Pagkatapos namin manuod ni Ricci ng movie, bumalik ulit kami sa Quantum. We played many games pero nagtagal kami ng ilang rounds sa basketball. Hindi kasi ako manalo-nalo.

Lahat ng hagis niya ng bola pasok. Walang mintis. Paano ako mananalo dun basketball player eh? Halos lahat ng games na nilaro namin talo ako. Kainis. Tapos tinatawanan pa ako ng loko.

But still, that was fun tho. I'm glad and always be glad whenever I spent time with him. Nakakalungkot nga lang na by next week, aalis sila. They will spend their Christmas and New Year in Isabela as what they've been doing every year.

(Flashback)

"By the way, uuwe kami ng Isabela next week. Every year kasi doon kami nagse-celebrate ng Christmas and New Year."

"Hmm.. Sabi nga daw." I tried to ignore the fact na aalis sila which means na next year ko pa ulit siya makikita.

"Who says?"

"Huh?"

"I'm asking kung kanino mo nalamang aalis kami? Okay ka lang ba?"

"I'm okay. About you going to Isabela, I read that on social media of course." Walang gana kong sagot. Naba-bother talaga ko sa pag-alis niya. Ang OA ko na.

"Ah I see. So okay lang sayo?"

"Okay na what?" I asked.

"Okay lang na umalis ako."

"Syempre hindi." I blurted out.

I covered my face with my hands. Aish, nakakahiya.

"Haha, its okay. Don't hide your face. Your really cute when your blushing." He pulled my hands away from my face.

"I'm not blushing. Don't fool me." I rolled my eyes.

"Haha, yeah yeah fine. You're not. Sabi mo eh."

"Ewan ko sayo Cci." I focused my attention to my business. Nandito kasi kami sa isang ice cream house. I love ice cream kaya.

"Galit ka na niyan?"

"Of course not." I quickly answered. Hays ang arte ko masyado.

"Mamimiss kita." He sadly uttered while his gaze change from his ice cream to me. He's looking at me intently. "Ikaw, mamimiss mo ba ko?"

Syempre naman oo. Pero ewan ko ba, ayaw bumuka ng mga bibig ko. Naghehesitate pa din ako sa bawat sasabihin ko sa kanya. Naduduwag ako. Natatakot. Pero seryoso naman siya di ba? I can feel it. But why I am being like this to him? He deserve to be happy.

"Okay lang kahit hindi mo ako ma-miss. Okay---"

"Syempre hindi okay yun. Meron bang okay pero ang lungkot ng mukha? Ha Ricci?" I smiled at him trying to encourage him to get back in himself. "I will miss you of course. Ikaw pa ba? Malakas ka sa akin eh."

"Totoo ba yan?"

"Oo nga. Mamimiss ko yung baby Ricci ko." Kinurot ko yung pisngi niya which makes him smile. "Yan, ganyan nga. Smile lang. Ang pangit mo kapag nakabusangot ka eh. Haha!"

"Okay baby, masusunod po. Happy lang."

"Kainin mo na yang ice cream, matutunaw na yan."

"Yes baby!" Bakit sa iba nakakadiri sa pandinig yung baby, pero kapag kay Ricci nakakainlove!

"So do you have any plans next week? Rather classes? Hindi niyo pa ba bakasyon?" He asked.

"The day after tomorrow is our last day so its our break na next week. Why?"

"I was planning to spend my remaining days with you before we go to Isabela if that would be okay to you. What do you think?"

"Uh huh. So you have plans na. That was good tho. But I can't promise you that I'll be available these days. I have many things to do and it depends on my Mom kung papayagan niya ako." Dire-diretso kong sagot. I hate to say that but I need to. Ayokong paasahin siya.

I look at him and he's staring blank somewhere.

"Okay. Its okay." He's being cold now.

"I knew it isn't Cci. But don't worry. I'll try my best to go out with you. I will try." I assured him.

I held his hands tight to comfort him. And to my surprise, he hug me right here, right now. And I can feel a plenty of eyes were on us.

"Huy Lynn, are you with me?"

"Huh? Ahmm yes?"

"Haha, kanina pa kita kausap pero tulala ka eh."

"Ganon ba? Hehe sorry." Aish, nakakahiya.

"Okay lang. I was just asking if this last stanza will do. Here." Harris lend me a paper.

We were now doing our nursery rhyme dito sa bahay nila. Ang awkward nga eh. Masyadong malaki yung bahay nila kaya kahit nandito yung magulang at mga kapatid niya, feeling ko kami lang tao dito. Nandito kasi kami sa room niya. Kaming dalawa lang. :/

"Hmm. This is a awesome. You're not only good in singing but also in writing." Puri ko sa kanya habang binabasa ko yung last stanza na nabuo niya. Singer kasi itong si Harris.

Ang talented niya. Marunong kumanta, mag-play ng instruments, magdrawing at matalino pa. Plus the fact na ang gwapo niya, can't blame the girls who admires him a lot. Heartthrob siya sa school namin pero sadyang dedma lang siya.

Siguro kung naging close kami before nung mga times na crush ko pa si Harris, baka na-fall na ko sa kanya. But since I met Ricci, Harris is just a friend to me.

I admire him but I love Ricci.

Going back to our business, we're now sketching our characters and background for our nursery rhyme since we had already came up with the song.

Marunong din naman akong magdrawing. Hindi nga lang kasing-galing nitong si Harris. Para na kasi siyang pro eh. So more on sketching lang ako and siya na ang tatapos.

We paused for a while when there's a sudden knock on the door. His mom, Tita Rosie entered the room.

"Sorry sa istorbo ha. I prepare snacks here in case you feel hungry. Lynn, there are chips and cookies. Pero unahin niyo muna tong baked mac. Masarap yan. You will like it." Ang bait ng mama ni Harris.

"Ay sige po, thank you po."

"Huwag ka mahiya ha. Feel at home. Malay mo in the future we became a family. Right Harris?" Tita Rosie winked at Harris.

"Mom!" Harris exclaimed.

"What baby? I'm just saying. We don't know what the future might be. Ahmm like you and Lynn together? Yeah, that's aweso---"

"Mom stop. Nakakahiya sa bisita ko. Sige na mom, marami pa kaming gagawin."

"Like what?" Pahabol pa ng Tita Rosie and Harris gave up on answering back.

Naku naman, may tama pala 'tong mama ni Harris. Huhu, I cannot! Pero in fairness, ang cool ni Tita Rosie. They seem to be close to each other.

"Okay fine. Whatever your doing, enjoy! Haha!" She giggled before she walks out of the room.

At this moment I should feel awkward but how Tita Rosie giggled makes me laugh hard inside. Ang cute lang.

"Sorry for what my Mom did. She's always been a joker everytime I brought a friend here." He apologized.

"Its okay. So how many girls---" I cut myself off. Baka ma-offend ko na naman siya.

"How many girls what Lynn? Did you mean I brought here? Why?" He's smirking. Wth?

"I'm just curious. Don't smirk like that." I rolled my eyes.

"Really huh? Or maybe you're jealous?" He's teasing me.

"What the hell Harris? I'm not. I just wonder. That's it." I exclaimed.

"Okay relax Lynn. Don't worry I've brought my friends here but your the first woman. They were all boys."

Ako pa lang ang dinala niyang babae dito sa kanila? Kaya siguro ganon na lang kung ituring ako ng Mom niya. Haays.

"Happy?" He asked still smirking.

"Ewan ko sayo Harris. Tapusin mo na yang mga inisketch ko. Kakain muna ako."

"Fine. Take your time to eat. Masarap yang baked mac." He said while starting to finish my sketches on the tablet.

Its one of my fave food kaya hindi ko to palalagpasin. Haha.

"Lynn take a look, picture tayo." Harris raised his phone. I smiled and then in a snap, he took a photo of us.

I saw a picture on IG that Khaira was tagged with. She's with a guy whom I guess named Harris. Siya kasi yung nag-upload ng pic with a caption 'Pakner'.

They aren't that close as distance placed between them. But they were sitting in one bed. It looks like na nasa isang kwarto sila.

I talked to Khaira earlier this morning and she said that they will do a project in her classmate's place. She didn't told me na it was a guy and just the two of them will work on their project. I thought they were a group so I didn't mind to ask about her classmate.

She looks happy in the photo. While me here, waiting for her reply. I sent her a message and I haven't receive any replies.

Sa lumipas din na mga araw, bawat conversation namin lagi kong tinatanong sa kanya kung saan ba siya nakatira. Gusto ko sana kasi legal ang panliligaw ko. Gusto ko sa bahay nila. Gusto kong mameet yung family. Oo nakakakaba pero the more na ayaw niyang sabihin, mas nadadagdagan yung eagerness kong makilala sa personal yung family niya.

"Cci! Nakabusangot ka dyan. Is there a problem?" Ahia asked and sat next to me as he let me out on my thoughts.

"Nothing. I'm just not in the mood." I said coldly.

"Umayos ka Cci, mag-iistart na tayo, tara."

"Yeah I will. Susunod na ako."

I totally forgot about my thing right now. May meet and greet ulit kasi kami with the fans.

For the last time, I messaged Khaira once again.

'Seems like you're busy with him that you can't even reply my messages. Okay, enjoy.'

I hid my phone in my pocket and went out from this standby room to meet our fans who were waiting for me. They screamed out my name when they spotted me.

"Na sayo na naman ang spotlight Cci like the usual. Haha!" Ahia whispered.

"Not at all." I mumbled.

Because somehow I think of Khaira. Sana I'm the apple in her eyes. Na sana sa paningin niya, ako ang nasa spotlight. Ako lang at wala ng iba.