Kairo's POV

After our conversation earlier, silence occupied my vehicle. No topics to talk about, I guess? I'm looking at her side from time to time, to check the side mirror and as well to check on her.

I also noticed how tight her grip is on her backpack. Parang anytime ready nya ihampas sa'kin kapag may nagawa akong mali. "Relax yourself, Jordyn," I said. Agad kong naramdaman ang pahinga nya nang malalim and I just realized the amount of tension she must felt.

The traffic lights went red and I got time to focus talking to her. Ibinaling ko sa kanya ang buong atensyon ko at tinapunan naman nya ako ng nakasimangot na mukha.

"Stop looking at me," she said in an authoritative voice.

"So, sa podcast mo you have that sweet thingy voice pero sa personal, you use that authoritative and brave tone of yours?" I started. "Exactly. And ayoko na may kausap na tao sa personal. I'd like to live a quiet and peaceful life na walang nakikisawsaw na iba," she answered, looking directly at me.

The brave, straight-forward and ferocious type. How fascinating.

I continued driving and for whatever reason, my eyes landed on the tablet in my car. Nakita ko ang oras, it's 4:37 pm and shit, si Hiara. I totally forgot about me picking her up and I still need to drive Jordyn home.

Hell, I'm screwed.

Inihinto ko nang mabilisan ang sasakyan ko sa isang gilid at napansin ko naman ang gulat ni Jordyn dahil napakapit siya sa grab handle ng sasakyan ko. I immediately grabbed my bag that I placed at the backseat and I took my phone. "May problema ba?" I heard Jordyn ask. Tinignan ko siya at ngumiti bago umiling.

Ibinalik ko ang tuon ko sa phone ko and I contacted Hiara, it isn't long before she answer

"Kuya?"

"Hey, Karel, where are you?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Psh, Kairo Ezequiel, ikaw ang nasaan? Why are you still not here?" balik tanong naman nya at hindi kaagad ako nakasagot. How should I tell her?!

Napunta ang atensyon ko kay Jordyn na nakatingin lang sa akin. I shook my head to concentrate on Hiara who's on the other line and cleared my throat before talking. "Look, I can't pick you up--"

"Kuya, Mom told me that you represent to pick me up and drive me home. Where the hell are you?" she queried na pumutol sa sasabihin ko pa sana. Hay, manang mana kay Mommy.

"Just book a grab, I'll pay you later. Papasalubungan na lang din kita, tss" I replied and I heard her take a deep breath. "Ano ako? Bata? Pero sige pasalubungan mo ako. Chat me if you're on the way home. Sige na magbobook na ako" tuloy tuloy na sabi nya.

"Mag-ingat ha" paalala ko. "Oo na sige, ikaw din. Bye!" she replied and ended the call.

Inilagay ko ang phone ko sa ibabaw ng dashboard at nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho. Jordyn's house is like 45 minutes away from the university, so I have more time to be with her.

It's strange that I really want to know her, I want to be close to her. Gusto ko lagi ko siyang nakikita or nakakasama nang ganito. But on the other side, maybe I'm interested because of her podcast, her topic, her story. Perhaps, I'm just attracted and fascinated by her.

Tama. Lilipas din'to.

Isang araw ko palang siya nakikita, actually puro encounter lang din nangyayari sa amin kaya hindi pwedeng in love agad. Hindi rin pwedeng gusto agad. Ano yon? Kalokohan? Tss

"Ang layo ng bahay mo, aaraw-arawin mo pagcocommute?" I suddenly asked at hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ko tinanong. Tinignan ko siya nang mabilisan, nakasandal ang ulo nya and her arm is covering her eyes.

"Magdodorm ako. I just don't know when. Kaya makikitira muna ako sa tito at tita ko," sagot nya. I scoffed, "Sabi ayaw daw nang may nakikisawsaw sa buhay nya," asar ko. "Tanga ka ba? You asked me, of course I'm gonna answer" depensa nya. Tsk, suplada.

I chuckled and just focused on my driving. "Let's eat first. Bago kita ihatid sa bahay nyo" pag-aaya ko. "Always thinking of a way just so you could be with me? Call me assumera pero halata, Kairo," diretsong sabi nya sa akin. "As I said, you're interesting and that's why I want to know more about you" sagot ko sa kanya.

Pinapahalata ko naman kasi talaga sa'yo, Jordyn.

Nang may matanaw ako na fast food restaurant, agad akong pumunta doon at pumila sa drive thru. There are many cars and the line is long, so we have to wait.

I took my phone and checked the time, it was 4:55 pm.

Chinat ko din si Hiara na sabihan ako kapag nakauwi na siya then I dialed Mom's number to inform her about why I didn't get to pick Hiara up from school. Sinabihan niya naman ako na mag-uusap daw kami nang masinsinan mamaya.

Okay lang, tanggap ko naman na GG na talaga ako kay Mommy this day.

Nang matapos, pinatay ko ang phone ko at ibinalik 'yon sa ibabaw ng dashboard.

I turned my full attention to Jordyn to catch a glimpse of her but she's already looking at me. Her elbow was resting on the window of my car and her head was leaning on the back of her hand.

Those exquisite eyes of hers are captivating me, it's like I'm looking at the sky full of stars. Her eyes are the prettiest thing I've ever seen. It is breathtaking.

My eyes then landed on her purple balayage hair which caught my attention earlier at the university. They're stunning, the hair and the person whose hair it is.

"I didn't know that you're this good looking.." she whispered, still staring at me. "Hmm?" I asked, what she said made me go back from trance. I saw her smile and looked away from me.

I also averted my gaze from her and glanced at the side. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. Ganto ba ang feeling na kiligin? Kung oo sana di matapos ang feeling na ito.

Habang lumilipad ang utak ko iniisip ko din kung anong sweet na call sign. Bigla kasing lumabas sa facebook news feed ko tungkol sa mga gusto nilang call sign. Love? Baby? Darling? Babe? Makalipas ng ilang minuto ay kami na ang oorder, since lumulutang utak ko di ko naisip ang sinabi ko.

"What do you want, babe?" Bigla akong nahiya dahil sino ba naman ako para sabihan siya ng babe? What the fuck Kairo?? Narinig ko naman na nagpipigil siya ng tawa kaya inismiran ko siya.

"I'll take a large fries and a burger with orange juice... babe," natawa na siya at inirapan ko siya bago sabihin ang order ko.

"I never thought that you would like to call me that, Kairo you're also interesting. I thought you were the darling or love type of guy." sambit niya sa akin at sinagot ko naman siya nang pabalang.

"Oh talaga? Share mo lang, ina ka!" sigaw ko sa kanya at tinawanan niya lang ako.

Ihahatid ko na sana siya sa bahay nila but she insisted that she wants to eat with me. I wasn't fond of that kasi baka asarin niya lang ako, baka matulak ko na to palabas ng pintuan pag nagpatuloy pa siya eh.

"What's the name of your Spotify Podcast?" I asked her and she looked at me and squinted her eyes. "I thought you already knew it, considering the fact that you know my name and how nice I am in my podcast." she uttered and I just looked at her waiting for an answer.

"MyJordies. Follow mo na 'ko alam ko naman na gagawin mo 'yon, also halata naman na high edge ka kaya naka premium ka kaya suportahan mo na premium episodes ko," sabi niya

Napangiti ako bago kunin ang cellphone ko galing sa bulsa ko at finollow iyon. We continued talking until we finished eating our food.

"Alam mo, ang shala mo naman. Mustang talaga. Siguro iniyakan mo yan para bilhan ka 'no?" sabi niya sa akin at tinaasan ko naman siya ng kilay. Wews paano mo nalaman na tatlong buwan ko to iniyakan? I was about to say something about that pero inunahan niya ako.

"Son of Elliot Eugenio and Kianna Miranza? Don't have to mention it, kalat na kaya pangalan mo sa buong campus kaya imposibleng 'di kita kilala," she added and I just slowly clapped to tease her. After that, it was a smooth drive to her house.

I lifted the hand brake and turned on the hazard signal before going out of my car to open the door for her. She got her things and got out.

"Gentleman ka pala, kala ko possessive, sayang," she mentioned and I raised my middle finger at her but I know I can be possessive when she wants me to be one.

Just tell me, Jordyn Alexis.

"Alam mo Kairo di ganyan ang pagpapakita ng motives na gusto mo ang isang tao." aniya niya and I scoffed. "Assumera ka masyado, Jordyn."

She was about to walk inside her gate but I called her again and she looked at me with her innocent eyes. "How can I contact you?" I asked and she showed me her sweet smile before answering.

"Jordyn Clemente on Instagram." That was the last thing I heard from her before driving home.

Pagkapark ko ng kotse sakto bumukas ang ilaw sa sala, halatang naka-abang sa akin si Mommy. Kailangan na ba na tawagin ang lahat ng santo para mabuhay pa ako bukas?

'Di pa pwede na ngayon ang calling ko dahil second day ko palang bukas.

"Oh, buti umuwi ka pa," unang bungad sa akin ni Mommy. She stared at me with her intimidating face at agad naman ako umiwas. Pero bigla namang ngumiti si Mommy at tumawa.

"Oh 'wag ka matakot agad, nak. Basta 'wag mo lang sasabihin na susunduin mo kapatid mo kahit di naman talaga," she told me before offering dinner.

Nasa hapag na kami at bigla namang tumunog ang phone ko, I was about to check it when my Mom pinched me. "No phones at the table, kain muna."

We talked about random stuff.

"Kairo, how was your first day?" tanong sa akin ni Dad at nilunok ko muna ang nasa bibig bago sumagot.

"It's fine, my name's well known considering the fact that you guys are my parents and my last name is Eugenio. Also... I met a girl who's very interesting," sabi ko at bigla naman nanlaki ang mata ng tatlo. Gulat na gulat?

"End of the world na ba?" My Mom dramatically asked dad. "Kairo Ezequiel nagsabi tungkol sa isang babae? Kung panaginip to wag niyo ko gisingin." dagdag pa niya at tiningnan ko lang siya ng nandidiring itsura.

"Bakit, 'nak? Gusto ko ng apo kaya kailangan mong magsimula ng maghanap." she said and I scoffed.

"Mom, I'm 18. What do you mean that you want a grandchild?" I told her and my dad just laughed.

After dinner I proceeded to my room and took a quick shower before laying down and turned on my tv. I watched a few episodes of a tv show before turning it off to check my phone.

Ngayon ko lang naalala may nagchat nga pala sa akin. I looked at my IG at nakita ko ang pangalan ni Jordyn.

@JordynnL: hoy, gawa mo?'

@JordynnL: busy sa bebe time, sana all. sino ba naman ako para replyan diba?

Natawa naman ako bago magreply.

@KaiEugenio: oh kalma, si Jordyn ka

It took her a minute before replying again.

@JordynnL: may gagawin ka bukas?

@KaiEugenio: why? u gonna take me out?

I smiled. Ganto pala kiligin grabe, 'di pa rin ako maka move on pero paalala lang Kairo, know your priorities.

@JordynnL: asa ka naman, im wondering if you could pick me up tomorrow, what time ba first period mo?

I opened my class schedule sa phone ko at nakita kong 9:30 ang morning class ko.

@KaiEugenio: 9:30. I can pick you up but please, get yourself a dorm na. It's not practical and safe for you to commute.

It took her long enough before replying,

@JordynnL: yes po boss, bukas na bukas kukuha na 'ko ng dorm

Natawa na lang ako bago patayin muna ang cellphone ko. Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko at nakatulog naman ako agad.

Nagising ako dahil kailangan kong mag-CR. When I checked the time, it was only 11:47pm. What the hell? Hindi ako makakatulog nito, shit!

I opened my phone and scrolled through Instagram then facebook at lumabas ang shared post ni Jordyn.

Hard pass sa blockmate, yes to management.

'Di naman sa assumero ako pero parang gano'n na nga. I of course reacted to that. Ano na kaya ang ginagawa ni Jordyn ngayon? Is she asleep or awake doing an episode for her podcast?

Bigla namang may nagpakita ulit sa news feed ko na shared post niya from 13 minutes ago.

'Di ako makatulog, hoy 'wag mo nga ako isipin.

Agad naman ako natawa at 'di na napigilan na ichat siya.

@KaiEugenio: Tungkol ba sa'kin ang shared post mo?

Naglakas loob na ko na kapalan ang mukha ko kahit mapahiya ako. Live the moment nalang muna bago ako nito saktan. Pero kung titingnan mo siya, hindi siya yung tipo ng tao na marunong manakit pagdating sa pag ibig.

She's one of the girls who looks happy on the outside but is fragile and broken inside.

@JordynnL: gabing kay kapal ng mukha mo

Natawa na naman ako sa kanya. Masyado akong natutuwa na kachat siya ah? Delikado na ako nito.

To be honest I don't know my intentions to her, because as of the moment it's not clear yet. She's so close and yet probably so hard to reach. Baka wala lang 'tong patunguhan but I really don't want my first "girl" to be a fling.

I want my first encounter with a girl to be my first and last love. And if it's not her, I don't want it.

@KaiEugenio: gago, pero tama ako?

It took her a minute before responding.

@JordynnL: maybe ;)