Chapter 6

Three years had passed and things were changed a bit. Being on a seventh grade, Terence and James' muscles were starting to form their perfect shape. Some inches added to their height and they're getting more handsome than before. Terence had chinky eyes, fair skin, and pointed nose that he got from his mother who came from a Chinese descent family. While James had brown eyes, fair skin, pointed nose and sensible lips that he got from his Spanish decent family. There were some changes on Danielle too. She brought big lunch boxes in school, bought extra large clothes, and gained so much weight. Also, she finally understood what made her fell in love with James. Yes! It was love, and not infatuation as she had claimed. Well, surprisingly, Danielle had known love at the very young age. And everybody must agree on that because she had a unique perception towards her feelings for James. It was not about James' popularity in school, nor his talent and achievements, nor his look but his hidden kindness, positive attitude in life and being responsible son. Of course, she found out those good qualities during her three years of stalking.

Awesome! It was not a typical thing for a girl at her age to understand love. Yet, she did her best to be noticed, however, Danielle wasn't able to catch his attention despite all she had done. She was running out of strategies and the only thing she hadn't tried was confession. It sounded crazy but yes, that could be her last resort. She really needed to have a perfect plan for the confession and her best friend was only person who could give some information.

"Hey, I brought you something," Danielle started the conversation with a smile as Terence had opened the door one weekend afternoon.

"Hmmm. I smell something fishy," he accepted the pizza that Danielle had brought. He knew Danielle very well. Coming with food in such a sleepy afternoon was something. That was not her thing, so there must be something.

"Can't I just come to bring you food? Or just to simply check my best friend?" she was playing innocent again.

"It's like I don't know you," he shrugged.

"Alright. Alright. When you'll be practicing basketball?"

"I knew it! It's James again! Aren't you tired of following? It's been three years now."

"Aissh! I'm asking the date, not a sermon, okay?"

"It's a not sermon. It's a sort of wake up call for you to realize the fact that you're still too young to be a stalker. And that guy, he doesn't like you. I'm telling you, this is not good.''

"Awww! That hurts. Thanks for the concern but don't be a killjoy, okay? Don't tell me, you've never been in love. Or let's just say you dont have a crush, do you?"

"Of course I do have crush, but..." Terence had paused.

"Really? As far as I know, you've never mention a girl to me. Or could it be possible...?" Danielle did a facepalm and shook her head about the detestable thing she imagined. Actually, she was just teasing him.

"Oh stop it! I'm not gay, okay?"

Danielle couldn't help herself but laughed like there was no tomorrow. She even pressed her stomach because she couldn't contain the drolling reaction from Terence's face.

"Hey! Are you here to make fun of me?!" he was so pissed. It was as if his nose became flue blowing dark fumes.

"Sorry, I just can't help it. Come on ~ don't be mad, please?"

Terence still didn't react.

"Please? Please? Please?" she said while she kept pulling his shirt.

"Okay! Okay! Just stop pulling my shirt. You're tearing it."

"Oh really? May I see?" she tickled Terence's flank and he started to giggle.

"S~Stop it! I c~can't breath," he panted.

"Now tell me, when are you going to practice basketball with them?"

"This Monday after class at our school gym, are you happy now?" sarcastically, he said.

"More than happy. Anyway, I gotta go. I need to prepare something."

As she was turning away, Terence spoke up.

"That's it?" 

"Yeah. Why? Are you expecting something more?" she turned to him with a puzzled face.

"No.''

"Then, that's all. See you on Monday," she smiled at him and left.

Terence and James played basketball with some friends very often and Danielle was their number one cheerleader. She didn't like basketball, and so as Terence. But to her persistent, Terence was obliged to learn. Thankfully, James was not a stingy type of person and he willingly taught Terence some basic moves in the court.

There was a time that she came prepared in the court. Not to cheer, but to confess. She had been preparing her speech since a week earlier and believing that day could be the perfect day to confess. She was full of energy and excitement as  she entered in the gym while James came with a dispirited look.

"What's wrong, man?"  While changing jersey shirt, Terence noticed James' mood.

"I uh~I'm okay," he said while lacing his shoes.

"Are you sure?" Terence doubted his answer.

"Yeah. Just don't mind me,okay? Let's go," and they ran out of the locker and headed to the gym. As usual, there were many girls and gays shouting as James had entered the basketball court. He was so immune to that kind of commotion since fourth grade. So, that had no effect to him.

"AHHH!!!" The girls shouted as if they were seeing a PBA heartthrob playing.

"James! Over here!" a certain gay fan shouted while taking pictures of them playing.

James had this magnetic charisma towards people, a thing which Terence hadn't had. Terence was not bad-looking tho, he just hadn't had such head-turner feature. As they were playing, there was a certain feedback from the megaphone that halted them, as well as the crazy audience.

"H~Hello everybody!" then she cleared her throat.

Everybody was curious wherever that voice came from and they murmured.

"I'm sorry to startle you all but I guess this is the right time to tell him everything," she slowly walked in the court and there exposed a fat, clumsy girl in the name of Danielle Torres. Terence couldn't help himself but facepalm realizing the fact that there would be another disaster coming again. He tried signaling her to stop but she continued.

"Actually, I've known him since I was ten. From then, I started to stalk him until here..." the crowd was shocked and reacted to the revelation she just did.

''Whoa! I'm not that bad, okay? I'm just doing what my heart tells me. I've been doing a lot of things just to get his attention but I think they're not enough. Until I came up with this idea. I know this is crazy but there is no other way.'' She took a deep breath and paused to gain strength because her knees were shaking.

"I've been...I've been I loving you... J~James Dizon." After saying those words, she closed her eyes in relief. At last! She did it. It was if she had released a burden inside of her and she felt so much relief.

Silence had dominated the whole gym. They were not expecting whom she pertained to, and that resulted different reactions. Some were gaping, frowning, and others' eyebrows were raising. Until finally somebody had broke up the silence and started to laugh, so everybody was laughing out loud. Of course, they were not happy to hear those words. Instead, they laughed because they were taunting her, humiliating her whole being. Until James halted them by throwing the ball on floor so hard that it echoed all over the gym.

"The next time I hear someone laughing, I'll make sure she or he will gonna chew that ball!" he was pointed at the said ball bouncing on the floor.

That was the very first time they saw James so angry, so no one dared to say a single word.

"Hey you! Come here!" James was pointing at Danielle. Unconsciously, she obeyed him and slowly walked towards him. As she was near to him, James moved even closer and whispered. She almost faint at that moment ,when she felt the air in her ear. She couldn't believe that the distance between their skin was just less than an inch.

"Hey, listen closely! I don't wanna humiliate you here but please, stop bugging me. Stay away from me. Stay away in life. I don't wanna see your face again. Not even your shadow. Now, I will pretend that nothing happened.  So let's go outside together and you'll not be humiliated,'' he was so authoritative and firmed to his words.

Danielle was so devastated of what she had heard. By that time, she left the court with overflowing tears from her eyes. It was as if she undergone a heart operation without anesthesia. She really felt her heart being pulled out of her chest. To her pain, she forgot the crowd eyeing them. She didn't even noticed her best friend was following with them too.