"Matulog ka na" Keily mumbled as she shuffled in bed half asleep.

It's currently 1 am at nakatulala lang ako sa kisame, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't find the reason to sleep.

Huminga ako ng malalim at napatingin sa gilid, sa side table kung nasaan yung phone ni Ali. I wasn't able to give it back kasi deretso upo na kami sa sasakyan kanina bago umuwi, and I just couldn't get to talk.

Umupo ako sa gilid ng kama at kinuha ito. Nagulat ako when it rang, halos mahulog na yung phone but I caught it.

"Shit pano to" I mumbled before I saw who was calling.

"Dad"

I gulped, I know kailangan ko tong ibalik now na. I stood up and wore my indoor slippers before rushing out our room.

Nakarating na ako sa harap ng kwarto nila Ali but I couldn't seem to move any further, puta nakakatanga naman e alam ko namang kumatok. Paano kung may ginagawa pala sila? puta ano? I slapped my cheek lightly.

"Bahala na" I was about to hold the knob nang bumukas ang pinto which made me burst into a light gasp, lagi  naman akong magugulatin, this is no exception.

"Sophia?" tanong ni Ali in a deep 'just-woke-up' voice and scrunched nose, contradicting features of hot and cute pero nasisilaw lang ata siya sa ilaw nung phone kaya binaliktad ko ang hawak dito.

"Ah ano kasi.. I wanted to return your phone saka ano may tumatawag kasi e" I explained.

She hummed before walking out the room and closing the door behind her. Now we're inches apart, gusto kong umatras pero hindi nakikisama yung mga paa ko as I stood there frozen.

"Uhh can I have my phone now?" she half giggled. Anglalim parin ng boses niya parang malulunod ako sa sarap sa ears.

"Oh, oh yeah, yes.. ito oh" iniabot ko ito sakanya with almost trembling hands.

"Uhh excuse me I have to take this" agad siyang naglakad pababa after smiling at me to head sa may balcony taking her father's call.

Bumalik na rin ako nang kwarto to lie down and try to sleep, but my mind had other plans. For almost fifteen more minutes I've been staring sa taas kung ano anong iniisip, I decided na bumaba para uminom, nanunuyo na yung lalamunan ko sa lamig e.

"San ba yung tubig dito?" I looked around the fridge pero di ko mahanap yung pitchel

"Are you looking for this?"

"Ay kabayong buntis!" napaharap ako agad sa pinanggalingan ng boses, pano ba naman ako hindi magugulat e nakapatay lahat ng ilaw.

"Sorry nagulat kita, kinuha ko kasi to kanina" Ali smiled before taking the glass from my hand and filling it with water. Binalik niya to sakin at agad ko naman kinuha at isinara ang ref.

"So? aren't you going to drink?" she asked, nakatulala na pala ako. Natawa nalang ako bago napainom, si Ali naglakad na palayo.

"Busy ka?" I blurted out at napalingon naman siya agad.

"Huh? hindi naman, I just finished speaking sa phone"

"Oh.." I answered awkwardly.

"Why? do you need something?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Ha? ah wala naman" I looked down on my glass.

"You sure?"

I just hummed before sipping on my water again. Napatingin ako kay Ali who was still looking at me suspiciously.

"Bakit?" I scoffed, "wala nga akong kailangan" I giggled. Ngumiti lang siya sakin, ugh that smile.

"Let me just show you something" sinenyasan niya akong sumama bago naglakad. Kumunot naman ang noo ko, ano naman kayang meron?

She opened the curtain sa may glass sliding door papuntang balcony at tumingin sakin.

There from a distance were city lights of blue and yellow. What a view.

"Tara?" she spoke.

"H-huh? doon?" I asked confused.

She giggled bago binuksan yung pinto. "Dito lang" she pointed sa balcony.

"Ah" I mouthed before grinning.

As I stepped out, I blinked away the cold breeze, this place screams serene. The lights from the distant city were glowing like stars from above, the silence was filled with ocean waves and the skies are clear, but my head wasn't.

Sumandal si Ali sa may railing with her arms while I slowly walk towards it and held the cold metal with both hands. Pinikit ko yung mga mata ko to take in the air of the night.

I opened them only to see a soft smiling Ali looking at me from my left side. I looked back.

"Bakit?" I asked.

"Huh? wala lang, I was just enjoying the view"

"Were you able to see this the first time na nanggaling ka dito?" I looked back at the lights.

"No, that was a busy time"

"And now isn't?" I asked.

"Well, if hindi pa tatawag si dad, di pa ako lalabas and be surprised with this lively night life, and no. This is not a busy time" pagsagot niya.

Tumango nalang ako still admiring the beautiful hill from afar.

"You seem really invested" bigla ulit nagsalita si Ali which made me look at her.

"Huh?"

"I mean you look really into this sight"

I scoffed. "Huh, well aren't you?" I laughed.

"Hmm, oo nga naman.." she paused.

"Yes I am too, I am into the sight as well" she continued, eyes still glued to mine. I didn't know her eyes can sparkle like this, I've always seen it honey colored and sweet looking. But tonight they were mirrors of the universe, dark and sparkly, almost like magic.

For I don't know how long we stayed like that, I almost thought it had meant something if it wasn't for her awkward cough.

"Uhh sorry, are you hungry? I can cook" she immediately changed the topic.

"Ha? it's almost 3 am"

"Well I can still cook kahit anong oras na" she smiled at natawa nalang ako.

"Wait here, and if you will, please use my jacket medyo malamig e" she pointed sa jacket na nakapatong sa may balcony table bago pumasok.

Umupo nalang muna ako sa may table set sa gilid to wait for whatever Ali is planning to cook, medyo gutom rin naman ako at hindi ako nakakain ng maayos kanina sa kulitan sa lamesa.

Have I been living here, peace would be my company and all else shall fade. Parang angsarap sarap lang malayo paminsan minsan, I do love my job but I can't deny it's tiring as much as it's rewarding. It demands a lot from your life- time, strength, commitment. I hugged myself with Ali's black jacket.

"Would you like some wine?" biglang sumulpot si Ali from inside.

"You know what you should, para perfect" hindi na niya hinintay yung sagot ko as pumasok na ulit siya.

It's cute how Ali can change from an intimidating business woman to this- a warm, cuddly bear- a cooking bear. I smiled with the thought of her, matagal ko na siyang hindi nakitang magluto ulit. I decided to sneak a peak inside from the glass door, kita naman agad yung kusina since hindi kalakihan tong bahay.

She's just as perfect as before, hindi ko maikaila na nagbago siya, she speaks all things good now parang hindi nanggaling sa go-with-the-flow teenager. She has her life put up now, but she's just as simple and reserved as before.

Still doesn't wear her aprons, and cooks as independently as possible.

Agad kong tinanggal ang tingin ko when she looked back for a second. I composed myself at tumingin nalang sa paligid.

A little over ten minutes lumabas na siya with two plates.

"Hi, sorry medyo natagalan, had to defroze the lobster si Keily kasi sa freezer nilagay" inilapag niya yung pinggan na may pasta sakin at yung isa sa side niya.

"Alam mo naman yun, walang alam sa mga ganyan" sagot ko.

"Haha I'll get us some wine" she excused herself. As I admired her dish na hindi ko alam kung ano but looks perfectly made pang five star restaurant.

"I'm pretty sure you preferred red wine, hanggang ngayon ba?" she asked placing down the bottle and two wine glasses sa table.

"Oo, di parin naman nagbabago" I asnwered. Umupo na siya bago kinuha ang tinidor.

"Uh this is Carbonara d'Astice, I thought paborito mo naman yung carbonara and it's something I learned with travelling so I gave it a try"

"Wow mukhang mahal ah" I laughed.

"Pwede na rin, may padahon pa yan" she joked. Bat angsweet naman nito parang date ah. Nevertheless, I'm happy makakatikim nanaman ako ng luto ni Ali.

"So, I heard you're really good at your job" umiinom ako ng wine when Ali spoke.

"Ah, di naman masyado.." pagarte ko, agad ko nang nilunok at nagpunas ng bunganga.

"And the youngest to receive an award from AMA in the Philippines"

"Ahaha ano ka ba, small things" pagbibiro ko kaya natawa siya.

"Hahaha I mean seriously, I feel proud for you, and happy" she sipped her wine.

"Thank you" she smiled bago kami nilamon nanaman ng katahimikan.

"Look at us.. hindi ko naisip noon that we'll really grow into these ages" she laughed.

"Oo nga no, looking back mukha talaga tayong tanga noon, making bad decisions.." napatingin ako sakanya.

"A-ang ibig kong sabihin- you know mga kinakapahamak natin- or what" I frantically tried to fix my words.

She giggled before speaking. "Are you saying I'm a bad decision? Ms. Fajardo?" she said with a brow raised and smirking lips.

"H-ha?" napalunok ata ako. She slowly giggled before letting go of a laugh.

"I was just kidding hahaha stop tensing up" with that I let go of a deep breath and started to laugh with her.

Slowly the atmosphere turned calm and comfortable, and to be honest I missed catching up with Ali. Talking nonsense and a little with sense, she still makes me laugh so easily, I still don't want this to end.

Turns out she almost got kicked out sa  university at itakwil ng tatay niya because of one night na lumabas siya with friends to go clubbing. Apparently she missed a test the next day as she was dead drunk at gabi na ulit gumising.

At ako naman di na rin naiwasang magkwento ng mga katangahan ko at kalutangan sa med school when pumasok akong nakauniform sa grad school ng pang college, what a time.

"Hoy late na kasi ako non!" depensa ko.

"Yan kase palagi ka paring late" she teased back laughing.

"Kaysa naman gabi na gigising noh" tawa ko.

"Ah ganon?" she started to move closer trying to start a tickle fight.

"Tigilan moko Ali" natatawa parin ako sakanya.

"Hinde wala, that was one time and broken ako non nawala yung pusa na minimeet ko palagi sa central park di na ako sinipot" pageexplain niya habang inaabot parin ako.

"Ah! Ali! hoy walang ganyanan!" I screamed habang nakikiliti. Hawak naman niya ang parehong kamay ko sa iisang kamay lang niya while the other tries to tickle my sides.

Napatayo na ako habang tumatawa kaya sinundan niya akong habulin sa may other side ng balcony. Iniharap ko ang aking mga kamay para pigilan siya as she spread hers akmang huhulihin ako.

"Sam tigilan moto" I tried to sound serious but giggles escaped my mouth.

"Di moko makukuha jan, inaasar mo ako e muntik na kaya buhay ko non kay dad" she laughed.

"Joke na nga e! joke lang!" I tried to escape sa gilid niya but then she immediately caught me hugging me from behind bago ako binuhat pataas at pabalik sa pwesto ko.

"Ahh! Ali! napadami na ata inom mo ng wine!" she hugged me tighter from my back pushing us closer together, bodies clashing with warmth.

"What now?" she spoke, almost too near my right ear which made me froze still smiling.

In that position we both paused, hard breathing were the only sound together with waves and the now colder wind.

Slowly as she held my hand, I faced her, still in the small gap that we had in between I looked up at her. She had her arms on my hips behind as her right hand tucked strands of hair behind my ear. Hindi parin tumitigil sa pag ihip yung hangin.

"I'm not drunk" her breath hit my nose as she whispered. I blinked with hesitation, afraid that any second our faces would touch.

"But you aged like fine wine Anna" her eyes said it all, how her breathing was rigged, tired from the playing but trembles for a different reason.

I pushed back a gulp as my heart races to outer space. Nothing else felt more surreal than this moment.

But as my mind gets clouded, eyes shutting slowly, her lips touched mine in the sweetest of ways. I felt caressed and loved in a matter of a second. Soft, slow and gentle. No dominance, no force, no hesitation and regret.

She tastes like comfort, and peace as she held the back of my head. I had caught her upper lip, like divine I was in heaven. This moment pushes me to think I'm already dreaming. Only proven I wasn't when she pulled back.

Hand on my cheek, I opened my eyes, only to see hers in tears. She sniffed before letting go and wiping her face.

"Uh- uhm sorry" she panicked.

Napalunok nalang ako at hindi ko rin naman alam kung anong gagawin at sasabihin sa sitwasyon na to.

"A-are you mad?" tanong niya shifting in her position.

Am I? do I have the right to be? when I loved every second of what just happened?

"No" maikli kong sagot.

"I'm confused" sunod ko.

Tumingin siya sakin and stopped fidgeting. She let out a big sigh and closed her eyes before looking up at the stars. Binalik niya ang tingin sakin biting her lip.

"Ako rin"

~~~~~~~

uwu :<