The Hidden Gem

Chapter 14

"Wow! Your smile is amazing. Payakap nga... Ouch! Nakakatatlo ka na ha."

"Be serious and just freakin' smile."

"Fine, ito na."

"Don't grin just smile. Lower your lips a bit... a little more.. hold that... Now your eyes. Give her the impression that you adore her not like you want her between your sheets."

"As much as I want her on my bed really bad. I won't because I respect her but if she likes, why not." Napahampas nalang ako sa noo ko dahil sa kakulitan ni Bryan. I continued the lesson—How to smile 101. Mga ilang minuto pang pagbibgay ko ng instructions at paglilikot ni Bryan ay nakuha na niya ung tamang ngiting ibibigay niya kay Daisy at hindi ung parang minamanyak niya ito.

Sinabi ni Marcus na naghihintay ng order si Daisy. I gave Bryan instructions kung paano ito lalapitan. At first, parang nagdadalawang isip siya kasi iba sa nakasanayang approach ang gagawin niya. Dapat kasi hindi maangas nag dating niya kapag siya'y humarap.

Sinabi kong umakto siya na napadaan lamang sa lugar at nakita niya si Daisy tapos i-approach. I instructed him not to talk more about himself and let the girl talk about herself instead. Pretend to be interested even if it's a boring topic. Be funny and make her laugh. Girls love guys with a good sense of humor.

Talk about her interests. Mahilig kasi sa paintings si Daisy kabaliktaran ni Bryan na boring daw ang arts. Buti nalang at mahilig din ako sa arts kaya nagbibigay ako ng information kay Bryan gamit ang earpiece.

"You are so funny!" Daisy giggled that made him smile. Yung ngiting itinuro ko sa kanya. Nakita ito ni Daisy na ikinapula nito. I told Bryan to ask her for dinner tomorrow and he did. Obviously, she said yes.

"Thanks for saying yes. I'll pick you up at 7."

"You know where I live?"

"Of course I—" Bigla akong sumingit at pinigilan si Bryan sa pagsasalita through communicator. He nearly slipped. "d-don't."

"Okay! Dyan lang sa High Meadow yung unit ko. Kala ko alam mo. Iisipin ko sanang stalker ka. I need to go. See you tomorrow."

Nang makaalis na si Daisy, agad kaming lumapit kay Bryan na nakatulala.

"Hoy, Bryan." Ulysses called while poking him. Bahagya siyang nakangiti at nakatanaw lamang sa daan na tinungo ni Daisy.

"I got a daateee.. This is the best f*cking day of my life." Nagulat nalang kami ng biglang sumigaw si Bryan. Hindi pa nakuntento at tumalon talon pa at sumuntok suntok sa hangin. Ibang klase talaga.

Since hindi daw kaya ni Bryan mag-isa sa date nila, nakiusap na naman siya samin. Kneeling and begging, pestering and following us wherever we went, fake crying, whining and trapping us in his bone crushing hug, that's what Bryan did to force us to help him again. Ang akala namin tapos na ang pagtulong namin sa kanya. Hindi pala.

"Thank you,  guys so much at hindi niyo ko pinabayaan. You guys are really my friends. Naiiyak ako. Huhu." And cue his fake crying.

"Yeah! Yeah! We can't say the same. Let's just see each other at the venue." Walang ganang sabi ni Kael. Lahat ata kami pare-pareho ng itsura. Hindi namin alam kung maaasar kami sa kanya. We got him a date, we should be done here.

Nauna na si Bryan dahil susunduin niya pa si Daisy. Kami naman ay nauna na sa restaurant. The restaurant was owned by Ulysses' family. Gaya ng dati, si Marcus ang look-out. He's hiding behind the bushes outside the restaurant.

"They're coming. Wait! A-ahh. Sh*t."

All of the sudden, Marcus' communicator died. Hindi na siya sumasagot kahit ilang beses na namin siyang kinokontak. Nasa loob kasi kaming dalawa ni Kael na nagpapanggap na mga customer. Ganun din si Lumiere na nasa ibang lamesa.