"You keep showing up here. Ako nauna dito." biglang sabi ni Lisa na naging dahilan kung bakit gulat na gulat si Jennie.

Halos araw-araw siya pumupunta sa abandonadong swimming pool na katabi lang ng field. Alam ni Lisa na bawal pumunta dito, pero it became a habit. A month passed and still, the whispers and murmurs whenever she passes by a crowded place in the University never stopped. Some of the rumors were true, but not all of them. It was really hard to make friends, pero it's not like it's a big deal for her. Sanay na siyang mag-isa. She's not a lone wolf, may mga kaibigan naman siya, pero hindi lang dito sa University na to. 

"Are you a child?" Jennie hissed. She's normally not one na mag-attitude out of nowhere pero di na din niya napigilan sumagot. Sa mag-iisang buwan na pagpunta niya sa lugar na off-limits, she always sat on the opposite side of the pool dahil si Lisa ang nakaupo sa kabila. Hindi naman din siya makalapit kay Lisa dahil baka atakihin siya ng hika niya. Lagi kasing nagyoyosi si Lisa. 

They never talk. Just banters at pang-iirap here and there. Buong araw sa school, may dalwang oras na break lagi sina Jennie at Lisa, since magkaklase sila. Jennie would normally spend the remaining hour na nakaupo lang sa side niya ng pool, sometimes with her earphones on and sometimes nagbabasa din siya ng mga libro.

Jennie badly wanted to make a conversation with the other girl. She tried, pero it was futile. Kaya naman napagdesisyunan ni Jennie to mind her own business. Kaya naman siya nandun kasi maingay sa University, grounds. Sa library naman, ang dami pa ding tao. Jennie even tried one time na umupo sa pinakadulong part ng bookshelves para magbasa ng libro pero guess what? Momol place pala yun ng mga students dahil wala masyadong nakakaita at hindi masyadong naiilawan.

"Can you please stop smoking?" sigaw ni Jennie pero Lisa didn't budge and continued smoking. Jennie felt her breathing shorten kaya naman madalian niyang kinuha yung inhaler niya sa bag niya. She almost couldn't reach it, kaya buti nalang at nasa bulsa lang yun ng bag niya. 

She took a deep breath and pressed down on the inhaler. 

Bigla nalang  napansin ni Jennie na may nakahawak na sa balikat niya and that hand was slowly caressing it, to calm her down, she thinks. 

"I told you not to come here anymore." sabi ni Lisa sabay upo sa tabi ni Jennie. Napansin niya na Lisa was not holding her cigarettes anymore.

"Gusto ko lang ng tahimik." sabi ni Jennie. Lissa nodded and she seemed to understand what the other was saying.  "Kaso nga lang kailangan kong magyosi." sambit naman ni Lisa. "Tapos may hika ka pala. Where does that leave me? Naniniwala ako na... Finders keepers." dagdag pa niya as she smirked.

"Can't we compromise then? Ang hirap maghanap ng tahimik na lugar dito sa Maynila, Lisa. Let alone this University." sagot naman ni Jennie as she catched her breath. 

"I need something in my mouth. Keeps me sane. Kaya ako nagyoyosi. I can't just stop ng biglaan. Lalong hindi for a stranger." pag-eexplain ni Lisa sabay higa sa semento.

"H