WHEN GIRLS FALL IN LOVE: 'TWAS A JOY 1

"Christine, you have to stop. Please, for the love of God, just give up. He does not want to play games with you. That was the third time he gave you an I don't care look and left," a woman in a blue dress said and sat down on the bed.

"Not only that, Rachel," the other woman with her continued. "Christine, you have a reputation. Remember? You change boyfriends as frequently as you change clothes. What is wrong with you? Find another man because clearly he is not interested."

Christine placed her chin on top of her hands and looked at the mirror. How come I can't attract him with this beautiful face? She pursed her lips in thoughts but was disturbed when her two friends: Rachel and Denise yelled at her.

"CHRISTINE!!!!"

"Huh? You were saying?" she replied nonchalantly.

"He does not want to play games with you," Denise said.

Christine smiled, "I don't want to play games with him either."

Rachel sighed, "Good. So what's your next plan?"

Christine looked away dreamingly. "To be his girlfriend," she responded smiling.

"Huh? I thought you don't want to play games with him," Rachel replied. She is not used to watching Christine being giddy like a teenager. Usually, Christine is very composed and collected. She's mischievous and scheming but never giddy.

"I think I'm in love," she said and looked at them with a smile not leaving her face.

"You have to be joking," Denise said, shocked.

"No. Seriously, he is the only man who's not attracted to me despite my beautiful face," Christine reasoned.

Her friends are not convinced, "And that qualifies him to be loved by you?" Rachel retorted and snickered.

To their amazement, Christine nodded her head seriously, "That and so much more."

"CHRISTINE!!!! Wake up from your daydreams, will you?" Denise exclaimed and grabbed her friend's shoulder. She began to shake Christine but the latter calmly took hold of her hands and put it on her lap.

"I am wide awake and I know what I am saying," she remarked and tossed her hair.

"Well, that going to be a problem because he is not interested in you," Denise tried again just in case her words would pass through her friend's very thick skull.

"I don't care," she stood up and raised her fist, "I'll fight my way in…" she said with determination.

Rachel and Denise looked at each other and looked at Christine yet again, "Fight your way in where?" Rachel asked.

Christine smiled again. "In his heart," she said and swooned.

Denise crossed her arms, "Oh my gosh, I cannot believe this is happening. Are you sure you are not sick?"

"You two need to help me," Christine looked at her friends with pleading eyes, totally dismissing her friends' contradictions.

"I'm scared of David Ji," Rachel made her point as Denise nodded.

Christine sighed dramatically, "So this is how you two will repay me? Rachel, when you gained 10 pounds, who would see to it that you follow your healthy diet and go with you to the gym everyday?"

Rachel looked at her friend, "You…"

"Denise, when your stupid ex-boyfriend dumped you because he thinks you are not beautiful enough, who helped you make him realize the beauty that he lost?"

Denise looked at her, "You."

Christine tossed her hair, "I was always there for the two of you. But now, I am the one who needs help. This is the first time I fell in love. I love David Ji and I want to be his first girlfriend," she declared seriously.

Seeing her like that, her friends did not have a choice but to concede. "Okay… okay… stop the theatrics. What do you want us to do?" Rachel asked. They knew Christine would not take no for an answer.

"Yay. I know I can count on both of you," she squealed and grinned triumphantly, "Very well, I wanted to know all of his class schedules, his hobbies, his favorite hangout, where he is every day… except of course during Fridays because it is our shopping day… but, if I became his girlfriend, the shopping day will be moved to Saturday, okay?"

Rachel and Denise nodded. "Stalker alert," Rachel couldn't help but to comment, which of course Christine completely ignored.

"You will be mine, David Ji… you will love me too," she said optimistically and swooned again despite her friends' disbelief and sarcasm.

*****

Joe was sitting down at the lunch table with David and Kenji when the woman from the other day put a bag of gourmet-made cookies before David.

"For your dessert. Remember me? Christine?" she said and smiled.

Joe glanced at David and then looked at Christine while putting a spoonful of rice in her mouth.

Kenji leaned on the chair's backrest to watch the two after recognizing the girl from the bar. "This is interesting," he uttered.

David looked at the cookies and then at Christine. "I hate sweets," he told her.

Kenji chuckled, "No, you don't. You love cookies."

David glared at Kenji. "That was a long time ago," he answered quickly.

Joe contradicted before thinking. She shook her head, "You're lying. Remember, you just ate a whole tray of chocolate chip cookies last night. You didn't even want to give me any, remember?"

David put his hand over her mouth and whispered, "Whose side are you on?"

"Ummmm," is all she can manage to say because of his hand over her mouth.

"What?" David asked.

She pointed at his hand. David let go, "You," she answered his question and went back to eating.

"Would you please accept it?" Christine asked patiently.

David looked at her, "Why?"

"Because you love cookies," she said and smiled.

"Let's go, Joe," David said and pulled Joe.

Joe quickly swallowed her food, "I am not done eating, yet," she complained.

"You told me you are on my side," David replied and walked away dragging Joe with him.

Kenji shook his head and looked at Christine. "Sorry about that," he said.

Christine looked at him and nodded.

"Care to sit down? Everyone is looking at you," he said and looked around.

Christine shook her head.

"Can I have the cookies?" Kenji asked.

Christine looked at him and smiled. "Sure…it's not good to waste food after all," she said and walked away.