Peksman

Peksman - 2

"Daddy, I have a best friend! Who was your best friend?" My 6 year old asked, face sweaty and hair messy after arriving home from class.

It had been a few days into her first year in elementary school, and I was happy she finally found someone she could call a friend.

"Your Mommy, darling," I answered lovingly. I wiped the sweat off her face and evened out her hair. I couldn't help but smile, seeing that she was too innocent to give a care for her appearance.

She was so much better with words now, and by so much better - I meant she almost never stops talking. "Really? Julia gave me a lollipop. What did you do to make mommy your bestfriend?" Her eyes shone with the same curiosity as her mom had, and that's all I needed to remember.

"Well, your mommy was a tough cookie..."

----------

It was my first day in 9th grade, and everyone else just started changing over the summer break. The guys got taller, the girls got shapely-er... If there was such word, that is. All I know is their chests grew.

I waited for Sharlene to finish dressing up while having breakfast with her mother. This has been a ritual - her and I going to and leaving school together. We would always receive looks and hear people whispering about how weird it is for a girl and boy to be just friends... But that's what I always thought we were, just friends. She didn't mind, so I also didn't.

"Shar, pinahintay mo na naman si Donny," Tita Mylene said as her daughter finally appeared in the dining room.

I smiled, mouth still full from the eggs and bread we were eating. "It's okay. Sanay na ako, Tita," I said, trying out a tagalog phrase I've heard some of our classmates use.

I heared Shar chuckling behind me. "Ang pangit mo talaga mag-Tagalog, Donny," she said as she wrapped her arm around my neck. I stiffened for a second, shocked at the proximity our bodies were... All for her to reach a piece of bread that was in front of me.

She started munching on the bread while tying up her already dried hair. "We'll go ahead, 'My," she said amidst chewing. She grabbed her bag on one hand, and my collar on the other. "Donny, let's go, baka ma-late na naman tayo."

I managed to grab another gulp of orange juice before she forcibly dragged me out of their house. "Thank you, Tita My! See you later!" I shouted over.

I pushed Shar's hand away from my collar, "My collar's already gusot because of you." I tried to smoothen it a little bit so that it doesn't look as bad as before. I still seldom spoke the language, but I fully understood Tagalog by that time.

I looked over at her and immediately noticed something different. "Are you wearing make-up?" I asked. She looked at me, wide-eyed, and vigorously shook her head.

I raised my eyebrow to let her know that I didn't believe her - not even a bit. "Fine, gusto ko sana magandahan sakin si Nash," she finally answered.

My eyes involuntarily squinted, my forehead creased. "What? Bawal ba magka-crush?" She asked. I didn't say it then, but I thought about how she dared having a crush at such a young age - we were 14!

That day went as boring and uneventful as most days... Almost.

She told me to wait for her since she still had to do something after class. After a while of sitting down, doing absolutely nothing but text her a couple of times, she finally emerged at the front gate of the school. Her shoulders dropped and her head down, I immediately knew something was wrong.

I made my way towards her, and when she saw me approaching, did the same thing. She pulled me in for a hug and buried her head on my shoulder. I felt warmth right there, and then I heard sobbing.

Before I was able to ask, she gave the answer. "Ni-reject ako ni Nash! Sabi niya ay hindi niya daw ako makita bilang girlfriend kasi mas maganda si Mika..." Her words trailed off and I held her with the same intensity.

Sharlene and maganda have always gone together, I knew that for a fact. How dare he say that someone was prettier.

"You'll be fine. Someone better will come along, Shar," I said.

"Peksman ba?" She asked pulling away and looking at me.

"Peksman." I replied.