My Man 11

BJ stared blankly at the seesaw ahead him. He was still at the park, still couldn’t believe the things Cybil just told him. He sighed. There was a feeling of heavy burden inside his heart the moment Cybil told him everything. It was as if all her pains… heartaches… anger… insecurities and disappointments toward her failed relationship to Dave, somehow he absorbed everything. He sighed. ‘You sure are one heck of a luck bastard, Adams.’ He said bitterly at himself, slowly… unintentionally he recalled the scenes not long ago.

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff.

BJ tightened his arm around Cybil’s waist, drew her closer towards his body and buried her face in his chest. The action was innocent and had the purpose of comforting her and somehow ceased her from crying, but it failed, instead of stopping, her weeping increased tenfold and her harsh sobs were shaking her petite body. ‘Ssshhh…’ he caressed her back and then said tenderly at her, ‘I’m here… It’s okay… I’m here.’ He closed his eyes and prayed for patience and self- control. Patience for asking Cybil, right then and there everything about her and Dave, self- control for wanting so badly to capture her rosy lips and silenced her sobs with his kiss and let her forget everything and only his kiss will occupy her mind and more patience and self control for wanting to kill Dave for himself, for hurting Cybil and for all the tears she shed.

He hated seeing her like that. In fact it worried him to death. He knew she wasn’t a cry baby; she never shed a single tear when Kate was fighting for her life weeks ago and she never shed a tear for the sudden disappearance of her dad. She was tough and never entertained or showed any sign of weakness and yet there she was, pouring out her heart in HIS arms and the irritating part for BJ was, it was all because of her ex- boyfriend, Dave.

After thirty minutes, Cybil was still crying. His worry turned into an alarm. ‘Hey, hush up.’ He tenderly pulled back, tipped her chin up to let himself gazed at those expressive amber eyes of hers. Reluctantly she gazed back at him. The moment their eyes met, BJ tried to stop himself from wincing at the things he saw from her eyes. In her eyes, he saw pain, anger, disappointments, insecurities and to his surprise he saw longing… there was a flicked of longing written in her eyes and it really bugged him. Could that longing would be… for Dave? He asked himself unconsciously. Does that mean she still loves him? He mentally shook his head, afraid to know the answer and afraid to HEAR the answer. He wiped her tears using his thumb. ‘I-I hate seeing a lady cries in front of me… especially you.’ He said tenderly.

Well that was partly true and partly a lie. He never actually hated seeing girls cried in front of him, in fact he was NUMB to it. He was numb to the sight of girls crying and begging for him, for his love and affection, and being labeled as a womanizer it was only normal for him. But surprisingly Cybil was different. He hated seeing her cry, pouring out her heart to that spineless jerk named Dave. He chuckled silently. It had always been different when Cybil was involved, he thought. ‘That’s enough… Your eyes were so swollen and puffy and I’m afraid it might not return to normal if you keep crying this way. And it is not quite a good sight to look at.’ He kidded to somehow lighten her mood.

In respond, Cybil snorted, rolled her eyes and looked away from him. She hadn’t stopped crying but at the very least it wasn’t as worst as five minutes ago. BJ smiled at her respond, thinking it was her way of saying she doesn’t care a bit with her appearance. He sighed with relief. He forced her to face him. He smiled at her as he saw her hesitation. Unconsciously he looked deep with in her amber eyes and slowly caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. That is one of the things I like about you - suddenly, as if he was hit by a lightning, he stood there too close than he should be, rigid in the realization of his words. NO!!! he screamed inside his head. I LIKE Cybil but I LOVE Clarisse. Yeah that’s right! he agreed immediately too afraid that somehow, someway the other side of him might contradict him. Like and LOVE are two entirely different things! If I like someone, it doesn’t mean I love her…

Cybil slowly frowned as she noticed BJ’s thoughts drifted to somewhere. She sighed and slowly looked down. He had been acting weird thirty minutes ago. Never could Cybil expect him to comfort her like he did not too long ago, of all the people… never could she have expected him to say those words to her. Could it be that he only wants me to stop crying? Nothing more, nothing less? She asked herself. Was she only giving meaning to his actions? She sighed audibly. Oh come on Cybil Krizia Wilson! The guy is deeply in love with someone and you know that! NO!!!

She shouted immediately, afraid for her brain to make up excuses for BJ’s actions. He’s just trying to comfort you that’s all! She said firmly to herself. Besides, you too are in love with someone else, right? Though he’s a jerk and it took him six years… six LONG years to realize he loves you too… at least he came back. All of the sudden, fresh tears were starting to form in her eyes, blinding her. ‘Who am I kidding…’ She whispered softly, wiping the tears from her eyes. I’m through with love and I’m never, ever going to fall in love… ever again!

Her action caught BJ’s attention. Slowly and tenderly he wrapped his arms around her waist, buried her face in his chest and whispered smoothing words near her ears until her crying stopped. He gave her three full minutes to compose herself. After three minutes, he pulled back and looked down at her amber eyes. ‘Care to tell me what happened?’ he asked politely. He was referring to her relationship with Dave. He saw a flick of hesitation register to her expressive eyes, he then added tenderly. ‘Please?’

Cybil knew right then and there what to do. I got to tell him, she thought while sighing. ‘I-’ but do I need to tell him EVERYTHING? For a minute she was having an inner battle to herself whether to tell BJ everything or not, after all she had the right to secrecy. From the every beginning of their so-called ‘relationship’ she told BJ never to intervene with their personal lives and he gladly accepted it but he was not following it though. For BJ, Cybil noticed, had the habit of asking too many personal questions about her and he kept on pestering her if she refused to answer.

She leaned back, seated properly in the bench and looked straight ahead. Oh!!! Come what may! She thought silently, she took a deep breath and braced herself for the inevitable. ‘I was ten when I was accelerated to high school.’ She began. Her hands and lips began to tremble, her heart beats faster than the usual, her lungs constricted and she began grasping for air, while memories of her past kept flashing in her mind… memories that hunted her for years, the memories she’d been loathing to and still kept on bugging her… memories that she tried to forget, memories of her first love… first boyfriend and first heartache. She closed her eyes and waited one full minute to regained full control of her body.

After successfully doing so, she sighed and then said in a low voice. ‘We were just moving in town and dad enrolled me immediately to an all girls’ school. I only stayed there for six months after that I found myself in high school. Immediately I was assigned to Rae’s class. Though I was a bit behind to their lessons, I was able to cope up and a month later I was one of the honor students.’ BJ smiled sadly. He knew pretty well that Cybil was intelligent. He bet Cybil only took a week or two to cope up with her missed lessons. ‘I was good in my academic performance but lousy in making friends. At first a lot of people approached me, saying a casual ‘hi’ and ‘hello’, just plain curious about being a high school student in the age of ten but no one offered their friendship to me. I was always alone, no one liked me! All the girls around the campus hated me and guys were too intimated to even approach me.’

BJ threw a quizzical look at Cybil. ‘Hate you? But why?’ Suddenly the answer to his question hit him as fast as lighting. All the female population in her school hated her for her intelligence, her compassion and dedication to her studies, her humor, her personality, her trait of unselfishness (sometimes the annoying side of her), and her natural beauty which radiates and blooms every time she smiles. Any guy would fall for such traits; she was inches away from perfection! ‘Oh…’ he said in understanding.

She sighed and looked down, letting herself busy studying her shoes. ‘They always withdrawn and rejected me every time I tried to make some moves. They treated me like a plague!’ she said without looking at him. BJ noted the frustration in her voice. ‘It seems like they saw me as a threat to their survival… they saw me as an enemy… a foe… a rival … a competitor to a very important competition. Do you know what I mean?’ she raised her gazed towards him and looked straight into his hazel brown eyes. Her eyes were pleading for his understanding. ‘I-I’m not surprise if you’re confuse and-’

‘I GOT what you mean.’ He interrupted. ‘The girls were jealous of you,’ he said, summarizing everything for her. He smiled as he saw her timidly lowered her gaze and to his surprise, she demurely nod. You are so modest sweetheart, he said quietly while looking at her bent head. ‘The girls were jealous of you,’ he repeated. ‘And obviously the guys were loosing their hearts and heads over you.’

She shook her head and glanced at him. ‘No they’re not!’ she said firmly. ‘I just hurt there ego that’s all! You see, guys have this thinking that they are superior to us… in EVERY aspect.’ BJ smiled at himself. She started to sound geeky again, he though. ‘ Before I transferred Rae told me that almost all the honor students in their school was composed of guys, the student counsel President was a guy and so was his Vice, guys were chosen to represent our school in journalism in short our school was dominated by men!’ she sighed and looked ahead. ‘But everything changed when I enrolled. Suddenly I was on the top of the honor list, being nominated Vice President in student counsel and I’m always representing our school in journalism, ALONE with three- four categories I’m entering.’ She was quiet for a while as if contemplating her past. ‘Now tell me,’ she glanced at him sideways. ‘Haven’t I damaged their ego?’

BJ was torn between laughing and wincing at her explanation. This girl haven’t had the slightest idea of how beautiful she is, considering, BJ corrected himself immediately. If she was THIS beautiful, she sure captured all they guys in her school. After a minute of battling with himself, BJ finally gave in. He smiled at her beautiful face; she was staring at him, waiting for his reaction. His smile was different. It was as if it was telling Cybil that he understood her point but he’ll stick to what HE though was correct.

She rolled her eyes and mentally shrugged his version. ‘Anyway, one of our teachers noticed my problems so she willingly helped me by literally choosing a friend for me. She gave us a science project and should work in pairs. Since no one was willing to be my partner and she knew pretty well I can work alone, she chose my partner.’ Slowly her lips twitched into a smile. ‘She paired me with Rae. We worked together as partners, hang out together with her friends but we only discuss things that matters about our project, and weeks past by we suddenly noticed we agreed with so many things so instantly we become friends. After our project was finished our teacher was so amazed that she gave us an A+. Rae was so delighted that she literally dragged me towards Dave and properly introduced us.’ She shivered as the early autumn breeze blew. Unconsciously Cybil hugged herself.

BJ looked sympathetically at her. He’d mistaken her action and thought it was because of Dave… the pain she’d felt made her shiver. That spineless, jerk - his thoughts were interrupted by her sneeze and unconsciously he narrowed his gazed to her clothes. She was wearing a skirt not too long or too short with a white tube top that made a very good job in molding her body. She was showing more skin that she used to… or BJ used to. Another sneeze and this time BJ reluctantly smile at the view. Cybil moaned irritatingly and rub her nose. He shrugged off his jacket and draped it to her slender shoulders.

She looked at him with puzzlement written in her eyes yet she smiled and shyly utter thanks to him. ‘I’ve got weak tolerance with this kind of weather.’ She said truthfully and mentally preparing her self for another asthma attack. ‘I was also confused at first,’ she continued. ‘Rae’s actions were a bit peculiar but I just shrugged it off.’ she paused for a while. ‘The next thing I knew we were the hottest item in school and I become his girlfriend.’

‘H-How was your relationship with him?’

‘It was so smooth.’ She answered him immediately and dreamingly looked away from his gaze. ‘We rarely fought and if we do he’ll find a way to make up with me instantly!’

BJ frowned as he saw her eyes sparkled at the mere recollection of her relationship with Dave. ‘So why you guys broke up?’

Uh! Do I really have to answer that? she asked herself. She sighed and instantly her expression change. She was serious and bitterly said, ‘Little did I know, Dave have a girlfriend abroad. She migrated to Asia and continued high school there. They’ve been together since they were in middle school. Of course Rae and the others knew about it, they’ve been friends since they were young, their families were business associates and in good terms with each other. They never told me though.’ Cybil snuggled in his jacket as she felt the cold autumn night breeze. Somehow there was a tension in the air, she felt uneasy. ‘I found out myself, though it took me almost a year but at least I caught him… red handed!’ She answered his silent question. She looked at him and smiled dryly. ‘I saw them at the mall, holding hands while happily talking about something. I followed them around the next two hours… you know to make sure it was really HIM and to confirm my suspicion. I was right! The girl was really Dave’s REAL girlfriend.’

BJ was quiet, he just listened to Cybil and stopped himself from asking questions… though he ached to ask one. Are you still in love with him? he thought wryly. ‘What happened next?’ he asked instead.

‘I materialized in front of them, crossed my arms over my chest and stamped one foot on the floor. The original plan was to let him see me then I walk out but then I’ve decided to shift to plan B.’ she sighed and looked down. ‘How I wish I never had…’ she trailed off.

‘Plan B? And that was….?’

She took a deep breath. ‘I-I… demanded… no ahm… I let him cho-choose between... her and me…’

‘And he chose…?’ reluctantly he asked, though he knew pretty well who Dave chose.

‘Her…’ she whispered painfully, as if it happened yesterday and without looking at him she added. ‘God I was so stupid, foolish, naive, dumb… I’m just ten years old and was madly in love with him!’ she closed her eyes tightly and using her right hand she gently tapped her forehead. ‘Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!’ she whispered while the intensity of her tapping her forehead increased. ‘Stupid! Stup-’

BJ immediately captured her right hand, jerked her into his arms and instantly his arm wrapped her petite body. She crashed into his broad chest. He rested his chin on her head. ‘Cy, sometimes we do stupid things when we’re in love…’ BJ said tenderly and began stroking her back. ‘Take that from me.’ He said meaningfully.

She laughed softly at his last sentence. She knew pretty well that BJ was only trying his might to lighten her mood. She laughed to gave him credit to his efforts but her laughter were slowly turning into sobs… sobs that made her shoulders shook vigorously and her chest raised for each tormented breath. She buried her face in his chest. ‘He told me that he loves me but he chose her instead…’ she murmured. ‘On the other hand, I can’t blame him! Lia is close to perfection! She’s five eight tall, voluptuous, a brunette with a pair of jade eyes, refine and sophisticated, soft spoken, well- mannered, obedient, and did I mention she came from a very wealthy family… she’s got every guys dream of a perfect girlfriend! Compared me to her, I-’

‘Enough!’ BJ said firmly. Tighten his arms around her waist. He winced as he felt his shirt was soaking with her tears.

‘I’m nothing!’ she continued. ‘Like what Rae’s mother fondly called me, I’m just a commoner-’

‘I said enough!’ he shouted making Cybil stiffened in his arms, an indication of her fright. ‘Enough, Cy… ’ he said huskily.

She was quiet for a while and tried her best to stop from crying. She might be a crybaby but only in front of her close friends. She didn’t want others to see her crying, especially boys like BJ. But why on earth did she was crying without shame in front of BJ not too long ago and then now? She tried to compose herself but every time she felt his hand slowly stroking her back, she cried even harder. ‘After that incident-’

BJ pulled back, looked at her straight in her eyes and then shook his head gently. ‘I said enough.’ He said while tenderly wiping her tears using his hand. ‘You can stop now.’ He said though her story was a little vague to him. He didn’t want to torture her any longer. He still got a lot of questions that needed an answer. He smiled sadly then said, ‘Thank you for telling me…’

She just nodded at him. She politely removed BJ’s arm, seated properly beside him, she wiped her tears harshly with both her hands and then she slapped her face with both hand as if she tried to wake herself up from a nightmare. I can’t afford to let the twins see me like this, she though. At the thought of her brothers she suddenly stood up. ‘OH!!! The twins!’ she took off his jacket and handed it to him. ‘I-I need to go home. The twins might be wondering where am I and-’ she looked at him. ‘Thank you so much for listening. It really h-helps a lot.’ She winced inwardly. She was not sure if BJ believed her last words but she needed to act normal again. She didn’t want him to feel sorry for her... for her failed relationship with Dave. She started to marched towards her house.

BJ wasn’t dumb not to notice. ‘Cybil?’

She stopped walking and turned to his direction. He looked as if he wanted to tell her something… something important as the looked of his face and his expression. ‘Yes?’

‘Just one more thing…’

Her brows drew closer at the center. ‘And that is?’

He first took a deep breath and looked at her. ‘A-Are you still in l-love with h-him?’ There! He finally found courage to asked Cybil the question that had been bothering him! But as he gazed at her lovely face, he wished he hadn’t asked her. He didn’t know the reason but it seemed that he was afraid for her answer.

She sighed. She slowly traced her steps, sat beside him and looked straight ahead. ‘I-I don’t know.’ She said slowly. After a minute, as if her words hit her, she laughed mockingly. She looked at BJ. ‘I can’t believe I just said those words! And I can’t believe I’m able to say it!’ she mocked herself. BJ knew pretty well what she meant but he managed to straighten his face. She sighed again. ‘Seriously Brent, I really don’t know. He was my first love, my first boyfriend, my first date, my first hug and sadly,’ the next words uttered were full of bitterness and sadness. ‘My first heartache…’ And my last, she continued silently.

BJ sighed and frustratingly run his hand to his dark hair. Now that her ex is back, what happens next? He asked himself. He really don’t know the answer. The hell! My first competitor is Van then her ex? What’s next- he was shocked with his thoughts. ‘Why on earth am I thinking-’ suddenly Cybil’s face flashed in his mind. Her teary eyes and her hurt expression made him stopped talking. Her eyes, he thought dreamingly. Those amber eyes- he shook his head vigorously to erase her image from his mind. ‘What the hell’s going on with me?!’ he asked himself angrily. ‘It’s Clarisse! It’s Clarisse that I love… not her… not Cybil! I-I just like her.’ He sighed and massaged his temple. ‘I’m going crazy… I guess it’s because of Clarisse’s absence.’ He reassured himself. Clarisse was having a business trip abroad. Well it wasn’t purely a business trip; she was also there for shopping. She flew for America right after her party. ‘I bet everything will be back to normal when she comes back.’

Just then he remembered an early conversation with Van. They were at Cybil’s house and he was so damned annoyed seeing Van there, laughing and teasing with Cybil. ‘I warn you Van, stay away from my girlfriend.’ He said firmly.

‘Jealous?’ he said smiling. ‘Let me remind you, you DON’T have the right to be jealous.’

His gazed narrowed at Van’s smiling lips. ‘No I’m not jealous and I have the right in the world to be one!’ he hissed. ‘I owned her… she’s mine and what’s mine should be MINE!’

Van threw his head and burst out laughing. ‘BJ did you just heard yourself?!’ he shook his head and stood up. He turned his gaze towards him, he was serious now. ‘I told you, I like Cybil and I’ll do everything to protect her from you even if it means ending our friendship.’ He started walking towards the door. He was only inches away from it when he stopped and remembered something. ‘And just a piece of advice from a friend, treat Cybil fairly or else you might regret everything.’

BJ sighed. ‘What’s that suppose to mean?’ He stood up and walked towards his car. ‘If this ‘thing’ me and Cybil has will be over and I’ll have Clarisse’s love, Van surely starts courting her… ask her for a date and the next thing I know they were inseparable…’ he tried to imagine Van having a dinner with Cybil in a fine dining restaurant. He tried to imagine her looks, her smile, her messy auburn mass on top of her head and those expressive amber eyes of hers… all that will be Van… she will be smiling for him- he shook his head. He can barely imagine it! ‘What if…?’ he said while remembering Dave. ‘Cybil will be better if she’ll have Van as her boyfriend than her spineless ex- boyfriend!’ he said bitterly.

BJ started his car’s engine, put on his seat belt and reached for his phone. He left it inside his car in his haste to catch up with Cybil. He flinched as his phone began to ring. He looked at the device’s screen and smiled as he read the name of his caller. He cleared his throat and then waited for the fourth ring to answer the call. ‘Cy?’ he answered. His car was starting its pace away from the park.

‘BJ…’ she whispered his name then trailed off. Her voice was shaking in fright.

Immediately BJ stepped his brakes that made him almost kiss the steering wheel, and turned his attention to the call. Never, ever did Cybil called him by that name. She was the one insisted on calling him ‘Brent’ the day their ‘relationship’ started. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked upon remembering the fright he heard in her voice. There was a slight paused from the other line and BJ unconsciously held his breath.

‘Someone… someone is trying to enter the house and-’ she choke her words. Cy tried to composed herself and after a few minutes of struggling, she succeeded. ‘I was about to go to my room when I heard someone… no there were four voices… I heard them murmuring something and they tried to destroy our back door.’ She took a deep breath. ‘BJ I’m scared. The twins are here and I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried calling Van but-’

‘Why-’ BJ closed his eyes tightly, he was trying to control his anger. So Cybil called Van FIRST before him… VAN… of all the people why VAN! He hated to be second best, to be the second choice. He wanted to be the first especially for Cybil. He shook his head. What am I thinking? He thought silently. ‘I’m coming in a minute just locked the room, okay?’ he didn’t wait for her answer. ‘Did you call the police?’ he said while maneuvering his car to the opposite way.

‘N-No…’

He tightened his grip to his steering wheel, his knuckles turned white. ‘Okay, just wait for me there.’ He ended the call, cursed under his breath and hurriedly dialed the police station.

Cybil slowly stood up as she saw the door knob moved. Someone was trying to enter the room! She looked at her brothers. They were still sleeping. She closed her eyes, positioned into her fighting stance and threw her narrow gazed at the door; she tried to visualize the person standing at the opposite side. Seconds passed she frustratingly lowered her arms, stood rigidly just inches away from the door and then sighed. She can’t do it! Not when her brothers are around. BJ where are you? She asked silently she was restless.

BJ tried to open the door of the twin’s room but it was locked. He kept on whispering Cy’s name but it seemed like she didn’t heard him. ‘Cy… open up. It’s me…’ he slightly raised his voice enough for Cybil to hear. BJ smiled as the door slowly opened but his smile faded immediately after seeing Cy’ pallor face, teary eyed and trembled lips.

Grateful in seeing BJ, Cybil immediately wrapped her arms around BJ’s neck and buried her face in his chest. She was so damned grateful seeing him that she couldn’t hold back. She just acted upon her first impulse. She knew BJ was surprise but she didn’t care.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and then said, ‘Did I scare you?’

She just nodded; she was unable to speak afraid that she might break into tears if she did.

He tightened his arms. ‘I’m sorry...’ he whispered tenderly and buried his face into her fragrant hair. ‘I’m sorry…’

Later after the police left, Cybil finally felt relief. The police said that it was positive somebody was trying to break in the house. They have rounds for the next couple of days especially in her area to secure and protect the neighborhood. She leaned back, tucked her feet and closed her eyes while she gently massaged her temple. Minutes later she felt BJ’s presence sitting next to her.

‘It’s been an exhausting day for you Cy,’ he looked at her intently. ‘It’s better if you have some rest.’ He said. ‘I’ll just stay here. Those bastards might be back…’

She opened her eyes, looked at him and smiled at him shyly. ‘Thank you…’ she said sweetly. ‘You can use my room. I’ll-’

‘This couch looks comfortable, I’ll sleep here.’ He said while tapping the couch. Cybil opened her mouth to protest but BJ didn’t give her any. ‘No arguments please! You’re tried and in need of rest…’ He gently yet firmly pulled Cybil up to the chair and without a word he led her towards her room. He opened the door of her room for her. She smiled at him and marched inside but his firm grip on her arm made her stopped abruptly. She turned and glanced at him. Their bodies were only inches apart. ‘Can you do me one favor?’ he answered her silent question.

She removed his hand from her arm, step back a little to have ample space between their bodies then asked, ‘What is it?’

‘I want to be the first to know about everything-’ he raised his hand to stop her protest. ‘Let me finished first. Starting today, as MY GIRLFRIEND,’ he emphasized his last two words. ‘You should come to me first, I don’t want to be your second best. What will Clarisse think if she found out? You should inform me with all your activities and your schedules. If some things are bothering you then tell-’

‘Okay I’m bothered with YOUR attitude!’ she interrupted. She threw a daggering look at him. She still couldn’t guess him! He was kind and sweet to her a minute ago and suddenly the next minute he became mean, throwing orders to her as if he totally owned her. ‘It so disturbing that-’

‘Would you let ME finish before you react?!’ he smiled as he saw Cybil was struggling to control her anger. He saw her tight fist at her side and before she could use it to her advantage, he held both of her hands to his and his grip was firm yet gentle. ‘Like what I said, if some things are bothering you, I want you to tell me all about it and I will gladly listen. Phone calls… if we’re together, especially when Clarisse is around, I discourage you to take any calls, well obviously except for emergency calls. You have to ALWAYS carry both of you phones with you ALL THE TIME. I just discovered these past weeks that you have this annoying habit of leaving your phones locked inside your room.’ He tried to remember the very important thing he want her to do. ‘Oh yeah! I want you to delete Van’s number in your phone.’ He grinned at the idea. ‘No more phone calls from or to Van. Is everything clear?’

Cybil’s jaw dropped literally. She never saw that one coming. This guy was really issuing her orders, for real! He got to be kidding me! She though in totally shocked. This guy is impossible! ‘I think you forgot something.’ She paused to give drama. ‘You forgot to tell me when to breath.’ She said sarcastically. ‘What if I told you I’m not-’

‘Well I guess you have to OBLIGE yourself then after all I help you at the bar earlier and here-’

‘AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!’ she shouted making him stopped talking. ‘You’re impossible!’ She started marching inside her bedroom but then again he stopped her.

‘I’m not done yet.’

She looked at him in total disbelief. ‘Oh I thought,’ she cleared her throat and unsuccessfully imitated his voice. ‘Can you do me ONE favor?’ she emphasized the word one.

BJ grinned and looked amusedly at her. ‘I lost count…’ he said. ‘Remember I told you days ago, that, you shouldn’t date or hang out with any guy other than me and Van… well here’s the thing, you shouldn’t date or hand out with any guy other than ME.’ He said firmly and autocratically at her. ‘I know you gone out with Van, I just ignore that-’

‘Great!’ she shouted while pulling her arm free from his grip. ‘Except from Rae, almost all my friends are guys!’ she marched inside her room. ‘Great! This is really great!’ she said sarcastically and before BJ could react or say another word she slammed the door in front of his face and locked herself inside.

BJ grinned confidently to himself. He knew pretty well Cybil will follow everything he said. His grinned broadened as he thought of something. With the door still closed he said, ‘Goodnight MINE. Sweet dreams.’

‘Oh shut up!’ Cy replied furiously. ‘Get lost you… you black- hearted jerk and don’t you ever call me with THAT endearment!’ she angrily yanked her bangs to the sides, walked towards the bed and laid on it with face flat. She made her decision. She will not going to follow BJ with his unfair demands.

‘Ms. Krizia,’ Ryan called her formally. She was having a lecture on Advance Life Support that day and her trainees where all from different schools. ‘Can I have a minute? Someone’s looking for you… at the lounge…’ he then smiled naughtily at Cy and then before he turned his back to leave he first winked at her.

Cybil just rolled her eyes at his retreating back. She gave her students a coffee break and the hurriedly went to their lounge. The hallways were a bit quiet, her fellow volunteers was helping Rae out with her Basic Life Support training. In less than a minute she arrived at their lounge and was surprise after seeing the person seated at the chair, patiently waiting for her and as handsome as she could remember. Cy smiled, pushed her glasses forward then said gaily, ‘Good morning Van.’ She walked towards him. ‘What brings you here?’

Van slowly stood up upon hearing her voice. ‘I-I just wanted to see for myself if you’re okay… a-after last night’s incident.’

‘Oh… how sweet and thoughtful of you Van.’ Cybil said sweetly then she bear hug him. ‘I’m okay.’ She whispered. ‘You need not to worry about me.’

Van laughed softly while hugging her back. ‘I thought for a while you were NOT okay.’ He sighed in relief. ‘You gave me a quite scare last night.’

Cy laughed. She knew what he meant… her phone calls. ‘I’m sorry-’

‘Cybil I-’ it was Rae. She saw them hugging each other and she was a bit surprise. She was about to invite Cybil for early lunch but she didn’t expect Cybil to have a visitor. ‘I-I’m so… so sorry really… I just…’ she was about to turned her back to them and leave but Cy called her.

‘Rae wait.’ She called while chuckling. She broke free from Van’s embrace and hold Rae’s arm to stopped her from walking out. ‘Nice timing… you see Van here,’ she looked at Van and secretly winked at him. ‘Wanted to donate his blood to help others… can you do the procedure for me?’ she asked sweetly. ‘I still have LOTS of things to finish…’

‘OKAY…’ she first looked suspiciously at her best friend and then at Van. ‘Let’s go Van…’ after a minute she disappeared in front of them.

‘What the…?’ he said in disbelief. ‘Cybil?!’

Cybil laughed helplessly seeing his expression she then patted his shoulder in a mock reassurance. ‘It’s okay Van. Helping others is such a noble thing to do and besides it fells good.’ She tried to hide her laughter but seeing his murderous look, it was so damn hard!

‘I know what’s on your mind!’ he said while shook his head. Without a word he left Cybil in the lounge still laughing with misty eyes.

Cybil heard her phone rang. Still laughing, she answered it. ‘H-Hello…’

‘You seemed happy.’ The caller said in the other line. ‘Is it because I called?’

Abruptly her laughter ceased. She pushed her glassed then said in an unusual high tone. ‘Shut up Brent-‘

‘Cy where’s-’ Van then winced. ‘Sorry’, he mouthed and then gave her an apologetic look.

Cybil smiled then said gaily. ‘Just follow this hall and three doors to your right, that’s the place.’ She laughed and winked at him. Van just nodded and left her. Cy just watched him leave and silently contemplating something.

‘Was that Van?’ BJ asked as if he had the right in the world to know. ‘What is HE doing there?’

‘Give me a break Brent! He’s just donating his blood!’ she said irritatingly and then pushed the end button. She sighed. Sometimes she wanted to quit being BJ’s girlfriend. It had never done her any good, well except yesterday. If Dave knew the truth, I’m sure he wants me back. She paused for a moment. Oh yeah, he even wanted me back though I have a ‘boyfriend’. ‘I really hope he doesn’t find out the truth…’ she whispered.

‘KRIZIA!’ Ryan shouted from the door. He was breathless and excited for something.

To her surprise Cybil literally jumped from her feet. She pushed her glasses and narrowed her gaze at Ryan. ‘What are you shouting about?’ she moved towards her locker, opened it, put her phone inside and then she get her bottle water. ‘What’s your problem?’

‘You have a visitor.’ He said simply. He was just studying her closely.

‘So…?’ she asked uninterested. For all she knew it was just another officer from other chapter of the RC and was inquiring AGAIN for another seminar. I’ll meet with them later, she decided. She began drinking her water. Speaking in front of almost a hundred students was never easy! She thought silently. And it will never be…

‘Krizia it’s YOUR boyfriend.’ Ryan said immediately after seeing Cybil uninterested about her visitor. Ryan winced seeing Cy spit the water she drank and cough horribly.

‘What did you just said?!’ But she didn’t wait Ryan to answer her question, she marched out towards the conference room. She intended to resume the training but before she could even reached the designated room, she saw BJ, comfortably standing outside the room with his right shoulder leaning on the wall, his arms were crossed over his chest and charmingly smiled at everyone who greeted him sweetly. He looked as if he was waiting for HER.

‘I told you Cy, I also wanted to donate my blood.’ BJ said, there was a trace of laughter in his voice. He was sitting comfortably at one of the chairs the blood donor used. Cy was seated just beside him, preparing the things she needed for the said procedure. ‘If you just let me finish my sentence earlier, you’re not in a big shock right now.’ He looked at her.

She didn’t bother to speak to him. She was still in rage with his tactlessness. She just pretended herself busy in front of BJ by arranging and rearranging the things she’ll use in the said procedure.

‘So you’re not going to talk me.’ He studied her features carefully. She was wearing a blank expression on her face but BJ knew pretty well what her silence meant. ‘Okay, I’m sorry for being so tactless…’ he trailed off his mock apology. Still Cy didn’t bothered to speak or to even looked at him. BJ reached up and took her glasses. That will do, he thought. Don’t ignore me like that…

‘Brent!’ she shouted trying to repossess her glasses. She reached for it but BJ playfully hide it behind his back. ‘Give it back to me you jerk!’

Both Rae and Van’s smile faded after hearing Cy’s shout. ‘It’s starting…’ Van said meaningfully at Rae’s blue eyes.

‘Why are you still wearing this hideous thing?’ he said. ‘You wore the contacts I gave last night-’

‘I told you,’ she interrupted irritatingly. ‘I’m much comfortable with glasses than contacts. Brent!’ She shouted as he still refused to give her glasses. Cy was inches away from hitting him with her fist. She stopped for a while, that gave her an idea. Slowly and dramatically she raised her fist, just enough to let him see it and then she gaze at him, she gaze like she were throwing draggers at him.

BJ froze at his chair. ‘Okay… okay…’ without much to say he gave Cybil her glasses.

Cy put on her glasses and sighed in relief. ‘That’s more like it!’ she said. ‘I’m not comfortable handling sharps without my glasses.’

‘Wait… what do you mean sharps?’ he asked confusedly. ‘Sharps like needles?’

For a moment Cybil studied his expression. ‘Y-Yeah… what do you expect me to use a plastic catheter?!’ she answered sarcastically. She frowned as she saw the sudden changes in BJ’s face. Suddenly his face was drained from color, sweats were forming from his forehead and he began to tremble. ‘You’re afraid of needles!’ she whispered.

‘Tell anyone and I swear you’re lying!’ he warned and watched as his ‘girlfriend’ threw her head and burst out laughing. I’m glad she’s back to normal, he though. He was afraid to see Cybil in somber expression. I misjudge her. Accidentally their gaze met, he was still studying her, she wiping her eyes from tears a cause of BJ’s revelation. He sighed as he saw her eyes. I guess I was right after all. From the every start, BJ was afraid Cybil was hiding her true feelings with her cheerful facade.

She thought something. She first pushed her glasses up then quietly said, ‘Brent, do you know that in our profession there was a rule about needles?’ She didn’t wait for his reply. ‘The bigger the number, the smaller the needle or the smaller the number, the bigger the needle.’ Cybil met BJ’s confused expression and smiled. ‘Like comparing gauge 18 to gauge16, gauge 16 is bigger.’ She explained simply.

He nodded at her. ‘I think I got it.’ Cy just smiled at him. He watched her disinfecting the site. Then suddenly something struck him. ‘Cy, why are you telling me stuff like that?’

Cybil shrugged then said carelessly, ‘Added information, I think.’ She was hiding her smile from the naughty things she’d just though.

‘Cy what gauge… I mean-’

‘ONE.’ She lied and she tried not to smile or laugh.

‘Cybil…’ he warned. ‘I’m serious here.’

‘So am I!’ she said immediately and tried to hide her laughter. ‘It’s not that bad, Brent. It’s just as big as an IV tubing and a half long. You want to see it?’ she immediately scans for something as big and as long as an IV tubing but nothing was similar to it. She remembered her round tourniquet. I guess that will do it. She held it in front of BJ then gaily said, ‘Here it is…’

To his fright, BJ failed to noticed that an IV tubing is transparent yet the thing Cybil was presenting him was brown, an IV tubing is long yet Cy’s version was short and an IV tubing is wrapped in a plastic yet the brown round thing that Cybil was holding wasn’t and he failed to noticed it was neatly tied at her bandage scissor earlier. ‘Cybil I-I… o-on the second though I-I’m not going to d-donate-’

Cybil can’t help it anymore. She burst out laughing, she then bear hugged him. ‘Ah… my BOYFRIEND,’ she emphasized. ‘Is afraid of needles.’ She said sweetly. ‘Don’t worry Brent, it was only a joke.’ She whispered at his ear.

Rae had to admit she was a bit surprise at the scene in front of her. ‘Van tell me, was that Cybil and BJ?’ she glance at his direction and she met his shining jade eyes. ‘Since when did those guys became so sweet like that? I though they were just PRETENDING.’ Realizing what just she said, Rae’s eyes went big and instantly she covered her mouth with her hand.

Van smiled charmingly at her. It was his way of telling her that he knew everything. ‘I guess something good happened last night between these two…’

‘Cap, Van,’ Jay called their attention. They were at their school’s gym practicing for their next match. ‘Where have you been? It’s not normal for you guys to be late AT THE SAME TIME. What happened?’ he was referring to the site Cybil and Rae use to ‘extract’ their blood from their body. It was Van’s term and after they left he called Cybil a vampire.

BJ and Van looked at each other. ‘Oh we just dropped by at the RC and donated some blood… in order to help others.’ Van said.

BJ just shrugged. ‘Yeah, what he said.’ they immediately proceed to their locker to change their day clothes with their jersey.

‘Hey Cap, is it true?’ It was Eric their center. He was wearing their blue jersey.

‘What?’ he asked sternly. He took off his shirt and proudly showed his perfectly six pack abs and those delicious biceps. He was lean all right. Those were the products of his training in basketball and a frequent visit to his own gym at his house.

‘The hot girl last night… you know the girl wearing skirt and a white tube top with auburn long hair… the girl you escorted-’

‘What about her?’

‘She’s your NEW girlfriend?’

BJ looked at Van’s direction as if asking him if he was responsible for such thing. Van met his gazed and just shrugged it off. ‘Yeah…’

There was an odd silence inside the locker room. All his teammates looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thought. ‘Another victim’ they all thought silently. Van just shook his head and didn’t pay attention to his teammates. He knew better than them. ‘But she really looks so familiar though.’ Jay finally broke the silence. ‘What do you think Eric?’

‘Yeah, I think we’ve seen her before Jay… but where?’ he asked himself. Some of their teammates already left the locker room leaving the starting five to freely discuss their Captain’s new girlfriend.

He looked at the two. ‘She’s a RC’s youth representative and also a volunteer. Maybe you’ve seen her there.’ He said.

‘Cap,’ it was JR. ‘Only the seniors are mandated to have training with the RC in whatever-that-they-called-it so it’s so impossible for us to see her there.’ He was quiet for a while. ‘But I’m sure Adams was one of them. You guys know Adams right?’ his teammates nod in unison but except for their team captain.

‘Ken, Johan and Sev too.’ Jay agreed. ‘Whoa she sure knew a lot of good players in the league.’

Then again the three agreed immediately. Van was silently studying his best friend. ‘But,’ he interrupted their silence. ‘Dave Adams isn’t in the league,’ he looked at BJ. ‘How come they knew each other and by the look of it last night, Dave was somehow sweet to YOUR girlfriend BJ.’ Van smiled inwardly. Van already knew Cy and Dave relationship, well thanks to Rae but he wanted BJ to tell them who was Dave in the life of his ‘girlfriend’.

‘Van is right…’ the three agreed. ‘Cap?’ JR asked him.

‘They were friends since high school and as to Adams being so sweet with MY girlfriend,’ he emphasized the word ‘my’. He didn’t know exactly why but he wanted to claim Cybil as his and his alone. He took a deep breath. ‘It’s because he was my girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend.’

Van smiled at his startled teammates, silently resumed undressing.

Jay on the other hand was the first person to recover from his shock. ‘Whoa what a small world.’ He commented. All of the sudden he choke his laughter. ‘I can’t believe this day will come to ask you this Cap…’

BJ kneel down to tie his shoe lace. ‘What is it?’ he asked without bothering to glance at their point guard.

He first smiled mischievously at the three people staring at him as if they were waiting for his question and then said, ‘Cap, do you know who is you worst opponent when it comes to your girlfriend’s love?’

BJ stood up and gamely answered his question. ‘I don’t know… maybe the guy she got a huge crush on?’ he winced. ‘I’m the guy…’ he looked at three for help. Their teammates gamely joined. They mentioned several possibilities but there was nothing… not even one was close to the right answer.

‘Nope… not her crush, not the heartthrob, not the playboy, not the boy next door type, not the bad boy, not even her dream boy…’ Jay said amusedly summarizing his friends’ answer. ‘Any other guesses?’ the four shook their heads in unison. Jay smiled and then he looked at BJ. ‘It’s the love BEFORE you…’
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Finally I’m done! Hehehehehehe… It’s my longest chapter so far, well I’ve intended to made it long to cope with my ‘absence’. Hehehe… It’s been quite a while for me and I’m really surprised to read some of the comments. Thank you all for your patience and for still sticking out with my story, and also for you comments (I really had fun reading it the other day). Hope you like this Chapter and pppllleeaaasssseee tell me what you think and feel about it.

Happy New Year to each and everyone and enjoy reading...
God Bless us All...