"Should I take you straight home, or do you have somewhere else to go first?" he asked while we walked hand in hand. I could feel that he was slowly loosening up after our deep conversation earlier.
"Thank you. I hope this is the start of something continuous," I said sincerely.
"I don't have anywhere to go, but we do." I smiled at him.
"Huh? Where?" he asked, confused.
"Let's have dinner before heading home. Okay? Don't worry, my treat," I said, still smiling. He didn't reply, but he just looked at me with a smile before pinching my nose lightly—not hard enough to hurt.
"This place is actually nice," he said as we walked toward the usual hangout spot of our mountaineering group.
"Yeah, that's why I wanted to come here. I missed it," I replied.
"Oh, so you come here a lot?" he asked as we sat down.
"Uh, I used to. This was our organization's hangout spot. Usually, we'd celebrate our members' birthdays here, and sometimes, we even held meetings," I explained.
"Ah, I see. Thanks."
"Huh? For what?" I asked, puzzled.
"For bringing me here. I haven't really been to many places around here. If I'm not at school, I'm at Ali's for dance practice. Besides, they're not the type to go out much—we usually just hang out at Ali's house."
"Oh, that's nothing. Don't worry, I know a lot of good places, and I'll take you there someday. I just don't know when yet since we're all pretty busy," I said.
We continued chatting happily while waiting for our food to be served. The cool breeze from the sea made the evening even more relaxing. After eating, we didn't leave right away. He was so happy that he even suggested we take a walk along the shore.
"Don't go too close; the waves might get our shoes wet," I said, pulling him back. He just laughed as I tugged him away from the water.
"It's been so long since I last came to the beach. It feels so refreshing," he said joyfully, staring at the waves in front of us.
"Then, when I have free time, let's come back here. Or better yet, let's plan a beach trip with Ali, Mitch, and Zette!" I suggested.
"That's actually a great idea," he said excitedly.
"By the way, are you going home after summer classes?" he asked.
"Uhm, I'm not sure yet. It depends, since my film-making training won't necessarily end at the same time as regular summer classes. It's a special request course, and our professors for that subject are from Cebu. The training is required as preparation for our Educational Tour next January. The professors only had availability this summer, so we had to take it now," I explained.
"Oh, I see," he said softly.
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"Nothing, just wondering. I thought summer classes were followed by a one- to two-week break before enrollment or the start of regular classes?" he asked again.
"Usually, yes. But in our case, I'm not sure yet. Like I said, the training is a special request. Our professors told us to make the most of it to ensure we're fully prepared when we go to Cebu. There's no second take—it's not like a regular film shoot. Our task is to cover Sinulog, from the preparations to the last day of the celebration. Plus, we'll have exposure to different TV and radio stations," I shared with him.
We continued talking about so many things until we found a piece of driftwood big enough to sit on. We sat there and kept chatting, completely losing track of time.
"Whoa! It's almost midnight, Lui. Let's go, I should take you home," he said, glancing at my wristwatch.
"Oh, you're right! Let's go!" I agreed, quickly standing up as we made our way to the jeepney stop.
"Let's just take a jeepney. There is still some waiting for passengers," he pointed out when we arrived, gesturing toward the parked jeepney.
"Alright, let's go," I answered. We didn't hesitate and got on.
I noticed something different—he was showing his affectionate side more than usual. The moment we sat down, he held my hand and pulled me closer until our thighs and shoulders were touching.
When we arrived downtown, we transferred to another jeepney that would take us to Mitch's house. It felt so good to be with him today, and we learned so much about each other in just one day. I hope we can always be like this. I hope he continues treating me this way.
"Hi! Good thing you're still awake! I thought I'd be disturbing you again," I immediately said when I saw Mitch and Kim sitting on the terrace, drinking.
"Hello! Join us! Actually, we've been waiting for you so we'd have company while drinking. Love bought so much earlier because he really planned for us to bond tonight!" Mitch invited us, clearly already a little tipsy.
"Here, sit down. Hold on," Kim said before getting up and going inside the house.
"What's going on? It's rare that she hasn't gone home yet," I asked Mitch. Usually, Kim only stayed overnight, but this time, she was spending another night.
"She's just happy because she finally got permission to stay. So, she said she'd treat us to drinks. Earlier, I called Zette, but she couldn't come because her mom needed her to go with her to her aunt's house tomorrow," Mitch explained.
"Guys! Time to drink!" Kim shouted as she came out carrying bottles and a plastic container.
"Here, let me help you," I offered, and she handed me the plastic container while I helped her place the bottles she had tucked under her arm.
"Whoa! That's a lot!" was all I could say as I glanced at Georje, who just shook his head at what he saw.
"You're doomed! You're not going home tonight," I whispered to Georje when I sat back down beside him.
"There's more in the fridge," Kim added.
"Psst! Just stay here. Don't go home. Don't be a killjoy!" Mitch told Georje.
"Love, you're already drunk," Kim pointed out.
"No, love, just tipsy," Mitch replied before kissing Kim, making both of them laugh. Georje and I just looked at each other and smiled.
"What? Are you two just going to stare at them? Take a shot!" Kim said.
Just as Kim and Mitch wanted, we started drinking. We talked about random topics and even shared things about school.
By the time we finished, it was already early morning. Mitch and Kim were completely drunk, while Georje and I were just tipsy—mostly because Kim insisted that we all finish our bottles at the same time. Because of that, I got drunk quicker than expected.
"You're so red," Georje commented, laughing at me. I was busy picking up the empty bottles and setting them aside so the neighbors wouldn't see them all stacked on the table—it would be embarrassing.
"Yeah, I think I've had a bit too much," I replied while continuing to clean up. Meanwhile, he just sat there, watching me. Mitch and Kim had already gone inside before us.
"Come on, let's go inside. That's enough," I told him as I turned around to leave, but he grabbed my wrist.
"Wait, let's go together," he said before letting go of my wrist and instead placing both hands on my shoulders, following me inside.
When we got in, we found Mitch and Kim in the kitchen, eating because they got hungry again.
"Hahaha, Lui, you look hilarious! Your face is so red—you look like a roasted pig!" Mitch teased, laughing out loud, and Kim joined in.
"Go ahead, laugh all you want! You're really enjoying how I look, huh? And you—" I pointed at Georje, who couldn't help but laugh either.
"Are you okay?" Kim asked, still laughing.
"Of course! You'd be crazy to think I'm not okay. If I weren't, you wouldn't be able to talk to me properly right now," I snapped at them.
"Oh, I know! You're just flustered!" Mitch teased, making the three of them laugh even more.
"Hey! Stop it! Why would I be flustered?" I asked.
"Do you even need to ask? Of course, it's because Georje is here with you! Yieee!" Mitch teased me even more.
"What's so flustering about that? As if this is the first time, I've been with Georje. You're really letting your drunk mind run wild!" I said, laughing along with them.
"Come on, let's eat," I invited Georje, who was standing beside me with his arm around my shoulders. It was surprising—this was the first time he did that, and in front of Kim and Mitch, no less. We stayed in the kitchen until 5 a.m., just talking and teasing each other.
"Alright, you should get some sleep. I'm heading home," he said.
"Aren't you going to rest for a bit? Are you sure you can get home safely?" I asked.
"I'll be fine, I'm not even drunk," he assured me.
"Alright then," I replied simply, walking towards the door to open it for him.
"Won't people in your house wonder why you come home at dawn sometimes?" I asked as I opened the door.
"No, they just think I was visiting my dad," he said before stepping closer and… kissed me.
I was shocked and froze on the spot. It was just a quick peck, but it was on the lips. He didn't even give me a heads-up! My heart was pounding like crazy.
"Bye. Thank you," he said casually before walking out.
Meanwhile, I just stood there, watching him walk away. That sneaky guy! He stole a kiss! Hmph! But… in fairness, it was kind of thrilling. Not that I'd ever admit it! I'll save my reaction for when he's completely out of sight.
I quickly shut the door and ran to my room, throwing myself face-first onto my pillow. That's where I let out all the excitement, muffling my squeals so no one could hear. It would be embarrassing if anyone found out!
I was exhausted, but I couldn't fall asleep. "Why wasn't sleep coming to me?"
Sunday morning. As expected, we all woke up late since we stayed up so late. It was already lunchtime by the time we left our rooms, heading straight to the kitchen to reheat the leftovers.
"Wow! This is a miracle—you're in a great mood today!" Mitch said, puzzled.
"Geez, do you really think this is the first time I've ever woken up happy?" I pouted.
"Not really, but your aura is just… different today," she observed.
"Love, I smell something fishy," Kim added, stirring the pot even more.
"Ugh! You're just adding fuel to the fire!" I protested.
"Of course! She loves me, so she's obviously on my side," Mitch bragged, winking at Kim.
"Okay, okay! Enough, lovebirds!" I shot back, making all three of us laugh.
"Did Georje go home last night?" Kim suddenly changed the topic.
"Last night? More like this morning. He went home at dawn," I corrected her.
"Why did you let him go home? You should've just let him sleep here," Mitch chimed in.
"He wanted to leave. Why would I stop him? Besides, it was already morning, so it wasn't dangerous anymore," I reasoned.
"Idiot! He had been drinking—you should've made him stay so he could sober up before heading home!" Mitch scolded me.
"I asked him, and he said he was fine. He said he wasn't drunk," I explained.
"Oh, please. He was just being polite because you probably didn't even offer! It would've been fine—his safety is what matters most. And honestly, we all expected him to stay over," Kim added.
"I was going to tell him to stay, but he beat me to it by saying goodbye first," I admitted before popping the last bite of food into my mouth.
"So, what's the real reason your aura is different? I thought it was because Georje spent the night here," Mitch said, sounding disappointed.
"You're crazy! Why does it have to be about him?" I shot back.
"Oh, come on, Lui! He's the only one who can make your mood change that fast!" Mitch countered, making us all laugh again.
We spent our Sunday afternoon just lounging around, playing music, and chilling. Kim ordered pizza because, according to her, her "love" requested it. So, we ended the weekend with another pizza party.
Monday morning came, and just like that, we were back to college life—our real world. Morning classes went fine, except for a surprise quiz right after the discussion. We also got the coverage for our finals.
Finals were coming up. It felt like summer had just started, but now it was almost over. People were right—time flies when you're busy.
As we walked out of the campus, I saw Georje waiting.
"Hi," he greeted me.
"Hi! Have you been waiting long?" I asked him.
"Hi, Zette. Hi, Mitch," he also greeted the others.
"I just got here. I thought I was going to miss you," he said.
"I came from the mall—had a meeting earlier. I left Ali and Jed there with the rest of the group," he explained.
"Is your meeting done?" I asked him again.
"It's almost over, but I left so I could catch you," he explained, flashing me a smile.
"Well, well, Georje! Is that really you?" Mitch teased him. He just smiled and shook his head.
"Are you guys heading home?" Georje asked us.
"Yeah, we're starting our project for the week tomorrow. We just had a group meeting earlier," I replied. He just nodded.
"Do you have plans? Or should we head off first?" Mitch asked us.
"N-No, I don't. I really just came here to see Lui since I was already nearby," he answered.
"Oh, I see. In that case, we'll head off first since Lui is the only one you wanted to see anyway," Mitch said with a smirk, dragging Zette along with her. Before walking away, they both winked at me and said in unison, "Bye, lovebirds!"
"Come with me to the mall. Let's meet up with Ali and Jed. I'm sure they'd love to see you too. They knew I was coming to see you when I left earlier. Though, I only told them I was going to the restroom," he admitted, scratching his cheek.
"You idiot! Why did you do that? Your manager's going to scold you!"
"No way, I knew the meeting was almost over anyway," he reasoned.
"Fine, let's go!" I said, laughing.
"Why are you laughing at me?" he asked.
"Nothing," I replied shortly.
"Nope, I don't believe you. I know that kind of laugh," he said, narrowing his eyes.
"You just looked like a little kid explaining yourself earlier," I teased, making myself laugh again.
"Oh, really now?" he said before suddenly tickling my side. Since I was super ticklish, I ended up flailing around on the sidewalk like an idiot.
"Stop it!" I shrieked and sped up my pace to escape his grasp.
I didn't go with him to the boutique where his friends were because I was still traumatized by what happened before. Instead, I stayed behind at the bookstore, browsing for a new novel to buy. Reading was one of my favorite pastimes whenever I wasn't busy, especially when I went home to my family's house. Since there wasn't much to do there and I didn't have many people to talk to, I would spend my time reading. It was only here in the city that I rarely got to read because I was always busy.
"Boo!" Ali suddenly startled me from behind. I was so focused on reading the synopsis of a novel that I didn't even notice them approaching.
"Holy crap!" I yelped, jumping in shock and smacking him with the book I was holding.
"Ow! That hurt!" he whined.
"Seriously, Ali! Why do you always have to scare me like that?" People and bookstore staff were now looking in our direction.
"Hehehe… sorry! Peace!" he said, making a peace sign with his fingers.
"Come here, let me make it up to you with a hug. You're so grumpy; you never take a joke," he pouted.
"You're such an idiot!" I grumbled, but he just pulled me in for a hug.
"I said I was sorry…" he continued, making puppy-dog eyes.
"Heh!" I scoffed, playfully hitting his shoulder. Jed and Georje chuckled as they watched us.
"Hi, Lui!" Jed greeted before hugging me as well. Honestly, these two were way better than Georje. Every time we met up, they always greeted me with hugs and cheek kisses, but Georje? All I ever got was a cold-as-ice "hi." Though, to be fair, he was starting to laugh more when he was with me. And sometimes—okay, maybe two or three times—he'd even hold my hand.
"Alright, I'm returning you to your boyfriend now. Here, bro, our moment is over," Ali said, handing me off to Georje, who just chuckled and shook his head at their antics.
"Let's eat! I'm starving," Ali groaned.
"Sure! Your treat?" I asked with a grin.
"Lui, I don't have any more gift certificates! You've gotten too used to free meals!" he said, smirking.
"I was just joking! We were always going to split the bill. I wouldn't want you calling me a freeloader—though that title belongs to you," I teased him back.
"You little—!" he growled playfully, making us all burst into laughter. I knew he'd never actually hurt me; the worst he'd do was pinch my cheek or my nose whenever he got annoyed with me.
The rest of the time was filled with playful banter, teasing, and laughter. Well, at least between the three of us. Georje just watched, as if we were a TV show playing right in front of him.
"It's getting late. Take Lui home, bro. We'll head off first," Ali said as he and Jed waved goodbye before hopping into a jeep.
"Alright, bye," I said as we waved them off.
Georje and I crossed the street to the jeepney stop.
"You still have energy? Weren't you exhausted from school today?" he asked as we settled into the jeep.
"I'm a bit tired, but it's just really fun being with those two. They've always been the ones to make me laugh," I replied.
"I'm honestly impressed by your friendship. You three have been close since elementary school, and you're still the same," he commented.
"I can't even explain how we managed to maintain our friendship. There was a time when we barely saw each other, but whenever we meet up, it's like nothing has changed—just like old times," I told him.
"Don't you have a friendship like that? You haven't really mentioned any close friends aside from those two goofballs," I added.
"I do. There's Jake—the one who shares the same birthday as me. We were classmates from elementary to high school. You've seen him before, the one with a girlfriend who was part of our show," he reminded me.
"Oh, I don't really remember. There were so many people with you at that time," I replied. But the truth was, I chose not to remember—because if I did, I'd only end up recalling how he denied me again.