MIA

The car came to a halt and Mia quickly gathered the books on her lap.

" Pick you up at 3?" Robby turned his head to look at her. One arm on the steering wheel, the other arm resting at the back of her seat.

" 3:30, "Mia looked up as she held on the strap of her hand bag. " I need to do a few things after class."

Robby nodded. " 3:30 then. "

" You know you don't have to pick me up, right? " Mia started. " I can always get a ride with Marga."

" And miss my chance to drive my girlfriend to school? " Robby grinned at her. " No way. "

Mia's heart soared at his words. It's been two days since they've gotten back from the Marina and Mia was still not used to the idea of having Robby as a boyfriend.

Boyfriend. Her boyfriend. 

The words were not entirely sinking in  yet.

" Thank you, " Mia smiled as she leaned over to kiss his cheeks. At the same moment, Robby turned his head so her lips touched his in a soft kiss.

"Umm, sneaky, " Mia murmured as they kissed again.

" Have fun in class, " Robby said as Mia pushed open the door. " And ignore Jason as much as you can, okay?"

Mia chuckled. " Jealous?" She teased.

"  No," Robby denied. " I just don't want him making a play on my girlfriend."

Mia jumped out of the car laughingly. She was about to shut the door close when Robby called her out.

She looked at him curiously. " Yeah? "

" Nothing,  " Robby smiled at her sheepishly. " I'll see you after class."

Mia nodded. " 3:30. "

Robby nodded smilingly. " 3:30. " he echoed.

Mia quickly closed the car door and waved at Robby as he drove out of the Arts Building carpark. 

" What did I see back there?!" Marga popped out of nowhere and was looking at her and Robby's speeding car in amazement.

" What?" Mia asked innocently as she spun around and started walking towards the building.

"Mia Sebastian, don't you dare keep me in the dark!" Marga said sternly, her hands on her hips.

" What are you talking about?"

Marga gave her a piercing look. 

" You spent a whole week with Robby Gonzales in some remote island and when you came back, he was suddenly driving you to class!? "

" Something is going on between the two of you and as your best friend, I demand to know what it is! " Marga said indignantly folding her arms across her chest.

Not being able to keep straight face, Mia laughed at her friend's outburst. She quickly took Marga by the arm before she can protest and dragged her away from the parking lot that was slowly filling up with students.

" Will you keep it down? " Mia said when they were out of everyone's earshot..

" How can I keep it down if it looks like my best friend is dating the campus' hearthrob?!" Marga shrieked. 

" Ssshhh, " Mia hissed as she looked around, making sure no one was in sight.

" Oh.mi.god " Marga gasped as she placed a hand on her heart. " You're dating Robby Gonzales?!"

" Marga! " Mia's eyes widened. " Keep it down! "

Marga nodded vigorously as she stared in Mia in amazement. 

" How - how did it happen? " She asked in a lowered voice. " Spill!"

" Well - it's a long story. " Mia started.

" I have all the time in the world, " Marga retorted and pulled her down the hallway.

" Marga, what are you doing? " Mia asked in bewilderment as she let her friend drag her to the opposite direction of their classroom.

" I'm sorry Mia. I know how you love Arts class, " Marga said. " But this story cannot wait. We will have to skip class today."

Mia opened her mouth to protest.

" Zip it, " Marga told her. " I am not going to sit through two hours of arts class and not know what happened between you and Robby."

Five minutes later, they ended up inside the building's cafeteria where Mia spent the next twenty minutes telling Marga everything that has happened at the Marina.

" I knew it!" Marga cried out triumphantly when Mia finished. " Robby couldn't fool me. I knew he has the hots for you from day one!"

" You couldn't have, " Mia retorted good-naturedly. " You weren't there when he picked me up in the airport."

Marga ignored her remark and went on.

" And I've always known you have the hots for Robby too, " Marga pointed a finger at her. " You were just too stubborn to admit it. "

Mia grinned at her as she lifted her coffee cup with two hands. 

" I have to hand it to you, "

Marga giggled as she sipped from her coffee cup. " I can't wait to see the two of you officially together. I can't wait to see Angela's reaction when she sees the two of you. I bet Marco..."

Her voice trailed off as she stared at Mia curiously.

 " Does Marco know? "

The smile slowly vanished from Mia's face. " That's something that I need to figure out before he comes back. "

Marga clucked her tongue in dismay. " Now this is the tricky part. "

Mia sighed slumping on her chair. " I can already imagine him livid with anger when he finds out."

Everyone knew Marco has a terrible temper. He can't seem to see reason when he's in rage. His anger seemed to override any logic his brain dictates. Mia knew that people around him get scared when Marco is in that livid state of rage. She has seen Marco furious a lot of times but it has never been directed towards her. She didn't how she'd take being the recipient of her brother's blinding anger.

" You've got two weeks before classes officially start." Marga told her a matter of factly.

Which means Robby and she only have two weeks left to plan how they are going to tell Marco about their situation. And they need a really solid plan to make her stubborn brother understand.

Mia sighed again. " He's going to hit the ceiling when he finds out."

" No, " Marga shook her head. " He's going to kill Robby when he finds out."

Mia groaned loudly. " You don't really need to rub it in. "

" What did Robby say about Marco? " Marga wanted to know. " He must have a plan."

" We haven't really talked in detail about this," Mia admitted. " Besides, it's not like we intentionally planned on defying Marco. It just happened. "

It was true. They didn't exactly plan on falling in love. She was ready to forget her feelings for Robby. He was thinking of doing the same. But fate has a funny way of twisting things.

" I don't really think your brother is going to buy that excuse, " Marga told her flatly.

" But what can he really do, Marga? " Mia snapped. " Not speak to us for the rest of our lives?   He can't do that. Besides, he does not decide who I can or cannot date."

Marga folded her arms across her chest. " Well, Marco can beat Robby up like what he did to Alfred Samaniego." 

" Marco did not beat up Alfred! " Mia said hotly. " It was a few punches. And that was different. The guy was a cheating bastard. "

Marga just shook her head at her.

" Robby is his best friend. " Mia continued in an earnest voice. "Marco will not do that to him. He just can't."

" You do realize that the minute Marco finds out about Robby and you, that friendship will immediately go down the drain. "

Mia clenched her jaws tightly. Trust Marga to give her a reality check.

" They've been friends for years, " Mia persisted. " That will not change just because I'm dating Robby. "

Marga scoffed. " That's exactly why it will change."

Mia arched an eyebrow at her. " Who's side are you on anyway? "

" Yours, " Marga rolled her eyes heavenward. " But somebody has to tell you how this will all go."

Mia frowned as she stared at her coffee bug.

" I've always envisioned this to be easy. Guy meets girl. They fall in love. Live happily for as long as they can."

Marga smirked.  

" How about, guy meets girl and brother. " She went on. "  Guy and girl fall in love. Brother is furious. Brother forbids girl to date guy. Guy and brother are no longer friends. It's still uncertain if guy and girl will live happily ever after."

" Thanks, " Mia said dryly. " Totally boosted my morale."

" Sorry, " Marga said apologetically. " But I'm just being honest. This thing going on with you and Robby is not something Marco will be happy to see. For god's sake, everyone in school knows about his golden rule."

Mia inhaled sharply, ignoring the feeling of doom in her chest.

Marco has to understand. Mia thought desperately. He needs to understand.

Robby isn't a jerk like Alfred Samaniego. Above anyone else, Marco should know that. Robby is his best friend after all.

But Marga's words kept echoing  in her ears.

No matter how Mia wanted to be optimistic, she knew deep down that Marco will be furious when he finds out about Robby and her.

Reality does bite.