CHAPTER 2
1109 Words
Chapter Two
071625
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“Picture frame?” he said, shaking it. That’s his weird habit—even when he already knows it’s a picture frame, he still shakes it.
I just grabbed it from him and pulled it completely out of his hands.
What we saw was a colored pencil portrait of my cousin, with the words I Love You D! written on it. There were even little Doraemon drawings with tiny hearts at the ends.
You probably didn’t know this, but ever since we were kids, my cousin has been a huge Doraemon fan. In fact, his room is filled with stuffed toys.
“Wow, it’s beautiful. I’ll take it,” he said, grabbing the frame. We fought over it—and then it broke.
“Argggggh!!! What the hell! Someone’s sleeping here!!” my cousin said angrily.
“It’s your fault!” Deo said.
“It’s your fault!” I shot back.
“Rance, what is that?!?! Are you playing with my figurines again?!”
“Ma, no!!! hmmgshaj—” I froze when someone suddenly shoved a pair of briefs into my mouth.
“I said don’t be noisy!!!”
Meanwhile, Deo was laughing like he was about to die.
So I threw the briefs straight at his face.
“That stinks!!!” he complained.
“i***t! That’s yours!!!”
“Oh, mine? Heh… smells good then.”
“By the way, is it true you gave Kuya Lucas your spot on the soccer team?” he asked.
I looked at him and nodded slightly. Lucas is a few years older than us—actually, he’s in Trina’s batch. He’s had it out for me for a long time. It only got worse when I qualified for the national soccer team while he’d been trying for years.
“Yeah. He needs it more,” I said.
“But he’s always been picking on you. You even almost ended up critical in the hospital when he beat you up—and you just gave away the spot you worked so hard for?”
“I have my reasons,” I said, lying down on the tiles. My eyes drifted to the huge poster of Trina on the wall. Yes, I had it made. That’s how crazy I am about her.
“Tsk. So you could join Trina’s club?”
“Damn it! You traded your chance to study in international schools for that minor club?!?!?!”
“Ow?!?!”
Dilan threw a pillow at him.
“Shut up! Let me sleep!!”
“Rance, don’t you have coffee? Splash him with something so he’ll stop sleeping.”
“Let him be. He didn’t sleep earlier because Tito came home last night,” I said, leaning against the wall.
Their house was noisy at dawn, so for sure Tito and Tita had World War Three again.
It’s almost always like that when Tito comes home—that’s why my cousin practically lives here.
I was in that position when my phone beeped—a sign that I received a text.
From: Unknown Number
Hey, it’s me, Trina. I just want to ask if you’re available tomorrow? We have a play tomorrow and one of the actors had an emergency. Since you’re an understudy, maybe you could fill in for him. Please!!
I don’t know why I suddenly smiled. Damn—I’m giddy! Imagine that… my crush texted me!!
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THE NEXT DAY
…
I took a deep breath before slowly opening the auditorium door.
As soon as I stepped inside, the first thing I heard was a mix of noises—hammering, laughter, someone shouting, “Props, where are the props?!” and all kinds of chaos. Typical prep day for a school play.
I walked along the side quietly. Carefully. Trying not to get noticed if possible. Some people were setting up decorations on stage, others were practicing in the corner, and a few looked completely lost in thought while holding their scripts, pacing back and forth as they memorized their lines.
But they weren’t who my eyes were looking for.
Until I glanced toward the dressing room.
There she was.
Trina.
Holding a clipboard, seriously talking to someone—already looking like a professional. Meanwhile, I wasn’t even sure if I made the right decision coming here. If I guessed right, she was talking to Sir Felipe, the external theatre practitioner.
She noticed me. Our eyes met for a moment. Then she gestured toward me with her chin.
Boom. Even the person she was talking to turned around.
I wanted to look away, but it was too late. She was already walking toward me.
Trina smiled and waved casually. Me? I didn’t know where to look. I felt ridiculous.
“You must be Rance, right?”
I just nodded. Quickly. Trying to look cool. But inside? Damn, she knows my name?!
I bit my lower lip—not to be cute. It’s just a habit when I’m nervous… or flustered… or something.
I smiled back at her, just a little. Enough to not make it obvious.
“You must be Rance, right?”
I nodded again. Quick. Pretending to be calm. But inside, my heart was pounding like it wanted to choke me. Holy s**t, she really knows my name.
I smiled back slightly—just enough to hide how my knees were shaking.
“I’m Trina. I’m the assistant director of the play,” she said, extending her hand. Damn, her hand is so soft.
I glanced at her hand before taking it. The handshake was short, but it felt like the world stopped for two seconds.
“Nice to meet you,” I replied. “Uh… so… where should I go?”
Before she could answer, Miggy suddenly appeared—the noisy classmate who always carries a speaker and makes his own sound effects even when no one asks.
“Yo, Aladdin!” he shouted, patting my shoulder. “Good thing you’re here, bro. You’re the lead later during blocking!”
I scratched the back of my head. “Uh, yeah… that’s me. Aladdin,” I said with an awkward laugh.
“In Florante at Laura, okay?” Trina added, laughing too. “Don’t mix it up with genie Aladdin, please. I’m not ready for a flying carpet.”
I nodded and smiled. “Noted. No magic lamp, promise.”
“Good. Follow me, I’ll introduce you to the others,” Trina said.
I followed her, trying my best to calm myself down.
When we reached the center of the auditorium, the rest of the cast was already there. Kuya Jules was there…
- Writer
