One could almost hear a pin drop from within the car as the trio drove towards Bacolod City the next morning. Mang Gerry, the driver, was deaf mute...so, he had an excuse in not saying anything.

The backseat passengers, meanwhile, have other issues to grind. Kim was determined not to speak to Gerald, who was seated just mere inches from her. She didn't even want to face him. After what happened the previous afternoon, she was so embarrassed by what she did that she can’t even make eye contact with him. The equally stubborn Gerald, meanwhile, was determined to let Kim stew in her own mortification. He was eyeing her with utmost fondness, though. However, he was erstwhile adamant to not speak unless spoken upon.

Hence, a Mexican standoff ensued...

As the scenery outside the car changed from rustic to even more bucolic, the inside air started to become stale as the coldness of the in-car environment reached a new level of chill. Kim closed her eyes in prayer. She was asking for strength to resist Gerald’s undeniable charm. Gerald meanwhile channelled his pent-up nervous energy into twinkering his Ipod aimlessly.

Moments later, as he was feeling a bit stuffy, Gerald rolled down the window beside him.

As the cold morning air came rushing through, Kim’s perfectly coiffed hair came fluttering about, much to her horror. She then let out an ear-shattering scream.

For a moment, Gerald was so taken aback by her reaction that he instantly froze and didn’t know what to do. He was so caught up that even if Kim was now lambasting him with her fists, he didn't flinch from the pain.

Fortunately, Mang Gerry was oblivious of the noise. He just went on with his usual sound-free business.

“Close the window, you idiot!” Kim screamed.

Gerald immediately followed as she ordered. If there was any good that came out of that, that ruckus was the very thing that broke the silence.

“What’s the big ticket shouting like a maniac?” Gerald said, cleaning off his ears with his fingers.

“My hair...see, it’s all messed up now...” Kim replied, desperately trying to smooth the strands together.

Gerald's eyes lit up. “I don’t remember you being so vain...”

“Well, frankly speaking mister, you don’t seem to remember anything at all...”

“Oh, yes I do!”

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

“Well, for one, I do remember you being much more cheerful than you are now. Secondly, I do remember that you scream a little less louder than how you did now. Lastly, I do remember that you used to find me charming, not scary...”

Kim , in her rage, could not find the words to retaliate. All she could muster was, “Well, I grew up and realized how creepy you really are..."

"What happened to the little girl of old?"

"I've gotten bigger and wiser. This is what I am now, take it or leave it...”

Gerald’s face suddenly lightened up, “You grew up all right...”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, I guess you are more matured now”

“Matured? In what way?” Kim said as she placed her fists on her hips. She wasn't expecting him to say that.

“I've just noticed that you have a slight wrinkle there on your nose bridge...right when you crinkled your nose when you got angry... “ Gerald said, his finger pointing on the spot on her face. “ There...I don’t recall that being there before...sign of old age, perhaps?”

“I don’t have a wrinkle...” Kim protested, immediately taking out her compact from her bag.

“Yes, you do...right there,” Gerald insisted.

Kim looked pensively at the small mirror. She mushed up her face to see if any wrinkle of the sort came out. None came.

“Got you looking!” Gerald jibed. “Oh Kim, you should have seen your face...”

Kim immediately realized she just been had. “OH, you horrible, juvenile brute...you haven’t changed at all. You always make fun of me...”

“You’ve never changed either...you always fall for me...” he chortled.

Kim fell silent. Did she just hear him say what she thought she heard him say?

“Fall for you?” Kim said absent-mindedly.

“Fall for my jokes, I mean...” he said as he recovered.

Everything came to another standstill after that. It was as if a timely reprieve was needed as they both came too close for comfort all of a sudden.

Gerald broke the ice after that.

“Do you travel this far to go to school every day?” Gerald asked.

“Yup, since kindergarten...” Kim replied.

“Did you mean to say that you went to the same school from kindergarten to sophomore in college?”

“Yes...what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing...” dismissed Gerald. “Just curious...how long does it take you to get from your home to school?”

“Well it takes a about 45 minutes one way...depending on the Bacolod City traffic.”

“Wow, that means you lose an hour and a half a day travelling...” Gerald recounted. “Since you’ve been studying for almost twelve years now, multiply that say 200 days a year, that means you’ve lost 3,600 hours in travelling this past few years...that is an equivalent of almost 150 days of lost time.... ”

“You’re quick with math...” Kim observed.

“That’s why my mom thinks I’m going to do good with this architecture course...” Gerald replied briefly. “Don’t change the subject, did you just realize you’ve lost five months of your life doing nothing?”

“Well, I don’t exactly do nothing...” Kim said defensively.

“Well,tell me exactly what things do you do on those hours then...”

“I don't know...sometimes I listen to music...sometimes I do my homework here ... or else, read up on my lessons...”

“Well, those aren’t exactly worthwhile things to do...”

“What do you suggest I do then?” challenged Kim. “What other things could I do to make my time more valuable?”

Suddenly, Gerald grew silent. He looked as if he was about to say something important but he was holding it back.

“Well...???” Kim said impatiently.

Gerald gave her a timid glance, “Well, you could spend the time catching up on the past with me?”

The way he said it made Kim smile instantly. All of a sudden, he was transported back to this boyish demeanor she had grown to love from the past. He was so endearing with his smile.

“So, you mean to say, a trip down memory lane is more important than school work?” Kim said in jest.

“You’re not supposed to even do homework in the car. There’s a reason why it was called home work. Or else it would have been called, car work, right?” Gerald retaliated.

“Ha ha ha...” Kim laughed mockingly. “You’re so flat-out corny...”

“I used to remember you laughing at my jokes all the time,” Gerald said, somewhat offended.

“Well, it wasn’t really funny...”

"Yes, it was. How could it not be? I was born funny..."

"Hah! What made you become this self-assured?" Kim asked.

Gerald was somewhat miffed.

“Tell me, Kim...what made you this cynical?” he said.

“Cynical? Me?” Kim cried out with anger in her eyes. “Look who’s talking! Who’s the one who came back to be this really smug and conceited brat, who thinks he’s god’s gift to women, huh?! ”

Gerald responded with a very hearty laugh, which further incensed Kim.

“You know what, Gerald...” Kim said. “I’m starting to regret now that I ever had a crush on you...”

“Really? “ Gerald said, immediately interested in what Kim had to say. “You...had a crush...on little 'ol me?”

Kim was so overwrought with emotions, that she had not realized that she had said that. She desperately tried to put it off, “That was before...not now. You were much cuter then...”

“Awww...thanks Kim...” Gerald said.

“Forget that I said that...please...”

“No, I won’t ...what you said, sticks on record...”

“Okay, okay...I admit that I did. But that was back then...”

“Yes, you already said that too...” Gerald teased.

“I’m just saying that to clarify things. I said, I had a crush on you when we were little...not today, not anymore. Especially not now...I would say it would now be close to never...” flustered Kim.

“I heard that loud and clear the first time,” Gerald added, smiling naughtily.

“Never...ever...”

“Okay...I just hope you don’t change your mind, like you always do...” Gerald said.

Kim vexed further, “No, I won’t. You can count on that. If I end up having a crush on you, I’d rather eat ampalaya for a year...or drink my own pee...nothing could be more disgusting than having a crush on somebody who is so full with himself...”

“I won’t put a bet on that Kim. You might get what you wished for. Frankly, I won’t blame you if you did...I’m so likeable, people fall head over heels in love with me all the time. I won’t be so surprised if...”

“Oh my God..could you just open the windows again please...the wind inside this car is just as bad...” Kim bristled.

"It's not the wind that is causing you to fluster..."

"No, you're wrong. The air in your head could rival a tornado..." Kim glared at him.

Gerald can only laugh as Kim remains fuming. What she can’t understand though, was whether she was angry that Gerald was so irritatingly conceited or the fact that he discovered handily a secret she kept for a long time. The latter weighed more heavily on her mind. Now, he knows she had a crush on him.

Her big, uncontrollable mouth was entirely to blame!
.
.
.

Enrolment day.

School was packed to the core. Thousands of students peppered the school grounds. Among all of them, the freshmen line up was the most horrendous. Gerald was stuck in the middle of it, sweating like hell like the rest of them.

Kim and Serra meanwhile, were done with their task and were now sitting on one of the shady park benches near the administration building. From where they sat, they could freely see and observe Gerald.

“Is that him?” Serra exclaimed.

“Yup, that’s the jerk...” Kim replied disdainfully.

“OH my God, why didn’t you tell me he is a HOTTIE?”

“You call him hot?” Kim rolled her eyes.

“Sis, which planet were you from, Mars? Or, have you gone totally blind?” exclaimed Serra.

“I don’t know what you see in him...”

“Come on, sis. Look at that face...that chest... that ...” Serra said dreamily. “Everything about him looks perfect. He could be an Abercrombie model for crying out loud...”

Kim tried to imagine Gerald the commercial model, but all she could conjure was the gawdy face he had this morning in the car.

“Girl, did you see that? Even that spinter Mrs.
Trillanes thinks he’s hot too... ” Serra added.

Kim looked over to where he was. Every girl from a few meters of Gerald, have been glued to him like those rats from the Pied Piper. That includes elderly female teachers and most especially gays...none are immune to his looks.

“Disgusting...he’s so full of ...” Kim observed. “Look at him...he’s relishing the fact that every girl is throwing themselves at him.”

“He could be lathered in ego for all I care, girl. In fact, he has every right to be cocky. If you are a guy and have a face like that, you’d be cocky too. Besides, I like a man who owns up to his handsomeness. That’s confidence ...”

“Correction. It's more like over-confidence...”

Her friend wasn’t listening to her entirely. Kim caught her gaping once more at Gerald.
“
Are you sure you’re not interested in him?” Serra asked distractedly.

“Him...no...eewww...he’s like my god-brother...”

“SO WHAT???...he’s not your relative...” clarified Serra. “There’s absolutely no law that could ever prevent you both from liking each other...”

“Me...liking him? That will be gross!” Kim said. “Our parents are so close, his mom is like my mom’s sister. I look at him more like he’s my... cousin!”

“That wasn’t what I thought you said before...”

“No, sis, I’m pretty sure I only have brotherly feelings for him...then and now...”

“Are you absolutely sure?”

Kim gulped. To be honest, she wasn’t entirely sure of what she was feeling. Though her heart was thumping in betrayal, her brain felt it was necessary to take over.

“Yes, Serra, I’m sure...he’s my God-brother...”

“So, that means you won’t mind if I made a play on him...”
Kim readily shook her head.

A few restless seconds later, Kim felt odd. What she was feeling was so unexplainable. All of a sudden, she felt a discomforting and sinking feeling emerging from the pit of her stomach. Kim didn’t particularly like what her friend had to say. Her mind raced with absurd thoughts. In one of them, she wanted to slap her friend.

Kim was somewhat confused and didn’t quite know how to react on what Serra said. Her emotions towards Gerald came in so strong and fast that she was suddenly dumbfounded. She felt blindsided by the gravity of her feelings.

Then, she realized it...for the first time in her young life...Kim was mad-green jealous.

After a few seconds of logical thought, Kim felt horrible. Serra was her best friend. How could she be jealous of her best friend?

“SO, Kim, could you please arrange to formally introduce us to each other?” Serra begged.

“Sure...why not?” Kim said as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Okay, let’s meet up for lunch then...” Serra suggested.
Kim nodded.

Serra then stood up and hurriedly grabbed her bag.

“Where are you going?” Kim said.

“I’m going quickly to the mall,” Serra replied. “I need to buy a nice outfit for my lunch date...”

"Serra, no, he's not worth it!" KIm called out desperately.

"Oh yes he is, darling..." Serra looked back with a mischievous smile on her face. "Just remember, Kimmy. You said it's okay. Otherwise, if you are feeling a bit ous about him...you can tell me now..."

Kim just rolled her eyes. This was turning out to be a nightmare of epic proportions. She’s just been caught up in the tornado that was Gerald Anderson.

"Well, I guess that's it then, " Serra said, taking Kim's non-committal nod as an answer. She then waved at her, "See you later, girl!"

As Serra walked away, Kim couldn't help but feel wary. Serra, she knows, always gets what she wants.

What will Kim do now?

Somehow, deep in her heart, Kim knew what she had to do. But the question is, "Is she prepared to fight?"