When We First Met

Have you ever wondered why so many things come in pairs? Friends, lovers, even shoes. Especially when you find the right one to pair with, you will do whatever it takes to be with that person. Throughout my Miss Chic life, I've paired up with many guys. None of them were the right one for me, so I came to university hoping to find him. Little did I know, this time, I might actually meet the right one." In the cheerleading club, Clementine and the other cheerleaders were fitting costumes. The club was preparing for the enlistment of new members. "Let me see... It looks good on you, Tine. Not too tight?" asked Fio, inspecting the outfit closely. "Nope, just right," Tine replied, feeling the fit of the costume. "Tine, why do you want to be a cheerleader?" Fio asked, curious. "Well, I wanted a new experience. Being a cheerleader seems cool. Like 'Hey! Hey! Hey! GO TEAM!' And also to make new friends," Tine said, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Fio chuckled. "Oh, wait," she handed Tine an envelope, "someone gave me this for you this morning." "Who?" Tine asked, intrigued. "No idea. They didn't say. Just told me to give it to you." "Tine, we haven't even performed yet, but you already have an admirer?" teased the other cheerleaders, giggling. ”I have no time for such things. I’m focused on studying and university activities," Tine said, shaking her head dismissively. "That's perfect. Study hard," Fio replied with a thumbs-up. "Oh, by the way, we're having a meal with other students next week. Come, okay?" Tine nodded. Later, she opened the letter, which said, "Tine, I've been watching you since Freshman Orientation. I have something to tell you. Meet me at the football field after the class." Upon reading the letter, Tine went to the football field after the class, where a good-looking guy was standing. She approached him, her heart pounding. "Tell me what you want to say. I don't have much time," Tine said. The guy looked puzzled. "Are you talking to me?" "Of course. You wrote this letter, didn't you?" Tine demanded. "Miss, are you okay? I didn't write that. Assuming much?" He walked away, leaving Tine even more confused. "I wrote that," said a voice from behind. Tine turned to see another guy approaching. "My name is Gavin. I'm a freshman in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences," he said, handing her chocolates. "For me?" Tine asked, taken aback. Gavin nodded. "Thanks..." "Clementine Buenaventura, a freshman in the Faculty of Law, I LIKE YOU!" Gavin declared, his voice filled with emotion. "WHAT?!" Tine was stunned by the sudden confession. It was so unexpected, she didn't know how to react. Later, at a table in front of the university, "Oh, that's The One you've been looking for, Tine," teased Fleur, one of Tine's friends. "Do you have a death wish, Fleur?" Tine snapped, glaring at her friend. "So, you don't like him because he's not that handsome?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not that. He's just too straightforward. We just met and we've just started school—not even a semester! I can't start dating already. And... I don't really like him," Tine admitted, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Then tell him," Olivia said simply. "I already did. But he said he'd change my mind eventually," Tine said, frustrated. "Oh? He's serious," Phil teased. "Who's with me on Team Gavin?" "Me," Fleur and Olivia said in unison, raising their hands enthusiastically. "Are you really my friends? I'm worried, and you're joking around," Tine pouted, feeling exasperated. Phil chuckled. "You know, just ignore him, and he'll back off someday. Trust me," Fleur advised, and Tine nodded, hoping her friend was right. The next day, as Tine was heading to the university, Gavin rode by on his motorbike. "Tineeeeeeee!!! I came to pick you up~ let's go?" Gavin shouted, waving energetically. Tine took a deep breath, trying to keep her cool. "Come on... Hurry up," Gavin urged, looking at her expectantly. Tine didn't get on the bike. "Wait... What was that?" she pointed to something in the distance. Gavin looked, and Tine took the opportunity to run away. At the university, "Guess who I just met this morning?" Tine announced to her friends. "Who?" "Is it Gavin?" "Exactly! He came to my dorm to pick me up. Luckily, I escaped—wait... How did you know?" Tine asked, confused. "Well, there's a guy walking towards us," Phil pointed to Gavin approaching. "Tine!" Gavin handed her a strawberry milk. "Your favorite, right? Take it." Tine accepted it reluctantly. "Thanks..." Days passed, and Gavin kept following Tine around, acting like she was the only girl in the world. Tine was increasingly annoyed by Gavin's gestures. She had already told him she didn't like him, but Gavin always said, "I'll change your mind." In the cafeteria near the university, "I GUESS HE'D EAT POOP FOR ME IF HE COULD. OMG!" Tine complained, her frustration evident. "I told you he's serious," Phil said, shaking his head. "You said he'd give up if I ignored him, BUT LOOK!" Tine groaned. "I need your help, please..." Tine almost begged her friends. "Okay, okay. That guy is really persistent," Olivia smiled mischievously. "I think I have a good plan." In the afternoon, in a dark and narrow place at the university, Tine and Gavin were waiting while Phil, Fleur, and Olivia watched from a distance. "Tine, I'm happy you took me for a walk... But here?" Gavin asked, puzzled. "Why not? It's a nice place. Perfect scenery," Tine said, looking around. "What's nice about it? It's so dark... Let's go somewhere else, my treat." "Wait!" Tine stopped him, pretending to wait for something. "Look over there," Tine pointed to nowhere. Gavin was confused. Suddenly, men dressed in black, wearing shades and bonnets, appeared. "Do you hear something, guys?" One of them said, while another slammed something on the wall. "Hey! You're annoying!" one of them shouted. “What are you doing in my territory? I hate it when people are in love," one of them laughed. "If you don't want to end up in the hospital, break up and never get back together!" one of them threatened. "Gavin, let's just do what they say to avoid getting hurt," Tine urged, her voice trembling. "Just break up." "Hurry up! I can't stand you two!" Gavin took a deep breath and moved Tine back a little. "Tine, stay here. I'll handle this." "He thinks he can take us on," the men laughed, but Gavin began to fight them off. He beat them up, leaving them no choice but to flee. Tine was shocked by Gavin's strength. Meanwhile, Tine noticed her friends were gone. Disappointed, she muttered, "Oh my gosh, Olivia, your plan failed." She was surprised by Gavin's strength and frustrated that the plan didn't work. "Are you Gavin or The Rock?!" "Well, I've taken some boxing classes," Gavin admitted. "Not just a few," Tine said, still shocked. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Gavin asked, checking on Tine. "Those mosquitoes... I'll walk you back to your dorm. It's dangerous. I'll protect you," Gavin insisted, his voice firm. "Are you sure you'll be okay without me?" "Yes, just go. Please go," Tine said, almost shooing him away. "Okay. But call me if you need anything. I'll check into a hotel nearby, just in case," Gavin said, leaving Tine feeling a mix of relief and annoyance. After he left, Tine's friends approached her. "How are you, Tine, my beloved bff?" Tine sighed. "Not good. Phil, you left me there!" Tine snapped. "Of course, we were scared. We didn't know your guy was Bruce Lee's nephew" Olivia said. "I think we're screwed. We need help," Fleur said, shaking her head. "Help? Do we need a bodybuilder or a Mixed Martial Artist?" Tine asked, feeling desperate. "No, we need someone to pretend to be your fake boyfriend," Fleur said. "A boyfriend?!" "Yes. Gavin follows you because you're still single. Find someone to be your fake date, and he'll back off," Fleur explained. "You have a point," Tine said, considering the idea. "But who? The cute guys from our faculty are unavailable." "We'll find someone for you," Olivia assured her. The girls found a guy who could pass as Tine's fake boyfriend. According to the plan, Tine and Gavin would go to the university festival, where Tine would introduce her fake boyfriend. The plan initially worked, but little did they know, the guy they chose was Gavin's sister's boyfriend. Instead of being annoyed, Gavin was encouraged, thinking Tine was testing him. Desperate, Tine and her friends came up with a Plan B. "Gavin, are you thirsty?" Tine asked. "I'll get some drinks." Tine spiked one of the drinks, but accidentally gave it to herself. She started to feel dizzy. Meanwhile, a band announced. "Hi guys, we're SSS," the lead guitarist introduced, and the students cheered. The guitarist was handsome, tall, with big eyes and good body proportions. The band started to play. Although Tine was half-awake, she realize that the band is playing her favorite song. She should've enjoyed it, but the sedative took over and she passed out. The next morning, Tine woke up with a pounding headache from the spiked drink. "We rescued you last night," Phil said, concerned. "If Gavin hadn't been distracted by the band, you'd probably be waking up in his room now," Fleur added. Tine sighed in frustration, "A fake boyfriend didn’t work. He wasn’t even affected. He said he’d change my mind." She was at a loss on how to get Gavin to back off. "Maybe we have to level up," suggested Olivia.