ALAM ni Inggo na isang pagsubok na kailangan nilang lampasan ni Rinn ang summer.

Alam niya, pero putangina, in-overestimate yata sila ni Lord.

Inggo is fighting for his goddamn life trying to sneak around in the Salas house kasi nandiyan parati si putanginang Miguel Espineli Salas.

Sabi niya kailangan raw nandito siya palagi before he and Jiya move in to their apartment bago mag-med school kasi ma-mi-miss daw siya ng tatlong girls niya.

Bull. "Mas ma-mi-miss mo nga sila, tanga," sabi ni Inggo, painis na tinapon yung basahan sa sink.

Walang sinabi si Migo kundi, "Shut up ka na lang, gago, pwede?"

Hindi rin makatagal si Inggo sa meet-ups nila ni Rinn sa kitchen nang madaling araw kasi laging nagigising at nagtatanong si Migo ng: "Sa'n ka pupunta?"

"Tubig lang, ang clingy mo," sagot ni Inggo in frustration.

Kaya nagmamadali siyang i-hug at halikan si Rinn sa cheeks and head, crowding her against the counter, before he has to go back upstairs.

Tapos, ang pinakamalalang pagsubok sa lahat:

"Pucha, Mau," Migo groans, running a hand over his face. "Meg, please, 'wag mo pasakitin ulo ng kuya mo, okay?"

Kasi putangina, lalabas na naman 'tong special friend ni Inggo nang naka...hindi niya alam. Hindi gumagana utak ni Inggo. Puro skin ang kita niya. Legs, stomach, neck, underboob.

"Kuya, it's summer," Rinn reasons, rolling her eyes and putting on her shoes, purposely bending over in front of where Inggo is seated.

He pushes his tongue against his cheek and smiles, passing his hand over his jaw.

Okay lang. Ganito rin si Inggo kapag galing sila ni Migo sa workout. Nagtataas siya lagi ng shirt para magpunas ng pawis 'pag alam niyang nakatingin si Rinn.

"You're OA," tuloy ni Rinn.

"You're OA," Migo mocks, rolling his own eyes. "Sa'n ka na naman pupunta? Sino kasama mo? Anong oras ka uuwi? Susunduin ba kita?"

Most of the time, gusto niyang suntukin si Migo kasi isa siyang sagabal sa buhay ni Inggo.

Pero gusto niya rin magpasalamat, kasi 'yon ang mga tanong na gusto rin tanungin ni Inggo, pero wala siyang karapatan na tanungin kasi hindi pa sila.

'Di din naman nagsasabi si Rinn unless magtanong si Inggo, 'tsaka nakakahiya nang magtanong kasi feeling niya clingy siya. Gusto niya rin malaman.

Inisa-isa ni Rinn ang mga tanong ng kuya niya. Wala raw siyang transpo pauwi.

At half past ten, tumayo si Migo at kinuha ang keys. "Balik ako, sunduin ko lang si Mau."

E 'di napatayo rin si Inggo. "Sama ako."

"O." Binigay sa kanya ni Migo yung susi. "Ikaw mag-drive."

"Wait!" sigaw ni Meg, bounding down the stairs. "Can I come? Drive-thru tayo, Kuya? Jabee, please?"

"Ma!" Migo shouts, already gesturing for Meg to put on her shoes. "May gusto ka sa Jollibee?! Text mo 'ko!" Kay Inggo, sabi niya, "Akin na ulit 'yang keys, 'di ka pwede mag-drive kung sasama si Meg."

Natawa si Inggo, ruffling the youngest Salas's hair habang palabas sila. "Pota, wala kang tiwala sa 'kin?"

"Kinakabahan ako, bata pa lang 'to."

"Kuya, I'm fifteen!"

"Walang ibang magd-drive sa 'yo kundi ako," sabi ni Migo firmly, pushing her to the passenger seat gently. "Do'n ka sa likod," sabi niya kay Inggo without a backward glance.

Gusto sumigaw ni Inggo sa tuwa. E 'di tatabi sa kanya si Rinn, hehehe.

Migo lets his sister play her theater music sa kotse and talk his ear off about it kahit alam ni Inggo walang pakialam si Migo.

Excited 'tong si Inggo na makita si Rinn kaya he tunes them out, pero nagulat na lang siya nang humarap sa kanya si Meg with a bright smile, crooked teeth showing, and asks, "Kuya Inggo, what's your type?"

"Hoy, Megan!" sigaw ni Migo, yanking her back to her seat. "Putangina, hindi pwede. Hindi. Pwede. The fuck?"

"What's your type nga?" ulit ni Meg.

"Kapatid mo," sagot ni Inggo.

Migo lets out a loud ha! "Puta ka."

Ba't ba ang feeler ni Migo? 'Di naman siya yung Salas na tinutukoy niya.

Meg blinks at him, still waiting for his real answer kahit totoong sagot na niya 'yon.

"Bakit, Meggy?" tanong ni Inggo with a teasing grin. "Crush mo 'ko?"

"Matagal na, pero sabi ni Kuya Migo bawal. You're gwapo kasi and tall."

Aba. Adik talaga sa kanya 'tong mga Salas na 'to. He winks at her. "Thanks, Meggy. You're very pretty, too."

She giggles. Migo reaches behind him to smack Inggo's head. "Gago, patay ka sa 'king putragis ka—"

"Happy crush lang, Kuya," Meg sings. "Crush ko rin si Kuya Anton 'tsaka si Kuya Cas."

"HOY!" Migo shouts, looking like he's on the verge of having a heart attack. Natawa si Meg 'tsaka si Inggo sa kanya. "Meg, ano ba! May girlfriend si Cas!"

"E 'di si Kuya Anton na lang."

"MEGAN!"

Sa sobrang inis ni Migo, he snaps at Rinn nang hindi pa rin lumalabas 'to sa bahay ng kaibigan. "Ano ba, sinabi ko nang malapit na e, pinaghihintay mo pa kame? Lumabas ka na diyan, punyemas."

Inggo watches Rinn walk to the car with his heart pounding way too loudly in his ears. He spreads his legs and appears as casually as possible, resting his hand in the middle of the seat, while Rinn gets in.

"Ano problema mo, Kuya?" tanong niya while strapping on her seatbelt, and Inggo almost groans having her this close again after how many weeks.

Hindi talaga makasingit si Inggo ng alone time. Bwisit na Miguel 'yan, asan na ba si Jiya.

"Ano gusto n'yo sa Jollibee!" Migo snaps, forcibly changing gear sticks. "Nakakasakit kayo ng ulo, putangina."

Megan sputters out a laugh and immediately covers her mouth when Migo sends her a death glare.

Inggo bites his lip, staring at Rinn, who mouths, "Hi."

He mouths back, "Hi, Rinn."

"Kuya Inggo, Mama texted you her order daw," sabi ni Meg sa kanya.

"'Wag mo siyang kausapin, ako kausapin mo," sabi ni Migo.

Natawa si Rinn. "Para kang bata, Kuya. Happy crush nga lang daw, e."

"Allergic si Inggo sa crush."

Inggo shakes his head at Rinn, his hand taking hers and spreading her fingers apart to fit his in between them. Rinn's breath hitches, staring at him, as he puts their hands on top of her thigh and rubs his thumb on her skin.

"Pati ikaw, Meg, allergic ka rin dapat sa crush."

"E pa'no si Ate?" Meg whines.

"Mas matanda siya sa 'yo," sabi ni Migo like it's obvious. "'Tsaka wala 'yang time mag-date, laging nakakulong sa Blue para mag-aral."

Rinn glances at Inggo, pursing her lips to keep from smiling.

He grins and winks, kissing her knuckles quickly.

"Gayahin mo siya, Meg. O, orders. De Paz, ano raw gusto ni Mama? Pota, ikaw pa ti-ne-xt at hindi ang paborito niyang anak."

"Ako nga kasi paborito," sabi ni Inggo, squeezing Rinn's hand. Tangina, he's fisting the seat with his other hand para lang hindi hilain si Rinn sa lap niya.

'Yong simpleng handholding lang at mga meet-ups sa madaling araw lang ang naging sustansya ni Inggo. No'ng d-in-rag siya ng pamilyang Salas to church on Sunday kahit 'di naman siya nagdadasal (every day na kasi ang punta ni Inggo na parang tanga), sumingit pa si Migo sa gitna nila ni Rinn para hindi sila magkahawak-kamay sa Ama Namin. Nasa kabilang side rin si Meg.

"Bobo," Inggo mouths to Migo. Kung alam niya lang mga ginawa na nila ni Rinn together...nasa kulungan na si Migo for attempted murder, hindi lang nakikisingit during Ama Namin.

"Gago," Migo mouths back, then goes back to singing the prayer. Feel na feel pa niya.

Plastik, ampota.

'Pag naman lumalabas silang magkakaibigan para mag-party, kasi alam ni Migo at ni Inggo na wala na silang oras pagdating ng med school 'tsaka ng iba nilang kaibigan 'pag corporate slaves na sila, nagkukunyari na lang na lasing na masyado si Inggo para 'di siya mapaghalataan na umaayaw sa mga babae.

Napansin kasi ni Inggo na parang kinakabahan palagi si Rinn 'pag alam niyang lalabas sila—tatahimik, 'di siya titingnan. Parang no'ng party before their graduation, like in-e-expect niya na uuwi si Inggo with another girl...like pre-Rinn Inggo always did.

Not anymore. Isa lang ang babae niya, at twenty na siya.

For her birthday, Inggo doesn't drop by the Salas house. Naghintay siya sa motor niya until makabalik silang pamilya from her birthday dinner, fixing his hair and checking his smell under his shirt kasi gusto raw ni Rinn amoy niya.

"Nababawasan astig mo, boy," sabi ni Inggo sa sarili niya, pero mukhang walang pakialam reflection niya kasi nakangiti siya sa excitement.

As soon as the lights in the bottom floor go out at nagbukas ang sa kwarto ni Rinn, he grabs the sundae, walks the few steps closer to the house, and texts her.

hey, birthday girl. labas ka ulit.

Nabasa niya agad 'yon. Inggo bites his lip, grinning.

Rinn: kuya inggo, it's ten!

He pouts.

ah so ayaw mo kong kasama :( ok lang naman. alis na lang ako

He laughs watching her chat bubbles frantically dance.

Rinn: NO IM KIDDING dyan ka lang ill sneak down

Inggo waits until he hears the back door sa kitchen open quietly. Rinn steps outside in a big gray Ateneo hoodie and cotton shorts.

His gaze falls to her legs, and then slowly sweeps upward. Her soft as shit hair is twisted into a low bun, her face is free of makeup but her cheeks are slightly flushed, and there's a smile on her pretty pink lips.

'Di pa siya hinahawakan ni Rinn, nagsitaasan na balahibo ni Inggo.

"Hi," she whispers, leaving the door open a bit para hindi mag-lock, and steps closer to him.

"Hi, Rinn." Inggo tips his head down and cups her cheek with one hand as soon as she reaches him. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you." Rinn leans her head on his chest and breathes in deeply, hugging him around the waist. "Bet you didn't have to sneak around to see a girl before."

Inggo threads his fingers in her hair and drops a kiss on her head. "First for everything. And you're worth it kahit gusto kong patayin si Migo. 'Onti na lang talaga."

She laughs under her breath and noses his neck, sighing in contentment and fisting her hands in his sweater by his back.

Natawa si Inggo. "Anong meron sa amoy ko?" No one has ever smelled him like this before and liked it so much.

"Johnson's baby powder," Rinn mutters. "Bango."

He snorts. If it gets her to hug him like this, sure. "Hey, make a wish."

Pinrisinta sa kanya ni Inggo yung little tradition nila—sundae with the fry na nakatusok sa taas. She grins widely and closes her eyes, clasping her hands together and tilting her head up to the sky.

Inggo stares at her.

His heartbeat is pounding in his ears. Kinakabahan siya na marinig ni Rinn.

Uy, gago, kalma! Hindi tayo namamatay! sigaw ng utak niya sa puso niya.

Hindi alam ni Inggo kung ano ang wish ni Rinn, because she simply opens her eyes and bites the fry without a word, smiling at him.

Inggo raises an eyebrow. "You won't tell me?"

"No—"

"Ano ba," sabi ng boses ni Migo. "Tangina."

Inggo grabs Rinn's neck, slaps one hand over her mouth, and ducks. His life flashes before his eyes.

Ito na. Ito na, mamamatay na siya. Tinutulak-tulak na siya ng anghel niya to heaven.

Lul. Kala mo naman pupunta 'tong si Inggo sa heaven. Sana. Baka may spot pa.

Pero imbis na maputulan siya ng windpipe ng best friend niya, Inggo only sees Migo step out for a bit, look around, then close the door and lock it.

The sound of the lock makes Rinn widen her eyes and her mouth fall open. In panic, she whispers, "Oh my God. Na-lock out ako?!"

Inggo blinks at her. "Happy birthday."

The smack he gets...deserve niya 'yon. Pero may plano siya at hindi sila ma-i-interrupt ni Miguel putanginang Salas.