LEO MOVING near their School was an advantage for her, hindi na niya kailangan pumunta sa mga coffee shop nearby their school just so she could study. She's humming along with the music she's listening to, while looking for her room.

Ngayon ang first day of school nila and she's excited. No heated conversation during the enrollment because she enrolled early.

Pisces, Leo's sister, informed her that Leo took Marketing. Kumunot ang noo niya at hindi maitago sa mukha niya ang gulat nang makita si Leo sa building ng Psychology.

"What are you…" hindi niya natuloy ang dapat na tanong niya nang makita ang itsura ng ID lace nito. "What on earth are you thinking, Leo?" Rayos breathlessly uttered.

Leo smiled at her but she didn't appreciate it. Even just a little. Hindi maitago ni Rayos ang disgusto na makita ito sa building ng Psychology. He was supposed to be in Marketing. That's where he belongs. That's what he loves the most.

Rayos was drowning with her own thoughts, making decisions for Leo, she couldn't help it. At all.

"Nag-enroll ako sa Psychology because I wanted to be with you."

Mariin na pumikit si Rayos sa inis. Para silang bumalik sa ganap noong Senior high sila, ang kaibahan lang, alam ni Rayos ngayon na sinundan siya nito. And it was frustrating in her part.

Hindi sila naglalaro. Choosing a course was a big step to decide for their future.

"Sigurado ka ba na ito ang gusto mo?" nagtitimpi na tanong niya rito.

Leo shrugged his shoulders. "Nandito ka e," he answered.

It wasn't enough for her. His answer was not enough. Hindi ito malinaw. Simula pa lang ng klase nila, hindi ang course na pinili niya ang nagbigay sa kanya ng stress, kung hindi ang boyfriend niya.

Rayos was watching him throughout the day.

"Fine. I'll give you a month, if I see you struggling, I won't keep my mouth shut." Rayos promised to herself as she stared at Leo who was busy reading her book.

Rayos kept her mouth shut. Hindi siya nagsumbong sa kapatid nito kahit na alam niya sa sarili na ayon ang una niyang dapat na gawin kaysa ang kunsintihin ang boyfriend niya.

Leo was doing good for their first week. Minsan ay tumatambay siya sa apartment nito at sabay silang nag-aaral sa sala. Walang laman ang kwarto niya sa apartment nito maliban sa isang pares ng pantulog, isang pares ng uniform niya incase of emergency.

"Chocolate cake for my Rayos." Naglalambing na yumakap si Leo sa kanya at hinalikan ang gilid ng noo niya.

"Stop. Hindi pa rin ako natutuwa sayo, Leo," masungit na sabi niya.

Leo slowly chuckled. She's still observing him and so far, he's doing good. As well as taking good care of her. Tama nga ang kapatid niya, Leo will be good.

Pinapakain siya nito sa tamang oras, he'll stop her when she's overdoing her studies, he always prioritises her. He's taking care of her even when they're in School, and she'll take it as a reason why girls at their age are starting to crowd Leo.

"Good morning, Leo! Are you free later?" One of their blockmates asked. A female, of course.

Rayos sighed heavily. Hugging her books. Pinipigilan ang sarili na huwag 'yon isampal sa babae na harap harapan na lumalandi sa boyfriend niya.

"No," he answered in a low voice. Sa kanya lang naman ito nagiging maingay.

"Kailan ka libre? Maybe, we can have a lunch together? Or dinner? Either of the two is fine," malambing ang boses na sabi nito.

Humigpit ang pagkakayakap ni Rayos sa mga libro niya.

"Neither isn't fine with me. Excuse me, Miss. I already have a girlfriend. She owns me. Vraiose Cay owns me." Malinaw pa sa liwanag na sagot ni Leo sa kanya at itinuro siya.

Rayos smiled proudly. Taunting the girl and left her dumbfounded. Hindi ito ang unang beses na lumapit ito kay Leo kahit nakikita na nito na palagi siyang kasama, na laging nakadikit si Leo sa kanya.

Kung nasaan si Rayos, nandoon si Leo.

She's just too persistent. At kaunti na lang din ang natitira niyang pasensya para rito. Vyrlle, her twin already started playing. Pati na ang pinsan nilang si Nicha. Ang dalawa ang pumalit sa Kuya Jyrelle at Kuya Laur nila. Although, hindi nananakit ang mga ito ng pisikal.

They're just burning those bitches asses by sabotaging their projects and quizzes. She had enough on her plate.

Even though she's pissed, hindi pa rin kinakalimutan ni Rayos ang pag o-obserba niya kay Leo. Every week, he was trying really hard to at least past their quizzes, activities and such but Leo was failing. Rayos couldn't stand it.

"Leo, can we talk?" Rayos asked him.

Lumamlam ang mga mata niya nang makita ang kabuuan ng mukha nito. He has dark circles under his eyes again, she could tell that he lost some weight too, again. This time, it wasn't because of her competitive ass. It was because of his stubbornness.

Umangat ang kamay niya at hinaplos ang pisngi ni Leo. "You should get some sleep, Leo. Palagi mong sinasabi sa akin na hindi ko dapat sinusubsob ang sarili ko sa pag-aaral, but here you are, doing it. Stop abusing yourself for me, please?" pakiusap niya.

Ngumiti lang ito sa kanya at pinaglaruan ang kamay niya na nasa pisngi nito, humahaplos.

"Sa apartment ka muna?" Leo asked. Namumungay ang mga mata nito habang nakatingin sa kanya.

Rayos chuckled and nod her head. Para siyang hinihila ng mga mata nito, mas lalo pa 'yon na gumanda nang tumama ang sinag ng araw sa mga mata nito. It's like he's wearing a contact lenses even though he's not. Lightest shade of brown. It was beautiful.

After their class, agad din siya na tumawag sa kapatid niya.

"Sa apartment niya ako matutulog, don't worry, Kuya, hindi kami magkasama sa iisang kwarto." Rayos assured her overprotective brother.

Looks like her brother was busy with his work, he let her slide and off the hook. Same with her father. Her mother was more understanding than those two, so, Rayos just left a message.

May damit naman siya na pantulog sa apartment ni Leo, and she could ask her brother to bring some decent clothes for her the next day. Wala naman silang pasok kinabukasan.

"You really look tired, Leo," pansin niya.

Leo kept on yawning while they're having their dinner together.

"Ako na ang bahala sa hugasin. Matulog ka na, hm?"

Umiling si Leo. "Ako na, hindi pa ako inaantok."

Marahas siyang bumuntong hininga at hinarap ito. "Leo, there's still have time. Pwede ka pang mag-shift. Alam ko naman na makakahabol ka sa mga lesson. Isang buwan pa lang naman, magagawan pa natin nang paraan."

"No, I won't shift." Matigas na sagot nito sa kanya.

Rayos pursed her lips to suppress the sudden anger she felt and asked, "What is wrong with you?"

Pagod na tumingin sa kanya si Leo. His eyes were begging him to stop. Ito ang unang beses na nagkasagutan sila, at hindi na niya kayang palampasin ito. She couldn't stand watching him losing his sanity, depriving himself to sleep, studying to survive the course he doesn't like from the beginning!

"Please? Hindi alam ng kapatid mo na ito ang kurso na kinuha mo 'diba? It's not too late, Leo…"

"I don't want to, Cay."

"Why? Why the hell not?" Frustrated na tanong niya. Marahas na nasuklay ni Rayos ang buhok niya habang pilit pa rin na kinakalma ang sarili.

"Because you're there… nandoon ka, and I wanna be with you. Hindi pa ba malinaw 'yon?"

Walang buhay siyang natawa sa dahilan nito. Of course, it was because of her.

"Hindi mo nga gusto 'yon! Hindi ito ang gusto mo," pagalit na sabi niya.

"Ano ba ang alam mo sa gusto ko?"

Rayos was taken aback by his answers. Ano ang alam niya? He was really asking her?

Tumalim ang tingin ni Rayos kay Leo. Even him looks stunned by what he just said. Mukhang ngayon lang rumehistro kay Leo ang naging sagot nito sa tanong niya.

"I'm sorry… It's not—" she cut him off.

Rayos coldly chuckled. "I've been with you… ilang taon na ba tayong magkasama? And you're asking me kung ano ba ang alam ko sa gusto mo?" She sarcastically asked.

"Cay, hindi…"

"Hindi ano? Hindi ganoon 'yon? Leo, what you want and love is marketing."

Nahilamos ni Leo ang mukha gamit ang mga palad nito. He's not going to back down. His eyes were telling her how determined he was going to continue studying Psychology because of her.

"Uuwi muna ako sa amin," aniya at pinulot ang bag niya. "Magpalamig muna siguro tayo? I don't want to say something that I will forever regret."

"No, Cay, no… walang aalis, usap tayo, please?"

"We're done talking, Leo," she coldly answered. His eyes were begging her not to leave.

"I want you to pursue your dream. Kung ano talaga ang gusto mo, what you love, not what I want. You should start asking yourself again what it was, without thinking of me, Leo. Do it, without me."

☕