Time went by so fast and it was already the finals week for Adi and Zed. Summer classes were so short, it was coming to an end . . . finally. Sobrang daming kailangang asikasuhin ni Adi para sa final examination, grades, at admin tasks.

Zed passed the midterm examination, and the entire team, coaches, and managers were so happy. Adi did her best to help him and it wouldn't be possible without Zed doing his best, too. Kaya win-win lang naman sa kanila.

Malapit na ring makuha ni Adi ang sasakyan niya. Dumating na rin daw ang piyesa, pero maghihintay pa siya ng dalawang linggo kaya si Zed pa rin ang naghahatid-sundo sa kaniya. Wala rin namang problema dahil naka-focus na sila sa finals sa pagkakataong ito. Just one more examination and Zed would be officially playing for his last year in the university league as a team captain.

Dahil na rin sa pagiging busy, walang time si Adi para makinig sa mga issue na ibinabato sa kaniya. Isa na si Kathryn, co-professor niya na inaakusahan siyang manggagamit. Hindi niya ito pinapansin dahil isang beses na niya itong kinompronta ngunit itinanggi ang tungkol sa nakarating sa kaniya.

Just to keep the peace, Adi already let it go. Bahala na ito kung ano ang gustong isipin, wala namang mangyayari kung patuloy niya pa ring ipaliliwanag na wala siyang ginamit para makuha kung ano ang mayroon siya.

Or maybe she did.

Madalas na naiisip niya na baka nga mayroon, bulag lang din siya sa katotohanan dahil gusto niyang patunayan sa sarili niyang hindi totoo ang sinasabi ng iba.

"Adi?" Zed got her attention. "Are you okay? Kanina pa kita tinatanong kung ano'ng gusto mong pagkain."

"Ikaw na bahala." Adi forced a smile and continued typing for the next reading material for Zed.

Zed nodded and stood up to order meals for them. Kanina pa niya napapansin, pagkasundo pa lang, na tahimik si Adi. Madalas naman itong magkuwento sa kaniya tungkol sa klase simula nang magkaroon sila ng study session, pero tahimik ito sa kasalukyan.

Mula sa counter, nakatingin siya kay Adi na seryosong nakaharap sa laptop at mabilis na nagta-type. Nakabagsak ang buhok nitong medyo wavy sa bandang dulo, ngunit nakaipit sa kaliwang tainga kaya kita niya ang side profile nito.

Adi had always been so beautiful. Simula nang nakilala niya ito, palagi niyang tinititigan. Madalas na nahuhuli siya, pero hindi rin naman niya itinatanggi. Iniirapan lang naman siya kapag nahuhuli, minsang pinagagalitan dahil hindi raw siya nakikinig sa itinuturo nito.

He learned a lot from Adi. No wonder students loved her. Walang paligoy-ligoy sa explanation, direct to the point palagi, at hindi gumagamit ng malalalim na salita para ipunto ang isang bagay na itinuturo. Napansin niyang kapag nahihirapan siyang intindihin ang lesson, humahanap ito ng paraan para mas ma-explain nang maayos ang tungkol sa pinag-aaralan nila.

Alam ni Zed na malayo ang mararating ni Adi sa pagtuturo. Alam niyang marami itong matutulungang estudyanteng tulad niya. Marunong itong umintindi sa estudyante at marunong makisama.

Pag-upo niya bitbit ang tray na may pagkain nila, tumingin sa kaniya si Adi at malalim na huminga.

"We have a problem," ani Adi na sumandal at ipinagkrus ang dalawang braso. "This one, for your essay . . ." Ipinakita nito ang research essay na kailangan niyang matapos buong weekend. "Wala akong mahanap online tungkol sa topic na 'to, but I know a place where we can get the same answer. Hindi ko talaga gets kay Professor Templo kung bakit old method pa rin ang ginagamit niya. Marketing is modern yet he's insisting you'll—"

Nanatiling tahimik si Zed na nakatingin kay Adi. Tinanggal nito ang salaming suot, sinuklay ng darili ang buhok, at tumingin sa kaniya.

"Gets kong gusto niyang matuto kayo traditionally, but . . ." Malalim itong huminga. "I know where we can get the answers for this. Hindi rin ako masyadong familiar, but we can answer this."

"Saan?" Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Zed.

"My parents' house." Nakagat ni Adi ang ilalim na labi. "May library si Daddy. I'm sure meron siyang book regarding this."

"You mean . . ." Pabagsak na sumandal si Zed. "Pupunta tayo sa bahay ng parents mo? Baka magalit ang daddy mo? Dadalhin mo 'ko r'on?"

Tumaas ang dalawang balikat ni Adi. "Your choice. We can sneak out later. Tulog na sila around nine. I have a key, stay out ang helpers and it's just my parents. What do you think?"

Adi noticed uneasiness from Zed, but knew that they had no choice.

"Your decision." Adi shrugged. "Tatapusin natin 'to the entire night until morning if possible. Marami akong errands tomorrow. Sabihan mo 'ko para makapag-isip ako ngayon and—"

"Sige na, Adi." Zed forced a smile and looked down. "After ng dinner na ba tayo pupunta?"

Adi nodded. "Yeah, we'll sneak out."

Habang kumakain, nag-message naman si Adi sa mommy niya para kumustahin ang mga ito at ikinagulat na wala ang dalawa, nasa bahay ng ate niya. Lihim siyang napangiti, inisip na hindi naman pala nila kailangang mag-sneak.

At sinabi niya iyon kay Zed kaya nakahinga ito nang maluwag.

And after dinner, both decided to go to Adi's childhood home. It was around two hours from their location and despite the reassurance that her parents weren't there, Zed looked uncomfortable, making Adi laugh.

"Bakit ka natatawa?" Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Zed habang pareho silang nakatayo sa front door. "Kanina ka pa humahagikgik, e."

"Wala lang." Inikot ni Adi ang susi at bumukas ang pinto. "You look so uneasy and it's entertaining me. It's not like you'll meet my parents tonight. Wala nga sila. It's literally just the two of us, so don't worry much about it."

Sumunod lang si Zed kay Adi. Bitbit niya ang sapatos na inutos sa kaniyang ilagay sa gilid ng hagdan kung saan may mga tsinelas na nakahilera. The house was cozy and a little outdated, but homey. Zed saw Adi's family picture hanging by the living room.

Dumiretso sila sa second floor. Nakasunod siya kay Adi habang tinitingnan ang mga picture frame na nakasabit sa pader hanggang sa huminto sila sa pinakadulong parte ng bahay kung saan din may malaking balcony. Pagbukas ni Adi, naamoy kaagad ni Zed ang mga librong nasa loob. Isa-isa nitong binuksan ang ilaw, sinabing maupo muna siya sa lamesang pang-apatan, at maghintay.

Zed observed Adi while setting up his laptop. Isa-isa nitong pinuntahan ang shelf na may markang marketing, binasa ang bawat spine, at binuklat ang isang libro bago nakangiting lumapit sa kaniya.

"It's here. See the graphs?" Tumayo si Adi sa tabi niya, nakayukong itinuturo ang gagawan nila ng essay. "Kaya mo? Gawa ka ng draft, I'll check then approve. What do you think?"

"Why?" Zed comfortably sat and looked up to Adi. "Why are you doing this? I know we're invading your personal space for quite some time, but this is different, and I'm still unsure w—" He stopped when Adi sat beside him. "I mean, without all of this, I'll still drive you to school."

Adi gave her a faint smile and didn't respond, just continued reading the book. "I'll summarize, you do the essay. Don't think much about it. I'm happy to help. Besides, free ride, free food . . . and . . ." She shrugged. "And maybe I don't want you to lose basketball. I know it's important to you as much as teaching is important to me, so I know what it feels like."

He stared at Adi and subtly smiled. Inutusan na rin siya nitong magsimulang mag–isip para sa essay na isusulat niya tungkol sa old method, drafts, and graphs related to marketing. Medyo mahirap, pero susubukan niya para hindi lalong mapahiya.

Adi taught him a lot of things, tips, and tricks for studying, memorizing, and understanding each lesson. Adi also reminded him that he was a student first before a varsity player. Although Adi supported his basketball career by helping, Adi also wanted him to remember that he needed to focus on other things, too.

Nang matapos si Adi sa pag-summarize ng topic, siya naman ang gumawa ng essay. Ginagalingan niya dahil hindi puwedeng magaling lang siyang mag-shoot, dapat ma-impress din si Adi sa reasoning skills niya. Minsan pa siyang naghahanap ng malalim na salita sa Google para lang kahit papaano, magmukhang matalino sa paggamit ng mga salita sa essay niya.

Tumigil si Zed sa pag-type at tumingin kay Adi na nakatulog na pala sa lamesa, nakatagilid na nakaharap sa kaniya, at medyo tumabingi na ang salamin.

Adi's messy bun was . . . messier, and some hair was covering the side of her face. He carefully moved the hair away from Adi's face, tucking it behind her ear.

Gladly, Adi didn't wake up, just breathed softly, sniffed, and relaxed . . . still sleeping. He watched her for a few seconds, then went back to his essay, trying so hard not to type too fast and quietly so Adi could rest.

Samantalang nabigla si Adi nang maalimpungatan at nagising. It was almost three in the morning and she hadn't realized she fell asleep. Si Zed kaagad ang tiningnan niya. Patagilid na nakahiga ang ulo sa lamesa, nakaharap sa kaniya, at mahimbing na natutulog. Sandali niyang tinitigan si Zed bago kinuha ang laptop nitong nakabukas, pero screensave na lang.

Nakabukas pa ang document. Isinuot niya ang salamin at binasa ang essay na ginawa nito. Napangiti siya dahil maganda ang pagkaka-explain, pagkakasulat, at mayroon lang siyang kaunting correction.

Alam naman niya.

Zed wasn't perfect academically, but he was okay—better even, compared to other people she knew. Masyado lang itong naging focus sa basketball kaya at naiintindihan niyang hindi madali ang subject kung saan ito nahihirapan.

Adi closed Zed's laptop and slowly woke him up.

"Sorry." Zed sniffed and brushed his hair using his fingertips. "Natapos ko naman an—"

"And it was good." Adi smiled. "Tulog tayo? Inaantok na talaga ako and masakit na ang katawan ko."

Zed nodded. "Tulog ka na. Aalis na rin ako. Baka dumating sila rito mamaya, maabutan pa ako and—"

Adi didn't let Zed finish and held his hand. Sumunod ito sa kaniya at iginiya papasok sa kuwarto niya. It was her room until she moved out at eighteen and lived near the campus. She still sleep here during weekends, whenever she visits.

"Sure ka ba?" Adi shut the door and faced Zed. "Gusto mo mag-shower?" she asked while removing the buttons of her own blouse. "Then we'll sleep?"

Zed stared at her . . . unbuttoning his jeans.

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T H E X W H Y S
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