"Here you go." Sabi niya at inabot sakin ang kulay rainbow na icecream, ang cute.

"Baka nagugutom na sila don, baka magtagal pa tayo rito." Sabi ko pagkatapos ay tinikman ang icecream.

Its good, ice cream will always be one of my favorite foods in the whole universe.

"Its only 11:30, their stomach's can wait." Sabi niya at kumain ng ice cream, humagalpak ang tawa ko ng makita na puno ng ice cream ang tip ng kanyang ilong.

"Akala mo naman ako lang." Sabi niya at nilapat ang tissue sa ilong ko.

Nagtawanan pa kami roon, and by now I can say that this all Marco thing, hanggang kaibigan lang, walang hiyaan, walang awkward, kaya kong tumawa kasi kaibigan lang talaga, I'm comfortable, I feel free.

But Mason, iba siya, maybe I'm comfortable with him as well, may iba akong nararamdaman kapag kasama niya, sumasabay ang puso ko sa kasayahan.

"So what happend at the party last night, I'm really sorry that I had to go." He apologized.

"No, its okay, umalis narin naman ako sa party, I got really pissed at Mason, anyway." Sabi ko.

"Why? Ilang taon na ba kayong magkakilala?"

"Bata palang kami, bestfriend ko na siya, para na nga akong nagkaron ng kapatid eh." Sabi ko at tumawa, that would be incest, Universe.

"I really never had a bestfriend kahit nong bata pa ako." Sabi niya na parang nasasayangan ay hindi niya iyon naranasan.

"May mga kapatid ka naman kaya hindi na kailangan." Sagot ko at kinain ang cone ng ice cream.

"Si kuya Ken, napakawalang kwenta non, may bestfriend siyang babae nong bata kami, puro yon ang kasama niya! Tapos kapag uuwi ng bahay ay aawayin lang ako." Reklamo niya.

"That's natural!" Sabi ko at tumawa.

After minutes ay bumalik na kami sa hospital, naabutan pa naming pinapasay ni Mr. Campos ang kanyang bunso.

Namula naman ang pisngi non ng makita ako at nagtago sa likod ng kanyang ate, nagsitawanan naman kami.

We ate together, mukhang ang saya saya ng kanilang pamilya and this is the family I dreamt to have, small or big, you still have ways to be with each other.

"I'm really sorry, Universe, that your father had to go instead of me, wala ka bang kasama sa bahay?" Tanong ni Mr. Campos.

"Wala po pero I booked a flight to Cebu po this weekend, I want to travel po kasi malapit na ang pasukan." Sagot ko.

"Sino ang kasama mo? Mga kaibigan?"

"To be honest, I'm alone po, pero pumayag narin si Papa." Sabi ko.

"What? You are travelling alone? Bakit ka naman pinayagan ng ama mo! Delikado iyon." Sabi ni Mr. Campos.

"Marco can join you, since Ken is the one who'll handle the business this time, its a good idea, right?" Sabi ni Mrs. Campos, tumingin ako kay Marco na parang hindi napigilan ang kanyang ina.

"Ayos lang po ako, ayoko rin po makaistorbo kay Marco." Sabi ko.

"Not that I don't want it-" pinutol agad ni Mr. Campos si Marco.

"Join her, anak, its not safe for a lady to travel alone." Sabi ng kanyang nakangiting ama.

"Is that okay?" Marco asked me.

"Oo naman, sasabihin ko nalang kay Papa." Sabi ko at ngumiti.

Natapos ang usapang iyon at nagkaroon nang sarisariling kwentuhan, magkatabi kami ni Marco, walang nagsasalita samin at parehas lang kaming nakatitig sa tv.

"You're so innocent, Universe.." Bulong niya sakin, napatingin ako sa kanya, pero sa tv parin siya nakatingin. "It makes me adore you more." Sabi niya at tumingin sakin.

"I'm not." I said.

"Then why did you accepted my offer?" He asked at nanliliit ang kanyang mata.

"For you to protect me when my first protector isn't with me?" Sabi ko at tuluyan siyang napapikit.

"You are really innocent, you're so close from making me your rebound." He whispered at hindi ko iyon masayadong narinig.

"What did you say?"

"Nevermind, I'll book my ticket tonight, you already have my number, right? text me for the details." Sabi niya at nilabas ang kanyang cellphone.

"Alright."

//

Stop reading right here, I'm still editing the next chapters.

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