“Bakit hindi ka pa nagbibihis? Baka ma-late ka na” nag-aalalang sabi ni Pia nang lumabas s’ya ng kwarto. Nakabihis na s’ya ng uniform at handa na sa pag-alis
“Hindi ako papasok ngayon, babe. Kailangan ko nang matapos ‘to e. Bukas ng umaga na ang deadline. Tapos may gig pa kami mamaya” paliwanag ko habang abala sa ginagawa ko sa laptop.
“Finals na next week, Kiel” sabi n’ya at tumabi sakin sa sofa.
Tiniklop ko na muna ang laptop ko at hinarap s’ya. Hinaplos ko ang buhok n’ya.
“I’ll be fine, babe. Don’t worry I can handle myself” nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya. Mabilis na humalik pa ako sa labi n’ya.
Ilang saglit na tinitigan n’ya ko. “Nahihirapan ka na ba, Kiel?”
Agad na umiling ako. “No. Hindi” ngumiti ako sa kanya. “You know, I’ve never been this happy my entire life. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ‘yong sayang nararamdaman ko mula nang tumira tayo dito. Every little things can make me so much happy. This might not be as abundant as what we used to have, but this is so much ecstatic”
She smiled back at me. “I love you so much, Kiel”
“I love you too” malambing na sabi ko at hinalikan ko pa ulit s’ya.
Hindi ko na s’ya nahatid sa school dahil madami pa akong kailangang tapusin. Sumabay nalang s’ya kay Ashley pagpasok.
I focus on the designs I’m making. I need to finish everything to pay for the bills.
It’s more than two years since we live together. So far, we’re surviving. I’m doing some freelance job as a graphic designer for shirts and pins. I have regular income around three thousand five hundred every week from my gigs. Sofia is making money from tutoring our neighborhood. She's also selling sweet stuffs on line.
We’re doing well and we can still provide for our living. Noong una nahirapannkami mag-adjust pero gamay na namin ngayon. Nakuha na namin ang tamang diskarte.
We're making enough money for our travel vacations. We can still dine out at fine dining restaurants during special occasions. Once in a while we're checking in on five star hotels just for the heck of experience. We even travel abroad.
I didn't expect that we'll be living this way. I'm glad that the odds are at our favor.
I spent hours in front of my reliable laptop. It was almost twelve when I finished everything.
I quickly took a bath then I texted Pia that I’ll be heading to school.
Babe, I’m on my way. Sabay na tayong mag-lunch
We're noy paying anything at school. We took the exam for scholarship and luckily, we're qualified. We just have to maintain our grades.
The land investment I had is also a success. It's enough to cover our savings for the house we're planning to buy. Of course we can't stay here forever.
She hasn’t replied yet. Alam ko naman na nasa klase pa s’ya.
Nang makarating na ako sa school ay ipinarada ko na ang motor ko at pumanhik na sa third floor kung saan kasalukuyang nagka-klase sila Pia.
On my way, nakasalubong ko si Kier.
“What are you doing here?” malamig na tanong ko sa kanya.
He sighed. “Hinahanap kita. Kaso si Sophie lang ang nakita ko. ‘Di ka nga daw pumasok. Buti na din na nakasalubong kita” seryosong sabi n’ya.
Kumunot ang noo ko. I am thinking how he made it here. Paano naman s'ya nakapasok dito sa school?
“Ano’ng kailangan mo sakin?” tanong ko.
