My Anonymous Online Boyfriend ✔️

Chapter 1

June 5, 2016

"Kumusta na ba kayo?" tanong ni Tasha sa amin habang nakatitig ito sa cell phone niya at may ka-chat.

"Hmm... okay naman ako," sagot ko.

Isinandal ko ang likod ko sa upuan at ipinikit muna ang mga mata. Tomorrow will be a new start of my academic life, I am already in 10th grade. I can't believe that after all these years, I would still be able to be with my friends, Tasha and Lory. We've been friends for almost 5 years. I met them when we were in 5th grade, at our journalism contest.

Lory is one of my friends, she is quite loud—boisterous. She talks a lot and she seriously loves eating. Bibigyan mo pa lang siya ng isang candy, wala nang ngata-ngata sa kanya. Deretso lunok na—kapag gutom. Kung gaano siya ka-hyper sa aming magkakaibigan, sa family naman niya, tahimik siya. Mga seryosong tao ang mga magulang niya, dalawa lang silang magkapatid, at ang kuya niya ay achiever din sa school namin. He is already in 12th grade, a senior high school student. And I can say that him and Lory are pretty competitive when it comes to academics.

Tasha is the oldest among us. She loves doing her make-up, lapitin siya ng boys kasi maganda't balingkinitan. She doesn't really care if she fail or pass the whole school year, she just wants to graduate and work already. Kung gaano ka-competitive si Lory, si Tasha naman ang kabaliktaran. Tasha hates studying, but she truly loves art, kasama na roon ang make-up. She's an artist for me, kahit saang anggulo ko siya tingnan, she's truly an artist, inspiring and motivating artist. Tasha has one brother and sister, she is the youngest.

And me, I am Melissa Keistyn Zevallos, I am already 15 years old and in 10th grade this school year. I don't really have much hobbies since I prefer to be alone—holding a book or writing stories. I may have friends, but I prefer to be alone most of the time. That's why my friends calls me the mute, but cute. Madalas akong tahimik 'pag may iba kaming nakakasamang hindi ko pa naman gaanong nakikilala, ngunit makulit din ako 'pag kami-kaming tatlo lang. I have two brothers, I am the middle child. But I mostly get tired since my mom likes me to do some of the household chores. Ang sabi kasi ni mama sa akin, balang araw, magkakaroon din ako ng asawa at kailangan kong matuto sa lahat ng bagay. Well, if I would marry anyone.

"Kumusta na pala kayo ng bebe mo?" tanong ni Lory kay Tasha. Napatigil naman si Tasha sa pagce-cell phone niya at mabilis na nabaling ang atensyon kay Lory.

I looked at Tasha and raised an eyebrow since she can't open her mouth to speak properly. "Ask her which one," I said as I smirked. Tasha rolled her eyes and burst out laughing.

"I don't have any," she simply replied and shrugged her shoulders before taking a sip of her matcha milktea.

We have been here in the store, spending our time for almost 30 minutes. Si Tasha ang unang nagyaya dahil bored daw siya sa bahay nila. So, me and Lory gradually agreed, after this, hindi na naman kasi namin alam kung kailan kami ulit magkakasama-sama nang walang ginagawang assignments or projects.

"Wala raw pero lapitin ng lalake." Tasha shook her head after hearing Lory.

"'Di ko naman sila pinapansin, I have my eyes on someone," Tasha said which made me look at her.

She's now staring out of nowhere while smiling. She's like daydreaming about someone, I can feel it since we've been friends for a long time. Gawain na niya 'yon ever since we entered junior high school. She fell in love with someone so easily. I think it was love at first sight, it happened when we were in 7th grade. A guy named Theo was walking along the hallway and suddenly bumped into Tasha—like what usually happens in movies or stories. Of course, he helped her to stand up and grabbed her books from the floor. Then he asked her if she was okay then Tasha replied, yes—stuttering.

Malaman-laman lang namin na he was already in 9th grade at that time. Tuwang-tuwa pa si Tasha no'n dahil panghapon kami, pati rin si Theo hapon ang pasok. But ever since that incident happened—their first meet, Tasha never actually had the chance to talk to him, and until now umaasa pa rin si Tasha na makakausap niya si Theo kahit hindi sila gaanong malapit sa isa't isa. Theo is already in 12th grade this year, like Lory's brother.

"Girl, ang tagal na no'n 'no? Umaasa ka pa rin?" Lory chuckled, but suddenly received a slight slap on the face from Tasha.

"Baliw ka ba? 'Di mo naman mapipigilang mahulog sa isang tao..."

"You like him because of his looks or?" tanong ko.

"It's not just about the looks of a person, it's also about how you see him treat anyone else."

"Hindi ako bumabase sa itsura ng isang tao, kundi sa kung papaano niya ako pahalagahan bilang isang babae," wika ni Tasha habang nakatitig sa aming dalawa ni Lory.

I slowly nodded while thinking. He never treated Tasha in a nice way, I mean, I've never seen him with Tasha. Hindi na nga niya nilapitan si Tasha after ng incident na 'yon tapos 'tong si Tasha todo defend kay Theo. Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng pag-ibig, nakakabaliw.

"Ikaw, Mel? 'Di ba writer ka? Would you write a story na bumabase na lang lagi ang bida sa looks ng makaka-partner niya?" tanong niya sa akin habang nakataas ang kaliwang kilay niya.

I looked at Lory and back at Tasha. I never wrote a romantic story about two teenagers crossing each other's paths that leads to falling in love with each other. That's not my type of genre, actually.

"Hindi ako nagsusulat ng romance stories nor young adult. I prefer fantasy and—"

"Though you don't write in those genres, alam kong mayro'n pa ring halong romance sa kahit ano mang genre." I made a fake smile after hearing Tasha's statement. She really likes defending her stand though it's not worth it.

"Like your mom? You love your mom, right? You don't base on her looks—"

"Tasha, iba ang pagmamahal ng parents natin sa pagmamahal ng isang lalaking napupusuan natin, gets?" Lory asked and she thumbs up in front of Tasha's face.

I can say that Tasha doesn't really know what love means, how to differentiate a parent's love and a guy's love—more like a puppy love. But who am I to judge? I never felt that love since I was born. Hindi pa ako naliligawan at mas lalong hindi pa ako nagkakaroon ng boyfriend. So, I guess I don't really have the rights to judge Tasha's knowledge about love. Kung tutuusin baka mas marami pa siyang alam kaysa sa amin ni Lory dahil siya ang laging nililigawan sa aming tatlo.

"Basta! I like Theo, no one can stop me from liking him... or even loving him." Tasha crossed her arms and sighed.

"Maiintindihan niyo rin ang sinasabi kong I don't base on looks."

"If you're in love, you won't mind what he looks. You focus on how he makes you happy and let you feel that you will be important to him for the rest your life." Tasha ended her statement with a smile across her face.

Somehow, I feel like Tasha's telling the truth. She's telling a fact that is somehow agreeable to me.