PAGBALIK sa school nang January, the flashlights are still there sa SOM Forest. 'Di siya sure kung bakit 'di nauubos ng mga batteries ang mga 'yon.

Maureen throws herself into her acads, orgs, and friends.

Minsan, makikita niya si Kuya Inggo smoking under the footbridge. He'll freeze up when he sees her, stick between his teeth, then offer a hesitant smile, like he's afraid she won't smile back.

Maureen does, though. Every time. And then she leaves without a second glance, clutching her chest and pounding on her racing heart with her fist.

Minsan, makikita niya si Kuya Inggo with her kuya and their friends sa JSEC, o sa Tetsuo, o sa Starbs, and he'll burn the side of her face with his gaze and Maureen has to laugh it off when her friends elbow her with wide eyes, whispering, "Bakit kanina pa nakatingin si Inggo de Paz sa 'yo?"

And she has to say, "Kasi binabantayan niya ako parang si Kuya. 'Yon lang. Anyway, let's continue..."

And then there will be a slice of cheesecake waiting outside her door after a rough day, or an umbrella magically appearing in her bag after niyang magpa-print sa bookstore at biglang bumuhos sa labas. She was about to call one of her friends to pick her up para makalakad siya to CTC, kasi tanga siya at nakalimutan niyang magdala ng payong, when Kuya Inggo passes with a wave, a small smile, and a quiet, "Hi, Rinn."

Then he runs into the rain, only his hand above his head.

And then there will be a Grab driver waiting outside MVP 'pag tuloy-tuloy classes at meetings niya at wala siyang time mag-lunch, tapos sabi ni Maureen, "Kuya, wala akong in-order."

At sabi ng driver, "'Di po ba kayo si Maureen Salas? Para sa inyo raw po, binayaran na po ni sender."

Loyal si Kuya Grab at ayaw niya sabihin kung kanino galing, pero nag-thank you si Maureen kay Kuya Migo.

Ito reply niya:

Kuya Migo: pinagsasabi mo?

Maureen sighs. She texts Kuya Inggo.

thank you, but if you're doing this because you feel bad, please stop.

'Di man umabot ng twenty seconds bago niya na-receive reply niya.

Kuya Inggo: stop what?

Mababaliw si Maureen sa isang 'to, tangina.

Kuya Inggo: dadaan ako for my umbrella

Wala nang tanong-tanong, 'no.

huh? tomorrow na lang sa school, what time ka free?

Kuya Inggo: no shh kailangan ko now.

Shh?

Did he just shh her in text?!

Sabihin mo sa lady parts natin hindi 'yon attractive! sigaw ng anghel niya.

Frustrated, Maureen types her reply.

me na lang, ill go to wherever you are.

Kuya Inggo: no im near blue na. stay there.

The fuck. O, e, ano magagawa ni Maureen?

It's been almost two months since he was here. Since she kicked him out. Two months of him silently taking care of her kahit hindi naman kailangan, two months of these confusing gestures na hindi alam ni Maureen kung bored lang ba siya or what.

Two months din of not seeing him with a girl—with anyone other than his friends. No, more than that excluding herself—since start pa ng first semester. Sabi niya naging celibate siya for seven or eight months that night he...that night.

Doesn't mean walang babae sa kwarto niya, Maureen, the angel reminds her sadly. Baka mahaba ang pila do'n. 'Di ba you know from experience?

Maureen slurps her ramen angrily kasi tama siya.

When the doorbell rings, she gets up, taking a deep breath, and opens the door.

Naka-white shirt lang siya and jeans with a ball cap over his head, the rim facing backwards.

"Hi, Rinn," bulong niya with a shy smile.

Nako, delikado na naman tayo, sabi ng demonyo. Parang excited. Bwisit. Peste. Kuya Inggo, nanginginig tuhod namin sa 'yo.

"Hi," sabi ni Maureen, clearing her throat. She hands over his umbrella. "Thank you. Sobra. But you shouldn't have. I could've called any of my friends—"

"Pwede maki-CR?"

She blinks. "Uh—"

Kuya Inggo bites his lip, holding her gaze. "Please?"

Maureen feels her jaw going slack.

Then she remembers she's not supposed to react this way and to get this bothered over his mere presence in her condo. She shakes her head and steps aside. "Yeah."

His face actually glows. Na para bang sinabihan mo na nanalo siya ng Lotto.

Was he expecting her to close the door on him again?

Maureen slumps down on her table and covers her face with her hands, slapping herself when she feels her cheeks heating up.

She's taking a break from studying with watching one movie, Endless Love naman ngayon. Maureen presses play and hugs her knees to her chest, kunyari 'di siya nababaliw dito. HAHA.

Pagkalabas ni Kuya Inggo sa banyo, he takes one look at the screen, shoulders slumped, and rubs the nape of his neck. He bites his lip and mutters shyly, "Ano title niyan? Pwede makinood? Wala akong Netflix."

Sinabi ni Maureen flatly, then she pauses the movie and goes to open the door. "Makihiram ka kay Kuya Migo. Goodnight."

Kuya Inggo stands outside in the hallway when she closes it, staring at her, and she's so angry she feels guilty for kicking him out.

Because watching her favorite romance movies are their thing.

Tanginang 'thing' 'yan, walang gano'n. Iniwan ka nga sa kama, e.

Maureen forces herself to sit her ass back down on the couch and play the movie.

Naalala na lang ni Maureen na hindi niya kinuha payong niya nang makita niya 'yon on the table. Yung pinuntahan ni Kuya Inggo, naiwan pa niya dito ulit.

Tapos nakita niya sa close friends na Instagram story ni Kuya Inggo that he's watching the same movie as she is from his laptop. Eating ramen, too.

His caption:

@inggodp: :(

He does this in the following weeks.

Ringing the doorbell, saying he's there for his umbrella pero 'di naman niya kinukuha 'pag aalis na. Makikigamit ng banyo tapos may iiwan na coffee o cheesecake sa table. Asking for the title of the movie she's watching without him and watching it alone in his room. Eating the same food she is.

Dropping off a paper bag of Marks & Spencer in front of her outside the library, then walking away.

Maureen catches up to him, leaving her laptop and notes on the table. "Ano 'to?"

Kuya Inggo smiles weakly, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "Para sa 'yo."

She blinks.

Ti-ne-xt niya kanina si Kuya Migo na gusto niya ng Marks & Spencer cookies. Wala lang, nagc-crave lang siya.

Ang sabi ng kuya niya:

Kuya Migo: wala dito sa uptc mau, sorry. hanap
ako tapos dalhin ko diyan?

Sabi ni Maureen 'wag na. Busy kuya niya kasi last semester na nila 'to.

Her heart is pounding against her ribcage as she stares at Kuya Inggo.

"Where did you get this, wala daw sa UPTC," she whispers.

He steps back, shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. Dadaan ako mamaya para sa payong ko."

"No." Maureen gives him the umbrella. Dala-dala niya kanina pa. "Here you go."

Kuya Inggo stares at it, his smile fading. Then he pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and takes it. "Anong papanoorin at kakainin mo mamaya?" he asks quietly.

Maureen doesn't answer him. She flips her hair away from her shoulder and stalks back to her table.

God. She hates him. She hates that she sees his small smile when she tears open the cookies and bites one angrily.

Hates that her heart weeps because she misses him so badly.

*

AskGi livestream tomorrow sa Kumu from 10PM onwards! follow @arrowheads there and prepare ur questions! hopefully i see u all mwa c: