Letting my imagination run wildly..

We stepped out and he steered me towards the brightly-lit parking lot behind the cafe. As we rounded the corner, I spotted a black Volvo parked beside a silver Porsche, and a white Sentra about two spaces from them. On the other side, a black Ford Everest was sitting quietly across the Porsche and a blue Vios was on the very far corner, isolated from everyone else.


I started in mild surprise as I looked them over; a nice set of wheels we got here, I mused to myself. If a thief were to stumble along this area even he'd have a hard time in deciding which of these beauties he should take. I was kind of expecting to see more cars since the cafe was full, but I assumed that the rest of them walked instead. Probably to save on gas.


I never thought for a minute that the students from my university weren't well-off enough to have their own cars. I'm just used to hearing people complain about how crowded the trains were and that the buses were too slow from stopping at almost every street. haven't really heard anyone ramble about how their engines overheated in the middle of a highway and had to call for a tow truck before anyone could recognize them, or how they got held up in traffic because some conceited driver decided to take the opportunity to check his teeth for any leftovers of the previous meal.


Or maybe I have, but I wasn't really paying attention. It's possible, right?


It was then I realized that Anthony hasn't led me towards any of the cars. We were standing at one end of the parking lot; The Sentra was the closest to us, but not close enough to indicate that it was his.


I felt Anthony shift his weight as he turned to me. He caught my concentrated expression.


"What are you thinking?" he suddenly asked.


I had to admit, the way he looked when he was curious, when his eyes scrunch up and the way his nose wrinkles, is a little adorable. No, charming. No, wait, appealing. Oh, never mind. I think you know what I mean.


"Where's the chariot?" I said, teasing him a bit.


"Take your pick", he gestured towards the innocent cars with a careless wave of his hand.


I turned to him with my brows pulled down together. "They're all yours?" I said skeptically.


"I wish", he said with a laugh. "But can you guess which one's mine?"


"What's in it for me if I get it right?"


Anthony tilted his head back and gazed thoughtfully at the inky-black sky.
"Well", he said as he slowly looked back at me. "If you get it right on the first"--he emphasized that particular word--"guess, then I'll think about it. If not, then, sorry".


He looked so smug that I wanted to punch the living daylights out of him. I'm not really a violent person, but a little sadistic fantasizing won't hurt. So he thinks I won't get it right? We'll just see about that.


"Okay, I'm game", I said confidently as I squared my shoulders; and as I did so, I felt my fingers loosen their grip on something. I started. I completely forgot that we were holding hands; and as soon as realization dawned on me, an icy chill spread from my palm down to my fingertips at the sudden absence of contact. I wanted to move closer just so I could touch him again because the cold sensation wouldn't go away; but my pride stomped on my pathetic want before it completely took over. From the corner of my eye, I saw Anthony glance down at the space where our hands were once intertwined with a slight frown gracing his lips. Butterflies erupted from the pit of my stomach, which confused me. Where the heck did they come from?


"He wanted what you wanted", a little voice in my head said.


"Which is?" I answered.


"Don't play coy, my dear. You know what it is", it replied, as it trailed away into the depths of my brain.


Suddenly I felt light-headed. Okay, so I did like it when we were holding hands and I'm pretty damn sure that he liked it, too. Naturally, when the thing we want is taken away from us, we feel disappointed. Simple logic. So what's the big deal?


I became aware that a tense silence descended on us like a fog, separating us slowly though we can see but a little of each other; I took a deep breath and took a step forward, the words of his challenge echoing in my ears. From my peripheral vision I saw him flex his fingers on his left hand, the one I released, as if preparing to grab my hand again at the slightest hint of opportunity, before he was completely out of my line of sight. But I still felt his burning gaze at the back of my neck.


My legs led me towards the white Sentra. I let my eyes stray to the license plate, then to the hood, then to the dashboard--or, at least, what I could make out of it with the limited lighting in that area. There was a small, white teddy bear near the steering wheel, it's black eyes seemed to follow my every move. After seeing nothing out of the ordinary that would somehow connect it with the boy who was standing just a few feet away from me, I moved on to the Porsche. But even though my eyes and half my brain were busily concentrating at the task at hand, my heart and the other half of my brain refused to let my curiosity rest.


Has it really been that long since Chris and I broke up? Somehow it felt longer; years, decades, millenia, eons ago. Was it long enough for me to miss the perks of having a boyfriend?


I've hung out with a lot of guys since our break-up. Take note, I said hung-out, NOT date; and none of them came close to what I was feeling for Anthony. I don't know how to explain it in a better way, but it's like we--connected. That's the best I can come up with at the moment. I can't think straight when the two halves of my brain are working on two different things.


I thought back to what happened a while ago and I tried to recall all the emotions I felt and I think I can come up with an explanation.


Maybe I do miss having a boyfriend, though I'm too proud to admit it to myself. Maybe I've been too busy trying to stitch up the hole in my heart to notice that things that I've been missing even when they've been under my nose all this time. I realized that I was lying to myself when I was saying that I was happy being single.


Maybe I've been too blind to the truth that was already staring at me in the face: I was lonely.


I haven't forgotten my friends, of course. I'm not that heartless. I love them to death. But..


There's something that they can't give me, and that is the love that only two people can share and partake of. Not the brotherly-sisterly love that we freely give each other, but the kind of love that can be expressed with just a look, a smile, a touch, a wave, and yet, it could still mean more than any clever word known to man.


A romance. A sappy-passionate-over-the-top-romance that would make Shakespeare proud.


I know its too early to think of such things, but it actually just made things easier for me. Suppressing and denying my feelings would leave me disoriented, but now that I'm being honest with myself, its like breathing the air for the first time after holding your breath under water for as long as your lungs would allow you.


I couldn't help but smile a little at the way he held my hand and how he seemed disappointed when I let go. It's his fault, if he didn't dare me then maybe--just maybe--we'd still be holding hands right now. But then again, aren't things going a bit too, I dunno, fast? I mean, how long have we known each other? Four days? And I've only seen him a few times since that Saturday in Pizza Hut.


"He likes you", a little voice in my head said silkily.


I would have laughed out loud at the absurdity of such a thing, but after the past few days, I don't think I have the heart to laugh about it anymore. Everything seems to make sense now. Is my heart ready for this? Am I ready for this?


What are my feelings for him, exactly? Some people might say that it's still too soon to make assumptions, but I'm only being cautious. I hate not knowing the answers to my own questions so I tend to spend more time thinking about them than worrying about anything else.


Just the fact that I temporarily forgot that we were holding hands says more than how much can Einstein comprehend with his intellect. The fact that I wanted to acknowledge for myself that simple gesture was enough to drop whatever doubts I had of him from the beginning. Subconsciously, I was waiting for a sign, any sign, that showed that he wanted me.


That he wanted me.


As much as I wanted him.


I smiled to myself as I leaned in for a closer look through the Ford Everest's window. Luckily my hair fell past my shoulder, completely covering the side of my face that Anthony could have seen. I surveyed myself critically, searching for something within that would convince me that somehow, I was going in the right direction and that I'm willing to undergo anything that will certify that. Chris is out of the picture, and here's someone who I may have a chance at actually liking. Or even loving.


When I drew back, I smiled a little bit. Yes, maybe I am ready.


I made a show of trying to see what was inside before I straightened up again, keeping the "Okay, that's that" expression glued to my face while sneaking glances in his direction, anticipating his reactions. So far he only watched me move from car to car without saying or doing anything. He just looked as preoccupied as I felt.


I skipped over to the last car, which was the Volvo, and carefully peered through the dark window. I mentally counted to five before I moved to the opposite window. After a few more seconds, I stood up with a sigh while slowly walking away from the car, but keeping my eyes locked on it a little longer than the rest.


I positioned myself in front of him, but at a good distance away. He hasn't moved since I last left him, and his face betrayed no hint of emotion that would give away the answer to his dare. I was still surrounded by the cars, but he was all I saw.


Anthony cocked an eyebrow. "Well?"


"Well, what?" I said carelessly, feigning innocence.


"Have you guessed?" he smirked as he folded his arms across his chest.


"Guessed? Ohhhh", I said slowly, as if I just realized something. "So that's what I was doing!" A short laugh escaped my lips. "But I already know which one's yours", I continued.


His smirk faltered, much to my satisfaction; but he quickly composed himself. "You only have one chance", he reminded me.


I shrugged before turning my back on him. I walked with slow, deliberate steps towards the Ford Everest; but before I could get any closer, I turned and went for the Sentra. But when I was less than a foot away from the said car, I twirled and went for the Porsche. This time, I let my finger slide across the shiny hood, taking as long as I could. As soon as I lifted my finger, I made my way to the Vios.


I crossed my arms as I leaned casually against it's side. I faked a huge yawn, stretching my arms above my head. And as I put them down, I slammed one hand hard against the hood, setting off the alarm. I tried not to seem surprised at the sudden noise that sliced through the silence so I merely glanced down at the flashing lights, pretending not to care.


Suddenly, the lights ceased and there was silence once more.


The smile was already on my face before I turned to see Anthony standing a few feet away from me with his hand outstretched, holding a tiny key chain, his thumb still on the button for the alarm.


The smile was already on my face before I turned to see Anthony standing a few feet away from me, with his hand outstretched, holding a tiny key chain, his thumb still on the button on the remote control.


Now it was my turn to look smug; and needless to say, I deserved it more than he did.


"Impressive", he said, a smile tugging at his lips.


I shrugged and tried to act as if I couldn't care less. "It was a no-brainer, really".


"What gave it away, then?"


I led him to the back of his car and pointed to the back window. There, a black and blue jersey was being held up by little suction cups that blared--ANTHONY 21--in bold white letters.


He smacked his hand against his forehead and let out a roar of laughter. "I totally forgot about that!"


"Someone's getting old" I sang.


"Ha, ha", he said sarcastically. Then he walked to the front and opened the door to the passenger seat. "Shall we?"


"What about my prize?" I asked, standing beside him.


"Don't worry, I'm keeping my promise".


I shrugged. "Okay, if you say so", I said as I slid into the seat. He closed the door and walked briskly to the driver's seat.


"Seatbelts", he said as he got in.


I obeyed, clicking the seatbelt in response. He revved the engine as he flashed a smile in my direction.


"All right, we're off!".

Anthony was wearing a gray t-shirt with white stripes and jeans; his black sweater was draped over his arm. He leaned casually on his seat, his eyes locked with mine, and he was still smiling.

And dear lord, he looked--dare I say it--hot.

"Not what you were expecting?" he said as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Duh", I said. "What do you think?"

He laughed. "You know, I was sort of expecting you to say that you were in the hospital, being treated for severe brain damage".

"You must be so disappointed", I said, pouting.

"You have no idea", he said, with a wink.

"So you'd rather talk to me while I'm lying in a hospital bed?" I asked testily.

Anthony shrugged. "That way I'll be safe in case I said anything to offend you. You wouldn't be able to do anything while your strapped down".

"I thought you said hospital? I didn't know you were referring to an asylum". I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, don't take this the wrong way", he said as he put up his hands in mock-surrender; "I was just having fun".

"Imagining that I'm in a hospital for freaks is fun?" I said. Where the heck is this conversation heading?!

"Alright, you win", he sighed in defeat. "I'm just trying to loosen you up".

"Do I seem tense to you?"

"Kind of. Well, not just you, but everyone else".

"And you aren't?"

"A little bit", he said indifferently.

"Good for you", I said.

He looked at me, as if trying to decipher the truth behind my words--even though there really isn't. His gray eyes scanned my face, then they snapped up to lock themselves into mine again.

"So, what brings you here? Were you doing your homework in the library?" I said before he even had the chance to open his mouth.

"Nope. I was over at Jake's. I heard you shouting to Benedict a while ago. You distracted me from my homework. I could have told you myself but he blocked the whole window", he said innocently.

"I was not shouting! And how was I supposed to know that you were there?" I said indignantly, trying to stop myself from smiling. Goodness, its harder than I thought.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. You were talking to him with raised voices", he said sarcastically. "Better?"

"Better", I agreed, nodding.

I took another sip from my drink, suddenly aware that he was looking at me--again. I tried to act as if it didn't bother me, but in truth I really wanted to poke his eyes out; it was starting to get annoying.

"Do you need to study tonight?" he suddenly asked.

I put down my drink, thoughtfully. We were to meet again at Carly's in the morning; good thing our professors gave us a week off to study for our finals. I wasn't looking forward to tomorrow's study session, but it wouldn't hurt to read a bit when I get back to the dorm. My curfew isn't for another few hours, so...

"Just a little bit", I answered. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thought you'd like to hang out for a while", he said, trying to sound like it didn't matter.

"You mean, like a date?" I said mischievously.

"Maybe", he said, flashing a smile.

I shook my head, but I was smiling. "And what if I don't agree to come along?"

"Then I will tie you up, gag you, then drag you wherever I want to go", he said cheerfully.

"What a way to a girl's heart", I said with a slight edge to my voice.

You wouldn't think that he had eyes from the way he laughed. They just disappeared. Literally.

"So, is that a yes?"

"How much time do I have to think about it?" I vaguely remembered how insistent he was on us going to the beach with him and his gang. Somehow I knew that he wasn't going to stop bothering me until I give in, but a little fun wouldn't hurt.

"About twenty seconds".

"Just twenty?"

"Yup. I'm not extending that".

"Why not?"

"Because we're wasting time!"

"Ugh. You are so impossible".

"Ten.."

"Hey! I thought you said twenty?"

"You already lost the first ten seconds, dear". A shiver went down my spine when he said "dear". Holy crap, what am I getting myself into?

"That's not fair!"

"Tut, tut. Temper, temper".

"Well, your built-in countdown timer's malfunctioning".

"Seven.."

I groaned, but I wasn't mad. I was actually enjoying myself. And he can see that.

"Five.."

I rolled my eyes as he wagged his finger in front of me.

"Four..Three..Two.."

"Fine. Where do you plan to go?" I sighed, pretending to be severely saddened that he was taking me out. But I failed. Miserably. I really need to work on hiding my emotions more.

"One", he ended, his eyes glinting, and his smile even wider than I've ever seen since we first met. I raised my eyebrow at him, questioning him even without speaking.

"It's a surprise", he said, totally unfazed.

"You've been planning this all along, have you?" I said teasingly.

"Of course, not! I wasn't even expecting to meet you today. I'm supposed to go somewhere, this was just a side-trip".

"Is it far?" I asked a little nervously. I couldn't afford to stay out so late.

"Not really. You just have to trust me".

I didn't answer, but my eyebrow shot up again.

"Is that a hard thing to do?" he said. Now he sounded nervous.

Good question, though, I thought. Did I really trust him enough to go wherever he pleases? Or rather, do I really trust him at all?

Well, he has been nothing but nice to me so far; but then, what? Even that isn't enough to start building trust on. I surveyed his face, careful not give away my thoughts. But I didn't need to wait long for an answer; I already trusted him. Then why the hell am I hesitating?

Anthony looks cute when he's nervous; his thumbs were twitching against each other and he was looking at me with--what's that?--fear, in his eyes? No, it must be some trick of the light. But he still looked nervous--and cute.

Slowly, the blood rushed to my cheeks, but I tried to keep them in check. So I looked at him, and smiled.

"No. It's not", I said softly.

He relaxed a little bit, and he was back to his teasing-bouncy self in a flash. He stood up.

"Shall we?" he said gallantly, holding out his hand.

"We're not going to dance, are we?" I said, eyeing his outstretched hand.

"No, silly. I am going to take you to your chariot", he said, still not dropping his demeanor.

"Chariot? No pumpkin-carriage?"

"The pumpkin-carriage is unavailable tonight. At least, with your chariot, you don't have to worry about being home before midnight".

I giggled, then I looked up at him. He was still smiling, and I couldn't help but smile, too. I took his hand. It felt incredibly warm, and soft; and again, a shiver went down my spine. I was tempted to ask if he felt it, too; but thank goodness my brain was still being logical despite these rather odd sensations. And besides, that might ruin the moment. I wouldn't want to be the wet blanket on our first date.

First date, already? Wow. I wonder how the guys are gonna respond to this.

He helped me stand up, and I felt him slip his fingers in between mine. "This way, my lady".

Then we walked toward the door. He still didn't let go of my hand.

The moon was sailing overhead, casting long shadows along the pavement. A cool breeze disturbed the trees as they swayed along, leaves falling by the minute. My feet were making crunching noises as I walked along, breaking the unusual silence that enveloped me in the still night. I looked up just in time to see an owl hidden in one of the trunks, its bright eyes following me like a surveillance camera. I suddenly felt like I was in one of those old-fashioned horror movies where the unsuspecting victims mind their own business, only to be attacked by some legendary monster or serial killer that was stalking the streets at the precise moment.

I laughed softly; its strange how my imagination can take over. But its what keeps my mind busy; even if all I'm thinking about is pure poppycock.

Bear dropped me off a few blocks from my dorm even though he insisted that he left me at the dorm instead; but being the stubborn lass that I was, I declined. I needed time to think; my room mates would probably be home by now and I didn't feel like engaging myself in some gossip-filled conversation. We didn't leave right after we finished reviewing since some of the guys wanted to chill for awhile; soon the TV was on, the computer was running and the kitchen's stock was disappearing at an alarming rate. It was already dark outside when we decided to call it a day.

Its hard to imagine that any street outside the campus can be filled with tress but can still manage to hide cafes, grocery stores and even amusement parks in between them. And yet, that's what I'm passing through. Despite the darkness, well, its not completely dark since there are a few street lamps, just a bit dim, a bright patch of light would sometimes catch your eye like a beacon. Already I could see QuickShop, with its red neon lights flashing, the nearest grocery store to my dorm, separated by a few more trees before the pavement broke for me to cross the street; I could still see people lining up at the counter through the glass windows.

A red car whizzed by as I stood there, before walking on. An ancient-looking two-story house was on my left with its well-kept lawn and a bed of wildflowers that made me breath the air more deeply than I should. It was one of those old houses that were renovated to be used as dorms; in this case, it was a male dorm. The porch lights were on and one of the windows on the first story was open; a head peeked out and waved at me.

"Hey, Kelsey!" I heard in greeting.

"Hey, Benedict!" I called back, slowing my pace until I was in front of the window, only a few feet away.

"Isn't it a little too late for you to be out?" he teased.

"Just got back from my friend's place. Group study", I said, shrugging.

"What do you need to study for? I'm sure you got it easy". His smile was evident even in the dim light.

I laughed. "I wish!"

"I should be saying that", Benedict answered. "Well, see you around, Kels".

"You too. Good night!" I said as I waved at him and continued down the street.

I turned a corner, and another pool of light caught my eye. The twenty-four hour cafe, Crostinni's, was bustling with activity. A few students were seated on red leather chairs with laptops and books stacked on the table next to them under huge black umbrellas outside. A waiter was carrying a tray of steaming mugs of coffee as he emerged from behind the counter. I stood there, debating whether or not I should go in. I don't drink coffee, but there are other drinks that I could take that won't keep me awake the whole night. Thinking that it should buy me some time into letting my mind wander, my feet were already dragging me there.

A few heads turned as I stepped in, but none of them were interested enough to look at me for more than two seconds. I took a quick glance at the high ceiling, the cream colored walls, the lamps that hung over every table and the black-tiled floor as I made my way over to the counter. There was no line, so the cashier looked at me with a smile on his freckled face. I vaguely recognized him as one of the many students I must have passed in the university since I first entered. I bet he's about my age or just a year older. Working students are pretty popular so it didn't surprise me to see one at the moment. And from the way he saw me, I could tell that he must have recognized me, too.

"Good evening, ma'am. What can I get you?" he said politely. My eyes flashed to his name tag, out of habit; I liked knowing people's names even if I don't really call them or bothered remembering after a while. His name was Prince. But I wasn't going to call him that. He could have switched name tags with the other employees for all I know.

I scanned the list of drinks above him written in chalk against a long blackboard, before turning to him. "Any recommendations? What's your best-seller for today? That's not coffee", I quickly added with a smile.

He grinned at me. "The vanilla-caramel frost is selling like wildfire", he said.

"Then I'll have that. But if it doesn't taste good to me I'm demanding a refund", I said playfully.

"I'll see that it's properly mixed", he said. "Regular or large?"

"Regular, please", I said. He nodded as he punched in my order at the cash register, the sides of his mouth twitching slightly.

I paid for my drink and thanked him before I went to sit by the glass wall that separated me from the outside world to wait for my order, not far from the counter. It was supposed to be for two people since there was a low table in front of me and a vacant seat right after it; but it was the only available place that was pretty bright. I pulled my binder out of my bag and flipped through the pages, but my mind wasn't into studying.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at how fast things were happening between me and Anthony. Everything always starts out as acquaintances, then friends, then affection, then, if Fate wills it, love. I fidgeted nervously; the word "love" sounded strange to me now. As if it were the first time I've ever heard of it in a million years. Looks like I was more damaged by my previous relationship than I thought. I'm over it, of course; I just didn't realize that I'd be thinking this way.

Love. Love?

How long will it take for me to love Anthony? How long will it take for him to love me?

It has only been a few days, four days to be exact, since we first met. I'll admit that I wasn't drawn to him at first; he looked like any other ordinary boy to me. But after talking to him, I don't know, I started seeing him differently. He wasn't arrogant as I expected most guys to be, which slightly surprised me. He's funny, I'll give him props for that. He's handsome, as I have mentioned a few times, and he's very sweet. We only talk for a few hours through texting because of our different schedules and study times, but they feel like forever. Our conversations were always lively and interesting; we'd always ask questions about each other or we'd comment on this or that. He once told me that his older sister once dressed him up as a princess when he was six; imagining him in a pink dress with a tiara on his head sent me into a fit giggles. I never stopped teasing him about it and I'm sure he's regretting that he ever told me that.

"Excuse me, miss?"

I jolted out of my reverie and looked up to see the cashier standing beside me and holding out my drink.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How long have you been standing there?" I said quickly, taking my drink from him.

"Not too long", he said, as he shrugged. "That must be some lesson". He gestured to my notebook which lay on my lap. I didn't even realize that I dropped it.

"Yeah, well, exams", I said gloomily.

"I know what you mean", he said seriously. "Well, good luck. And enjoy your drink".

"Thank you", I said as I raised my plastic cup in a toast to him.

He gave me one last smile before he turned and walked away.

I took a sip and shuddered a little; the room was pretty cold and I only made it worse by drinking something that was possibly colder than my surroundings. But it tasted good. Too bad I wouldn't be getting my money back.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Around this time, anybody could be texting me; I wasn't expecting him, though, since he said that he was going to be doing his homework. I remember feeling a little sad that we wouldn't be able to talk longer but then I laughed at myself; this is getting serious. But to my surprise, it was him.

Hey, Kels. Are you home?

I considered telling him that I was still stuck at Carly's, reviewing what we were supposed to review for tomorrow and that we were being held hostage against our will, but I didn't think it would feel right.

No. I'm at the cafe, Crostinni's. Are you done with your homework?

I laid my phone on the table then I crossed my legs, shifting comfortably in my seat. There were still a lot of people outside and yet I couldn't find one familiar face. I'm used to going to places alone, but there are times when I wish that I still had someone to talk to. Talking to myself is out of the question.

A buzzing sound distracted me; I picked up my phone instinctively, without even looking at it.

Yup. Done. What are you doing there?

Curious, as always.

I didn't feel like going home yet. And besides, I was craving for something sweet

Which was partly true. I couldn't say that my day was complete if I hadn't had anything sweet. I'm a growing girl, I need my sugar. You should see me when I'm depressed. I would crave for ice cream or chocolate or cake and I'd finish everything without me being aware at how much I've consumed; I once ate a whole gallon of ice cream after my grandmother died about five years ago. Needless to say, I got a really bad tummy ache after that, but it didn't stop me from splurging again a few hours later.

His reply broke into my thoughts.

Is that so? And what time do you plan to go home?

A bit inquisitive now, are we?

I don't know. Depends. I'm not feeling really homesick--yet

I sighed after I sent my message. This is so like him; he'll keep on asking and asking just to keep the conversation going. You know how you ask for something, then after you get your answer you say "thank you", expecting that they'll just say "your welcome" and leave it at that? Apparently, he doesn't do it. He starts a new topic or he'll ask why I asked him that particular question. It was a bit refreshing, knowing that someone actually bothers to talk to you, even though you made it clear that you weren't expecting anything less than a no-response.

I pushed the READ button at the first vibration.

Then you wouldn't mind if I joined you?

My eyes widened a little bit. Clearly, I wasn't expecting that. But wait, he was home, right? I mean, he said he just finished doing his homework, then that must mean that he's home.

Unless..

But I didn't need to finish that thought, because someone slid into the seat in front of me. I felt the blood pound in my ears as I saw a pair of black Nike sneakers tap in front of me, all the while hoping that it was anyone but him.

Against my better judgment, I looked up, and there he was, with a huge smile on his face.

So much for my thinking time.

"Okay, after which explorer was America named after?" asked Carly, as she paced back and forth, reading her notes aloud.

"Amerigo Vespucci!" answered Angelo, who was lying down on the carpeted floor.

We were at the living room in Carly's house that Wednesday afternoon in the blistering heat studying for our History exam. Her parents were still working and her older brother's still at the university so we had the house to ourselves. To think, Christmas is only a few months away and yet we're sweating like crazy! Carly refused to turn on the air conditioning unit saying that we needed the fresh air; and look what we got instead. So we contented ourselves with using some of our binder fillers as little fans.

"Who was the Portuguese explorer who discovered the ocean route from Portugal to the East?" said Ellen, who was stretched across the couch.

"Vasco de Gama", replied Roger, as he walked in from the kitchen, holding a glass of water.

"Name the five ships that Ferdinand Magellan used in his expedition in 1519", said Carly.

"Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepción, aaaaaaand", Bear broke off, his face fixed with concentration.

"Victoria, and Santiago", I finished for him, smiling.

"There! I forgot about those", laughed Bear before giving me a high-five.

"Wait, was Francisco Pizzaro Spanish, or Portuguese?" said Amy, her brows knitted together just visible above the reviewer she was holding in front of her nose.

"I think he was Spanish", said Bradley slowly from the armchair near the computer, where I sat at the arm as he scanned his notes. His eyes traveled down his notebook before nodding. "Yup, he's Spanish".

"Boy, they were really ambitious", muttered Amy, scribbling on her reviewer.

"Pizzaro...wasn't he the guy who conquered the Incan empire?" asked Roger.

"Uh-huh", said Ellen.

"Nice", commented Rosie, smiling to herself, her gaze lingering on her notebook as she sat near the low coffee table.

"And who was the guy who defeated and conquered the Aztec Empire?". Carly really wouldn't rest until we got everything right.

"Easy. Hernando Cortez", said Chad proudly.

"Who was the first European to explore Florida, searching for the Fountain of Youth?" she continued.

"Uhhh..wait", said Bradley, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. "I know that guy".

"You do? And you haven't introduced us? That's nice", said Rosie sarcastically.

"Ha, ha", returned Bradley. "Crap", he said irritably. "Its at the tip of my tongue!".

I leaned closer to him. "I don't see anything", I said innocently. We giggled quietly; even Carly couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"Aha! Juan Ponce de Leon!" cried Bradley triumphantly.

"Took you awhile", I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Then why didn't you say so?" demanded Bradley.

"I just knew you were gonna get it. But I didn't think it would take you that long", I said jokingly.

He scowled at me but I only laughed at him.

"Which English explorer defeated the Spanish Armada?" asked Angela.

I grinned. "Francis Drake. He reminds me of Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter. Hard to forget".

"At least you'll be sure to remember something", mocked Bradley, elbowing me in the ribs.

I winced and slapped him away. "Looks like we're even", I said darkly.

"Which French explorer traveled the St. Lawrence River?" said Rosie, not looking up from her notes.

"Jacques Cartier", said Chad smugly, leaning on the couch as he sat cross-legged on the floor.

"How about the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope?" fired in Angelo.

"Prince Henry?" said Roger, unsure of himself. Angelo shook his head.

"Barthelomeu Diaz?" asked Bear, a little more confident than Roger.

"You got it!" beamed Angelo.

Carly surveyed us, clearly pleased that we managed to take in a lot of information in the past few hours. "Alright, good job, you guys", she said happily. She looked at the clock that was hanging over the couch. "I think its time that we all relax for a bit before you head on home. It's getting pretty late".

"Good idea", said Chad as he got up and stretched, yawning widely.

I slumped onto the couch, forcing Bradley to make room for me then I rested my head against the arm, where I was just sitting moments before. My head was still buzzing from all the information that flew back and forth across the room and I was still too muddled to think of anything else. Carly already drew up our schedule until Friday; we'll be studying Biology tomorrow and Literature on Friday. I wasn't looking forward to Biology, since I absolutely suck at it.

"Anybody thirsty?" I heard Carly call from the kitchen, amidst the clinking of glasses on the counter.

Bradley got up and when he saw that I haven't moved, he offered to get me a drink. I smiled gratefully at him, and the squabble we had earlier seemed insignificant.

I felt my cell phone vibrate twice in my pocket. I already knew who it was before I unlocked the keypad and read the message; I didn't even need to look at the sender, although my eyes took a quick glance at it just out of habit.

"Hey there", it said; "has Carly finished torturing you yet?"

I smiled as I replied:

"Yes, she's done. It went better than I thought. I guess we really should study more just so she'll stop bothering us".

Bradley came back, holding out a glass for me as I let my cell phone rest on my lap; he squeezed beside me.

"Who's been bothering you?" he asked as he took a sip from his glass.

"Huh?" I said in confusion.

He nodded towards my lap just as my instrument lit up and vibrated again.

"Oh", I said trying to sound indifferent; "it's just Anthony". I picked it up again.

"That's good to know", the message said. "If you suffer from severe hemorrhages then you know who to blame".

"What? Me or Carly?"

I was suddenly aware that Bradley was watching me, his eyes alight with curiosity; but from the way he looked, I think he was more curious to see my reaction, not what I said in reply to Anthony's message.

"You two are getting pretty close". It wasn't a question.

I shrugged. "He's a nice guy". I took a long sip of the orange juice that Bradley gave me; I didn't realize how thirsty I was. By the time I was done, it was empty.

"What do you guys talk about?" he continued conversationally.

"Nothing in particular. We talk about something then later on we'll talk about something else, then we'll go back to the first thing we talked about". I chuckled. "It's a mess".

"Like what?" he continued as if he hadn't heard me.

"Likes, dislikes, favorite stuff. You know, the things you ask from those autograph thingys", I rambled.

"That's it?" He looked a wee bit disappointed.

"What were you expecting?" I asked testily.

He was about to answer when he looked down, then back at me. "Aren't you gonna answer that?" he said instead.

I looked down and sure enough, I had another message. I guess I didn't feel it.

"I guess you can say both", and I could imagine him smiling as I read it; "but I would like it more if it was Carly's fault rather than yours".

"Why? You don't like blaming me?"

"I don't know", said Bradley as if we were never interrupted. "I remember you telling me that you guys talk a lot. Have you seen each other since we were in the pier?"

"I ran into him a couple of times around campus", I said as I twirled my cell phone around with my fingers.

"And...?" he trailed off.

"And what?"

He sighed. "Look, I'm not saying anything against the two of you", he said. I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off. "I know you guys aren't an item yet, but it seems to me that your heading in that direction".

This time, I felt my phone vibrate again. I looked at Bradley, and he nodded for me to look.

"Of course not! I wouldn't enjoy that one bit".

Was he teasing me?

"But what if it really was my fault? I couldn't blame Carly. That would be mean".

"He seems pretty smitten by you", said Bradley, amused.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked warily. Now it was my turn to cut him off. "And what makes you think that he's 'smitten' by me?"

"He wouldn't stop looking at you since we first met up with them last Saturday", he said. apparently thinking that I was too dense to notice. "And your the only one he's kept in touch with, even though he's got everybody's numbers".

I don't know why, but I suddenly felt light-headed. "He doesn't text you?" I managed to say weakly.

"Nope. And as far as I can tell, he hasn't texted anyone else, either", he said as he indicated towards the rest of the group.

Before I could answer, I felt that familiar signal reminding me that I was also having a conversation with someone else.

"Your too nice for your own good. You make me look like a devil".

"Oooh. The horns suit you".

As I put my cell phone down, I thought of possible reasons as to why he would only talk to me, and not to the others. Surely, I'm not very interesting to talk with; I can be boring sometimes. Then, what? I searched my brain, looking through everything that my mind could come up with, but I ended up with nothing.

"Are you okay?" asked Bradley, breaking into my thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine", I said distractedly.

He looked at me, his eyes kind and a soft smile on his lips. "You don't like the idea of him liking you?"

"I don't know", I said, shaking my head. "But don't you think its too soon?"

He scoffed. "You do know that there's never a right time", he said wisely. "If it feels right, then go for it. That's all there is to it".

I was already reading the latest message before he was even finished.

"I'll take that as a compliment. And take mine when I say that your such an angel and that I don't have the faintest idea on how you ended up here on earth".

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks; Bradley chuckled.

"Even the innocent must fall sometimes".

My finger paused about less than a millimeter from the SEND button. What was I doing? I should say something else. But my mind was still blank. This is starting to get annoying.

I sighed and leaned back on the chair. I was expecting Bradley to continue where we had left off but he seemed satisfied with himself and his theories. He stood up, took my empty glass and walked back to the kitchen.

And before he even reached it, my phone was in my hand, scrolling away.

"But you didn't deserve to fall. Your too perfect".

I cringed at the last word. I didn't even want to repeat it. I wondered at the sudden turn of our conversation; first we were joking around, then he starts complimenting me? What was he getting at?

Of course, he wants to show-off his good side; typical. I really shouldn't be surprised, but I can't help but question his intentions. As for me, I don't even know how to respond to this.

I've been asking myself for the past few days if I'm ready to get into another relationship. He's a nice guy, and I'm easily drawn to nice guys; and he's very good-looking, too, which is a big bonus. Anthony's resurrecting the feelings I once thought I couldn't feel anymore. But then again, I was pretty bitter about my break-up for a while so I ended up swearing that I will never trust guys again. Looks like I just ate my words.

Upon further reflection, I thought that it wouldn't do me any harm if I gave it a shot. I was too hasty in saying that all guys are the same; unfaithful to their significant others. There are plenty of good guys; my friends, for example. I've never heard them cheat in a relationship before, so I'm glad that at least they're not playboys.

There's another thing that's bothering me: my relationship with Chris ended because he found someone else; someone more interesting and more pretty than me. What if that happened again? I don't think I can handle the same pain.

But all things considered, deep down, I knew that I was going to be a good girlfriend. I've had a clean slate in all my previous relationships; meaning, I never screwed up. So I guess that means that I'm ready. And that thought didn't comfort me.

It terrified me.

On the way back home, my mind was far from idle.

Not only did Anthony keep staring at me when everyone else was busy talking, but he immediately asked for my number once he was sure that no one was looking. I was too stunned to process what he said; I didn't remember taking his phone and dialing in my number. I'm beginning to think that I must have been dreaming.

And he didn't stop there.

After sitting for almost an hour, we decided to walk along the pier to stretch our legs. Everyone went in small groups; I was with Rosie and Roger. A little later, we stopped and leaned against the railings that separated us from the sea; we let the wind ruin our hair and make our eyes squint, but we didn't mind. Rosie was saying something about a dog with two legs that can swim for about thirty miles when Cornelius interrupted.

"Hey, guys", he said cheerfully as he wedged himself in between Roger and Rosie, draping an arm on their shoulders. I only managed to hear them greet him in return when I noticed something from behind him.

Anthony was standing there, waving his arms, beckoning me to go over to him. I gave him a questioning look but he only gestured again.

"I'll be over there", I said, turning to Rosie and Roger.

My voice was drowned by their laughter; Cornelius said something that highly amused them but he looked at me.

"Oh, sorry about that Kelsey", he said apologetically.

I smiled. "I'll meet you guys back here in a bit", I said, then I turned and walked towards the still-waiting Anthony. None of them looked back.

As their voices grew fainter, I suddenly became aware that my heart was almost racing in my chest. Strange, I thought. Was it the nerves? I doubt that. But then again, I hardly know the guy since I've only met him, formally, at least, just a few hours earlier. I'm pretty sure he hasn't seen me around the campus a lot and he only knew me because I was once Chris' girlfriend. Maybe he wanted to talk about our failed relationship? Well, that's a possibility; but even that sounded odd to my ears.

I thought of turning back, tell him that I've forgotten something. But then I would look like a coward. And besides, I don't know what his real intentions are; maybe he just wanted to talk. But why would he talk to me? There are a lot of us and yet, he wants to talk to me?

"Hi".

I looked up; I was already standing in front of him. I blinked. I didn't realize how fast I must have walked. We were standing under the shade of a palm tree; just one of the hundreds more that lined up the boardwalk before the pier.

"Hello", I answered automatically, giving him a small smile.

"I heard you guys played paintball this morning", he said conversationally.

Paintball? He dragged me all the way there just to talk about paintball? "Yeah, we did", I said as cheerfully as I could. "It was our first time".

"Really? I haven't had the chance", he said. "My schedule sees to it that I have absolutely no social life".

"That's kind of harsh, don't you think?" I asked. "I mean, its not like you knew what you were getting yourself into when you enrolled in that course".

"I know", he said, then he sighed. "It's such a drag. But still, I enjoy it. Even the night classes", he grimaced.

I chuckled. "Gee, how nice. I'm surprised you haven't turned into a vampire yet".

"Just you wait. A few more years and the transformation will be complete", he said mischievously.

"Oooh, I guess I'd better run for my life, then, huh?" I said in mock horror.

"You'd better, or else you'll end up being one of my first victims". He made a show of baring his teeth and crouching down with his hands curled up like talons as he hovered over me.

I took a step back, but I was laughing. "It suits you", I gasped.

He laughed along. "I suppose I could find a real vampire so you'll be really scared", he said, shaking his head.

"Good luck with that", I said.

Anthony nodded but the laughter still hadn't died from his lips. "The guys and I are planning on hitting the waves next weekend", he said a bit seriously a little later. "We really need a break. Why don't you guys come too?". I looked at him suspiciously. Was that hope in his voice?

"I dunno", I said, as I glanced at the others on the other side of the pier. "Exams are coming up. Carly will throw a fit if we procrastinate".

"You have the whole week to study", he pointed out. "And that's already plenty of time. And you gotta admit, you'll drive yourselves crazy if you bury your noses in your books for a whole week. You gotta loosen up at least for a day. I'm sure even Carly won't say no to that".

I looked at him for about five seconds before rolling my eyes. "You are such a bad influence", I mumbled.

He grinned at me. "So, is that a yes?" he said a little eagerly.

"I'll ask the others later. But I'm not making any promises", I warned him.

"That's cool", he said as he shrugged. "I just wanted to hang out with you guys more".

I turned away. I didn't want to mention that he emphasized the "I" and "you". What the hell is going on?

He didn't seem put off by my silence; instead, he stood beside me, not saying a word. After about two minutes, he said, "Absolutely breathtaking", almost like he was speaking to himself.

I didn't need to ask him what he meant for I saw it, too. The sun was slowly setting in front of us, casting orange, pink and purple beams of light across the horizon. The clouds were scattered against the sky like cotton that fell off a pillow after a pillow fight. A few sea gulls were still screeching as the wheeled somewhere above us. Somehow, in that instant, I felt the world disappear; no people, no trees, no cars, no birds. Just me, the sun and the sea.

And yet, as I heard Anthony breathing beside me, it felt odd, but in a good way. It was like he was there as a reminder that I was not alone, even in my calmest mood, when I didn't need any comforting. It surprised me that he of all people should make me feel that way. I couldn't concentrate on my thoughts, so mesmerized I was at the scene before me.

"Looks like their enjoying themselves", Anthony said, finally breaking the silence. A bit too soon for my liking.

"Of course", I said, but I kept my eyes locked in front of me. "We always love going here. Its our sanctuary, you might say".

"Yes, it is a nice place", he said.

"And it looks like I have a replacement", I added, nodding towards Roger, Rosie and Cornelius; they were in the exact place where I left them.

"Trust me, that's only temporary", Anthony said, his voice light.

"You sound so sure of yourself", I said.

"Of course. I made him go over there", he said off-handedly.

I started and turned to face him. He was looking at me, again, but I couldn't read his expression.

"You made him go there?" I asked. "Why?"

"How else could I have you to myself?" he said indifferently.

It took me a whole minute before his words sunk in. But even then I was still confused. I didn't know if I should be flattered or bewildered.

A little voice in my head was screaming "He's starting to like you!" but I ignored it. No jumping to conclusions, please. He must have meant, "I haven't really gotten the chance to talk to you since there are so many of you". Yeah, that must be it; I did see him talking to Angela alone when we were still in Pizza Hut.

He was looking at me anxiously now but I managed to pull myself together. "You could have just asked", I said, trying to tease him.

"Where's the fun in that?" He looked slightly relieved but he failed to hide the worry in his eyes.

"It's more simple", I stated.

"I like to keep things discreet. At first, anyway. But after that, I like to have a bit of fun", he said, winking.

"And your idea of"--being air quote here--"a bit of fun"--end air quote here--"is going to happen next weekend?"

"Maybe, maybe not", he said mysteriously. "I'm not saying anything".

The sun had set by now and the street lights were staring to come on. I scanned the pier, looking for my friends; I spotted them, but they seemed too engrossed in their conversations to even notice that it was getting dark.

Anthony followed my gaze, with a smug look on his face. "Do you have a curfew?" he asked. "I'm assuming that you live in a dorm?"

I was tempted to ask him what made him assume such a thing but I decided against it. "You are correct. And, not really. I have to be home by eleven or else they'll lock me out", I replied.

"But you can still come in if you knock?"

"Yeah, I can. But I have to wake up the landlandy. She wouldn't be very happy".

"Then why impose curfews? She could just leave the gate open so you can come and go as much as you please", he said quizzically.

"Their just being cautions. The streets aren't that safe anymore", I answered glumly.

He didn't answer, but he changed the topic. "Do you think you'll be able to make it next weekend?"

I sighed. "Your not gonna let this go, are you?"

"Nope", he said, his gray eyes dancing. "Not until you say yes".

"I'm not the only one who makes the decisions!" I cried defensively. "Why don't we talk to them about it now?"

"Sounds good to me", he said. "Ladies first".

I snorted. "Dude, this is the twenty-first century. It doesn't matter who goes first".

"Call me a grandpa, then", he said jokingly. "But I insist that you go first".

"Okay, whatever", I said but I smiled at him as I led the way.

After a quick conversation, plus a few pleadings to Carly and a lot of promises of studying over time, we managed to book our weekend outing. Anthony grinned at me and gave me a look that clearly said, "I bet you were thinking that you were gonna get off the hook, huh? Not a chance!". I wanted to punch him but everyone was already getting ready to leave.

I didn't get to talk to him again because Jerry engaged him in a conversation as we walked toward the parking lot with their group ahead of ours. As they climbed into their car, they all waved and said their goodbyes. I looked at him, he gave me a smile and a tiny wave before he disappeared inside.

I pondered at our conversation. I only came up with two answers: it was either he was starting to like me or he was just being friendly; a part of me hoped for the first, but another part of me hoped for the second. But I was getting ahead of myself.

As I leaned my head against the already snoozing Roger, I couldn't help but remember at how handsome he looked when he smiled and how silly he was when he tried to imitate a vampire. I remembered how his eyes shone when he was playing around. And I remembered how he maintained the memory of the old days by being a gentleman; if only he offered his arm then it would have been complete.

I slapped myself mentally. This is not what I expected to happen. Its too soon. But it seems like Fate has other plans for me, again. Sometimes I wonder if She liked to mess around with my love life and that she enjoyed to see me squirm; she's presented me a few offers, meaning a few suitors, none of which were tempting enough for me to even think twice about them. She must be growing frustrated at my lack of interest so she finally decides to throw someone--to put it bluntly--at me, knowing really well my strengths and weaknesses; but She is a "higher authority" so I can't really complain. I left everything to Her when I was with Chris; and now I think its wise if I left my "friendship" with Anthony with Her, too. I've been down that road before, and it seems to me that she's making me make that journey once again, only this time, with someone else.

Time has always been her ally, as well as mine. She plants the seed of admiration, which will eventually bear the fruit of love. If she sees us fit, then I will comply with her wishes. But if not, well, then I'll just have to accept it. Rejection is part of the game, after all.

One thing's for sure: the flame that died last month's been extinguished forever, and that a new one has taken its place; newly lit and weak--but its there.

A slight breeze blew through me as I jumped out of the van, completely ignoring Chad's outstretched hand; but I gave him a low-five just so he wouldn't be embarrassed. He rolled his eyes at me but I gave him a wink before turning my back on him and following the others. Already, I could smell the sea.

Roger jogged towards me and we walked side by side, soaking in the scenery. Even though it was still pretty hot, there was something about this place that lured you as if under a spell, no matter what the weather was. It could be the sound of the rolling waves as they crashed against the shore, or the cooling color of blue that stretched as far as the eye can see, or the sound of sea gulls as they circled high above crying in their shrill voices, or the sight of the sunset with its orange and pink light as it said goodbye to the world; it could be anything, really. It soon became our favorite place to hang-out whenever we had the time.

When we were in first year, after being friends for a few months, we decided to look for places where we could chill and relax; the farther away from the university, the better. But we didn't have to look far. It was only a few minutes drive, but with the ever-present traffic, sometimes it took longer. We always chose a small pavilion that had the best view of the pier, where we would watch people run back and forth, take pictures and even juggle; well, the guys did and until now I don't have the faintest idea as to why they even bother, since they really suck at it.

The others were already at our spot and Roger and I were the last ones to take our places; even Bear was fast enough to overtake us without me even noticing. Our new friends sat on the graveled pavement in front of us, all four faces looking somewhat happy and relaxed.

"So, this is where you guys go. Nice", said Cornelius matter-of-factedly as he tilted his head back and sighed.

"It's not much, but its better than being cooped up in a classroom all day", said Angela.

"You have no idea how true those words ring", said Joey as he gazed wistfully at her. "It's a nightmare to be stuck in there from seven-to-seven".

"A whole day?", I said in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Joey nodded stiffly. "But we don't have classes on Fridays, which is sort of like a bonus", he ended with a tiny smile.

"What I would give to have Fridays off", said Carly dreamily.

"You? So what?", snorted Bradley. "So you can go around the city in search of books that people have never heard about?".

"Hey, I resent that", warned Carly and her eyes narrowed at him.

"You know I'm just kidding, right?" cooed Bradley, batting his eyelashes.

That sent us in a flurry of giggles and snorts, but he showed that he didn't hear us; and Carly's face softened but a sight scowl replaced it. "Ugh. I hate it when you do that".

I rolled my eyes. "I can't believe you fell for that".

She shrugged. "I have no experience with guys. You all know that", she said as she glanced at all of us as if daring to contradict her.

"Then that means that Charlie doesn't count?" asked Bear.

"He only asked me out once", answered Carly sniffily.

"Right. And that doesn't count?" pressed Bear.

"No. If he asked me out on a second date, then that's the only time that it will count", said Carly.

Cornelius was about to ask something when Angelo waved at him, signaling him to keep his mouth shut. He pursed his lips and said instead, "Do any of you have boyfriends or girlfriends?" he said in a rush.

Some of us laughed but in a way we were thankful for that distraction. None of us wanted to hear Carly's ramble about her non-existent love life and we wouldn't want to bore our guests.

"Strangely, no", said Roger thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, we're all single. Well, Kelsey was the last one who was in a relationship", he nudged me a little but I rolled my eyes.

I noticed that Anthony, who hasn't said anything so far, was looking at me very closely and I could see that he was trying to remember something. I was about to ask him when comprehension dawned on his face. "No wonder you look familiar", he said slowly. "You were Chris' girlfriend, right?"

Clearly, I wasn't expecting that so I started in surprise. "Yes, I was", I managed to say without laughing. Somehow I imagined it to be hard for me if I hear someone say "were" if they were talking about my previous relationship with Chris, but I didn't feel anything. And that made me feel good. Really good.

"I saw you once, after his P.E. class, actually, our P.E. since we were classmates", he said quickly.

"That was a long time ago", I noted.

"To you, probably", he said as he shrugged. I gave him a questioning look but he only smiled at me. Hmmmm. Seems like he's hiding more than I would have thought.

"He's got a new girlfriend, right?" asked Joey as he turned to me.

"Yup", I said in reply.

He grimaced. "That girls' a bitch. Seriously".

"What makes you say that?" piped in Rosie, her face alight with curiosity.

"She walks like she owns the university", stated Cornelius. "And the way she talks to you, it's like she's talking to a second-grader!".

"She clings to him and makes love to his wallet. Disgusting", added Anthony.

"He keeps on saying how much he loves her and all that mushy stuff, and he doesn't even notice that he's broke!" cried Jerry. Then he said in an undertone, "Poor bastard".

"Well, that's what he gets for breaking our Kelsey's heart", said Ellen boastfully. "And he deserves it".

"I bet he's too proud to break up with her because he'll end up looking more of a loser than he already is", said Amy with a laugh.

"I would have to agree with you on that one", said Joey. "I don't even know how he fell for her in the first place. I just find it odd. Oh well. That's love, eh?"

"Gee, don't I know that well", I said sarcastically.

"Do any of you guys have girlfriends?" asked Amy as she looked at them, chuckling.

"Nay, dear lady", said Cornelius, while attempting to sound like Prince William; "we are all simple bachelors". He stood up, and bowed low.

"Dear me, that is astonishing!" cried Ellen as she widened her eyes in mock horror.

"Indeed, it is", said Carly, keeping up with them.

"May I inquire as to why, your grace?" said Anthony, looking at Carly, while he was trying to keep a straight face.

Carly paused, pretending to be deep in thought. "Well, let me see", she said finally, crossing her legs and delicately putting her second finger on her chin; "you are all ruggedly handsome"--there was a pronounced gag from Angelo, but she ignored him--"you are into sports, and very charming. What's there not to like?"

"I beg to differ, dear lady", said Jerry politely, but we can see that he was ready to burst at any minute; "hasn't it occurred to you that perhaps we have not found the right woman to lavish our attention and wealth on?"

"What utter nonsense!" protested Rosie.

"I say, old chap, there are plenty of lovely ladies to choose from", interrupted Chad, still adapting the false British accent that they started; "surely, there are some that have caught your eye".

"Yes, there are some", admitted Cornelius. "But beauty is only skin-deep. After that first glance, nothing changes".

"How kind of you, sir", I said. I just had to say what was on my mind before I completely lost it. "Hardly any man would dare to say such words of flattery. Which makes me wonder, are you really telling the truth, or"--I gasped--"are you, dare I say it, not a real man?"

"Are you implying, my dear lady, that we are", said Jerry. He gulped. "Homosexuals?"

"That is preposterous!" cried Bear in an outrage.

"Blasphemy! Blasphemy!" said Carly, pretending to hyperventilate.

"My children, oh my poor, poor, children", wailed Angela.

"But, nay, fair lady, we are all good men. Real men", said Cornelius seriously as he looked at me.

I had to choke back the laughter that threatened to spill from my lips. "I was merely inquiring, my lord", I said as politely as I could. "Forgive me".

"There is nothing to forgive", he answered graciously.

"If only there were more men like you", sighed Ellen dramatically, as she waved her hand as if to fan herself. "The world would be a better place".

"Would you care to dance with me, my lady?" asked Joey. He was already standing in front of her, with his hand held out.

Ellen had the grace to blush but she laughed a little. "Why, yes, dear sir, I would like that". She took his hand and stood up to our cheers and applause.

He twirled her around as we began to clap and chant some waltz that was badly off-key, but they continued anyway. I broke into laughter as we did this, but I was not alone. As I watched them twirl, dip and skip, I found myself looking over at the boys, my eyes drifting from one to the other.

They were all laughing as they clapped along, their faces shining with amusement. It was always great to make new friends. I always consider them as a blessing that I never fail to be thankful for. And somehow, deep down, I knew that a lot of us are going to paired off to them very soon. Not that we haven't looked to our own group; I still hear people wondering how we managed to snag the most good-looking guys in the classroom. But none of us ever thought of going out with each other. We just thought that it would feel too awkward since we already consider ourselves as a family. And as far as pairing off is concerned, I'm not saying that I'll be one of them. I did just get out of a relationship after all; but then again, what's the harm in just thinking about it, right? But hearing the echo of that question in my head made me think twice about it.

I shouldn't be thinking about this now. Maybe after a few more weeks or even months. But definitely not now.

Although..

I couldn't help but notice how--as Carly pointed out earlier--ruggedly handsome they all were. It would have been okay if one or two of them were, but all of them? It kind of makes you wonder if God sent down His angels all at the same time. I'm not exaggerating; they're all really, really good looking. Adonis could have been their father for all I know.

Jerry's blue eyes were dancing as he laughed; his body was lean and muscular and his brown hair whipped his face when the wind blew. Cornelius had prominent cheek bones, perfect nose; as if his face was carved to perfection. Joey reminded me of Chad in the height department; but other than that, his smile was enough to make you look twice on him. And Anthony, he had this way of looking you in the eyes as you speak, as if your the most important person in the world; anyone can melt under his piecing gray gaze.

Great, I'm being silly. Fawning--no, scratch that--admiring these guys who we've only met. Silly, isn't it?

I suddenly had this feeling of someone watching me; I could feel a pair of eyes gazing at me, or maybe past me. As I turned, I caught Anthony's eye. He was still clapping along, with a wide smile on his face but he wasn't paying attention to the two dancers almost in front of him. No. He was looking at me.

I was kind of expecting him to look away, but strangely, he didn't. And for some strange reason, as we looked into each other's eyes, I felt a chill go down my spine and I wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing. The other thought that crossed my mind was, did he feel it, too? Whether he did or not, he was good at hiding it because his expression didn't change and he didn't slow his pace in clapping. I wanted to break the reverie that we were slowly dragging ourselves in, but I couldn't look away; his eyes, his stormy gray eyes..

For a fleeting moment, I thought he really zoned out because he was still staring at me. I looked behind me just to see if he saw somebody he knew and that he was staring at that; but when I looked at him, his smile got even wider, as if mocking me. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks but that was enough to finally make me look away.

Joey and Ellen were already sitting down but we laughing their heads off, along with the others. I quickly joined in, hoping that nobody noticed my little "moment" with Anthony. From my peripheral vision, I could tell that he was still looking at me, and that he was still smiling. I ground my teeth in frustration. It's bad enough that he didn't elaborate further on what he said about me and Chris; somehow I think that he's trying to infuriate me.

I turned to him, but to my surprise, he turned away and immediately struck up a conversation with Cornelius.

Interesting.

I climbed to the backseat of the van that we borrowed from Chad's uncle, which I shared with Roger, Bear and Rosie; Chad, Carly, Ellen and Angela sat in front of us; Amy and Angelo were riding shotgun while Bradley was our driver for the day. Our guys had to draw straws to determine who'd be taking the wheel for our weekly routine; but I had a suspicion that Roger knew which straw would save him from that daunting task since he kept his eyes on a single straw as Amy shuffled them. Roger grabbed one before Amy could say that they could; and I saw him smirk as he looked down on his straw. I moved closer to him only to find out that he tampered with what he was holding; I faintly recognized them as teeth marks. He caught me looking, and his eyes widened with horror; I could almost sense that he was about to plead just by looking at me. But I merely raised my eyebrow at him and shrugged before turning away.

Neither he, nor I, have mentioned anything about it during our thirty-minute drive, including traffic, from Chad's house to the nearest park; it was the weekend after all so we wanted to have some fun. But he casually put his arm around my head rest and touched my shoulder briefly. I turned to him, and he smiled; I smiled back before leaning against his shoulder. We didn't need words, because everything that needed to be said, spoke volumes by our simple gestures.

Looking past Bear's head and out the window, I watched as cars whizzed past us in the opposite direction and tress swaying in the breeze. I was wedged in between Bear and Roger while Rosie sat near the other window.

"So, where'd you guys wanna have lunch?" called Bradley from the front. We left around nine in the morning so we could have plenty of time to have fun.

"Anywhere's fine", answered Rosie. "Unless someone's feeling picky".

"And when you mean by 'someone'?" trailed off Amy.

I leaned against the head rest in front of me as I looked at Rosie; she nodded, grimly. "By 'someone', I mean, Bear", she said seriously.

Bear turned his head and he looked put-off. "Excuse me?" he said.

"What? It's true!" Rosie cried defensively. "I mean, you haven't been eating meat for the past few weeks. It's all--veggies", she said with disgust.

"And what's wrong with that?" said Bear, just as defensively.

"Dude, you are so missing out on a lot! And what made you go green all of the sudden?" said Angela as she turned to get a better look at him.

Bear rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure that you guys have noticed that I'm probably the size of a baby elephant".

There were different outburts of "no!", "what?!" and "huh?" from all of us. Bear raised his eyebrow.

"I know that your my friends and everything but I can handle the truth", he said stoutly.

"You look great!" said Carly. "Your not big like Ruben Studdard, you know".

"But I'm almost as big as him", Bear interjected.

"Not even close", said Chad, emphasizing "close".

"C'mon, Bear, you can't be serious. What made you think that your weight is such a problem?" asked Roger.

Bear looked away, avoiding my eyes and everyone else's. He stared out the window, and from his reflection I could see the inner struggle he was trying to hide. He looked a little angry, sad and lost all at the same time. I wanted to reach out and touch him, just to let him know that it wasn't really bad. But before I could, he sighed.

"I just know", he said slowly, and his voice sounded strained.

Everyone was quiet. I could see the nervous glances they were exchanging with each other and I didn't think it was making anything better.

I leaned back on my seat, placed my arm in front of his chest and rested my head on his shoulder; I couldn't exactly hug him considering how cramped we already were but I knew it was enough. He patted my arm and I saw that he was smiling a little.

"Bear, you know that we don't care about it", I said quietly and as gently as I could. "To us, that's nothing. You've been our friend for a long time and we hate to see you this way. Just be yourself. We love you just the way you are".

"Yeah, buddy", said Roger as he leaned forward. "I miss our chicken wolfing routine every Thursday. I still wanna beat you", he added jokingly.

"Kelsey's right. You shouldn't worry about that. We miss our old Bear", Angela whimpered. "I wouldn't be able to hug anyone else!"

"Yeah!" agreed Amy enthusiastically.

Despite himself, Bear chuckled, and his eyes were twinkling; it was clear that we were getting through to him.

"Oh, okay", he finally said, in mock defeat. "I wont be a vegetarian anymore".

"Good!" roared Chad in approval, along with everyone else.

"You guys can be so dramatic somtimes", said Bear sarcastically.

"We do tend to do that, huh?" said Bradley, as he turned the van around the U-turn slot. "That's what you get from being in such a big group". He pulled over and we came to an abrupt stop. He turned to us. "Okay, since you guys couldn't decide on what to eat, I decided for you". Then he opened his door and stepped out.

We all looked outside and found that we were parked in front of Pizza Hut.

"Yay! I'm starving!" cried Carly.

As Rosie climbed down, I looked at Bear. "Are you okay with this?" I asked warily.

He smiled. "Yeah, yeah, it is. I guess I really did let it get to my head", he said with a weak laugh.

"That's fine", I said as I followed Roger out.

We were ushered inside by a waiter that was already standing near the door. The cool air from the inside hit us full in the face. The waiter had to put three tables together since our party was pretty big. Once we were settled in, we ordered garlic bread for appetizers, and our drinks.

Most of us started talking to each other and a lot of us got confused with who was talking to who, but it only made us laugh harder than we already were. I felt so at ease with everyone; probably because of the atmosphere, the aura, the ambiance of the place. I took a quick glance around the room and noticed that everyone else was just as relaxed as we were. Chad groaned from beside me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I hate it when you space out like that", he said as he shook his head.

"Oh, my, I'm so sorry", I said quickly.

He waved off my apology. "Don't worry about it. So, what do you say? Do you think we'll be able to make it in time for the show?"

I glanced at my wrist watch. "We have three hours to go. And besides, Rachel's not going to leave, you know", I said mischievously.

"But Ross is gonna take her away!" Chad cried dramatically, putting his right hand over his heart.

"Phoebe's not that bad", interrupted Bradley, who was sitting across me. Then he took a deep breath. "Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you?" he sang, trying really hard to imitate a girl.

We all laughed at his sorry attempt but we joined in the singing anyway. It became a habit of ours to watch the re-runs of FRIENDS almost every Saturday at anyone's place, when we had the chance. Our parents are pretty used to it by now so they don't mind us one bit.

Our singing was interrupted when Angelo cried "Hi!" and waved at someone from another spot in the restaurant. Four guys made their way towards us as Angelo stood up to greet them. All of them greeted each other simultaneously and even a few playful punches were thrown in.

"Hey, guys, these are my friends from high school", he announced. "This is Jerry"--he gestured to the guy who he held by the shoulder; he was a little taller than Angelo with blue eyes; he was wearing a white t-shirt and a baseball cap and his smile was breath taking--"Cornelius"--to the guy beside Jerry; slightly shorter than Jerry, with hazel eyes, blonde hair with dark highlights and nodded at all of us--"Joey"--to the guy beside Cornelius; he was the tallest of them all, with brown eyes; he had a backpack slung over his shoulder and he smiled widely at all of us--"and, Anthony"--the guy at the very end, a head shorter than Joey; he was almost bald and his eyes nearly disappeared when he smiled.

"Nice to meet you all", said Cornelius politely.

"Why don't you join us? I'm sure we can pull out another table", said Angelo.

I could tell that Jerry was about to object but he was overwhelmed by our response.

"Okay. Sure", he said, not bothering to hide his smile. Once everyone was okay, we turned our attention to the new comers.

"So, where are you guys studying?" asked Amy to no one in particular.

"In Rotondus, where you guys are. Just different courses", answered Jerry with a grin.

"No wonder you look familiar. I must have seen you around", I said thoughtfully. "What course are you taking?"

"Cornelius and I are taking up Engineering", said Anthony.

"Psychology", put in Jerry.

"And I'm taking Nursing", said Joey.

Bear gave a low whistle. "Damn, that's a load of crap right there", he said as he laughed.

"It's fine, really", said Joey, shrugging, the sides of his lips twitching slightly. "A lot to do, but hey, it was our choice".

"Yeah, it's really fun. Tiring, yes, but it's one of those things that your glad to lay down your life for", said Jerry.

"Nicely said", said Carly as she raised her glass in a toast.

Our orders came in and since we ordered a little more than we could finish, some of our guests dug in, too.

After we cleaned our plates, I leaned back on my chair and sighed deeply, with a sense of content washing over me. I titled my head back and closed my eyes; it was a long day. And I knew that we weren't even half way done.

"Everyone finished? Let's pay the bill", said Bradley as he called the attention of our waiter.

"Okay, cough up everybody", said Roger, with a bite of regret in his voice.

I smirked but remembering our little moment earlier, I just took out my wallet and didn't say anything.

We walked out of the restaurant a few minutes later.

"Hey, you guys wanna come along? We're headed for the pier", Angelo asked his friends.

"We'll follow", promised Jerry as he walked to the silver Volvo next to our van and climbed in. We all said goodbye before driving off.

It was about a fifteen-minute drive to the pier, but all of us were too full to talk. I dozed off as my head bounced from Roger's shoulder to Bear's, before finally settling on Roger's. I caught a few images from my half-closed eyelids: Bradley making these weird gestures as he briefly let go of the wheel, making everyone in front laugh and I could feel Bear's rumbling laugh from beside me. I couldn't really understand what they were saying but I didn't mind.

Rosie then made a witty comment about some guy being a jackass in our class which everyone agreed to. I knew who she was talking about, but I didn't want to say anything. They like to bash out on some of our classmates and no one in their right mind would even dare to tell other people from outside of the group. It's pretty interesting at how each person feels differently towards someone else. Strangely, I was too tired to think of anything else to I decided to just let my mind go blank.

As their conversations continued, Roger pinched my nose.

"Hey, we're nearly there", he said gently.

"Already?" I said as my eyes snapped open and I sat straight. "That was quick".

"You were asleep the whole time. I'd be surprised if you thought that we took forever", he replied, grinning.

I playfully smacked him on the arm and I felt the van come to a stop.

"Here we are", said Roger as Chad opened the door for us.