Chapter 4: The Day It Became Real
Charlie woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
She groaned softly, reaching for it with one eye still closed.
“Ang aga naman…”
She unlocked her phone—and blinked.
Messages.
All from one person.
Paul.
Good morning.
Good morning ulit.
Gising ka na ba?
Good morning haha.
Charlie couldn’t help but smile.
Still half-asleep, she started typing.
Good morning… kakagising ko lang. Anong meron—
Before she could even send it—
Her phone rang.
She froze.
Caller: Paul
Her heart suddenly beat faster.
She answered.
“Hello…” she said, her voice soft, slightly raspy—like she really just woke up.
On the other line, she heard it.
His laugh.
Soft.
Warm.
“Good morning,” Paul said.
“Good morning…” she replied, sitting up slowly.
“Sorry kung nagising kita,” he added.
Charlie smiled.
Even if he couldn’t see her.
“Okay lang,” she said quietly.
“Mag-breakfast ka na ha,” Paul reminded her. “Kain ka muna.”
She nodded instinctively.
“Mm.”
“Lalabas ka ba mamaya?” he asked.
Charlie hesitated.
Then glanced around the house.
Too many people.
Too many ears.
“Text na lang kita,” she said softly. “Hindi pwede… baka may makarinig. Magagalit sila.”
Paul laughed lightly.
“Sige. Hihintayin ko.”
There was a small pause.
Neither of them wanting to end the call first.
Then—
“Bye,” she said.
“Bye.”
The line ended.
But the smile stayed.
---
Charlie started her day differently.
Lighter.
Happier.
And everyone noticed.
“Bakit parang ang saya mo?” her grandma asked, eyeing her suspiciously while cooking.
Charlie tried to act normal.
“Wala naman.”
“May boyfriend ka na no?” her grandma teased. “Sasabunutan kita pag nalaman ko.”
Charlie laughed nervously.
“Wala pa po,” she said quickly. “Huwag kayo mag-alala.”
But deep inside—
Something was already starting.
---
Later that day, she met up with Jamie and Felice again.
They decided to take a walk around the barangay, talking about random things, laughing like they always did.
But this time—
They took a different route.
“Dito tayo,” Jamie said.
Charlie didn’t think much of it.
Not until—
She saw him.
Paul.
Standing outside his house.
Wearing the same white sando.
Simple.
Pambahay.
But somehow—
He still looked…
Good.
Charlie quickly looked away.
“Grabe…” she whispered to herself. “Bakit ganun…”
She swore—
She was starting to have a crush.
---
They passed by without him noticing.
But someone else did.
One of Paul’s friends, just arriving, saw them and immediately called out—
“PAUL!”
Loud enough.
Too loud.
Paul turned.
And there—
He saw her.
Walking away.
Turning left.
Toward the playground.
He smiled.
He knew.
---
A few minutes later—
Paul changed into something black.
Simple.
But enough.
Then he and his friend headed toward the playground.
And just like he thought—
They were there.
Charlie was on the swing.
Laughing.
Carefree.
For a moment—
He just watched her.
Then she saw him.
And suddenly—
Her laughter faded.
The world went quiet.
Just for a second.
---
Paul walked toward her.
Slowly.
Then reached out—
And held the chain of her swing.
“Hi,” he said, smiling.
“Hi…” she replied softly.
He sat on the swing beside her.
Their friends stepped back—
Giving them space.
But not too far.
Just enough to hear.
---
They talked.
Simple things.
“How are you?”
“Okay lang.”
“You?”
“Okay din.”
But even in the simplest words—
There was something more.
Then suddenly—
Paul looked at her.
A little more serious this time.
“Pwede ba kitang ligawan?”
Charlie froze.
Her heart—
Racing.
Behind them, her friends let out quiet, excited sounds, trying not to scream.
“Uy—”
“Grabe—”
“Shhh!”
Charlie stood up quickly.
“Teka lang,” she said, embarrassed.
She glanced at her friends.
“Doon tayo,” she told Paul, pointing toward a big tree nearby.
They walked a few steps away.
Far enough.
Private enough.
---
Charlie took a deep breath.
This was too fast.
Too sudden.
Too real.
Her mind was saying wait.
But her heart—
Was louder.
She looked at him.
He was waiting.
Not smiling this time.
Just… sincere.
And somehow—
That made it harder to say no.
“…Sige,” she said softly.
Paul blinked.
Then smiled.
Not the playful one.
But something gentler.
Something real.
---
Charlie felt her heart pounding.
Ang bilis…
Too fast.
But somehow—
She didn’t regret it.
Because deep inside—
She knew.
This wasn’t just a simple crush anymore.
As she walked back with him—
With her friends already teasing in the background—
Charlie Mari De Guia realized—
Maybe this was it.
The beginning.
Of something she didn’t fully understand yet.
Something new.
Something exciting.
Something a little scary.
Something—
That felt like love.
And just like that—
Her first story with him began.
Passage 4 of 4