Chapter 18
The library is crowded when Angel and Bryan arrived. Even so, Angel immediately saw Alex. She pointed her to Bryan before they hid behind a bookshelf to secretly watch her.
'She's alone," Angel whispered.
'Maybe no one is really with her."
Angel felt Bryan behind her. And because they cannot talk loudly, Bryan needs to come closer to her to whisper what he will say. It's as if they are lovers standing close to each other just like what Angel sees in romantic movies. And because Bryan is taller than her, he needs to stoop down a little to make his mouth closer to her ear.
'I think Richard isn't here," Bryan whispered.
Angel suddenly felt awkward. And worse is she cannot complain because Bryan might think she's having dirty thoughts about him that's why she cannot concentrate on their real purpose that afternoon.
'Look, your sister seems like she's just studying earnestly."
"Should we leave her now?"
"I guess so."
Maybe Alex and Richard are not really seeing each other? Gina might have just made it up. But why did she say the same thing to Bryan? Surely, she won't lie to her boyfriend? Angel was suddenly annoyed upon remembering that Gina is Bryan's girlfriend.
Suddenly, Richard came out from a corner of the library.
"Wait, there he is," Bryan whispered.
Richard came to Alex and sat beside her. At first Alex seems to not notice him. He opened the book he's holding and read it.
'They don't look like they're together," Bryan said. 'They're not talking."
But what happened disprove what Bryan said. Alex talked to Richard. She showed him something from the book she's copying. Richard moved closer and looked at the book as well. They talked to each other, and Richard seems to tutor Alex about something. But because they are far from Angel and Bryan, they cannot hear what they are talking about.
'Well, Richard seems to teach Alex something, but I don't think they're doing anything wrong," Bryan said.
"Isn't Richard too close to Alex?"
Bryan did not answer Angel's question. That is because he too is being suspicious about the way Richard and Alex are looking at each other. And what happened after confirmed their allegations about the two's romantic relationship. It doesn't take a genius to know that the way they moved and looked at each other suggest that they really have something special going on.
"I think they really like each other," Angel whispered as her eyes gazed at the two.
"Richard seems to like your sister. Really like her. A lot." Bryan said that because of the way Richard looks at Alex. He's also a guy so he knows that.
'And Alex likes him, too." Angel might never had a boyfriend yet, but she knows how a girl acts when she likes a boy. She suddenly felt bad at her realization.
So that is the secret that Alex can't tell her. Why did she hide this from her? Angel thought that she's her best friend. But why did she keep that very important thing from her?
Aside from that, Angel also feels sad for her sister. Why Richard Quinto? Why did Alex fall in love with someone whom she can't love?
'Do you think he's already her boyfriend?"
Bryan did not answer Angel. He didn't hear her question because she said it too softly. Aside from that, he was alerted when Richard suddenly stood up. 'He's coming here," Bryan said.
"Shucks!" Angel turned to face him. 'What are we going to do?"
Bryan just stared at her. He is also anxious at Richard's unexpected move. They can't leave because the other side of where they are hiding is the wall.
And then, there's something else. Bryan suddenly felt something that made him not think properly.
'He's coming!" Angel said as she looked back at Richard. 'We have to go!"
'We can't go out. He'll definitely see us," Bryan said.
Angel looked back to him. 'Then what are we going to do?"
Bryan did not answer.
"Bryan, we should do something. Or else, he'll see us here and he'll find out we're watching the-"
Angel wasn't able to finish what she was saying. She wasn't able to talk after what Bryan did. Not just because she was shocked, but also because his lips already covered her mouth.
She was shocked at what happened. She wasn't able to move. She doesn't know what to think, or what to feel. It seems like the time stopped, and everything around them disappeared. There's just her and Bryan, and her mind focused on the kiss.
It was just a smack kiss. Bryan just put his lips over hers. Maybe he did it to stop her talking. That's what they usually do in the movies. Or maybe, he just wanted to kiss her. And it made her wonder why. Why would he want to kiss her? What made him feel that way? Was it because they were too close, the moment felt right, the feeling was so strong?
Before she could think more, and before she could start feeling something because of the kiss, Bryan ended it and pulled back. He was panting like he was lacking air. Even she held her breath because of shock. But before she could breathe normally again, he already pulled her arm and dragged her downstairs.
Bryan just let her go when they were already in the second floor. He looks like an athlete who joined a marathon race as he caught his breath.
And that's when Angel realized what had just happened. He kissed her. Inside the library. For a couple of seconds. There in the library. He kissed her.
She was suddenly overwhelmed by emotions. No! It can't be. This should not happen. But it did happen. And it was nothing like how she imagined it to be. It was not as special as she thought it would be. 'My first kiss!' Bryan de Vera ruined her perfect first kiss moment!
"You kissed me!" she hissed.
Bryan turned to face her.
"Why did you kiss me?"
"I-I have to!" Bryan whispered. 'Richard would see us, so I had to make a move! I mean, he can't see us there. It seems like he's walking towards the shelf next to where we-"
"You didn't have to kiss me!"
'There's nothing else that I thought of. We needed to hide our faces, so he won't recognize us. Also, I though he'll feel awkward when he saw us kissing..."
Angel started tearing up. Bryan suddenly felt guilty.
"I-I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to do it. I just... can't think of another way-"
"You didn't have to kiss me!" Her perfect first kiss moment is already ruined. And it was because of this guy Bryan de Vera.
"I-I... I'm sorry..."
Angel walked out with tears streaming down her face. She's outraged not only at Bryan, but to herself as well. She's annoyed that she allowed what happened earlier. She didn't even make a move to prevent it from happening, or to stop the kiss immediately. Truth is, Bryan didn't do anything but cover her mouth with his lips. So she should have pushed him away from her. But instead, she let the kiss happen.
'I was surprised,' she thought to defend herself. But how much shock did she feel that she wasn't able to stop the kiss that lasted a few seconds? If she was surprised when Bryan's lips touched hers, she could have easily moved away. But she did nothing.
Maybe some people would think she's overreacting. It's just a kiss, so why is she acting so grievously?
'But it was my first kiss!'
She's a certified hopeless romantic who is waiting for that first kiss moment. And now, that will never happen. The worse part is she cannot tell that to anyone, even to Alex.
She doesn't know where she will go. She just went down to the first floor while crying. She almost fell down had she not able to hold the railing. But what she wasn't able to avoid is the sloped driveway outside the library. She did not anticipate the raised sidewalk, so when she stepped on the road, she sprained her ankle.
She fell on the floor. Her butt hurt. But it was nothing compared to the pain of losing that perfect first kiss moment and the realization of what Alex did. She cried as she slumped on the sidewalk.
Suddenly, a blue handkerchief appeared in front of her. She looked at the person holding it, who is none other than Bryan who looks very ashamed.
'I'm really sorry," he said as he moved the handkerchief closer to her.
Angel took the hankie and wiped her tears. And because she feels so bad that her first kiss moment was ruined, she blew her nose on the handkerchief. "Right," Bryan said. "It's fine. You can do that."
"You stole a kiss from me." It was full of pain and anger.
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"It was just a smack. It was not even a real-" Bryan turned to face her. 'Wait! Don't tell me you're acting like that because it was your..."
Angel looked away. Okay, so Bryan deciphered why she was acting like that. But, can he blame her? That's her dream ever since she started learning about romance and true love and happy ever after.
"I'm really sorry... " Bryan said again. "But, like what I've said, it was not a real kiss. You know? You can disregard that when your real first kiss happened."
"Forget about it," she said. She wanted to stop talking about her first kiss because she's starting to feel embarrassed.
'Okay... So, how about Alex?"
'This has to stop," Angel answered. 'Alex might suffer in the end if she will continue doing this."
"What will you do?"
'I'll talk to her." Angel took out her cellphone and dialed Alex's number.
Alex immediately answered the call. 'Hello, Ate?"
'I'm outside the library. I'll wait for you here."
Angel did not wait for Alex's answer. She immediately ended the call and put back the cellphone in her bag.
"You can leave," she said to Bryan. 'Thanks for all your help. And your hankie. I'll give it back to you after I've washed it."
'It's okay," Bryan said. 'Keep it, so that you have a remembrance from me. Also, I can stay here with you."
Angel looked at him.
'I mean, I can be with you when you talk to Alex. I know it won't be easy. I could be with you. As a support."
Bryan looked sincere, and Angel felt like she could really depend on him. And she felt that she needs someone to be with while waiting for Alex, and she needs support as she confronts her sister. "But, if you want me to go-"
"You can stay."
Bryan was a bit surprised, but he seems glad at what she said. "Okay. I'll stay."
Bryan stayed by her side as they waited for Alex. The sky is starting to get dark, seemingly reflecting how Angel was feeling at that moment.