heartbreaker: correction, Takuya challenged her to lie which Zoe lied that Ivan't going to take her to the prom (not true). But the truth is she's going to run over to Ivan...blah, blah, blah-and hey! level 5 na aq sa plants vs. zombies! bandang roof na aq!

Enjoy the chapter people of world...in tagalog MGA MADLANG PEOPLE!

Before Zoe fell asleep, she pinned the red shaped-balloon near her mirror. She grabbed the chocolate and the love letter. She sat on her bed and took a bite of the chocolate while she read the letter:

When I first saw you I was afraid to talk to you. When I first talked to you I was afraid to like you. When I first liked you I was afraid to love you. When I first loved you I was afraid to lose you—

"Haven't I heard or read this already?" Zoe muttered and took another bite of the chocolate. "Sweet chocolate!" Zoe exclaimed as she finished up the chocolate and continued reading:

You're the song I tried to sing and the note that I couldn't hit—

"Seriously, I think I've already read this but I can't remember where, when and how," she complained and continued.

I'm so sorry—sorry because I hurt you, sorry because it was a worthless effort. Sorry that I couldn't protect you from what I am. And it didn't work. I'm sorry.

Yesterday, when I would touch you, you were so…hesitant, so careful, and yet still the same. I need to know why. Is it because I'm too late? Because I've hurt you too much? Because you have moved on, as I meant for you to? That would be…quiet fair. I won't contest your decision. So don't worry to spare your feelings.

I love you Zoe—as a friend.

See you at the Dance.

Takuya.

Zoe folded the letter carefully, and put it in her memory box. And then she carefully sealed away her heart.

One Hour before the Dance Starts

Zoe chose a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey tints in her blond hair. Zoe wore her pink strappy heels—she was overjoyed to have a date tall enough that she could wear high heels at all. She held her leg out, twisting her ankle to get a better view of the shoe.

Zoe strikes a pose at the stairs while Nathan took her a picture.

"You look so much like your mother," Nathan commented. "It reminded me the our first date."

"Thanks." She threw a mocking smile in his direction, and hugged him.

"Yes." She grinned again. And the door bell rang. "Oh. That must be Takuya." She half-run to answer the door.

Zoe had never seen Takuya dress like that before because she didn't attend the Christmas Ball, and, with the contrast against his tan skin, his beauty was absolutely surreal. That much she couldn't deny, even if that he was wearing a tuxedo mad her very nervous.

Not quite as nervous as the dress. Or the shoe. But the stiletto heel, held on only by satin ribbons, certainly going to held her as she tried to walk around.

"Looks like someone's been treated like a Guinea Pig Barbie tonight," Takuya griped. She'd spent the better part of the day in her staggeringly vast bathroom, as she played hairdresser and cosmetician. She dressed herself in the most beautiful dress—some deep red, frilly and off the shoulders, with French tags she couldn't read—some dresses more suitable for a runaway than Shibuya. Nothing good could come of their formal attire, of that she was sure. Unless…but she was afraid to put her suspicious words, even in her own head.

She was distracted then by the sound of Takuya.

"Hello, Mr. Orimoto," he said warily.

"Takuya," Nathan smiled.

Nathan had been…easy since her return from Thailand during Christmas. He had compartmentalized her good experience.

Something Nathan was saying made Takuya's eyes widen in disbelief, and then a grin spread across their faces.

"I'm sorry if there's been kind of miscommunication because Zoe's unavailable to night!" Takuya laughed. "No offense. And I'm sorry about your evening." He didn't sound sorry at all. And then a huge smirk on Zoe's face.

Zoe's face and neck flashed crimson with humor.

They looked at her in surprise. "It is okay if you can take my girl to the prom." Nathan said.

"My father just says what?" Zoe almost yelled rapidly.

It was embarrassingly obvious now. If she'd been paying any attention at all, she'd sure she would have noticed the date on the posters that decorated the school buildings. But she'd never dreamed Nathan was thinking of subjecting her to this. Didn't know her at all?

They weren't expecting the force of her reaction, which was clear. Takuya pressed his lips together and his eyes narrowed. "Don't be difficult, Zoe." Nathan said. "I trust him already."

Zoe's eyes flashed to Takuya.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she demanded in horror.

Takuya gestured to his tuxedo. "Honesty, Zoe, what did you think we were doing?"

She was mortified. First, because she'd missed the obvious. And also because the vague expression—expectations really—that she'd been forming all day, as she tried to transform her into a beauty queen, were so far wide of the mark.

She remembered with dismay that she was wearing mascara and wore waterproof makeup.

"This is completely ridiculous. I'm not going to the prom." She said in frustration.

"Because you like him?" Nathan pointed out.

"Dad." She turned the full force of her scorching emerald eyes on her Dad.

"What?" Nathan muttered, distracted.

"Do wanna be late?" Takuya insisted.

"Humor me," Zoe muttered.

Takuya's eyes were melting all her fury. It was impossible to fight with them when Takuya and Nathan cheated like that. She gave in with poor grace.

"Fine," she pouted, unable to glare as effectively as she would have liked. "I'll approve quietly. But you'll see. I'm way overdue for more bad luck. It's a death trap!" and Takuya and Zoe left the house.

At the gym

"Hmmm." Takuya stared Zoe. "Remind me to thank Koji for yesterday tonight again."

"Do the others have a date?" That comforted her slightly.

"Koji's with Natalie. Koichi's with Alex. And…JP's with Dylan," he admitted.

The feeling of comfort disappeared. There had been progress with Koji, she as on quite good terms with him a lot. They enjoyed having each other around—Koji thought her reactions were hilarious…or maybe it was just the fact that she fell down a lot that he found her so funny. They acted as if they're brother or sisters. While Zoe shook her head to dispel the direction her thoughts had taken, she thought something else.

"May I ask why you didn't come to the Christmas Ball?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

"I wanted to visit my grandparents earlier." She grinned as she lied, and then chuckled.

"Apparently you're lying, aren't you?"

Zoe gritted her teeth. How Takuya could be so delusional, she couldn't imagine. At gym, Takuya and Zoe were inseparable.

The clouds were thin today, a few streaks of sunlight escaping through far away in the west.

Zoe folded her arms stubbornly, feeling a secret twinge of smugness. The gym was crowded with people in formal dress: witnesses.

Takuya pinned a red rose into her elaborately styled curls. He ignored the angry set of her mouth. Takuya sighed. "When someone doesn't believe you, you're brave as a lion—" he shook his head.

Zoe gulped.

"I won't let go of you once today, I promise Zoe."

Zoe thought about that and suddenly felt much better. He could see that in her face.

"There, now," he said gently, "it won't be so bad." He wrapped one arm, around her waist. She took his other hand.

He kept his arm tightly around her.

In Thailand, they held proms in hotel ballrooms. This dance was in the gym, of course. It was probably the only room in town big enough for a dance. Zoe giggled. There were actual balloon arches and twisted garlands of pastel crepe paper festooning walls.

"This looks like a romance movie waiting to happen," Zoe snickered.

"Well," he muttered as they slowly approached the table—"you look beautiful in curls."

Zoe looked at the dance floor; a wide gap formed in the center of the floor, where two couples whirled gracefully. The other dancers pressed to the sides of the room to give them space—no one wanted to stand in contrast with such radiance. The twins were intimidating with flawless in classic tuxedos. Zoe pitied every girl in the room, herself included.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not a pretty much dancer," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Really?" He glared. "That's weird, I always see you dancing with different kinds of types every day."

"Oh, I don't' even remember those moved, of course."

He smiled reluctantly. "Neither am I."

"But I would usually step on your foot."

They turned toward the dance floor. Zoe cringed against his arm.

"Then I will do my best to avoid you," he winked.

Eventually they towed their selves out to where their friends were twirling elegantly—if in style totally unsuitable to the present time and music. Zoe watched in amazed.

"Takuya." Her throat was so dry she could only manage to whisper. "I honestly can't dance!" She could feel the panic bubbling inside her chest.

"Don't worry, silly," he whispered back. "You'll remember the moves." He put her arms around his neck.

And then they were whirling, too.

"I feel like I'm five years old," she laughed after a few minutes of full effort waltzing.

"You look five," murmured, pulling her closer for a second.

Koji caught her eye on a turn and smiled in encouragement—she smiled back. She was surprised that he was actually enjoying herself.

"Okay, this isn't half bad," she admitted.

"Wanna get some drink?" Takuya wondered aloud.

Zoe nodded, looking at him intently before Takuya turned to walk away.

"Hey, Zoe, I was hoping you would like to dance with me." Koji's smile was just as warn as ever.

"I don't mind." Zoe smiled back.

Koji put his hands on her waist, and Zoe reached up to put her hands on his shoulders.

And then they were taking one step at a time.

"Wow, the two are getting close again," Koji teased.

Zoe was smug. "Don't push it."

"I thought you don't know how to dance?" he asked without true curiosity.

"Can you believe Takuya made me remember my moves?" she admitted, slightly ashamed.

"Yes, I can," he muttered. "Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, at least. Seen anything you like?" she teased, nodding toward a group of girls lined up against the wall like pastel confections.

"Yeah," he sighed. "But she's taken."

He glanced down to meet her curious gaze for just a second—then they both looked away, embarrassed.

"You look really pretty, by the way," he added shyly.

"I did mention that you looked very nice, didn't I?" she verified. "Um, thanks. So, what do you mean she's taken?" she asked quickly, though she knew the answer.

Koji didn't seem grateful for the subject change; he looked away, uncomfortable again. "I mean, she likes somebody. I swear I'm losing mind."

She joined his laughter weakly.

"Anyway, is that girl you're talking about someone you're dancing with now?"

"Technically yes," he confessed with a sheepish grin.

"Why don't you look hard enough on girls?" she grinned back.

Against the wall, Takuya was watching her face, his own face expressionless. He saw a sophomore in a pink dress eyeing him with timid speculation, but he didn't seem to be aware of her.

Koji looked away again, ashamed. "Don't get mad, okay?"

"There's no way I'll be mad at you, Koji," she assured him. "You just said what you have to."

"Well—this is so stupid, I'm sorry, Zoe."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Yeah. I was…king of over top on this…" Koji trailed off self-consciously.

"I know that," Zoe said quickly.

Takuya wouldn't meet her eyes. Though his hands were still on her waist, and Zoe's were around her neck.

"Look, Koji, I know you probably won't believe this but just so you know"—he looked at her know, responding to the new earnestness in her voice—"No matter what happened, you'll always be my best friend."

"I know," he claimed, but he sounded like her sincere words had affected him some.

"Hey, I'm sorry if that affected you, Koji," she apologized. "At any rate, we're best friends, right?"

"Yeah," he muttered.

"There's more?" she asked in disbelief.

"Forget it," he mumbled.

She glared at him until he met her gaze. "Just spit it out, Koji."

"It's so bad."

"I don't care. Tell, me," she insisted.

"Okay…but, geez, this sounds bad." He shook his head. "I get jealous, no, pretty jealous, when—Takuya's around you"—he lifted one hand from her waist and made a little quotations marks in the air—"It really makes me so bad." He watched warily for her reaction.

Zoe laughed out loud.

"I feel sorry for that," she snickered.

"I don't mind that much." He grinned in relief. His eyes appraising as they raked quickly over her dress. "I should butt the hell out."

"No," she sighed. "Thanks. I know you mean well."

The song ended, and she dropped her arms.

His hands hesitated at her waist. "Do you want to dance again?"

Takuya answered for her. "That's all right, Koji. I'll take it from here."

Koji flinched, and stared wide-eye at Takuya, who stood just beside them.

"Hey, I didn't see you there," he mumbled. "I guess I'll see you around, Zoe." He stepped back, waving half-heartedly.

She smiled. "Yeah, I'll see you later."

"Sorry," he said again before he turned for her date.

After Zoe gulped her drink they continued dancing.

Takuya's arms wound around her as the next song started. It was a little up-tempo for slow dancing, but that didn't seem to concern him. She leaned her head against his chest, content.

"Feeling better?" she teased.

"Not really," he said tersely.

"Don't be mad at Koji," she sighed. "He just worries about me for my sake. It's nothing personal."

"I'm not mad at Koji," he corrected in a clipped voice. "But his irritating me."

She pulled back to look at him. His face was very serious.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

"First of all, why would I be?"

She stared at him in confusion.

She half-smiled. "Admit it Takuya, you still like me more that a friend," she explained.

"Oh. Well, thanks for saying that. But there's something else." Takuya frowned.

She waited patiently.

"He called you pretty," he finally continued, his frown deepening. "That's practically an insult, the way you look right now. You're much more than beautiful."

She laughed. "You might be a little biased."

"I don't think that's it.

They were twirling again, he held her close.

"So are you going to explain the reason for all for this?" she wondered.

He looked down at her, confused, and she glared meaningfully at the crepe paper.

He considered for a moment, and then changed direction, spinning her through the crowd to the back door of the gym. She caught a glimpse of Koichi with Alex dancing, staring at her curiously. Alex waved, and she smiled back quickly. Dylan was there, too, looking blissfully happy in the arms of JP; she didn't look from his eyes, a head lower than hers. Koji and Natalie, glaring toward Takuya and Zoe; she could name every face that spiraled past her. And they were outdoors, in the cool, dim light, of a fading sunset.

As soon as they were alone, Takuya swung her up into his arms, and carried her across the dark grounds till he reached the bench beneath the shadow of the madrone trees. He sat there, keeping her cradled against his chest. The moon was already up, visible through the gauzy clouds and his face glowed tan in the white light. His mouth was hard, his eyes troubled.

"The point?" she prompted softly.

He ignored her, staring up at the moon.

"No matter how perfect the day is, it always had to end." He murmured.

"Some things don't have to end," she muttered through her teeth, instantly tense.

"I asked you to the Dance," he said slowly, finally answering her question, "because I didn't get to dance with you last Christmas Dance. I don't want my presence to take anything away from you, if I can help it."

Zoe shuddered at his words. He smiled briefly, but it didn't touch his eyes. "It wasn't so bad, you said so yourself."

"That's because I was with you."

They were quiet for a minute; he stared at the moon and he stared at him.

'Will you tell me something?" he asked, glancing down at her with a slight smile.

'Don't I always?"

"Just promise you'll tell me," he insisted, grinning.

"Fine."

"You seemed honestly surprised when I sang you a song yesterday," he began.

"I was," she interjected.

"Exactly," he agreed. "But you must have had some other theory…I'm curious—what did you think? I will let other boys dance with you to the dance?"

She pursed her lips, hesitating. "I don't want to tell you."

"You promised," he objected.

"I know."

"What's the problem?"

She knew he thought it was mere embarrassment holding her back. "I think it will make you mad—or sad."

His brows pulled together over his eyes as he thought that through. "I still want to know. Please?"

She sighed. He waited.

"No…more…I want to be free…we're free!" she scoffed.

"Free?" he asked flatly. He'd picked up on the key word.

She looked down at her dress, fidgeting with stray piece of chiffon. He waited in silence.

A dozen emotions played across his face. Some she recognized: anger…pain…and then he seemed to collect himself and his expression became amused.

"You thought that I still want you back, didn't you?" he teased, touching the lapel of his tuxedo jacket.

She scowled to hide her embarrassment. "I don't know how these will work out. To me, at least, it seems rational. He was still grinning. "It's not funny," she said,

"No, you're right, it's not," he agreed, his smile fading. "I'd rather treat it like a joke, though, than believe you're serious."

"But I ma serious."

He sighed deeply. "I know."

The pain was back in his eyes. She bit her lip and nodded.

"I'm not worth it," he murmured, almost to himself.

"You obviously have the same blindness," she said sadly.

"I know what I am," he raised his eyebrows.

Both of them smiled.

"I will hold your hand through the things that make you nervous," he said with a sour edge to his mocking tone.

"While I give you my expert advice on all your automotive questions." She said.

"That's enough for forever." He answered smiling.

woohoo! GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO IS NOW OFFICIALLY GONE! MABUHAY SI NOYNOY AQUINO! NOY-BI!

before i leave, let's have a trivia: THE PRESIDENCY IS NOYNOY AQUINO'S DESTINY - The Congress proclaims Aquino and Binay the duly elected president and vice president of the republic *clap, clap, clap*

attention. attention. attention. sorry for the incovinience. the good news is Aquino is now the president of the republic of the PHILIPPINES'. the bad news is ERAP is being a plastic i think.

don't 4get to read/review!