nineteen

Kao

"Someone's happy!"

I pursed my lips as I looked up and saw Rein hovered over me on my seat.

We were at the classroom for our last class for the day and even if I didn't want to, I couldn't help but feel excited as our class was slowly coming to an end.

Few more minutes and I would finally get to be free from school for the next two days as it was the weekend.

And because, Pete and I agreed to meet today for dinner.

"It's the weekend. It's hard not to be."

But Rein didn't know about Pete just yet and I'm not sure why seeing Pete makes me this excited so maybe I'll just have to keep it to myself.

"We had been friends and classmates for the rest of high school. I never saw you this happy for a weekend ever since."

I made a face at Rein.

"And your point is?"

She smiled before she sat on the chair next to me.

"My point is, does your smile had something to do with that hot guy I saw you with last time?"

I furrowed my brows at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She rolled her eyes and smiled that knowing smile.

"Tsk! Really? What if I tell you I'm talking about the guy who handed you a cold and fresh buko juice that one time after PE?"

She meant the one last Wednesday when we were allowed to go outside the perimeter of the school for a part of our subject that suggested community cleaning and both Pete and Kaleb where at the same street food stall.

Really, what time do they even end their classes at their school!?!

But that was not the pressing concern I had at the moment.

It was when Kaleb called and out and waved at me and offered me the juice.

And when I agreed and was about to walk towards them to get eat, Kaleb stopped me and had coerced Pete to hand the juice to me instead and I just couldn't contain my glee.

Although I friend my hardest to hide it as he walked towards me.

He just nodded and gave me the juice and left.

I should feel bad.

I mean, I thought we already hit it off when we had dinner last time, even if it ended with Pete having his face punched.

He also offered to wait with me for a ride in comfortable silence and surprised me with what he said before he closed the door of the taxi.

"See you around."

He said.

And I smiled.

But I didn't seem the next day and the days that followed until that very moment he handed me the buko juice and he didn't even speak but then he turned back and gave me a covert smile that I ended up biting my lower lip and turned back just so I could let out my smile.

Honestly, I no longer know what was happening with me.

And then, just yesterday, when I was waiting for manong at the sidewalks just outside the gate, I saw Pete passed by on a motorcycle.

Still with a stern face not even bothering to nod at me in acknowledgement and even threw a crumpled paper at me.

I was so annoyed at him that I picked it up and planned to retaliate but he was long gone and I was standing there like an idiot about to tear the crumpled paper when I noticed a handwritten print on it.

It says, 'Friday. Same place. Dinner.'

And I was never the same since then.

"Okay, stop with all your smiling now. It's getting cheesy."

Rem's teasing brought me back to the present.

"Wow, Rein, we had been friends and classmates for the rest of high school and I hand no idea you could be this nosy."

Rein is nice and pretty and really rich.

She's one of the very few students in our school that I consider my real friends.

And I don't really have many friends.

I guess Rein is actually the one I can consider the closest.

Her family owns a chain of salon all over the metro but you could never tell with how she treats everyone.

Maybe it's the reason why I'm very comfortable with her.

"Aw, come on! I'm not being nosy, that's too negative for me. Let's just say, I'm curious?"

She wiggled her eyebrows at me and I couldn't stop laughing.

"That's basically just a scientific term for being nosy."

We both laughed at what I said.

"What?"

I asked when she stopped and just stared at me.

"You're happy. It looks good on you."

I stilled for a while.

Am I?

I think I'm always happy.

There's no reason not to.

Then an image cross my mind and I automatically smiled and I thought, maybe Rein meant, I looked happier.

Because I feel happier.

And I can't remember feeling this way before.

"You think so?"

I ended up asking Rein.

"I believed so."

She smiled at me and it was hard not to smile back.

"Whatever it is, just go with it. As long as you're not hurting anyone, go and make yourself happy."

I felt her squeezed me on my hand reassuring and I could only thank her with my smile.

Being gay has been hard in my first few months of high school.

Although bullies seemed to have eased up now a little bit, but still, it didn't mean that I no longer receive snide remarks and or judging eyes and statement every now and then.

But having my parents who are very supportive and friends like Rein who are just as supportive, makes me feel better and more at ease.

And now that I'm slowly discovering a new part of me with new people, I was more than ready and excited for a new experience.

"Thanks, Rein. Really. Just, thank you."

She nodded and we just sat there smiling at each other holding hands until she broke the moment.

"So what's his name?"

I rolled my eyes and she cracked up.

She is really nosy.

I'll give her that.

"What? Everyone is curious and so am I. It's not everyday that a hot guy from another school come and visit us and to bring gifts."

I rolled my eyes with his she put it.

Honestly, I had no idea people were starting that time Apollo came over and handed me the 'gift'.

Maybe you can say that I was both shocked and so immersed at the moment that I forgot the fact that we were still at school and that my friends and other students were there to watch.

"He just brought me a bottle of juice. And he's not that hot."

Really, girls like Rein and dozens other rich girls from our school should have had known and seen hotter guys.

What's with all the fuss?!?

I mean, I can't even tell if I find Pete hot.

Maybe I should look at him more later.

"Are you kidding me!?! Do you have any idea how many girls from other grade levels were asking me to ask you about him!?! Not that they need to because I'd gladly ask you about him for selfish reasons."

I rolled my eyes at Rein.

Yes, she's this honest too.

"I thought, you said, he makes me look happier? What's with the air of treachery?"

I joked and Rein instantly got it by laughing boisterously making everyone looked at us.

She didn't mind them tho.

"Look at what jealousy is doing to you my friend!"

She said and clapped her hands before she patted me on my shoulders.

"I'm not jealous."

She shrugged.

"Figures. Now you don't even want to talk about him when I told you about how majority of the girl population in our school is crushing on him."

I made a face at her.

"You didn't know? Gosh!"

Rein made a fake disappointed face at me before she took her phone and launched her messaging up.

She clicked on a group chat named hot boys unlimited and show me the thread that goes back to Wednesday and all they were talking about in the convo was 'the hot guy who gave Kao a buko juice before winking ahhhhh!!!'

I looked up at Rein.

She nodded.

Seriously, they have a group discussion in their group chat about Pete!?!

"Yeah, you're right to be possessive of your guy."

I gaped at Rein.

"He's not."

She shook her head at me.

"Nuh-ah! Nope. Here's the thing, Kao, if you don't go after what you like this early on, many would try their luck. So, friendly advice, go and fence your buko juice guy. Okay?"

I should what!?!

I was about to contend with Rein when our home room adviser arrived and she started talking about a class project for the upcoming foundation day but I could not concentrate on what she was discussing as I kept on thinking about what Rein said and about Pete.

Do I really like him!?!

I mean...

Damn!

I swallowed dryly when I heard my heart beating abnormally with the thought.

I shook my head.

I should get a grip.

Right.

I tried to concentrate on the remnant class time but I was so into deep with my thoughts until I found myself walking towards the exit.

Our classes ended with me not having any recollection of it.

I was busy thinking about Pete and what Rein said about him.

Okay.

Fine.

Maybe I'm crushing on him a little bit.

But that's just normal right?

Also, I'm crushing on Lee Minho big time but it was never a problem so this thing with Pete wouldn't be a problem too, right?

Right.

I mean, it's just a crush.

People get crushes all the time.

And I'm still young and discovering myself so it would not be much of a big deal right?

Also, I'm not even sure if Pete would be okay with it so maybe I'll just keep quiet and not let him know and then puff!

This little crush of mine would just disappear, right!?!

Right!

I smiled to myself as I send the text to manong telling him I wouldn't need him for a ride and that I'll just be carpooling with a friend.

I received his reply instantly and as I secured my phone on in my pocket, my heart was back to beating so hard again.

Shvt!

I was trying to calm myself down when a little commotion not far from where I was caught my attention.

A group of girls were huddled and shrieking and giggling.

I raised my eyebrows.

Girls.

Tsk.

I went back on track and walked towards the exit into the side walk where I planned to wait for Pete.

The pare he threw at me didn't have a time and place so I assumed I would just wait outside for him.

Maybe we'll ride on that motorcycle he rode last time?

Or maybe.

Wait.

Should I just go straight to the eatery?

Maybe he would just be waiting there?

Damn!

I should have at least gotten his number.

Tsk.

Right.

I'll do it over dinner.

In a very casual manner.

Because he should not know that I'm crushing on him.

Yes.

Okay.

I was almost out the exit when I heard a very familiar voice answering someone asking for a number.

"I-I don't have a phone sorry."

I stopped on track.

The voice came from the huddle of girls not far from where I was standing.

"You're kidding right? Who doesn't have a cellphone in this day and age!?!"

I hear one girl said flirtatiously.

"I don't. Why do you think I'm here waiting for Kao if I have a phone to call him."

Wait.

That's my name.

I craned my neck as I walked closer to the huddle of women who were now groaning in dissatisfaction when the guy kept denying them his phone number.

Could it be that the guy is...

"Excuse me."

I said as I tried to get a good look of the guy who was sitting on a bench enjoying all the girls hovering over him.

"Oh, there you are."

The guy stood up and beamed at me.

I wanted to beam back but seeing how he seemed to to have loved all the attention from all the girls made me think otherwise.

"Excuse me girls, but this is it for me. Thank you for keeping me company."

He said as he smiled and waved at the girls who all protested in unison but ended up waving back at him.

When did he ever learn how to smile and wave!?!

In the few weeks that I knew him, he could only scowl and glare at me and now...!!!

I should have just let him rot in the rain that one time and let him tend to his wound the other.

"Let's go!"

He said when he was already in front of me.

His smile now invisible.

The jerk!

"Are you sure? You might want to hang out with them a little more."

I said as I started to walk away and continued towards the exit.

To think that I was even thinking about how Apollo must have been waiting for so long for me outside and then I saw him having fun with all those girls!?!

How did he even get in anyway.

"Your schoolmates are so nice, yes? One of them asked the security guard to let me in and even kept me company while I waited for you."

I looked at Pete.

The cut in his lips and the bruise on his face from the brawl last time seemed healed now and had seemed to highlight his masculine figure even more.

He looked more-shvt!

Focus Kao!

Right.

"Hmm. Good for you. You seemed to don't mind waiting."

Also, that was the longest sentence you've said to me since we met and it was about how adorable girls were.

Talk about crashing your crush.

"Yeah. Anyway, I forgot to get your number. Can I have it now?"

I stoped walking and looked at Pete as he took his phone from his back pocket.

"I thought you don't have a phone?"

Was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

"It turns out that I have."

He smirked at me.

"Will you tell on me?"

I shook my head.

"Good. Now, your number. So I can just call you next time."

Next time?

There would be next time!?!

I swamped dryly.

My heart was at it again.

Damn!

"Are you giving me your number so I can give it to the girls?"

I said as I handed him my phone while we were waiting for a ride at the bus stop.

"I'm the one asking for your number. Also, I'm gonna kick you if you give my numbers to anyone."

He said as he continued typing on my phone and I couldn't help but smile.

"So, I'm the only one allowed to have your number?"

He nodded casually before he motioned for me to get inside our bus.

And the next thing I did as I sat down was restrict his number on my phone.

Is this fencing enough!?!