Nang makasakay si Adi, nagsimulang magmaneho is Zed at nakalayo na sila sa university, nanatiling tahimik ang kasama niya, nakatingin sa bintana na para bang gumagawa ng music video.

Tipid siyang ngumiti ngunit hindi nagsalita. Pinindot niya ang button sa steering wheel para mag-play ang music dahil nabibingi siya sa katahimikan.

Zed chose his usual playlist and the song For The First Time by The Script. Naningkit ang mga mata niya dahil hindi na rin niya maalala ang huling beses niyang napakinggan ang kanta.

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa manibela nang may maalala. Muli niyang nilingon si Adi nang mapansin sa peripheral niyang humarap ito sa daan.

"Kanina pa traffic," ani Zed na bumasag sa katahimikan nilang dalawa. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa makeup kit. "Dinala ko sa bag kanina 'yan kasi mainit sa parking slot ko. Baka matunaw mga lipstick mo."

"Thanks," Adi nonchalantly responded. "Puwede mo 'kong ibaba sa malapit, maghahanap na lang ako ng cab. Baka may class or practice ka."

Zed shook his head. "Wala. Uuwi na rin talaga ako."

Adi gave her a nod without saying a word. Again, Zed focused on driving when he immediately saw the traffic jam. Hindi na rin siya nagulat dahil rush hour, uwian na ng mga estudyante sa isang school na madaraanan nila, at nagmamadali na rin ang iba papunta sa bus stop.

Red light, waiting time more than a hundred seconds, and the sky started getting darker with drizzle starting. The car was cold, and the song blasted the last lines, making Zed analyze the lyric.

Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby

He felt uneasy.

Too uneasy, he exhaled loudly, making Adi gaze at him. Their eyes met, and he forced a smile.

"Gutom ka na?" Kinuha niya ang paper bag na nasa ibaba ng backseat. "Kain tayo. May mantao rin diyan. Pakuha. Nagugutom na rin kasi ako."

Kinuha ni Adi ang paper bag na may mantao at iniabot iyon sa kaniya, ngunit hindi inilabas ang pagkain. Uminom lang ito ng tubig mula sa bottled water na kasama ng mga binili niya, iyon lang.

Zed wanted to open a conversation, but didn't. He respected the privacy and unknown to him, Adi appreciated that.

Gusto na ring umuwi ni Adi, gusto na niyang magpahinga. Hindi maayos ang pakiramdam niya, puro trabaho ang nasa utak niya, at hindi niya gusto ang bigat sa kaniyang dibdib. She was trying so hard to pinpoint the trigger or reason, but nothing.

Maybe she was too tired. Stressed rin talaga siya nitong mga nakaraan kaya halos wala siyang pahinga at ilang oras lang ang tulog sa maghapon

Another hour passed, finally . . . Adi could see the building. She started looking forward to taking a bath and resting, but remembered Zed who bought food and took her home.

Kahit na gusto niyang mag-isa at magpahinga, an hour wouldn't hurt for a proper meal.

"Let's eat this in my place," pag-aya niya kay Zed. "Only if you're up to it."

Tumaas ang dalawang balikat ni Zed at tumango. Hindi man lang tumanggi na ikinailing ni Adi. Pag-park ng sasakyan, ito na rin mismo ang nagbitbit ng paper bag pati na rin ang backpack nito. He was wearing his Nike baseball cap backwards, too.

Inside the elevator, it was just the two of them and Adi subtly observed the man she was with. Bigla niyang naalala ang nangyari sa kanila dahilan para mapayuko siya dahil ayaw niyang mapansin nito ang pag-observe niya. Ilang beses niyang pinagsisihan kaninang umaga ang ginawa niya. Stress shouldn't justify what she did, what they did.

Muli niyang tiningnan si Zed na nakayuko ngunit patagilid na rin palang nakatingin sa kaniya. Tumaas ang sulok ng labi nito. Not in a mockingly way, but different.

"This should be the last time I'll invite you to my space. This is just a thank you para sa makeup kit, the ride, and the food," Adi crossed her arms. "Let's not do this again. I'm inviting you to my space now, but this is gonna be the last time."

Zed gave her a subtle smile and nodded before facing the elevator door. Saktong bumukas ang pinto, nauna itong lumabas, at hinawakan ang gilid para pigilan ang pagsara habang papalabas siya.

Her footsteps echoed through the hallway, and Zed was walking behind her.

Una niyang pinapasok sa unit si Zed na basta na lang tinanggal ang sapatos, nakatabingi pa nga kaya inayos at inilagay muna niya iyon sa shoe rack kasama ng mga sapatos niya. Dumiretso ito sa living area, ibinaba ang paper bag sa coffee table, at basta naupo sa sofa.

"Maliligo ka ba muna o magpapalit ng damit?" tanong ni Zed.

"No." Ibinaba niya ang bag sa bar stool. "Kumain na tayo para makaalis ka na rin. I want my space and I want to sleep."

Tumango si Zed at isa-isang inilabas ang mga pagkain mula sa paper bag. There were too much. Akala niya pad thai at mantao lang, pero mayroon pa palang garlic prawns, fried rice, spring rolls, and mango sticky rice.

"That's a lot," Adi said in a low voice.

Zed chuckled. "Hindi pa 'ko kumakain, e."

Naupo si Adi sa sofa kung nasaan si Zed ngunit may safe space sa gitna nila. Nakatingin lang siya habang inaayos nito ng pagkain bago inabot ang para sa kaniya. Ipinatong niya iyon sa hita niya at tinitigan.

It would be her first meal of the day and she could smell how tasty it was.

Ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Zed na binabalatan ang prawns bago ibigay sa kaniya ang dalawa. Itinanong nito kung gusto ba niyang gumamit ng metal spoon, tango ang naging sagot niya.

Zed comfortably took whatever they needed in her kitchen.

"Isa lang pala 'tong spoon and fork mo rito," anito na iniabot sa kaniya ang utensils. "Magkakamay na lang ako."

Tinanggap niya ang utensils at sinundan ng tingin si Zed na naupo muli sa sofa. Binuksan din nito ang soda na in can, ibinaba sa harapan niya bago nagsimulang kumain.

Adi rested her back and inhaled before started eating. The food was indeed tasty and it had been long since she ate with someone inside her unit . . . and the silence was deafening. She ate quietly, and Zed would give her spring rolls dipped in sweet and spicy sauce and another peeled prawn and fried rice.

"How's school?" She tried to make a conversation. "Bakit ka nag-enroll ng summer class?"

Zed gazed at her sideways, but didn't say a word for seconds, but gave her a smile. "Secret. Ikaw, bakit may klase ka ngayong summer?"

She didn't push him to answer.

"I'm bored." Adi looked down and mixed her food. "Wala ako sa mood mag-travel or anything. I just want to make myself busier . . . and also saving for a new car."

"Sira kotse mo?" Sumandal si Zed tulad niya. "Ano'ng nangyari? May kilala akong mekaniko. Baka gusto mo subukan."

Umiling si Adi at mahinang natawa. "I told you, this will be the last time. Look, what happened last night was—" Huminto siya at malalim na huminga. "I wouldn't say a mistake kasi I benefited from it, too, but we should set boundaries and it won't happen again."

Tahimik na nakatingin si Zed sa kaniya.

"I hope you understand. I was stressed, I shouldn't have done that and ayaw ko na ring maulit," pagdiin niya. "But thank you for today."

Zed nodded and thankfully, he understood. Wala naman silang ibang pinag-usapan, simpleng conversation lang tungkol sa kaniya-kaniyang university.

Naunang matapos kumain si Adi at tumayo para ilagay sa paper bag ang pinagkainan niya. "You can leave everything, ako na ang bahala. Kindly lock the door kapag uuwi ka na. I'll take a shower and I might take long. Don't wait up, just please lock the door."

Bago pa man tuluyang makapasok sa loob ng bathroom, ibinalik niya ang tingin kay Zed na nanatiling nakaupo sa sofa, nakatingin sa kaniya.

"What?" Adi frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" Zed squinted and scoffed. "Natawa lang ako. One plate, one glass, one mug, and one set of utensils. Wala ka talagang balak magkaroon ng kasama rito?"

Adi shook her head. "Wala. Don't forget to lock the door and don't you dare do something inside my unit. I know you and I won't let anything slide."

Tuluyan niyang iniwan si Zed sa living room at pumasok sa bathroom. Napapikit siya nang dumaloy ang malamig na tubig sa mukha niya pababa sa katawan. It was a long day, and for some reason, this day was longer.

Also, it had been long since she was touched and her body craved more, but she didn't want to make another mistake based on how vulnerable she was. Being too tired or stressed shouldn't be her reason for this.

Shower took almost an hour. She scrubbed her body, moisturized, treated her long and wavy hair, did her skincare routine, blew dry her hair, and dressed in her favorite satin sleeping clothing.

Paglabas niya ng bathroom, akala niya nakaalis na si Zed, ngunit nakita niya ang sapatos nitong nasa shoe rack pa rin at ikinagulat na nasa living room ito, nakahiga ang ulo sa backrest ng sofa, may throw pillow na nakapatong sa may tiyan, at mahimbing na natutulog. Nakanganga pa nga.

Adi stood by the living room staring at the man inside her unit. She didn't even know why she let him when she promised herself not to. A thank you? Not enough reason and it was the second time, too.

She was becoming comfortable.

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa lamesa at nalinis naman nito ang pinagkainan nila. Imbes na gisingin ito, hinayaan niya muna. Kinuha na lang muna niya ang phone sa bag at nagsimulang magbasa ng messages.

Until she decided to search for the man's name and Google gave her all the recent news and information.

Zared Almazan, basketball varsity player of Eastern University . . . taking up Marketing Management. They were the same age, 24 years old.

Nabasa niya sa recent articles na posibleng ito na ang magiging next captain ng team at inaasahang mas mataas ang maibibigay na statistics sa huling taon nito sa college league. Professional teams were already interested in him for drafting.

Adi also read numerous articles about some endorsements such as sports drinks, shoes, clothes, and even hygiene essentials for athletes. There were also threads and posts about Zed being a hotshot. Looks-wise? She agreed.

She stared at Zed and thought that there were lots of students swooning over this man e nakanganga ngang matulog yakap ang hot pink na throw pillow.

As much as she wanted to be alone, she let Zed sleep in the living room and left a note saying, "Lock the door, throw the trash, and I left some money. Share sa food. Thanks."

—
T H E X W H Y S
www.thexwhys.com