Vincent Patrocino was like a theater actor. Perfect. Beautiful. Talented. But behind the curtains, he was nothing more than a celebrity always caught in affairs. Unfortunately, he had set his eyes on me - technically my friend Gian. He has been pestering me non-stop to introduce him to her. I told him - NO FUCKING WAY!
Somehow his mind registers a no as a yes and I am now stuck in this situation. I know Gian thinks he is hot, but I want to spare her from the heartbreak that 5 of his ex-girlfriends experienced.
I met Kuya Vince when the school competed in the Science Month Division Level competitions. He was in the essay contest. Though his words bagged 1st place it would never persuade me to be the bridge between him and Gian.
"Julie."
"Huh, what?" I was too lost in thought that Deli was already shaking my shoulder.
"The station games are about to start."
Fuck.
After the introductions from the Math department head and cheer presentations, the camp games were finally in full swing. Stations were scattered in different classrooms, and basketball courts around the residential area outside campus. We ran, walked, crawled all over the place while I ignored and avoided Kuya Vince. I swear, I was limping as we dragged ourselves back to school grounds.
Deli suddenly bumps her shoulder against mine. "Tired?" she asked. I nodded my head. "No time for that now, you still have that quiz bee later."
"I'm blaming you, if we get last place," I murmured.
She smiled, for a second I thought it was the brightest thing I saw in the dimming golden lights above. I looked away. "You'll do great."
---
After dinner, it was a quiet walk to the contest grounds. We made small talk between the three of us. Ate Bri, the third-year, was chatty enough to keep us from going into an awkward silence.
The quiz bee itself was uneventful. Ate Bri mostly did the work, sometimes Kuya Vince, and rarely me. I only wrote down the answers and raised the board. I breathed a sigh of relief after finally topping the scoreboard. As the room emptied and everyone poured down the stairs, I squeezed myself through the crowd to get back to our room before Kuya Vince and I were left alone.
"Bri, go on without us," Kuya Vince called from the top of the stairs, "I have something to ask Julie"
"Okay"
Shit. I walked back to him when Ate Bri left. "What do you want to talk about?"
"You already know"
"Well, my answer is still a no. Gian has too much on her plate to have a boyfriend"
"I know you're her friend, but you're not someone who can decide for her"
"If you so badly want to woo her, why go through me? Messenger is still a thing right?"
He lets out an aggravated sigh, "Well I don't want to pop out from the blue like a creepy fuck. Plus, you're the only connection between me and Gian."
"Kuya Vince, I still won't do it," I turned and stomped down the steps.
---
It was finally time to head to our sleeping quarters. The girls' and boys' rooms were assigned to different buildings. I was thankful that I would be away from that incessant prick.
The room was quite crowded and filled by people I do not know, except Deli - again. So we decided to sleep beside each other in a corner. "Congrats on winning first place. I told you. I've got good intuition you see," she said as she was digging through her pack.
"Thanks, but Ate Bri was the one who did the work... and good luck to you tomorrow."
"Oh right, the relay"
While I laid down the bedding and fluffed the pillow, Deli tapped my shoulder from behind.
"Yes?"
Deli mashed her lips and wouldn't look me in the eye. "What is it?" I asked again.
"Uhm so... is it okay to share the bedding?"
Translation Notes:
Ate - (Ah-teh) similar use as Kuya except to address females
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