YOUR SILHOUETTE: A lot like you

Chapter II- How it started

If you were given a chance to choose your happiness over love life? What would it be?

For me, I'm going to choose happiness because that is what I want.

It’s 5am, I just wash my face and put my hair on a pony, put on lip balm and just wear my sweatpants and jacket. Our class begins at 10am, so we still have time to go to the supermarket.

“Where are you?” I chatted to him and he replied instantly.

“behind you”

He was riding a car, probably a BMW 2018 model ,I think saurrr.

“get in the car. I borrowed it from my lolo”(grandfather)

“nice car, is this BMW?”

“yeah, I think so. By the way, thanks for coming with me, wala kasi akong kakilala dito at ikaw palang, huwag kang magalala ililibre naman kita ng pagkain” ( I don't know someone that I can take with so I have you to come with me)

“sounds good”

Habang binabagtas namin ang daan, bigla siyang napatanong (while we are on our way, I am always wondering about his nationality)

“pure Filipino, right?"

“Yeah,but I was born in Korea, we lived there for 18 years and then moved back here to the Philippines three years ago.”

“Really?” he looked so shocked, like he didn’t expect that.

“So you speak Korean? “

“Yes you i***t. Of course, I have lived there for 18 years. Duh. HAHAHAHA”

After a 10 minute drive, we got here to the supermarket.

“ano pala ang gagawin natin dito? Shopping?”

“ kind of. But first, let's go for groceries. My grandpa is sick, so my grandma is taking care of him, so I am in charge of doing groceries. Here's the list. I am not familiar with this aisle, so please help me.”

“Yeah sure, just grab that cart”

“paminta here!” I threw it on the cart while checking the grocery list.

“Paminta?”

“paminta, pepper”

“Toyo?”

“soy sauce”

“suka? Is that something like? I heard it a while ago at the convenience store”Tumawa ako ng malakas dahil napakainosente niyang tao pagdating sa mga produkto ng pilipinas ( I laughed so hard that he is not even familiar in Philippines condiments and so innocent like he can't pronounce those things)

“no, i***t. It’s Vinegar. Stop asking and start reading. It is on the label duh?”

“Duh? You always say that, gonna call you that. Duh”

“Stop mocking me. Not so funny”

After they were done in the grocery area, he asked me if I was starving so that he could get me some food that I would eat.

"Just something spicy or fast food may do better if you don't mind"

after spending time talking with each other, ranting about how college life is, how hard it is, then he came up with this question

"Do....do you have a boyfriend by any chance?"

I just smiled and proudly responded "not a chance, I didn't have one, either a mutual or any other. "

" liar"

" what?? hello? I'm telling the truth, I am not that attractive, guys always find me cute but weird, they always say things like "cute but old-fashioned, cool but snobbery, not hot, not good" and those things are normal for me. I don't care and who cares? They don't even have a chance, if ever"

He shrugged and leaned on the table to examine my soul for a minute.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

" nothing, you know, yeah they are right, you maybe weird but not unattractive.... they just set the standards so low that they don't even think about what could you do to them is that you're true to yourself and just being yourself. Thats all matters"

At that moment, I realized that there is someone who truly values me, and respects me for who I am, and that's Esiah.

"You know, we can make a good team.... can we just be friends?"

"okay!"

After weeks of coming together at school, riding his car, I got a gossip around campus on a private group chat with our photo taken yesterday.

"gold digger"

"slut"

"foreign digger"

and I got mad because of it, because , why? am I not allowed to make new friends? male friend? That's odd.

I just keep it to myself because it's not a big deal after all.

Then after that, it's PE class and we have classmates from other programs , specifically in Enginnering department.

Esiah and I started doing our pairs exercise.

"Theyara, can you fill my spot? I'll just buy some drinks, want some?"

" hmm, sounds good, orange juice would be better"

after Esiah leave the gym to get us some drinks, My back hurts so bad when someone throw a baseball bat.

"what is your problemm?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and got on the floor

after that, they throw continously, eggs, water, ice, and even a tennis ball which make it more painful on my hands and back

I can't help but cry louder and beg for them to stop it

"hey! what do you think you're doing?! stop it!!!!!" until I heard a scream, is that Esiah?

until my eyes got blurry, and gradually lay down until I was unconscious at that time

I wake up at the sound of the alarm clock,I saw the school nurse in front of me until I slowly got up when suddenly I saw the face of an unknown man, wearing a varsity jacket

"are you okay?" he asked me

"whe-where's Esiah?"

"oh, youre friend? he left to buy some med for your wounds, the clinic has run out of its med sorry for the inconvenience"The nurse said while checking my back and hands

"thats brutal, what do they think they're doing? why are they bothering you?" he gently ask

"i dont know also, but can I ask your name?"

"oh, I'm Eugene Gomez at your service" he said while putting his hands on salute pose

"thank you---for you know"

"about that, I already reported the incident to the Deans office and the girls are in the interrogation area and I think they're parents are on their way to sort some things, but no worries, everything is under control"

"stop bothering her Eugene, just go get her some water"

"on my way Doc"

"hes clingy right? btw, he's the son of the President Florenz Marquez"

I was surprised by the nurse's words and wondered why Eugene didn't have Marquez as surname

"but, why is he a Gomez??"

" not in my position to answer that but for your information hes the legitimate son, you can as him for more if you are that curoius I'll just leave you two for that okay? "

" Theara! are you okay now?"

"Esiah!" I was happy when I saw his face, carrying the medicines and some clothes

"I'm so worried, I'm so sorry im not there to protect you from those bitches"

"its okay. I'm fine, Eugene help me thanks to him"

Euegene enters the clinic and saw Esiah

"oh, you're Esiah am I right?" he ask me out of the blue

"yes why?"

"You are the rason why Theara is here, the girls confessed and calling her slut because you are always with her sticking around" questioninh Esiah wihtout knowing anything

" what?I have no Idea, why? Theara--you know about this and you didn't tell me?"

i cant asnwer him because Its not my fault after all

"I think she doesnt want you to know and she just remain silent anyways thats all gone, you can have a reast here theara or I can bring you h-"

"no, I'll bring her home, thanks Eugun?"

"it's Euegene"

"whatever"