Chapter 2 - The Plot

Josh studied the notebook well but now his decision transposed, he’s not going to give it back to Andie until he’s sure he can ask her out. It seems so outrageous that he’s already been thinking about that when in fact he hasn’t seen her whole face yet. He entertains the fact that maybe he will not like her looks at all, then it switches to the idea that maybe she won’t like him either. He just laughs about his thoughts but is adamant to keep the notebook.

Andie’s schedule is messed up, as she didn’t memorize her whole schedule. She just hopes she’s not late for a particular subject she needs to attend to. Good thing their instructor is late and from her memory she remembers she’ll be attending Anatomy subject. After 2 hours of discussion, they were dismissed. She then hurried to the registrar’s office to ask for a copy of her schedules. After doing so, she went outside the building to meet her friends so they can eat lunch together.

Josh is already parked on the other side of the street. He is now driving his latest silver F150 junking his 3-month-old Honda Civic. At first, he’s not sure if it’s the right place he should be going to but suddenly he sees Andie and sees the whole part of her face. He took his face closer to his windshield to make sure if he’s looking at the right lady. He then took a glance at her photo on the notebook and looked back again to the lady standing outside.

“Good! There she is!” He said and smiled.

He sure likes what he sees. It seems like he’s spying on Andie for the moment. He wants to know her routines, who she’s with and where she usually goes.

His spy game goes on and on everyday. He parked his car outside at exactly 12 noon and waited for her to get out. He stalked her and followed her wherever she goes. He doesn’t know why he’s doing that but he sure likes what he’s doing.

“Damn, what am I doing? This is the first time I get so obsessed on spying,” he added. He then followed her, but she didn’t notice every single bit of it.

Sometimes he lost sight of her so he just let her go. He begins to be missing in action from his friends, which made them worried about him. While he still managed not to check his business and other properties, he couldn’t manage to let the day pass without watching her from a far.

His yaya, whom he called Manang, the middle-aged lady who took care of her since he was a kid, started to worry about him. She exactly knows something serious is happening to him. She came to him and asked what his problems were. He knows he couldn’t keep a secret to his yaya, so he told her everything.

“Let me get her here and talk to you.” Her yaya said after hearing all of his confessions.

“How will you be able to do that?” he asked.

“Trust me, I’m sure she will come with me. Just let me know how she looks like.” She added.

Josh just shrugged his shoulders not trusting her words at all, but he just couldn’t resist the old lady’s command.

The following morning, he brought Manang to the review center where Andie is attending her classes. At exactly 12 noon, Andie went out of the building then he pointed her so Manang could see her. She went out of the truck and crossed the street so she can take a closer look on her, anxious that she might get the wrong Andie for her plan. She studied her face, her size and her shape so she’ll be sure to pick up the right lady. Then she returned to the truck.

“Okay, I’ve seen her, memorized her face and figure, let’s start the plot and tomorrow, she will be home so you better get ready,” Manang said in confidence. He just nods in wonder.

The following morning, as Manang commanded, Josh didn’t go out instead their driver accompanied Manang to get Andie. He then prepared his script. He went over and over to read the notebook and after reading, he kept it on his cabinet so no one could see it, not even Andie.

They finally arrived at the review center. Only 5 minutes before 12 noon, Andie went out of the building. When Manang spotted her, she went out of the car immediately. She then crossed the street to meet her.

“Hey lady, I believe this place has lots of physical therapists inside, are you one of them?” The old lady asked.

“Yes ma’am, what can I do for you?” she asked politely.

“Can you accompany me at home, my knees are giving way, I just couldn’t walk for long, my driver is parked on that street, can you help me please?” she said in a somewhat hurting tone.

Andie didn’t realize that the plot has just begun but out of her good heart, she helped the lady.

“Can you come by our house so you can work on my knees?” she added.

“Uhmm.” Just before she could say a word, the old lady had growled so loud, suggesting a shooting pain.

“My therapist just left for abroad so I didn’t find one yet, that’s why I walked along this area then I found you,” she explained.

“Okay ma’am, let me help you this time.” She said while helping her to position in the front seat.

She’s then seated at the back seat alone while Manang is demonstrating a fake cry. She just taps her shoulders comforting her from her pain.

She knows it will screw her if she won’t ease the old lady’s pain because she doesn’t have any equipments brought, but she knows she can get through with it. She has been trained how to rehabilitate people with such little to no equipments available. She knows she’ll just need to use physical modalities to get by.

They finally arrived at Manang’s place. She’s surprised to see that it’s such a huge house at Valle Verde. Her eyes widened when she finally gets inside. The sound of the horn signaled Josh that they finally arrived, but he’s not sure if they’re able to trap her.

Nervous and all, he then walked to his office inadvertently reviewing some of his unfinished business proposals.

The other maid went to see Josh to tell him that they already arrived with that lady, Andie perhaps.

Andie then positioned Manang to her bed so she can check her knees. She’s wondering that it seems like there’s no significant findings on her knees upon ocular inspection, so she took off her pen and paper and made a remark on her findings. The old lady screams whenever she moves her knees, but for her, it seems normal. She said she couldn’t give her any treatment yet, but only a slight massage and hot packs. Manang told her that she wants her to be her new therapist if she’s still available. Andie thinks about her offer first, but Manang insisted so she just said yes to her.

In a while, the other maid came inside and gave her something to drink. She told her that Josh, which they pretended to be her grandson, asked her to come to his office after she finished treating her. She then agreed to her. The old lady described Josh to her a bit. It makes her nervous that the old lady seems to be linking her to him. She just smiles and told her to rest first.

After a few minutes of talk, she then stood up and told the old lady that she needs to go now, so she had to see her grandson first to tell him that the old lady is all right.

The maid told Josh that she’s coming to see him already so he prepared. When the maid came out, she directed her toward the door and told her to come in.

“Is he in?” she asked. “Yes, you can come in now,” the maid said.

“Uhmm, hello?” She said in an anxious voice. “I’m Andie, your grandmother has experienced pain on her knees so she asked me if I could…..”

He suddenly turned around and slid the executive chair to face her. It surprised her so much. She doesn’t know what her reaction would be.

“You?” they both said. While Andie is searching from her brain where she has seen that man again.

“You’re the one who bumped into me for two consecutive days of my life, right?” she said.

“Ah I knew it, uh huh and you didn’t even say sorry when you bumped into me,” he said in an arrogant voice, faking his act.

“What? Why are you referring that to me? My stuffs are spread all over the place remember and you were the one who didn’t even say a word,” she said in an angry voice.

“Then what are you doing here?” it seems like the only line he could say after getting lost on his script.

“Uhmm, I came here to bring your grandmother back and she asked for my help so I helped her, any problem with that?” she said.

“Oh-kay, how much did we owe you?” he said.

“I didn’t know this will turn bad, I just helped the poor woman and I don’t need a payment from you. I’ll leave now.” She said.

Just before she could go out of the front door, the maid came screaming.

“Manang, Manang!” she exclaimed.

He and Andie then go straight to where Manang is lying. She’s still faking her cry so Andie will not go home yet. Even if Andie knows everything is normal, she didn’t leave the old lady, the sign of which she really has a good heart.

She waited until the old lady sleeps. Josh is disappointed of himself why he overreacted on his scripts. He would like to make a fresh start with her but it seems like she’s resistant to it. All is gone. Everything is screwed.

“Me and my big mouth,” he mumbled while tapping his forehead in dismay.

It was already past 7 p.m. when the old lady slept. She then went out of the room and found Josh outside.

“Hey I’m sorry I just overreacted, how’s she?” he said.

“She’s fine and sleeping.” “I’ll go home now,” she said.

“I’ll drive you home, wait a minute,” he said.

“No, no I can manage,” she said while walking fast toward the gate. “At least I’ll walk you out.” She just nods.

Still disappointed by his moves, but he knows he should make it up to her. He then visited Manang and kissed her in the forehead, thanking her for the plot she made for him.

“I just couldn’t live without you,” he whispered.

At exactly 12 noon, he was already parked at the other street when Andie came out. She then saw him stepped out of his truck. He crossed the street immediately to catch her up as she seems like running away from him.

“Hey Andie, right?” He called her while pulling her arm to face him.

“I wasn’t able to introduce myself clearly to you, my name is Josh, “Joshua Roman Singson,” he said.

“Yeah I know, your grandmother told me already. How’s she by the way?” she said.

“She’s fine now, but I think she did have some relapses, she needs to be checked by you again, I think.”

She just smiled and said she’s not sure if she can come by again as she’s really busy while they’re still walking and catching up on her.

“Uhmm can we start all over again?” he said while Andie just stares at him.

“Can I, at least, ask you out for a dinner, a lunch or a breakfast perhaps, what do you say?” he asked.

Her eyes widened. She faltered. Looked around then looked back at him again. “I say no, I told you I’m busy.” Andie gave him an annoyed look on her face.

He then raised his one brow but then again felt that he needs to be modest so he won’t turn her off again.

She suddenly saw an FX approaching and she said goodbye to him. While she hops on the back seat, she left him standing. He just shrugs his shoulders then returned to where his car was parked.

After that incident, he went home so restless. “I knew I screwed it, I just couldn’t get it right to her,” he said.

Manang then came and could see that he is upset.

“Must be the lady, right?” she said. He just nods. “She’s a fine lady, I can see she has a good heart, why don’t you go out with her, get to know her and see for yourself how different she is from the ladies you knew,” she added.

He couldn’t say any word to her but he knew he just did but she never even cared to think about it. He went to his bed still thinking about her.

“Man, why couldn’t I take my mind off of her?” his brain screams. “Everything really is a first time for me.”

“I can see that her face is pretty, not that major head-turner though compared to the ladies that I’ve been with but her round eyes like that of Rachel Leigh Cook’s complemented her nicely contoured brows, her cute nose, her rosy cheeks, her thin lips, plus her tan skin tone, which I’m really obsessed at. Her shoulder length, layered hair also looks good on her as it brushed across her face when the wind blew on it,” he remarked.

While on the bed, Andie is tossing and turning, thinking about the guy who just asked her out but she refused. She can be dumb sometimes but she knew she doesn’t give in easily, and such, he is very rich. She thinks they just couldn’t blend. But his scent and his arrogance really fascinated her.

“He looks so good on his blue shirt that day that fit his firm body, and boy his pectorals! His eyes were brown and round, his nose is pointed, and he’s got a perfect profile that describes how rich guys looked so vain. His complexion is so fair compared to mine. He’s really tall, I think he’s something like 5’8 or 9’, 4 or 5 inches taller than I am. And gosh his scent! Overall, he is neatly groomed! But why in the hell he’d like to go out with me? I’m smelling such a glitch here.” She thought to herself while crumpling the ends of her pillow.

Now, she’s thinking about her little diary, about her previous dates she had. She knew it could help her get through.


The following day, as usual, Josh is already outside waiting for her, but she still ignored him. For him, his tricks in getting her attention all ran out. For her, she just couldn’t keep up with the Jones’ she knew.

Weeks passed, she gets used to Josh’s stalking. Sometimes she gets so soft on him and wants to talk to him but her mind is telling her not to fall into pit of her emotions.

One day, she walked slowly outside, as she’s very confident that Josh is waiting for her. She’s fond of the fact that some pretty-looking rich guy has a hots for her. She couldn’t help but giggle. But it surprised her when she didn’t see him. She turned her head around and her eyes were searching but she couldn’t see a silver truck parked. It’s obvious that she’s disappointed when she didn’t find him. She gazed at the area where he used to park his truck for a moment and then decided to cross the street when suddenly a loud honk was released. She gets so nervous that it kept her eyes closed and thinks that the approaching car might hit her in just a split of a second if she’d continue to walk.

“Hop in!” a loud voice said. She suddenly opened her eyes and surprised to see a silver truck in front of her. It surprised her more it was Manang who called her name, while Josh is smiling on the driver’s side. “Come on in, we’re going out today!” Manang said.

She knows she couldn’t resist Manang’s order so she just did. She’s left quiet at the back seat. When Manang noticed her, he told Josh to pull over, so they can switch seats.

“Manang, it’s okay, I can stay here,” she said.

“No, you sit here, I couldn’t endure his driving and I need to nap,” she added.

It’s one of her funny antics that she couldn’t really ignore. But the fact made her giggle and yet nervous at the same time that he’s going to be sitting next to him.

“Why am I happy, why am I giggling?” she muttered.

Josh smiles at her when she hops in. She knows it’s not going to be easy, not really easy.

“How’s your day?” he asked. “Fine,” she shyly said.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “I don’t know, Manang just said she wants to eat in this Filipino restaurant, Kamayan, I guess,” he said.

Thankfully she already dined in that restaurant so she knows stuff about it. She doesn’t want to look so ignorant of the place.

They then dined in. Seems like the ice already broken between the two. They exchanged thoughts and were conversing nicely. They even get so tied up on their funny talks and sometimes irritating topics, which made them get silent for a moment, good thing Manang is there to intervene between the two.

They already finished eating, so she told them that she’ll go home already. Josh insisted on taking her home but she’s rather insistent not to. She said she’ll just ride a cab to get home. They couldn’t resist her so he allowed her.

It gave her good relief when she finally arrived home. She doesn’t want to consider the thoughts of being with him. She knows it’ll be more of a conflict if she’ll entertain him because she needs to focus on her review. She knows she couldn’t screw the stateboard exam, as her future lies in it as well as her family’s.

As usual, Josh is again present, this time she knows it’s for real. She’s sure anytime she will be talking to him for long and soon finds out that she’s out with him. This made her worry so she stood firm of her rule: no dating until she passed the boards.

“Hi,” he said in a low but sweet tone.

She giggled when she remembered her note that when a guy greeted him with a “Hi” first, it meant that there’s something more serious than his simple word of hi. She didn’t know that he already took off this idea from her notes.

“What’s up?” she said. Seems like a déjà vu when she also utters the words from her notebook. This seems to ring a bell also to Josh.

“Do you want to go anywhere else than here?” he asked. “Let’s go that way,” she said while pointing at a small cafeteria.

When they’re both settled, he then started his lines.

“Uhmm I was hoping maybe we can go out, since we already had a fresh start, maybe….” Andie interrupted.

“Look Josh, I couldn’t risk my board review for some date, I hope you’d understand,” she said while her face lost its gleam.

“Oh okay, I just don’t mean to hook you up on this but my uncle is so serious of commanding me to date someone. He’s now on a terminal condition at the hospital and we might lose him anytime. I couldn’t afford to say no to the old man,” he knows he wasn’t telling the truth but it’s just his alibi so she couldn’t resist on him.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but you see, I can’t do it right now, I just wish I could hook you up with some of my friends. If you like I can arrange one for you,” she said.

When he thinks it’s getting on him, he suddenly blocked out.

“Uhmm no, I can’t date someone I don’t know,” he said in relief, thanking that he had words to back him up.

“Just let me know if you’re ready. It doesn’t have to be a real date though, we can always pretend just to please my uncle,” he said in a low tone.

She told him that she’ll think about it but she knows it’s not going to be possible at the moment. She waved goodbye to him. He knows the routine, he can’t send her home.

Josh is sure that he’s close to getting her say yes for their date, but he needs to study more from her notes. Andie is still thinking about his offer but she couldn’t agree in going out with him, as she knows they’re totally different, that’s her secondary reason.

“We’re like heaven and earth, wheew corny!” she said while laughing.

Guys like him didn’t impress her much. She thinks they’re just speck of players that she couldn’t trust.

“What if he’s true enough about his intentions?” her heart is telling her. “Oh, please God, don’t make me think of him, please, I want to keep focused on passing,” she prayed.