervous? Ano namang nakakanerbyos sa pakikipag-usap sa isang friend? Nasisiraan na talaga ako.”

Matt: Gerald dude! Wake up! May good news ako!

Gerald’s massive headache felt even worse upon hearing Matt’s excited loud voice. He really didn’t feel like talking. Every bone in his body felt sore and he just wanted to keep his eyes closed.

Matt: Si Kim pare, she just called! Kaso lang nag hang-up agad when I said that you were asleep.

The minute he heard Kim’s name, he completely forgot all about his flu and his aching bones. He suddenly sat up. “Si Kim? Talaga bang tumawag sya dude?”

Matt: Slow down Ge, biglang nawala yata ang sakit mo ah. Sya nga talaga, tumawag sya naghahanap sa’yo.

Gerald: Why didn’t you wake me up?! Have you forgotten that she hasn’t talked to me for three months? Do you even realize how much of a big deal her phone call is?! Why didn’t you wake me up Matt?

Matt: Kaya nga ginising kita eh kahit alam ko that you really need to rest. Why do you think I’m so excited? Anong magagawa ko eh nag hang-up agad ang darling mo.

Gerald could not hide his excitement. The very thought that he had a chance to hear Kim’s voice again revived him as if an ice-cold water had just been thrown at him. He had waited for this moment for three months. He never heard from her since she received those e-mails with his pictures with Alison. He was devastated when she didn’t acknowledge his e-mail. In fact, the only time he would ever hear about how she is going, is through their group of friends who she still has constant communication with.

Gerald: Do you think she’ll call again?

Matt: Well, she did say she’ll call back. Oh and pinasabi nya pala that she hopes you’ll get better soon.

Gerald: What if she had changed her mind? What if she won’t call? Oh my God! What if she thinks I’m avoiding her and don’t want to talk to her? I should call her. She might have misunderstood what you said!

Matt: With how hysterical you’re sounding right now, you should probably call her before you completely lose your senses dude!

Gerald: What if she won’t talk to me?

Matt: All these months dude, you’ve been waiting for a sign. This is your sign! She’s ready to talk to you!

Gerald: Bad trip naman oh! Naka-off yung caller ID nya, I don’t know her new number!

Matt: Wait, I have her number on my phone. Here.

Matt left the room as Gerald dialed Kim’s number. He was nervous, unsure of what to say but managed to press the call button despite his shaky fingers.