I wasn't supposed to like him. Wala nga rin akong ka alam alam tungkol sa kaniya except kung saa ng spots niya dito a school. 
We're not on the same section pero katabi ng room nila ang sa'min. There's also few classes na nakiki seat in siya para humabol a lesson—isa 'yon sa ayaw niya, ang ma left behind sa klase kaya rinig kong inire-request ng council adviser niya na i-seat in siya kapag may na miss siyang important. 
Good thing he was allowed to...I mean as he should. Lagi rin kasi siyang kasali sa Science Inventory sa ibang school, so understandable. 
Madalas na talaga siyang ilaban sa mg Science and Math related competitions dahil sa talino niya. Naging kaklase ko siya during grade seven and I don’t know if bobo lang ba talaga ako no’n o sadyang sobrang advance lang talaga ng mg learning skills niya sa mga bagay bagay eh. Kaya hindi na rin ako nagtataka kung bakit siya ang nangunguna sa klase nila ngayon at lalong hindi kataka-taka kung pati sa buong batch ay siya ang nauuna. 
At ngayon lagi rin na sa room naming siya nakakasabay kaya I almost know how he moves and participate in room. 
He always sat at the back of our class, I was expecting at first na sa unahan siya lagi but surprisingly, hindi. Ako kasi I have to sit in front because I have a blur vision. Para din maka concentrate ako ng maayos at 'di ma-distract sakaniya. 
I knew the beat of his pen tapping during surprice quizzes; hindi dahil sa kinakabahan t walang isasagot, but because of excitement to answer those. I knew he read real books—paperbacks with bent covers and underlined sentences. 
I knew he laughed, quietly and rarely, but when he did, it sounded like something unplanned, something almost reluctant. Like he forgot to keep his guard up. 
He was like a cute little baby when laughing with our classmates. 
Isa 'yon sa mga nagustohan ko sa kaniya. 
Matalino at hindi bulakbol a pag-aaral pero nage-enjoy. 
And I knew—absolutely knew—I could never tell him any of this. 
It's lunch time already kaya naman naglalakad na kami papuntang canteen ngayon para bumili ng p'wedeng pang pawi ng gutom. 
And I swear tuyong tuyo na talaga ng utak ko! 
We had a quiz sa Pre-Calculus and I wasn't sure with my answers even though na nag review ako kagabi. Tapos may P.E pang kasunod, ang malala pa ay badminton activity quiz ang ginawa ng lecturer namin! 
Santino kept his promise na isessend niya sa'kin ng notes niya and he really did! 
Wala talagang awa sa’min. Then our first subject earlier postponed our quiz and tell us to continue our individual lesson reporting! Ang malala pa ay topic ko ang nauna! Samantalang ‘yong subject na ‘yon ang mahaba kong na-review kagabi dahil napaka daming terminologies at creators na nabanggit. 
Nagbulungan pa nga ang mga kaklase ko na kesyo tinatamad lang daw magturo ang lecturer namin kaya siya nagpa performance task ng gano’n. 
But good thing I was preparing for my topic for a week dahil na una ang by group report namin kaya naging madali ang pasikot sikot ko sa reporting ko. Kasi kung hindi, mahihirapan ako dahil mag-isa lang ako. Medyo na distract nga lang ako dahil biglang pumasok si Santino sa likod ng room at nagpaalam sa lecturer namin na seat in ulit siya! 
Na tense ako dahil malamang nakikinig siya at naktitig sa’kin the whole time I am lessoning in the front of the class. Parang tuyong tuyo na kanina ang lalamunan ko but I must continue. 
Alam ko kung anong patutunguhan ko during that time because that is where I excel the most. Presenting in front of the class. 
In the end, naitawid ko pa rin naman kahit papaano. I got complimented on how I present my lesson. I always crave for that satisfaction compliment. That’s all I want. Ang hind lang naman talaga mapigilan ay ang mga tao sa room namin na ayaw malamangan pero pinagsa sa walangg bahala ko na lamang. 
I was smiling ear to ear after that at nang lumingon ako sa likuran, Santino is also smiling at me. 
Kikiligin pa nga sana dapat ako kaya lang naalala ko ang usapan naming kahapon. Para tuloy akong lantang gulay habang nagre-review kagabi. 
Kaya ang ginawa ko na lang bago matulog ay isulat ang tagpo namin kahapon sa journal ko. Hindi kasi talaga mawala sa isip ko. 
I don't know what to feel and should feel that day. Longest interaction we had. Seven minutes ata. 
Lagi na lang nauudlot ang kilig ko eh. 
“I swear, Savanah, if you zone out one more time while I’m talking, I’m filing a missing person’s report.” 
I jolted because of surprise sa pagsulpot ng kaibigan ko. 
I blinked and turned to see my best friend, Aiah, staring at me with a hand on her hip. Her wavy hair bounced with every word, as if even her hair didn’t tolerate silence. 
"Baliw," natatawang anang ko sa kaniya, she then rolled her eyes before clinging her arms to me. 
"Sus." 
“Sorry,” I said, forcing a smile. “I was thinking.” 
“Thinking about him, obviously.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Girl, just talk to him already. What’s the worst that could happen?” 
“I combust into flames and sink into the earth?” I offered. 
"Over naman sa think, bebe!" 
“You say that like it’s not a legitimate fear.” 
Aiah glance in the other direction behind me, then raise an eyebrow. "Well, speak of the crush devil..." 
Hindi ko na kailangan pang lingunin kung tungkol saan ag sinasabi niya. I could feel him. Hindi ko alam kung pa'no, but I always could, it felt like my body had memorized the rhythm of his presence. 
I know that he always walks with Vien Almazar, his extroverted shadow. Vien is a year ahead to us pero grabe ang closeness nila. Dahil din siguro sa org na mga sinasalihan nila. 
Wala naman kasi talaga akong hilig do'n. Alam ko lang kung paano ang takbo pero ni isang beses I've never done any Nauuna kasi ang pangamba ko. 
I could already hear Vien's voice echoing towards us and I can see how my best friend gives me a look. I sigh and shake my head to her, trying to pull her away from the situation.