To say that I pretended to be shocked is false. I didn’t pretend. I was really shocked.

We just talked about this for, like, what? One? Two days ago? And now he comes here with this big gesture that I didn’t expect. I was seriously taken aback.

I received the bouquet he gave me. He then took my hand and kissed the back of my palm. I smiled shyly.

I have to admit that everything feels a bit awkward, what with the people not turning their gaze away from us, and seeing how JB tries to conceal her smirk. But I chose to do this, so I’ll just go along with it.

I guess by now people know that this is really for show, and that’s what’s important to me. Despite the good or bad publicity that I may get from this, I just wanted to clear my name from the issue over the weekend.

After the initial display, I asked him in a very low voice, “Why are you doing this?”

He scratched his head. “To be honest, I’ve been wanting to do a vlog like this. I guess I just haven’t found that girlfriend yet, well, until you, that is.”

He chuckled. “It just so happened that you asked me, so yeah.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry if it’s too much. I’ve wanted to ask you before actually, but we weren’t close then. Not that we’re close now. But before, it would’ve been way awkward.”

I just nodded slowly.

“So back to the vlog?”, he asked.

I chuckled. “Yeah.”

We then did a short intro as to what the vlog will be—though we haven’t revealed the twist yet. Then we decided on a pet name.

It took us a while to reach one, but we’ve settled on a common one.

“What do you think…babe?”, he asked me.

“Babe? Okay”, I slightly nodded.

He then grabbed my hand and walked with me going to CFAD. He talked to me like everything was just so normal and that people weren’t looking at our direction.

Even though it felt a bit awkward at first, that feeling slowly died down. Now, it actually feels okay—not uncomfy nor comfy—just okay. He really exudes this friendly vibe that even when you should feel your heart racing, it doesn’t, at least not in a romantic way. I feel like he’d be a very nice guy friend—or maybe that’s just me.

At CFAD, he brought me to a dark room. And when he turned on the lights, I was surprised!

More than a dozen red balloons are hanging at the ceiling. It was really nice to look at, especially the way it contrasted with the plain white walls of the room.

Getting in, I can slowly see the photos that are attached at the end of the strings.

Looking at it closely, I can’t help but smile. There are solo photos of him, there are some stolen photos of mine, and there were a few photos of us—photos from the weekend event.

I can’t hide my astonishment at what he has done.

“Wow. If I’d have known that you’d do this, I wish I also tried making an effort”, I said.

“It’s fine. No need. This is how one should treat a girlfriend.” He winked at me.

I suddenly looked back at JB and noticed that she was trying to suppress her smile. I’m pretty sure that if it’s only the two of us, she’d have a lot of things to say.

Seth then made me sit at a chair in the middle of the room while he went to the front.

The lights were turned off again and alongside it, a slideshow was shown while a familiar hip hop song was playing.

Photos of us were shown at the slideshow and a couple of messages he addressed to me.

The slideshow ended in the middle of the song and the lights were turned on again, showing another surprise—Seth was dancing.

Now I can’t really stop smiling.

He slowly went to me while dancing and reached out for my hand. He then slowly guided me while going to the front of the room with him. I felt like I looked silly just standing there like a statue when he kept on dancing around me.

After a while, he snagged something from behind and gave me a lavender rose.

I really can’t stop smiling with what he’s doing. I’m sure his girlfriend would be so lucky. And if he’s my crush, I’d probably die happy now.

Minutes passed and I noticed that Ethan texted me.

Ethan: Where are u?

Avery: CFAD

Ethan: I’ll go there

just wait

I immediately checked the clock and noticed that Seth and I have been together for almost an hour. That was quick!

Though it seems like I’m ruining the moment, I immediately said my goodbyes to Seth and went out of the room. I hurriedly went to the lobby to at least meet Ethan halfway.

While waiting, I chatted with JB.

“Ave, I really can’t wait for whatever’s in store this day. I wonder what else he’s planning? Gosh! Seth is so dreamy!”

I just chuckled while she was saying that. I have to admit that under different circumstances, what he did would probably affect me, but right now, I really don’t feel anything towards it.

“I really can’t believe that it doesn’t affect you.” Oops. She read my mind. “Even when you’re smiling, it feels different.” She shrugged.

“Plastic?”, I asked.

“Not quite. Just gives off a different vibe”, she replied.

I just shrugged. “I guess I only see him as a friend.”

She just shook her head.

After a while, we started recording another part of the vlog where I’d have to explain the twist—that I’d also be with Ethan. I thought that it’d be better to record this before he arrives, so when our time starts, there won’t be any explanatory side stuff to record.

I then checked my phone to see if Ethan texted me again.

Then I noticed that people around were starting to whisper. I looked up and saw that he was approaching me.

I also noticed that Kel was taking a video of him, while for me, it’s JB.

When he stopped in front of me, he immediately leaned towards me and whispered, “You should’ve allowed me to prepare a big surprise for you.”

My heart skipped a beat. This thing that he does, getting close to me, it really makes my heart flutter.

“Wh- What do you mean?”, I tried to answer stoically.

“That guy prepared something big. I saw it, Ave. I don’t even have anything for you”, he said.

“What?” I chuckled. “You jealous or something?”

“Yes”, he whispered.

He caught me off guard. I just held my breath when he said that. Good thing we were just whispering or else it would’ve been heard on camera.

Then as though in a movie, he slowly tucked my hair in my ear. I just froze. He just stared at me and I felt a bit self-conscious.

“Why are you staring at me?”, I said, almost in a whisper.

“I just miss you.” Then he kissed my forehead.

I don’t know if everyone fell silent or I just became oblivious to everything around us. I don’t even know if what he’s saying is related to being my pretend boyfriend, or if he’s saying it because that’s how he feels. But whatever this is, I don’t want it to stop. I hope it’s real.

After a while, we went to a park beside CFAD. We just sat there while Kel and JB are following us around. They really look funny bickering silently—afraid that their words might be caught on camera.

Once we’ve settled, we started discussing about what to do and what pet names we should have.

“I don’t want one, you’re already calling me Ethan. You’re the only one calling me that”, he said.

“But I want one, plus Team Avean or Team Ethery might want one”, I pouted.

“What do you want by the way? Avean or Ethery?”, he asked.

“Avean. Sounds cool”, I shrugged.

“Now, I actually prefer Ethery”, he smirked.

“And why?”, I raised my eyebrow at him.

“Sounds like we’re eating…each other”, he said, chuckling.

I glared at him. “That makes me like Avean more.”

“Since we’re eating each other…Why not something food related?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Honey? Cookie? Muffin? Sweetie pie? Cupcake?”

I glared at him. “Stop it. Where’d you learn that?”

He just laughed.

My eyes widened. “Seriously, Ethan Jared Andrada. I’d really edit down your parts on the vlog!”

He laughed. “Fine. I’m just kidding. How about love?”

“Love’s okay”, I said.

“Okay…love”, he looked at me grinning.

We just spent our remaining time together staying there and talking about a lot of useless stuff, just holding hands, teasing each other.

He may not have made any grand gestures whatsoever, but he got my insides twisted. He really does have that effect on me.

When it was time for Seth and I to meet again, I just went to CFAD because he’s having a dance practice for a preliminary competition later.

He doesn’t have a surprise, thank goodness, because I didn’t know how to react anymore.

And since he was busy practicing, we didn’t get to interact much. I just watched him dancing and smiled at him whenever our eyes met.

Since there hasn’t been a change of pace this time, JB just took a couple of shots and she just sat beside me. I’m really imagining trying to let her have a boyfriend challenge with Seth, I think she’d have a way better feeling and reaction than me.

After their practice, Seth invited me for lunch, but well, it was time for me to be with my other boyfriend.

Same as earlier, Ethan and I met at the lobby and we held hands as we walked going to the food park. Since it was lunchtime, it was very crowded and it can easily be noticed how people were looking our way.

It’s a good thing that we’re being recorded, at least people will know that it’s vlog-related, and probably not something serious. That’s what I told myself as we walked around trying to look for an empty table.

“I’ll go sit there…love”, I pointed to an empty table towards the middle, then looked at him.

He smirked. “What do you want to eat?”, he asked while looking at me, then he also turned to JB.

“Up to you”, JB said.

I just smiled and nodded in agreement.

“You’re really into being called love, huh?”, JB teased as we were walking towards the table.

I just rolled my eyes. “That was just a part of the vlog.”

Since it was crowded, it took them a while to buy us food. And when they arrived, they really brought a lot. Way too many that JB and I just ended up staring at each other.

“Love, I didn’t know what you want. I hope that’s not too much”, Ethan said.

“It’s fine. I know JB will be able to finish that”, Kel smirked.

“Excuse me, De Luca. If I know, that’s all for you.” JB glaring at Kel.

Ethan and I just laughed at the two of them while he sat beside me.

He then arranged the food in front of me.

I just looked at him. “I can take care of myself. Just leave it there.”

“But I wanna take care of you”, he said.

“Ehem. Jared, Avery, just so you know, we’re not recording anymore. You can act normal”, JB interjected.

“Tss. De Luna. Way to ruin their moment”, Kel said while shaking his head.

“Turn it on, Kel. Just put it on a tripod”, Ethan said stoically.

Wow. He’s really taking this challenge seriously.

Kel then set it up on a mini tripod, and it was able to capture just enough for us all to appear in the frame.

While eating, I noticed that Ethan was staring at me.

“What is it?”, I asked.

“Love…open your mouth.”

I just looked at him as if asking what this is all about, then I noticed that he was starting to twist the spaghetti in his fork.

I kept staring at him with the same expression, but then he pouted. I had no choice but to open my mouth, and ate what he fed me.

“De Luca, can you still stand it”, JB sneered.

“You wanna leave, De Luna? It’s weird seeing Jared like this”, Kel grimaced.

“Let’s go!”, they both said as they were standing up.

Ethan and I just looked at each other and laughed.

“Wow. You’re getting along”, I commented.

They immediately looked at each other as though they were disgusted by that suggestion.

“Ew. No”, JB said. “I just don’t like it here ‘cause you’re way too cheesy.”

“Nah, you’re probably just jealous, De Luna. You want me to feed you too?”, Kel winked.

“No, thanks. You’d probably poison me”, JB just rolled her eyes.

We just stayed that way the whole lunchtime, our two companions kept bickering, and every now and then Ethan will just feed me.

It felt kinda weird that he was doing that, but also kinda sweet.

Seth and I then met at CFAD again and since they’re still practicing, we barely had any interaction and JB and I were just watching them.

When they took a break, I just gave him a bottle of water and we talked a bit. And before my time with him was done, Ethan sent me a message.

Ethan: Ave, when ur done just go to the gym

I’ll be waiting

Avery: Okay

After my time with Seth, I waved him goodbye and he told me to just go to the auditorium later as they’ll be having their dance competition there later.

Once we arrived at the gym, I immediately searched for Ethan, but I can only see a lot of guys wearing basketball jerseys and warming up.

We slowly walked towards a group wearing a black and white jersey that says College of Fine Arts and Design. Then, as if in unison, their teammates turned to us, then looked at Ethan while grinning.

He immediately ran up to me, then he pulled my wrist and I was forced to half run as well.

“Andrada, where are you going?”, their coach shouted.

“I’ll just get married, coach!” Ethan shouted while we were running—with the fading cheers of his teammate in the background.