Is There An Echo In Here?

Several days ago at the gym after showering, I turned the corner to the locker area when—there he was. Dressing up as if no one was there, he was half-way putting his shirt on. I saw his very smooth, surprisingly light skin, tight abs, pinkish nipples. I looked away before he could catch me staring.

I headed for my locker which happened to be just above his. Since his locker door was ajar, he quickly moved to close it. “Oops, sorry!” he said to me, smiling. “Excuse me,” I smiled back. Inside I turned all jelly.

Tangina! Ang cute mo, Jericho Rosales!

Okay, okay, normally I’m not easily star-struck these days. And of the five Hunks it’s really Papa Piolo for me and no one else. Carlos Agassi looks like a Lie-la Dee, while Diet, though good looking, has the blankest eyes ever. (Which is why bitchy pundits say he and Kristine Hermosa are a perfect fit—together they’re Fill In The Blanks.) Echo (as he’s fondly called by showbiz insiders) was always for me just a talented actor with a pleasant face. I couldn’t get why my other officemates go gaga over him.

I got my stuff from my locker and went to the other side, leaving him to dress up in peace. Despite the great temptation to steal glances at him, I had enough self-control (self-control daw, o!) to give him his much-needed privacy.

After a while he joined me at the vanity area. I was minding my own business when he asked, “Lagi bang ganito dito sa gym?” Skip a beat. Ha? You talkin’ to me, Echo? You talkin’ to me?! Apparently he was trying out our gym because the one he goes to was under renovation. He liked the fact that ours was not as crowded as, say, Fitness First. While chatting with him, I noticed how he turned on the charm full blast—he looked straight into my eyes while talking to me, and he smiled at me like I was the only other person in the room.

Actually I was.

But still. :-)

When he left, I realized why a lot of people go gaga over him—he can dish out the charm in generous doses. And after surviving his charm attack, I too am now officially in love with Echo.