note: hemlo, readers!! i know i said last update for this week yung chap 14 but my anxiety kicked in and im feeling so anxious about so many things. feeling down and sad also ajsjdjdjd so i decided to write na lang. my kind of escape is writing and u, guys :> and napanaginipan ko si doc tricia sjsjdkdd kilig omg, parang kahit papano gumaan pakiramdam ko. anw advance sorry if very sabog or what so ever this chapter. but yeah, please be happy all of you and enjoy, readers!

ps: im so sorry, this chapter was supposed to be posted at 11pm but nag live yung kamukha ni doc tricia sa tiktok at marupok ako sa nanoood ako while studying also hihi kung hindi puwede kay doc tricia, dun na lang tayo sa kamukha, emz. love you, doc! hiho sayo parin uuwi pls.

Nang makarating kami sa condo agad kaming sinalubong ni Tita at ni Ate Aiks sa labas pa lang ng building.

Ate Aiks hugged me first before going to Tricia and Inay. Kinuha naman n'ya kay Inay si Lian at kinarga ito habang nilalaro.

"Ma, si Jill?" Tricia asked Tita.

I looked at Tita, waiting for her answer also. Mula kaninang umaga ay wala pa akong natatanggap na tawag o text man lang galing kay Jill.

"Nasa taas, hindi na bumaba kasi busy daw s'ya,"

Tricia looked at me at bumulong. "Hindi ka na raw n'ya bestfriend, hindi na excited makita ka," asar n'ya.

I rolled my eyes at natawa naman s'ya sa reaksyon ko.

Sabay sabay kaming umakyat at pinagbuksan kami ni Jill ng pinto. When Jill saw me, agad din s'yang umiwas at niyakap si Tricia and Inay. Tinanguan lang n'ya ako at lumapit s'ya kay Lian na hanggang ngayon ay hawak ni Ate Aiks.

"Pasok kayo," aya ni Tita at pinapasok kami.

Nakita kong may nakaayos na crib sa sala at katabi ito ng study table ni Jill.

"Jill fixed that for Lian, since dito muna s'ya mag stay for ilang days," Tita said nang mapansin na nakatingin ako sa crib.

"I see, it's cute po," puri ko dahil cute naman talaga. Kumpleto pa ang mga unan. "Thanks, Jill."

Tipid lang n'ya akong nginitian at nagpatuloy sa pakikipaglaro kay Lian kasama si Ate Aiks.

Nag punta naman si Tita at Inay sa kusina para mag luto ng pang tanghalian daw namin. Sumunod kami ni Tricia sa kanila at tumulong dahil wala rin naman kaming magawa.

We were busy na mag ayos ng lulutuin nang bigla kong maalala itanong 'yong dahilan bakit biglaang dito mag stay sina Lian.

"Tita, ano nga po pala yung sasabihin n'yo?" Tanong ko.

"Ah, yes about that," panimula n'ya at iniabot kay Inay 'yong carrot. "Pupunta si Aika sa Cebu para sa rally doon. I will ask Jill naman to come with me to Bataan since ayoko naman s'yang iwan mag isa,"

All of us ay nakikinig lang sa kan'ya at tumatango habang nag gagayat at nag huhugas ng mga gagamitin.

"I will send Tricia to Batangas sana, I was hoping if you can go with her sana, nak?" Tita asked and smiled at me.

I looked at Tricia and saktong tumingin din s'ya sa akin. Nginitian n'ya ako. "Are you in? Bakasyon din 'yon!" pilit n'ya at hinawakan ang kamay ko. Napatingin ako ron bago ibalik ang tingin kay Tita.

If I will say yes, maiiwan kami ni Tricia na kami lang dalawa. Pabor tho.

If I will say no, Tricia will be alone. And I don't want that.

"If 'yon po mas maganda then sur-"

"What are you all talking about? Sali naman!" Jill suddenly entered the kitchen.

While she's walking towards her Mama Leni, napatingin s'ya saglit sa kamay namin ni Tricia. She's still holding it kahit nakapatong lang ang kamay ko sa lamesa.

"Anak, Jill we're just talking about the upcoming rally," Tita answered Jill's question.

"Really? So saan tayo next?"

"Actually, I was about to ask you to come with me to Bataan. Samahan na kita,"

"Bataan? Sure, Ma! I'm not that busy na po," Jill said and looked at me. "Kasama po sina Y/N?"

"No, anak. May sarili silang lakad ni Tricia," sagot ni Tita and Jill gave me a confused look before looking back sa nanay n'ya. "I asked Y/N to come with Tricia sa Batangas, para may kasama ang kapatid mo. Actually, Y/N's about to say something kanina bago ka dumating. What is it again, nak?"

"I said uhh.." I looked at Tricia and she nodded at me. "I'll go with Tri-"

"It's okay naman, Ma if kay Ate Trish ka sumama. Y/N can come with me naman," tumingin sa akin si Jill. "Right, bubby?"

Naramdaman kong mas lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Tricia sa kamay ko.

"I think it's much better Jill if si Mama kasama mo," Tricia said.

"Ate Trish, konti pa lang nasasamahan mong rally so I guess mas okay if si Mama kasama mo,"

"Let me have Y/N with me na," Tricia said trying to calm her voice.

I switched the position of Tricia's hand and mine. Sa akin na ang nasa ibabaw ngayon, I gently squeezed it and rubbed the back of her hand using my thumb. Trying to calm her.

"Why not let's just ask Y/N?" Jill said at tiningnan ako bago ngumiti. "What do you think, bubby?"

Kumuha s'ya ng baso at tubig bago uminom doon. "Ako o si Ate Tricia?"

Napalunok ako. Heto na naman tayo, e.

Mabuti na lang ay nag salita si Inay. "Hay naku kayong dalawa, sundin n'yo na lang ang plano ng Mama Leni n'yo para walang magulo,"

I smiled a bit kay Inay nang magawi ang tingin n'ya sakin.

Life saver talaga si Inay.

Tumatango tango sa amin si Tita, she agreed to what Inay said. "Jill, tayo na lang ang mag sama. Para rin maging close Ate mo and si Y/N, diba?"

Jill sighed in defeat. She said fine at nagpaalam na lalabas na ulit. Tita walked papunta sa akin at pinisil ang pisngi ko.

"Ito talagang anak ko, napakaganda/gwapo. Pinagaagawan, e. Jill really loves you, ano? Ayaw ipahiram ang bestfriend n'ya saglit,"

Natawa na lang kami para hindi na matuloy ang usapan tungkol sa bagay na 'yon. I can feel that Tricia is slowly feeling uncomfortable about it kaya hindi ko na rin pinahaba.

Few minutes after, natapos kaming mag ayos and they will cook na. Lumapit sa akin si Tricia dahil kanina ay napunta s'ya sa tabi ni Tita.

"Let's go sa room ko? Help me pack my things?" aya n'ya habang nakangiti.

Lord, ang ganda po.

I nodded while smiling at her at lalong lumaki ang ngiti n'ya.

"Ma, Inay, mag pack lang po kami," paalam n'ya at lumabas na kami.

Nang dumaan kami sa sala ay napatingin sa amin si Ate Aiks. "Saan kayo punta?"

"Sa room, Ate Aiks," sagot ni Tricia.

"Anong gagawin n'yo ron?" Jill asked out of curiosity

"I'll help Trish pack her things," sagot ko.

Ate Aiks looked at Jill. "Sige na, bilisan n'yo at mukhang kakain na rin maya maya," she said.

Hinila ako ni Tricia papasok. Nang makapasok kami ay hindi ko mapigilang mamangha sa kwarto n'ya.

It's my first time na makapasok dito. Palagi naman akong sa room lang ni Jill. I slowly roamed around her room, tinitingnan lahat ng details dito.

"You can sit sa bed or anywhere you want," she said bago nag lakad papunta sa closet n'ya. "You're free to come in here na anytime you want,"

Hindi na ako sumagot at nag tuloy lang sa pag titingin. Para akong mag s-shopping sa ginagawa kong 'to pero as an Arki, it's really my hobby na tingnan ang structure ng isang lugar or kwarto.

"Can you abot that for me?" Tricia suddenly said at nang tumingin ako sa kan'ya ay nakaturo s'ya ron sa bag sa taas ng cabinet niya.

"Please?" She begged, trying to look cute by smiling at me.

"You don't need to use the pacute card, I'll do it," I said at natawa.

She jumped and clapped like a kid because of joy at hinintay akong makarating doon.

Tricia is not that small at kung tutuusin ay halos same na kami ng height.

Hindi umalis si Tricia sa kinatatayuan n'ya at nang maabot ko yung bag ay saka lang namin narealize na ang lapit namin sa isa't isa. Halos mag dikit na ang katawan namin, tanging yung bag na lang na inabot ko ang harang.

She's looking at me at nilabanan ko ang tingin n'ya kahit na deep inside..

Lord, nanghihina na po tuhod ko.

"Why do you keep on looking at me like that, Doc?"

"Why do you keep on staring at me too then, Arki?"

My eyes squinted at itinabingi n'ya lang ang ulo n'ya na kala mo ay pinagaaralan ako.

"Nang aakit ka ba?" I bravely asked.

"Bakit? Naaakit ka ba?"

LORD!?

Doon ako umiwas ng tingin at inilapag sa kama yung bag. "Mag ayos na tayo, kakain na maya maya, oh." pagiiba ko ng usapan.

I was shocked when she held my face and made me look at her. She cupped my face using both of her hands.

"Do you like me?" She suddenly asked.

"What if I do?" Sagot ko.

"No more what ifs, because I do, too."

And in just one snap, naramdaman kong lumapat ang labi n'ya sa labi ko.

She's closing her eyes, and I did too.

We stayed in that position for a few seconds.

No one moved. Not even a bit. Not wanting to break the kiss.

Tricia and I just let our lips collide.

Until we heard the door opened.

"Bubby.."