The set was finished at 10:00 PM. Inaantay nalang namin sila matapos mag-ayos ng mga gamit nila. Wala kasing kasama si Yeji na intayin ang girlfriend niya.

 

"Antok na?" I asked as Ning leaned on Lia's car, she nod, "Pumasok ka na sa loob." Inalalayan ko siya at binuksan ang pintuan bago siya pumasok sa loob.

 

Ryujin went outside, iba na ang suot na damit dahil pinagpawisan daw siya. Her duffel bag slid in her arms same as Heejin and Giselle. The two guys were no where to be found.

 

"Manonood pa daw sila." Sabi ni Ryujin when Lia asked about Jaemin and Haechan, "Una na kami," Paalam niya, kasunod na niya si Yej, "Salamat sa pag-nood!"

 

We all bid our goodbyes bago kami pumasok ni Lia sa loob. Ningning was already sleeping peacefully sa backseat.

 

Hinatid muna namin si Ning sa kanila, bago kami dumiretso ni Lia sa condo niya. We didn't bother to eat, dahil masyado na madami ang nakain namin.

 

Pagdating sa condo ni Lia ay dumiretso agad ako sa banyo. Grabe. Ang init lang ng pakiramdam ko. Lia also did the same, dalawa naman ang bathroom sa condo niya. Matapos ko mag-wash up ay pumasok na 'ko sa spare room niya.

 

Nag-alarm ako para magising ako ng maaga. In exchange of letting me stay the night, ako ang nagluluto ng breakfast namin ni Lia.

 

After three songs, nakaramdam na 'ko ng antok kaya pinatay ko na ang phone ko. I can't sleep without music.

 

Pagkagising na pagkagising ay pinuntahan ko na si Julia sa kwarto niya at ginising ito. I prepared breakfast while she takes a bath. After ko mag luto ng pancake with eggs and bacon ay naligo na din ako.

 

"Wow, this is why I like having sleepovers with you." She exclaimed while side hugged me, "Ngayon na lang ulit ako nakapag-breakfast!" She pulled a chair, and sat in front of me.

 

I glared at her, "Wag ka naman puro coffee."

 

"Yes, Mom."

 

Bago kami umalis ay tinago ko ang mga coffee niya sa pantry, at nilagay sa hindi niya maabot. No caffeine for Julia muna for a week. She even whined at me, pero hindi ko siya pinansin. Magdusa ka.

 

When we arrived at YGU, sinalubong ako ni Ning ng yakap. She's very sweet, lalo na kapag morning. She's like a baby sister I never had. Ning is a year younger than us, but is the same year sa amin.

 

"Rina! Si Jeno, hanap ka." Kinikilig pa na sabi nito, "Bilis! He brought flowers."

 

I sighed.

 

Manliligaw ko si Jeno. For a year now. I kept telling him na I'm not interested sa dating ngayon dahil I'm more focused on acads, pero ang sabi niya ay willing to wait siya.

 

Yeji saw me sigh, "I'll tell him to go." She volunteered.

 

"Thanks." I smiled.

 

"He's gwapo naman..." Ning said.

 

I chuckled, "Wala talaga sa isip ko ang boyfriend, Ning."

 

"Okay..." Nanghihinayang na sabi niya, "Mabait din, tapos matali—okay! Alright, titigil na." Natatawang sabi niya nung tinignan ko siya ng masama.

 

Naunang nag-lakad si Karina sa amin. We stayed behind her until she approached Jeno. He saw us and gave us a wide smile. Palapit na sana siya sa amin but Yeji stopped him.

 

After a minute umalis na si Jeno. I didn't know what she said to him. Yeji is really intimidating, lalo na yung mga mata niya, at pag hindi din siya nakangiti.

 

"Thanks again, Yej." Sabi ko sakaniya at umupo na sa tabi niya, "What did you say?"

 

She grinned, "Sabi ko you're already taken."

 

Napaubo ako.

 

"What?!"

 

"Chill!" Natatawang saway nito sa akin, "Sinabi ko lang na hindi ka interesado, takot lang siya sakin."

 

Nakahinga ako ng maluwang.

 

I hope Jeno would stop pursuing me. He's a great guy, madaming may gusto sa kaniya. A typical rich and sporty guy.

 

Lia snickered when she heard Yeji, "Sino ba namang 'di matatakot sa dragon?"

 

Hindi ko napigilan ang tawa ko, kaya Yeji rolled her eyes on us. Natigil lang kami when the prof entered.

 

 

-

 

 

Mama

 

Mama: Umuwi ka ngayon. Hanap ka ni Papa mo.

 

Mama: Umuwi ka agad ha.

 

I sighed when I saw my Mother's messages. Pinatay ko ang phone ko at tahimik na pumila sa terminal ng bus. Buti nalang at medyo unahan ang pila ko, may upuan pa 'kong nakita. Kaso nasa bungad...hay.

 

"Thanks." I said as the girl removed her bag from the seat.

 

Umupo ako ng maayos at niyakap ulit ang bag ko. Not minding my seatmate.

 

A yellow C2 came into my sight. Napatingin ako sa tabi ko. My eyes widened when I saw the familliar gray haired girl!

 

"Gusto mo?" She asked, handing me the drink.

 

I shook my head, "Ah, hindi." I awkwardly said, "H-hindi ako nauuhaw."

 

"Basta, iyo nalang." Abot niya pa sa akin, "Mas gusto ko yung red eh."

 

I raised my brow, "Yellow is better." I argued.

 

"Okay," She clicked her tongue, "Kaya nga you can have this na." She chuckled.

 

I rolled my eyes, "Okay, stalker." I joked, at kinuha yung drink.

 

"Stalker pa nga." Natatawang sabi niya, "Mukha bang stalker 'tong mukha ko?" Hinarap niya sa akin ang mukha niya.

 

Damn pretty.

 

"Yeah, pwede."

 

She scrunched her nose, "Talaga lang ha."

 

I didn't know why but I felt really comfortable around her.

 

"I'm Winter pala." She said.

 

Napatingin ako. Winter? A season?

 

"Really?" Hindi makapaniwala kong tanong.

 

She grinned, "May masama ba sa 'Winter'?"

 

"Is this a trick question?"

 

Tumawa lang siya, "Genuine question 'yon."

 

"Okay..." I grinned, "I'm Karina." Pakilala ko kahit alam kong kilala niya na ako dahil sa ID.

 

She smirked, "How's YGU?"

 

"We're talking about schools, suddenly?"

 

"Ano ba gusto mong pag-usapan?" She smiled mischievously.

 

My forehead creased, "Ikaw? Where do you study?"

 

"SMU."

 

I huffed, "That's thirty minutes away from here?" Natatawang sabi ko, "Bakit dito ka nasakay ng terminal?

 

Her cheeks showed a tint of red, "U-uh, may dinaanan lang ako malapit d-dito." She stuttered.

 

I hummed, "Pati nung nakaraan?" I joked.

 

"Y-yeah." She scratched the back of her neck.

 

She helped me open the bottle nung nakita niyang nahihirapan ako. Binigay niya sakin yung C2 na bukas at hawak niya lang ang takip.

 

"Here." Abot niya sa takip nung tapos na kong uminom. "Are you sleepy? Pwede ka matulog dito." Sabi niya sabay turo sa balikat niya, "As a way of saying my sorry."

 

"Dapat lang." I chuckled, "But I'm not sleepy."

 

Napatingin ako sa iniinom ko.

 

I scoffed, "Is this also a bribe?"

 

She pursed her lips to stop herself from smiling, "Maybe?"

 

"Wala na bang ibang bribe?"

 

She grinned, "Gutom ka?" She asked, "Do you want to stop by sa SM mamaya? Pag-baba natin."

 

I shook my head, "Kailangan ko na umuwi agad."

 

"Mabilis lang!" She insisted, "Starbucks lang."

 

"Sure?"

 

She nodded eagerly, "Libre pa kita!"

 

I sighed, "Mabilis lang ha?"

 

I can imagine my Mom's tone.

 

Bahala na.

 

"Ano iyo?" Winter asked as we were both standing in front of the counter, "You can pick any." She smiled.

 

Her dimple showed.

 

Cute.

 

I cleared my throat, "French toast would be enough."

 

"Drinks?"

 

I shook my head, "Wag na."

 

She shrugged while fixing the duffel bag on her shoulder. She must be an athlete.

 

My forehead creased nung may makitang dala siyang dalawang drinks papunta sa table namin, and a paperbag.

 

"It's a tea." She said bago pa ako makapag-simula, "You look like someone who don't like frappe eh." She shrugged.

 

Inirapan ko siya, "Wala ako pang bayad."

 

Tinawanan niya 'ko, "Libre nga."

 

I just rolled my eyes and stood up. Hawak ko sa magkabilang kamay ang paperbag na may laman na french toast, at ang isa ay ang pomegranate tea. Naka-ipit sa braso ko ang ilang libro na hawak ko, naiwan ko kasi ang tote bag ko sa condo ni Lia.

 

Nagulat ako nung kinuha niya yung mga libro ko at hinawakan gamit ang kabilang kamay.

 

"Let's go?" I nodded.

 

Tahimik lang kaming naglalakad at paminsan-minsang nag-uusap. Nasa may harap na kami ng gate namin ng nag-salita siya, she insisted na ihahatid niya ako kahit mas nauna ang bahay nila.

 

"Uh, ano oras class mo bukas?" She asked as she handed me the books.

 

My forehead creased, "Bakit?"

 

She looked away, "W-wala lang..." She scratched the back of her head.

 

"10:00 AM, bakit?" Sagot ko.

 

She pursed her lips, her cheeks flushed, "G-gusto mo sabay t-tayo pumasok bukas?" She shyly said.

 

I looked at her ridiculously, "Sa SMU ka pa diba? That's too far."

 

"Well, I can wake up an hour early than usual." She shrugged, "Ano? Sabay tayo?"

 

"Eh? Paano ka sa terminal?" Pag-baba ko ng terminal kailangan ko nalang mag jeep papunta ng YGU, but I don't know about her.

 

She grinned, "Sino nagsabing mag-cocommute tayo?"

 

My brows raised.

 

"I'll be using my car."

 

"Oh..." I nod, "Sige, sure." Pagpayag ko.

 

Nilahad niya ang phone niya, "Can I have your number then? Para ma-text kita bukas."

 

I rolled my eyes at kinuha ang phone niya para ilagay ang number ko doon. "Here." Abot ko sa kaniya, "Thanks, by the way." I said, at inangat ang paperbag ng Starbucks, bago ko binuksan ang gate namin.

 

"See you!" She waved.

 

 

-

 

 

Now playing: Let's Fall in Love for the Night

 

Let's fall in love for the night

And forget in the morning

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