THE BARON: My One True Love

Chapter IX

When Chris started strumming his guitar he saw Lauryn approached the stage and stopped in front of him singing. He looked at herand he could not understand why he fell in love with her. Chris looked away and searched for Marian. He saw her talking to Martin. Martin is his mistah. Rich kid, son of a retired Air Force Officer and one of the smartest in class.

Martin is popular with the girls.

Chris started to sing the song he knows Marian remembers. He was looking at her while singing.

"She believes in me

I never know just what she sees in me

I told her someday

If she was my girl

I could change the world.....

Marian stopped when she heard the song. Its the song Chris always sings to her whenever he visits them at home.

But she saw Lauryn. She was smiling at Chris and he returned the smile at Lauryn. She knows he is still in love with Lauryn.

"Marian, are you okay?" Asks Martin who stopped dancing too. He looked at Marian with concern.

"Oh! I'm okay. I'm just tired. Can we sit down for a while?"

Martin replied with an optimistic smile. A deep dimple creased one cheek, tiny laughlines fanning out of the corner of his long lashed brown eyes. Damned if he wasn't the most attractive man she had met, well aside from Chris, Marian thought she realized it was the first time she'd seen him smile like that, though they have been together for a couple of hours.

"Okay Marian, tara nang maupo. Masama ba pakiramdam mo " askd Martin

"I'm just tired, Marianne said.

She went to the table where she shares with Chris, Martin at her side. He waited for Marian to sit before he told her that he could not sit there cause it is the seat of the Baron. He said that, he would like to talk to her again before she goes home. She thanked Martin and watched him return to his table.

In a few minutes as she enjoys watching the cadets dance with their partners, she felt someone approached her.

"Oh ayaw mo nang sumayaw?" Chris asked her as he sat down beside her and sipped water from his glass.

"OO"

"Oh, eh bakit ka iniwan ni Copong?" He asked sarcastically.

"Eh napagod na ako eh, tsaka hindi siya pwedeng umupo diyan sa upuan ng Baron" Marian retorted.

The hop ended with Marian and Chris not speaking to each other. Martin approached Chris and Marian as they were going out of the hop area.

"Mistah" Chris said and shook Martin's hand too. He turned to Marian and said "Tara na. "

"Chriiis" it was Lauryn

Martin looked at Chris and then to Marian questioningly. Neither Chris not Marian said anything they need not, though. Lauryn who came to the hop with a Second Class cadet came rushing to the Baron and hugged him. Chris was surprised. The underclass, Marian, Martina and Chris were shocked when Lauryn kissed Chris on the cheek. Martin took the opportunity to talk to Marian. He smiled at her and said, "Will it be okay to come visit you pag nagprivilege ako Marian?

"Kailan ang privilege niyo?" Marian asked Martin while looking at Chris and Lauryn. She did not hear what he said until he excused himself cause he needed to escort his drag home too. Marian looked at the college girl beside Martin. She probably is just a date to fill in. Marian smiled at Mrtin and the girl and said goodbye to them both.