Nagising ako sa ingay ng alarm clock. Bumangon ako mula sakama sa kabila ng katamaran. I don't know. Monday feels. And after all, today is the day I hate the most. Ang araw na maninirahan ako sa bahay ng ex-boyfriend kong si Jhunel. Hindi talaga ako makapaniwalang nangyayari 'to. I can't imagine that in a few hours, susunduin niya na ako. Napapailing na lang ako out of disgust kapag naiisip 'yon.

Naglakad ako papunta sa comfort room at nakita ko ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit tamad na tamad ako ngayong araw. I got my menstrual period today. Every girl hates every single day when they have their period. We get cramps, pain, emotional disorders, overthinking, cravings, and stuff monthly!

I bit my lips as I decided to take a shower. I also packed my clothes, uniform, and skincare essentials.

Moments later, I heard a knock on the door. Slowly, the door opened, and I saw Mommy.

"How are you?" She approached me. "Namumutla ka. May problema ba?" tanong niya habang hinihipo ang leeg at noo ko.

"I'm just feeling a little heavy," I mumbled.

"Why? Dahil ba sa project mo with your ex-boyfriend? Gusto mo kausapin ko 'yong professor mo? Hindi naman malalaman ng dad mo kasi nasa business trip siya," she explained with her weary eyes. I can also see that she's uncomfortable with the idea of this project. But what else can we do? My father will be mad about this if he gets to know that I complain. At hindi ko 'yon gustong mangyari dahil alam kong pati si mom ay madadamay.

But I can't help but feel disheartened. Sometimes, when I'm on my period, I get too emotional. And I feel empty and unloved.

"He left already?" I asked.

"Yup, to Europe," she clarified. Europe? That's too far.

Niyakap ako ni mom habang hinahaplos pa ang likod ko. "Are you going to be alright here alone?" tanong ko.

"You're the one I'm thinking about, Sheen. I feel like I am an irresponsible mother. I am letting you go into danger."

"It's not your fault, Mom. May punto naman si dad. I really got to do this for me to graduate. Magiging maayos din siguro ang lahat. I'll call you," sambit ko, trying to make her not worry about me.

Mommy helped me take out my things. Then our maids brought it downstairs. I close my eyes as I prepare myself for the hellish week. Mas mahirap pa ito kaysa sa final exams. Seriously.

"Are you sure? You're gonna be alright?"

I heaved a sigh. "I'll be fine. I think I can manage, mom."

Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at may nilagay siya roon. I realized that it was a mini stun gun. I smiled. I couldn't help but laugh when Mom gave me that. She's kinda cute.

Again, I took a deep breath before I finally said goodbye to them and left the house. I didn't let Mommy see me outside anymore because I didn't want her to see the person who ruined her daughter before.

It's just a week. One week. It will also end. Next week, when it is his turn to live in my house, I can just lock myself in my room so we cannot meet.

I was shocked when I came out and an unfamiliar silver car approached me. A man was leaning behind it. Tall.

I stopped breathing when I realized who that man was. His hairstyle, the way he stands...

"Jhon Rey?" I exclaimed.

He slowly turned to me, and there I finally saw who the man was. I was right.

Our eyes met.

Jhon Rey just smiled and approached me. Hindi ako makapaniwalang siya ang nasa harapan ko. At napapatanong ako sa sarili ko, paano niya nalaman kung saan ako nakatira? A lot of questions. Hindi ako makapag-isip nang deretso dahil nasa harapan ko siya.

"A-anong ginagawa mo rito?" nauutal kong tanong habang pinipigilan ang pusong tumibok nang malakas dahil baka marinig niya.

"Maniningil," he said, making me confused.

"Maniningil?"

"Iniwan mo ako kagabi, hindi ba?"

I remember leaving him in a hurry to get home the last time. Napakagat ako sa labi ko.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to. I was just in a hurry that I forgot to inform you I was leaving," paghingi ko ng tawad.

"I also don't accept a simple sorry, for your information." He opened the passenger seat door as if he were telling me to come into his car. My forehead creased. "You're lucky 'cause I'm your friend," he stated.

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"You'll know once we get there. Come on, we'll be late for our class."

He helped me put my suitcases in the trunk of his car. And he makes me sit in the passenger's seat.

My brain is blank. What the hell is going on? Why am I here instead of being with Jhunel? And why am I naturally going with him as if we've got something?

I looked at him in confusion. I stopped and didn't realize I was just looking at him for a moment. Even his side view totally made my heart scream. He's gorgeous. His thick eyebrows, high nose bridge, and thin lips are way more irresistible.

"I might melt," he state as he glanced at me for a second and then looked at the road again as he was driving. A small smile appeared on his lips.

"Kumain ka na?" he asked. "You want to go to a fast food drive-thru first?"

"You said we were going to be late," I muttered.

"Actually, we're late." He showed me his watch. My eyes widened when I saw that it was 7:30 a.m. And our first class is at 7:30 a.m.

Indeed, we are late for our first-period class. Sigurado akong maging ito ay malalaman ni dad. Napabuntong-hininga ako nang maalala ko ang pag-uusap namin ni dad kahapon. If my father heard this too, me being with the son of Carpio Corporation, I would be dead.

Again, I sighed.

"Why?" he asked. I looked at him and asked him too. "Why?"

"I heard you sigh. What happened? Is there a problem?"

I blink, realizing he heard me sigh a lot of times. Well, I can't help. I've got a lot of things to worry about. For sure, makakaapekto ang pagiging late ko sa grade ko. Hindi ko na kasi namalayan ang oras kanina no'ng nag-aayos ako ng gamit. I was very hesitant kaya hindio ako naghanda kagabi. I was occupied by thoughts that if there would be someone that will rescue me and someone really came unexpectedly.

Sighs. Mukhang second period na ang maaabutan namin.

"N-nothing. Did you wait long?" tanong ko upang ibahin ang usapan.

"Not that long. Don't worry." He smiled again.

Silence filled the two of us. I chose to just look out the window and observe the road. Until we bought food at the drive-thru. We got hamburgers and iced coffee.

"Bakit? May inaasahan ka bang iba?" he asked, breaking the silence between us.

"Iba?" I repeated.

"Na susundo sa 'yo," sagot niya.

"Honestly, Jhunel and I had an agreement. We are seatmates, so technically, we'll do the project together. And I am really confused why you are the one who fetches me this morning."

"And you just let me fetch you, why? You don't really want to be with him, don't you?"

"You told me you'd explain later, so I didn't bother to protest, but I am really confused." And maybe this might be the last chance I have to be with you since I'll be ignoring you forever. I've got a deep reason now to not hope for us, because we're born into a complicated situation where I can never be yours. I guess, you really are not my Mr. Right. The only one right for me is the one my father told me so.

"Yeah, you'll see it later when we get there. Don't worry, I just fetched you 'cause your friend told me so. She seems so worried about you."

"My friend? Anne?"

He nods. And there, I can be calm and at peace. Nasagot na rin ang tanong ko kung bakit niya nalaman ang bahay ko. Siguro'y binigay ni Anne. I guess I'm rescued.

"Anne told me he was your ex-boyfriend; is he?"

I looked at him. "Y-yeah."

"I see now the reason why you don't want to be with him in the sociology project," patuloy niya habang nakatingin pa rin sa kalsada.

"I never said that I didn't."

"So you want to be with him?"

"I've got no choice," I simply said.

"You have," he emphasized. Nilingon niya ako at sa pagkakataong ito, mas mahaba na kumpara sa unang beses niya akong tinitigan.

"What do you mean I have? I literally have no options. I can't question our professor about the project. I can't just choose someone to replace him for being my seatmate. I can't just disagree with what everybody likes 'cause I got no choice but to obey everything they wanted me to do," I stated. And thinking that if I protest to my father, I will never be seen again.

"You can do what you want, and don't if you don't," he divulged.

"How I wish I could really do that. Kahit gustuhin kong kausapin ang prof ko na makipagpalitan ng partner, hindi ko magawa dahil ayokong maging unfair sa iba. I want to achieve my goals fairly. And this is why I have no choice but to be with my ex-boyfriend for two weeks."

I rested deeply. I felt sad when I remembered why I was doing this. The reason why I try to study hard and get high grades.

I opened the door and then went down when we arrived at the parking lot of our university, South Middleton. I was about to walk away when I heard him speak.

"You always have a choice, Sheen." My heartbeat quickened when I heard my name from him.

"If you think you are left with no choice, don't choose the one remaining. Don't do something you don't want. There's always a way out to what your heart truly desires."

Napalingon ako sa kaniya.

"Sheen, remember that you always have a choice."