Chapter 1:
[POV: Akira Dela Fuentes]
"Akiraaaaa! Bilisan mo naman! Baka maiwan tayo ng Kuya mo!"
Napairap ako habang kinakapkap ang camera lens sa loob ng bag ko. "Wait lang, Eli! Hindi ko mahanap 'yung extra battery!"
"Girl, para ka talagang lola, ang bag mo parang bodega!"
"E di wow. Journalism students need to be ready all the time, okay? Hindi natin alam kung kailan may breaking news, or, you know... pogi sightings."
Tumawa si Eli habang hinihila ako palabas ng room. "Pogi sightings talaga? Sabihin mo na kasing si Kiel De Jesus sightings 'yan."
Bam. Bullseye.
I cleared my throat. "Hindi lang siya ang kinukuhanan ko ng picture, okay?"
"Sige na, deny pa more. E nakita kita kahapon, halos sumayaw 'yung camera mo sa tuwa nung napadaan sila JP sa hallway."
Shut up, Eli.
Oo na. Secret crush ko si Kiel De Jesus. 'Yung vocalist ng Caffeine High, ang sikat na banda sa campus. Yung tipong kahit maglakad lang siya sa canteen, nagiging slow-mo ang paligid. He had that chill, lowkey vibe-hindi 'yung pa-cute, kundi 'yung natural lang na parang, "I woke up like this, sorry not sorry."
At bonus points? Barkada siya ni Kuya Konrad. As in best friend level.
Which meant: bawal. Very bawal.
---
Pagdating namin sa open field, andun na agad 'yung banda. They were setting up for today's university event-Battle of the Orgs. Journalism club kasi kami ni Eli, so we were assigned to document everything.
Pero alam kong may ibang mission ang camera ko today.
"Focus, Akira," bulong ko sa sarili habang pinupunasan ang lente.
"Ang tagal mong hindi nagfocus, eh. Halatang mas interested ka sa focus kay Kiel," Eli whispered with a smirk.
Baliw talaga 'tong babaeng 'to.
I looked through my viewfinder.
There he was.
Kiel. In black shirt, ripped jeans, and messy hair na parang bagong gising. He was laughing habang inaayos 'yung mic. Tapos biglang napatingin siya sa direction ko.
Our eyes met.
Sh\*t.
Tumalikod ako agad.
"Eli!" I whisper-yelled. "Tumingin siya rito!"
"Baka naman naramdaman niya 'yung intensity ng zoom-in mo, bes."
I looked again, slowly this time.
He was still looking. This time, may konting ngiti na. Not smirk. Just... amused?
I almost dropped my camera.
---
After the event, busy na lahat magligpit. I was organizing the photos sa laptop ko when someone tapped my shoulder.
"Aki."
I turned around. Kuya Konrad. Kasama si Kiel, JP, at Warren. Naglalakad papalapit.
Oh my god. Hindi ako prepared. Hindi pa ako naka-lip tint!
"Pauwi ka na?" tanong ni Kuya.
I nodded. "Yeah. Inaayos ko lang 'yung photos. Bakit?"
"Hatid ka na lang namin," Kiel suddenly offered.
My brain: blue screen of death.
"H-huh?"
"Sabay ka na sa amin pauwi. Dadaan kami sa inyo eh."
I glanced at Eli, who looked like she was about to burst into squeals.
"Sure," I said in the calmest voice I could manage. Pero sa loob-loob ko?
(Internal screaming.)
---
Sa loob ng kotse ni JP, ako ang nasa gitna.
Yes, ako. Sa gitna nina Kuya at Kiel. As in, literal na ikinikiskis ng tadhana ang crush ko sa braso ko every time na nalulubak kami.
"Sorry ah," sabi ni Kiel nung magkasalubong ulit kami ng balikat.
"Okay lang," I mumbled, while dying inside.
"Ang tahimik mo," dagdag pa niya. "Di ka ba sanay makasama kami?"
Gusto ko sanang sabihin, Sir, every night kasama ko na kayo-sa daydreams ko. Pero syempre hindi pwede 'yun.
"Hindi, ano lang... hindi lang ako sanay ng ganito ka-close."
Kiel chuckled. "We should do this more often then."
Kuya: Big bro glare activated.
Ako: Bye, mundo.
---
Pagdating sa bahay, diretso ako sa kwarto. Binuksan ko agad laptop ko at chineck 'yung mga photos.
Hindi ko napigilang i-zoom 'yung candid shot ni Kiel habang natatawa siya kanina sa mic.
He looked genuinely happy. Like the kind of happy na gusto mong ma-freeze sa photo para maalala mo habang buhay.
CLICK.
I printed it.
Yes, judge me all you want. Secret scrapbook 'to ng crush ko, okay? Nobody knows. Nobody will know.
Or so I thought.
---