Wherein Narda is willing to risk their friendship just to know if it's possible for Regina to love her the same.

Narda looked at the list written in a notepad, she had planned an entire list of how she'd confessed to Regina.

She called it as her , and yet, she hadn't done anything at all.

Not even the first part.

"sa tingin mo ba talaga may mangyayari kung tititigan mo lang yang listahan mo?" Brian, her best guy friend as well as her ex asked her.

Magkakilala na silang tatlo ni Regina simula high school, they've all become close friends hanggang sa naging mag best friends.

They knew each other, kalokohan, sekreto and even the slightest details about each other.

So when Narda confessed she likes girls, they accepted her and both Brian and Regina swore they'd never tell anyone else about it.

She had to date Brian by the end of high school because of that. Hanggang sa umabot sila ng 3 years.

Those 3 years were just them being besties, kasama nila si Regina even sa dates nila. They were all inseparable.

Sa 3 years na 'yun, it was as clear as the cleanest water na Brian is just helping Narda to hide her secret.

But then, walang sekretong natatago habang-buhay.

It came to a time na Narda got attracted to someone and she wanted to pursue the girl and that is how she came out to her family.

That day was chaotic, chaotic in a way na nahirapan sila mag explain ng totoo and she feared na itatakwil siya. Hinanda na nga nila Brian and Regina magiging schedule niya ng pag tulog sa bahay nila in case palayasin nga siya.

MWFSun kina Regina while TThSat naman kina Brian. Why mas maraming araw kay Regina, nobody knows. But that's how they finalized it.

But then, it turns out na pinagtawanan lang siya ng family niya. Alam na pala ng parents ni Brian and ng parents ni Narda na hindi sila totoong magkarelasyon. And they found that out a year after they started their crazy antics.

Nalasing pala silang tatlo nila Regina sa family gathering nila with their family members present and Narda was the first one to confess that she likes girls.

Nagtalo pa nga daw si Brian and Narda with him saying na d dapat basta-basta sabihin ang ganun, dapat daw aminin yun ng hindi sila lasing.

All Regina did on the other hand is to stop them both from talking, saying it was TMI and that it's their secret.

According sa mga magulang nilang tatlo, it was a hilarious sight.

Since day-one, pansin naman ng pamilya ni Narda na sa babae siya na a-attract. Simula palang, tanggap na nila ito.

Brian's parents found it amusing how much Brian is willing to do and sacrifice para sa kaibigan nito. Even dating Narda for the sake of keeping her secret. It's not an advisable thing to do but it's brave and so trustworthy of him as a best friend.

They really thought din na baka somehow, may hidden feelings si Brian kay Narda in which he cleared up saying na wala talaga and that he just cares so much for his best friends na kahit si Regina pa 'yung nasa situation ni Narda, he'd still do it.

Regina's parents also found it crazy yet amusing how much their daughter actually values the two. Saying na kaya pala lagi siyang kasama sa dates nung dalawa is because it's their secret. Their thing.

So after the pretending, the chaos and fun, mas naging malapit pa silang tatlo. Even their relationship with their families really improved more. Pati na din ang bond ng mga pamilya nila sa isa't-isa.

Fast forward to when they all graduated and had their chosen field and dreams achieved, walang nagbago sa samahan nila.

Except when Narda started to see Regina differently.

It was like one of those silly cliché stories one can actually read out of books or watch through movies.

Flashback

She started doing that ever since Regina broke up with her ex-girlfriend. Umamin itong bi ito after College, said she was confused at first until she accepted in herself that she's indeed bi. Years after she had her first girlfriend whom she dated for 2 years.

Narda however, is the one who always wants what's best for her best friend. And so she made it her life mission to make Regina smile.

A year later and she still does it. Even when Regina completely moved on from her ex.

Pero hindi niya gustong e-entertain ang thought na baka gusto na niya ito as more than a best friend should.

She fell asleep after that at nagising nalang when she smelled some cooking.

She thinks it's Regina.

Sinubukan niya umupo at tumayo to go check on Regina sana, but her body failed her. She feels too weak to even move.

"you're so slow, ako na." sabi nito sa kanya ng matapos niyang isubo yung first meal niya ngayong araw, o gabi.

"maka trabaho ka naman kasi para kang may asawa't-anak na binubuhay eh." sermon nito sa kanya.

While she just sat there, staring at Regina.

End of flashback

"nagdi daydream ka na naman." sabi ni Brian sabay siniko siya.

Nasa family gathering sila ngayon. Simula pa dati magkakasama na ang pamilya nilang tatlo pag may ganitong gathering.

"eh kinakabahan kasi ako, pano kung first step palang tanggihan na ni Regina?"

It had been a year since she accepted the fact that she's indeed in love with Regina.

She should be scared to lose the friendship na meron sila pag umamin siya, but no, she's more concerned over the fact na she's hiding her feelings for her.

Mag best friends silang tatlo and it's a number one rule na dapat honest sila sa isa't-isa.

She remembers how Brian found out about it.

Flashback

Pareho kasi silang engineer ni Brian na mag partners sa company na tinayo nilang dalawa.

"eii, kasi, hindi ako mapakali.. kailangan may makausap ako tungkol dito." Narda said sabay sinabihan si Brian na umupo.

"ano ba meron?" he asked with a worried look in his face.

"don't over react, okay? 'wag mo din akong tatawanan o kung ano pa..just, just chill." sabi nito sa kanya na tinanguan naman ni Brian.

"sige na, ano ba meron?" he asked sabay nag promise sign pa kay Narda.

She took a deep breath bago nagsalita.

"I am in love with Regina." sabi nito sabay pumikit pa, waiting for Brian's reaction, him laughing or anything that'll imply he finds it amusing.

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay bago siya nagsalita, "wala kang reaction?" she asked that made Brian laugh.

"unang-una, sabi mo sakin 'wag akong mag over react, wag akong tumawa o kung ano pa..I will just chill, and this is me being chill." he said..

"hatdog." he said that made Narda throw another pen at him.

pag text at chat sa kanya. D ko din bibigyan ng random gifts, gagi, kahit hanggang ngayon ginagawa mo 'yun eh. Tas hinahatid-sundo mo din minsan, kung wala masyadong ganap dito, andun ka sa office ni Regi tumatambay..pag nalaman mong d pa siya kumakain, deretso mo siya tinatanong ano gusto niya kasi ipagluluto mo siya tas hinahatid mo pa sa office niya.. gago, ni minsan hindi ako ganun sa inyo, hindi ka dun ganun sakin, sa kanya lang." Brian told her.

End of flashback

Pero hindi nawala, hindi nagbago, mas lalo niya lang minamahal si Regina. Mas lalo niya lang gustong maging masaya ito, whether parte siya ng rason or not.

"pano mo malalaman kung d mo susubukan? sige na, tanungin mo na siya pag balik niya galing cr." sabi ni Brian sa kanya sabay tinapik siya sa balikat.

Umalis na ito sa tabi niya at lumapit sa dad nitong nag ba-barbecue kasama mga dad nila ni Regina.

She then saw Regina walking back kaya sinalubong niya na agad ito.

"Gi." she says, stopping in front of the woman.

"hmm? bakit Narda? Is there any problem?" the woman asks her, worry visible in her features.

Pano niya ba sasabihin? She's done this many times already, grabe na ang practice na ginawa niya sa harap ng salamin na dinikitan niya pa ng picture ni Regina. And yet, ito siya, nakatunganga lang sa harap nito.

muntanga na siguro ako ngayon. ano ba?! umuurong dila ko.

"Narda?" Regina calls her once again, now touching her arm.

"what's wrong?" tanong nito.

"gusto kong ba lumabas kasama ka?" she managed to say.

She processed it for awhile hanggang sa ma realize niyang mali ang pagkakasabi niya. Regina now looked so damn confuse.

"ha?" the woman asked her and she fought the urge to answer her ng pilosopo na way, but then, she's Narda.

"hatdog." she still said and she right away covered her mouth.

"sorry Gi." she says, scratching her nape.

"ano kasi, ahm.. kinakabahan ako." she said and Regina gave her a warm smile.

Still touching her arm, the woman gave her a light squeeze bago nagsalita, "sige lang, take your time." sabi nito and that made her smile.

Regina's always patient with her, despite the woman being actually impatient with many things.

Huminga siya ng malalim bago ulit nagsalita, "gusto mo bang lumabas kasama ako? like a date." she finally managed to ask, correctly this time, eyes looking at Regina's.

"friendly date or a real date?" Regina asked her, hindi niya mabasa anong nasa isip nito base sa mga mata nito pero maybe it's a good sign na nilinaw ni Regina if it's a friendly one or more.

"a real date." she asked and waited for Regina's response.

"hmm.." Narda's sweating hard as she waited for Regina's answer.

"sure, kailan ba?" the woman answers her and she finally was able to release the breath she's been holding.

"bukas, susunduin kita sa condo mo." she said and Regina nodded.

"okay, text me the other details Narda." the woman tells her and she nodded.

They stood their for awhile, just smiling at each other hanggang sa tinawag na sila ni Brian para kumain.

Narda checked her car for the nth time, kaka-park niya lang sa labas ng condo ni Regina and she still is sweating.

Pinapakalma niya ang sarili niya.

How is she going to do all of this today?! Hindi niya din alam.

She checks herself one last time sa mirror ng kotse niya bago siya bumaba. Wala siyang dala na kahit anong chocolate or bulaklak, alam niya kasing hindi mahilig si Regina sa mga ganun.

Habang nasa elevator siya, hindi pa din nawawala ang kaba niya kaya pinikit niya ang mata niya at nagbilang hanggang 20.

A thing that Regina thought her. Kapag daw sobrang kinakabahan siya, ipikit niya lang mata niya at magbilang ng hanggang 20 tas pag dilat niya, it should feel like calm na siya at free from any nervousness.

It works everytime kaya it should work now.

And it did.

Kasi the moment na bumukas ang elevator, para na siyang bagong tao. Nervousness gone.

She's not sure hanggang kailan though.

Tinawagan niya si Regina saying na nasa labas na siya ng pinto nito and even when on call pa sila ay pinagbuksan na siya ni Regina.

The latter's dressed comfortably, naka t-shirt lang itong loose tsaka naka loose pants with her hair in a bun.

She instructed Regina kasi to just wear her most comfy clothes na pang labas, she knows ano 'yung mga comfy clothes na 'yun so she kind of expected what she'd look like already and yet, she is still mesmerized by how pretty Regina is.

"gusto mo ng picture? you can take one." Regina tells her after nito in'end ang call nila and she can feel herself blush sa sinabi nito.

"ha? s-sorry." she said sabay lagay ng phone niya sa bulsa niya while Regina chuckled.

"Narda, it's fine." sabi nito at ngumiti sa kanya.

She then watched as Regina closed her door as they both then started walking papunta sa elevator.

Somehow, madaming tao na sumasakay dito pag tumitigil sila each floor and so Narda ended up shielding Regina from people, giving the woman some bigger space than the rest of them na nasa elevator. A thing she always do for pag magkasama sila.

She knows kasi na ayaw ni Regina ng nai-invade ng sobra ang space niya, especially by people she's not close with.

"thank you Narda." she heard Regina say as she replied with a smile.

When they got out from the elevator ay naglakad na sila papunta sa kotse ni Narda, pinagbuksan naman niya si Regina ng pinto as they exchanged smiles.

She then started the engine at nag play ng mga kanta, a playlist she did for Regina.

She saw through her peripheral vision how Regina smiled and started singing along to the song while she started driving towards their destination.

"hmm, are you seriously going to play my favorite songs? like the whole ride?" Regina asks, now noticing how so far the three songs that played were her favorites.

Narda shrugged and smiled bago sumagot, eyes still focused on the road, "I wanted you to enjoy the ride as well as gusto kong malaman mo na I can set aside my jeje music, as you call it, to give way for yours, from time to time." she explained and she heard Regina chuckle.

"you always do that though." sabi nito sa kanya kaya napatingin siya dito saglit.

"I do?" she asks, confused.

"yes, kaya nga naiinis si Brian eh, sinasabi niya may favoritism ka. tas ang sinasagot mo lang sa kanya lagi is that, kotse mo 'to kaya ikaw magde decide anong song ipapatugtog tas it always ends up to be a song I like." Regina tells her and she nodded.

Bumalik naman sa alaala niya 'yung mga times na pinagtatawanan nila si Brian kapag may road trips sila tas out of all hours of those trips eh isang kanta lang na choice ni Brian ang napapatugtog.

. √

"and we're here." she said as she parked her car sa park.