Taking Chances

Reality Bites

The first thing that Sarah did when she got home was call her bestfriend. Her back was on the bed and both her feet were on the ground. She was staring at the ceiling impatiently waiting for Rachelle to pick up.

"Oy! May practice kami diba???" Shin said in a hushed voice.

"Alam ko." Sarah knew fully well was rehearsing by this time. Shin was in London preparing for a West End production where she was a main cast. "Sandali lang to promise..."

Sarah took a long breath. She was really bothered. "Anong ibig sabihin ng dating?"

"Seryoso ka? Hindi ba 25 ka na? What do you think happened between you and Bernard? Bahay bahayan?"

"I just wanna confirm something. Pag dating naman... Wala namang commitment diba? Hindi naman kailangan na gusto ko na talaga yung ide-date ko."

"Well it depends... Are you going out exclusively or can you date other people? Teka... Ibig sabihin..."

Sarah swallowed hard. "Pumayag ako na magdate kami ni Matteo."

"Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!!" Shin shrieked. It was quickly followed by embarassed apologies to her director and co-actors.

"Oh my God.... I'm so happy for you sis!!!"

"Teka teka. Pumayag lang ako. Di ko pa sya boyfriend."

"Ok... I get it. You're worried na masasaktan mo si Matt if things don't end up well. That's perfectly alright. Kaya naman kayo magde-date para malaman kung compatible kayo. Ligawan stage ganon. Ang importante kinikilig ka sa kanya. Then it means na meron kayong chance... Wait, kinikilig ka nga ba?"

Sarah thought about the way Matt looked at her. She finally understood what it was that Kiara said about how he looked at her. Matt looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world, like she was the most beautiful girl he's ever laid eyes on.

"Oo naman..." Sarah admitted.

Rachelle shrieked again, this time silently. "Yeeeee.... Oh my gaaaaad.... Bagay kayo frieeeend!!!!"

Sarah laughed. "Balik ka na sa practice. Baka patayin pa nila yung role mo sa play pag nag-ingay ka pa dyan."

"Before they even kill me, baka patay na ko sa kilig!!!!"

Sarah put down the phone, closed her eyes and held a hand at her heart. It was still beating fast.

She remembered what Matt said in the car before he brought her home.

"Thank you for the chance." Matt said looking straight into her eyes.

"Ano bang ginawa ko sayo at nagkakaganyan ka..." Sarah said weakly. She was not used to this kind of treatment, especially from someone like Matt who could get any girl he wanted without even trying.

"Ano bang hindi ko gagawin para ikaw naman ang magkaganito sa kin?"

"Ha!" His answer completely threw her off. "Ok ka rin no... Hindi kaya style mo lang yan." She couldn't help it. Her past experiences made her cynical about men.

Matt shook his head. "I've never been this way with anyone before. I didn't know that I can be this... forward. I just really want a chance with you."

Sarah opened her eyes and got up with a start. Was this really happening? A month ago she was alone. Now there was a dashing suitor vowing to take care of her at all costs.

"Di kaya nagpapakagaga na naman ako? Di kaya nadala lang ako ng moment?" Damn his eyes, damn his words! "Pano kung di ko pa pala kaya pumasok sa relasyon?"

Oh God what did she do. Inside her heart she knew that she hasn't forgotten Bernard yet. But he's gone now. And Matt is the one who's here- offering her a chance to be happy, a chance to fall in love. She closed her eyes again and prayed that what she did was right.

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Matt woke up late because he barely slept. He kept replaying the events from last night. That night may have him go down as the corniest guy in history, but because Sarah said yes he had no regrets.

Sarah looked like an angel on earth last night. He remembered being so nervous that he kept on saying stupid things. He never got nervous with girls before. He always knew what to say. But Sarah was not just any girl.

He was singing as he went down. He kissed his mom on the cheek, sat down for breakfast, and devoured everything that was set before him.

"You seem happy!" His mom exclaimed.

"And you look beautiful as the morning Ma."

"I wonder what happened last night." She said before leaving for the kitchen.

You'll know soon enough, he thought. God willing he would be able to have Sarah meet his parents soon. He was downing his juice when he noticed that he was on the news.

"Matteo Guidicelli gaganap na partner ni Sarah Geronimo sa susunod na music video ng dalaga... Hmm... At base sa Instagram posts nila, parang nagkakaigihan ang dalawa sa shooting. Parang may pattern a. Bernard de Vera and Maya Reyes... Tapos ngayon Matteo and Sarah? Ikot ikot lang???"

Matt felt his stomach turn. He didn't care about what others had to say. He only cared about how Sarah would take it. He hoped and prayed that she wouldn't change her mind.