“Yes...” Cashmere admitted. “I purposely avoided you. I tried to erase my feelings for you but I failed Grey. Instead of getting rid of my feelings for you, it only becomes deeper, Grey. Until I realized that I'm already falling in love with you."

Cashmere bravely met his eyes. “Yes. I'm in love with you, Grey. I hope you wouldn't question my feelings for you. I know I'm still young, and even though this is the first time I've felt this, I know that what I feel for you is love. I love you, Grey and I'm damn sure of it."

“Cash... I...” Grey closed his eyes as if having a hard time with her. It seemed like he didn't know what to answer. And his expression was already enough answer for Cashmere. 

“Grey… don't worry. I decided to tell you this right now not because I'm asking you to reciprocate my feelings. I decided to admit my feelings to you because for once, I wanted to be honest."

Despite the tightening of her chest, the trembling of her lips, and the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes… she still managed to flash a smile on her face. 

 “That's all I wanted to say, Grey… Thank you for listening...” She harshly wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. 

Cashmere then walked away from Grey… She left him alone on the dance floor. 

“Cash, wait a minute...” Grey tried to stop her but Cashmere continued to run away from him. 

Before Grey could follow her, she already hid herself in a dark corner of the gymnasium. There, she allowed herself to let her tears fall. 

She couldn't believe that she managed to confess her feelings to Grey. Tears streamed down her face. She felt like thousands of needles struck her heart. Her heart was like breaking into pieces. 

  Even if she didn't really hope it was still heartbreaking to get rejected.  Cashmere admitted to her that after finding out that Kass wasn't really Grey's girlfriend, she suddenly felt hope in her heart. 

But then that hope got shattered in the end. Even if he has a girlfriend or not, it was really impossible for Grey to like her. She smiled bitterly to herself. 

Hello, first heartbreak...

Guess what, she was going to welcome her nineteenth birthday with a heartbreak. 

“Cashmere...”

Cashmere stooped from her silent cries when her name echoed. The whole place turned silent. 

“Cash...I know you're listening...” 

Cashmere felt her heart skip a beat upon hearing Grey's voice. Despite her hurting heart, it was still able to beat for Grey. 

“I need you to listen...”

Cashmere wiped the tears off her face and peeked from where she was hiding. Her lips parted when she saw Grey, alone on the stage. He was standing in the middle of the stage, with the microphone in his hand. Aside from the stoplight being solely on him, all eyes from the people in the gymnasium where were on him. 

What was he doing? Grey wanted to talk to her? But why? Did he want to talk to her to say sorry for hurting her? 

“Cash, you're not the only one who needs to confess. You're not the only one who has secrets. I was secretly in love with you, too...

“I like you, Cashmere. I have liked you since the first time I saw you. But you’re off limits to me. That's why I tried to stop whatever attraction I felt towards you.  I tried but then I failed, Cashmere... In the end, my heart still fell for you.”

She couldn't believe it.  Cashmere blinked a couple of times to make sure that she was not just dreaming. That all of these were real. That everything she heard is true and not just a product of her wild imagination. 

 Grey had feelings for her, too... Grey likes her… Oh, damn. 

Cashmere took a deep breath and decided to face Grey. 

Tears started to fall from Cashmere's eyes. But it was different from earlier. Now, it was definitely tears of joy. She felt like her heart slowly picked up her broken pieces and put them back together. Her whole being was suddenly filled with unexplainable happiness. 

“I told your brother first about my feelings for you, Cashmere. I ask him for permission to court you. But then Blue stopped me. He said that he'd like me for you and that allows me to court you… but then I have to wait for a year first."

 “He asked me to wait until the day of your nineteenth birthday... And I patiently wait. I patiently wait for one year. I thought it was just easy to wait for only a year... But then every time I see you with some other guy who clearly shows interest in you, I get jealous… and wanted to confess my feelings right away. But still, I tried my best to stop myself. I made a promise to your brother and I don't want to break the promise I made with him...”

Grey grabbed the wireless microphone before he left the stage. He started walking towards her direction. 

 “I'm sorry... if I didn't show myself to you for the past three days. I got busy preparing for the say I'm going to confess my feelings for you. I want that day to be special. Everything was already planned for tomorrow...But then, an unexpected thing happened tonight. I can't express how your confession rendered me speechless. I didn't expect it, Cash...” He stopped inches away from her. “I didn't expect it at all...”

Grey raised his hand and gently wiped the tears on her face. 

“That moment… I can't decide if I'm already going to confess my feelings to you. I badly wanted to tell you everything, Cashmere, but then I remembered the promise I made with you brother." Grey bit his lower lip as his fingers caressed her face. "But then when I saw your tears, my heart hurts."

Grey met her stares. His eyes were full of gentleness and love as his eyes bore into hers. 

 “I can't bear to see you getting hurt, Cash... I'd rather break my promise to your brother than break your heart... That's why right now, I'm telling you, and everyone around us, that I love you. So much...”

Cashmere felt like her heart was going to explode from too much happiness. 

“I love you more than anything else in this world. Starting tonight, I am now officially courting you, Cashmere dela Merced....I will do anything and everything to win you and your heart...”

“There's no need to do that, Grey,” Cashmere answered, looking at him lovingly. “You already have my heart, Grey.”

Grey gave her a gentle smile. “Then I promise that I will make you love me even more...  I will make you love me until we grow old and reach the end of time...” He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “I love you so much... And I have only one request for you right now.”

“Seems like the two of you forgot that I'm just here...”

Both Grey and Cashmere turned to where the familiar voice came from. It was her brother. He was standing near them. 

“Blue, I'm sorry for breaking--”

“You didn't break any promise,” Blue said, cutting off Grey. “It's already September twelve.” He showed his wristwatch. It said there that it was already past twelve. 

“Happy birthday, sis,” Blue greeted her with a smile on his face. Then he turned to Grey. “Hurt her and our friendship will be over.”

“I will never hurt her, Blue. Never.”

“I know. I'm just scaring you.” Her brother smirked as he tapped Grey's shoulder. He then left them alone. 

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Grey whispered to her with all his heart.  “Thank you, Grey...” This is the best birthday and you are the best gift I've ever received.