once upon a first love

OUFL:4

T H I R D Y

The championship match just ended. Poveda lost to St. Scho. We were in the backseat of the car. She's looking outside the window for half an hour already. She isn't crying. I knew she doesn't want to go home pa so we stayed. Knowing Bea, she just wants someone to be with her at times like this.

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"Bei..." I finally said something.

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Lumingon siya, at tiningnan niya lang ako. Kahit madilim, I can see her eyes watering, her lips trembling as she tries hard not to make her tears fall. Right at that moment, I grabbed her and just locked her safely in my arms. Hindi na niya napigilan umiyak. She was sobbing. I was just patting her back trying to calm her down.

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We stayed like that for a while. I don't know how long.

When I noticed that she has stopped crying, I reached for her face and wiped the tears on her cheeks. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better. That was a good cry." She smiled a bit.

"Okay. Do you want to eat?" I asked.

"Yes, it's nakakagutom to cry hard. Hehe." Bea replied. I saw her eyes smile and knew she's going to be okay.

"Promise me something, Beatriz."

"What?"

"Don't cry when I'm not around."

"Why?"

"Because I wont be able to do this."

I grabbed her again for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Until the school year ended, I kept what I felt hidden. It has not been easy. Everything's just different now that I realized I have feelings for her. But I decided that now's not the time to mention it or even think about it. Bea and her family are leaving for San Francisco for a vacation. They leave tomorrow. That's probably the time I need to decide on what to do with these feelings.

I heard my phone ringing. Speaking of the angel, she's calling via face time.

"Thirdy, I hate you. You're annoying." She shouted. Nakahiga siya wearing her PJs pa-side sa bed niya.

"What? Ano ginawa ko?" I was puzzled.

"Make me mad. Annoy me."

"Are you crazy? Meron ka ba? Di ba tapos na?"

Is it the time of the month? I counted on my mind. No, it's too early. Last week lang ata yung sobrang takaw niya and masungit.

"No. Wala. Just do it."

"I have no time for nonsense, Beatriz. I'm tired tonight ha, I just got home from practice."

"......" She's glaring at me like I did something really bad.

"Bei??"

Out of the blue, she covered her face.

"Bea!! What's wrong? Do you want me to go there?" I immediately reached for my car keys.

"No! I'm just mad!" Then I heard her crying. I stood up and took my jacket near my bedside table.

"At me?"

"No, at myself!" She continued crying and I'm still clueless.

"What? Why?"

"Because I want to get mad at you. So that I won't—-hsjgisgsj" Her sob made the latter part inaudible.

"I didn't hear you. Why do want to get mad at me? I'll go there na talaga."

"No, don't!! You heard me naman eh." She removed her hands from her face, wiping her face.

"No, I didn't. Ano yun?"

Bea covered her eyes and said in a small voice. "I want to get mad at you so I won't miss you when I'm in SF. But I realized I'll still miss you even if I'm furious."

When I heard those words, my lips voluntary smiled. She might be a bully to her friends but also the sweetest.

"So you're crying because you will miss me?" I teased her.

Bea sneaked a peak between her fingers covering her eyes. "Duh! Of course." She even rolled her eyes. Cute.

"You're such a crybaby. You know that, do you?"

"No, I'm not! I only cry when I'm with you because you said so." Bea pouted.

"You're a beiby. Pun intended. Haha. That's just three weeks. You'll enjoy there and you won't even remember me. I'll miss you too, that's for sure."

"Sama ka na kasi, thirdy please!! Mom's fine with it, I'm sure." She begged.

I sighed. "Bea, we talked about this. Di ba may training pa ko? And that's a family trip."

"Okay, fine. But I'll call ha? Even if its midnight there. Answer my calls."

"Yes, madame. Copy."

We just spent the rest of the night talking. When we're not together, we spend our nights like these. She's extra makulit tonight but I don't really mind. Sometimes, we wake up in the morning and it's still on. Sometimes, dead batt na our phones.

Tonight, she fell asleep first. I just looked at her. Hayy, beatriz. Anong ginagawa mo sa puso ko? I can't help but think if how we treat each other is the norm. Or is this more than friends? I mean, I don't know anymore what's the difference. All I know is that I'm finally admitting to myself that she's special and I want to keep her in my life forever.

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T H I R D Y

ONE WEEK LATER...

"Thirdy!!! Gising na. Kakain na." I can hear my mom shouting from downstairs. I'm still sleepy.

"Ma, puyat yun. He's a call center agent, you didn't know?" I heard Dani's voice.

"Oo nga ma, I woke up to pee and I heard Thirdy still talking to Bea." Manong added.

"Where's Bea pala? Parang isang linggo nang di pumupunta yung batang yun dito ah." My dad asked.

"Dad, she's in San Francisco. They're in different time zones. Puyat kakatawag. You know naman kuya di ba?" Dani answered. 

"Ano yun, Dani?" I asked loudly as I went down the stairs.

Biglang napatahimik si Dani. "Ah eh, wala kuya." I sat beside Dani and drank water.

"kumusta LDR, 'nak?" Dad suddenly asked, smiling. Muntik ko nang mabuga yung tubig na nasa bibig ko.

"Dad, we're just best friends."

As I said the magic words, I saw Manong, Dani, Mom and Dad stealing glances at each other, grinning.