Girl of Never : Days to Love (Chat MD Series #4)

Day 367 : Tangled

Sumulyap ako sandali kay Dad bago tumitig uli kay Harry.

"Sa Stanford ako mag-aaral, babe," sabi niya. "If you're in Minnesota, I'm  thirty-hour drive away from you. If you're here in the country, it's more than that."

"It doesn't matter," sagot ko. "Go become the doctor that you like."

Harry's eyes lit up as he smiled a gentle smile at me.

"What? That's what you like, 'di ba? Scalpel at internal organs and such?" sabi ko.

"Ibinenta ako ng trolls?"

I smiled. He'll never know how much his friends tell on him. "At ni Helga," dagdag ko at inginuso ang kapatid niya.

Helga giggled.

"Obvious. Pangalan pa lang ng group chat n'yo na tungkol sa'kin, circumstancial evidence na."

Mahina akong tumawa. "They love you."

"I know. Ako pa ba ang hindi nila mamahalin?" aniya bago bumaling kay Dad. "Ang bait ng manugang n'yo, Dad, 'no?"

"Hey..."

Umakbay sa'kin si Harry at hinila ako sa kanya para halikan sa sentido.

"What good did I do in this life to deserve her?" sabi pa niya bago ibinalik ang tingin sa'kin. "We're going to wait for a long time before we could live under the same roof. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Are you sure you can handle it?" balik ko sa tanong. I know I can love him even without seeing him that often. Hindi naman siguro nakamamatay ang lovesickness?

"I'm sure that it's going to be hard. We have to work on it so we can see each other as often as we can."

"Yeah. Kailan ka babalik sa Stanford?"

"Next year pa. Tatapusin ko pa 'yung phase two ng research natin bago i-turn over totally sa bagong research head," sabi niya.

I nodded. "We have a year more."

"Yeah."

Tumikhim si Dad. "Masuwerte ka kay Jianna, Harry. Pagbalik nina Faith at Martin, magharap-harap tayo para pag-usapan ang engagement ninyo."

"Yes, Dad."

Mahinang tumili si Helga at pinisil ang braso ko na naaabot niya. "Hipag na talaga kita!"

Nakangiti naman si Mommy. "Welcome to the family, Jianna. Kapag may ginawang mali si Harry, pagtutulungan natin siya kasama ang mga kaibigan niya."

"Tama, Ate! Ibibigti nina Milabs si Kuya!" dagdag ni Helga. "Ako mag-aabot ng lubid!"

I laughed at Helga's energy.

Our wine and cake time concluded with the many ways we can torture Harry.

***
A little after eleven, tahimik na kami ni Helga sa kama sa kuwarto niya. I was staring at the blue light cast on the ceiling, still overwhelmed with the events of the day. I never stayed with a family before, except mine. Harry's parents seemed to like me so I should relax, right? I was hoping I made not just a good impression but a lasting one.

I was planning the hours for the following day when Helga's door cracked open. Dahan-dahan lang 'yun. Harry's steady steps cast shadows on the walls.

Harry sat gently on my side of the bed.

"Hi," bulong niya.

I met his eyes. "Why are you here?" bulong ko pabalik.

"I can't sleep. I want to see you." He touched the strayed strands of my hair. "And to say goodnight."