AFGITMOLFM Part I: Euphoria

Chapter 006 - Beyond “Puppy Love”

[T/N: 05/13/17 UPDATE so I was right, in the first chapter, it was a baston jeans not a cane that guy was wearing.]

“Ianne!”

I heard Nate’s voice but I can’t see him. My vision is fuzzy.

“Ianne, wake up!”

Wait, I’m not even sleeping. My eyes are open; I’m even getting killed, eh.

“Hey, wake up!”

I sensed my body being shaken.

  “Ianne!”

I opened my eyes and sit properly. I felt a drip of sweat in my neck. I touch my neck, there wasn’t any wound. When I look at my knee, there wasn’t any blood.

Nate was oddly looking at me. When I look at my surrounding, our classmates were arranging themselves and I was the only one that was sitting.

It’s dismissal already? It was all just a dream?

“You slept during Sir Michael’s lecture, you’re doomed.” Nate said, laughing.

“S-sir Michael?” My heartbeat fastened. I looked behind me but there was no one. Why am I getting cold? Am I getting paranoid?

“Why are you getting pale?”

“N-nothing.”

I was still trembling weakly from fear when we went outside the classroom but I can still move on. It was just a dream, eh.

“Uy, its Sir Michael.”

When I looked back, Sir Michael was near me. I was trembling and quivering from too much fear. I remembered his face as he evilly laughs.

“I won’t sleep in your class next time, Sir!” I shouted.

Nate, Sir Michael and some students in my surrounding stopped.

I step back a couple of times. I was shocked at what had quickly happened next.

“Ahhh!”

“Ianne!”

“Ms. Santos!”

POINK POINK POINK 

“Ouch!” I stroked my butt. It’s a good thing that I didn’t tumbled if not then I might become the replacement of the white lady in The Grudge and The Ring [1].

 Nate hastily went to my side. Even Sir Michael went too, but then I moved back causing Sir to give me a weird look.

“Is there a part that’s painful? Shall I bring you in the clinic? Or in a hospital? Or at an albularyo [2]? Where? Just tell me, Ianne?!” Nate said straightly without a break.

 Nate carried me like how those newlyweds do. He ran as he carried me towards the clinic. He was so paranoid that he was saying nonsense at the nurse: what if I broke my bones, if I’ll get a butt cancer and if I can’t walk anymore.

 Butt Cancer? Where did that came from?

“I just tripped po [3] –this guy is just so OA [4],” I told the nurse as I smiled, “My hips just hurt a little po.”

 Ate [5] Nurse gave me a smile and just told the panicking Nate that I only need to rest. Then, Nate put me down at the bed of the clinic, he didn’t leave. He was sweating so much, hence he momentarily removed his polo and I got to stare at his body that was covered only with his undershirt.

I gulped, “You actually have abs?”

He smiled as he covered his stomach shyly, “Oh, Ianne, you’re staring at my body. It’s so embarrassing.”

I smirked, “Of course you should be embarrassed about your abs. That’s actually supposed to be AVBS, eh. A Very Big Stomach.” I said, laughing but then my hips hurt. Ouch! “You should consider dieting too, ah.” I said as I slap his stomach.

“You’re so rude.” He frowned and then his face turned serious. He sits beside me as he hold my hand, “I got scared, Ianne. I was scared that perhaps you’ll disappear in my life.”

Even though I was lying in bed, I grasp his head and messed his hair. He smiled but perhaps got surprised when I pulled him to kiss his cheeks.

“Sorry. Don’t get scared anymore.” I whispered.

He back a little away from me and stared. I saw him gulping.

“A-ah, well, wait –I’ll call your kuya [6].” He stood up and hastily went out of the clinic. I was left in the room, lying in bed.

What happened to that guy? 

***

 My mom didn’t let me go to school for three days, according to her I’m still not fine. That ‘something’ might happen to me at school and I’ll get a fracture at my butt. That I won’t be able to poop properly and it would lead to my death.

I don’t know anymore, sometimes my family is weird. I’m probably the only normal within us.

For the past three days that I didn’t go to school, three days has also passed since Nate had been hanging out in our house. Mom agreed because they were ‘thankful’ that Nate was to the rescue to save me.

After school, Nate would go straightly to our house to give me notes and to mess up our life. Like right now, we’re watching “Spongebob Squarepants” at the living room when he speaks.

“I have a question for you.” 

For the past three days, he always had this look at me. So serious that it look like he want to say something, so nervous.

“What?”

“What do you like in a guy?”

Are we going back at this question? Fine. I’ll answer it already, “I want someone who’s studying hard, family-oriented, and isn’t that devoted in love life. Is this fine? You?”

“What I like in a woman?”

I gave him a frown, “No. What you like in a guy. Of course, in a woman, isn’t so?”

He laughs at what I said, “Naku [7], I don’t know anything about that. I’m going now ah, I still need to finish my assignment and there’s my sibling, he might be crying already, I need to babysit him.”

 My gaze that was at him turned darker as I stopped him from standing, “Have you gone crazy? You don’t have any siblings.”

He widened his eyes before he smiled, “Ayiee [8], she knows.” He said, laughing that’s why I hit him in the head, “You’re so cute. But I really do have a question for you.”

 “Well, what’s the question anyway?”

“It’s embarrassing but...” –he scratches the back of his neck- “Am I handsome- ouch!”

“Oh my, I hit you. I didn’t do it on purpose.”  I said, laughing while I massage the back of his neck that I had hit.

“You’re getting in my nerves, ah? I just wanted to know.”

I covered his face with a pillow.

“There. You’re so handsome now.” I laughed and laughed.

He removed the pillow and throws it at me as he put his arms around my shoulder, locking me in his arms as if he was wrestling me, “This woman is crazy.”

I was still laughing and only stop when I just realized that our face were near each other. He looked at me seriously in the eye, that’s why my heart began to beat fast.

 “Uhm, Ianne... I have a question for you.”

I rolled my eyes at him and push his face away from me, “Fine, you’re handsome. I’m being forced.”

I thought that he would laugh but he was still serious. I move my gaze away because I was getting nervous at his stares.

“C-can I...” His voice turned low, “C-ca-can I...”

When I look back at him, his eyes were impulsive and I noticed that he wasn’t looking at my eyes anymore. He was looking at... My lips?

Wait –wait –what, wait.

He was getting closer and closer. Is this it? Will this be where my first kiss be? It’s so unromantic! Whate-

BOOGSH!

I shifted my gaze towards the door; hence Nate’s lips went on my cheek. We went far away from each other when kuya [9] came in a bad mood.

“What are you looking at?”

“Agh, embarrassing,” Nate whispered, “Well, I’ll take my leave.” He took his bag and fix his uniform, “Sorry for that, uhm, let’s see each other at school.”

I nodded and smiled. He smiled back but then he scratched his head when he was leaving the house. I was staring at the door and there was only one thing that I thought.

Such a wasted opportunity.

***

One day before semester break, when Nate and I reached the classroom, all of our male classmates were crowded at the back. And the ones leading them were the three eggs: Jek, Toto, and Troy that was holding a cellphone and even Mr. President, Francis was there. Their gaze fixed.

 “What’s happening?” I asked Leah who was studying.

Without a censorship she answered, “They’re watching porn.”

“Porn?”

I looked back at Nate and I was shocked when he wasn’t beside me. I noticed that he was going at the back that’s why I stopped him quickly.

“And where are you going?” I asked as I raised my eyebrow.

“I’m just going to check if they are really watching porn.”

“Not allowed.”

He can’t do anything that’s why we just sat at a corner and copied each other’s answers for our homework. I was getting curious when our classmates at the back began to shout. I stood up to check what they were really watching when Nate grabs my arm. 

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“I’m going to check it.”

He widened his eyes at me, “You didn’t allow me and now you’re going to check it?”

I gave him a smile, “Don’t mess around. Even if I do, nothing would stand within me, eh.”

He laughed at what I said but he still pulled me to sit down, “That’s not for kids. Just sit already.”

“How dare you?” I said.

“How dare me?” He said.

I hold my laughter at what he said, “I’m not a kid anymore. I’m already 15.”

“Oh, really? You’re not a kid anymore?” I got nervous when he put his face near mine. He even put his arms around me so I won’t escape. He was looking intently at my eyes, I was so nervous that I pushed his face away.

“Okay, I’m still a kid. Bye.”

I went outside the room because I couldn’t breathe. Those eyes that was staring intently at me, upon close interaction, could make anyone in dazed. Wah!

***

Because there aren’t any good things to do at home, during semester break I was really bored. I can’t call Nate because my Mom told me, don’t be a clingy girlfriend. The boys should be the one who first call.

But what if the boyfriend didn’t call? I’ll wait for nothing?

Sigh, it’s hard to be a woman.

Because I can’t do anything with my life except for surfing and using the computer, I tried making a blog in the MS Word but I soon got lazy. I’m not the type who always goes out our house, and there wasn’t any Kuya [10] to tease with since he doesn’t have semester break as his school and has three semesters and he’s even in a dorm.

 So I’m the one who’s here bored. I’m the one, okay.

I was just laying in my bead, counting how many ants was there in the ceiling when I heard something.

DING DONG *dantes* DING DONG *dantes* [11]

I glanced at my cellphone and smiled when I saw the screen.

[Aaa.MyNate.

When I answered, my smile grew wider when I heard his voice. I miss it so much.

“Hello?”

I can’t speak. I just want to hear his voice for the whole night.

“Ianne?”

My chest was beating hard, it’s so... Aaahhh! I don’t know anymore.

“Are you there?”

I’m imagining Nate’s face, his tanned skin, his height that reaches six feet. His eyes that if were to stare; can caught a lot of attention and his body that wasn’t thin nor fat and so huggable. And his AVBS, A Very Big Stomach, so nice to press. I miss it.

“Ianne, hello?”

And his hands that was soft to touch.

“I love you.”

I covered my mouth.

“W-what is it again?”

My eyes widened.

“Ianne.”

I cancelled the call at my panic. I began to sit properly at the bed and stared at the nothingness. I said that? I said it? I’m dead.

***

I went outside to check who rang the doorbell, I expected that it was Nate who I’ll see as it was our monthsary but there wasn’t anyone. There was only one big box and I was amaze when I saw two doll keychain because I look exactly like the girl doll, whose hair was even ponytail. While on the other hand, Nate look exactly alike the boy keychain.

“That’s for you.”

Nate was going towards me with a smile. He was dress properly and was tidy, as if he was going somewhere.

“Where’s the baptism you’re going to –ouch!” 

My boyfriend is so sweet. He hit me in the head. So cute. I also hit him in the head so it’s fair.

“Happy monthsary.” He went near my ears and whispered, “I love you.”

I remembered again what I said last time... He was still smiling when he looked back at me again, it seems like he’s teasing.

“Let’s celebrate our day?”

He waited for me to prepare myself and even asks my Mom to take me so we can go.

Mom agreed, just that I must go back completely intact and with no other being within me.

 They’re crazy.

I always smile when I saw the two doll keychain while we were commuting. So amazing, I asked him who made it he said he made it with the help of his ~*Famous Friend*~ whose name is Jobelle.

We went in a mall while holding hands that was swaying as we walk with our killer smile. We were just walking when we hear a noise.

BZZT BZZT

I grasp my stomach; my babies were in death throes already. The first eatery we’ll see will be the place where we’ll eat. The first thing we saw is Jolibee hence we ended up in Greenwich which is just next to Jolibee. [12]

 He was the one to order our meal as I search for a vacant seat. I noticed that there was a woman getting kilig [13] as she secretly uses her cellphone to take a picture of someone. There were even two friends who went near a waiter to take a picture with him! When I saw the face of the waiter, what the heck?

Why is he there?

Nate sits beside me and looks at the direction of where I was staring.

“Is that Emotionless Guy?”

[1] The Grudge and The Ring – Japanese horror movies, that’s mostly known for their character: the White Lady: [The former is The Grudge and the latter is The Ring]

[2] Albularyo – a Tagalog term for a witch doctor, folk healer or medicine men. Take note, this is completely different from a doctor as they are not licensed and in most cases are fake. 

[3] Po – sign of politeness.

[4] OA – Over Acting; a person whose manner is exaggerating.

[5] Ate – older sister.

[6] [9] [10] Kuya – older brother.

[7] Naku – express frustration or exasperation in the likes of “Oh my,” 

[8] Ayiee – an expression that is mostly used for teasing someone with someone else.

[11] this is a ringtone; the author is making a joke again as there’s a famous actor name Dingdong Dantes, hence there’s a “dantes”.

[12] Jolibee is currently the number one fast food chain in the Philippines while Greenwich is a pizza and pasta chain. Both are in the same corporation, the JFC (Jolibee Foods Corporation).

[13] Kilig – describing the feeling of having butterflies in your stomach. I would have used thrilled but that isn’t enough to define that feeling.