Chapter 23: Difference between guys and gals

Third POV

"I can't believe that we don't even have one class together. Anyhow, how have your blockmates been treating you so far?" Lara asked Anthony. She, and the boys were currently lounging in a café while their mothers went shopping together.

"They're nice, easy to get along with. How about you, Steven, and Andy? How's your block?" Anthony asked in return.

"For me, it's okay. But since me and these two are in the same block, we mostly just stick together. They're pretty nice though." Lara replied.

They didn't really have much to talk about specially that Steven and Anthony were still awkward with each other. Usually, at times like this, Andy would get the conversation going, but he was just busy staring at his phone.

Anthony felt the stagnancy of their conversation and that the atmosphere was becoming stifling, so he decided to shift the topic to Andy.

"So… do you have any idea why Andy won't stop staring at his phone?" he asked.

Lara made an exaggerated sigh. "Why else? He got himself a new flavor of the month, and he's been waiting for her text since Friday."

"Really? Who is it this time? Isn't he dating that actress, what's her name again?"

"Hayley" Lara supplemented, "And no, not anymore. You know Andy, he has the attention span of a fly. Right now, he feels like he's found his true love in that girl, Michelle. You met her with us last time. Remember?"

Anthony recalled the face of the girl with a shy smile and sometimes endearing stutter. He chuckled as he nodded his head, "Yes, oh and I forgot to mention, apparently, she was my seatmate in English 10."

"I see..." then Lara nudged Andy, "hey did you hear that? Your crush is seatmates with Tonton in English. Why do you keep staring at your phone anyway? I don't remember you exchanging numbers."

Andy finally decided to look up from his phone as he sighed. "We didn't but I invited her for my birthday party. I even asked the event coordinator to personalize one invitation with my personal cellphone number to give her. She said that she will ask permission from her parents and will give me a response this weekend. Anyway, Anthony since she's your classmate, have you noticed any guy roaming around her? Maybe like, if she has a boyfriend or something?"

Anthony shook his head, "I didn't notice, besides the school year just started."

On the other hand, Lara rolled her eyes, "Not every guy is like you, Andy. Some people actually try to get to know someone first before deciding if they truly like them. Plus, personalized invitation? Really? You won't even give me an invitation to hand Charice Lo who has been texting me for an invite since last month."

"Well, it's my birthday so I decide who I want to invite or not. Plus, Charice? Eeew. No thanks. My standards are pretty high. I told you already, I'm not interested, and you can pass her the message too." Andy replied.

"I think Michelle is a step down from Hayley though. What do you see in her anyway?"

"First, she's really pretty. Second, she's hot. Third, well, I have seen her around before, but I never got the chance to talk to her. The one time I did, she did not even notice me. As in me, Andy Peng." Andy explained.

"I never knew that part, so is it like she's a challenge to you? Like since you did not notice me before, I will get you now and dump you later?" Lara now more curious inquired.

Steven who finally seems to be interested in the conversation furrowed his brows as he listened.

"I don't think that's nice Andy. Michelle seems like a nice girl." Anthony commented.

"Of course not! It's nothing like that. I just meant that she made an impression on me before. But that's it. Now, when I saw her in class, I just thought she looked familiar. Then, I don't know. If I didn't know she's the daughter of the Lui's, then I won't even guess that she's the same person. When I first saw her, she was like, Steven? I never saw her smile, though maybe because I only saw her a few times in the parties." Andy shared.

"Wait, sorry, I guess I judged you too early. So, you're saying that you've been crushing on her since before? Why have I only heard of this now?" Lara asked.

"I don't mean that I have a crush on her, I just thought she's pretty." Andy defended.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Lara, when a guy says he has a crush on a girl, usually, it means that he wants to bang that girl okay? I mean, it's the difference between guys and gals. Guys think that wow, she's pretty, she's hot, I want to bang her. Not like you gals who think, wow, he's hot, he's handsome, I want him to be my boyfriend and we'll do fluffy innocent things together." Andy explained unabashedly.

Steven kicked his seat.

Andy looked at him, "What?"

Steven just scowled.

Meanwhile, Anthony explained, "Andy, that's not always the case, and Lara's a girl. Don't say those kind of things in front of her."

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TBC