Always On Your Side: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Gerald was not able to stop himself from cursing out loud upon hearing Kim’s revelation, drawing the attention of all his friends gathered in the parking lot. His vision suddenly turned red and felt smoke come out of his ears. With fists clenched at his sides and murder in his eyes, Gerald abruptly turned around and broke into a run he did not hear Romeo scream in panic and the girls telling Matt, Aldred and David to go after Gerald while they will follow Kim.

He was just a few feet away from the gazebo where Renz and his friends usually hang out when he Renz’s bragging reached his ears.

“Pare, she was begging me to kiss her so alangan naman tumanggi ako no? So I gave in. You should have seen her after our kiss. She blushed so much she has turned red! Man, grabe siguro tama sa akin non!” They gave each other high-fives and laughed.

With all his fury channelled at his fists, Gerald launched himself at the unsuspecting Renz and punched him in the nose with all his might. Still not satisfied, he continued throwing punches at the fallen Renz, who was so surprised he did not even thought of raising his arms to fend off Gerald’s blows.

“You bastard! Take those words back! Hindi yan totoo!” Gerald shouted at Renz, trying to bluff him and make him admit the truth. He also didn’t know what really happed why Renz and Kim kissed but he knew Kim very well. She wouldn’t just ask any boy, let alone Renz kiss her just easily, unless they’re already an item. But knowing how Kim despised Renz, it was highly unlikely that she’d just kiss anyone because, first of all, she was not a flirt. Secondly, she was not boy-crazy and most of all, she was not that desperate.

Renz squealed and cowered behind his friends’ back when Gerald reached for him again. His three friends meanwhile were rooted on their spots in surprise and did not even attempt to stop Gerald as he pummelled Renz..

“Anderson! Stop, stop! Help!” Renz shouted in despair, his voice quivering.

Gerald grabbed for Renz again but suddenly he felt two people restraining him. David and Aldred were holding him on both arms while Matt went between him and the cowering Renz.

“Stay out of this Matt! And let go of me!” Gerald demanded of his friends. “I want to beat him to a pulp”

“Ooo…okkkaaayyyy, enough, I apologize An..Anderson! What I just said…what you heard just now… is not the truth. I Kiss… the… kk..kkiiss..was just an ac…accident. I SWEAR! I WAS…pulling her up from…FROM THE FLOOR. Then…then I was…a boy hit me from behind, so…my lips…my face landed into her. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! Believe me!” Renz cried.

Gerald glowered at Renz, causing the latter to squirm and hang his head in shame. But deep inside, Gerald felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off him, and his heart felt like soaring. So Kim has not kissed Renz willingly after all. The kiss that Kim was bragging about was just an accident. And he was very sure that she did it just out of jealousy.

“Listen to me very well, Villaruel because I’ll only say this one. I want you to apologize to Kim first thing tomorrow morning. Then, I better not be hearing even just a whisper of that accidental kiss around school because I will go after you again and skin your hide. Understood?” Gerald asked fiercely.

Renz whimpered and nodded in reply.

“And that goes to you three as well,” Gerald turned towards Renz’s friends who nodded their head vigorously in response.

Gerald glared at them for the last time before stomping away with Matt, Aldred and David at his heels.

“Did you see what a sissy he is?” Gerald asked. “He didn’t even fight back!”

“The way your eyes glowered and your body so taut, I can understand why he didn’t attempt to fight back Ge,” Matt replied.

“Yes, you were scary! That’s why we ran after you because we’re afraid you would murder Renz.” Aldred quipped.

“Wow, this is the first time I ever see you get mad Ge.” David commented bewilderedly for the Gerald they knew was very laid-back, easy going and seldom get irritated let alone get mad.

“You heard him brag about kissing Kim. So naturally, I had to defend her.” Gerald replied a little heatedly, causing his three friends to look at each other in wonder.

They wanted to correct him that it was Kim who bragged about the kiss causing him to go after Renz in the first place. Hearing Renz bragged about the accidental kiss just gave Gerald a very valid reason to beat him. But they thought better of it.

“Ge, relax ka lang, we are not the enemy. Let’s better go after Kim now. Maybe the girls have already caught up with her.” Aldred placated him.

The four of them went towards Gerald’s SUV.

“Give me your keys and I’ll drive.” Matt said, holding out his hand to Gerald, who turned over his keys without protest and just proceeded to the passenger seat. After a few minutes on their way, Gerald has calmed down enough to remember the turn of events that led to such a disastrous ending.

Basketball practice ended later than usual because the inter-school tournament was just around the corner. Coach Noel divided the team into two and made them compete with each other. To motivate them to give their best, Coach Noel announced that the winning team would receive a prize. Gerald, being the captain of the basketball team led the other team while Arron, his co-captain, led the other half.

Spurred by the thought of getting a prize, all the players, even the subs gave their best, resulting in one of their best practice performance of all time. Each team played so well that in the end, Gerald’s team won by just one point.

“So Coach, what’s our prize?” Gerald asked Coach Noel eagerly as the rest of his team beamed behind him. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and saw Matt standing there.

“Ge, mauuna na ako sa iyo. Gutom na ako eh,” Matt said to him.

“Sige pare. Hihintayin ko pa din si Kim eh. Kung makita mo siya, pakisabi hintayin niya ako ha?”

“Ok, sige.” Matt waved to him before going away.

“Gerald’s team, your prize is…a kiss!” Coach Noel jovially announced as he beckoned the cheerleader to come forward. The rest of Gerald’s team erupted into cheers and catcalls while the losing team pretended to be so distraught for losing and missed the chance of kissing the pretty and sexy cheerleaders.

Gerald on the other hand was speechless with disappointment over what he thought was very childish prize. The rest of his team eagerly and gamely claimed the kiss from the rest of the girls in the cheer dance squad while he dragged himself towards Brenda, the cheerleader captain, who was supposed to kiss him.

“Brendz, let’s get this over and done with,” he smiled at his friend, who smiled back and nodded. Brenda leaned towards him and kissed him on the cheek.

“Ms. Fox, Gerald deserves a kiss on the lips for the great game he played today. Kiss mo uli siya,” Coach Noel teased.

Brenda gave him an apologetic smile as she leaned towards him again and kissed him on the lips. Hoots, whistles and applause erupted around them as they stepped back from each other.
Gerald gave Brenda one of his heart-melting smiles and said. “Thank God you’re the cheerleader captain Brendz! Alam ng mga tao na friends tayo.” Gerald said. “Otherwise, sangkatutak na tsismis na naman ang aabutin ko nito.”

Brenda just laughed at Gerald and said, “Wala yun, part of the game lang naman ito. I’d better get going to the foodcourt. I’m starving. See you there!”

“See you,” Gerald replied.

He suddenly remembered that Kim was coming for him. When he did not see her around the court yet, he heaved a big sigh of relief and silently lifted his head in thanks above. Kim has not witnessed the kiss at all, thank God. Telling her about the kiss would be the first thing he would do the moment she arrives before the distorted and exaggerated version reaches her.
Since Kim has not arrived yet, he decided to change clothes first and get his things so they could immediately go the moment she arrives.

“Hey Jon,” Gerald called out to his friend and fellow teammate. “When Kim arrives, can you tell her that I’m just in the locket getting my things?”

“Will do bro,” Jon answered.

Gerald saluted to him in thanks.

When he came out of the locker room ten minutes later, he saw only a handful people around and yet still no sign of Kim. He sighed and sat down on one of the benches to wait for her because he promised he was the one who arranged for their meeting. He did not want this to be the cause of their tampuhan. Because Kim would then give him the cold shoulder and that would be the one thing he wanted to avoid. A very quiet and non-talking Kim was no joy to be around.
Earlier at lunch, he asked Kim to come and fetch him after his basketball practice so they could go to the food court together. Kim agreed without batting an eyelash.

Lately, he noticed that he enjoyed himself when he spent time alone with Kim, just the two of them talking about their day without the interruptions and noise of their big, boisterous group of friends. Being with their friends was always fun, noisy and full of laughter, but he cherished the quiet moments with Kim more. A feeling of peace, contentment and unparalleled joy came to him each time he was with her. She’s like the sunshine to his life, ever cheerful, ever making him smile, making his dim world brighter. He was lucky to have Kim, the bubbly and charming girl for his bestfriend.

He looked at his watch and saw that it was already twenty-five minutes past their agreed time. Kim was still not around. Suddenly his cell phone rang. He looked at the display and saw Matt’s name on the screen.

“Yes bro?” Gerald said as a way of greeting.

“Gerald what happened?” came Matt’s reply.

“What do you mean ‘what happened’? What are you talking about?”

“Kim’s here and she looked so forlorn. We can see that she’s been crying but when we asked her, she said everything’s fine. Did you two fight again or something?

“Matt, how can we fight when we haven’t even seen each other yet? I am still here at the covered court waiting for her.”

“But she was there. I knew because we passed each other on my way out. I even told her to wait for you, like you told me.”

“Really? When did you see her?”

“I met her at the door. She was coming in while I was on my way out. Teka, ano ba ang prize na nakuha niyo?”

“Wait Matt, Kim arrived only a few minutes after the game ended?”

“Yes that’s about the time. We even talked for a few seconds outside the door.”

“Oh shit. SHIT!”

“Bro, bakit? Anong nangyari?”

“Is Kim still there?”

“Yes, she’s still here. Tahimik nga eh at parang tulala. Kaya sabi ni Mel sa akin na tawagan daw kita at tanungin kung bakit ganito siya.”

“Alam ko na kung bakit. Sige takbo na ako dyan!”

“Nandito na kami sa parking lot. Hindi na kumain si Kim eh!”

Gerald just stopped the call and grabbed his bag. Then he sprinted towards the parking lot. SHIT, he thought to himself. I am sure that Kim saw my kiss with Brenda. The shortcut from the covered court to the parking lot saved him some precious minutes and he reached them just in time to hear Kim blurt out about the kiss with Renz.

Hearing those words suddenly made him mad that if he was the Hulk, he would have turned emerald green then and there. The knowledge that Renz kissed Kim evoked a strange feeling from deep inside him that he somehow cannot explain nor pinpoint exactly. Just the thought of beating Renz up would give him satisfaction, thus he went after the wimp.

Now that Renz has been dealt with, it’s time for him to face the bigger hurdle of pacifying and making peace with Kim. “Why did you all let Kim drive in that condition?” Gerald growled at them.

“Bro, it all happened so fast. We didn’t have time to stop her since we need to go after you too!” Aldred replied in a placating tone.

“Ge, teka bakit ba galit nag alit at masyadong affected ka? Ano ba ang ikinagalit mo?”

Matt’s questions silenced Gerald. He thought hard for a minute, trying to rationalize his behavior earlier. Why was he really upset to know that some boy has kissed Kim. Was it because he was jealous? But why would he be jealous. Kim was just like a sister to him. He was just feeling protective of his best friend. That’s it.

“I was just protecting Kim from that no-good wimp, kaya sinugod ko si Lawrence. I do not want just anybody taking advantage of her. I’m sure you’d do it for her too.” Gerald replied, trying to be convincing.

But Matt, David and Aldred shared a glance because they can feel that it was more than over-protectiveness. It was something more, and Gerald did not see it yet or he was denying it.
Gerald then took out his cell phone out and punched 1 on the keypad. Kim was number 1 on his speed dial list. A busy signal greeted him at first so he kept on dialling and until he got a dial tone. It just kept on ringing until he was informed that the subscriber cannot attend calls at the moment. Still her persisted.

“Damn it!” He exploded when he dialled next because the message that greeted him was that the subscriber cannot be reached or out of coverage area.