[ALI'S POV]

          Dinala ko si Blue sa nearest mall from our school. Pumunta kami sa isang Department store, under Dress section. I noticed Blue, seemlessly wandered into the dress with Blue-themed design.

          "Wow!" sabi ni Blue, at yung emo mode ko kanina, were just switched into my sweetest smile. Everytime na naa-amazed si Blue sa isang bagay, nakakatuwa talaga siya tingnan. Kaya, that's one of the reasons why I like her.

          "Do you want that?" I asked her.

          "Naman!" she suddenly replied. "Kaso, grabe naman to! 5k talaga 'to? Eh 250 lang ata sa mga ukay-ukay 'to, eh hahaha!"

          Natawa ako sa sinabi ni Blue.

          "Blue, we're not in Ukay-ukay, ok? Kaya, masanay ka na, na ganyan talaga yung prices dito," sabi ko sa kanya. "Uhm, miss?" tawag ko sa isa sa mga Saleslady. "Where's the fitting room? She would like to try it."

          "Huy, Ali, nakakahiya, 'wag na!" pigil ni Blue sa akin. "Saka, isa pa, mukhang hindi 'to kakasya sa akin. Kaya, sa iba na lang tayo-"

          "Miss? Do you have any other sizes that would seem to fit to her?" tanong ko ulit sa Saleslady.

          "Meron naman po, ma'am," sagot niya sa akin. "Pero, sa tingin ko po, sakto na po kay Ma'am yung hawak niyang dress ngayon."

          "Really?" I replied. "Perfect! Oh, si ate na nagsabi, ah? Just try it!" excited kong pagkasabi kay Blue. I noticed her face seems like a tomato right now, and I just can't help but to laugh hard.

          "B-bakit?" she utterly said.

          "Wala, hihi! Umalis ka na nga!" nasabi ko na lang. "Miss, paki-assist po siya sa fitting room, thank you."

          "Huy, A-Ali..." nasabi na lang ni Blue, at dinala na siya nung saleslady sa fitting room.

          After a few minutes, lumabas na si Blue mula roon. I suddenly blushed when I saw how perfect Blue was from that Blue dress. I gave her the sweetest smile that I can gave.

          "Blue! Bagay sayo hihihi!" I excitedly said, pero mukhang nahihiya pa rin siya. "Uy!" sabay hawak ko sa chin niya. "Why? Bagay naman sa'yo, ah?

          "S-sa sobrang mahal kasi neto, parang hindi ata bagay sa akin," sagot lang niya.

          "Ano ka ba?! Bagay kaya!"

          'Pero, mas bagay tayo hihi!' I said on my mind.

          "Sinasabi mo lang 'yan kasi, hindi ka sanay. But, no worries, that's fine. You look beautiful on that dress, kaya. Matchy-matchy pa sa Blue dress mo, hihi!" I said, then I finally saw her smile. "Aside from that, ano pang gusto mo?"

          "H-ha?" nasabi na lang niya. "Huy, Ali! Eto pa lang, ke mahal na, paano pa kaya kung dadagdagan mo pa? Wag na," angal niya.

          "Shhh, don't worry. Treat ko lahat, oki?" sagot ko, at napanganga lang siya hahaha!

          Hinila ko na yung kamay niya, at pumili na kami ng mga trip naming dress. I offer that another Blue dress, and tried to fit into her. We went to a mirror and I covered her by the dress that I got. It's undoubtedly fit to her again.

          "Ayokong puro ikaw lang yung bibili, Ali," sabi ni Blue. "Ako rin, bibilhan kita," dagdag niya, kaya I suddenly gave her a smile.

          This time, siya naman yung pumili ng dress para sa akin. She chose a pink sequin dress with black lining.

          "Panigurado, pag sinuot mo 'to, mas gaganda ka," sabi ni Blue, at agad kong grinab yung hawak niyang damit, at sinuot ko sa fitting room.

          Pagkalabas ko, I saw Blue smiled at me.

          "Oh, di ba? Sabi sa'yo, e! Haha!" Sabi niya sabay, nag-ask siya sa isa sa mga saleslady. "Magkano 'yan, ate?"

          "Around 8k po, ma'am," sagot nung saleslady sa kanya.

          "A-ano?!" sagot lang ni Blue sa kanya. "Ah, uhm..."

          "No worries, Blue, ako na lang bibili nito," sabi ko lang sa kanya.

          "S-sandali lang po ate, ha," sabi ni Blue saka hinila niya ako sa isang tabi. "Ali, medyo mahal man 'yan, pero, libre ko dapat 'yan sa'yo, eh. Kaya, bahala na, basta, ako na lang yung gagastos para dyan."

          "Katte," tawag ko sa name niya, and I noticed she suddenly got shocked. "I do understand you. Pero, paano ka? You have a lot of things to buy with. You already alloted your money into budget. Kung ililibre mo pa ako, ano na lang yung matitira sa'yo? It's fine, kung ano na lang yung sasagot nito," sagot ko lang sa kanya.

          Suddenly, she just grab and hugged me. I was left shocked at what she did. Na, anong ginawa ko? Nagtatalo lang naman kami sa isang dress na 'to, tapos bigla niya akong yayakapin? Like, what's happening? Why did she do this?

          "Thank you, Ali," sabi ni Blue. "Palagi mo akong iniisip. Palagi mong inaalala kung ano yung magiging kalagayan ko kaysa sa'yo. Palagi kang maalahanin," she said, and I feel like I blushed, and I remain silent. "Pero, para 'di na lang tayo magtalo, hati na lang tayo sa bayad, ok? Para at least, parang nilibre pa rin kita, at binili mo pa rin yung dress haha!" sabi niya at natawa na lang ako.

          I don't know why, but, I suddenly pinched her cheeks. Wala, na-cute-an lang ako sa kanya, at sa ginawa niya. I hope, I will cherish our moments like this every single time.

          Mayamaya, biglang napalingon si Blue sa mga saleslady. Napansin namin na, they seem like staring and talking about us.

          "Hoy!" sigaw ni Blue sa kanila, then she suddenly put her arms around my shoulders. "Anong problema n'yo sa amin ng girlfriend ko?!"

          'Anong problema n'yo sa amin ng girlfriend ko?!' I feel like this line echoed on my mind.

          I can feel like my whole face feels hot right now. Bigla ba namang magsasabi si Blue nang ganyan?!

          "Tara na nga, Ali!" sabi na lang ni Blue sabay hinila ako na, hawak-hawak pa yung mga dress na pinili namin. We went into the cashier and I still get speechless, shamed, and literally, mixed emotions, while I'm doing the payment.

           "Salamat po," sabi ni Blue after inabot nung babae sa cashier yung mga pinamili namin. "Angas ng palusot ko, 'no? Hahaha! Iingay kasi nila, eh. Kala mo, mga kakilala lang kung sino makichismis, mga lintik!"

          I suddenly get into the reality, when she mentioned na, palusot niya lang pala yun para makaalis na kami. I suddenly get frowned then quietly leave the mall with her.

          "Uy, Ali?" sabi ni Blue sa akin. "Ayan ka na naman. Bakit? May problema ba? Anong nangyari?" sunud-sunod na tanong niya, at pumara lang ako ng taxi, since wala nako sa mood i-call pa yung driver ko.

          Nang may matyempuhan nakong taxi, sumakay nako don, at sumunod lang din si Blue sa akin. Umupo kami sa bandang back seat ng taxi.

          "Ali?" tawag ulit ni Blue sa akin. "Uy, magsabi ka naman sa akin, kahit isang beses lang. Saka, honestly, napapansin kong ang moody mo. Mamaya, malungkot ka, tapos mayamaya, magiging maligalig ka na naman. Ano ba talagang nararamdaman mo? Pwede bang diretsuhin mo ako?" sabi lang niya sa akin, but I still don't respond to her.

          I really don't exactly know, on how to respond to her. If, I will just stupid to confess with her, or to just got some white lies again. I really don't know what to do or respond anymore.

          But, I just followed what my heart wants to do. And I just noticed, how my hand lays on her.

          "A-ali..." Blue just said.

          We remained silent all throughout the way. Then, I just noticed the song from this taxi, was played Invisible String, by Taylor Swift.

Time, wondrous time
Gave me the blues and then purple pink skies
And it's cool, baby, with me
And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?