Chapter Text
MILK POV
Grade 11… girl, let us be honest. I was really down bad.
I had a huge crush on Ciize. The kind of crush where the world literally slows down like some dramatic movie scene whenever she walks by.
I was drawing her everywhere.
Notebook? She was there.
My hand? Her name was written.
Lunchbox? I even put a tiny drawing of her face.
I basically turned my whole life into a Ciize fan shrine without her permission.
To me, she was not just a classmate.
She looked like someone who escaped from Pinterest.
Her hair always looked shiny.
Her smile was soft and pretty.
And her walk had its own wind effect even without an electric fan.
Sometimes I imagined a theme song every time she passed by.
Usually something like “You belong with me.”
Yes, in my head I was the main character of a music video.
And if you think this crush was small, girl, no.
I even made a playlist for her.
The title was “for ciize (do not open).”
But I opened it every single day like a ritual.
She had no idea.
Or maybe she did.
Sometimes when our eyes met, it felt like she knew.
Then I would pretend to be calm even though my soul was doing backflips.
Scene: Christmas Party Game, Bring Me
December 15, 2023
During our Christmas party, we played Bring Me.
It was fun at first.
Then the MC said,
“Bring me your crush!”
My spirit left the country.
My heart fell to the floor.
I wanted to uninstall myself from the event.
I wanted to disappear.
Out of pure panic, I grabbed Ciize’s hand.
No thinking, no planning, no grace.
Just pure stupidity.
I just pulled her with me.
Next thing I knew, we were already standing in front.
I was holding her hand like I was about to propose.
Everyone screamed.
The teacher screamed.
My brain screamed.
She looked at me with that teasing smile, like she knew I was melting inside.
I froze.
I let go slowly like a criminal returning the stolen item.
But I told myself, “It is okay. Maybe the prize is money. Maybe one thousand pesos. Maybe the trauma will be worth it.”
Then the MC said,
“Congrats! Your prize is… five Mentos!”
I blinked.
Five.
Mentos.
That is one Mentos per person.
I looked at Earn.
Then View.
Then Ford.
Then Ciize.
Then at my lonely Mentos in my hand.
We were five people.
The prize was five candies.
This felt like a group project where everyone gets one brain cell.
I gave PRIDE.
I gave TRUST.
I gave my whole reputation away.
And the universe said. Here, have one candy.
I sat down holding that tiny Mentos like it was my heartbreak in physical form.
This is the reason I have trust issues.
Then Ciize sat beside me and said,
“Thanks for the free holding hands,” and she even winked.
I almost evaporated right there.
So that was my Christmas confession.
Never again.
Next time, I will bring anything but my crush.
To be continued…