Just Because You Are

Chapter 8 - When You Change Your Tune

Saying you'll never fall in love is like saying you'll never smile.
No matter how hard you try, someone will come along and make you.
-ihatequotes™ ‏@ihatequotes

"All right, guys, let's take a five minute break!" Louie announced, running towards the corner of the room to get a glass of water from the dispenser. As the participants began to go out of the room, she noticed Raffie who remained sitted on a bench nearby, looking somewhat preoccupied. As soon as she had filled two glasses with water, she walked towards her best friend. "I think you need this, Chummy."

Raffie smiled thankfully at Louie and took the glass of water from her. "Thanks, Chum."

"Mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo, ah," Louie observed. "Di ba sabi mo nagkausap na kayo ni Vince? May problema pa rin ba?"

Shaking her head, Raffie replied, "No, okay naman kame ni Vince."

"Then what's bugging you?"

"Wala naman...may konting weird feeling lang."

"Weird feeling?"

Raffie sighed. She was always honest about what she felt and she had never been reluctant when it comes to opening up to Louie even for trivial matters. "Kanina kase...well...I sort of ran into Sir Quino and when he looked down to face me...sobrang lapit nung mukha nya...basta bigla akong nagkaroon ng odd feeling...hindi ko maintindihan."

"Ganun? At bakit naman talagang affected much sa weird feeling na yan?" Louie teased, giggling. Then she pressed on, "Hey, don't tell me may...teka, may spark ba? Meron ano? Ano?"

Raffie frowned, but her lips eventually broke into a smile as she recalled that encounter again. There was that sudden burst of excitement when Quino looked closely into her eyes early that afternoon. "Spark ka dyan!" She exclaimed and then took a gulp of the water.

"Eh ano nga kase yung odd feeling na yun? Naku, ikaw nambibitin ka, aminin mo na nga, Chummy!" Louie continued to tease her friend.

With a shake of her head, Raffie said, "I told you I can't understand. Basta, yun lang... and besides, hindi ba't ikaw yung may i-co-confess saken? I'm waiting..." With all honesty, she really didn't know how to categorically describe what she felt. She tried to divert the topic to her friend's personal concerns since she knew
Louie was now ready to spill the beans.

Louie slumped next to Raffie and fixed her eyes on the glass of water she was holding. "Well, if you ran into Sir Quino...ako naman...I fell onto BBF's lap," she said in a very low voice.

With a knowing smile, Raffie teased, "Hmmm...so, may spark ba?"

Pouting, Louie cried out, "Ikaw talaga, Chummy! Ang hilig mo gumanti, no?"

Raffie merely laughed.

Then Louie finally nodded her head, looking like a very naïve teenager who was going through love issues for the first time.

"I knew it, Chum! Denial queen ka lang talaga!"

"Shhhh! Lower your voice, please...baka may makarinig!" Louie warned her friend.

Raffie bit her lip. "Sorry! I'm just overwhelmed coz finally you're beginning to be true to your feelings!" she said in a whisper. "Kase naman Chum, ang hirap nung nagtatago ng nararamdaman, ano ka ba!"