VII

Like what we expected, she got bruises all over her stomach. She can't move without grimacing in pain for about a day and half. She got real messed up, I know for sure, when I saw her purple skin. It looked beat up, I'm surprised she didn't break any ribs as it was really high up, on her tummy. Fortunately, she was well enough to go to school by Monday.

Ate Prim freaked out while Four just stared at Ali, then left. Weird kid. Third found it cool that Ali fought those guys when she described their physiques to feed Third's curiosity. He said Ali's like a man, THE man. So, Ali hit the back of his head, exclaiming she's not a man and is very much is a girl.

I laughed at her, earning myself a punch. She was clearly offended that we find her more masculine, than feminine.

Ow poor baby, I like her though, however she moves, speak or act. So, she doesn't have to be conscious about those kinds of things. Just be who you are, who you wanna be. Just be comfortable showing yourself, it's okay. My feelings won't change.

I grinned at how cheesy those thoughts are. Very cringe-y, Dos. Way to go.

That day, we decided to go to Square to wait for Ate Prim and the twin's dismissals, eating inside the small stall cafe-like called Dream Cafe. Ali is happily munching her big slice of Pepperoni pizza with some pasta I forgot the name. She also ordered a big matcha milktea.

"That's a lot of hot sauce, young lady. Sigurado ka kaya mo 'yan?" I asked her, my brows furrowed. She just proceeded to opening the cap of the sriracha, pour the content on her pizza and grinned like a beautiful idiot.

Yeppeun b/pabo, YEBA. My Yeba.

"Trust me on this one, Seal. This is my field," she said with pride before munching the now soggy big slice of pizza. I chuckled when she put down the pizza and saw her face.

Her cheeks were all puffed up with food, and red sriracha sauce are smudged around her lips. "Nyam. Nyam." She's even making sounds with her closed mouth, clearly enjoying her food.

"What a messy eater," I stated as I leaned on the table, wiping her sriracha-covered lips with my thumb. She even grinned with her mouth still close and lean closer to me to let me do what I want to do. She blushed, though, when I put the very same thumb inside my mouth and licked it. And even though it tasted spicy, I said, "Sweet," to tease her a little.

My cute silly Yeba behaved and got shy afterwards. She was going hulk over the food earlier, but she was now eating timidly, with her face so much red. It's even more evident because she's almost white as snow.

"Hey, people, wa'zzup?" DJ greeted when he saw us. He entered the stall like nobody's business and sat next to Ali. He did take the remaining pizza from the plate and shoved it down his mouth. Poor guy didn't know it got rained over by sriracha hot sauce, as the pizza had already absorbed most of the sauce and was unnoticeable.

He even happily chewed on the food, but didn't take long for the hot sauce to take effect. He visibly tensed up and froze, his eyes wide open. Slowly, his face colored red and he started coughing. He even hit his chest hard before downing Ali's milktea.

"Bwisit ka! That's my drink, you idiot! Inubos mo na nga pizza ko, you even dared take my drink!" she shouted and hit the poor guy with her palm repeatedly.

DJ continued coughing while miserably failing to defend himself from Ali's relentless attack.

Silly as it was, I started laughing, earning a glare from the still coughing DJ. Ali hissed but continued hitting her target.

"What the fuck was that pizza?!" he shouted. Fortunately, most of the students already left and the Square is almost deserted, as his voice resonated at the whole area. The very few students hanging around looked at us in curiosity as colorful curses flew out of his mouth.

"If I were you, I'll shut up before a teacher hears me," I said, still chuckling. Afterall, we're still in a catholic school, though the students aren't very much... Catholic-ish. Well, most of the seniors are, not really everyone.

DJ didn't hear me out and continued cussing in his limited vocabulary. I snickered inwardly with that thought. Fortunately, no teacher somehow came in our side of the Square and heard his scandalous shrieks.

Later on, I still haven't finish chuckling here and there, and our table have been occupied by A LOT of plastic cups once filled with milkshakes and milkteas.

DJ have to buy Ali a couple cups of milktea for her forgiveness. DJ, then, drank all the milkshakes to quench his thirst and desperately get rid of the burning taste of the sauce.

"That's what you get from being a glutton," Ali whined quietly with a cute, pouty face, still glaring at DJ as she sipped on the drink he bought for her.

JD and Tiara approached us minutes later, with the twins and Ate Prim in tow.

We hang out for a couple of minutes before parting ways, not before clowning DJ for his gluttony and idiocy. Tiara saying something along the line, "You're such an idiot. You've been friends with Ali since diapers day and you still steal her foods like you have the same weird taste buds."

Ali immediately got offended and playfully shoved Tiara's shoulder. "I ain't got weird taste buds. I'm just unique!" she reasoned out.

Tiara sarcastically agreed, muttering something about how did eating a whole bunch of peppers not weird, is what I heard as I sat between her and Ali.

Days after that, hell week came, and hell it is.

We crammed a few projects and essays in, glad that most of our project groups are with each other as it was easier to make. We had a few banters here and there, mostly because of her lazy ass who didn't want to do any of her projects. I have to strictly watch over her and guide her through her school works so she'll finish everything in time.

We also reviewed together, in which I have to always visit her room so she won't escape each session. She even dared to use "bonding time" with her friends so she can escape, sleeping over for the weekends. What I did was, I also came over for the very same reason, however, she didn't expect my kind of "bonding" is all about reading notes and memorizing formulas.

I made sure she was pretty prepared by Monday. We have UCSP that day, and General Mathematics, which I know Ali will have a breeze. Aside from my tutoring, and tidy and systematic notes, these are Ali's all-time favorite, or at very least, UCSP is. and the teacher in UCSP.

Mathematics is not really her favorite, from what she said. But it doesn't change the fact that her great ability to analyze helped her way around Math smoothly.

By afternoon, we're already home because we're both exempted from the last exam that day, but the twins were still at school, as they have regular classes today. They have finished their quarterly exam days ago and were on their completion week for the quarter. Ate Prim didn't have any exams today but has one in the first slot next morning, and another one by late afternoon.

Ali and I also have a few classes, second slot in the morning, and first slot in the afternoon.

For the whole day, there are about four possible slots for examination. 7:50 to 9:30, 9:50 to 11:30, 1:50 to 3:30, and 3:50 to 5:30.

Every Grade 11 takes exam at the same time, but can be with different subjects, especially with their majors, and so all Grade 12, too.

Ate Prim went to school with the twins, while Ali and I drove there by ourselves an hour and half after them.

JD are in Ate Prim's class, while DJ is on another strand, HUMSS, 12th grade. Tiara is in the same class as Four, but not with Third.

So, it was only the two of us at the car. Day6 songs blasted through the stereo, Ali humming the tune of one of their hits You Were Beautiful. I sneak a peek at her, when the traffic lights turned red at the Kadiwa, as we are bound to Gate 2, rather than entering through Gate 3. She was closing her eyes, feeling the music as a ghost of a sad smile lingered on her beautiful lips. Her head, leaning on the windows, her body calm and seems like... almost vulnerable.

"This song kinda hits hard," she said, and opened her eyes. She looked at me and smiled, but it wasn't those smiles that makes me crazy. Those are those smiles that make my heart aches in empathy, as it doesn't reach and hide her eyes like it usually does. "It's a song about lovers, and reminiscing their memories together. The bitter-sweet instrumental that makes one's heart ache in nostalgia," she continued, looking out at the window, as I maneuvered the car to move forward

I thought she won't speak anymore about it, but then she did, so I drove slower. My heart was swelling from happiness, knowing she trusted me this much.

"I... I was never an only child." What she said shocked me. "Until a few years back, I guess." She chuckled, humorlessly. "He was the best big brother a little girl could have. He never tried to fought me against things I like to do. Rather than holding guns and cars, he's... was... willing to hold a doll just to play with me and please me. He... He always held my hand tightly as I hopped around, never letting me out of his sight and grip, even though it would mean he will also get lost. He protected me, spoiled me, supported me in everything and loved me more than anyone could have. He was my knight in hoodies and jeans," she whispered the last part, pain laced in her voice.

I hesitated, but felt the need to hold her hand, so I did with my right and squeezed her left hand, trying to show comfort.

"But fate was cruel." Her voice broke, but her face remained blank. "He was taken away from us too early." She bit her lip and looked at me again, squeezing back my hand. "And I can't help, but miss those times we spent together. The smiles, the laughs, the teases, the bond, the memories, him. They are all vivid in my memories, but I can never, ever see it again, hear it again, live through it again." A tear left her eye. "I could never hug him, the same way I did when I won my first taekwondo match. I could never hold his hand, kiss his cheek, hear his voice, smell his cologne and feel his warmth. He's now gone, Seal, forever will be part of me and my memories, but will never be 'there' anymore." For the first time, since she started opening up, I could see pain and longing in her face. But what made me confuse was the flickering anger on her eyes. "He was the best thing that ever happened to me, Seal. He was my everything. And I could never, ever, ever forget what happened to him, ever," she said, firmed and determined.

I smiled at her, showing my understanding and raised her hand I was holding, intertwined, and kissed the back of it. "Wherever he might be, he must've been happy to see his little sister grown up to be a beautiful, amazing woman. To see that his little princess, has grown to be a very strong queen." I kissed the back of her hand again and stayed silent as I drove slowly, while she wiped her tears with her free hand, but failed miserably as she cried harder.

No one talked until we reached the parking lot near the CTHM building. I smiled at her when I saw her staring at me intently, she returned it, but tiredness is evident from her face. Her eyes grew smaller and all puffy. I immediately took out my handkerchief and softly dab it on her cheeks to wipe the trail her tears left.

"Weird. But all I could think right now, is how still so beautiful you are even after crying," I said softly, ad looked up to meet her eyes from her face. I smiled when I saw her stare at me weirdly.

For some reason, I found myself staring at her gorgeous lips, and felt the need to kiss her. But I knew better, so I looked up to her eyes, again, and saw her watching me. Her eyes dropped down to my lips, too, and I felt her tense as she licked her lips. And goddammit, I almost lose my sanity and kissed her right there and then, but chastised myself and kissed her forehead instead. My lips lingered, loving the feeling of contentment as I hold her in my arms.

I closed my eyes before leaning my forehead on hers, our noses touching each other.

"I really, really like to kiss you, Ali. I really do. But I know I shouldn't, because I'm only your friend." I opened my eyes and leaned back a little to stare at hers. "I don't want to lie, Ali. I like you very, very much." I froze. "Ah, no. Scratched that, I realized I love you since I don't know when, and your presence always makes me calm, at peace and contented, far more than happy. And I don't want to rush things, or force you into things or situations, or make it awkward around you." I took a deep breath. "But I needed to know, what you feel for me, too. Because if you don't feel the same, damn hell, baby, I'll make you do. I'll seduce you every day, until you like me too," I said and kissed the back of her hand again.

For a moment, fear crept in me as I looked at her emotionless, tears-tainted face. Still beautiful. But did I fucked up by confessing to her in that manner and this quick?

My heart throbbed in anticipation as she continued to stare at me. Fuck. I can't take this anymore.

"Look. I'm-"

I didn't even get to finish what I was saying when she attacked me with an almost bone-crushing hug.

"You really have a quirky way of confessing and lifting my mood up, Seal. Pasalamat ka I feel the same or I would've kick you in the arse already for being this cheesy after my breakdown," she said, and damn wasn't I the happiest man that time.

©All Rights Reserved. PulangNyebe