"Ali!!"

I quickly held her as she knelt down sa tabi ng kama niya.

She's still holding her chest while running out of breath.

"Ali what's wrong?! , anong masakit sayo?" nagpapanic na ako, hindi ko maintindihan kung anong nangyayari.

"C-can you help me boo..." she mumbled.

"H-help me up" she said.

"No stay seated, jan ka lang" kumuha ako ng tubig sa baba bago nagmadaling balikan si Ali halos mahulog na ako sa hagdan.

"Here, uminom ka muna" I let her drink sa glass bago ito nilagay sa table.

She had deep breathes and tried to calm herself down.

"Ali anong nangyayari? anong nangyayari sayo?" I was tearing up sa pagaalala.

"I'm fine boo, please don't cry" mahina niyang sabi.

"Boo.. I have been noticing this na. Please let me take you to the hospital"

She looked at me almost instantly.

"I can manage, I'll be fine. This is normal, napagod lang ako when we were playing and I haven't have a healthy meal for a week until yours" she explained while trying to catch her breath.

I wasn't convinced but I just need to take care of her now.

I sighed before helping Ali get up and humiga sa bed.

"Please try to rest boo"

"I'm good already" she answered smiling lightly.

I smiled back, I know she's still not well but I don't want her to think na wala akong tiwala sakanya.

I went outside her room to text tito na hindi muna ako makakauwi tonight, I have to stay with Ali.

Pagbalik ko sa kwarto wala na si Ali sa kama.

"Boo?" kinabahan nanaman ako.

"Hmm?" she peaked from the door sa closet niya.

"Why are you there? diba sinabi ko magrest ka na" pinuntahan ko siya doon.

"And I'm fine na nga boo, I'll get ready lang for out night drive" she calmly answered.

"What? you can't just ignore what happened boo"

"I'm not listening!" sigaw niya.

Wala na akong nagawa kaya nagayos nalang rin ako sa baba and hinanda na yung mga pagkain na binili namin ni Ali.

All these preservatives, ugh how can she have such perfect body with these.

I heard Ali's footsteps pababa ng stairs so I fastened my pace of fixing everything.

"Are you sure you're good boo?" nagaalala parin ako dahil sa nangyari kanina.

"Of course boo, nakakapanghina lang ganda mo" aba bumanat pa.

"I'm serious Ali.." I sighed.

"Seryoso din ako sayo" she replied.

I smiled at her and she smiled back showing her pearly teeth.

"Are we ready?" she asked while putting on her jacket and handing me another one.

"Naka shirt ka lang pumunta dito, di ko yun napigilan so nakabalot kang lalabas" she said.

I giggled before taking and wearing it.

"Where do you plan to go boo?" I asked while Ali's driving.

"Who plans where to go for a night drive boo? we go where bibi takes us" she asnwered smiling.

"But Tagaytay is motherfuckin fine at nights like this" she said and laughed.

I smiled at her.

"Tagaytay it is then, let's pray the rain won't grow stronger" I looked at the window beside me.

The light shower tonight is really setting the mood.

We pulled over the side of the road over looking Taal.

"This place is really quiet at night, let's go down?" Ali said.

Bumaba kami sa view deck and as Ali said it really is quiet, there are people na kasama namin but they're on the other side of the rail busy mag picture taking.

"Gusto mo picturan din kita?" biro ni Ali.

I laughed.

"No boo napansin ko lang sila"

"I miss the squad.." I mumbled.

Nagulat ako when a purple flower showed up sa tabi ko.

"Here, para di ka na malungkot"

Kilig naman ako hahaha

"Hahaha where'd you get this boo?" I asked her.

"Hmm.. there" she said while pointing sa dinaanan namin pababa kanina.

"You really know how to make me smile" I whispered before hugging her.

"I really do hope so" she answered bago bumitaw at ngumiti.

We sat down sa wooden chairs bago ko nilabas yung mga pagkain na dala namin.

Ali quickly grabbed the cup noodles before going inside to ask for hot water.

I took out the cocktail chicken sausages at banana milk. Ali's favorites.

She came back holding a tray na lalagyan nung noodles.

"Sabi nung ate sa loob cute ko daw" she said habang umuupo.

"Ha? ano daw?! sino yun?" tanong ko.

She just laughed.

"Hoy Aliya sino nga don?!" gigil na si aku ih.

"Wala boo highblood ka naman hahaha" sagot niya.

"Aba bakit hinde? crush ka ba non? bakit ka sasabihan ng cute? andali ha!"

Mas lalo lang niya akong tinawanan sa mga sinabi ko.

"Siguro, she gave me this e" sabay labas ng maliit na paper bag sa bulsa ng jacket niya.

Agad ko itong kinuha sa kamay niya at tiningnan.

"Oh? anong gusto niyang gawin mo sa sunflower seeds?!" tanong ko.

Ano ba'tong si Ali sarap ibulsa kahit saan nakakasabit ng mga marupok e.

She smiled before taking it sa kamay ko.

"This is a freebie boo, they're giving it away sa mga visitors to plant dun sa open field nila. Galing nga e, we're given a reason to come back while hindi na sila magpapagod sa pantatanim and beautification ng lugar nila, which made it more interesting"

Ahh ganun pala yun, interesting nga.

"Pero crush ka parin ni ate?" I sarcastically asked.

Ali chuckled.

"She just said we look cute together.."

Ay, parang sweet naman pala si ate.

"Sabi niya "bigay mo'to dun sa ate mo, we encourage our visitors to plant them outside"

What the?! anong ate?! aba susugurin ko yung babaeng yun talaga!

"Ate?! ako ate mo?! san yang bruhildang yan ha siya itatanim ko" galit kong sabi.

"Hahahaha stop it boo, di niya naman alam hahaha"

Hindi matigil si Ali sa kakatawa kaya natawa nalang rin ako.

"Ipapaalam ko sakanya talaga, nako nako magingat siya paguwi mamaya"

Ali laughed so hard again. It warms my heart everytime.

"You know what? let's just eat boo before these get cold"

She was sipping her banana milk when I asked her if nakapagdecide na siya sa kukunin niyang course.

She sat back and sighed before answering.

"Did I ever have a choice?" she looked at the night sky.

"Maybe one day I will, maybe one day the stars will be enough after sundown" I just looked at her trying to understand what she feels right now.

"Baka isang araw magkakaroon na ako ng lakas ng loob na lumabas sa dilim without waiting for the sun to rise again"

She smiled at me.

Angsakit na wala akong magawa para sakanya, that she has to go through this kahit ayaw niya.

I held her hand and looked her in the eye.

"Andito lang ako ha, wag kang mahihiyang lumapit sakin. I will always be your number one fan"

She smiled wider.

"I know.. that's why hindi ako natatakot na dumaan somewhere I'm not supposed to go, I know you'll be there.. with me" she calmly said.

"But remember na andito lang rin ako boo, through your pre med, med school, internship, fellowship, specialization, masteral, doctorate heck kahit hanggang sa hospital!" she laughed saying that to me.

"I will make sure to have your back and not let you fall at times when you feel like it's too much" dagdag niya.

"Ano ba naiiyak naman ako sa sinasabi mo e" I lightly hit her arm.

She giggled.

"Let's dream together boo? hmm? and never stop" she said.

She reached her pinky finger sakin.

"Promise me hindi tayo titigil kahit mahirap na, kahit sobrang bigat na, kahit bumagsak pa tayo.." natawa siya.

"Hindi tayo titigil hangga't may pangarap na hindi pa naabot, o pangarap na hindi pa naiisip"

She looked at me smiling.

"Promise me there will be no ending to our always"

Inabot ko yung pinky finger to and intertwined it with hers.

"I promise.. I promise Ali"

~~~~~~~

uwu :>