Prologue

Being in a Filipino household at the age of 21 is hard. Your titas and titos, and other relatives will keep on asking about relationship status.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" With a matching evilish grin.

"Naku! You'll grow old alone na!" Says the tita that did not get a boyfriend until the ripe age of 40, and is still unmarried.

"You know the daughter of my kumare? She's a fresh grad like you, and very pretty! I'll get you two to meet!" And proceeds to show her Facebook account.

"Are you gay?" Says the tito who seemingly injects himself with testosterone or whatever—maybe protein shake?

Those are just the few things I always had heard about during parties and whatnot. And all you can ever do is just stand there, act interested and just smile. But there is one response that can shut them all down, "I'm focusing on my career."

Yes, a career. Something I did not get after graduating with an AB Literature degree. Right now, I'm applying to many news outlets in hopes of getting a job—no matter the pay.

In the morning of the day after the interrogation performed by my relatives, my phone rang. It was 8 AM and I somehow woke up from it. It was a text from my tita.

"Do you remember the girl I told you about?"

What girl? I asked myself.

"The fresh grad, the pretty one?"

Ah yes. Things are clearing up in my mind now.

"I told her about you and she is interested. This is her number." Besides the number was a name, Kryz.

I was about to reply that I am uninterested but hesitated—something inside was tugging me to go for it. Do you know about the angel and demon on your shoulders, influencing you to do things? That was just like this, but this time, I don't know if it was a demon or an angel.

I got her number and started texting her.

———

Tita - aunt

Tito - uncle

Naku - an expression

Kumare - an endearment for a woman