HE'S THE ONE: Chapter 2

Photo: From Google

I mentally counted how many people were there in the dining room before slicing the cake I made. So, basically, there were ten persons. I also tried to slice the cake in my mind pretending not to know that the most convenient and generous way was to slice it in eight pieces.

"If I cut it that way, I would just skip dessert." I mentally talked to myself. "But it would not still be enough."

I scratched the thought and ended up slicing the cake in sixteen slices. The proportion was smaller than the usual serving size but it was enough. They could always get another slice if they desired to.

I solved the problem on how to slice the cake and I thought I was good to go but I realized I had no one to help me carry everything. Options ran in my mind. I could go back for the plates or I could just shout for Kayla to help me. I chose the latter and was just about to shout when Ivan, Tita Melissa and Tito Felix's eldest son, came in.

"Hey," he greeted me. Did I look like a dog?

"Hey," I just greeted him back."

"They asked me to go check on you. Do you need any help?"

"Oh, yeah, I need help with these plates and utensils." I said, pointing to the things on the counter top.

He placed the plates on his left hand and held the utensils in his right hand. I brought the cake and lead the way to the dining room.

"Finally! I thought you ate it all by yourself, again." Kayla exclaimed with a giggle.

"Said the girl who loves to eat what I bake!" I mimicked her not so exaggerated tone and let out a short giggle.

"What did you prepare for us this afternoon?" She asked, shrugging off the growing tension between us. We nearly ended up teasing each other again.

"A very colorful crepe cake to match this colorful day." I answered her question with a tensed happy face. I was not very goof in front of new faces but I was not that shy at all.

"You love baking?" Micah, Ivan's younger sister, asked me with full enthusiasm.

"Uhm, crepe cakes are not baked but yes, I love baking." I carefully placed a slice of cake on each of the plates and served it first to the guests and then to my parents. Lastly, I gave Kayla and myself a slice of our own.

"It tastes so good!" Jonas exclaimed. He was Ivan's younger brother.

"Well, your mom did not mention that you are good in the kitchen." Tita Melissa said with sweetness in her eyes.

"Did you mean good in the oven?" Mom teased me.

"Mom, I can cook." I pouted at her.

They let out a laugh and talked over dessert.

I politely exited the scene and went to my room. I opened the window and let the summer air get the best of me. It was so relaxing to feel the peace and serenity even just for a second. It was not that our house was in chaos but I was referring to the buzz in school that I just got away. It felt so good to be careless about homework and deadlines even just for two months.

I let out a bright smile and went to my closet to change my clothes. I chose to wear a red top and a pair of shorts. I also removed my flats and wore my red slippers.

I rushed downstairs without a single mark that I was walking past the guests in the living room. I went straight to the garden and saw my colorful flowering plants. The roses were my favorite. I loved sunflowers too but it was impossible to grow those flowers in the city where the weather is not too cold.

I battled with my own self for a moment before deciding not to wear any boots and went straight to the muddy garden, leaving my slippers behind. "Are you crazy?" I heard a voice behind me.

I turned around and tried to stop my eyes from rolling. He addressed me like a dog when we were in the kitchen and then he called me crazy. He was so unbelievable. "Did I do something that only crazy people would do?" I let out my most friendly but annoyed voice.

"It was raining last night so I am 100% sure that it is muddy right there."

"Yes, it is so muddy. Do you want some mud?" I asked. I was becoming silly.

"You are the only girl I know who looks good in a red dress but likes to step in the mud." I sensed that he was trying to compare me from other girls. Well, I took it as a complement.

"So, you think it is crazy? You think I am crazy for being so muddy?" I grinned at him.

"I think you are crazy." He let out a smile as he attempted to walk in the mud too.

"Wait, are you seriously walking in the mud too?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

I rolled my eyes and ordered him to get the pair of boots in the Laundry. He disagreed at first but eventually decided to get it.

"Are you kidding me?" He raised his left eyebrow while looking at my pink boots with disgusted face.

"What is wrong with my pretty boots?"

"It is pink."

"Tough guys wear pink."

He gave me his 'fine I'm tough' look while a gave him a grin. I turned to the plants and started to remove some dead leaves.

"Do you need some help?" He sat beside me on a wooden stool.

"What kind of help are you offering?" It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"I could water the plants if you want."

I let out a short but sincere laugh "Now, are you kidding me?"

"I'm not kidding."

"It was raining last night so I am 100% sure that it is muddy right there." I mimicked what he said earlier.

"And what is the connection... oh, yes, my mistake." He laughed at his own silliness.

"Just remove the dead leaves and we are good to go."

"So, tell me something about yourself." He managed to say as he removed some brown colored leaves from the plants.

"Excuse me?" I was not sure if I heard his words right.

"Come one, I'm trying to be friendly. It is not easy for a handsome guy like me to be friendly. You know, girls are always the first one to approach me."

"You are arrogant." I commented at his words while rolling my eyes. I can't help but do it.

"Ouch," he dramatically held his chest. "I just want to know you more." Then he showed me his puppy eyes.

"You are so gay."

"Ouch, double strike."

"What do you want?" I shook my head and hid my smile. He was being silly.

"I want to know more about you, Andrea. I always see you walking around but I never had the chance to talk to you until now."

"What do you mean?"

"We live in the same subdivision, you know, I live just a few blocka away."

"Oh, I thought your family just came back from the US?"

"My parents and my siblings just came back, except for me. I have been here since first year high school and now my siblings are going to be high school too," he explained.

"Tell me more about it."

"My parents migrated to the US when they got married. At first, life was not that easy for them because they were just starting. They had the money but every start is a challenge, I guess. Now, they own a real estate company and they own a lot of houses for rent around the Metro."

"Wait, if that is the case, what are you doing here? I mean, your life there is good."

"My parents want us to learn the Filipino culture. They said that it is the key to success."

"They have a point but, is it okay to you? I mean, you have a life there." I asked as I removed some fallen leaves on the pot.

"Well, we are all family oriented. As long as it makes them happy, it makes me happy too. I could always go back there after college." My perspective on him changed the moment he said those words.

"Those words are... Interesting." I managed to say.

"I can see that you are amazed." He let out a smirk. "I think it is your turn to say something about you," he added.

"Well..." I searched for some words to say. "My goodness!" I exclaimed as I felt the itchiness in my feet.

"What happened?" Ivan nervously asked me.

"My feet!" I almost wanted to cry. I didn't know what to say.

I ran to the laundry area and washed my feet. I began crying when I saw how red my feet was.

"Are you allergic to mud?"

"No, I am not." I burried my face in my hands while crying. "My skin is sensitive."

"Why did you even think about walking in the mud?" His voice sounded like he was just about to laugh.

"I'm sorry for being so stupid in our first meeting. I have to go." I bitterly ignored his question and walked out. I felt so bad for showing him my childish side. We were not even friends.