Epic Love (Triangle)

Chapter 6

I told you, I am pathetic with a capital... P? No. T as in Tanga. Gosh. I couldn't stop sweating. Couldn't even bring myself to school. All I wanted to do was curl up under the comforters and dream of Peter and me in never, neverland. I had thrown the pesky alarm clock after its first attempt to wake me up. And even then, I still couldn't stop daydreaming.

I was reminded of him sitting there across me yesterday, his cool voice humming in my ears, his eyes focused on me...

I snuggled contentedly under the covers. Will he be back at Java's today, like he said he would?

***

Meeting Peter for the second time was worthy of cheesy movies I'd seen too often already. I was there at Java's, same time, same table, then just as I was about to despair, after sitting there for five minutes already, that this meeting with Peter was just plain useless, I would've gotten up to leave had not the man burst the doors with an apologetic smile.

"You're early?" he asked smoothly as he slid on the seat. Then he stopped and grinned. "Wow. You got contacts.."

"Yeah. No sense on being fashionably late, I think. Or cheap." I laughed.

I smiled as I acknowledged his appearance, gorgeous even with the wind-tossed hair, his shoulders wider with the polo shirt he was wearing. Hay, thank heavens talaga. Butt off, Ashton Kutcher. Here's someone who'd grab the crown from you.

"Too many papers to deal with." As if he must explain to me. But hey, that was nice of him! "I have to drop Lily off to her condo before coming back here."

The sun seemed to be covered by clouds for a while there. "Oh. But you shouldn't have."

"Nonsense. I like being here." He smiled. "You remind me of my sister."

Whew! One private information digested. But of course, I felt a tinge of disappointment. Kaya pala tinatiyaga niya ko... "Where is she now?"

"Studying language." He looked at me. "You? Any sibs?"

"None." I made a face and he laughed. "And it's boring."

"I can tell." He mouthed he'd 'order' for us and so I watched him go to the counter, feeling flustered that almost everyone in the room noted Peter with 'me'. When he came back with two salad bowls I was almost crimson in the face.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"I didn't know being in the company of an actor could merit me the same spotlight."

He nodded, understanding. "Sorry. It's annoying I told you. But don't be bothered. I mean, damn. Can't I have a friend who isn't a boy without them thinking I'm cheating on Lily?" He shook his head in irritation. He smiled at me. "No sense in blushing like that."

I, whose eyes had been widening a fraction since that speech, raised one hand on my cheek. "Hormones...I think."

He chuckled, shoved the food on my side. "Eat."

He really was good on giving orders. Well, when it comes to food at least.

While I chewed slowly so as not to ruin my poise, Peter talked on about his classes, Lily, his family, Lily, his amusement with me that first day at the registration, and Lily.

"You must be so in love with her, no?" I said, while slowly jabbing an imaginary knife to my breast that I had to admit to myself that I was a loser na talaga.

"She was the first girl I've ever dreamed of marrying." He laughed as he realized he must've sounded corny.

"How nice."

"Yeah." Peter nodded, but his dark eyes stared at me and so I dropped my head and focused on the food instead.

It was like that again the next meeting. And the next.

I was heady with the realization that I was now the topic of gossip from classrooms to faculty rooms. The kontrabida in the love match that was Peter and Lily. On our fourth meeting I had told Peter I wouldn't be able to see him anymore.

"Why?" His question was delivered with a frown and a tone of voice that clearly spoke of his confusion. How dense could the man get? Didn't he know the school was watching us like hawks to a fishpond? I shook my head and repeated my statement.

"Eh, Sir kasi, I've been hearing things I don't like. I feel like I'm the resident bitch here. Parang lumalabas pa, ako ang magiging dahilan pag inaway kayo ni Miss Lily. Someone pa nga accused me of being the one who wrote that diary." Which was the naked and butt-naked truth, but I kept a straight face as though it wasn't.

"You know about that?" Peter asked, taking hold of my elbow and sitting me down again.

Do I! But of course I pretended otherwise! "I've heard about it. That you have a stalker." Ouch! "But that's not the point po eh. I'm branded a villain na. And all we did was share this table for merienda."

"Exactly." Peter's smile was infectious.

I groaned. "Sir, I don't want a run-in with Miss Lily."

"She's not going to bite you," he laughed.

Grrr.

I stood up and gathered my things once again. "Thanks for..." What? I couldn't tell him thanks for meeting me and making my life half-complete, could I? "Ah, anyway, bye, Sir." Hu hu hu... I am crying na deep inside. Goodbye my love. I'm sorry kung hindi kita kayang ipaglaban. I have no right kasi eh. Give me the right nga!

"Wait."

I glanced back not because there was obvious urgency in his voice but because he held my arm and squeezed it, that I bit my lip to prevent from saying Ouch.

"Look. We're only friends." He looked me straight in the eye and dared me to contradict that, and thus expose my intentions? No way.

"I have a class pa po..." I skirted my eyes away from his gaze, but I really couldn't look away for long.

"I'll take you there."

I sighed. Was there no reasoning with this man? "Peter. Please, don't bother."