Chapter 6 - Friendzoned

Cissie forgot her plan to keep a distance from Jay. Anyhow, Jay was right, she wouldn't see those people for a lifetime, even Jay. She wouldn't be with him forever so she thought of making the most out of the remaining time she had. This was also a good chance to annoy those people who insulted her, by keeping close to him.

"Hmmp! I'll let your jaws drop with envy!" Cissie told herself.

The next morning, Cissie saw the brat girls from the other school trying to catch a glimpse of Jay. She thought of doing her revenge.

"Bezzie, could you please help me carry my stuff. Other than my bag being quite heavy, and I'm also carrying a briefcase," she asked Jay to help her in a flirty way.

"Hand them over to me. I really don't understand why you're carrying them all," Jay took Cissie's bag and poked her forehead. Then, Cissie looked at the brat girls. She was right! They were almost crying in envy. She couldn't help but laughed at them. Cissie even winked at them as if telling them 'die with envy'.

"Aww. My bezzie is so kind," Cissie pinched his nose.

"Hey! This isn't for free. You have to cook for me later," Jay responded.

"Sure! What do you want me to cook for you? Pinakbet, kare-kare, or sinigang (Filipino dishes)?" She then again glimpsed over the brat girls watching them from afar. She noticed that they were trying to stop one girl from attacking her. Cissie laughed loud with what she saw.

"What's that for? Are you kidding me? Why do you laugh like that?" Jay asked, smiling.

"Bezzie, have you seen an Orang-utan thrashing about with envy?"

"Not yet, why?" Jay was confused with Cissie's question.

"Turn around and you'll see one."

When he turned around, he saw the girls who were just controlling themselves to go and lunge Cissie.

"Hmmm, I smell something fishy here. Were they the ones who insulted you? Don't worry, let's make them green with envy."

Cissie's mind went blank with what happened next. Jay kissed her on the forehead. She was like a statue standing amidst the crowd. She felt his lips touched her forehead. She couldn't breathe due to the unexplained excitement and nervousness.

"Cool, right?" Jay smiled while fixing her hair. "I'm sure they'll faint with what they saw," he continued.

Cissie felt that her knees were trembling. She felt like she's the one who's about to faint with what happened. She still couldn't talk. It was as if her tongue was cut off. She was caught in the act gaping, looking at nothing.

"Hey, did you hear me?" Jay tried to get her senses back.

"Uh..." was the only thing Cissie could say.

"Let's go. We're almost late. We have to be on time or else we'll have to perform again," Jay pulled her arm that she had no choice but to just go with him. Blank! She was thinking of nothing but just let time tell what would happen to the two of them.

Few days passed and the much-awaited College Day Celebration came. Everyone was busy. Their program was scheduled in the evening. While Cissie's team mates were busy preparing the instruments, she was feeling uneasy. She was walking to and fro that Jay couldn't help but noticed her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jay asked.

"I'm nervous. This is my first time to perform," Cissie trembled.

"It will be okay. Just enjoy the moment like it will never happen again. Wait, I have an idea and is very effective. My bandmates before taught me this," he inhaled then exhaled loudly.

"Do it with me," he invited Cissie.

"Come on!" Cissie then joined Jay with what he was doing. When they were already halfway doing the breathing exercise, Jay farted. It was at the same time when Cissie breathed in that she almost inhaled all of Jay's fart. She wanted to puke with how it smelled. Jay was just laughing at her out loud.

"I almost believed you! I didn't know you were just about to fart! How could you!" Cissie irritatedly said. She even punched Jay's arm in annoyance. Jay, though, couldn't stop laughing.

"Isn't it effective? Don't be angry, please."

"I hate you!" Cissie said. But when Jay realized that Cissie was serious, he tried to find ways to make her smile. He tried to tickle Cissie for her to laugh.

"Stop, please! Fine! You're forgiven!" she said while trying to get away with the tickles. Cissie laughed eventually.

"Just so you thought...." Jay was interrupted by the emcee.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the moment to witness our very own High School band! This is...."

''Gosh, we're next. Get ready," Cissie said nervously. They then went up the stage to perform.

They started playing their songs. Cissie was obviously nervous at first, but eventually adjusted. She was happy with the audiences' reaction. She didn't realize that six of their lined up songs were almost over. Part of their playlist was a couple of request from the audience.

"Guys, we will play two requested songs. But you have to guess first who my favorite bands are. Whoever gets the first two correct answers will be given a privilege to request. We'll only play your favorite alternative songs, okay? Who wants to try? Just come over, "Jeff, their vocalist, said.

"Me!", "Me!", "Me please!" the audience shouted to the point that nothing could be understood.

"Whoa! Whoa! One at a time. Let's do it this way. I'll pick 5 from the audience who will guess. Whoever gets the correct answer will request. All right?" and Jeff started picking from the audience. The chosen ones were so happy being called. Among the five who tried to guess, only two of them guessed the bands Jeff likes. However, one girl's request surprised them.

"Please play Here Without You by 3 Doors Down. That song is requested by my friend. She even wants to dedicate that to your guitarist. She said she loves your guitarist," she got excited and pointed to her friend whom she's pertaining to.

"Wow, dude! Someone is already falling in love with you!'' Jeff was teasing Jay. ''Okay, here we go," Jeff continued.

And they started playing the audiences' requests. The last song they played was Here Without You. While feeling the cool air, Cissie realized that the song seemed to have a message for her too. The song brought pain to her heart. She couldn't stop her tears from falling. She felt like the song was written for her. Yes, she's with Jay most of the time, but it felt more like a wall was in between them. She felt alone even though they were together. Was she affected because she loved him too, or she's simply lonely with the idea that they'll eventually be apart? Or perhaps she was just hoping that there should be a hope for them someday, but that hope just ended.

"Hey, are you okay? Our performance already ended but your mind is still blank," Jay tapped Cissie's shoulders.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just processing something," she replied casually.

"Am I included in whatever you are processing?"

"What?!" Cissie exclaimed with what Jay said.

"Of course not!" she continued and then she turned her eyes away.

"Just kidding! Let's pack things up."

While they were busy packing things up, Cissie still couldn't move on with what Jay said. It was true that in her mind was Jay.

Meanwhile, the King and Queen of the Night was happening wherein the event organizers had to choose two students, opposite genders, who were stunning all throughout the night. It had been a yearly tradition in the school which was why the students put an effort to dress up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the much-awaited time has come. We are going to announce the chosen pair of the night. We even arranged a dance number for them. For those who wouldn't be called, better luck next year," the emcee announced. The audience went hype because they were excited as to who would be the couple to be chosen. They were hoping to get a chance to dance with their crushes.

"The Queen of the Night is none other than....." the DJ played drum rolls "... is none other than Steph De Dios!" the crowd applauded and cheered. The others were disappointed as they thought they would be hailed the queen of the night. Steph, on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear for she knew who would the King of the Night be, because she paid the organizers to get what she wanted – a dance with Jay.

"Whether you like it or not, you have to dance with me tonight. I'll make sure you wouldn't forget this night, " Steph thought herself. She went up the stage to get the sash. She even acted like a beauty queen, waving and smiling to everyone.

"Now, our King of the Night is none other than Jay Tan!" the crowd cheered even more louder after that. Others were happy, others were jealous and angry as they also wanted to dance with Jay. On the other hand, when Jay heard his name, the microphone stand he was carrying fell down. He was surprised and didn't like what happened. His mood changed all of a sudden. His face couldn't be painted in annoyance.

"Let's go bezzie! I can't take this anymore," Jay left all the equipment scattered and pulled Cissie's hand.

"Bezzie, don't do this please. The school would be embarrassed if you do this. They would think you don't have respect for them," Cissie pleaded.

"Bezzie, I can't take that bitch. Besides, I knew she planned these," Jay insisted.

"Please bezzie, just give her a chance tonight. It is just for a short while anyway, just for you not to look disrespectful.''

"Okay, fine! But let's go home right after the dance. I hate this!" Jay said while walking towards Steph. As he was nearing her, he was more annoyed with her reaction. Steph was showing him that she was the winner.

"Hey bitch, I know you planned this. If only not for Cissie asking me to do this, I would have left already because I really can't take you. Stand up. Don't assume to be a princess because I won't be that prince," Jay whispered Steph when he got near her. He pretended to smile. Steph stood up and whispered,

"Ooops! Don't be so handsome. I haven't even told you what you need to know," then she walked to the middle of the dance floor.

"What? Is there something that I need to know?" Jay asked Steph while following her.

"Now look who's asking. Don't be on such a hurry. Take it easy, sweetie. Let's dance first okay? Come on!" then she hugged him in the neck.

"Stop it, bitch! Are you that desperate to dance with me? You even got the nerve to blackmail me. Pathetic!" Jay irritatedly said while following Steph's dance steps.

"Nah, I just really love to see how Cissie will react to this," she even smirked.

"Don't drag her around into this. This is just a clever scheme of yours, but you cannot break our friendship."

"Wow! Friendship, such a wonderful word for two persons having unsettled feelings!"

"What are you talking about? Make it straight to the point!" he shouted at her but nobody heard it as the sound was loud.

"Didn't you know that your fake best friend has been in love with you all this time?"

"I don't know what virus is spreading to your brain that you thought of that. We're like brothers and sisters. We have things in common and we both enjoy our friendship. That's it. And besides, if she treats me more than a friend, it's none of your freaking business anyway!" he replied annoyingly.

"Well, I just hope that the so-called friendship of you guys will last. I doubt it. Sooner or later, your feelings will be revealed and definitely, someone would be hurt," Steph confidently said.

"Enough! I don't want to talk to you anymore. I have to go. If you don't want to be humiliated, then let's go back together."

They left the dance floor together and assisted Steph back. At least he still had some pity for her. He assisted her to her table for her not to be embarrassed. On the other hand, Cissie couldn't get over with what she witnessed. Her feelings were hurt when she saw her friend being hugged by someone else. Even though she was the one who convinced him to do that, she still felt hurt. It was then when she realized that what she was feeling was more than just a friend; it was love. She couldn't hide that she was jealous as she also wanted to dance with her friend and her love.

"Let's go bezzie," Jay invited her to leave when he got back to their table.

"Let's go," Cissie brought all her stuff and they walked home. Silence reigned while they were walking.

"By the way bezzie, you two looked great together earlier," Cissie broke the silence.

"Oh please, it was a disaster. She was talking nonsense about you."

"What did she say?" Cissie was curious.

"Imagine, she said that you see me more than a friend, but as a lover. I hate her guts to say that knowing that she planned all these. I know she likes me, but sorry, I don't like people like her."

"W-what did you tell her?" Cissie's voice started to crack.

"I told her that we are like brothers and sisters, that we have many things in common. Besides, whatever you are feeling is none of her freaking business."

"What if.... what if what she said was true, what would your reaction be?" Cissie closed her eyes after asking those words.

"Oh, come on! I know you bezzie. You're not someone who would like someone like me. You know all my weakness. You have even smelled my fart," he even laughed loud.

"Yeah, right! Your fart stinks! You didn't even bother to excuse. Your name should be Fartino. The name itself already stinks, what more when you fart?" Cissie still managed to joke around even though tears were about to fall from her eyes.

"I don't think that name would fit me, bezzie." Then, he acted the handsome pose.

"But the girl who requested a song earlier is pretty. I really want to know her," Jay continued. Excitement was drawn on Jay's face. Cissie couldn't stop her tears anymore and it started falling.

"Bezzie, I'd have to go first. My bladder is about to explode," Cissie ran straight towards the house as she didn't want her friend to see her crying.

"Wait! Wait up!" Jay shouted but she went on as if she didn't hear him.