Three words

"Aah!" I shriek as the feeling of cold water trickle down my back.

It's no joke wearing a two-piece when some guy pours water down your back.

"Dave!" I say, chasing after him.
He looks over his shoulder, lets out a laugh & dives into the pool, swimming to the other end of the pool. I dive in & swim after him.

I finally manage to catch up & grab onto Dave's ankle. I tug it & he tries to kick.
I pull him down under water with me.
His light hair was floating around his head & he sticks his tongue out at me.

Right after that, he goes above the surface, me following his lead.
I could hear him gulping a big breath of air to start his race all over again.

My cousin, Josh & his girlfriend, Marsh are currently making out behind the trees, I know. They always go there when they 'excuse themselves'.

One is to make out. The second reason is because they want to leave me alone with Dave. For a weird reason, they think we 'connect'.
Please. We connected.

He's my ex. Unlike all the other ex-couples in the History of Exes, we are the odd one out.
We're not bitter toward each other - we always hang out at the pool or somewhere else.

It was depressing knowing that we aren't going to go on a date again because, like I said. We broke up.
Who goes back with their exes? I mean, that's totally against all rules of... Well, something.

I finally give up chasing after him - you would too after trying to chase a champ swimmer - & lounge at the curve of the pool, watching him get up & shaking the water out of his moppy brown hair.

He catches me looking at him but I turn away quickly enough to look down at my feet, playing with the water ripples.
From across the pool, he calls out my name & gives me a sign to call him.

I nod & give the thumbs up.

He smiles & walks away, out of my sight, out of my reach.











What sucks about hanging out with your ex is that it gives off the vibe that I'm still in love with her, Jamelia - or as I called her, Jamie.
What sucks even more is that... It's true.

I get up & leave the pool, after reminding Jamie.
I pass the rows of tall trees, a perfect make-out location. I hear breathy sighs & heavy breathings. As I pass it, I say, "See ya, guys."









"My little Davey is going for a date!" my mom coos as she sees me put on a Polo shirt.
"Mooooooom!" I groan, trying to make her stop the cooing.
"But it's true! You're going here & there, as if a tornado might struck. Davey, are you late for your date with Jamelia?"

Yea, my mom didn't know that we broke up - she's pretty old-fashioned. I mean, she's happy when I go out but she thinks that if you see a person longer than 2 months, we're officially married or something.
Which is why I get nervous when she passes tux shops & stop to gaze at it for awhile & glance back at me.

"Yea, mom. I'm late." I said exasperatedly.

Of course that woman can tell I'm late since I just came out of the shower & went straight to my closet to get something & started to practice the speech I'd say to her later with the mirror.

"Ciao, Mom!" I say after one last check & run out of the door.










"Jamie, it's for you!" my mom sings.
"Coming." I say & wish that my hair isn't so hard to groom.

I've nearly finish the conditioning, so all I have to do is comb my hair & put on a little more Chanel & I'm ready.
I pass a quick glance at the clock & realize that he's late.

Smiling, I remember the times when he always comes to the my front porch late.
But, then again... I wasn't done yet myself.

My parents doesn't know that we broke up. I sorta feel guilty at times for not telling them but he's kind of the first guy I've introduced to them & it took them a month to trust him.

If I say anything about me not being with him, my parents'd give me this life-long lecture about how boys are not meant to be toys & all that.
Seriously. You'd think that being celebs' personal therapists, my parents would be a little bit more understanding.

Anyway, I am being all stressed on not tripping on my - I quote from my mom - floor-sweeping dress down the stairs.
But for all the worry & stress in the world, personally, I think it is totally worth it.

He's there, like I said, looking so, so hot in that familiar no-tie-casual tux, panting - probably from the running.
His hair is still damp & ruffled, but I could tell he tried to comb it with his fingers - he hasn't change since.

I know that he must've been running late since he didn't have time to dry his hair, let alone comb it.
& he still looks so, so cute.

"Hi." he pants.
"Hi." I smile.

A flash suddenly goes off & I blink at the source, which is my mom humiliating me with a dinosaur-era-looking camera.

Geesh. It isn't like it's my first date, you know.
It isn't even a date (much to my chagrin).













I stare at her, who looks nearly as gorgeous as she does in a swimsuit - nearly.
The candle's flame is flickering between us, giving us this romantic atmosphere.

Which isn't the kind of atmosphere one normally wants for a break-up anniversary with their ex.

"So..." I say, clearing my throat.
"So...?" she smiles a small smile.

It's one of those things we did as a couple. I mean, hard to believe that I used to be really shy around her.
Then again, I was only thirteen at the time.

We barely talked in public but we smiled a lot. She made me smile.
One of the things I love about her.









It's half past nine as we walk under the moonlit park.
We aren't holding hands like we used to.

But we're walking side-by-side. Except he was walking a little further behind.

"Dave..." I call out softly.
"Mm?" he says behind me.
"Why did we break up?"

Silence. The worst kind of silence - awkward silence.

"You never said it, you know." he says as the silence passed.

I know what you're thinking. You're wondering what it was.
It was... Those three special words couples always say.

You know... The one which always involves the word love between I & you..

"I always did, but you never. Said it, I mean." he continues.
"I know."

I really did. I could still remember that first night he said it - he called & whispered I love you through the phone line.
I was speechless & just hung at the sentence "I..."

It's not because I don't, you know. It's because in those touching movies, especially the Walt Disney kind, the hero & heroine would look deeply into each other's eyes, say I love you & begin the passionate kiss.

I want that. I mean, genuinely & sincerely.
I don't want to be one of those couples who say I love you only because it was a hormonal thing.
I want to say it first & mean it, you know?
Yes, I believe in sincerity.










"Why do you tell me this now?" she asks in a quiet voice, not so much as a glance back.
"What do you mean why do I tell you this now?! I always told you!" I say, furious.

Where had she been the past few weeks after the break-up? Pluto?
Were my discretion too discreet?

"You just chose not to listen." I say, my voice softening because we never argue.
& also because we're in a public place at night - & people are trying to sleep.

"No, you chose to keep it yourself!" she yells.
"What?" I say. Not because I couldn't hear her - well, obviously it isn't because of that - but because she is yelling at me.
"You heard. You didn't tell me about this. If you did, I could've apologized at least!" she yells again.

I am resisting the urge to check her temperature. Is she on a high?!
She is putting the blame on me for not telling her when, may I recap, I kept asking her about it!

& suddenly, just suddenly, she bursts into tears.









"Maybe we should go back home." he says, looking down at me.
I sniff. He's being nice to me.

Same ol' nice Dave. That's the Dave I know.
I like.
I lo-

"Yea, maybe we should." I say.

The rest of the walk's plain awkward. The kind where you just rather jump off a cliff then walking alongside your ex in a park in total silence.



We reach my porch & he clears his throat, says goodnight & left me standing there.

& I watch him walk away.












We haven't talked since that night. It's so awkward that even Josh & Marsh notice it.
They keep trying to make us talk but we just keep looking at anything - anything but each other.

"Well... I'll see you guys, kay? I've got some chores to do." Marsh says & we wave back at her.
"Hmm, you know, I think this is a good time to clean my room? Chiao." I say & walk away.

So shoot me. Lamest excuse I've given in my whole life.







"Hey, Josh..." I say.
"Mm?"
"How did you know Marsh's the One?" I ask.

He chokes on his Coke. Can't say I blame him.
I mean, hello, I'm guessing that it was a leetle bit too personal.

But we're cousins of the same age. Different gender, maybe.
But that's probably why I asked him, not Marsh.

I wanna hear it from their view.

"Well..." he clears his throat. "Lemme ask you three questions, & you answer them, alright?"
I nod.

"What do you feel when you see Dave?" he asks.

I blush. Am I that obvious?
Are we that obvious?

"Tell anyone & I swear I'll tell Marsh about your geeky Power Rangers collection." I glare at him & he laughs, "Alright, alright. Now answer my question!"
"Well... I feel... I dunno, happy. Like the world's okay."
"Okay, next question : Who's the first person you'd think of when you have a problem?"
"Dave." I say automatically & immediately clap my hands on my mouth.

God, why am I so pathetic??? It's the least I could do but to slap my face back to reality.

"& finally... Are you always thinking of what to do when you're with Dave?"
"Yea! That's totally how I feel!"

"Okay, now lemme tell you what these all mean : I feel all this about Marsh. I always feel happy seeing her, I always tell her my problems & I always get this paranoia of doing something stupid in front of her. That's how I feel. So good luck with Dave."

He winks & leaves me thinking.



"Um, miss? Miss?" a voice says.
I look up & saw a blonde guy smiling at me.
"Oh, hey, Brad." I said casually.

Brad's the waiter working at the cafe at Level 6, near the pool area. He's cool, a uni-student. Went out with him once but he wasn't my type.
So I'm kinda close with him. He's like my third closest guy friend, after Dave & Josh, of course.

We're making small talk & he's telling me about his problems with his on & off girlfriend - I dunno, some chick who keeps boffing off with his best friend or something. The details are pure soap opera material, I swear.
So, as a good friend should, I calm him down & advice him that maybe his girlfriend's just not committed while he's cleaning the tables & collecting tips from the customers.

As the cafe empties, we're all alone, still talking.

I turn my back just for a second - a second - & kept going, "Uhhuh. Yea" each time Brad pause his story to pick up the fork left on the floor. For some reason, Brad stops talking & I feel that something's wrong.
I turn around & saw Dave, glaring murderously at Brad, God knows why.

One second, Brad was standing on his feet. The next, he's on the floor after Dave gives a punch at the jaw.
Dave's standing at his feet, breathing heavily like he was fighting the most important war the world depends on.

I'm walking towards Brad, saying, "Oh my God! Dave! Brad? Are you alright?"
Dave stops me & grabs me by the wrist, dragging me to a secluded area, leaving Dave & his bleeding nose on the floor.

As we reach a shady place at a corner of the 'A' block, I snatch my wrist away from his grasp & half-shriek, "Dave! What's wrong with you?! Why're you acting all weird? Why did you punch Brad?!"
He looks at me in the eye & there's something about that look that just makes me want to run away. Something so... Intense going on in his head.

He's silent & keeps staring at me with that intense look.
I look away from his eyes - those hypnotic eyes - & run my gaze across his clenched fist by his side.

"Dave! Your hand... Oh God, Dave." I sigh & it's my turn now to drag him to the tap that's always at each corner of the block.

I run the water on his hand & begins the nagging.
"Dave, why did you punch Brad? You know, I can't believe you'd do something like that! & look, you could've injured your hand. Look at your skin, Dave! God, don't be so irresponsible. I mean, seriously."

Seriously. His fist's red & raw, the knuckles white because he's clenching his fist tightly as I gently massage it under the rush of the water.

But I didn't stop the nagging. Ohh no, I'm so not done with him yet.

"... See? You've been watching too much of NYPD. Don't do those kind of punching acts, acting as if you're saving me from God knows what! Thank God you didn't fracture your hand or I-"

I didn't get to continue my nagging because at that moment, he grabs me by the shoulders, cups my face with both his hands - including the swollen one - & kisses me.

Dave, my ex-boyfriend, who I had been dating for nearly 3 years, is kissing me.
& I'm kissing him back as I close my eyes.

& this rush of memories floods into my brain, snapshots of us together at the pool, at the squash court...
Us together.

& then, the most horrid memory crashes into my sight.

I was yelling at him, he was yelling at me. The threatening tears were stinging my eyes, I remembered.
& just like that, he got out of the pool, dried himself with the towel & left me there.


I opened my eyes & realize that his hands are at my waist, holding onto me as if he doesn't want to let go.
& me guilty with charge of running my fingers through his hair like I always wanted to.

I push him away, though the bigger part of me protests & he staggers away.

"Wh-what?" he says raggedly.
"No. We can't do this. We broke up." I say, shaking my head.

I'm not risking the level of looking at him. Because if I do, I know I'm going to lose it.

"Why won't you say it? Why won't you just say it?" he says, his temper getting the best of him.
I keep silent but he goes on.

"You know, when you broke up with me, at the pool, I thought that there, at that spot, I'll start distancing myself away. But no, you keep dragging me in. Dragging me into this whirlwind, this... This... Geez, Jamie! I thought that at that moment, I'll start hating you. I planned it all. I kept telling myself I'll find a new girl, someone more... More there for me. But you just can't see that I'm trying my best to start over. & you make me - hell, no. Remind me the reasons why I like you, why I lo-"
"Don't say it!" I scream in a whisper.
"Why are you so afraid of those three words, Jamie?" he says huskily. "Three simple words."
"Because... Because..."

& it all spills out, like lava erupting from a volcano. I can't take it anymore. I really can't.

"... & the worst is, I want to mean it. I want to really mean it. But I've never said it before. Not to anyone, not to my mom, nada. & face fact, you broke up with me, remember?" I say.
He looks at me as if he really wants to hit me, only he can't because I'm a girl.
"You broke up with me, querida."

Damn him & his stupid Spanish lessons.

"How can I break up with someone when I just love him?!" I scream.

He gapes at me with astonishment, like he's dreaming.
I can't believe it. I said it.

I said it.

He drags me & our faces are now inches away, his lips on mine.

"Now. Was that so hard?" he says against my lips.















"DAVE!!" I yell as the cold water trickle down my back.
He laughs & runs away, doing laps around the pool.

I swim after him & catch him, tugging on his ankle.

I finally caught him.







She caught me. I lift her with my ankle & pull her hand with mine.

"You caught the wanted. Here's the reward." I say & give it to her.

I hear someone laughing - correction, two someones - & turn around, her in my arms, her hands around my neck.

"Get a room!" Josh laughs & I stick a tongue at the two.
"Right back atcha, bud!" I wink & get out of the pool, Jamie behind me.

I pass the cafe with her & see Brad, that waiter guy, waiting on people.
He's got a bandage on the bridge of his nose.

I enter the cafe & apologized to him.

He looks at me & notice my hand around her shoulders, hers around my waist.

He gives a wink at Jamie & walks away, giving me a nod.







"What was that all about?" Dave asks me as soon as we left the cafe.
"Nothing." I say innocently.

I did mention that I confide everything to Brad like he does me?

"Hey, where are we going?" I ask.
"Somewhere." he says innocently, mocking my tone.

I mock-punched him & he laughs & I chase him.

He leads me to a familiar secluded corner at a familiar block, near a tap.







It's getting hot & heavy. Her fingers are running through my hair, my fingers are roaming at the collar bone area.
We get up for air & a familiar - too familiar - voice pass us & whispers, "Bye, guys."