A/N: GUESS WHAT? MY NAME IS TOP FIVE IN THE TOP 100 MOST POPULAR GIRL NAMES IN THE UNITED STATES!
Fang: Technically, number five is Ava. Not Aya.
Me: Do you have to kill my happiness every time, Fang? Why can't you just leave me in my slaphappy world?
Max: Yeah, Fang. You know Aya is not always slaphappy. Or even happy at all. She hardly smiles.
Iggy: That's why, Aya, you should smile more. It makes you look. . .
Me: Make me look what?
Iggy: Never mind. It's just gonna make you cry.
Me: I think I have an idea. . .
Chapter 14 Max POV
"Before you tell me what, Max, I've had this burning question in my mind." Aya sprawls on her back on her bed and hugs her pillow.
"What is it, Aya?" I turn down the volume of Aya's iHome.
"Why can't you say Fang's name?" Her dark eyes are making me uncomfortable.
I turn away and instead, I stare at Aya's silver watch on the nightstand. Why can't I say his name? I did once. Well, I thought of it twice. But WHY can't I say his name?
"I don't know why, Aya." I answered, my voice so small.
"Tell me something instead."
"What?"
"Did you thought of Fang at all, when you left London?"
"I think so. For the first year, I think. After that, I never thought of him ever again." I sprawled on my back and stared at the ceiling.
"Is this year the first time you've ever thought of him again, since you moved?"
"Yeah. . . Which totally messed up my senior year."
"And your getting arrested didn't?"
I grin. "Shut up. You know what I mean." But she does have a point.
"What is it you're going to ask me help on?"
My grin fades. "I think I'm sick. No, I'm dying."
Aya sits up and looks at me straight in the eye. "Why would you say so?"
I lift up one finger. "Well, my mouth gets dry when I try to talk at Fang. I lift up another finger. "My heart constricts when he smiles at me. And I can't seem to look at him in the eye! Then, when he calls me 'Emmy', my knees turn to pudding. What is wrong with me?" I realize I'm suddenly shaking Aya's shoulders. How the heck did that happen?
Aya just laughs at my face. How dare she! "I do believe it's called love?"
I let go of Aya's shoulders, as if they suddenly are covered with poison. "Lo- Lo- Lo-" I stammer.
"Love." Aya emphasizes. Aya starts laughing again.
"NO! No, no, no, no, no! That is not true!" IT IS NOT LOVE!
Aya picks up her iPod and looks for something. "I have the perfect song of your 'sickness'." Aya raises her hands and does the air quotes. Then laughs. I'll show her something she can laugh upon!
"Aya, I told you it's not love-"
"As usual, Max. Always in denial."
I blush. "I am not in denial!"
Aya just ignores me and starts to chant that I'm in love. I AM NOT IN LOVE!
O pare ko... Meron akong problema...
Wag mong sabihing na naman.
In love ako sa isang kolehiyala;
Hindi ko maintindihan.
Wag na nating idaan sa "ma-boteng" usapan..
Lalo lang madaragdagan
Ang sakit ng ulo at bilbil sa tiyan...
Anong sarap... Kami'y naging magkaibigan.
Napuno ako ng pag-asa.
Yun pala haggang doon lang ang kaya..
Akala ko ay pwede pa...
Masakit mang isipin kailangang tanggapin..
Kung kelan ka naging seryoso tsaka ka niya gagaguhin!
O, Dios ko!Ano ba naman ito!
Di ba? Tangina, nagmukha akong tanga.
Pinaasa niya lang ako.
Lecheng pag-ibig to!
O, Dios ko!Ano ba naman ito!
Sabi niya ayaw niya munang magkasiyota.
Dehins ako naniwala.
Di nagtagal naging ganun na rin ang tema.
Kulang na lang ay sagot niya...
Ba't ba ang labo niya? Di ko maipinta.
Hanggang kelan maghihintay; ako ay nabuburat na!
Pero minamahal ko siya...
Di biro... T.L. ako sa kanya...
Alam kong nababaduyan ka na sa mga sinasabi ko,
Pero sana naman ay maintindihan mo...
O pare ko, meron ka bang maipapayo?
Kung wala ay okey lang.
Kailangan lang ay ang iyong pakikiramay.
Andito ka ay ayos na...
Masakit mang isipin kailangang tanggapin..
Kung kelan ka naging seryoso tsaka ka niya gagaguhin!
O, Dios ko! Ano ba naman ito!
Di ba? Tangina, nagmukha akong tanga.
Pinaasa niya lang ako.
Lecheng pag-ibig to!
O, Dios ko! Ano ba naman ito...
Towards the middle of the song, Aya is singing with the singer of the song. The song, however, is not familiar to me. I don't even understand it!
When the song ends, I ask Aya. "What the heck? I don't understand it! What does it even mean?"
Aya laughs. "It tells the story of a guy who fell in love with a college girl. Who was led on by the girl, until he finally was rejected and cursed love forever."
I'm dumbstruck. This is the song that perfectly relates with my situation? "Are you effin' kidding me?"
Aya continues to laugh. "Oh, don't worry. It's only the first stanza that relates to you. Not the whole song. Besides, Fang will never reject you."
I scrunch up my face. "How do you know that? Are you psychic or something?" Not that I care if Fang rejects me. . .
"Oh, how I wish to be so, Max. But no. You'll see in the future."
Aya is always saying ominous words. It's creeping me out. . .
"Aya. . ."
She sighs. "Yes?"
"Can you translate me the whole song?"
"The hell I will."
I pound Aya with her fallen pillow. "You played me the song! I have a right to know what it means!"
"Fine, fine! Just the first stanza, though."
"The hell I will agree to that. Please?"
Aya snorts. "I'll try," But before she can translate, she turns the topic once again. "So, you finally admit you're in love?" Aya grins wickedly at me.
I blush. "I repeat for the freakin' last time, I. Am. Not. In. Love," I enunciate every word for full emphasis. "Besides, I'm curious about the song. And can you teach me how to speak your language?"
Aya shakes her head, yet there is a smile on her face. "You're asking too much from me, Max. I'll translate the song just for you."
She clears her throat and starts.
"My brother, I have a problem/ Don't tell me again/ I'm in love with a college girl/ I don't understand."
Wow. So it really is about a guy who fell in love with a college girl. Poor rejected guy. . .
She continues on, while I continue at the plain colored ceiling. I close my eyes as I hear Aya's words.
"Don't turn this into a heated discussion/ It'll only make my headache and stomachache worse."
I laugh. Even though it's only a song, I still find the guy's turmoil hilarious.
Aya continues and ignores my laughter.
"It's so refreshing when we became friends/ I was filled with hope/ Turns out, my hope was short-lived/ I thought it's still OK."
I interrupt Aya. "So, he's talking to the girl now? And not his friend?"
"Yep."
I nod and tell Aya to continue. "It hurts to think but I need to accept/ Just when you turn serious, she ignores you." Aya suddenly laughs.
"What?" I ask curiously.
"There's a curse word in that stanza. I can't actually put it into words. . ."
"Tell me, tell me, tell me. . ." I say, giddy and excited. One thing you don't learn in foreign language class: they don't teach you curses.
"Well, I'll tell you sometime. Do you still want me to continue?"
I wave a finger at her. "I'm gonna add that to Aya's-promises-she-still-ought-to-fulfill list. Don't think I forgot those other promises you made."
She just waves me off. "After I translate the chorus, I'm done, 'kay?" I nod. "Oh, God. What the heck?/ Stupid fool, I looked like an idiot/ She led me on/ Effin' love/ Oh, God. What the heck?"
I burst out laughing. "Wow. I admire his dignity. Did he actually say 'effin' love'?"
"No, but you know what I mean."
"Will you tell me the curse words now?"
"No."
"Aw. What?"
"Sleep, Max. You have work tomorrow."
"Can you at least just teach me one?"
"No."
"I won't quit annoying you."
"So? I'll be asleep then."
Yeah, right.
"MAX! WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP? I'M TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!"
Cue evil laugh. I knew she won't be able to sleep when I actually fry her nervous system from annoyance.
"Will you just teach me one curse word?"
"NO! NOW, SHUT UP! I NEED TO GET MY EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP!"
"Will you teach me one curse word? Will you just teach me one curse word? Will-"
Aya kicks the covers off her and stares down at me. For four hours, I've been sitting on the floor beside Aya's bed. "FINE!"
I grin.
"'Gago' means bastard. 'Gaga' means bitch. There? Now, can you please, please sleep?"
I doubt she realize that she taught me two curse words.
I've never been a fan of school, but Aya's teaching made it more interesting.
Satisfied, I go to my bed and jump beneath the covers.
I smile as I pat myself in the head mentally for learning something worth learning.
Fang POV
I have decided that I would not ask Max to the Homecoming dance.
You can cheer for me now.
Wait. Look back. Read it all over again. What do you notice? Right, I will NOT ask Max to the Homecoming dance. You thought I would, didn't you? Well, sorry for stepping on your elation with my cruel decision making.
I just don't think I'll be able to ask Max to the dance. For some reason, these past seven days, Max has been purposedly avoiding me. Or so that's what I think she was doing.
Did I do something wrong? Did I do something that made her ignore me? What did I do? Did I humiliate her? Did I hurt her feelings? What did I do?
GET A GRIP, FANG! YOU'RE GOING TO DESTROY COOL PERSONA!
Right, right. I should stay cool - I CAN'T TAKE THIS! I CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF MAX IGNORING ME FOREVER!
Well, she kinda did. . . Shut the hell up, conscience. I have no need for your stupid logic right now.
You have to admit I'm right. . . Conscience! I said shut up!
I am going to confront Max. Just to ask her why she has been pretending I don't exist in this cruel, hatred-infested world that I was so lucky to be born in and to be able to meet the girl of my dreams.
Jackpot.
Max is holding a clipboard and peers into the door windows, checking if the rooms are clean.
As she draws near, (I'm actually in the back garden, sitting on a stone bench) I bluntly ask her the question that has been haunting for the last seven days.
"Why have you been avoiding me?"
I actually hear Max stop in her tracks. She can't really see me, because there's this stupid globe-shaped bush behind me.
"W-what do you m-mean?" Max stammers. I admit, that is so cute. She takes seven steps forward and out in the corner of my eye, I see her.
As usual, my breath is trapped in my trachea, leaving me unable to breathe. Why does she have to be so beautiful? And sexy? And so damn innocent?
She left her soft dirty-blond hair uncombed. Her navy blue neck tie is askew and loose; the two upper buttons of her white button-down shirt is unbuttoned, revealing an unblemished slender neck; she's wearing tights now, but it fails to cover her long delicate legs; her Doc Marten black boots are unlaced; and that brown smudge on her nose is driving me crazy.
I stand up and my spine pops. I know Max hears it. I walk until I reach just two feet in front of her. I reach out and brush the smudge out of her face. My fingers linger a second longer just to feel her soft skin, then I force my arm to go back to my side.
"Why?" I whisper. A soft wind blows and a small brown leaf falls on the top of her head.
"Why what?"
"Why are you avoiding me?"
"I'm not. Where did you get that idea?" She won't meet my eyes; she's lying.
"Cut it, Max. Did I do something to you?" I want to get rid of the leaf on her head that's making her image imperfect.
"No."
"Did I-"
Her head turns and she meets my eyes. "You didn't do anything. I just need to be alone, away from distractions."
I suppress a smile. "I'm a distraction."
She smiles a small smile. "More like an annoyance. A pest."
Stab. Rip. Stab. Rip. It hurts so much. "Really?"
She shrugs. "Your cockiness always gets on my nerves."
And you're always on my mind. Twenty-four-seven. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't meant to be."
"So? Every word that comes out of your pretty mouth never fail to amuse me and make my day."
I turn back around but stop and I lean closer to Max. She stiffens as I lower my head, to rest on her right shoulder. Her shoulders sag in relief, while I smile. She thought I was going to kiss her. My right hand travels upward, to the top of her head. I flick the leaf off and I pull away.
"I'll see you around, giliw ko."
"Are you going to the meeting tomorrow?" She asks, her eyes sparkling and her face a bit pinkish.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Are you going to the dance?"
She mimics my answer. "Maybe. Maybe not." She grins.
I just smirk. "I suggest you wear the yellow dress."
"I hate that dress."
"Well, I like it. The yellow hue of the dress makes your hair color stand out more."
"I hate that dress." Max repeats in emphasis. God, she's so stubborn.
I laugh all the way back to my dorm room in Larenston. I still smile as I take off my glasses and blazer. I unbutton my shirt and toss it on my bed. I pull my t-shirt over my head and toss it also on my bed. I unbuckle my belt and I crash on the edge of my bed.
I cross my arms under my head and just smile.
I don't believe I've ever felt this happy since senior year started. Or rather, since Max came.
I believe she's going to be my date in the Homecoming dance.
Now isn't that wonderful?
Maybe some decisions are meant to be withdrawn.
Just maybe.
A/N: The newest chapter for Just Another Year will be update tomorrow. I'll try to publish the special chapter this week. Maybe I'll type it at school, during my option. This chapter is pretty long, isn't it? I hope it suits you guys! Anyway, RnR?