The warm raises of the morning sun hit my skin. I whimpered on my bed and moved at the cold side, but everything was warm, even at my back. My hands moved on its own until I touched someone's body. I knitted my brows as I opened my eyes in a slow pace. Then there she was, staring at me with a wide smile.
"Hey!" I greeted with a low voice.
"Im sorry. Did I wake you up?" Alyssa asked. I shook my head before burying my face on the pillow between us.
"It's hot in here."
"Im sorry, Im not wearing a shirt." She chuckled.
"Oh damn it Alyssa. Im talking about the sun, not you." I rolled my eyes and stirred on my spot. "Did you turn off the AC? Im sweating."
"The power is off. Toronto is blackout."-Aly
"Huh?"
"Earth Day, remember?" She said before standing on the side of the bed.
As she rose up onto her feet I saw her smooth skin uncovered with nothing. Her flat toned tummy is exposed in front of me. My fingers were itching, wanted to crawl and touch her semi smooth abs.
"Go wear a shirt, A. Your body is a distraction to my eyes." I whispered before closing my eyes. I heard her groan.
"You don't know how to appreciate the view!"-Alyssa
"Trust me. That morning view of yours is terrific but also terrifying."
"Dennise!" Alyssa growled making me laugh. "You are such a meanie!"
I laid on my stomach and pressed my face even more. Her pillows smelled like minty apples, it's good to my nose.
"You promised my mom last night that you're going to drive me home but you did not. In fact you let me sleep by your side."
"Nah! She won't mind anyways. Your mom loves me."-Alyssa
"Oh now you're telling me..."
"Oh shush! Your family loves me. And I know you love me too."-Alyssa
I smiled of the thought. The memory of last night flooded in my mind like a water, washing everything inside my head. I slowly removed the pillow on my face and looked at her.
"Thanks for the chocolates last night." I whispered.
"No problem. Having a girl with a monthly period inside your room is no big deal. They're fun to tease. And to fight with." She laughed making me frown.
"Shut up! Give me a morning kiss already A."
When she heard me asking for a kiss she immediately crawled onto the bed and leaned her head close to my face. A smile slowly crept onto her lips before giving me a quick kiss on my left cheek.
"Rise and shine. Lets go down at the kitchen if you don't like the sun to cook you like a chicken in here."
I nodded my head before pushing myself up using both of my hands. I checked the bed and when I saw nothing I sighed in relief. It was embarrassing that Alyssa's mom was the one who saw the red dot spot on my bum last night. Damn bitch, Alyssa made fun of me, which was kinda annoying.
"Good morning sweetie birds!" Rachel greeted while tying her maroon neck tie. I checked her out from head to toe. "School girl." She said in a low voice.
"Poor you! Good luck in your exams."
"Thanks bestfriend." She gave me a kiss on my cheeks once I stand next to her. "Lucky you! It's none school day for you guys."
"I know right! Makakapag swimming din sa wakas!" Alyssa blurted out.
"Swimming?"
"Yeah? Mag swiswimming daw kayo."-Rachel
I knitted my brows to Alyssa. She shrugged before giving me a cup of hot chocolate. Rachel also give us a confused look.
"She never told me about that."
"Oh! Sabi niya you guys are going to your place."-Rachel
"A?"
Alyssa stopped from chewing her bagel. "Hmm... I was about to tell you about it, but anyways! Rachel blurted it out already. No big deal." She said before having a big bite at her bread.
"Huh! Secrets." Rachel said. She drank on my cup before making her way towards the door. "Have a great day girls. Please, mom said no sex on the couch." She added while pointing at the couch.
I feel myself blushed when Rachel blew me a kiss. Once the door was shut close I turned to face Alyssa. She was wearing only sports bra and boxers, while me I was wearing a large white shirt with underwear underneath. Obviously.
"Finish your hot chocolate D. Lalabas tayo."-Alyssa
"You did not tell me that you have a plan for today!"
"Of course I do. Alangan namang ikaw mag paplano?" She asked.
"Well, I would love to plan something for us, if you just asked me."
Alyssa looked up at me. "I know you would love to plan something for us D. But you know, I love to do the honour of doing it."
"But you're spoiling me if that's the case." I shrugged.
Hindi siya sumagot. She made her way at my back and hugged me. I felt her face buried on my shoulders causing me to feel the tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. Her palms made their way around my stomach, with gentleness. I sighed before sipping on my hot chocolate.
"Hmm... Next time I will ask your opinion na din."-Alyssa
"Okay then, you're the boss."
"Hmm-mm." She murmured.
I leaned my back on her and looked outside the glass door. Outside was a beautiful day, the flowers in their backyard were making it more pretty as the sun hits the part where there were drops of waters. Suddenly the roses and the healthy green grass caught my attention. I sighed turning to face Alyssa.
"Don't you remember anything from your past life, A?" I asked.
"No. What's in my past life?"-Alyssa
"I don't know. Tell me what's in your past."
"I had a normal life. That's it?" She answered half confused. I nodded my head and finished my hot chocolate.
"Anything about having a girlfriend from whenever you fell in love with someone?"
She shrugged. "I never had a girlfriend. I considered my past relationships as puppy love." She said getting the cup on my hand. "Why are you asking? Seems like you're interested."
"Hmm..." I hummed. Alyssa left me standing near the door going to their backyard. "Maybe? Can you tell me something about your life before?"
"I can. If you want to hear it."-Alyssa
"I love stories."
She laughed softly. "It's obvious."
Once we finished eating our breakfast we decided to take a bath first. She took a bath at Rachel's washroom since I used hers. I was actually interested in Alyssa's life. She looks like her. I should have seen it before. My sister Justine was probably right, but I doubt it. Dustine is dead. She's dead a long time ago, and there's no freaking way that I still care about her.
"So, what do you want to know?" Alyssa asked after she fastened my seatbelt. I licked my fingers coated with nutella.
"How many boyfriends do you have?"
"One. Yes! Zyan Martin was the last one."-Alyssa
"Really?! You only had one boyfriend?!" Gulat kong tanong and accidentally bit my point finger. I winced and checked on it. Luckily Im not a vampire.
"Yes." She nodded. "Why? How about you?"
"None, since birth." I lied.
"Weh?"-Alyssa
"Yes! No boyfriend since birth!"
"Eh si Dustine?" Tanong niya at ngumiti ng nakakaloko. I glared at her. "You still miss her, don't you?"
"Nope." Mabilis kong sagot. "Masaya na yon. Wala na siya right? And yes, I did miss her pero hindi na ngayon."
"Aww. Bakit naman?"-Alyssa
"Kasi may namimiss na akong iba."
Alyssa stopped on the red light. She glanced at me with worried eyes. "Sino naman yun? Siguro si Kiefer yan noh! Ayiie, kaw ah. Sweet niyo kahapon." She pushed me slightly, teasing me like a teenage girl.
"Real talk. Stop pushing and teasing me to others when you're obviously uncomfortable about it. I can see the jealousy in your eyes, i can hear your angry voice." I teased making her frown. She looked away and started to drive again. "So you hadn't have a girlfriend before?"
"Nope. No girlfriend since birth."-Alyssa
"If ever na sagutin kita, ako magiging una mo?"
"Assumera ka rin. So nangangarap kang ligawan talaga kita?" Balik niyang tanong.
I glared at her. She was half serious about it because when she sees me crossing my arms she was bitting her lip hardly.
"Not really. There's this strong feelings in me na you're going to court me soon."
"Lakas din talaga ng hangin mo eh noh? Liit liit mo nga, ang taas naman ng ipo-ipo ng hangin mo sa taas ng ulo mo."-Alyssa
"Ha-ha-ha. At lease totoo mga sinasabi ko. Eh ikaw? Deny pa more!"
Nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi niya kaya binelatan ko siya. She stepped on the break and asked me to get out of her car. I looked up and saw my house.
"Sige na panalo kana this time. Pero hindi na ako magpapatalo sayo next time." She said almost talking to herself.
"Ayan! Pinepersonal mo na naman lahat ng usapan natin. Pumasok na nga tayo baka umiyak kapa diyan eh."
Alyssa pouted her lips. She didn't move an inch when I get in front of the door. I waved my hand for her to come closer but she was being stubborn. I stomped my feet giving her an angry look, then finally she followed me in the house.
Once we get inside the silence wrapped around us. She dropped my bag on the floor making a soft thud. I looked at her and gasped.
"What?"-Alyssa
"Why are you undressing in front of me?"
"Because Im hot."-Alyssa
I groaned. "Be serious! What are you doing?!"
"Well duh! Im going for a swimming!" She said showing me the obvious. I shook my head when she walked with underwear and bra on inside my house.
"Feeling home ah!"
"Mommy loves me." She answered referring to my mom.
I rolled my eyes and watched her walk like a model. She sexily swiped the glass door. And when she reached the other end of the pool she glanced at me and motioned me to come closer using her point finger. I rolled my eyes making her laugh.
When I made sure that she was in the pool I picked up my duffel bag and made my way up my room. Fluffy ran towards me while wiggling her tail.
"Hey fluffy."
The dog barked at me. Once I picked her up in my arm she immediately stuck her tongue out and licked me on my cheeks. I giggled because of the tickling sensation I felt. Then I made my way towards my closet, once I get in there I immediately looked for my old photo albums.
"Maybe she'll remember me this time." I whispered to myself.
Meanwhile I went into the swimming pool area with chips on my hand. Alyssa glanced giving me a sarcastic smile. I frowned.
"Come on! Join me in here!"-Alyssa
"I have my period, remember?" I asked sitting down on the wet tile beside the pool.
"Oh!"-Alyssa
"A! Snacks?" I offered my bowl when I dipped both of my feet in the water. She swam closer to mine and leaned her chin on my left knee. "I brought chips."
"Thanks babe."-Alyssa
I blushed hearing our new endearment. I raised an eye brow at her. "Don't babe me, hindi pa tayo."
"Malapit na!" She exclaimed making me laugh. I put two chips in her mouth and next to mine. "So, what are we going to do next? Im sure we're going to study for Biology again. We have a big test." She added.
"You're right. And I heard you had computer sci test yesterday. How was it?"
She gulped. "Pretty good! I got 75%."
"Eeeiw!" I mocked making her growl at me. "You could do better than that!"
"Yeah. I was actually copying Charlene's answers."-Alyssa
"Ano bang meron kayo ni Charlene? I mean, don't you like her?"
Alyssa shook her head. "She's pretty pero you know! I like her as someone special. Like bestfriend, close friends and as a sister."
"Same thing with me, right?"
"I don't know. I like you more. To the point na ikaw lagi kong iniisip."-Alyssa
I pushed her face slightly. "You're becoming verbal A. Too much information." I laughed. "Ganyan ka ba talaga pag gusto mo isang tao? It feels like you're revealing yourself to me day by day."
"And you're lucky. Cause sayo lang ako ganito."-Alyssa
"Childish ka din."
"Nagsalita."-Alyssa
Nag swimming na ulit siya palayo saakin kaya napatango ako. I looked up at the sky and whispered a small thank you. That day I found myself smiling alone while watching Alyssa playing in the water. She was showing me how dolphin swim, kahit hindi naman ganun. She swims like a dog which was funny. Alyssa is not a swimmer, I swear. Hanggang lublob lang siya saglit tapus angat na.
While watching Alyssa on her own world I finished all the chips and stand on the wet floor. She didn't notice me kaya nagtuloy tuloy na ako sa pag alis. Once I get in the kitchen, I started to look around the room. It was quiet and peaceful yet I wanted noise. I went closer near the fridge and started to crawl my fingers above it.
A smile crept onto my lips once I touched a hard metal. I closed my eyes trying to figure out what it is, and I was right once a song played after I pressed the big circle in the middle. It was my old iPod.
"What's that?" Alyssa asked peaking on the glass door.
"Hey! Your hair is wet."
"Im sorry." Her voice faded away as the door slowly closed.
She was standing outside the door. I looked at her from head to toe. The drops of water were running down from her hair down to her exposed skin.
"Hindi ka ba nilalamigan? Is not yet spring."
"Not really. The water is warm, plus body temperature." She looked on the thing im holding. "An iPod?"
"Yeah. Why? Im bored. I want noises."
"I can be noisy." She scratched the back of her head, her face was turning red which caused me to bit my lip. "Im not talkative but if it's for you, then I'd love to be noisy."
I smiled at her. "Aww. You're sweet. You don't need to be noisy for me, A." Sabi ko bago naglakad papunta ulit sa dati kong pwesto. She followed me but this time she joined our hands together. I tightened my grip on her hand once we reached my old spot. "Now you go back in the water."
"Nah. Im done. I wanted to spend the rest of the day with you naman."-Alyssa
"But we were together yesterday and last night." Sabi ko habang nakangiti. I looked up at her. "You know what? I should thank you for being here with me."
"If I could just stay here by your side forever, I would love to."-Alyssa
I stared in Alyssa's eyes. Hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko, all I wanted is to stare in her eyes forever. Her eyes were full of love, it's crazy how I see it but she's too sincere, to the point that I was thinking about me falling for her. I wish I could just say the words easily, but I couldn't. Im afraid to.
"Why do you like me?"
"Simple." She answered with a smile. "You're the one I like."
"A..."
"Im serious Dennise. One day nalang nagising ako with a determine feeling na seryoso ako sayo. That I like to be with you."-Alyssa
"Then napunta na sa love?"
She nodded her head putting my left hand on her left chest. "Can you feel that? It's beating fast and hard, eh hindi naman ako kinakabahan. I did not even run a hundred miles."
"You swam."
"30 minutes of rest after swimming is enough to get back your heart beatings into a normal pace." She explained and I saw how her eyes sparkled. "This is the feeling every time I see you. Every time you're close, especially when we're so close."
I laughed softly and retreated my hand to myself. "Didn't you consider it as puppy love? Infatuation." I asked, giving myself a sarcastic smile inside.
"I did considered those things. Pero wala eh, 6 months na. Isn't it enough to say that Im in love?"-Alyssa
"You're right." I replied looking at her again. She looked away but then I cupped her face and turned to face me. "I fell in love once A, and you know what happened. I don't want to be the woman you met the first time you meet me."
"But that's the person whom I fell in love with. I don't care about your past anymore, I love you and I will love you, kahit sino kapa." She sincerely said wiping my cheeks.
"Am I crying?" I laughed.
She leaned closer and kissed me on my lips. "I will never let you cry again D." She whispered after kissing me.
I hugged Alyssa as tight as I could. Hindi ko alam, I felt the need of hugging her. There's the feeling in me na ayaw ko na siyang mawala. I've been freaking out every time she's not with me, now that she's here... I will not let her go again.
"You're cold A." I frowned when we pulled away from the hug.
"Im sorry." She said getting the iPod in my hand. "Dustine..." She read the name at the back. "Don't you still misses her? Or even love her?"
I smiled at her. "Why would I look for someone who's not here, when the person who loves me is here with me already?" I shook my head. "No. She's in the past now."
There I said it. Matagal ko ng gustong sabihin na wala na. Na wala ng Dustine sa buhay ko. Cause Alyssa was there, she's not just someone else in my life. She is Alyssa, my Alyssa.
"So ano lagi niyong ginagawa ni Dustine dati?"-Alyssa
"Sing? She loves to sing."
Napatingin siya saakin. Alam niya kasing alam kong mahilig din siyang kumanta. Lalo na pag may hawak siyang instrument, like guitar or piano.
"So she's totally like me?"-Alyssa
"Kind of." I answered playing a song in the iPod. "But not all of it. May mga bagay bagay lang na same kayo."
Alyssa seems disappointed kaya niyakap ko siya. "So you like me because of her then?" She laughed with pain in her eyes.
Her statement made me sad. "Ang judgemental mo talaga. Dati sinabihan mo ako ng i hate you, tapus you said i don't care at all and now you're telling me I like you because of Dustine. Hindi na ba mag babago yang tingin mo saakin?"
She held my hands and wrapped it around her. "Not that. You can't blame me. Gusto ko siyang makilala. Kasi it's amazing how you still feel like you're still in love after five years."
Tumango ako. "Ok. So wala ka talagang naaalala kahit isa?" Tanong ko. I stared up at her and when she nodded her head I frowned in disappointment.
"I told you I've never been with a girl."-Alyssa
"I always thought that life must have someone whose not free, I felt the change binding me from the things I want to see." I sang next to her ear. She looked at me with a confused look kaya natawa ako. She looked down in the water and she seemed to think about the song.
"When you came you changed it all, I've never felt the same, I hate the thought of losing you so much more to gain."-Alyssa
Nakatitig lang ako sakanya habang kumakanta ito. I thought she remembered everything but I was wrong. I buried my face on her chest and cried.
"I believe in love, I believe in you, I believe in everything the two of us can do..."
———
Alyssa was staring at the pictures on her hand. Her brows were knitted hardly as her mouth was slightly open because of shock. I sipped the hot chocolate on my cup and looked at the other pictures.
It was past 4 in the afternoon and we were in my room. My Biology book was ready at the other side but before we started to study I decided to show Alyssa my old pictures. Matagal na rin kasi niya akong kinukulit sa mga pictures na yon, typical Alyssa andami niyang hinihingi.
She looked up at me making me look at the picture she was holding. We both stared at the picture. A smile crept onto my lips while Alyssa was frowning deeply.
"Don't tell me sasabihin mo na naman I like you because you're like a replica of Dustine Alexa."
"Eh ang kaso wala kaming pagkakaiba. She loves music too, like me, tapus she looks like my mini me version in here." She pointed at the picture giving me a sad look.
"May pag kakaiba kaya kayo."
"What?" Takang tanong niya ulit habang nakatingin sa photo.
"You're here and she's not. She left me hanging and I know you're not going to do what she did."
Alyssa slowly looked up at me, our eyes met and I could see how worried her face was. "So you like me because you like me?" She asked.
"Yes. Trust me A. I like you not because you're like her. For the past two months I get over her." I reached for her hand. "Please trust me."
Napabuntong hininga kami pareho ng higpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko. I gathered the pictures in the middle of my study table but she suddenly stopped my hands.
"I trust you."-Alyssa
"Thank you." I mouthed.
We continued looking on the pictures but this time she was hugging me from behind. I know hindi pa kami, but at the same time we both know that there were things in between us that no one can describe. No words can define, and nobody can understand.
"So did your swimming activity relaxes you?"
"Yes it did. But having you hugging me is more than relaxing enough to calm every living cells in my body."-Alyssa
"Someone's being cheesy." I whispered pinching her nose.
We settled down in the middle of my bed once we finished looking at my photos. Alyssa was leaning on the headboard while I leaned in between her thighs. I was holding the book in front of us. Her chin was on the top of my right shoulder so that she can see what I was reading.
"The mammalian circulatory system." She whispered making me knitted my brows.
"You don't need to memories anything A. You just need to understand it."
Her hands ran onto my arms until they reached my palms. She gets the book on my grip and put it on my lap.
"I feel like Im tired."-Alyssa
"A... We already talk about this."
"But Im lazy."-Alyssa
I sighed looking at her. "I think you're infatuated in me."
Alyssa's eyes widened making me get the book on my lap again. "Nah. I know i love you."
"How?"
"Kasi mahal lang talaga kita. I don't feel like 'gusto kita because you're pretty', i like you because gusto lang talaga kita."-Alyssa
"Parang sa katamaran mo A, hindi ka naman talaga tinatamad eh, ayaw mo lang talagang mag review."
I saw her frowned on my peripheral vision kaya lumingon ako sakanya. She was looking at the book intently as if she's telling it to vanish in front of us.
"Ok. We need to focus na then." Sabi niya at mabilis na kinuha ang libro na nasa kamay ko. I stared at her and when I saw how serious she was, I gave her a peck on her forehead before getting the highlighters on my bed side table.
Maybe they were right! Studying is less complicated when you are inspired.