"Aish! Ricci naman eh. May binabasa ako." Reklamo ko kay Ricci nang bigla niyang takpan ang mga mata ko mula sa likuran ko. Niyaya niya kasi akong lumabas dahil matagal na daw niyang hindi ako nakakasama.

Tama kayo, okay na kami. We're friends pa din. Hindi naman na mawawala yun. Pero if you are wondering how this happened, simple lang, sabi ko sa kanya wait for me. Wait for me when I'm ready to go in a kind of relationship that he wanted.

(Flashback)

"I don't want to lose again. I don't want to lose you. I like you... and I am.., starting to love you." Ricci confessed that makes me leave out from his car.

Oo, lumabas ako ng sasakyan niya. Balak ko sana siyang takasan. Hindi ko talaga alam kung anong isasagot ko. I should be happy that he feels the same way like I do. But my mind is telling me not to accept it. 'Masasaktan ka lang', yan ang paulit-ulit na sinasabi ng isip ko.

Pero my heart shouting na, 'Bakit ka masasaktan kung mahal ka din naman niya'. Mababaliw na talaga ako. Ano bang gagawin ko? Paakyat na ako ng overpass pero nagdadalawang-isip ako. Hanggang ngayon naka-park pa din yung sasakyan ni Cci. Hindi pa siya umaalis. I pause for a while and take a breath.

Siguro nga hindi pa ako ready na pumasok sa isang relasyon. This is my first time. Oo may mga nag-try manligaw sa akin at nireject ko lahat yun. Pero hindi ko kayang gawin yun kay Ricci. He's my friend after all. Nandito na ako. Nandito na kami. Why not take the risk? He likes me too naman eh. Pero natatakot talaga ako. Hindi pa ako ready.

I look and walk back to his car. I knock on his window shield. He opens it quickly. And then I saw his face with a sad looks. Aish, I really hate to see him like that.

"Do you really... like m-me?" I ask while looking down.

He tried to open the door pero pinigilan ko siya.

"Just answer me." I finally look at him.

"Yes, I like you. I'm serious." He sincerely answered.

"Then, c-can you... ahmm, can you... w-wait for me?" Aish, bakit ako nauutal?

"What I m-mean is... I'm not yet ready for this. Ahmm,---"

"So you're not rejecting me?" He suddenly asks and tried to smile a bit.

"Yup!" Mabilis kong sagot. Aish, masyado din akong obvious eh. "Ano, ahmm... di pa ko ready. I n-need time. For now, please... wait for me, can y-you do that?"

Instead of answering me, he opened the door of his car. Hindi ko na siya napigilan. He stand in front of me and cupped my cheeks. He looks straight in my eyes and I am magnetize by his gaze. He's too close again. Nakakapanghina, napahawak tuloy ako sa hem ng shirt niya.

"Of course I can. I will wait for you. I'll stay by your side until you're ready." I froze when he hugs me. His hands are now on my back. Sa sobrang kaba ko, feeling ko first time lang itong nangyari na kayakap ko siya.

"Kahit ano gagawin ko, so please don't avoid me. Huwag mo ding gagawin yung ginawa mo kanina. Bigla ka na lang lumabas ng sasakyan." He's hugging me more tight. Sinisiksik niya yung mukha niya sa leeg ko. Halos nakatingkayad na nga ako eh, ang tangkad kasi niya.

"Alam mo bang natakot ako? Akala ko nireject mo na ako. Please, don't do that again. Promise me that you won't leave me." He sounds hurt. Ganito ba talaga ang epekto ko sa kanya? Seryoso nga talaga siya sa akin. As long as he will stay, I will as well. I love him. That's the best reason to stay.

"Hey Khaira, gising ka pa ba?"

Haha, loko talaga.

"Yeah. Oo na, I won't leave you again. Promise." And with that, I hug him back.

(End of Flashback)

"Ano ba yang binabasa mo? Wattpad story ba yan?" Tanong ni Cci. Nasa bookstore kasi kami ngayon.

"Hmm. Binabasa ko lang yung preview. Pinahahanap kasi ako ng ate ko na pwede niyang ipang-regalo sa friend niya. Bookworm daw kasi yun."

"So may napili ka na? Gutom na ko eh. And Mom texted me na sa bahay na daw tayo maglunch."

"Huh? Kasama ako?"

"Yeah, of course. She knew na kasama kita. Kaya nga inaya niyang maglunch tayo dun eh dahil sayo. Saka hinahanap ka din ni Riley sa akin."

Sh*t naman. Hindi pa ko ready. Oo nameet ko na sila Tita Abi, pero iba pa din yung feeling na makakapunta ako sa bahay nila. It's like meeting the family level.

"Hey, natulala ka na diyan. Ayaw mo bang maglunch sa bahay? I can cancel it."

"No, ahmm. It's okay." Sino bang may ayaw makatungtong sa Rivero Residence, parang wala naman. Sadyang kinakabahan lang ako. Maybe, this can be a start to know more about Ricci and his family.

That's my goal after all. Na makilala ko sila ng lubos. Oo mabait naman sila, given na yun. Pero iba pa din yung knowing them by process. I like Ricci a lot but I don't want to hurry. I'll enjoy muna sa friendship namin and just go with the flow.

"You're not looking alright. Tell me, what is it?" He holds my chin up. He looks straight in my eyes, seems like searching for an answer.

"Wala po lodi. Kinakabahan lang. Haha! I'm weird right?" I smiled and take away his hand that holds my chin. Nakakailang kasi.

"Yes you are. Bakit ka naman kakabahan? You've already meet them."

"Oo na. Hindi na. Basta huwag ka aalis sa tabi kapag nandoon na tayo ha? Sige na, hintayin mo ko sa labas, bayaran ko lang to." Patalikod na ako nang bigla niya akong pigilan. Hawak-hawak niya ang braso ko.

"Tama ba ang narinig ko? Huwag akong aalis sa tabi mo? Haha, nice! Possessive din pala ang future girlfriend ko. Gusto ko yan." He smirks and pinches me lightly on my cheeks.

"Possessive ka diyan! Hindi no! Baka maligaw ako dun syempre. Pss! Diyan ka na nga!" Then tuluyan na akong umalis. Sobrang pula ko na siguro. Did he say future girlfriend? Shocks kinikilig ako. Hay Ricci. Ano bang ginagawa mo sa akin?

"Don't worry, I will not let you go either." Pahabol niya pa.

He will not let me go daw. So who's the possessive one? Feeling ko tuloy ang ganda-ganda ko. Haha.

"Miss, three-hundred and fifty nine pesos." Sabi nung cashier crew.

"Here po." Inabot ko yung 500 peso bill na binigay ni ate.

"Ahmm, Miss can I ask a favor?" Tanong ng crew.

"Yes po?"

"Baka naman pwedeng magpapicture sa boyfriend mo. Okay lang ba?"

"Po? Sino? Wala ho akong bf. Haha!" Imbento to si ateng. Haha.

"So hindi kayo ni Ricci? Kasama mo siya di ba?" tanong ulit niya. Kaya pala ang weird niya makatingin kanina. Porket kasama lang, bf agad? Di ba pwedeng future bf muna? Charot! Haha!

"Friend ko lang po si Ricci ate." Aish, para matigil na to, I look and call Ricci. Lumapit naman siya agad with a what's happening look. Bigla namang nagsalita si ateng crew so di na ko nakieksena.

"Ayiee! Hello Ricci! Pwedeng magpapicture?" Habang sinasabi niya yun, lumabas siya sa counter at pumagitna sa amin ni Cci. Buti na lang wala pang pila.

"Hmm, sure po." Ricci smiles awkward.

"Yey, thanks. Ahmm, Miss pwede?" Bumaling si ate crew sa akin habang binibigay yung phone niya. So syempre kinuha ko yun then took a photo of them together.

Si Ricci, poker face. Bakit kaya laging ganito to? Ayaw ngumiti. Yan yung lagi kong napapansin sa mga pictures ng fans with him. Bihira lang yung nakangiti siya.

After that picture taking, we decided to go to his house na. Gutom na daw talaga siya. Haha, ang cute niya pag gutom. Nagpa-pout.

"Can I ask something?"

"What is it?" He glance at me then his eyes go went back in front. He's driving kasi.

"I'm just curious. Ahmm..., about how you make face in front of camera when a fan asks to take a photo with you. I mean, kadalasan kasi napapansin ko dun sa mga photos, hindi ka ngumingiti, why?" I stare at him. I can't read what he was thinking. Did I say something wrong?

Suddenly, he breaks and stops the car. Naabutan kami ng stoplight.

Now he's smiling awkwardly. Problema niya?

"Huy, you okay?" I ask him.

"Huh? Haha, yeah yeah I am." He paused for a while then looks at me. "Ahmm, ano kasi eh. Pano ba to. I just, ahmm.." he scrunched his nose. "I'm feeling shy. Well, I'm still not used to it. Haha. Medyo lang naman."

"Haha! Talaga lang ah? Hindi nga? Dapat nga kami pa yung mahiya sayo eh. Syempre ikaw si Ricci Rivero. Famous ka eh. Then we should be the one to feel shame."

"So hanggang ngayon, nahihiya ka pa sa akin? Di halata. Haha!" He laughs and starts to drive again.

Loko to ah, I punch his shoulder out of no where. Tinawanan lang ako ng loko.

"Kainis ka! Kasi nga famous ka. I'm still trying not to feel awkward when I'm with you. I'm trying."

"So nahihiya ka pa nga sa akin?"

"A bit." I tried to calm myself. I'm feeling nervous. Bakit ko ba kasi sinabing nahihiya ako eh. Aish!

"Just a bit? Wew? Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not!" I covered my face with my hands.

"Yes you are. Haha!"

"Shut up! Just focus on driving." I make a poker face then pouts.

He stopped the car in front of an elegant house. Nagulat ako ng humarap siya sa akin. He moves closer and even more closer to me. My heart beats fast. I can't move. I can feel that I am turning red again. He's so close to me and he is smirking right now.

What the fudge? Is he making fun of me? I look down at my lap when I can't stand his stares. Nagulat ako nang mas lumapit pa siya. Alam ko na yung gagawin niya, yung seatbelt ang target niya. Aish, nakakainis siya. My head touches his chest. Nang matapos niyang tanggalin ang seatbelt na suot ko, he moves back a little. He held my chin up and gave me teasing smile.

"You're blushing again. Haha, you're so cute." He pinched my cheeks. And I don't know how to react.

"Stop blushing my cherry, let's go." Ginulo niya yung buhok ko then stepped out of the car and left me dumbfounded.

Cherry?