Back to school came that she hadn't seen Johnny yet. She does not know if he is already enrolled in the University next her School or in another University or worse he enroll in far-off college school.
She was losing hope of seeing him again when her eyes accidentally point at the faculty building. Someone comes out and it looks like Johnny. She looked at it closely first and it was really, Johnny!
Anabel was on the bench in front of her classroom and knew Johnny was about to leave. She didn't think twice and ran to close their distance. She just called out when he is at the gate.
"Johnny!! Johnny!! Hello!, stop!" She called out breathless.
Johnny stopped and faced her. She noticed that his body seemed to grow and expand. And sexy. And hot. Anabel gulp then bat her eyelashes to clear her dirty mind.
"When did you come back? I went to your house three times but you are not there.." That was true, Anabel visited twice since the first visit, trying her luck.
"Well, just yesterday. Right, Kuring said that a small, dark girl came to visit." he said with a small smile on his lips.
Anabel eyes widened, she couldn't believe that maid said that! "Excuse me! I'm small but cute and sexy. I am dark but my skin is smooth and soft. I'm dark, cute and sexy." Anabel can't let that maid ruining her image. And what she just declare was a true alone.
"I didn't know, you praises yourself. " Johnny laugh. Anabel just stared at him lost. Johnny was an masterpiece that Anabel gazes at him with a sleepy eyes.
After he regain his laughter, something flick his eyes "Wait, who said you're Dark, cute and sexy? Maybe small, dark and chaka(1)?!" He added to his amused.
"Urgh!.. You will eat your words when the day comes." Anabel is annoyed.
They stared at each other for a moment before Johnny took one hand out of his jeans. He extended it to her. Anabel was about to reached the palm to shake hands when Johnny spoke.
"Where's my rose?"
"Huh?" That was all she could answer. She didn't expect him to demand flowers. In fact, Anabel forgot to pick flowers every morning. And now she doesn't have a rose because she has lost hope of seeing him again inside the campus.
And right now, guilt begin to consume her because she didn't hold a flowers.
After a few moments of her silence "Oh .. why become quiet?"
"Uh, umm. Uh, Johnny... I don't have anything... with me.." She said reluctantly while scratching her nape.
Johnny's face was filled with surprise.. "Wow. I didn't expect that.." He lowered his hand..
"I'm really sorry, let me bring flowers tomorrow.. I thought I would never see you again."
"I already planted flowers on our backyard so…" She added so Johnny wouldn't get angry.
"Alright, I'm leaving, I have to enroll in the University across this school now since today is the last enrollment." He said and got in his car.
She looked at the car driving away, maybe he's is sulking. She promised that she would get flowers tomorrow.
But the next day she forgot to pick flowers again because that morning her sister came with her two children, Ate Neneng and her husband had a fight so she ran away with her children while her husband was still asleep. Saying she want a separation.
She was about to enter the gate when she face to face with Johnny.
"Hi johnny.." She greeted him and turn to step along with Johnny
"Oh, it's you Anabel, I returned to get what I didn't get yesterday."
"o, I see. What course did you take? "
"Business management. Hey, my rose where is it?" He turned to her.
What? "Shit.. I forgot.." Anabel whispered.
Johnny stopped walking and faced her, She also did the same. Johnny gaze at her with a frown, before his face lost its expression.
"If you don't want to give me flowers, that's fine.." He said and turned away.. She chased after him.
"Wait, it's not because I don't want to give you a flowers. It's because… uh since I forgot.." She reluctantly blurted.
When they were in front of his car, he spoke while opening the driver's seat. "The good thing right now is attend your class. it looks like you're late" Johnny said and look up at the sun.
Anabel didn't have a time answer since Johnny closed the door at her face.
Is Johnny are really sulking because I didn't give him a rose twice? With that thought, she felt happy, but it was immediately replaced by sadness, thinking that he might end up ignoring her all the time. But she won't let that happen, she will make up to him.
The next day Anabel rode a tricycle to college school, she waits at the gate just like what she does in her school last school year. She's been waiting for an hour but there is no approaching, Johnny. Maybe he absent? A part of her mind said. Or he comes early?
"Where is he? It's already seven o'clock.." She's worried what he's really mad at her? What if?
"You better come back tomorrow. You're still a high school student, you're already late for school" said one of the two guards. He is Mr. Inggo, she got his name in time she wait while chats with him.
"Do you know Johnny Agbayani? .. " She asked hoping Mr. Inggo Knew Johnny.
Mr. Inggo nodded that make Anabel's face lit up.
"Please give it to him." She handed the four rose.
"Alright thank you" After she handed her roses she's still doubting whether to leave or not, in the end she decided to leave.
Security Inggo sigh in relief when the teenage girl leave. The truth was he didn't know who the teenage girl was talking about. He pretend so the girl leave since she was too late in her class.
When Anabel left, Johnny approached the guard, Inggo. He is been hiding the entire time inside the school.
"Mister, give to me roses." He said to guard Inggo who was holding the rose, he turned to him from looking in the tricycle carrying Anabel.
"You are Johnny Agbayani? " He nodded, Mr. Inggo handed him the rose. "Next time, don't make her wait. You're doing is affecting her academic grade."
With a stoic face."Thank you man" he was about to leave when he spoke.
"Is that girl have crush with you? Oh, how patiently she waited, if I hadn't sent her away, she is probably still be here.. Young people are really different today, not like back in the day when only we boys were the one to make moves." He say.
Johnny blankly look at the guard. What he knows is that he is an old young man who doesn't know how to court that is why he is still single despite his age.
Johnny walked in and brought the flower in his nose. He smiled because it actually Anabel actually picked three flowers to compensate the other days. "Anabel really made an effort, maybe I should stop my huff or she might get tired."
He bumped into his friends.
"Wow, you used to get angry or frown when miss Anabel gave you flowers but now..." Analyn said in a teasing voice.
"But now you're smiling..." Abigael continued.
"Hey! Maybe you already developed. Maybe your heart has been blown away to Anabel's pocket." Divina laugh.
He rolled his eyes. With Gesture hand. All this three friends of his and him studied in the university of their province for a reason, so they wouldn't be far from their home and own place.
"Never!.. I'm just imagine that hot Joven gave it." He said artfully and with his usual shrill voice. But deep inside he was contradicting what came out of his mouth.
"Hey Jana, you still haven't changed, you're liking into boys always a short time. I remember that you mentioned this Sunny boy the day before yesterday. Maybe tomorrow you will say a different name again." Abigael.
"Of course, when the excitement is gone, I will deposit it immediately." He said. But Anabel is another level right? His heart said. He slapped his forehead at the thought.
*Gay lingo in the Philippines for UGLy