Her 18th birthday is coming...
4 days to go and she will be 18...legal age...
Nasa coffee shop lang siya para e finalize ang article niya ng biglang pumasok si daniel.
"Hey...how are you..still working on your article?"
"No...just finalizing it and ready to be submitted"
"Great...good to hear"
"You have plans today"
"Not much...but you wanna grab some food sa mall"
"Sure..wait, you really don't know how to speak tagalog?"
"Konti lang..but i can understand..."
"You can understand, your so cruel...pinahirapan mo ako mag english palagi"
"Well..its sexy...if your speaking english"
"Thank you...ahm daniel...may debut is coming..would you like to be my escort?"
"Wow...that's a priveledge..sure..why would i say no to a beautiful girl like you"
"thank you"
"Your welcome...your beautiful and i like you a lot..even the age gap we have...i really like you and im hoping that i can kiss you"
"Then why don't you do it?"
"Can i?"
Tinitigan niya lang sa mata si daniel...and slowly their lips is together...and its romantic and she like's it..but still the kiss of james is the special kiss that she experience. Ayaw niyang sabihin agad kay daniel nararamdaman niya, hanggat hindi pa siya sigurado...ayaw na na niyang masaktan o makasakit ng puso ng taong nagpapahalaga sa kanya.
"Wow..that's a great kiss"
"Yes it is"
They kiss again..but this time its longer and there is movement. Butterflies in her belly...
Daniel is a great guy and maybe she can learn to like him the way he likes her that much. If ever james can't figure it out what he really feels about her.
After that conversation..they went to the mall and buy some food and decided to eat it sa malapit sa bay area...its a romantic setting dahil...maluwag ang space...wala masyadong tao. She is been taken care by this wonderful guy that really cares and like her that much. And she is enjoying it.
"Thank you daniel..that you came into my life"
"im more thankful that you came"
1day before her debu..nasa mall sila magkakaibigan para mamili susuutin sa gabing yun...she is the only one will wear the gown made the the famous francis libiran..wala siyang cotillion...she just have an escort which is daniel.
Habang namimili sila ng mga damit. Biglang nagtanong si carol sa kanya.
"May escort kana ba?"
"Yeah..si daniel"
"Wow ha...mukhang seryoso na yan ah" sabi ni mark
"I don't know guys...naguguluhan parin ako sa feelings ko...daniel is a great guy..kahit sa age gap namin...hindi ko naramdaman na bata ako...he makes me feel like im a grown up lady..everytime im with him..and he said he likes me and we shared a kiss"
"Wow! Kiss ha" sabi ni tony
"Karen...do you like him..." tanong ni derrick habang pinipilian siya ni mark ng suit.
"Yeah...do you like him"? dagdag na tanong ni mark
"I don't know...i think so..but im not sure..james is there..we kiss but he's not sure about what he feels for me...sabi pa nga niya na tigilan ko na daw ang pakikipagkita kay daniel"
"Wow...another complicated thing for you karen....kailangan mong e figure out kung anu talaga gusto mo..maybe you need another sign...just what you ask when..jerdie came" sabi ni rica
"Wow...grabe ka talaga karen..lahat ng kumplikadong sitwasyon pinapasok mo...ganda mo noh?" sabat ni nathan
"Well bebe girl...kung anu man ang naramdama mo jan sa puso mo...sundin mo ok..andito lang kami"
"Thank you guys...thank you sa lahat ng payo niyo...i love you all...basta pag na heartbroken ako..love niyo parin ako ha"
"Ofcourse we love you..."sabi ni mark.
Nasa bench nakaupo si karen..malapit sa gymnasium...gusto niya abangan si james para kausapin ito. Dahil hindi ito nagpaparamdam.
Hindi niya alam kung anu ang tunay na feelings nito sa kanya
Ilang minuto pa..lumabas na yung mga kasama nito sa team..huling lumabas si james..kinawayan niya ito..pero parang hindi siya nakita nito.
Nilapitan nalang ito para kausapin.
"James..can we talk?"
"There's nothing to talk about karen...you should go..its your birthday right?...enjoy your day.."
"Your coming right?"
"I can't karen...i have to go"
"Why?"
"Thier is no reason"
"We kiss...and its very special..but the kiss we shared..nothing can compare"
"Just be happy karen..."
Hindi niya alam kung paano niya tatanggapin ang sakit na sinabi ni james...wala namang masama sa sinabi nito..gusto lang nito na maging masaya siya...pero tinatanong niya ang sarili kung bakit siya nasasaktan.
Halos nahirapan siyang makahinga sa pag iyak..buti nalang andun si nathan at nakita siya.
"Hey..anung nangyari sa sayo..?"
"I don't know nate" hirap na pagsabi kay nathan
"Sssshhh...stop crying...dapat maging masaya ka dahil birthday mo ngayon...mabuti pa...pumunta na tayo sa bahay niyo..dun na natin kitain yung iba..para makapaghanda kana ok"
Sumunod nalang siya sa sinabi ni nathan...umuwi sila sa bahay nila. Pagdating niya dun..nakita niya ang venue..its very beautiful.
Medyo nabawasan na ang pag damdam niya..at nakahinga na siya ng maluwag.
Andun na ang buong grupo..mga kaibigan niya na anjan palagi..kahit anu mang mangyari.
Tinawag ni nathan si cheryl sa room kung saan nagbibihis ang mga babae..
"Che...look after her...nakita ko siya kanina...nahihirapan huminga dahil sa pag uusap nila ni james...make her happy hanggang sa makalabas siya ok"
"Sure...salamat sa pag inform"
Bumalik na si cheryl sa kwarto ni karen..nakita niya na inaayusan na ito para sa celebration ng birthday nito.
"Beb..karen..smile..picture tayong lahat"sabi ni rica
"kaya nga...wag kana malungkot...its your 18th birthday.."dagdag ni carol
"relax and breath ok...your going to be beautiful" sabi ni cheryl
"Thank you guys"
Medyo nakatawa na siya dahil sa mga friends niya...nakita niya ang sarili sa malaking salamin..wearing pink gown..and she appreciate herself how beautiful she is..and her friend telling her the same way...lumabas na yung mga kaibigan niya para kitain ang mga partner nito. She's still making the last retouch.
Lumabas na siya ng kwarto..kabado siya...pero hindi niya alam kung bakit..naglalakad siya papunta sa hagdanan..nakita niya ang mga kaibigan niya..mga bisita niya...parents at kapatid niya. Unti-unti siyang humahakbang sa hagdanan..alam niyang si daniel ang makikita niya sa dulo nito...
Halos nakita na niya lahat ng tao...and one last step at makikita na niya..she wants to take chances with daniel..since parang tinaboy na siya ni james...
But everything changes on her last step..hindi niya alam kung nanaginip lang lang ba siya o totoo ang nakikita niya...gusto niyang umiiyak pero ayaw niya sirain ang make-up niya.
Its james..waiting for her .
Wearing a tuxedo that makes him more attractive. Dapat dahan dahan siyang maglakad..pero dahil sa excitement niya..nagmadali siya para yakapin si james.
"Its you...?"
"Well yes...ako nga..would you like me to be your escort?"
"yes..ofcourse..but where is daniel?"
Tinuro ni james kung saan ito..nakita niya ito at naka smile lang sa kanya.
"Wait..bakit?"
"No more questions in your special day...ill answer that..he makes me realize...so im here.."
"Salamat at naintindihan muna...hay naku paano...ang sakit kaya ng sinabi mo kanina noh..akala ko..
"Wait..dahan dahan lang...i can't understand everything"
"Fine...i love you james"
"I love you karen"
After ng formal party ..kanya kanya na ang mga bisita na kumain..mag saya sa party..nag change naman siya ng outfit para hindi siya masyadong mahirapan.
Nilapitan niya si daniel..
"Can you dance with me?"
"Sure"
Nasa dancefloor na siya..isang slow music ang sounds.
"thank you..."
"Don't mention it..i just want you to be happy.."
"But...akala ko..gusto mo ako"
"Yes! I do like you...but the time i kiss you..i realize that your not the one for me...i feel that in your kiss"
"Paano ka na ngayon..?"
"Well im going to be great...my fiancee' email me 2 days ago..and she is sorry...and i realize that im still in love with her and ill be going back to australia...and we're going to get married"
"Really..im happy for you daniel..so happy for you"
"Im happy for you too"
Lumapit si james sa kanila....
"Bro..may i dance my lady?"
"She's all yours"
"Thank you daniel" sabi ni karen
At the end of the day..everything went well...nakita niya na masaya ang lahat...masaya siya..masaya ang mga kaibigan niya.And she is more than happy to have james in her life.