"What are our plans now?" I asked while we're in a park after we dumped his party. I'm asking about our plans for his education.
"I don't know yet, love." Love despite what happened in the past days most especially earlier, I still can feel the butterflies in my stomach everytime that he will call me that. "I'll live in a small apartment." He swallowed hard.
"You can live in our house, Seb." I offered but he gently shook his head, refusing.
"I will try to live on my own, love. I know that I'll go through a lot but I'm willing to take it if it's the consequences of being with you." He leered as we both swing.
"You don't need to live on your own. Let me help you, Seb." I uttered..
"I still has my savings. I'm going to rent an apartment and maybe I can sell breakfast and merienda too." My bros creased on what he said.
"Then how about your studies, Seb, if you're going to start a small business?" I inquired.
"Someone will look over it whenever I have classes. I'll also aply for scholarships. I'll take exams for that and I'm still thinking about other business." I suddenly felt bad for him. I held his hand despite the motion going on between us because of the swing.
"I'm sorry, you need to go through this because of me." I said guiltily. He took a deep breath and held my hand tighter. He stared on my face and smiled.
"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault and I regret nothing about my decisions. As long as I have you, I'll still be the best."
Sa bahay muna pansamantalang natulog si Sebastian. We have extra rooms for him. And as I expected, the happenings last nigh is all over the internet. Our video is viral too!
"It's still early, Jana." I sighed when I woke up with her call.
[Girl! Ano na?! Hot topic kayo sa internet. Ang daming ganap, susme!] Tuloy-tuloy na aniya.
"Oo nga, it's unexpected din kasi." I responded. I remove the comforter around me and stood up to stretch my arms and feet.
[Paanong nangyari 'yon? I knew it! You like each other!" She excitedly said. I heard Pearl's laugh in the background. [Pero, sis, it's going to be hard for him. I heard from my parents that Sebby will not get anything from his parents. How about his dreams?]
"I know, Jana. That's why I'm going to ask for your help. You're a friendly person, right?" I bit my lower lip.
[Para saan pang binansagan n'yo 'kong 'Mayora', 'di ba?] Even though we're only having a phone call right now, I can see her rolling her eyes.
"Can you help us sell Seb's merienda and breakfast? He's planning to sell foods kasi. Ayaw ko na mahirapan pa s'ya sa pagtitinda." I really find this situation hard. I don't know what to do anymore. Maybe I can ask my parents to get him as their scholar, huh? Not bad.
"Sure! 'Yon lang pala. I got your back." I breathe in relief. We talked more 'til she ended it.
I took a bath and wore something comfortable. I went down and I saw Sebastian cooking. My brows furrowed.
"Hey, why are you the one who's cooking?" I asked, sounding exaggerated. I looked around to look for the helpers but they are not around.
"Oh, it's my morning habit. I'm sorry, I used your kitchen." He scratched the bridge of his nose using his middle finger. "I let the house helpers to do their other tasks as for I will cook for our breakfast." Nahihiyang sabi n'ya.
I walked near him and hugged him in the back. I felt my cheeks reddened when I felt his abs. "What are you cooking?" I asked. Tumingkayad pa ako at ipinatong ang mukha sa balikat n'ya para lang makita ang niluluto n'ya.
"Uhm it's Champorado." He laughed as if he has an inside joke. "P'wede na ba 'kong magbenta ng almusal n'yan?" He asked.
"Of course! Jian and I will help you." Pagdedesisyon ko kahit na wala pang idea si Jian sa mga magiging desisyon ni Seb..
Nang kinailangan n'yang gumalaw ay kumalas ako sa pagkakayakap ko sa kaniya at sumandal sa counter top. I am watching him cook passionately. He also cooked a dish in case someone wants to eat rice instead. I'm stunned on how he cuts vegetables and meats. He's like a pro! Hindi lang almusal ang p'wede n'yang ibenta, p'wede rin ang ulam. Tiyak na papatok 'yon.
"Ang galing mo palang magluto, p're?" Hindi na ako nagulat nang biglang magpakita si Jian. Wala s'yang damit at mukhang kakagising lang.
"Hindi mo naman tinanong." Sebastian answered.
"Ang hirap pala kapag pinipili. Yumayabang." Pang-aasar ni Jian at umupo para pagmasdan pa ang kaibigan.
"Sa'yo kasi, kahit 'di ka piliin ay mayabang ka pa rin. Natural na sa'yo 'yon." Sebastian fired back. I shook my head because of their little friendly argument.
"Baka kayo talaga?" Pabirong tanong ko pero mabilis pa ring nag-react si Jian na animo ay masusuka na.
"Mamatay na lang ako uy!" Aniya. Ang selan ah. Si Seb na kaya 'yon!
Nang matapos kami sa pagkain ay hiningian ko ng pabor si Jian. He has a small house in Manila. No one knows that it's his except for my family. It's his first possession.
"Magdududa 'yon kapag sinabi ko na it's for free, Stella." Jian said.
Ang plano ko kasi ay papalabasin na the house is owned by someone who is in the Province now. The owner will let him live for free with paid bills. But Jian is right. Renting a house for free and the bills are already paid is suspicious.
"You have a point..." I trailed off, thinking what to do. "How about, sisingilin s'ya sa murang halaga tapos we will use it to buy groceries for him? May gano'n naman 'di ba? Once you rented, they will provide for the foods already?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, Stella. Pero let's see."
Pumunta kami ng Manila kasama si Seb para mabisita yung bahay. Katamtaman lang ang laki no'n at hindi mo talaga iisiping pinapa-rentahan iyon. Sa ngayon ay ang alam.ni Sebastian ay nasa probinsya ang may-ari nito.
"This is too big for me..." He commented. When we entered the house, we saw how relaxing it is.
Ang theme kasi n'ya ay minimalistic lang tapos may mga fake plants pa. Kumpleto na rin 'yon sa furnitures.
"It's good for your small business, Bas. Maraming mga estudyante sa lugar na 'to. Nadaanan din nila pauwi kaya p'wede kang makapaubos ng paninda. Aside from that, five hundred lang ang renta." Pagpapaliwanag ni Jian at komportableng umupo.
"This is fine for me. Ang isa pa, malapit rin naman sa DLSU. Isang sakayan lang ng jeep." He nodded.
For the last time ay pumunta s'ya sa condo at bahay nila para kuhanin ang mga gamit n'ya. His parents are not around so we did not meet them. His sibling is there instead.
"Y-you're really leaving us, Kuya?" Thalia's eyes watered as he saw Sebastian carrying his things.
"Thali..." He dramatically took a breath. Binaba n'ya muna ang mga gamit n'ya bago nilapitan si Thalia na mukhang iiyak na sa kahit anong oras.
"Kuya, don't leave us, please?" It's hard for me to watch them in this situation. This is the first time that I personally saw her and we're in this situation.
"Listen, baby. Kuya needs to be independent, too, right? I need more experiences for my future---" He couldn't continue his words because she cried. "Don't cry... Don't cry."
"I-i hate you!" My eyes widened. Gusto ko s'yang sawayin pero halos pati ako ay maiyak sa mga sumunod n'yang sinabi. "You love to do things on your own. You never let anyone know what's going on with you, I'm always worried about you. You take things too seriously. You're killing yourself for your studies. And you're so selfless!" Sebastian wiped her tears. "I should be the one who's in your position, right?"
"What do you mean?" Seb asked having no clue.
"I-i heard your conversation with Mommy and Daddy two years ago. They want me to marry someone but you don't want that to happen to m-me so you sacrificed y-your own freedom." Silence enveloped their living room. If it's only possible, you can hear the crickets too.
"I'm sorry, Thalia. I just can't stand to see you in that situation. You just turned seventeen." I scoffed. She's so young.
"I wish you'd become selfish, Kuya..." She drifted her eyes on me. "But I'm happy that you chose to be selfish and chose your happiness." She nodded at me and smiled a little.
"I'm sorry If I have to leave you, Thalia." He apologized again before we left.
Napuno ang sasakyan dahil sa mga gamit n'ya. He cannot stop himself from apologizing becaysehe thought he's making us busy.
"That's not a big deal, bro. We're always willing to help." Jian talked to him. I'm in the backseat.
Nang makarating kami sa bahay na tutuluyan n'ya ay agad ko s'yang tinulungang ayusin yung mga gamit n'ya. He's a very organized person. If he will only see how my room looks like when I'm rushing, ma-t-turn off 'to.
"Sa'n ko ilalagay 'to, Seb?" Tanong ko habang hawak-hawak ang mga books n'ya pang med school.
"Uhm... you can put them here." Itinuro n'ya ang study table n'ya na kokonti na lang ang space sa dami ng mga gamit n'yang pang-aral.
"You have a lot of highlighters too." Namamanghang sabi ko nang makita ang isang malaking lalagyan ng Stabilo highlighters. Ako kasi 'di pala bili ng highlighters.
"Yup, I love taking notes and highlighting something important." He explained. Parang gusto ko tuloy makita ang notebook n'ya.
"Ang sipag mo, 'no, Doc?" His body froze because of how I addressed him. He slowly turned his head before our eyes met.
"Silly," He whispered and laughed.
"Anyway, when will you start selling foods?" I asked and checked the kitchen if everything that he will use is complete now.
"If possible, I'll start selling next week. As of now, my priority is to be guaranteed a scholarship." I heard him spoke.
Later, I will talk to my parents about his scholarship. I'm sure that they will help him. Mom and Dad has a lot of scholars from Luzon and Visayas. Making Sebastian as one of their scholars is not a big deal.
Nang matapos na namin ang lahat ng kailangang gawin ay pinagpahinga n'ya na muna ako sa kwarto n'ya habang s'ya ay nagluluto ng lunch. Dahil nga puyat at maaga ring nagising, agad akong nakatulog.
Sa bahagya at mapag-ingat na pagtapik sa balikat ko ay nagising ako. It's Sebastian. He's watching me closely but he averted his gaze when I opened my eyes.
"Let's eat, love. You must be hungry now, I'm sorry." Ayan na naman s'ya sa pag-s-sorry n'ya.
"Ano ka ba? You apologize a lot." Dramatiko akong napahawak sa dibdib ko para biruin s'ya. Hindi man lang natawa! Ayoko na nga.
"About what happened last night..." Naging atentibo ako nang banggitin n'ya 'yon. "Thank you for letting me choose you." Ngumiti ako.
"Thank you for not giving up. I pushed you and asked you to accept the engagement, yet you chose not to give up." I bit my lower lip. "Ang akala ko rin ay kaya ko na makita kang ma-engage. Ang akala ko ay okay lang. Hindi pala."
"I will court you..." My eyes formed a circle as my cheeks reddened.
"Ang akala ko ay tayo na..." Sabi ko habang naiiyak sa hiya. Napatakip ako ng mukha nang malakas n'ya akong tinawanan.
"I want to get you by courting, Stella." I pouted my lips and crossed my arms.
"Sige, sinasagot na kita." We laughed together on my silliness.
Now that a lot of things is uncertain to the both of us, but one thing's for sure, he owns me.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(◠‿・)-☆
Author's Note | This is a rush update po that's why medyo hindi napag-isipan. I'm busy for our Practical Research 2 Title presentation for the past two days:/