"As I was saying, I'm going to stay at my friend's unit during the finals' week for me to have more time to study. Isang linggo lang naman, uuwi din ako. Hmm, thanks, Mom."

I dropped the call after informing my mom that I won't be at home for week. I sighed as I sat again on the sofa. Ilang oras na akong nakatambay sa unit ni Dillion. Tinulungan ko pa siyang maglinis dahil hindi man lang inayos bago ako papuntahin dito.

Sa gitna ng pag-iisip, napansin kong bumukas ang pinto ng banyo. My eyes darted at Dillion who's now drying his hair, he's already wearing a grey shorts and white sando. Nagpagpag siya ng paa saka tumingin sa akin nang mapansing nakatitig ako sa kaniya. He raised a brow.

"Wala pala akong bihisan." I informed him.

"I know." He went to his cabinet while still his drying his hair. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang pinaggagawa niya. "Don't worry, you can use mine as of the moment." Basta niya na lang binato sa 'kin ang kinuha niya.

"You mannerless bastard!" I threw him a pillow but he just dodged it and laughed. Tumatawa pa rin siyang dumiretso sa kusina. "Pahiram din akong tuwalya!"

"Just get the one I used."

I didn't take his word seriously. Kinuha ko ang spare towel na nasa aparador niya at dumiretso sa bathroom. This dork didn't even let me bring my essentials. Basta niya na lang ako pinapunta dito. Bukas ko na lang siguro kukunin ang mga 'yon. Gabi na rin.

I stayed in the bathroom for half an hour before deciding to go out. Pagkalabas ko, nakasalampak lang si Dillion sa higaan. He's looking at the wall but his eyes darted at me the moment I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Labas. Magbibihis ako," I told him. He chuckled before getting up. Just when I thought that he already left, I saw him peeking through the door. "Dillion! I said get out!"

"Silip lang e." Then I heard the door closed. Muli kong tiningnan kung totoo ngang nakaalis na siya bago ako nagbihis.

It's just plain white t-shirt and a black short. Maaliwalas naman sa katawan kahit na kaamoy niya. Mabuti na lang at halos pareho lang kami ng size ng katawan kaya kumasya. I went out of the room just to see Dillion doing things.

"Oh, tapos ka na?" Hindi niya ako tiningnan nang sabihin niya 'yon pero tumango ako. Dumiretso ako sa lamesa para kumuha ng tubig habang hinihintay siyang matapos magluto.

"Obviously." I threw him an apple when he faced me. Mabuti na lang at nasalo niya 'yon kasi kung hindi, tatama sana sa mukha niya. Sayang. "Ano bang niluluto mo? Kanina ka pa nand'yan."

"Corned beef." Pinahinaan niya ang apoy saka muling humarap sa 'kin. Tahimik lang kami habang hinihintay matapos ang niluluto niya. Kinakain niya lang din 'yong binato ko na mansanas. "Before I forgot, I only have one room here."

"I know. You'll sleep on the sofa." I stared at him seriously.

"What? No." He looked at me with the same intensity. "Tabi tayo."

"Ayoko. Sa sofa ka, o sa sofa ako." I let him choose.

"Sa sofa tayo." I mentally rolled my eyes at his decision.

"Basta, ayoko ng may katabi," I said with finalization. "O hindi na lang ako matutulog. You choose." I heard him groan in frustration. Mahina na lang akong natawa nang tumalikod siya.

Naririnig ko siyang may binubulong pero hindi ko na lang pinansin. I busied myself with my phone while waiting for him to be done.

I helped him preparing the table. Hindi ko nga alam kung natural lang ba ang kabagalan niya o sinasadya niya e. The former and the latter are both annoying, anyways.

"Ang bagal mo kumilos." My forehead creased out of annoyance.

"Marunong naman magluto." He teased back.

How I wished I never tell him that I can't cook and the last time I cook was a nightmare. Hindi ko na lang pinatulan ang pang-aasar niya dahil tama naman siya, marunong siyang magluto. He's good at everything that I don't have anything to backfire.

The whole time, I let him talk again about his experiences and rants about his new environment. Nakabusangot tuloy siya sa buong dinner dahil masama raw ang loob siya sa isa nilang ka-group. Hindi ko maintindihan ang terminologies na ginagamit niya. Ayoko namang tanungin siya nang tanungin kaya kahit hindi ko maintindihan, tango lang ako nang tango.

"How about you? Kumusta ang pagre-review?" I stopped eating because of his question. Uminom muna ako ng tubig bago sumagot.

"Nakakapagod. But I can manage. Ilang taon na lang din naman, internship na. Malapit na akong maka-graduate." I smiled with the thought of me, finally earning my own money from my own job.

"Don't tire yourself too much. Marami ka pa namang oras para mag-review." Lumapit pa siya para guluhin ang buhok ko. Nagiging habit niya na 'yon at kahit papaano naman ay nasasanay na ako. "May tiwala naman ako sa ability mo. You can do it."

And his words became the reason for me to be a better student. I studied harder. Kung dati, nag-aaral ako para sa sarili ko and to prove my family that I have something they can be proud of, now, he's one of those reasons. He became one of the reasons for me to learn more and to survive.

Habang palapit nang palapit ang final examination, palayo rin kami nang palayo ni Dillion. Sa school, hindi na kami masyadong nakakapag-usap dahil pareho kaming busy. Nagte-text naman ako sa kaniya pero busy na ako kapag nagre-reply siya. But I chose to still continue. Ilang araw lang naman. Mabuti na lang din at doon muna ako tumutuloy sa unit niya kaya nagkikita pa rin kami tuwing gabi.

"Tama na muna 'yan. Kumain ka na."

Sinubukan kong pilitin si Dillion na kumain dahil kanina pa siya nakaharap sa madaming papel. Ang dami na ring nagkalat na scratch papers sa sahig dahil sa dami ng calculations niya. After niya kasi magluto at dumiretso na siya sa school works niya. He looked at me before giving a smile.

"Last na 'to." He then started writing again.

"Dillion, you can answer that later." I crossed my arms to show him that I didn't like what he was doing. He glanced at me before letting out a chuckle.

"Ito na. Chill, babe." He raised his hand as if he's surrendering. Bago pa siya tumayo ay dumiretso na ako sa kusina para roon na lang siya hintayin. But to my disappointment, he brought his reviewer with him.

Sabing kakain muna e.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya kung 'yon ang gusto niya. Tahimik lang akong kumain pero hindi ko mapigilang mapatingin sa kaniya kapag bubuklatin niya ulit ang papel. Mas madami pa ata siyang naaral kaysa nakain.

"Ako na lang maghuhugas ng pinagkainan natin. May gagawin ka ba?" I looked at him with what he said. Nakatabi na ang mga gamit niya't nililigpit na lang ang pinagkainan namin.

"Are you done studying? I can wash the dishes if you're still studying." He just shook his head with what I said.

"Ikaw, baka may kailangan ka pang aralin. You can study now, liligpitin ko lang mga kalat ko. Wait." He excused his self.

From here, I watched him clean all his things. From the reviewers, highlighters, and scientific calculators. Upon staying here in his unit, I observed how organized he was with his things. Naka-color coding pa ang ibang damit niya. We have the same personality in terms of that.

Nang matapos siya, sinabihan niya akong pwede nang mag-aral. I insisted on helping him but he just declined me repeatedly. In the end, I just chose to do my things. Nilabas ko ang reviewers ko na merong iba't ibang kulay ng highlighters. They said that colors are good with brain retention.

Hindi ko na nasundan ang pagdaan ng oras, basta naramdaman kong umupo sa tabi ko si Dillion. Nakita kong inilabas niya rin ang kanyang mga gamit at muling bumalik sa pag-aaral. Dinig na dinig ko ang mahina niyang pagbanggit ng mga terminologies habang tinatapik-tapik sa ulo ang kanyang ballpen.

As much as I wanted to help him, hindi ko naman maintindihan ang computations niya. Just by looking at his paper, my head aches. Kahit naman nakatapos ako sa STEM, nakalimutan ko na rin ang ibang formulas. Napatingin ako sa kaniya nang mahina siyang tumawa. He probably saw my confused expression while looking at his highlighted paper.

"Don't force yourself to understand these. I can manage." He patted my head again. Umangat ang tingin ko sa nakangiti niyang mukha kaya naramdaman ko ang pagbalot ng init sa puso ko. Tumango ako habang humihikab. "Tulog ka muna. Bukas ka na mag-review."

"Tatapusin ko na lang 'to. Just a minute." Kahit na antok na ay pinilit ko pa rin ang sarili ko na intindihin lahat ng nakasulat.

Ilang minuto pa akong nagbasa bago ko naramdaman ang labis na pagbigat ng mata ko. Masyado ata akong maraming ginawa kanina sa classroom dahil nagsabay pa ang deadlines ng mga projects. I just found myself slowly dozing off to sleep. But before the consciousness totally left me, I heard Dillion's word that made me smile.

"Pahinga ka rin."