Buqo YA Bundle 2: Sweet Complications
This bundle is available on the Buqo store for only 0.99 USD!
Thanks to Oops! I Read Again Tours for organizing the tour! :)
Would you do a set of dares to prove someone wrong? Would you risk your friendship so you can find love? Would you admit your real feelings? There are a lot of complications when it comes to finding love. Get the feels when you read these sweet stories.
Excerpts:
D’01 by Sassy Fova
For
once, I didn’t hit the snooze button.
At
6 o’clock, I got up as soon as my alarm clock went off. Today is the day that I
have to start acting mature: whether they be small matters like the alarm or
other things that are more important, I have to be responsible for anything
that I set. Because today, I’m officially of legal age.
I’ve
made a list of stuff I just HAVE to do when I turn eighteen – get a driver’s
license, go to a bar and drink beer, French kiss somebody, lose my virginity
(maybe), and so many other things that someone can decide to do without their
parents’ consent – but the most important thing on my list is this: I HAVE TO
FALL IN LOVE.
I
guess I’m what they call NBSB, or No Boyfriend Since Birth. I’ve had crushes
before – nothing too serious, and all of it short-lived. I used to not care.
But now… I think I’m ready to be in a relationship. So I tried to conjure a
mental picture of the boys at school who might be boyfriend-material… but only
one comes to mind.
Alech
Crisologo.
As
soon as is smiling face popped into my head, I shake it off immediately – that will never ever happen, not even in my wildest
dreams. Anyone but him. I open my Facebook
page and post a status: I’m so ready to
fall in love.
I
slide my windows open and take in deep breaths of air. Is this how freedom
smells like? Like longganisa and
fried eggs? Nah, that’s just breakfast that our stay-in housemaid, Helen, is
cooking. I resist the urge to shout, “Good morning world!” and make a total
fool of myself. I sit on the windowsill instead and admire the view.
One Lovely Summer Day by Amae Dechavez
Habang naglalakad sila ay naalala ni Ethan ang sinabi ng
nagtitindang ale kanina. ‘Mabuti at may
girlfriend ka na.’ Bakit nga ba hindi ko tanungin si Maylie ngayon kung
pwede ko ba siyang maging nobya?
“Silong muna tayo sa may loob ng simbahan, Maylie. Ang init
eh,” wika ni Ethan.
Halos walang tao sa loob ng simbahan. Lahat ay nasa labas,
nanonood sa mga palabas. Pagka-upo ay agad na nagsalita si Ethan.
“Ahm... Maylie.”
“Ano ‘yon, Ethan?”
“Ahm, naisipan mo na bang sabihin sa mga magulang mo na ayaw
mo na ng palipat-lipat ng tirahan?”
“Ah... hindi pa. Kailangan ko bang sabihin sa kanila?”
“Bakit hindi?”
“Umm...”
“Maylie.”
“Ano ‘yon?”
“Gusto ko kasing sabihin na...”
“Na...?”
“Ma...ha... Mahabang usapan pero gusto ko lang sanang
magpasalamat.”
“Magpasalamat?”
“Oo, magpapasalamat lang ako. ‘Yon lang ang gusto kong
sabihin sa’yo.”
“Salamat saan?”
“Sa mga sinabi mong advice sa akin kahapon.”
“Ah, ‘sus. Wala ‘yon. May sasabihin ka pa?”
“Ahm... wala na. Umuwi na tayo. Gutom na ‘ko, gusto ko nang
mananghalian.”
Umuwi na sina Maylie at Ethan at kapagka-pananghalian ay
pumasok si Ethan agad sa kuwarto niya.
‘Ang torpe mo, Ethan,’ sambit ni Ethan sa
sarili niya.
Kinuha niya sa drawer ang maliit na salamin at tinignan niya
ang sarili niya.
“Sabihin mo, MA-HAL. MAAA-HAAAL... Mahal kita!”
Once Upon a Sticky Note by Kristel Ann Cruz
Of course
it also doesn’t hurt that he is nice to look at. I have always pegged Nate as a
pretty boy, but his unassuming ways make him look more attractive. I like his
thick eyebrows, his smiling eyes, and the dimple on his left cheek that mirrors
mine. I can’t even tell you how many jealous stares I have fielded when we walk
through the school together, or how my heart secretly swells seeing these.
It’s quite
melodramatic to say that our lives have never been the same since we became
closer because we are still very young, but that fact doesn’t make it any less
true. I will feel so lost when the time comes he or I would have to go our
separate ways. Graduation is coming soon and to be honest, I’m dreading
college. I wonder if we will be as close as we are now or whether I will be
left behind, a mere footnote to carefree high school days.
It was
almost morning when I realized I am in love with my best friend.
Plain Vanilla by Ines Bautista-Yao
“But what about
Margarita?”
“She sped off in another
direction.” He shrugged, still pulling her along. But this time, he wasn’t
holding her arm anymore. His hand found its way into hers. And she told herself
she didn’t let go because it was dark and she didn’t want to trip on anything.
When they got to the
covered courts, they didn’t bother to find a place to hide. It was so dark, it
wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Paco sat on one of the benches and pulled
Tempest down next to him. She was tempted to pull her hand away, but he still hadn’t
let go. What was the protocol when it came to something like this? Do you let
go when you’re about to do something like look at your watch or scratch an
itch? Or do you just keep holding on till both your hands get too sweaty? And
why did it have to be so complicated?
“I think this is awesome,
what you’re doing.” He smiled at her. Or at least she assumed he was. It was
too dark to tell.
“Sitting in the dark,
holding your hand?” Tempest couldn’t pretend it wasn’t happening, so might as
well call attention to it.
Paco surprised her by
squeezing her hand and still not letting go. “Well, yeah, this too.” He laughed
easily. “But I was talking about the dares. I mean, daring other people is
something Marga and I do all the time, but daring yourself is cool. Why didn’t
you tell me about it last night? I could have helped you do some of them while
we were just hanging out. What’s on your list anyway?”
Tempest didn’t tell him
that the dares had only materialized today because
of him. “Well, nighttime hide and seek, sleeping under the stars, and
glow-in-the-dark bowling are part of it. That pathetic excuse for chalk art
this afternoon was too.”
“That wasn’t pathetic.”
“Whatever.” Tempest
snorted. “There’s also doing a color run which I am seriously thinking of
swapping with something else, running through sprinklers, flying a kite, making
a slushie—”
“You’ve never made a
slushie?” Astonishment.
“I lead a very dull life,
okay?”
“Or flown a kite?” More
astonishment.
“Fine, Mr. I’ve Done
Everything Fun in the World, what haven’t you done? If you were to give
yourself a list of dares, what would you put on your list?”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind
breaking into an all-girls high school after dark and playing hide and seek.”
She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Boring. I’ve done that
already.”
Paco burst out laughing.
Tempest’s insides began to feel all warm and gooey. It felt good to make him
laugh. And to have his complete attention. And to still be holding his hand.
Same by Charm Lee
I
woke up today thinking that everything will be normal. I got out of bed at
around 10am, and caught my reflection on my vanity mirror. Ugh, my long hair is
all frizzy. I tried to comb my hair through it to kind of manage it but it
didn’t work. Oh well.
I’m
excited. I can’t wait to watch the new movie that everyone has been talking
about. I wonder if it lives up to all the buzz that I have been hearing. I
think I still have time after the movie to check out Robert’s. It’s Saturday so
there is a new shipment of books that I can check out.
I
can hear songs now blasting off from my mom’s room. It’s her favorite band. I
ignore it. I’m looking for clothes to wear when my mom enters my room and asks
me if I want to go with her and my dad to my aunt’s house. They just need to
get something for my grandparents, then we can go to the department store after
to buy some stuff that we need since we are renovating.
“Pass.
I’m going to Robert’s.” I feel awkward whenever I hang out with my parents. I
just feel like we have nothing in common and we won’t have anything to talk
about. I hate social situations like that so I avoid it as much as possible.
I
see the disappointment in my mom’s face, says okay and left me alone. I feel
the guilt creeping in but I shrug it off.
She
asked and I chose. She gave me an out so it’s okay.
I
proceeded in getting ready for my alone day. After I’m all ready, I went
downstairs to check on what I can eat on the go as I don’t really want to sit
down and eat breakfast with them. I spy the peanut butter and bread. Perfect.
Travel of Two by Irish Fleur
Tamang-tama
at binaba nga kosa lugar na sinabi ko. Nagpaalam ako kay Arty. Nakatalikod na
ako at nakailang hakbang na nang marinig kong ang pangalan ko. Paglingon ko ay
nakita ko si Arty patakbo papunta sa akin. Napanganga ako.
"O
bakit? Nagulat ka, ‘no? ‘Lika na sa inyo, nauuhaw na ako," hinihingal
niyang sabi sabay akbay sa akin.
"Baliw
ka ano?!" at inialis ko ang akbay niya sa akin.
“Huwag
kang mag-alala, alam ko kung paano pumunta ng Tibiao galing dito sa inyo. I
just want to spend more time with you,” sabi niya. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa
sinabi nya, siya naman ngingiti-ngiti lang. Pero infairness ha, kinilig ako sa
sinabi niya.
“Ang
drama mo din eh. Bakit, type mo ba ako?”
Tinignan
niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa at nilagay pa ang kanyang kamay sa ilalim ng
baba na tila nag-iisip.
“Well…
Aaminin ko na: maganda ka. I mean, maganda ka in a simple way.”
“Binigay
ko na sayo yung number ko, pwede mo naman ako kontakin anytime. Tsaka may mga
plano ka rin, right?”
“Ayaw mo bang ma-extend ang pagsasama natin? Pwede kitang ipasyal sa Tibiao para
sulit naman ang bakasyon mo.”
Napabuntong-hininga
na lang ako at hinayaan kong sumabay sa akin si Arty. Afterall, wala naman
sigurong mangyayaring masama; gusto lang naman ni Arty makipagkaibigan.
