as to how I now have a boyfriend

"C'mon! You've got to help me pick out something for L." I said to C, as we walked through gb5. C was yakking on about how girl number 4 in his quest for the ideal girlfriend turned out to be some kind of needy psychotic graphic artist in a trendy magazine. C had his hand on my back to keep us from being separated in the christmas crowd.

"You know, she actually had the gall to call me at 4am to tell me that she was just getting home from another one of their high-pressure last minute thing I don't understand.", C said.  I nodded noncommittally as C continued to expand on how girl number 4 was so not normal.  I grabbed his arm to steer him to Aldo.

"I can't remember what L was ogling here but it's one of those big chunky rings with black thingies...", I said as we went into Aldo. 

"Ogling?", C asked with a leer.

"Get your mind out of the gutter." I looked up at him with a smile and leered right back at him.  He smiled his toothpaste smile and looked angelically around the store.

"How are we gonna share this?", I asked. I held up a set of earrings and ring with black stuff and bangles that could conceivably go with the earrings.

"Pay for it, D.  L's going to be basking in my presence tonight.  That's gift enough from me.", C patted my head condescendingly.

"That IS so gay! C, cough up! I'm an underpaid government employee. You're the one who charges clients by the hour."

I went to the cashier with C trailing behind me.  This time ranting about how hungry he was and how he was so tired from picking me up from the office and driving all the way back to Makati.

"Tagal pa ba?" C asked when he noticed I was looking at the other displays while the cashier attended to another customer.

I gave C a frown and held out my hand, palm up for his money.  C gave a big sigh and made a show of digging into his pockets.  He gave me his plastic with a long suffering look.  I really love the guy.

"Thanks C.  You know, with your credit limit, you should just make me your extension cardholder." I made a "kawawa-look" at him.

"No way, D! And I know your credit limit so you can't fool me."

"That's different!"

"Besides, antakaw mo eh. You'll eat me into debt."

"That's such a rude thing to say!"

"Eh true naman.  But don't worry, you're still hot!" C said with another leer. C nudged my back to push me towards the cashier who was available.  I elbowed his abs just to get even.  I stared at him while he signed the charge slip. Hot good-looking straight guy right here! I noticed the cashier staring at him too and gave her a small smile.  And then went back to staring at C.

"What?!" C said when he caught me staring at him.

"You're so cute! Crush kita." I said as I got the bags.

C put his arm around me, gave me a little squeeze and said "That's true. You're so lucky no?".  I rolled my eyes at him. C started to rant about girl number 4 again. I went back to half-listening and looked around at the people milling around gb5.

I guess C realized that we were only wandering aimlessly and decided we needed to go and pick up L. He looked at his watch and asked, "Tayo na ba?"

I shrugged off his arm and slipped my hand into his.  "Uhm, okay. But don't be too possessive ha?", I said while looking into his eyes.

I could barely keep my face straight.  He looked down at me with such a look of surprise (it's almost insulting in hindsight).  I bet that if he'd thought of it, he would have shaken my hand off.  I couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed in his face.

"Grabe, C! If you only saw your face." I let go of his hand and walked off leaving him standing there still with a surprised look on his face.  I looked back at  him and said "Tara na!"

A slow smile started to spread on C's face and he started walking toward me.  He put his arm around me and brushed the side of my neck with his fingers. Shiver.

"Sige, tayo na. And I promise I won't be too possessive. But I'll sometimes be jealous, ok?"

I elbowed him, "Let's go get L. I'm hungry na!"

"O see! I'll feed you pa.  All you have to be is sweet to me. I know that we get along well.  I love you since forever and I can and will love you until forever.  So, tayo na?"

"Ashushu. Alam mo lang na crush kita eh."

C pulled me closer, "Say yes na kasi."

"Seriously, C?"  I pulled back a little to look into his eyes.

He nodded solemnly.

"Sige, but I reserve the right to call it quits and still be friends. Ok?"

C gave a big smile looked into my eyes and said "You'll see D, we'll make it work.  It'll be easy between us." And right there in the middle of gb5, C gave me the sweetest kiss.  He took my hand and laced his fingers through mine and said softly, "Tayo na."

Sigh* (This is fiction, by the way.)