The Perfect Couple (Short Story)

Chapter 3

And that's how the Perfect Couple act started.

As days passes by, unti unting lumalabas ang tunay na ugali ng dalawa sa tuwing sila'y magkasama.

Sophie's clumsiness was first discovered when she accidentally pour her strawberry shake on Keith's polo uniform only to worsen the smudge when she tried to rub it using her wet handkerchief. And Keith's short-temperedness was discovered at the same time.

"Oh my God! I'm sorry! Sorry talaga!" Sophie apologized habang pilit pa rin nyang kinukuskos ang nadumihang suot ni Keith.

"What the f*ck?! You just made it worse!" Keith yelled

And when Sophie offered to wash his uniform, naisama nya ito sa mga de-color na damit since she's not used to washing clothes.

"Wala ka na ba'ng tamang alam na gawin?!" Keith roared when he saw his polo uniform dyed like a bandana with a mix color of blue and orange.

"O sorry naman, di ko naman alam na mangungulay sya ng ganyan eh!" pagalit din na sagot ni Sophie.

Sophie never showed this side of her to anyone else. This is the first time ever since she transferred to this school na she keeps slipping on her Princess Act and just went to be her usual self. Same goes to Keith, lahat ng inakala ni Sophie kung anong klaseng tao si Keith, it turns out they were all just an act like hers.

She remembered that time when they were playing badminton for PE at di sinasadyang na stuck yung shuttlecock sa may pinakamalapit na puno. It was her fault. She had to wait for all the other students to leave. And when the coast is clear, hinagis nya ang raketa paitaas sa puno, hoping na tatamaan nito yung nasabit na shuttlecock at kasabayan nitong mahulog paibaba. Well it did work, yun nga lang, bumagsak diretso sa kanya ang raketa. Bull’s eye! She had to endure the dizziness and pain she felt all throughout the remaining class, still keeping up with her act of gracefulness.

And that one time while it was raining, na stuck yung sapatos nya sa may water drainage sa side gate ng school. Buti nalang uwian na yun at dahil medyo malakas ang ulan, nagmamadali halos lahat ng estudyanteng walang payong na makauwi kaya naman di sya masyadong napansin ng maglakad ito na wala ng isang sapatos.

Her, being clumsy and unladylike, was a secret she tried so hard not to show in front of anyone. Anyone, except Keith Jacobs.

In front of all the screaming fan girls, Keith has always kept his cool. Hila dito, hila doon, a smile is still plastered on his pretty face. Then as soon as he reaches the male’s washroom, he fills the empty room with curses and cusses.

Every day he had to endure those sleepless nights of studying just to always be one step ahead of everyone in his class. Kinailangan nyang tiisin na hindi sumama sa kanyang mga barkada during the weekends to attend his piano and taekwondo lessons. And the only time he gets to release his stress is when he’s with Sophie. Let’s just say na ginagawa nyang human punching bag ito, not physically but verbally. Nasasabi nya lahat, nakakapagmura sya kung gusto nya at nalalabas nito ang init ng ulo at mga frustrations nya sa kanyang pretend-girlfriend na si Sophie.

Second week of Couple-Pretending…

Sophie plays the role of a caring girlfriend by preparing a home cooked packed-lunch for Keith. Everyone was watching them from a far.

F*ck. It tastes awful., isip ni Keith as he took a bite of Sophie’s cooking.

“What the hell is this supposed to be?” Keith tried to lower his voice than usual, with that fake smile pasted on his face.

“Huh? It’s Carbonara. You said you wanted Carbonara, right?” inosenteng sagot ni Sophie

“Para ka’ng nagluto ng dried noodles soaked in mushroom soup.” Gigil na sabi ni Keith while maintaining that fake smile.

Gusto man magalit ni Sophie, pero naalala nyang maraming nakatingin at nanonood sa kanila.

“Ikaw ang namilit sa akin na pagluto kita, diba? Ang cute cute mo talaga!” ganti ni Sophie habang gigil nitong pinisil ang pisngi ni Keith.

“If you’re gonna do it, you should have done better. There’s a certain limit to eating something bad while pretending that it actually tastes good.” Keith grabbed Sophie’s hand away from his cheeks and squeezed it hard. Sophie made a funny face trying her best to giggle when in fact her hand was hurting.

You arrogant jerk! You’re the one who forced me to do it! You might as well be thankful I even did it!, Sophie screamed inside her head. She was the only girl among all her other siblings. Having three older brother, she never did anything as much as lift a finger inside their house. She truly was treated as a princess. Maybe, that is one of the reasons why she has this boyish side of hers.

“You can’t even cook properly..” Keith murmured together with a sigh, not being able to hide anymore the look of being pissed.

The cool and gentleman Prince everyone thought he was, was actually the King of arrogance and selfishness. –Sophie thought. And for the past week that he got to know the real him, her limit has already been extended to its breaking point.

“Aarghh! I can’t take it anymore!” napatayo na si Sophie sa sobrang inis. “Let’s just break up! I don’t even want to pe-en-u-bi-oy-end-wi-om-us-ay-ak-yu!” her last words were barely comprehendible dahil mabilis na tinakpan ni Keith ang bibig nito.

Keith dragged Sophie from somewhere secluded. And when he’s sure na wala ng ibang tao sa paligid, he released Sophie.

“Listen.” His tone was serious. “I don’t want to break up.”

“H-huh?” for a second there, Sophie thought that they were not pretending. Para ba’ng totoo ang eksenang ito, na nakikipagbreak sya at ayaw naman ng boyfriend nya.

“Masisira ang image ko if we suddenly break up. It hasn’t been that long since the school knew that we were dating. So even if it’s your fault, I will still not agree in breaking up.” Pagpapatuloy nito. “I can bear being with a clumsy and violent girl like you if that is the only way to prevent the destruction of my image.”

*Waackk!!!

Sophie face-palmed Keith with her own hand sa sobrang pikon. There was this dark aura surrounding her as she left in anger her pretend-boyfriend sitted on the ground.

This romance is built only in appearance and pride. -Sophie told herself. It was a lie she has to live with for some time. Only until she finds another way out of this sinkhole she’s trapped in.