The following day, another totally shocking event happened. I was with Alicia and Madie for our short recess when out of nowhere Benjamin suddenly sat beside me as he placed his tray of food on the table. His friend, Dave, rudely sat between Alicia and Madie and gave both girls a smirk. I was even more dumbfounded when Benjamin said "hi!" with a gorgeous smile and one by one removed the contents of his tray and placed it in front of me.
I looked at the food in front of me then transferred my gaze at him. "Ano 'to?"
"Pagkain," he answered. He gave me a smile again. Why was he always smiling now? He always scowls before when I first met him.
"Alam kong pagkain ito," I told him. "Ang gusto kong malaman ay kung bakit mo 'ko binilhan nito?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "It's my way of thanking you for the cupcake."
One cupcake. It was just one cupcake. And he gave me a sandwhich, a can of pineapple juice, two chocolate bars, a chocolate milkshake and my favorite potato chips. Was he really that desperate to win my affection? And did he have any idea what would happen to someone who drinks pineapple juice and chocolate milkshake at the same time? A stomach upset that would make someone end up having an appointment inside the CR! Really!
I shook my head. "Salamat na lang pero 'wag na. May nabili naman akong--" I was not able to finish my sentence since Madie, who was sitting right across from me, kicked my knee and gave me a knowing look. Right. The plan. And so I pretended to be someone else by acting cute and nice, which was quite difficult since I wasn't cute and nice at all.
I batted my lashes at him. "Uhm... Salamat." Then I gave him a flirty smile. This was so not me. I wanted to throw up. I opened the potato chips pack and offered him some. "Kain tayo."
He took one from the foil pack and popped it in his mouth, his eyes never leaving mine. Okay, when he really wanted to court a girl, he was doing it all right. I mean, even though I was sitting down, I could still feel my knees buckling.
I heard Dave chuckling. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Madie shaking her head as if telling me to snap out of it and focus --focus on the plan. I broke our gaze and cleared my throat. "Baka magalit ang kapatid mo if nakita ka niyang nakaupo rito." Not that I cared that Bianca would go ballistic.
"Don't mind her," he reassured. "Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit parating inaaway ang grupo niyo. Tell you what, I'll talk to her and tell her to leave you girls alone."
A temporary immunity against the Pink Devils? I liked the sound of that. "Talaga, gagawin mo 'yun? Pero nakakahiya naman sa 'yo..."
He gave another toothy grin. "No, it's okay. I'll gladly do it for you."
He was starting his move as my knight in shinning armor. If he wasn't the bad guy pretending to be the good guy in my life right now, I would have admit it to myself that what he had just said sent a rush of electricity in my veins. In short he made me kilig.
And a smile spread across my face unknowingly as a blush gave color to my pale cheeks. And I did what I would never do in my entire life: I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, bit my lip and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. It was a pa-cute move I saw on TV, and the worst part was I wasn't even aware I was doing it until I saw Alicia giggling! I hastily dropped my hand. "Thank you."
The bell rang indicating recess was over. We all stood and the two guys accompanied me and Alicia to our class room. And while we were walking, I noticed the Pinksters throwing murderous glances at us. I couldn't help it but lift my chin and walked proudly. It took every ounce of my remaining effort not to look at their way and say "ang cute ng kasama ko noh? Mamatay kayo sa inggit". But I wasn't that rude yet. Well, you would be proud, too, if one of the hottest guys on campus walked beside you, if you know what I mean.
When we reached our room, I was about to go inside when Benjamin called my name. "See you later after class?"
Did I hear that right? And by the shocked look on my classmates' faces, they heard it too. "Sige, later." He gave me another smile before he left with Dave. I saw Dave patting Benjamin's back. He was probably congratulating his friend for his best actor performance. Those two jerks...
Benjamin, who loved to scowl, just smiled at me ten times all through out recess. Yes, I counted. Ten smiles. He was that desperate to win.
"End of the world na ba? Kasi parang naghahalucinate na si Benjamin. Ang pangit napagkakamalan niyang maganda," I heard a girl said followed by several snickers. I turned to the direction of the giggles and gave them a smile. Yes, let it be known that the guy you were crushing on is courting me -even though the truth was he is doing it for a bet. But they didn't need to know that. Their jealous faces were reward enough for the bullying they always did to me and to my friends.
***
We were seated on our usual spot for lunch in the cafeteria. Madie, Robyn and Joey were giving me the look, while Alicia was unaware of everything as she sank her teeth on her glazed doughnut.
I stared back at the three. "Ano?"
Robyn narrowed her gaze. "May narinig kaming balita na may isang babaeng kinilig kanina habang niregaluhan ng pagkain ng isang Benjamin Lucero."
I gave Madie a glare. She shrugged. "Hindi ako kinilig," I answered. "Hindi lang kasi ako sanay na may nanliligaw sa akin. Kahit sino na man siguro kikiligin kung ganoon ka-cute yung gustong manilgaw sa kanya."
Joey sighed. "Alex, hindi siya totoong nanliligaw sa 'yo. Nakalimutan mo na ba ang bet nila?"
I shook my head. Of course I haven't forgotten about that. It was already painfully carved in my heart.
"Kaya 'wag kang mahuhulog sa patibong niya. Siya dapat ang mahulog sa 'yo," Robyn reminded me.
"Alam ko na!" Madie exclaimed. "Puntahan natin sila. Alam kong nasa school paper office sila ngayon. Mag-spy tayo."
Robyn and Joey were thrilled. Alicia was still eating another doughnut. I looked helpless. And so they dragged me and Alicia with them.
"Hindi pa ako tapos sa doughnut ko!" Alicia protested.
We arrived outside the building where the office was located. Only this time, we crouched down below the open window, hidden behind a large bush of santan. The voices of Benjamin, Dave and Marco with the new addition of Nathan could be heard from the inside.
"Grabe 'tol, kung nakita niyo yung mukha ni Benj, grabe, matatawa kayo!" Dave said while laughing his heart out.
"Bakit, ano ba ginawa niya?" Marco asked.
"Panay pa-cute. Kakasuka nga, eh!" Dave answered.
I heard Benjamin grumbled. "Shut up, Dave."
"Type mo na ata si nerd, eh," Dave teased.
I waited for his answer. I was crushed. "No way!" Benjamin answered. "Hindi ganoon mga type ko."
The other guys kept on laughing to something Marco said that I couldn't understand. Then I heard Dave said, "Pero 'di nga Benj, galing mo pala mag-pacute sa mga babae. Pati ako nagiging bading na sa charms mo!" Another round of laughter passed. Really, I could not understand jokes made by boys.
"Papatunayan ko sa 'yo Dave. Mananalo ako sa bet na 'to," Benjamin declared. "Kaya Nate, kelangan ko tulong mo."
"'Tol, labas ako diyan... Kaibigan 'yun ng best friend ko..." Nathan answered. I saw Joey smiling proudly.
"Sa 'yo na ang air Jordan retro 6 ko. Bagong dating, never been used," Benjamin said.
"Hindi ko gaanong gusto ang disenyo nun pero since mapilit ka talaga, game!" Nathan, the traitor, answered. Joey frowned, looking very disapointed with her best friend. "Ano bang tulong kelangan mo?"
"I want to know the things that she likes. Things that can help me win her."
Win her? So I was now a game to him? I gave the girls the signal for us to leave. Still crouched low, we took tiny steps silently as possible until we left the area. When we were far from the building, I said, "Okay. Effective na ang reality check niyo para sa akin. Hindi na ako magpapa-apekto sa pagpapa-cute niya sa akin.
Robyn gave me a sad smile. "Masaklap man ang katotohanan, pero ang mga tulad ni Benjamin Lucero ay hindi bagay sa mga kagaya natin."
I looked down on the dirt, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes. "Ano na gagawin natin?"
Madie gave us all a weird grin. "Operation Extreme Make-Over! At papatulong tayo sa ate ko. Ano, game na?"
#TheNerdClubAlexis
#AlexisAndTheBet