Lumipas ang mga araw...ang mga linggo at lalong dumalas ang pagsasama nina Jane at Marsha. Monday, sinundo ni Marsha si Jane mula sa isang group review for their oral defense sa bahay nina Ambers. Tuesday, nagpunta sila sa Salon at nagpa-highlights ng buhok si Marsha. Wednesday, they went to Baclaran Church para mag-Novena at magsimba. Thursday, they watched the latest movie showing. And Friday, both of them didn't go to work or to class. They didn't even leave Estacio and they just spent the day in Jane's unit. Araw-araw din ay sabay silang kumakain ng breakfast at dinner. And it's also everyday that they spend and share the night together.
That coming weekend, napagplanuhan ng dalawa na umuwi ng Cavite at dumalaw sa parents ni Jane. Na-cancel ang group review nina Jane kaya naging free ang schedule niya. At matagal-tagal na din kasi siyang hindi nakakauwi sa kanila. Si Marsha naman ay excited dahil first time niyang makakarating sa Cavite.
Madalang na ring gumimik si Jane, bagay na pinagtatakahan ng kanyang bestfriend at mga barkada. Kadalasan kasi after school ay nagmamadali na itong umuwi. At lagi na rin siyang maaga for her first period.
At sa mga lumipas ding mga linggo, ay hindi pa rin nagparamdam si Rex kay Marsha. No calls, no text messages nor page. Para siyang literal na bulang nawala. Actually, Marsha already assumed that Rex have ended their relationship the day he left for Baguio. Kung minsan nga ay tinutukso siya ni Jane na baka ipinagpalit na ito sa isang Igorot at nagpasya na doon na lamang manirahan habang buhay. At hindi kagaya dati na malulungkot o iiyak na lamang si Marsha sa mga ganitong biro ni Jane. Ngayon ay tinatawanan niya na lamang ito.
Biyernes ng gabi at medyo late nang nakauwi si Marsha. Madami kasing tao sa bangko at payroll pa, sabay na-disbalanse pa ang isang Teller nila. Kaya naman natagalan at nag overtime siya. Dahil dito, nagpasya na lamang ang dalawa na kumain sa Tapsilog Haus. Kadalasan kasi kapag nakakauwi ng maaga si Marsha ay nagluluto na lang siya ng dinner para sa kanilang dalawa. Friday pa nga was supposed to be their pasta night.
Almost 8:30 P.M. na nang makarating ang dalawa sa Tapsilog Haus at sa inaasahan, jam-packed pa rin ito ng customers. Pagkaupo nila ay mabilis na lumapit ang isang waitress.
"Two tapsilog please, two iced tea and two extra rice, Ate," ang order ni Marsha sa waitress. Bumalik din agad ang waitress at inunang sinerve ang dalawang basong iced tea. "Thank you, Ate.—You know someday I want to have a business like this," Marsha exclaimed while she sips her iced tea.
"Business? I thought you wanted to be a bank manager someday?" pagtataka ni Jane.
"Well, yeah pero I really wanted to have a business of my own—like this. This one is perfect," nakangiting kwento ni Marsha.
Dumating na ang order nilang Tapsilog. Mag-gagawa na sana si Marsha ng sawsawan ng Tapa nang biglang nag-volunteer si Jane, "Ako na! Tignan ko nga kung kaya ko nang gayahin ang lasa," as she takes the sauce plate and the condiments. At sunod-sunod na ginawa ni Jane ang procedure ni Marsha. Simula sa paghalo ng condiments hanggang sa pagtikim mula sa kutsarang ginamit niya, "Perfect!" ang pagyayabang ni Jane. At malakas na nagtawanan ang dalawa.
"Eh ikaw naman, anong gusto mo someday?" asked Marsha.
"Simple lang—have a happy family, have kids...to live in Tagaytay," nangangarap na sabi ni Jane.
"Tagaytay?"
"Bakit naman hindi, masarap 'ata sa Tagaytay. Ang lamig tapos araw-araw kong makikita ang Taal Volcano. Bata pa lang ako, dream ko nang tumira doon. Matagal ko na ngang sinasabi kina Mommy na bumuli kami ng resthouse doon kaso wala naman daw mag-aasikaso. Mahirap din daw maghanap ng matinong katiwala. But before I went to College, mga twice a month kaming pumupunta sa Tagaytay. Usually overnight pa nga. Kaya ako, if I will have the chance and the opportunity, I will move and settle there—let's settle there," Jane said with conviction in her eyes.
Marsha didn't reply and she only smiled.
Pagkatapos nilang kumain ay bumalik na sila sa Estacio. Si Jane ay nagpaalam na may tatapusin muna sa kanyang Thesis kaya dumeretso muna siya sa unit niya.
Umupo si Jane sa study table niya at binuksan ang kanyang electric typewriter. Hindi pa man din siya nakakapagsimula nang may narinig siyang ingay at sigawan sa labas. So she jumped from her chair and hurriedly went for the door to see who it was. The noise was coming from Marsha's unit. She rushed and opened the door. Si Rex. Jane was sitting on the sofa bed, her face almost covered by her hair, crying.
"And who the hell are you?" tanong ni Rex sa kanya. Nanlilisik ang kanyang mga mata.
"Kaibigan ako ni Marsha. Subukan mong saktan pa uli si Marsha at 'di ako magdadalawang isip na ipadampot at ipakaladkad ka palabas ng Estacio," matapang na sagot ni Jane.
"Pasalamat ka..." Pagbabanta pa ni Rex.
"—Pasalamat ako at ano? Sasaktan mo din ako? Subukan mo!—Ano? Bakit hindi mo subukan?—Hoy, tandaan mo hindi lahat ng babae ay kaya mo. At lalong hindi lahat ng kaharap mo eh takot sa'yo. Kaya sige Rex, subukan mo ako," dagdag pa ni Jane.
"Jane, tama na please...Rex, umalis ka na," umiiyak na sabi ni Marsha.
Hindi na sumagot si Rex at umalis na nang unit.
"It's okay, he's gone now," ang sabi ni Jane habang hinahagod ang likod at inaayos ang buhok ni Marsha. She didn't reply, but Jane can still hear her soft sobs. "Ano bang nangari? Sinaktan ka ba niya?" Hindi pa rin sumagot si Marsha pero napahagulgol ito, "Oh my God, Marsha! Did Rex hit you?—How long has this been going on? And bakit ka pumapayag?—Sssshhh, tahan na, tahan na...I'm here for you. And I won't let this happen to you again, I promise."
That night lumipat sila sa unit ni Jane sa takot ni Marsha na baka bumalik si Rex. They stayed lying on Jane's bed but they hardly talked. Marsha's face was buried on Jane's left arm. She was like a fragile little girl. And Jane still heard her soft sobs until she literally cried herself to sleep. She knew something was wrong with her relationship with Rex, but she never thought that it will be this worst. Marsha was a battered girlfriend. Jane couldn't do much at that time, but she hoped that she could wipe all her tears. She wished that she could take all her pain away. She just wanted her to be happy so that she can forget all the bad things she had been through with Rex. She softly kissed Marsha on her forehead, "I want so much for you—I. Want. You." And with this, Jane realized that she has completely fallen in love with Marsha. And now she is ready to go out and proudly tell the world about her.