EXT. MARCELINA
BY THE GARDEN - EVENING, 9:00 PM.

KAI
Ba't 'di ka pa umuwi?

MILLY
Later. Sabay na 'ko kina Aqui.

KAI
You look sick.

Milly smiles.

MILLY
I feel sick.

KAI
Kaya umuwi ka na.

MILLY
I don't wanna ruin everyone's mood. If I leave, my friends will leave too.

KAI
May sakit ka na, iba pa rin iniisip mo.

MILLY
(teasing)
See? I'm such a good friend, aren't I?

Kai doesn't answer. Milly pats the space beside her.

MILLY
Sit with me.

Kai raises a brow at the hammock and sits on the porch swing instead.

MILLY
Arte. Fine, I'll sit with you na lang.

Milly leaves the hammock and sits beside him.

KAI
'Wag mo masyadong igalaw. Mahihilo ka ulit n'yan.

MILLY
Ayos lang. You brought meds naman.
Why do you have that anyway?

KAI
Yan yung binili ko pa no'ng nakaraan.

MILLY
You mean months ago? When you bought meds for me?
Tagal na n'on ah. You still have it with you?

KAI
Nasa wallet lang kasi.

MILLY
Ohh. Okay. Thanks anyway.

KAI
Napano ka ba? Lagi kang sinasakitan ng ulo.

MILLY
This is a chronic thing na. I think I got it from my mom. We always get crushing migraines talaga. Mas malala lang my case 'cause I also have vertigo. It's fine tho. I should be fine after resting. It usually passes after I take meds.

KAI
'Di magandang lagi kang nakaasa sa gamot.

MILLY
That's true, but what can I do? My doctor told me it's incurable. I just need to have good maintenance na lang.

KAI
Alam mo kung ano trigger mo?

MILLY
Pagod, usually. And I'm also sensitive to lights and sounds.

KAI
Tapos lagi ka pang nasa clubs.

MILLY
Gano'n talaga. We can't let a few inconveniences stop us from doing what we want.

KAI
Nasabihan ka na ba ni Evander? 'Di mo na kailangan pumunta sa WYLD linggo-linggo.

MILLY
Yeah, he told me last week. But I'm not sure if I wanna leave WYLD just like that. It's become my routine na rin kasi. I'll feel empty on Fridays if I don't go.

Milly yawns.

KAI
Halika na. Umuwi na tayo. Ihahatid na kita. Magpapaalam lang ako kay Evander.

Kai gets up.

MILLY
Hey, wait.

Milly grabs the hem of his shirt.

MILLY
Wag muna. They'll be done soon na rin naman. Let's wait a bit. They're still having fun, ayoko putulin.

Kai sighs and sits back down.

9:07 PM

MILLY
This is a nice place. Is Kuya Evan renting this or did he buy this property na?

KAI
Property 'to ni Tita.

MILLY
His mom? Ah, kaya Marcelina? Coz it's named after her?

Kai nods.

KAI
Kanya rin yung garden.

MILLY
Ohhh.
That's nice.
I know someone who loves gardens and flowers too.

KAI
Sino?

MILLY
My lola.
I personally don't like flowers because I don't see the point of keeping something that will eventually fade away. But they're nice to look at and they remind me of her.
Do you like flowers?

KAI
Hindi rin.

MILLY
Then why did you give me one?

KAI
It was a vase. What else was I supposed to put in it?

MILLY
(Chuckles)
Right.
Don't get me wrong. I liked the flowers. But they're gone now. Inalagaan naman but it was gone after a few days.

Kai looks up at the evening sky. Milly yawns again.

KAI
Umuwi na tayo. Wag mo nang labanan antok mo.

Milly closes her eyes and rests her head against his shoulder. Kai turns to her.

KAI
Anong ginagawa mo?

MILLY
Mm. Just a few minutes. Saglit lang. Let me just take a nap. I'll be fine after a nap.

9:40 PM

EVANDER
Uy, ginagawa n'yo sa labas? Kanina pa kayo hinahanap. Kala namin umuwi na kayo.

Kai gestures for him to be quiet.

EVANDER
(mouthing)
Nakatulog? May sakit pa ba?

KAI
Oo. Wag ka maingay.

EVANDER
Iuwi mo na. Bat mo d'yan pinatulog?

KAI
Ayaw sumama.

EVANDER
Gano'n? Nilalagnat ba?

KAI
Hindi. Pumasok ka na. Hayaan mo munang umidlip. Susunod din kami.

Evander smiles, teasing.

EVANDER
Ow. Bumabait ka ah. Baka iba na 'yan.

Kai narrows his eyes at him. Evander walks back into the restaurant with a grin.

9:46 PM

Kai shifts his position to help her rest against him more comfortably.

MILLY
(smiles, mumbling)
Sa lagay na 'to, are we still not friends?

KAI
Gising ka na?

MILLY
Di naman ako natulog.

Kai moves to get up. Milly snakes an arm around his, head still on his shoulder.

MILLY
Di ako makatulog.
Why do you smell good?

Milly brings her nose closer to his neck. Kai stiffens.

KAI
'Di ka ba talaga nagdadalawang-isip 'pag nagsasabi ka ng ganyan?

MILLY
Why? Does it affect you?

Milly opens her eyes and looks up, straight into his eyes, face only inches away from his.

MILLY
Do I affect you?

Kai looks down at her lips. Then he frowns and looks away.

KAI
Kung maayos na pakiramdam mo, halika na.

He gets up to his feet. Milly kicks the ground to get the swing moving, grinning.

MILLY
Do you really not feel anything?

KAI
Maayos na nga siguro pakiramdam mo kung nagagawa mo na namang mang-asar.

MILLY
It's a yes or no question.
But don't answer that.

Her grin widens.

MILLY
I think I already know the answer naman na.

Milly stands up, tilting her head at him, trying to read his expression. Kai looks troubled. She chuckles.

MILLY
Let's go. I feel better now.

Kai sighs and follows her back inside quietly. Milly still chuckling. Kai frowning even more.