Shine Your Way (Bloom And Doom #1)

First Date

Bahagya akong napangiti habang binabasa ang sunod-sunod na comments ng mga mutuals ko sa IG. I just posted a photo on my story, a low-angle snap of Lucius's back, his white shirt slightly crumpled, but the bold black text I personally wrote across it was clear as day:

"Taken by: V.C.L."

Sinamahan ko pa ng caption na, "Good view. Good claim."

And then it began.

"Soft launch?!"

"Sino yan, Vine?"

"Is this your way of saying you're off the market?"

Nag-flood ang DMs ko in seconds. As in, literal. Puro messages from classmates, schoolmates, friends, even some people I haven't talked to in ages. Curious daw sila.

Clueless pa rin sila? I mean, come on. They literally saw Lucius earlier wearing that exact same shirt sa school. He was walking wearing it. Hindi ba nila napansin na parehong-pareho yon sa nasa story ko?

Or maybe…ayaw lang nilang mag-assume. Or maybe they're still in denial that Lucius Cervantes, yung suplado na lalaki. Is now officially mine.

And then Swy call me.

The moment she saw the story, she called. As in called. Not just messaged. She was screaming like some high school fan girl.

"Puta, Vine! May girlfriend ka na?! OMG, I told you that would work—OH MY GOD YOU REALLY DID IT!"

I had to literally pull the phone away from my ear. Tapos natawa na lang ako. Girlfriend...? Let her believe what she wants for now. Let everyone be confused.

I'm not denying it, okay? But I'm not spelling it out either.

Gusto ko muna silang malito. Let them connect the dots. Let them gossip. Let them wonder if it's just a close friend, or some random post. Let them burn in curiosity.

Because when we're ready, aamin naman kami.

Hindi ko ilolowkey si Lucius. Like, are you kidding me? Who in their right mind would lowkey a Lucius Cervantes? Tangina, ang tali-talino nga non at gwapo pa. Total package na ang isang yon kung hindi lang snobber.

Pero for now, let them play Sherlock.

Honestly, hindi ko in-expect na ganito kabilis lahat. Parang kahapon lang, I was in that weird emotional limbo, unsure kung gusto ko ba talaga siya, or if I was just...enchanted. Pero ngayon? May label na kami. May pangalan na ang lahat ng to.

Lucius Cervantes is mine. Officially. Paano ba yan? Ang yabang ko na lalo.

Napangiti ako habang nakahiga sa kama, titig lang sa kisame. Ang daming nangyari in such a short time. Pero kahit ilang beses ko pang balik-balikan to, all I can say is...it was all worth it.