There she is again; picking up the books that have fallen
after bumping almost everyone in the campus. Clumsy is just an understatement
if it is to describe her. With her braided pigtails and thick eyeglasses, one
could already presume that she’s a geek—a nerd.

“May I help you with
that?” she heard a husky voice behind her.

Gathering the rest of the papers on the ground, she adjusted
her eyeglasses and looked up to see who was talking. Anthony. She blinked her
eyes thrice, and took a deep breath. Then, she shook her head as if in
disbelief then looked again—Anthony.

He was wearing a black shirt which complemented his fair
skin. Is this really true? She tried fiddling her lenses which made Anthony
grin. There it is again, the strange feeling. Her heart started beating wildly
as she tried to stand up. If only it’s true. She wished the guy in front of her
to speak again only to prove what she’s seeing isn’t an apparition.

“Can I”? Anthony stretched out his hand this time.

After almost a century of being lost in space, Anthony’s
soothing voice pulled her back to earth again. “Well, yes, of course.” She will
really curse herself if she stammered. Still unbelieving the turn out of
things, she is totally mesmerized with the boy who is standing beside her and
helping her gather her books.

“I don’t expect a debater to be monosyllabic.” Anthony said,
flashing his killer smile.

Was it a joke or a compliment? She was somehow in a state of
confusion when he talked again.

“Sofia, are you fine?” He almost looked worried or was it
irritation she saw in his eyes.

“Oh, I’m so sorry Anthony. I was just kind of…ahm…out of
sorts?” Her head is terribly aching.

Anthony looked far at the north side of the campus and
blinked. “I hope you are okay. Can I go with you to your class? ”

What? Anthony wants to walk with her to class! “Oh, that’s
very kind of you but I’m going to the library.”

“I’ll walk with you to the library then.” After saying those
words, Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist and almost dragged her when she
went out of balance because of shock. No one dared touch her like that. She
looked into Anthony’s eyes as if measuring his sincerity.

“Why?” He asked.

“I was just shocked.” Sofia tried to explain.

Anthony beamed. “No one wrapped his arm around you like that
right? Okay, I’ll just hold your hand then.” Holding her books with his left
hand, he seized her hand and swayed it like showing it to the whole population.

Their hands fit perfectly. She was blushing like a ripe
tomato when some of the university jocks whistled seeing them together.

She was just thinking about him this morning. Wondering what
it would be like hold the hand of the university’s dashing Romeo. And now she
can clearly see Anthony beside her, holding her hand and smiling. Is this what
she always read in the novels?

“Why are you holding my hand by the way?” She managed to
ask.

Anthony looked at her and said. “…To keep you from
tripping.”

Did she hear it perfectly well? Anthony doesn’t like her to
stumble? Anthony is concerned about him. She was almost festive when he let go
of her.

“Here you go” he said coldly after handing down her books
and walked away.

She almost didn’t notice that they were already at the door
of the library and she knows that it would be too much of her to ask Anthony to
bring her inside.

“Sophie, was it Mr. Cutie I saw you with?”  It was her partner in debate, Kim.

“Yes, it was Anthony Soriano.” She piled her books on the
shelves carefully.

Kim’s eyes grew big with curiosity. “Why did he do that?”

“You mean why he walked me here? I don’t know either.” She
continued piling the books on the shelves.

Kim patted her shoulder. “Maybe he’s gone out of his mind or
he wants you to help him on his thesis. Ha-ha-ha” The librarian shushed Kim’s
chortle which made her smother her continuing laughter.

She was actually disturbed with what happened. Why did
Anthony do those things? As far as she knows, Anthony has a girlfriend. Or
maybe she was just exaggerating things out.

“Damn dude, that girl is totally stupid!” Anthony’s best bud
Kean kept on teasing him for the consequence he did over losing their domino
game.

“I will never do that again, moron!” he laughed while
snatching Kean’s junk food.

They were having a good time teasing the school’s best
debater, Sophia. Kean knows very well that she has a crush on Anthony. So when
Anthony lost their game, he told Anthony to flirt with Sophie as a consequence.

“Here goes your girl.” Kean pouted his lips pointing
Germaine, the campus doll. “I bet she has heard the news.” He laughed aloud as
he knew he was right again.

Germaine, Anthony’s girlfriend was furious over hearing that
he flirted with Sophie at the hallways almost showing it to the public. “What
did you think you’re doing?” Her gorgeous features were overshadowed with
annoyance.

“It was just a game.” He defended himself.

Germaine was half-convinced then asked again. “Why her?
Gosh, are you guys out of your mind? She might think that you are interested
about her—geez.”

“Let her think that way so that she’ll have other things to
think about other than academics and boring stuffs.” Kean joined them.

“It’d better be! Hmmpf!” She blew off her bangs which
covered her sight and walked away.

“Hey dude, next day is prom. Bet you will be king and
Germaine will be Queen.” Kean affirmed Anthony who was looking at the vanishing
shadow of Germaine.

Anthony just kept on looking at the doorway of the club they
are in. That was far from what he was thinking. He was viewing things that would
make Germaine happy. She was always mad at him these past few days. He even
wonders what went wrong. She’s always out with her friends and when they’re
together, she’s busy with her phone, paying less attention to him.

“Dude, have you noticed Germaine? She has changed.” He said,
still looking at the door.

Kean knows for a fact that Germaine is a social climber.
First, she flirted with the son of the school administrator and now she is with
the school’s heartthrob and richest as well. “Maybe she’s got a new target over
her board. A DOM for that matter maybe?”

Anthony looked at his best friend. Maybe he is right, but
why? He has to plan about making Germaine jealous. But how could that be? Sofia
crossed his mind.

“Dude, have you seen the movies?” He smiled at his friend.
He narrated his plans to Kean and they both agreed on pursuing their
contingency plan.

The next day, he grabbed Sophie to the mall and shopped her
beautiful gown, have her hair fixed and bought her a pair of corrective contact
lenses.

“I don’t have plans to go to the prom!” Sofia shouted at
Anthony at the next room.

He just giggled imagining how Sophie would turn out.  Busy turning the pages of his favorite Sports
magazine, he didn’t notice her slipping out of the dressing room.

“This isn’t comfortable.” Sofia ironed the seams of her
dress with her hands.

Anthony felt his jaw drop seeing Sophie’s new
transformation. Her hair is now straight which fall perfectly to her shoulders.
The eyeglasses were no longer there. She was devastatingly beautiful—even more
beautiful than Germaine.

“Now you look more human.” He joked. Truth is he really sees
Sophie as a real deal.

“You’re joking right? I can’t go to the prom looking like
this. What would others say?” Sofia blushed even more.

“They’d
say you’re beautiful. Come on now.” Anthony grabbed Sofia’s arm and headed          

out of the mall.

The prom started and all of the people are excited to see
the lookers of the campus—all except the likes of Sofia.

…to be continued…