The Boy she never noticed.

Chapter 4

"Your graduation is near, any plans at all?" Dominic said while flipping the pages of his magazine.

Ibinaba ni Lula ang hawak na kutsara at tumingin sa ama, then her eyes darted to her mother. Tumingin din ito sa kanya urging her to speak up, Lula cleared her throat and smiled.

"I'm planning to start my own clothing shop—"

"With what money?"

Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Lula ang table cloth sa tanong ng ama as if he wouldn't help her fund her own business.

"Of course I need some help Dad."

Dominic chuckled. Ibinaba nito ang hawak na magazine at tumingin sa kanya, he shook his head in disappointment.

"Why should I help you? all you do is to cause troubles in my name that I need covered up just to avoid rumors that I have an insolent daughter."

Lula clenched her fist not daring to talk back or to depend herself, she's holding back her tears. All she wanted was her Father's approval pero kahit yata anong gawin niya ay hindi siya kayang ipag malaki ng sarili niyang ama.

"Bakit hindi mo gayahin si Harmony? she might be poor but she's smart and hardworking."

Mas lalong dumiin ang pag hawak niya sa table cloth ng mabanggit ang pangalan ng babaeng kinaayawan niya. She hates Harmony for her existence, hindi naman dapat siya kahati sa attention ng ama ngunit kinukumpara pa siya nito dito.

"Think about your actions the next time you cause troubles. All you do is to bring shame on my name." Mariing wika nito bago tumayo at umalis sa hapag kainan.

She was trembling in anger gusto niyang mag wala at basagin ang lahat ng makikita ngunit pinigil niya ang sarili niya, all she can do is to cry and nothing else. Tumayo at lumapit sa kanya ang ina, her mother reach for her shoulder and tapped her.

"Get moving or you'll be late."

HARMONY stretched her tired body, kakatapos lang ng huling klase niya at

handa na siyang pumasok sa trabaho. She might be tired but she just couldn't skip her work, tumayo siya at kinuha ang bag saka lumabas ng classroom and there she saw a familiar man standing on the hall seems like to be waiting for someone. Ang mga babaeng dumaan ay hindi maiwasan ang mapatingin dito, who wouldn't it was Ares standing like a god on the hall as if he is just an ordinary people or something.

"Hey," Ares blurted out.

Harmony blinked twice and looked around, hindi niya ito pinansin at patuloy na nag lakad dahil baka isipin ng iba na assuming siya.

"Harmony right?"

Harmony gulped so hard. Dahan dahan siyang napatingin sa binata na may ngiti sa labi habang nakatingin sa kanya, Ares looks tired yet still handsome ad hell. Ang bango din nito na kahit medyo mag kalayo pa sila ay amoy niya ang pabango ng binata. Wala sa sarili niyang tinuro ang sarili dahil baka nag kakamali lang ang kanyang pandinig.

"I'm Ares by the way." wika ng binata at inilahad ang kamay sa kanyang harapan.

Gustong lumubog ni Harmony dahil sa dami ng estudyanteng nakatingin sa kanila, she can

hear murmurs and what's even more terrifying is that Lula is watching them gritting her teeth. Not that she cares, she just want a peace life althroug out her college life dahil dalawang semester na lang at tapos na siya.

"Oh my god!" Elody gasped. "Hello Ares!"

Mabilis na kumunyapit si Elody sa kanyang braso at pasimple siyang kinurot sa tagiliran.

"Abutin mo! abutin mo yung kamay!" bulong nito.

Wala na siyang nagawa at dahan dahang inabot ang kamay ng binata. They shook hands, ang lambot ng kamay nito. nakakahiya naman sa kamay niyang puro kalyo kakatrabaho.

"A-anong kailangan mo?" she said.

Ares smiled and looks at her. His smile were dashing, hindi naman niya maipag kakailang gwapo talaga ang binata.

"I just wanted to personally meet a fan." He blurted out.

"Fan?" wala sa sariling wika niya.

Kailan pa siya naging Fan nito? dahan dahan siyang lumingon kay Elody na ngayon ay dahan dahan ng nag lalakad palayo sa kanila.

"You've just won a dinner date with me."

Everyone around them gasped in disbelief, mas lalo niyang naramdaman ang nag babagang init ng mga taong nakatingin sa kanila.

"Oh w-wow..." Wala sa sariling wika niya.

Ares frown as if the woman in front of her doesn't really know what he was saying. I mean who wouldn't want to have a dinner date with him?

"I mean at the concert all of the attendees will have a chance to have a dinner date with one of the members of the band snd you got me as your dinner date?" pag papaliwanag nito.

Harmony nodded. Hindi naman siya attendees doon, side line niya lang yon there might be a mistake or something.

"Can I talk to you in private?" she said at hinawakan sa wrist ang binata at hinaltak papasok sa classroom. She firmly shut the door and awkwardly look at him. "May mali yata sa winner, I'm not there as a concert goer. Nag trabaho lang ako that time, diba hindi ako eligible sa ganoon?"

"I mean your name is written on the paper?" naguguluhang wika nito at pinakita sa kanya ang papel na may kumpletong pangalan niya.

Gustong maiyak ni Harmony dahil alam na niya kung sino ang may kagagawan nito. it was none other than Elody.

"Hahaha," she awkwardly laughed. "Ano, kahit hindi na I'm okay saka para makapag pahinga ka din. You look tired."

Ares shook his head and smile. "I'm okay, I'll pick you up later tonight."

inilabad nito ang phone at inabot sa kanya.

"Ilagay mo yung phone number mo, then I'll call you later tonight."

Wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi abutin ang cellphone ng binata at ilagay ang number niya, all she can think of right now is a way to kill her bestfriend. Humanda lang talaga ito sa kanya pag tapos ng delubyong ito.

"I'll call you later 7 pm sharp." Ares said and smiled at her. "See you later."

--------

it was already 6:30 pm at hindi na siya mapakali habang nakahiga sa kanyang kama. Pagulong gulong siya dahil hindi niya alam ang gagawin, ayaw naman niyang mapahiya ang binata o hindi kaya I ditch ito. Napasabunot na lang siya sa sariling buhok at bumangon, binuksan niya ang aparador at mas lalo siyang nanghina dahil wala naman siyang maayos na maisusuot. Then a knock on the door saved her from her despair, dahan dahan itong bumukas.

"I'm sorry!" mabilis na wika ni Elody at itinaas ang paper niyang bitbit. "Hindi ko alam na ikaw ang mabubunot da dami ng tao doon."

Mabilis na tumayo si Harmony at lumapit sa kama upang kunin ang unan na nakapatong doon saka lumapit sa kaibigan at mahina itong pinag hahampas.

"Anong naisip mo? gusto mo ba talagang gulihin ang tahimik na buhay ko sa college?"

Elody pouted like a kid then she wickedly smiled.

"Hayaan mo na di ka naman talaga patatahimikin ni Lula mamatay na lang siya sa inggit." wika nito at inilabas ang laman ng paper bag. "Dinalhan na lang kita ng damit para sa dinner date mo with Ares!"

Inilabas nito ang magandang pink na dress na tila bago pa at hindi nagagamit.

"Ano yan?"

"Shorts para masaya ka." pilosopang wika nito. "Malamang dress, gamitin mo dahil alam kong wala kang maayos na isusuot."

"Suhol ba 'to?"

Mariing itinanggi ni Elody ang paratang ng kaibigan, suhol talaga yon pero ayaw niya mag pahalata.

"Hindi ah!" wika niya. "Naisip ko lang na kailangan mo ng tulong ko."

Harmony shook her head in disbelief. Kinuha niya ang dress na inaabot ng kaibigan at malalmin na bumuntong hininga, wala na siyang pahinga sa controversy sa buhay niya. Last time it was Cole the guitarist of the band then now it was Ares himself the main vocalist. Ano na lang ang gagawin sa kanya ng mga fans nito, hindi na siya magugulat na ang susunod na headlines sa campus nila ay "The frog and the Princes"

"Ano pang hinihintay mo mag ayos kana!"

Wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi sundin ang kaibigan, Elody helped her with her hair and make up dahil hindi naman siya gaano maalam sa pag aayos. And when 7 pm came she waited with her sweaty palms then her mother knock on her door.

"Anak, may lalaking nag hahanap sayo sa labas."

Halos mangisay si Elody sa kilig na halos itulak siya palabas sa pinto na parang ito ang may-ari ng bahay nila. And when she stepped outside a very handsome man in a suit was waiting for her and when his eyes darted to her he gasped and and a smile crept to his lips.

"Hey..." Ares said inilahad nito ang kanyang kamay. "You're beautiful."

To her peripheral vision ay halos mahimatay na sa kilig ang kaibigan niya habang siya ay halos hindi na makahinga sa kaba.

"H-hello..."

"That dress looks good on you.." wika ng binata. "You ready?"

Wala siyang choice kung hindi ang tumango, hinatid siya ng binata sa passenger seat.

"After you." He said smiling from ear to ear.

Then he jogged towards the driver seat however, before climbing in he said something to her mother and friends. Then he hop inside the car.

"Mainit ba?" wika ng binata dahil pawis na pawis na ang noo niya.

"A-ah hindi ayos lang."

Ares chuckled and nodded then he handed her a tissue. "You're sweating."

Agad naman niya iyong inabot at pinahid sa noo niya, she's sweating cause she's nervous nit because she likes it pero wala naman siyang magawa.