“Sizzie, can you come over here? I got this goddamn dilemma. !” Kim speaking with Aprille on the phone.

 “What is it? Okay expect me after lunch, I am with Tyron, we will have lunch first.”

“Naku please dito na lang kayo kumain kahit eat all you can, I really need someone to talk to, I think I am going crazy.”

“Kay. You win. Wait, I will call you back.”

Kim waited for them at the reception area, with hands on her waist standing erect like a model, wearing over-sized shades and short pants with gray sleeveless top.

“Oh thank God, you are here. Come on let us have lunch. Hi Tyron! Good to see you again.” Kim says.

After getting food from the buffet table, “Hey! What’s the urgency for?” Aprille says hastily.

“OMG! As in OMG Aprille! This is crazy! Gerald’s Mom arrived 2 days ago with her fiancé that he never met before. She is a tall, dark not-so-glamorous girl that a businessperson like Gerald could not have interests at.”

“So what?” Aprille bids.

“Hello! He did not like her. He told me he hates women above his height.” She laughs.“And guess what he ing did! He told them that I am his girlfriend! That we met in America blah blah blah! Now his parents want to know me better! Grrr! This is unfair!”

Aprille could not almost swallow her food. “What? Kilig naman!” she giggles.

“Gaga! Anong kilig kilig ka jan? Mamamatay ako!”

“Friend, wag kang OA, just be thankful he is cute.”

“You know, I think I called the wrong person. I expect you to comfort me and look what are you acting!” she rolled her eyes pressing the barbeque stick towards the tablecloth.

“Look Kim, you are not in torture! Enjoy! I am telling you. Take chances, who knows.”

“Anong who knows who knows ka jan. Alam mo, walang papupuntahan ‘to, lalo lang iinit ang ulo ko sayo. Buti pa, magswimming na lang tayo bago pa ko mapikon.”

“Relax!” Aprille says. “Babe, swim tayo?” she asks Tyron.

“No, kayo na lang. I will leave, nasiraan si Mama sa Q.Ave. Pick up-in ko lang.”

***

“Bro! Parang kalian lang ah.” Nico says, Gerald’s friend from Florida.

“Oo nga eh. Kailan ang balik mo sa states?” Gerald asks.

“This Friday. Ang bilis nga eh. Pero okay na rin iyon, hindi ko kasi matagalan ang weather dito, masyadong mainit. Buti pa magswimming tayo.” He suggests.

“Oh sige pero sasamahan lang kita, wala kasi ako sa mood maligo sa pool.”

***

“There are lots of pretty Filipinas sa states, but here, doble. Look at them, they are hot.” Nico pertaining to the girls in swim attire around them.”

“Natural mas marami dito, nasa Pinas ka eh.” Gerald mutters. “Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago. Chickboy ka pa rin.”

“Syempre naman.” Nico dropped his jaw seeing Kim in her hot pink swimsuit. He removed his shades to see her clearer. “Pare! Ang ganda nya!”

Gerald traced Nico’s eyes and found it glancing at Kim.

He shook his head, “Sus.”

“Anong sus ka jan? Bahala ka nga, basta ko didskartehan ko ito.”

“Goodluck!” Gerald answers in sarcasm. “I know her. She is a beast!”

Gerald did not tell him what’s between him and Kim to avoid explanations, besides, Nico is leaving in two days. It won’t make any sense if he let him know.

“A beast? Oh, well, if that is so, she is the most beautiful beast” Nico replies. “So you know her? Lakad mo naman ako oh. Para bago man lang ako umalis makadiskarte ako.”

“Alam mo, hindi ka uubra jan. Maton yan eh.”

“Bakit? Hindi ka ba umubra sa kanya? Basted ka ano?”

“Sira, di ko type iyan.”

“Asus, kunyari ka pa. Bahala ka nga dyan.”

“Bahala ka rin!”

***

“Hi. Kim, right?” Nico in his arrogant manner.

“Hello! Do I know you?” Kim asks.

“No, but my friend told me you are Kim. I am Nico.”

“Friend? Who?”

“Gerald, there he is.” He pointed at him.

“Oh, Gerald, yeah.” Kim nods. “Nice meeting you.”

“Can you join me for lunch?” he asks.

“Sorry, we just finished eating lunch.” Kim says.

“Oh I see, maybe snack later? Can we?”

“We’ll see.” Kim turned to Aprille asking her to take a swim.

After an hour of dumping into the pool, Nico succeeded in winning Kim’s time. They had light snack at the hotel lobby, he even invited Gerald to come in but he refused for safety reasons, Aprille was with them. Kim enjoyed Nico’s sense of humor. They became at ease with each other in no time. They weren’t aware that Gerald is seriously watching over them 5 tables away from their place.

***

The next thing after saying goodbye to Aprille is to check on Gerald. Kim felt reluctant to knock on his door. “Ge?”

Gerald felt a bit surprise seeing Kim checking on him, “Oh? Bakit?”

“Ah, wala. Kakamustahin lang kita.” She smiles.

“Wala naman akong sakit ah.”

“I know. Oh by the way. I met your friend Nico. He told me you are long time friends. We had snack kanina sa baba, sana sumama ka.” She mutters.

“Yah, right, nakwento nga nya sakin.” He nods.

“Tara, let’s eat. Dinner tayo sa baba or you want to go out? What do you think?”

“Are you inviting me?” he laughs.

“Oo, bakit?”

“Wala, naninibago lang ako. Baka may dinner out kayo ni Nico eh, nakakahiya naman makaistorbo.”

“Sus. Wala noh. Wala nga kong bilib sa taong yun, ang presko.”

“Kunyari ka pa, pero enjoy na enjoy ka naman sa company nya.” He says briskly.

Kim looked at him suspiciously, “Nagseselos ka?” she smiles.

“Ano ko praning? Bakit naman ako magseselos.”

“Oo nga naman bakit ka nga naman magseselos. Hay.” She turned to her left. “Alam mo kesa magemote ka dyan, samahan mo na lang ako humanap ng Japanese cuisine sa labas, hindi kasi ako nakakain ng maayos kanina eh.”

“Bakit hindi? Kasi nagpapacute ka? Ayaw mong mawalan ng poise?”

“Hindi noh. Wag ka nga assuming! Ayaw mo pa aminin na nagseselos ka!” she laughs naughtily.

“Ewan ko sa iyo bahala ka nga.”

Gerald stood up, was about to go to the comfort room but Kim held his arms, and pulled him. She grabbed his face, closed her eyes, and kissed his lips sensually. Gerald’s eyes were shocked at first, but after feeling Kim’s lips, he gently closed his eyes and cooperated with the kiss that came from the deepest part of Kim’s heart.