Avenues of the Diamond (University Series #4)

PROLOGUE [Avenues of the Diamond (University Series #4)]

University Series #1: The Rain in España (complete)

University Series #2: Safe Skies, Archer (complete)

University Series #3: Chasing in the Wild (complete)

University Series #4: Avenues of the Diamond

This story contains spoilers for University Series #1, #2, #3.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places,

events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination
or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
or actual events is purely coincidental.

This story is not affiliated with UST/ADMU/FEU/DLSU/UP/other universities.

Please be advised that this story contains, TRIGGER WARNINGS, sensitive content,
mature themes and strong language that are not suitable for very young audiences.

***
"Samantha Vera, can you do a pose for us, please?"

I suddenly stopped walking to smile and look at the group of photographers waiting
outside Chanel's fashion show for Paris Fashion Week. I took my shades off and put
a hand inside my coat to do a pose for them before my personal assistant called me.
I was already late for another fashion show. I waved at the photographers before
walking again and getting inside the van.

I had to do a quick change. I took my top off and wore a dark red dress before
putting on a plastic coat with a black leather belt. My makeup artists were busy
with my hair and makeup. When the van stopped, I immediately got off the van,
holding my invitation. Photographers flocked again. I waved and smiled before
walking inside the venue.

"Samantha Vera, I'm so glad you came!" The famous designer gave me a kiss on both
sides of my cheek.

"Of course. How could I not?" I smiled at him. "I really like your collection. I
just received the clothes you sent me yesterday and I must say.. What a good work!"

That was my routine the whole week. Halos hindi na 'ko kumakain. Sa van na lang
kung may oras pa. Madalas kasi sunod-sunod ang shows. On our last day, I only slept
for 3 hours so we could catch our flight back to the Philippines. Pinili ko ang
arrival na madaling-araw para wala masyadong media sa airport.
I was wrong, though. My personal assistant, Francine, informed me about the media
after we landed. I didn't have any bodyguards with me. I thought it wasn't
necessary anymore. Good thing the airport security helped me get rid of them.
Tuloy-tuloy lang akong naglakad palabas habang tutok ang mga camera sa 'kin.

"Samantha Vera, how's Paris Fashion Week?"

"Ms. Samantha, ano hong masasabi n'yo sa lumalaganap na issue tungkol sa inyo
ngayon?"

"Ms. Vera, totoo ho bang may anak ka na?"

I bit my lower lip and went inside the van, refusing to answer any questions. They
were too many and talking about the current issue would just make it bigger.
Mawawala rin 'yan. Napasapo ako sa noo ko pagkasara ng van. Ang sakit sa ulo.

"They really think Avi is my daughter?" Nagtatakang tanong ko kay Francine.

"Yes, Ma'am," she gave me a shy smile. "We can clear it out tomorrow-"

"No, if you clear it out, what will you say? That she's the daughter of my friend?
They will dig deeper on that for sure. In just a few days, si Yanna naman ang
maiipit. I don't want the media to bother her too. Just let the issue die down for
now." I covered my eyes using my arms. I hoped the issue won't get worse.

It was a tiring day. Pagkauwi ko sa condo, naligo kaagad ako at natulog. The flight
was long and I actually just slept the whole time but I still felt so sleepy. The
next day, I woke up so early because of the doorbell. Inayos ko kaagad ang robe ko
at binuksan ang pinto.

"Itsura mo," Yanna, my best friend, laughed at my face. "Puyat na puyat, girl?"

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her. I gave Avrielle a smile and gestured her to come
in. She was wearing a cute dress and a backpack on her shoulders. Yanna was wearing
her flight attendant uniform. May flight siya kaya iiwan niya ulit sa 'kin si Avi,
her daughter.

"Be good, baby, ah," she reminded Avi before waving at us.

I closed the door and went inside my room again. Avi was already on the bed,
holding my iPad and searching for some cartoons. Humiga ako sa tabi niya at
pumikit, sinusubukang ipagpatuloy ang tulog ko.

I probably slept for two more hours before I went out of the bed to make breakfast.
Avi was asleep when I woke up. Nakatulugan na niya 'yung pinapanood niya kaya
kinuha ko ang iPad at pinatay bago lumabas sa bedroom.
"Good morning, Ma'am! I hope you're finally awake. I'll go over our schedule for
today, is that okay?" Francine called me on FaceTime.

"Yeah, sure!" I said while cooking.

She went over my full-packed schedule for today but I cancelled the meeting with
the designer so I could bring Avrielle to the hospital for a check-up. I heard her
coughing earlier. I just wanted to make sure that she was healthy. Monthly check-up
na rin.

"Baby," I tapped Avi's shoulder lightly. "Tita-Ninang has a shoot today. You need
to eat breakfast na so we can go."

"Pictures?" Avi asked with her small voice. I saw excitement in her eyes before she
got up, smiling. "Yay! I'm going with Tita-Ninang!"

"Come on, let's eat!" I held her hand and pulled her to the dining.

After eating, I took a shower, did my morning skincare, brushed my teeth, and put
on some makeup. I was wearing a pair of black high-waisted jeans partnered with a
simple maroon tank-top. I also put on my white cropped-top jacket and black ankle
boots. Magpapalit naman ako ulit ng damit mamaya so hindi ko na kailangan mag-
effort.
"Hello, Avi!" Francine greeted her when we went inside the van.

"Hi!" Avi waved her little hand at my assistant and my make-up artists at the back.

I put on her seatbelt before browsing the internet for some news about me. Tama nga
sila. Kalat nga na anak ko si Avi, lalo na ngayon na isasama ko na naman siya sa
shoot. I sighed and massaged my head.

"The great Samantha Vera!" The female director welcomed me with open arms. "Come
on, guys! Move! Take care of her!"

I gave her a small hug before I went inside the dressing room. Avrielle was walking
around the studio, getting curious. Napapangiti ako tuwing nakikipaglaro sa kaniya
'yung mga staff sa studio. I could hear her cute giggles from where I was seated.

"Ang cute ng anak mo, Ma'am," a staff told me.

My brows furrowed a bit and pursed my lips, thinking if I should deny it or just
let her think that. I mean, wala naman akong pakialam kung iisipin nilang may anak
ako or what but.. I didn't want people to believe a lie.

"She's not my daughter but she's lovely, right?" I asked.

"Sus! Kunwari ka pa, Ma'am," she laughed. "Don't worry! I'm not judging you!"

"Uh.." I gave her an awkward smile through the mirror. I didn't want to argue
anymore.

Avi was just quietly sitting there, holding Francine's hand and watching me while I
was doing poses for the magazine. After that, like what I said, I took her to the
one of the best hospitals in the country. Sinuot ko ang shades ko at naglakad
papunta sa clinic ni Dr. Lana.

"Samantha Vera," I told the lady so she could check my schedule.

She looked at me with wide eyes, shocked, so I smiled at her. Bago siya rito, ah.
What happened to the old lady last month? Retired na?

"Samantha Vera," I repeated, smiling, when she still didn't move.

"Oh! Opo!" She panicked. "Pasok na po kayo! Hinihintay po kayo n-ni Doc! Hala,
totoo ba 'to?"
"Thank you," I said before holding Avi's hand again to take her with me.

"Samantha! You're early, ah!" Dr. Lana stood up and gave me a hug.

"You seemed busy. Shall I just come back later?" I asked. May kausap kasi siya sa
phone noong pumasok ako.

"No, no! May problem lang with our patient but I already sent someone to check. You
can take your seat na. Hi, Avi!" She pinched Avi's cheeks.

Avi sat on the chair with her hands on her legs, not moving an inch while Dr. Lana
was checking her breathing. She asked her a few questions before jotting down on
her notepad.

"Last na. Open your mouth, baby," Dr. Lana told Avi.

"Why po?" Avi asked.

"Oh, I will just check your-"

She stopped when she heard a knock on the door. Lumapit kaagad siya sa pinto at
binuksan 'yon. Her eyes lit up and gestured the man to enter the room.

"Doc, hinahanap kayo sa ward." I stiffened when I heard a familiar voice.

He had the same reaction when our eyes met. The look on my face reflected his. He
immediately looked away and put his hand inside his white coat.

"You.. Uhm.. have a patient. I'm sorry." He was about to leave the room when Dr.
Lana stopped him.

"Wait, I'll introduce you to her! This is Samantha Vera, the model! Do you
recognize her?" Dr. Lana sounded excited.

I was just sitting there on the couch like I saw a ghost. A ghost from the past, I
guess.

I slowly stood up, holding my bag. His dark eyes pierced into mine, closely
watching my every move. He licked his lower lip and looked away again out of
awkwardness. Phew, the air suddenly felt heavier. Ako yata ang lalagnatin, hindi si
Avi.
"Sam, this is Dr. Clyden Ramirez. He's a pediatric resident," Dr. Lana introduced.

I was breathing heavily so I tried so hard to calm myself. Baka sabihin niya ay
super affected ako. I glanced at Avi who was just sitting there, looking around
like a well-behaved kid. Dr. Ramirez also glanced at Avi with a confused look, but
he still gave her a small smile.

"This is Avrielle!" Dr. Lana introduced again.

"Av.. Avrielle," Dr. Ramirez sarcastically smiled, remembering something.

"Come here, Sam! Say hello!" Dr. Lana gestured me to come over. I awkwardly smiled
at her before walking towards their direction, feeling a little nervous.

"We.. know each other already, Doc." I gave her a smile.

I saw how Clyden's brow shot up out of amusement. He probably didn't see that
coming. Dapat ba ay nag-kunwari na lang akong hindi kami magkakilala? I didn't know
what to say! I couldn't lie in front of Dr. Lana.

"Really?! How?!" She looked so amused. "What a small world, huh?!"

"Hi Maui," he looked at me and gave me a small smile. I didn't know if it was
sarcastic or not.

I bit my lower lip and looked away, feeling so awkward now. Dr. Lana's lips parted
after hearing another version of my name. Pinabalik-balik niya ang tingin niya sa
aming dalawa, naguguluhan na.

"Hello Cy," I looked at him with the same intensity.

"How do you guys know each other?" Dr. Lana asked. "Common friends? Or maybe sa
social gatherings?"

"She was my fiancée," Cy answered casually without taking his eyes off me.

01 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Congratulations! I am so proud!"

I was holding a bouquet of roses for Via. Yanna was also holding one for Kierra,
and Sevi for Luna. On the other hand, he was holding a bottle of wine for Arkin,
his guy best friend. Today was their highschool graduation and I was just watching
there the whole time, smiling. I felt like a big sister watching my younger
siblings reach another milestone in their lives.
"Bakit ako walang flowers?" Reklamo ni Arkin. "Favoritism!"

"Choosy ka pa. Hindi ka naman yummy." Inabutan siya ni Sevi ng bottle of wine.

I laughed at them before giving Via a warm embrace. She reached for the bouquet on
my hands happily. Inamoy niya pa bago kinalabit si Arkin para ipakita 'yung
flowers. Yanna also gave Kierra a hug, inalog-alog niya pa at tumawa sila. Sevi
playfully pulled Luna's ponytail backwards, earning a punch on the face. He laughed
before giving her the flowers.

I was standing there, smiling. Nakikita ko lang ang ngiti nila, masaya na 'ko. My
heart felt so full already.

"Kumusta sa Areneyow, Sam?" Sevi teased while we were all eating lunch for their
graduation party. Nagkasundo sila na dinner na lang kasama ang families. Ang lunch,
time for friends. Time for us.

"I'm still adjusting. Ang hirap, super but all of them are so nice! I already made
so many friends noong ORSEM pa lang so I'm doing well, I guess." I shrugged and
giggled.

"FEU, kumusta?" Via asked Yanna.

"FEU pa rin." Yanna shrugged. "Okay lang. Kasundo ko naman 'yung mga ka-dorm ko so
GG lang. Nag-aaral naman ako nang mabuti."

"Ulol, nakikita kita sa bilyaran." Sevi pointed at her, glaring.

"O? Congrats pala, may mata ka," Yanna sarcastically answered.

"So tuloy na kayo sa UST? Kayong tatlo, right?" I asked Luna, Kierra, and Via.

"Archi lang malakas!" Luna happily answered with her fist up. "Excited na 'ko
maghanap ng pogi! Hoy, sana may pogi, 'no? Thomasian talaga mga type ko."

"Aray ko, puta!" Sevi suddenly glared at Arkin before reaching for his leg below
the table. I bit my lower lip to stifle a laugh.

"How about you, Arkin? Your plans?" I asked like a mother.

"Sus, UP 'yan," Kierra said while laughing.

"UP Diliman." Arkin smirked at me before sipping on his glass.

"Boo! Yabang mo!" Binato siya ni Via ng crumpled tissue.

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pag-kain ko habang nag-babangayan sila sa lamesa. I couldn't

help but smile, watching them fight each other. I had a hard time moving to Ateneo
and leaving them. Hindi ako sanay na wala sila pero kinakaya ko naman ngayon. I
made a lot of friends to fill up the empty space inside me. I just finished my
first year in college but I was still adjusting to the environment. It was really
hard.

"Uuwi ka na?" Yanna, my best friend, asked when I went outside.

Kami na lang ang natitira dahil sinundo na sila Luna. Yanna leaned on the glass
wall, holding a cigarette in between her fingers. I stared at it before shaking my
head and scratching my nose a bit.

"That's not healthy, babe," I told her.

"Sorry." Inupos niya kaagad ang dulo bago tinapon sa basurahan. Then, she gave me
an apologetic smile. Yanna had been going through a lot these days and I understood
why she had to look for other ways to cope.
"If you need someone to talk to, just give me a call." I tapped her shoulder before
leaving. "Love you!"

"Me also!" She yelled, teasing me before I got inside the car. I playfully rolled
my eyes and closed the door.

I went home to the mansion before dinner. Nakatira na 'ko mag-isa sa condo ko sa
Katipunan but my parents texted me that they wanted to talk about something so
pinasundo nila 'ko sa driver.

"Here we go again," I whispered to myself when the car stopped in front of the
house.

I thanked the driver before getting off the car. Lumapit kaagad ang helpers para
kuhanin ang bag ko at shoes ko, tsaka para tulungan akong tanggalin ang jacket na
suot ko. I just gave them a smile.

"No need. I can fix my stuff," I told them.

I stopped walking towards the dining room when two unfamiliar men in black walked
passed by me. Sinundan ko sila ng tingin hanggang sa makalabas sila sa main door. I
bit my lower lip and looked down on the floor, shaking my head. So they were still
doing that.. business.
"Mom, Dad," I greeted, not looking at them before I took my seat. The whole family
was already seated. Kumakain na sila kahit wala pa ako. Okay lang, though.

"You won't greet your sister?" Dad asked.

I took my seat beside my half-sister who was 3 years younger than me. Anak siya ni
Daddy sa labas. When her mom died, she started living with us. My mom, who was a
retired actress, didn't care, though. For my whole life, I had never seen my
parents show affection to each other. Maybe because they just married for
convenience.

"Hi Naomi." I gave her a sweet smile.

She just raised a brow at me before rolling her eyes. My smile faded and just
pursed my lips, looking down on my plate.

I really didn't get why she was treating me like a different person. I was always
nice to her. I actually moved to my condo so she could live peacefully in the
mansion. I didn't want her to become uncomfortable with my presence. Another reason
was maybe because I just.. really wanted to leave.

"You texted me that you want to talk about something. What is it, Dad?" I asked him
while eating.
"Remember when I told you that you're going to marry the son of my best friend? The
owner of Ramirez Medical?" He opened it up.

I bit my lower lip, refusing to look at him but I still nodded. That was the reason
why they allowed me to take Bachelor of Arts in Communication and not Political
Science. The condo unit was also part of our deal. I thought they would immediately
forget about it but I was wrong.

"He's graduating already from UP Manila. BS Biology. Cum laude, Maui," dad
continued talking.

"A-and?" I looked at him, expecting him to say more when he stopped.

"He's the real deal. Maybe it's already time for the both of you to meet. We're
attending his graduation party," dad talked with finality. "Just think of it as
your engagement day."

I didn't talk after that. I just finished my food and then went upstairs to my
bedroom. I sat on the bed, holding my phone, thinking if I should tell Yanna, but I
didn't want to add up to her problems. I sighed and called Sevi instead.

[Yo! What's up, Atenean?] He teased.

"I'm getting engaged," I told him.

[Ha?! Hatdog?! Ano nainom mo?!] He was panicking.

"I'm getting engaged," I repeated, biting my lower lip to stop my tears from
falling. "To a random stranger, Sev. I'm scared. Do not tell anyone about this."

[Wait, okay ka lang ba?] He sounded concerned now.

"I have no choice. I already agreed to this before I went to college. I just- I
just haven't realized that it's real, you know?" I sighed heavily. "I'm scared.
What if.."

[What if pangit siya, gago! Hala!]

Umurong ang luha ko at inis na napairap na lang sa pinagsasasabi niya. That wasn't
my concern! Well, pwede ring kasama siya sa concerns ko pero hindi 'yun ang
priority ko! I was just hoping that it would be a good guy.

[Isipin mo 'yun, pare? Ikakasal ka tapos ang pangit niya, mabaho hininga, masama
ugali, matalino nga at mayaman pero dugyot?] He started scaring me more!
"Now I'm starting to think about those things. Hindi naman kasama mga 'yan sa
concerns ko kanina." I massaged my head.

[Ganito na lang! Tignan mo muna kung bet mo 'yon tapos kung hindi, sabihin mo sa
magulang mo, i-tatanan kamo kita kaya bawal matuloy ang kasal! Hahaha! Itatakas
kita, pare! I got you! Gamitin mo na 'ko! Ganiyan naman kayo!]

"Wow, thank you for that heartwarming plan." I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, that still
made me laugh so thank you."

I have never hated June that much. Umaga pa lang, pumasok na ang helpers sa kwarto
ko para ilapag ang susuotin ko mamaya. I sighed heavily after taking a shower,
looking at the designer dress on my bed. May make-up artist pang hinire si Mommy.

"You need to look beautiful. You need to stand out in that crowd," Mom told me.
"Remember, Maui. Grace, solicitude, and charm. You have those. You should have no
fear."

I did not talk. I just stared at myself in the mirror. My short brown hair was
braided in a half ponytail, leaving some bangs in front. I was wearing a red sequin
bodycon dress ending inches above my knees. A thin strap was holding it and my
cleavage was exposed. I wore a white pair of heels and also a white fur shawl on my
shoulders before leaving the room.

"How about Naomi?" I asked Mom when I noticed that she was not around.
"She's not going, of course. Have you ever seen your dad introducing that child to
his friends?"

"But we just can't leave her-"

"We can," my mom cut me off. "Let's just go, Maureen."

I looked at the door of her bedroom with concern in my eyes before leaving the
house. I entered the white limousine with my mom, looking outside the window the
whole time. My heart was beating so fast. I actually tried to search for his face
last night but there was nothing on the internet. Ang nakalagay lang tatlo silang
magkakapatid. All boys. Maybe private silang mga tao.

"You're going to start wearing a ring today. You should be excited."

I looked at my mom with my lips parted. "We're not married yet. Why should I wear a
ring?" I tried so hard to tone down my voice.

"To show the visitors that you and the son of Ramirez Medical are engaged. They
should start talking about it. Para rin may mapakita ka sa mga lalaking lalapit sa
'yo. You are not allowed to fall in love with other guys. That will just complicate
things."
I am not allowed to fall in love? That was painful. I felt like my freedom was
easily taken away from me. I started plotting plans in my head while we were on our
way to the party. It was a formal one, I heard.

"Be elegant. You are Samantha Vera," my mom reminded me before we entered the large
mansion.

My dad was already there, waiting for us outside the door. He put his hand on my
mom's waist before we went inside. There were a lot of visitors, mostly grown-up
men and women in formal attire. I could sense some politicians, businessmen and
women, and doctors. A lot of them.

"Senator Stephen Vera, wow! You're late!" A man playfully tapped my dad on the
shoulder.

"Couldn't you wait for 10 minutes, Cristopher?" My dad let out a laugh. I guess
they were close. "Congratulations! Your son did so well!"

"He's the only son I could trust." Cristopher, the old man about the same age as my
dad, also laughed. "Oh, is this Samantha?"

"Yes." My dad put his hand around my shoulders to pull me beside him. I gave
Cristopher a sweet smile. "This is Cristopher Ramirez. My best friend. The owner of
Ramirez Medical. Cris, this is my daughter, Samantha Maureen Vera."
"Hello, Sir. I've heard a lot of good things about you." I shook his hand, smiling.

"Wow, I really hope so. Wait a minute, I'll just call my son. He was around here a
few seconds ago." He looked around the crowd before he lifted a hand. "Cy, get over
here!"

I tried so hard to remain smiling but my lips started to shake out of nervousness
when I realized that the man he was going to introduce will be my fiancé. Sinundan
ko ng tingin ang lalaking naglalakad palapit. He was wearing a white dress shirt
with a black neck tie and a pair of black slacks. He was holding a wine glass on
his other hand while the other was busy loosening up his tie.

"This is Clyden, my son," Cristopher proudly introduced.

My lips parted while I was staring at him, trying to look closely on his features.
He was taller than me. His hair was pushed back with wax but some strands were
falling on his forehead. Perfect jaw, nose, and lips. Thick brows and mysterious
eyes. He was conventionally attractive, which didn't sit right with my spirit.

"Senator," he greeted my dad, shaking his hand before his gaze turned to me. He
looked at me from head to toe with his brows furrowed, which offended me to the
core! "Samantha, right?"
"Yes. How shall I call you?" I was trying so hard to act kind. I didn't like the
way he surveyed me from head to toe with his judging look.

"I don't know. Babe?" He sarcastically answered. "Since we're getting married,
right? Would you excuse me, please."

My lips parted in shock when he suddenly left the conversation to greet some of his
friends who arrived. His dad did not even realize how sarcastic his son sounded! I
also excused myself to drink some wine. I wanted to calm myself so bad.

I talked to some people I know. Some were my schoolmates so familiar sila sa 'kin.
I was talking to Carlo and Pierce when Clyden suddenly stood beside me like a
statue. He didn't even do anything but Carlo and Pierce suddenly left with
apologetic smiles plastered on their faces. I glared at Clyden beside me.

"What is your problem?" I asked.

"Usap tayo," he said before walking away, gesturing for me to follow him.

I rolled my eyes before following him outside. He was just walking in front of me
with his hands inside his pocket until we reached the pool side. He stood beside
the pool with his back against me. I walked towards him, still holding my glass of
wine.
"Anak ng corrupt na politician."

Kumunot kaagad ang noo ko at tumingin sa kaniya, gulat. Why would he say that in
front of me?! Ganiyan ba siya ka-rude?!

"I've attended protests against your dad. Hindi tayo magkakasundo," seryosong sabi
niya.

"I am not my dad." I gritted my teeth. "And don't worry. Ayaw ko rin sa 'yo. You're
an asshole who is so full of himself. Why? Because you graduated as a cum laude in
UP?"

"Paano mo nasabing mayabang ako? Kilala mo ba 'ko?" Tinaasan niya 'ko ng kilay.

"Paano mo nasabing hindi tayo magkakasundo? Kilala mo ba 'ko?" I fired back.

"Bakit? Kailangan ba kitang kilalanin?"

"Same with you, asshole."

We stared at each other's eyes with the same intensity, like we were trying to see
who would give up first. I was always nice to other people but there was something
with him that I just can't ignore! He was getting on my nerves by just standing
there.

"We can't marry each other," I finally said.

"Talaga." He sarcastically laughed. "Ano ba kasi munang naisip mo at pumayag ka

rito, ha?"

"I made a deal. My college program, condo unit, car, marami," I answered. "Why are
you blaming me? Pumayag ka rin!"

"I can't disappoint." He shrugged. "I am the best son among the three."

"Lame," I whispered, rolling my eyes.

"Lame? Coming from someone who asked for a car and a condo unit in exchange of her
freedom to marry." He shook his head, smirking.

"You don't know my struggles." I glared at him.

"And you know mine?" He raised a brow.

I looked away from him and just stared at our reflection at the pool. He was
looking away from me, obviously thinking about the whole engagement thing. I was
never this judgmental. I never treated people like how I treated him so I felt so
guilty about it. Maybe I was trying to project my frustrations to him?

I looked at him to apologize. "Hey-"

"Let's just act like we're on good terms," he cut me off. "Let's pretend that we
will develop real feelings, fall in love, get attached, so we could fool them that
we have a deep connection until someone makes a mistake. Appeal to their emotions.
Let's say you cheated on me?"

"Me?!" Reklamo ko kaagad. "I could never cheat!"

"Ako rin, 'no." Inismiran niya 'ko. "Ah, basta. Iisip na lang ako ng paraan. You
know, the more we resist, the more they will push that engagement bullshit because
that's what they are. Let's act like we really like each other for now. Would that
hurt?"

"Okay, then. This may be the last time we will see each other. Besides, we don't
have a reason to do so. I just want to remind you that no one should know about
this except of course the people in this party. I hope this won't spread."
"Tara na sa loob." Tinalikuran niya 'ko, mukhang walang pakialam sa sinasabi ko!

I drank the remaining wine on my glass and fixed shawl before following him. He
suddenly stopped walking in front of the sliding door so I almost bumped on his
back.

"What?" My brows furrowed.

He suddenly offered his hand. I stared at it with so much confusion until he got
impatient and intertwined our hands together. He pulled me with him inside the
house again.

"Oh." My mom looked so shocked when she saw our hands. "Where did you guys go?"

"We had a talk, Mom." I gave her a fake smile.

"I see! Wait, where's your ring?"

I looked at Clyden, lowkey asking him about the ring. He looked at me with his
brows furrowed, looking confused too until his dad tapped his shoulder. He looked
away from me to smile at his dad.

"Oh! Mukhang nagkakamabutihan kayo, ah!" His dad laughed. "I almost forgot, Cy!
Check the box I put on your side table. Go check it with Samantha."

"Yeah, sure."

Clyden pulled me again upstairs. When we reached the last step of the stairs, he
let go of my hand and wiped the sweat on his dress shirt, glaring at me.

"Excuse me, it's your hand sweating! Not mine!" I defended myself.

"O, talaga? First time mo nga ata may maka-holding hands kaya paano mo malalaman?"
He asked while walking towards his room.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo."

He opened the door, leaving it open so I could enter inside. I carefully stepped
inside and watched him sit on the side of his bed, holding the small box from his
side table. As soon as he opened it, he looked so annoyed.
"What is it?" I asked.

"Singsing." He messed up his hair in frustration, closing his eyes.

"This is so unfair! Why should I be the only one wearing a ring?!" Sumandal ako sa
pader, standing meters away from him.

"Dalawa 'to." He showed the box to me. "Corny."

"Ugh! Let's just wear it and remove it after!"

I walked towards him and got the box out of his hand to look at the silver rings. I
could easily tell which was his, the one with the thicker band and a square of
diamond attached on it. Unlike mine, nakalubog 'yung diamond sa singsing niya.

"Akin na." He calmly got the box out of my hand again to get the ring. He looked at
me like he was waiting for me to do something.

"What?" I asked him, confused.

"Kamay mo, akin na."

I bit my lower lip and looked around, feeling a little awkward. I still offered him
my hand. He held it softly before putting the ring on my finger. I stared at him
while he was doing that. He was pursing his lips and looking so serious like it was
a real engagement.

"Huwag kang kiligin. I-suot mo na 'yung sa 'kin." He ruined my moment.

"What? Can't you wear it yourself?" Inis na sabi ko.

"Mukha naman akong tanga n'on. Susuotan ko ng singsing sarili ko? Ano ako, alone?"
He rolled his eyes.

Inis kong kinuha ang singsing sa box at kinuha ang kamay niya para i-suot doon. He
was looking away while I was sliding the ring on his finger. His hands felt soft on
mine. Binitawan ko kaagad 'yon nang masuot sa kaniya.

"There. We're done. Susuotin lang natin 'to kapag kaharap ang parents, okay?" I
cleared that out.
"Bakit? May crush kang iba?" He stood up, putting his hands inside his pocket.

"Marami," I proudly said. "And it's none of your business anymore."

Nauna na 'kong bumaba ulit sa dining at sumunod naman siya sa 'kin. Our parents
looked so happy when they saw us wearing the rings. It felt so weird for me. I
can't wait to take it off!

"Hey, you're still awake," sabi ko nang makita si Naomi sa sofa pagkauwi. Nauna na
'ko kila Mommy. They were still talking to some politicians.

"How's the party?" She raised a brow.

"It's.. It's a party." I shrugged. "Have you eaten already? I'm sorry we had to
leave you here-"

"I don't need your sorry." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

I pursed my lips and nodded before taking my shoes off. Kinuha ko 'yon sa sahig
bago naglakad paakyat ng kwarto.
"Ate, did Naomi eat?" I asked a helper.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Oh, that's good. Thank you."

I went inside my room to take a shower. While my facemask was on, I sat on the
couch and called Sevi to tell him about what happened today. Ang sabi niya tawagan
ko siya pagkauwi ko.

[Ano? Pangit ba?] Sevi asked, laughing.

"Uhm, no," I told him the truth.

[Weh?! Mabaho hininga?]

"No rin." I massaged my head, remembering how he smelled so good. "He's also not
dugyot. I went to his room and it was clean."
[Kwarto kaagad?! Lakas mo naman, Sam!]

"No!" I denied so fast. "I just ended up there to get my ring! Anyway, ayaw niya
rin ikasal sa 'kin so we're just coming up with a plan. I don't know when we'll
meet again. For now, I'll just focus on my studies."

[Mabait ba?]

"No!" I answered so fast. "No, he's not! He's an asshole."

[Ah, mukhang butas sa pwet?]

I rolled my eyes because of what he said. I talked to him for a few more minutes
before I ended the call to take off my mask. After that, I went to sleep. The next
day, I woke up so early to go for a morning jog. I was wearing a pair of black
leggings, black sports bra, and a blue jacket. I tied my hair in a ponytail before
running around the village.

Tumigil ako nang makita ko rin si Naomi na nagjo-jogging. I never knew she liked
exercising. Nang mapadaan siya sa harapan ko ay hindi niya 'ko pinansin. She even
bumped on my shoulder.
"It's okay!" I yelled to assure her that it was fine, though she did not even look
back and apologize. Maybe she didn't mean to do that.

I ran for another lap until I saw my sister again. She was about to cross on the
road with her earphones in when I noticed a car approaching. I ran so fast and
pushed her back, causing us to fall on the side of the road.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" She yelled at me.

Napangiwi ako nang umupo at nakitang butas na ang leggings ko. My knee was bleeding
from the scrape. Naomi glanced at me for a second before leaving. I sighed heavily,
wiping my sweat.

Tumayo ako at naglakad pauwi. I stopped in front of the house when I noticed a man
holding a cute dog on the leash. Nakaupo siya sa gutter at mukhang may hinihintay.
Nag-iba ang itsura ko nang lingunin niya 'ko.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked Clyden.

He stood up and pulled the dog with him. "Summer, sit," he commanded before letting
go of the leash. The Golden retriever sat there, watching him like a good girl.
"What?" I asked when I noticed him looking at my knee. "What are you doing here in
front of my house? Akala ko hindi na tayo magkikita?"

"Yeah, you left this and my parents told me to give it back to you in person."
Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at nilagay ang bracelet ko roon.

"Oh, I took it off when I went to the bathroom. How did you know it was mine?" My
brows furrowed.

"Kasi Vera ang naka-engrave? Assuming."

Right! Binaliktad ko ang bracelet at nakita ang apelyido ko roon. He was right. I
almost forgot about it.

"I think you should be leaving now," I told him when he still didn't move. Akala ko
ibabalik niya lang? Dapat umalis na siya, right?

"Gamutin ko muna 'yung tuhod mo," he said before going inside the gate. "Summer,
let's go."

Sumimangot ako at sumunod sa kaniya papasok. He greeted my mom on the garden before
he went inside, asking the helper for the first-aid kit. Inis akong umupo sa couch,
nagtataka kung bakit ba nangingialam pa siya! Hindi pa naman siya doctor!
"I am not your patient," I told him after changing inside the bathroom. Nagpalit
ako ng shorts at umupo sa sofa.

"Yeah, because you are my fiancée," he answered back before kneeling in front of
me.

I pursed my lips and looked away while he was wiping the clean cloth on my knee. He
was quiet and serious. It felt so awkward. He finished up and stood up, fixing the
kit again. I bit the insides of my cheek, watching his every move.

"Let's not see each other anymore unless may date na for our wedding," I told him.

"Unless may date tayo." He chuckled.

"Be serious!"

"Yeah, fine." He nodded and rolled his eyes, mukhang walang pakialam. "I'll see you
soon. And by the way, Samantha.."
"What?"

He looked at my hand and shook his head. "You can date other people. I won't mind."

"Yes, of course. I don't need your permission." Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "But if
this will help you sleep at night, you can also date other-"

"I don't date," he cut me off. "I don't have time for that."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

02 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Akala ko may meeting ka sa org n'yo?"

I gave Yanna a small smile when she took her seat in front of me. I asked her to
eat lunch together in Katipunan, my treat of course. We were at Regis. Medyo
natagalan siya since nag-LRT pa siguro siya. Ang layo pa naman ng Morayta rito.

"They postponed it." I shrugged. "Are you okay? You look.. How should I say this?"
She raised a brow before laughing, holding her right cheek with a light bruise on
it. She looked unbothered but I felt so worried. Where did that come from?

"May nakaaway lang ako," she answered, smiling. "Hindi naman big deal. Hayaan mo
na."

"Are you getting bullied?" My brows furrowed, hoping that the answer would be no.

She looked at me for a second before she pursed her lips and shrugged. Hindi niya
man lang tinanggi. I bit my lower lip and offered my hand above the table for her
to hold it. Napatingin siya sa paligid bago binalik ang tingin sa 'kin.

"Mukha tayong mag-jowa." She laughed before holding my hand.

"Why? Why were you on a fight? Sinong umaway sa 'yo?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ko sa
kaniya.

"Some guy." Sumimangot siya, mukhang naiinis kapag naaalala. "I said no and it
happened. Hayaan mo na. Mapilit lang 'yung gagong 'yon. Akala ata lahat pinapatulan
ko. Namimili rin ako 'no! Choosy ako! Ang baho at pangit niya kaya."

"'Yun lang?" Nakakunot pa rin ang noo ko.

"Tsaka may dalawa akong blockmates na nakaaway ko rin. Malandi raw ako." Nagkibit-
balikat siya, mukhang walang pakialam. "E, totoo naman! Hinayaan ko na lang!"

"You should not allow those people to treat you like that. Being sexually
expressive and active does not make you any less of a woman," I reminded her. "List
down their names. Let's report them to-"

"Hayaan mo na," she cut me off. "Ayoko na ng gulo. Magsasawa rin mga 'yan."

"Hi, Sam!" Someone I know from my other org waved her hand. Ngumiti ako at tumayo
para bigyan siya ng yakap. "What's up? I heard about your engagement with Clyden.
Don't ask me why I know. Gosh, my boyfriend was at his party a few months ago."

"Oh, uhm-" I looked away, feeling a little awkward. "Yeah, I guess."

"You would make a great couple! Though I heard that guy is difficult to deal with.
Anyway, I need to go to class pa. I'll see you around!" She waved her hand again
before leaving.

"Engagement?" Yanna raised a brow when I went back to my seat. She scoffed, feeling
a little betrayed. "Anong engagement?"
"It's nothing," I lied. "I'll get our food na."

"Ako na kukuha." Padabog niyang kinuha ang number at naglakad paalis, galit sa
'kin.

I inhaled a large amount of air before exhaling slowly, calming myself. I fixed my
hair and leaned back on my seat while waiting for her. Marami akong kakilala kaya
hindi mawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko para kumaway. It was tiring. Maybe I shouldn't
have joined 7 organizations, huh?

"Oh." Nilapag ni Yanna ang plato sa harapan ko bago umupo sa tapat ko. I gave her
an apologetic smile but she just rolled her eyes. "Kumain ka na nga muna."

"Hey, I didn't tell you because I didn't want to add up to your problems. See? You
have another problem with your dumb bullies so I-"

"Lahat sinasabi ko sa 'yo, ah," she fired back, not looking at me.

"Okay, I'm sorry." I bit my lower lip. "I already told you years ago about my
engagement to a random guy. Well, a few months ago, I met him at his graduation
party. He graduated from UP Manila. Now he's studying in UP Med. We don't talk much
and last na kita namin 'yung nag-punta siya sa bahay para ibalik bracelet ko.
That's it."
"Pogi?" Unang tanong niya.

"Well, pwede na." I didn't know how to answer that one.

"May picture ka? Patingin!" She sounded excited now.

"No! I don't even know his socials. Kahit number niya, hindi ko alam. The only
thing I have from him is this thing." I showed her my necklace. Nakasabit doon ang
singsing. I didn't want to wear it but I didn't want to lose it either.

"Uy, mukhang mahal 'yan, ah! Diamond 'yan, ah!" She looked closely. "Sangla natin,
mars."

"Wait, I think I have a picture from the party." Naalala ko na lang bigla.

Nilabas ko ang phone ko at nag-scroll sa messages namin ni Mommy. She sent me some
exclusive photos from the party, 'yung may mukha ko lang. Of course may
photographer sila sa party na 'yon. I scrolled and scrolled until I saw a picture
of Clyden and I talking to our dads. I was smiling but Clyden was just pursing his
lips, nodding to his dad.
"Here." I showed Yanna the picture. "He's.. Well, attractive a bit."

"A bit?!" Kinuha ni Yanna ang phone ko. "Hala, gaga ka, ang gwapo! Ako na lang
aattend ng kasal kung ayaw mo! Pwede akong mag-panggap na ikaw! Hala, gago,
jackpot!"

"Jackpot, huh? Well, sorry to say, he has a bad personality." I rolled my eyes.

"Ay, wala talagang perpektong ginawa ang Diyos, 'no?" She laughed before giving me
back my phone. "Pag-dasal mo na lang na magaling siya sa kama kahit papaano para
naman hindi sayang ang honeymo-"

"No way! I'm not marrying that guy!" I looked disgusted. "We have a plan, don't
worry. That wedding will be cancelled."

"Sayang naman. Mukha pa naman siyang mas mature sa 'yo. Baka pwede mo siyang
matawag na daddy." She laughed to tease me.

"Yanna, I'm trying to eat." I pointed at my food, disgusted now.

"Ugh, yes, daddy," she fake moaned before laughing at my reaction.

"He's not even that hot," I whispered, looking at the picture. "I bet you 1000
pesos, he has no experience. He told me that he doesn't date."

"Pusta ko walang experience pero nanonood ng porn kaya marunong-"

"Okay, that's it. This conversation's over. Kumain muna tayo," I cut her off.

My second year in Ateneo wasn't that bad, actually. More workload lang but I could
manage it. Like what Clyden and I agreed on, I was allowed to date other people so
I did. I even downloaded dating applications for it. There was this thought inside
me that it might be the last time I could even date other people.

"Oh my gosh, who's that?" I asked Rylee, my blockmate.

"Who?" She stopped walking to see who I was looking at. Galing kaming Starbucks so
we passed by the football field. "I can't see. Who ulit, Sam?"

"That guy. The one wiping his sweat." I pointed at the tall and fit guy, wiping his
sweat using the hem of his shirt, revealing his abdomen. He looked so tired and
sweaty.
"Oh, that's Adonis from SOM. I know him because he used to flirt with my sister."
Rylee laughed. "But we're gucci. He's nice naman."

"Really? Okay, crush ko na siya. A little bit lang." I shrugged before we continued
walking.

In my 3rd year, we met again but he rejected me. Can you believe that? He just
rejected me in front of so many people. I mean, he was not obliged to return my
feelings but he could have rejected me in private, not in front of so many people
while I was drunk. No hard feelings though. Nagkasundo rin kami after that.

"We're goods naman, right?" I asked him when I saw him in Gonz. Nakapila kami for
shake.

"Uy, Sam!" He gave me a smile. "Oo, goods tayo, bro. Don't worry."

"I'm going to New lib," Kalix told him before leaving. "Hey, Sam."

"What's up, Kalix," I greeted him back.

He just gave me a small smile before leaving with his things. Kinuha na ni Adonis
ang protein shake niya bago nagpaalam sa 'kin at umupo sa table nila. He was with
Leo and Amethyst pero tumayo na rin sila kaagad. Maybe they will follow Kalix to
the library.

For the next months, I became busy with my studies. Nabawasan na ang mga dine-date
ko pero hindi nabawasan ang pag-party ko. It was my only way I could feel free. I
liked school days more than vacation days since I got to stay in my condo alone.

"Can I see your grades, Samantha?" Dad asked while we were eating dinner.

I brought my phone out and silently slid it over the table until it reached him. He
looked at my grades with his brows furrowed. I knew I did well. My grades were no
less than B.

"Why are they so low? Comm ka na nga." Padabog na binalik ni Daddy ang phone ko.

"A is the highest, Dad," I tried to explain. "These are considered high already.
I'm included in the Dean's list."

"Why do you have a B? That's not very high. You should aim for straight As. You're
taking Comm for heaven's sake. Don't act like it's so hard," he continued.
"Everyone can become a Dean's lister."

Comm is still hard. All programs are hard. I wanted to tell him that but all I
could say was an apology for not doing better.
"I'm sorry, Dad," I whispered, looking down on my plate. "I'll.. do better next
time."

"Honey, you're Samantha Vera. You should not just do 'better'. You should be the
best," mom joined the conversation.

I looked at Naomi and caught her staring at me. I gave her a sweet smile but she
looked away. I just kept that smile to myself.

I stopped eating when I saw two armed men in the living room. Tumayo kaagad si
Daddy at winelcome sila. They started talking about business. I bit my lower lip
and tried to continue eating but I felt sick by just looking around me.

"I lost my appetite. I'm sorry," I said before wiping my mouth with the table
napkin.

I went to my room and laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a long time.
I opened my phone and saw some news about my dad and his friends. Viral ang video
ni Daddy ngayon na sinisigawan 'yung mga nagpo-protest against him. I massaged my
head and sighed heavily.

That night, I received bad news about Kierra. I got my things and drove as fast as
I can. I have never felt so mad on someone before. I remained calm on the outside,
watching my friends cry on the floor.
"She'll be okay," I whispered to Luna. "Kierra is a strong girl. She will be okay."

That was just a wishful thinking of mine. I could never forgive anyone who had the
audacity to lay hands on my friend. What was going on inside her boyfriend's head?
I wished I could know. I really wished I could.

All I could feel was pain. Everyone around me was feeling pain so I had to be
strong for them. Weeks later, Luna broke up with her boyfriend and Yanna.. Yanna
got pregnant. I was so lost. I didn't know what to do anymore.

"Sam, ang sakit sakit.." Yanna started crying on my shoulder.

"I will be with you, Yanna. We will get through this, okay? We will," I assured her
repeatedly. "I will provide for everything. I can provide for everything."

"Uuwi na 'kong Nueva Ecija." She cried more. "Huwag mong sasabihin kila Luna, ha?
Huwag mong sasabihin kahit kanino, kahit kay Hiro, kahit kanino.. Gusto ko nang
makaalis dito."

"Of course. I promise."

I had to be strong. I had to be strong for my friends. I was the only one who could
provide help, the only one who could give them strength. I started keeping all my
problems to myself, afraid that I would bother anyone. Sevi was the only friend I
could talk to. He was not suffering from anything aside from getting brokenhearted
by Luna.

[Umiiyak ka ba?] He asked, concerned.

"No," I denied but my voice broke. "No, I'm not.. I'm not crying.."

[Sige, Sam. Hindi ka umiiyak, Sam. Oo na lang, Sam.] He sounded sarcastic. [Bakit?
Anong problema? Sinong umaway sa 'yo? Bugbugin ko! Pagtulungan namin ni Arkin kaso
busy 'yon kaya ako na lang muna!]

I wanted to say something about Yanna but I promised not to tell anyone that she
was planning to drop out and go home to Nueva Ecija. Good thing Sevi did not ask
anymore. He just listened to me while I cried.

[Okay ka na?] He asked after the long silence.

"Everything is going to be okay, right?" I asked with a hopeful voice. "I need to
hear it from someone."
[Oo, Sam. Magiging okay din ang lahat. Kung ano man ang pinagdadaanan mo ngayon,
hindi ko sasabihing okay lang 'yan dahil hindi okay sa ngayon. Pwede kang maging
mahina, pare. Hindi sa lahat ng oras kailangan matatag ka pero dapat babangon ka
rin, ha? Lalaban ulit! Ganoon lang! Bale, sa basketball, rebound kapag hindi na-
shoot sa first try!]

"May pa-comparison ka pa," I laughed.

[Luh, pinag-isipan ko pa 'yon, 'no.] Reklamo niya.

"Yeah, right."

I had no time to feel down. I started searching for some healthy tips for pregnant
women so I could help my best friend. I wanted to remind her every single day lalo
na't makakalimutin si Yanna. I was actually kind of excited for the baby. I would
treat that child with so much love and care.

"Sam, we're already planning the date for your marriage."

I was staring at the plate for so long. Sa sobrang tagal kong nakatulala, hindi ko
na narinig ang sinabi ni Daddy. He had to call my nickname twice to get my
attention.
"Maui!" He shouted. "Are you even listening?!"

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was just thinking about.. a lot of things." I gave him a small
smile. "Come again?"

"We have a date for your marriage. Right after Clyden's graduation. He's already in
his 3rd year this August. I think the both of you need to start seeing each other
more often now. Let's say, you could start living together?"

"What?" I blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Did I hear that right?

Live together? What? Where?! Sinong mag-aadjust sa amin? Our schools were both so
far away from each other.

"Dad, I think we don't need to-"

"We'll talk about that tomorrow. The Ramirez family is going to have dinner with us
tomorrow. Be prepared for it," Dad cut me off.

That was another stressful night for me. I went up to my room and noticed that the
drawer of my vanity table was opened. My brows furrowed as I checked my makeup
collection. Two palettes were missing.
"Uhm, Naomi." I knocked on her door.

She opened the door and glared at me, obviously annoyed by my presence. I gave her
a sweet smile before talking.

"I don't mean this in any way but by any chance, did you borrow my palette?" I
carefully asked.

"Are you accusing me that I stole your makeup?!" She lashed out on me.

"Oh, no, no, I was just asking!" I waved my hands in front of me to deny. "I mean,
it's totally fine! I was just wondering."

Napansin ko rin kasi na for the past few months, unti-unting nauubos 'yung makeup
ko sa drawer so I always buy another one. I saw her holding my lipstick and
eyeliner last month so I just assumed that she liked borrowing my makeup.

"I did not steal your makeup! Now, go away!" She yelled at me.
"If you.. If you want more makeup, you can ask me for some. I can send you the
brands I like and-"

"I can ask dad to buy me makeup, okay?!"

I bit my lower lip and slowly nodded. That was a lie. She couldn't tell dad
anything. She couldn't tell him her needs and the things she wanted to buy so I
understand why she had to borrow my makeup.

"If you need anything, just knock on my door." I gave her a smile before going back
to my room.

My drawer had a lock on it but I decided to just leave it open. I transferred some
of my new makeup inside so she could choose among them. After that, I did my night
care routine before I went to bed.

The next morning, I woke up feeling stressed. I just realized that I will get to
see that asshole again! Mom was so quick to buy me a new dress for tonight's
dinner. Good thing she didn't hire a makeup artist again. That would be too much.

I waited all day for dinner, not because I wanted to see him but because I wanted
it to be over. I wanted to finally get through it.
"Samantha, be nice, okay?" My mom entered my room.

I was wearing a brown satin dress and black heels. I let my short hair down, ending
just above my shoulders. I looked at the ring on my finger and sighed. I felt
suffocated just by looking at it.

"You can't disappoint Clyden's family. This is your first time meeting his
brothers. You know what to do," she said before closing the door.

I checked my face in the mirror again before I went down the stairs. Naomi was
inside her room again. Hindi na naman siya pinayagan lumabas ni Daddy since may
friend siyang dadalaw. I felt so bad for her but I couldn't do anything.

"Samantha! Wow, you got even taller!" Cristopher greeted me when I entered the
dining room. "What a fine lady. Greet her, boys."

"Charles," the man offered his hand. I could tell that he was older than Clyden.
The man had his mom's features. The younger one had his dad's. Clyden was the mix
of both.

"Samantha Vera," I introduced myself.

"Colin," the younger brother also offered me his hand. Clyden was just sitting
there, looking uninterested. He looked so calm and composed.
"Clyden, greet her," his dad told him.

The last time I saw him was last year, huh? He got taller, more fit, and more
tired. Nothing really changed in his features but I could tell how tired he was by
his eyes. He was wearing a simple black dress shirt and a pair of gray slacks. He
was also wearing specs. Hindi ko alam kung may grado o wala.

He stood up and fixed his sleeves a bit before looking at me. "Hi. Long time no
see."

"Hello." I gave him a fake smile. "I missed you."

The side of his lips rose, realizing that I was going along with his plan. Act like
we were getting along with each other.

"I missed you more, love." He put his tongue on the insides of his cheek before
smirking.

"Oh, wow, okay. Take your seats." My mom looked so shocked.

He pulled my chair backwards like a gentleman. Alam ko namang for show lang 'yun
pero ngumiti pa rin ako sa kaniya bago umupo. Pretending was so tiring. Wala pa nga
ang pagkain nawawalan na 'ko ng gana.

"How's med school, Clyden? 3rd year ka na, right?" My dad asked.

"Doing great, Senator." He gave my father a smile.

Fake. I could tell how fake that smile was. Unang kita pa lang namin, sinabi niya
na sa 'kin kung gaano niya ka-ayaw kay Daddy. I couldn't blame him, though. I
understood where he was coming from but the way he said it was rude.

He got principles and I could never blame him for sticking to it.

"He's doing so great in med school unlike these two men." Clyden's dad looked at
Charles and Colin. The two men looked down on their plates. "Charles did not even
graduate with Latin honors. Colin did not even pass med school. I had to pull some
strings."

Clyden's grip on his utensils got tighter, showing his veins. I glanced at his
brothers and saw them glaring at him. Clyden remained calm but I could tell that he
was bothered by the conversation.
"Clyden's my only hope." Cristopher laughed.

"I know what you're feeling, Cris. I feel the same way with Maureen." My dad
laughed.

We continued eating quietly. Clyden did not even talk much. Nagsasalita lang siya
kapag tinatanong siya o kaya sinasama siya sa conversation. His brothers were
silent. Wala 'yung mom nila but I saw her last time sa graduation party.

"Where's your mom?" I asked Clyden.

"Hospital," he whispered back.

"What? What happened to her?" I asked worriedly.

Kumunot ang noo niya at tumingin sa 'kin. "She's a doctor."

Oh! Right! Doctors silang lahat sa family! Medyo napahiya ako roon. Mabuti na lang
at sinerve na ang dessert kaya naalis ang atensyon niya sa sinabi ko.
"After Clyden's graduation, we could already push through the wedding. Is that
alright?" Cristopher opened up the topic.

I looked at Clyden, trying to communicate using my eyes. He looked back at me with

wide eyes and raised his brows, telling me that he had no choice but to agree.

"That's alright," he answered. I almost kicked his chair under the table.

"How about living together? The both of you should already prepare for that.
Ayokong sa unang araw pagkatapos ng kasal, may nagrereklamo na sa asal ng isa sa
bahay." Cristopher laughed.

"Tito, I just have a concern about that. I have a condo near my school so nasanay
na 'kong nilalakad ko lang. I can't move away from Ateneo," I said in a nice way.

"I also can't adjust. I'm very busy. Kung magda-drive ako araw-araw, sayang sa
oras. Traffic pa," seryosong sabi ni Clyden.

"Oh come on. Ayaw n'yo bang kasama ang isa't isa?" My mom joined the conversation.

Clyden and I looked at each other, waiting for one of us to answer. I raised my
brow, telling him to talk, but he didn't.
"Can I just talk to Clyden for a minute, Dad?" Paalam ko.

"Sure, hija."

Tumayo ako at nilapag ang table napkin sa gilid ng plato ko bago ako naglakad
palabas ng dining room. I heard Clyden's footsteps behind me, a sign that he was
following me. I stopped below the stairs so no one could see us or even hear us.

"Live together?! Just kill me, honestly," reklamo ko sa kaniya.

"Tingin mo gusto rin kitang kasama? Hindi ko kailangan ng presensya mo habang nag-
aaral ako," he fired back.

"Then say no. Can't you say no to your dad?" I started whispering.

"Can you?" He raised a brow.

Natahimik ako roon. I couldn't say no to my dad. Like him, the pressure was on me
and I already agreed to this a few years back. They will use my words against me.

"See? You can't even say no to your corrupt dad." He brought that back.

"I won't force myself to drive every day to school. Do you get that? If one of us
can't say no, then we would have to deal with it. You will adjust to me. I can't
live near your school. That's so far away from mine," I argued.

"Ako ang mag-aadjust sa 'yo?" He scoffed. "Ano ka, hilo? Mas kailangan ko ng
maraming oras sa pag-aaral."

"Wow, you really think you're something just because you graduated as a cum laude
in UP and is now studying med, huh? You think you're so high and almighty?" I
raised a brow.

"And you probably think that you're such a princess, huh? 'You will adjust to me'?
Kung iniispoil ka rito, ibahin mo 'ko. Hindi mo 'ko makukuha sa kakaganiyan mo,"
iritang sabi niya.

"Wow, can you even hear yourself sometimes? Do you know how rude you are?" My brows
furrowed.

"Oo, alam ko. Bakit?" He glanced at me.

Inis ko siyang tinalikuran at naglakad na pabalik sa dining. Hahatakin niya sana
ulit ang upuan ko pero inunahan ko na siya. He shrugged before taking his seat
beside me.

"We are planning to just buy a house in between Ateneo and UPM para fair sa inyong
dalawa. Maybe just go home during weekends? We know how busy you guys are with your
studies." Cristopher smiled.

"Lovely!" I gave them a fake smile.

Cy glanced at me before shaking his head and sipping on his glass. The dinner went
terrible for me. I had to excuse myself after eating.

"Hey."

"Oh my gosh!" I held my chest in shock when I saw Charles outside the restroom. I
was already planning to go upstairs but he suddenly appeared in front of me. "Hi!
I'm sorry for yelling!"

"It's fine." He chuckled. "So you're from Ateneo, right?"

"Yes." I smiled at him. "How about you?"

"I'm currently taking my internship but I studied in UST," he answered. "So.. I

see, you're very close with my brother, huh?"

What even made him think like that? I felt disgusted but I had to pretend so I
remained smiling.

"Of course. We're marrying each other. We need to get along."

"Well, if only I did great during college, ako sana ang ikakasal sa 'yo." He
laughed.

I suddenly felt awkward. What was the point of saying that?

"There you are." My eyes widened when I felt a hand on my waist.

"Just talking with your fiancée, Cy," Charles said without any emotion in his face.
I could feel the tension between them.
"I'm not saying anything, Charles," seryosong sabi ni Clyden.

"Sure. Excuse me." His older brother suddenly left.

Tinanggal kaagad ni Clyden ang hawak niya sa bewang ko at binulsa na lang ang kamay
sa pants. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him.

"No one will go home in that house," I told him.

"Sure," walang pakialam na sabi niya.

"Marami pang process 'yung pag-bili ng house so matagal pa naman, right? What if
they hire helpers for us? For sure they will! Okay, let's schedule who will go home
first. I don't want to-"

"Ang dami mo namang iniisip." Napakamot siya sa ulo niya. "Ang dami mong sinasabi,
wala pa nga."

"It's better to plan now than panic late-"

"Anong number mo?"

I suddenly stopped talking. Matagal niya 'kong tinitigan, hinihintay ang sagot ko.
He caught me off-guard with that.

"Bakit hindi ka makasagot? Number mo, hindi mo alam?" Tinaasan niya 'ko ng kilay.

"Why are you asking for my number?" I sounded protective.

"Akala ko mag-paplano tayo? Anong gusto mo? Kailangan pa natin magkita para mag-
plano?" His brows furrowed.

"I think that's better," I answered.

He laughed sarcastically. "You think I have all the time in the world? I don't even
have time to sleep."

Inis kong nilabas ang cellphone ko at pinakita sa kaniya ang number. He was looking
at it when I suddenly took my phone away. That was it. Limited edition.
"Hindi ko pa nasasaulo," reklamo niya.

"That's it. Why? You think I have all the time in the world?" I mocked him.

"Ah, ano 'to, comp shop? Kailangan mag-bayad para mag-extend?" He sarcastically
answered back. "Ayos mo, Samantha."

I made a face before leaving him there. Aakyat na sana ako pero tinawag ako ni
Mommy para magpaalam kila Tito Cristopher. Finally, uuwi na sila. I faked a smile
and waved my hand before going upstairs.

I spent almost 45 minutes in the bathtub, thinking about living with that asshole
in one roof. No way. I would rather die.

I brushed my teeth and did my skincare before laying down on my bed, scrolling
through my social media accounts. Ni-like ko lahat ng pictures ng mga finofollow
kong friends. Ang dami nila, though.

Sumingkit ang mga mata ko nang tumunog ang phone ko. I received a text from an
unknown number.
From: Unknown Number

mam lazada po i2 nag order p ba kau

Kumunot kaagad ang noo ko.

To: Unknown Number

I'm sorry, what? What did I order?

From: Unknown Number

Asawa.

Inis kong kinurot ang unan ko nang ma-realize kung sino ang nag-tetext. I almost
blocked the number.

To: Clyden

How the hell did you get my number I showed it to you for like 5 seconds

From: Clyden
Memorized it.

Hindi ko alam kung maiinis ako or maaamaze sa kaniya. I chose both.

To: Clyden

That fast?

From: Clyden

Yeah. You know what's faster?

To: Clyden

What?

My phone almost fell from my hands when he texted me back.

From: Clyden

Will you marry me, Samantha?

________________________________________________________________________________
:)

03 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Kinilig ka roon, 'no?"

I gave Clyden the fakest smile ever before sipping on my mango shake. I asked him
to meet me in Robinsons Manila so we could talk about the stupid house. I heard my
parents talking about it last night. Mayroon na rin silang kausap na agent. I never
thought it would be that fast.

"Why would I be? Anong nakakakilig sa will you marry me when it comes from an
asshole like you?" I raised a brow.

"Buti naman. Wala namang nakakakilig doon." He shrugged before sipping on his
watermelon shake.

Nakaupo kami ngayon sa table at magkatapat. I chose this place because it was the
nearest to his unit. I mean, vacation naman niya ata pero roon pa rin siya nakatira
sa unit niya so I had to adjust.. for now. Hindi ko vacation since I was taking my
practicum this summer in a media company. The one Arkin was working for. Hindi ko
lang alam kung si Clyden may summer din.

"Last year ko na sa Ateneo this August papahirapan pa 'ko mag-travel from that
house to my school?" Inis na sabi ko sa kaniya.
"O, bakit sa 'kin ka nagagalit?" Inis na tanong niya rin sa 'kin. "Ako ba bibili ng
bahay? Gusto ko bang kasama ka? Hindi, kaya sa iba mo ilabas galit mo. I suggest,
sa dad mo na lang."

"Can you be serious for a second?"

He scoffed before leaning on the table to get closer to me. He stared at my eyes
which made me feel awkward.

"Seryoso ako. Akala mo ba nagbibiro ako?" He raised a brow.

"Okay, so this is the plan. I heard before mag-start 'yung school year nating
dalawa, ready na 'yung house. Pwede namang during weekends lang ang uwi roon. Of
course they will hire helpers to spy on us so we need to go home when we have
time-"

"Paano kapag wala akong time?" He cut me off.

"Then make time," simpleng sabi ko.

"Wow," he laughed sarcastically. "I can't just 'make' time. For some reason,
nagkasundo na lahat ng tao na 24 hours lang ang mayroon sa isang araw."

I groaned and massaged my head in frustration. He was so hard to deal with! I've
already met a lot of people but he was the most difficult one to communicate with!
I just wanted a nice conversation but it ended up with me getting pissed off again.

"You know, I think there's something wrong with your attitude," I said bluntly.

"You know what I think? I think there's something wrong with my fucking drink." He
stood up and went to the counter, ignoring my words.

"Good God, please guide me," I prayed silently.

I watched how he talked to the lady in the counter. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang
nirereklamo niya sa inumin niya pero hindi naman siya mukhang galit. This guy,
really. Kapag talaga may mali, sasabihin niya. He was a vocal person. He was the
opposite of me.

I've always preferred being silent. I was so afraid I would bother people. As much
as possible, I wanted to understand the situation first. I always think what if the
person was having a bad day? What if her mom just died? Or her sibling? Baka
makadagdag ako sa problems nila.
On the other hand, I also knew my silence could make the situation worse so when I
talk, I choose my words carefully. The most important thing to consider when
dealing with people was choosing the right words to say.

Because you can't take them back anymore.

"Why? What's wrong with your drink?" I asked when he came back with a new cup.

"I asked for watermelon and they gave me avocado." Clyden sat in front of me again.
"You were saying?"

"Oh." I suddenly remembered what we were talking about. "About the house. Wala pa
'kong schedule so I'll update you na lang. 15 units lang ako next sem so maluwag
siguro ang schedule."

"Tinanong ko ba?" He raised a brow.

I put my tongue on the insides of my cheek before leaning on the table with an
exaggerated fake smile on my face. He bit his lower lip to hide a smirk when I
stared at him.

"Is that what they teach in med school?" I smiled sweetly.

"No. Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Neurology, Ophthalmology,
Otorhinolaryngology, Gynecology, Medicine, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Neurosci-"

"I get it! Stop it!" I cut him off. "You are the most annoying person I've ever
met."

"What an honor." He sipped on his shake to hide his smirk.

Kinuha ko na ang bag ko pati ang cup bago tumayo para umalis na. Yes, I should have
just texted him about this. Tama nga ang hinala ko. He wouldn't take it seriously.
Wala siyang magandang input. I was afraid naman na he wouldn't reply to my texts
kapag doon namin pinag-usapan. That guy was making my head hurt.

I heard his footsteps and I immediately felt his presence behind me. I stopped
walking to look at him, wondering why he was following me.

"Hatid na kita," he said casually.

"Well, I can go to the parking lot alone. I don't need you to accompany me," I told
him. "I have legs. I have eyes. I can move."
"Weh? Kung hindi mo sinabi, hindi ko pa malalaman," he sarcastically answered.

Inirapan ko siya at naglakad na ulit papuntang parking lot. Good thing he left and
didn't follow me anymore. Mabilis naman pala siyang kausap. Kunwari pang gentleman
with his hatid-hatid stuff. He was probably just faking it.

"How are you, love?" I asked Kierra when she went outside the cubicle while I was
washing my hands.

"Okay lang ako, Sam." She gave me a smile through the mirror. "Kinakaya ko pa."

"Did you visit Dr. Bautista? The one I referred to you?"

"Oo. I just had a session last week. Thank you, Sam."

"Always, Ke."

Sabay kaming bumalik sa table namin. I asked them to take a lunch with me while
Yanna was still here. I wanted us to be complete again lalo na't marami silang
problema ngayon. We needed to see each other for comfort.
"O, I thought darating si Arkin?" I asked Sevi.

"Wala, may shoot daw siya, e. Kayod na kayod si gago." He laughed but also stopped
when he glanced at Via. "Mukhang galit ka naman kaagad, Madam Via!"

"Hindi ako galit," Via told Sevi without looking at him. She was busy eating her
pasta.

"Luna," Kierra called when she saw her cousin staring at the plate for so long.

"Huh?" Luna looked around, obviously pre-occupied by something else. She looked so
devastated and it hurt my heart. "Sinong tumawag sa 'kin? Ikaw, Yanna?"

"Nature. Nature ang tumawag sa 'yo," sagot naman ni Yanna bago tumawa.

"Inom na lang natin 'yan, Luna! Ano ka ba! Lalaki lang 'yan, si Luna ka! Ang dami-
daming isda sa dagat kaya huwag ka na riyan sa pating." Sevi tried to cheer her up.

"Ikaw, Sevi, puro ka inom. Wala ka nang naisip na solusyon kung hindi inom."
Tinapatan siya ni Yanna ng tinidor.

"Grabe ka naman. Na-hurt ako roon." Sevi playfully held his chest. "Nagbago ka na
talaga, Yanna. Hindi na ikaw ang Yannang nakilala ko."

"Napakaarte mo." Umirap si Yanna.

Umiling ako at umupo na lang sa may kabisera ng table. I was just watching them
argue while eating. I actually missed their loud voices kahit nag-aaway lang silang
lahat palagi. Luna was quiet, though. Kierra was trying so hard to cheer her up.

"Sorry, late!"

A smile was plastered on my face when I saw Arkin walking towards us. I knew he
would come! He texted me earlier that he will and he wasn't the type to ditch on
his friends. I gave him a friendly hug before gesturing for him to take his seat.

"Naka-shades pa si gago," Sevi teased. "Patay ka ngayon! Shades shades ka pa, ha!
Hindi 'yan tatalab, oy!"

I laughed when Arkin raised his middle finger at him before taking his seat beside
Via. 'Yun na lang 'yung bakanteng space, e.
"May shoot kasi ako kanina.." I heard him whispering softly.

Napailing na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ang pag-kain habang nakangiti. My heart felt
so light when I was with them. They kept my problems away from me. Okay na 'kong
pinapanood ko silang masaya. That was enough for me.

"How's your relationship with Clyden? I hope you're doing good," my mom opened up
the topic while we were eating.

"We are on good terms, Mom," I lied. "I'm doing my best."

"As you should," she replied.

"Naomi's already enrolled in Ateneo," dad said before sipping on his glass. I
glanced at Naomi who was silently looking down on her plate. "Political Science."

"Is that what you want?" I asked Naomi with my brows furrowed.

"Of course that's what she wants. 'Yun ang nilagay niya before she took the test,"
dad answered for her.
"Yes," Naomi answered in a soft voice.

I just thought she would like something related to arts since I noticed that she
was an art person. She liked filming stuff and photography. I was actually thinking
of buying her a new camera or maybe I could just give her mine.

"Where will she stay?" I asked Dad.

"Here in the house, of course. I hired a driver for her. Hatid-sundo."

"Maybe she wants to stay in a condo unit or a dorm. The house is a little far from
the school." I looked at Naomi with concern. She was quiet the whole time. Hindi
man lang siya nagsasalita tungkol sa gusto niya.

"She can't live independently," my mom answered. "She's still a child."

Well, hindi pa naman siya 18 so may sense naman 'yung sinabi ni Mommy. I was just a
little worried about her freedom. The freedom my parents took away from me. I
didn't want them to do the same to her.
After dinner, I went upstairs to knock on her door, holding my camera. She opened
the door with no emotion at all.

"Hey," I greeted, smiling.

"What now? You want to lecture me and act like you really care for me like what you
did earlier?" Galit na sabi niya.

"What?" My brows furrowed.

"You're playing 'the good sister' and it does not suit you so stop it. Huwag mong
pakialaman ang mga gusto ko." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm.. I'm sorry." I bit my lower lip, hiding the camera behind my back. I felt a
bit hurt from her words. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"I am okay. Happy? Now, leave." She closed the door loudly so I took a step back.

I sighed heavily before going inside my room again to place the camera back on my
desk. I just left it there, hoping that she would borrow it like how she borrowed
my makeup. She should feel free to use my things. I actually wouldn't mind.
For the next 2 weeks, I was just doing my practicum and earning hours until my dad
texted me to check the house they bought in Manila. I tried so hard to calm myself
while driving to the address. I just hoped that it would be a beautiful house so it
wouldn't be too suffocating to be on the same roof with that asshole.

I parked my car on the side and looked through the window. Was I in the right
address? I took my seatbelt off before I went out of the car to look at the house.

"Wow," I said while looking at the small but modern house in front of me. The walls
are painted white and brown. I could see the stairs through the glass wall. May
trees din sa side and maganda 'yung garden. I opened the gate. May lights sa daanan
papuntang main door. May garage din sa left side.

"Do you want to go inside?"

Napalingon kaagad ako nang marinig ang boses niya. Clyden was leaning against his
white car with his hand placed inside his Adidas track pants while the other one
was playing with some keys. He was just wearing a simple white shirt na may
designer brand.

"You have the key?" My brows furrowed.

"Obvious ba?" Sagot niya bago pumasok sa gate at nilagpasan ako.

I watched him fumble with the keys before actually opening the main door. He left
it open so I could go inside. He turned the lights so I could see the interiors of
the house. It was modern. I didn't think my parents would like a modern house.

"I picked this one." He shrugged.

"They let you choose?!" Gulat na tanong ko. "They didn't even ask me about it."

"I just suggested. Of course, kung pepwersahin akong tumira sa iisang bahay kasama
ang babaeng hindi ko naman kilala, dapat maganda 'yung bahay. Pampalubag-loob na
rin. Baka sakaling ganahan akong tumira rito," seryosong sabi niya.

"You have a good taste. Thanks." I smiled before walking around. The house already
had pieces of furniture but it still looked empty. Marami pang kulang. I went up
the stairs to look at the rooms. May apat na rooms sa taas and dalawa sa baba. I
thought the house was small on the outside but spacious naman siya sa loob.

I opened the rooms. May master's bedroom na may bathroom sa loob and the other
three rooms were empty. Guest rooms siguro or pwede ring study room.

"You can have the master's bedroom. I can sleep in the guest room. I'll talk to my
mom's designer for this one," I told Clyden when I felt his presence behind me.
"You can have it. I don't sleep," walang pakialam na sabi niya.

"You don't?" Lumingon ako sa kaniya. "How? I can never survive a day without
sleeping."

"Welcome to med school." He scoffed, looking at the rooms.

I decided to go downstairs and call my mom about the designer she hired for the
house. I agreed to meet her tomorrow. Marami pa silang time para ayusin. Actually,
they can take their time. Ayokong tumira rito kaagad sa simula ng school year even
though the house was really lovely.

"Allergic ka ba sa aso?" Clyden also went downstairs.

"No, why?" Nagtatakang tanong ko.

"Mas gusto ko nang tumira rito kaysa sa condo. Bawal aso roon, e. Dadalhin ko mga
aso ko rito." Umupo siya sa sofa at tinignan kung gaano kalambot 'yon.

"Mga aso? How many dogs do you have?" I thought si Summer lang ang aso niya!
"Tatlo. Baby pa 'yung dalawa," he said like he was pertaining to his children.

"I like dogs!" Excited na sabi ko. I really wanted to have a dog but I was afraid I
couldn't take care of it. Since baby pa 'yung dogs niya, mas okay sa 'kin alagaan.
Makikilala nila 'ko paglaki.

I never knew he would have a soft spot for pets. Akala ko he was the type to hate
animals or something. Cruel people hate animals.

"Even if you don't like dogs, isasama ko pa rin sila rito. Dogs over you,"
diretsong sabi niya.

"You really can't talk without being rude, 'no?" I raised a brow.

"I can, actually." He put his pointing finger up like he was telling me a fact. "I
just like seeing your reaction."

"What reaction?"
"That reaction," he pointed at my face and furrowed his brows to copy my reaction.
He also parted his lips and glared at me. "That one. You look like Hail."

"Who's Hail?" What? His ex-girlfriend or what?

"My Siberian husky."

I felt the blood going up to my head. I clenched my fist and inhaled a large amount
of air to calm myself down. Did he just compare my face to a.. to a dog?

"I do not usually say bad words to people so I will say this in the kindest way
possible.. Fuck you." I still gave him a smile after saying it.

His brow shot up as the side of his lips rose in amusement. Mukhang hindi siya
makapaniwalang sinabi ko 'yon. He scoffed and shook his head, chuckling.

"Gladly," he replied, licking his lower lip a little before smirking.

"What?" My brows furrowed. I didn't get that one.

"Wala. I'm going now." He stood up and threw the keys towards my direction so I
panicked. Mabuti na lang at nasalo ko. "You can have them. I have a spare."

I became busy once more with designing the house. I met with Sasha, my mom's
interior designer, and she helped me get the result that I wanted in my room. I
heard she was also meeting with Clyden to discuss his opinions, too. Hindi lang
nagkakatugma ang schedule namin. Buti naman.

I checked the final look of the house before the school year started and it
actually looked so much better now. I didn't know if I should be glad that it was
already finished or not because I will be forced to move in.

"Just try staying there for the whole month. Wala ka pa namang masyadong school
work since magsisimula pa lang ang sem, right, Maureen?" My mom asked while we were
seated in the living room. Two women were doing our nails.

"I'll try, Mom." I sighed.

"I don't like hearing 'I'll try', Sam. The correct answer is 'I will'. Never be
uncertain."

I bit my lower lip and slowly nodded. "I will."

I was so stressed out. I wasn't planning to live there during my first week in
school so I had to pack my things quickly in the middle of the night. I made sure I
brought all my essentials before I drove to the house. Our house. Ugh, the thought
bothered me.

I actually wouldn't mind living a little far from my school but having to deal with
traffic every day will be the cause of my death.

I parked my car beside Clyden's car before going inside the house, pulling my
luggage with me. The door was already opened, a sign that Clyden was already there.
I was actually shocked to see three helpers running to help me with my things. Mom
already hired pala.

"Oh my gosh!" I jumped a little when I heard a bark.

I looked at the puppy who was on the floor, looking at me. It was a cute Chow chow.
I bent down to give it a pat on the head.

"Hello!"

"Maple, come here," I heard Clyden's voice in the kitchen.

"Can you bring my things to my room, please?" I asked the three ladies and they
nodded. "Thank you!"

I carried the puppy and walked my way towards the kitchen. Good thing the dog
didn't bite me or anything. I think gusto niya 'ko. I hoped so!

"Oh, akala ko next next week ka pa?" Kumunot ang noo ni Cy nang makita ako.

"I was forced by my mom. Are you cooking dinner?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. I saw him
leaning on the countertop, holding a pack of ramen noodles. "It's already 9 PM.
It's way past dinner time."

He looked at the clock and rolled his eyes. "E, ano naman? Inggit ka lang ata, e.
Gusto mo ba?"

"No, that's bad for my health. Oh, wait, you should know that, right?" I smiled at
him.

"Let me enjoy my ramen peacefully, please." He raised his brows.

I shrugged before going upstairs to fix my things. They delivered my things inside
the master's bedroom! Nilipat ko tuloy sa kwarto ko. My room was smaller but the
space was enough for me. I put my clothes inside the closet. Walang bathroom sa
loob ng kwarto so kailangan ko pang lumabas at ilagay ang essentials ko sa
bathroom.
"Akala ko sa master's bedroom ka?" Clyden asked in the hallway.

"No, I have my own room." Nilagpasan ko siya. Nakita kong pumasok siya sa room
niya, just in front of mine. A cute little husky followed him inside before he
closed the door. So walang mag-stay sa master's bedroom, huh.

After fixing my things, I went outside my room again to shower. Hindi ko na

naabutan ulit na lumabas si Cy sa room niya hanggang sa makatulog ako. The next
day, I woke up around 5 AM to take a shower. Kailangan maaga since malayo 'yung
school. My first class was at 9 AM. I just needed to be safe.

I was just wearing a simple pair of maong shorts and blue striped shirt. Tote bag
lang ang dala ko nang bumaba ako sa kitchen. I was actually surprised to see Clyden
pouring water on the glass. He was up early.

"You have school?" I asked while looking for a sandwich inside the fridge.

"Do I look like I have school?" He looked at his clothes. He was wearing a black
sando and a pair of black athletic shorts. He was a bit sweaty so I assumed that
maybe he exercised.

"Wala ka pang class?" I curiously asked.

"Bukas pa," he answered before drinking water.

I took a bite on the bread before placing my white hydroflask on the breakfast
table. Kumuha ako ng water at sinalin 'yun doon. Tumaas ang kilay niya habang
pinapanood akong mag-salin ng tubig.

"Lahat ba talaga kayo may ganiyan?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

"What?" I closed my flask and put it inside my tote bag. Inubos ko na rin ang bread
na hawak ko.

"Weird," he whispered, shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes before going inside the bathroom again to brush my teeth.
Pagkalabas ko, Clyden was already putting water on three dog bowls. He placed them
on the floor. Kinuha ko na ang bag ko at ang car keys ko para umalis na.

"I'm going now," I still told him.

"Should I act rude or act nice today?" He asked me.

"What will you say if I choose the latter?" I raised a brow.

"Ingat ka," he simply said.

"The other option?"

"Ingat ka." He shrugged.

I bit my lower lip to hide a smirk before leaving the house. Sumakay ako sa kotse
at nag-drive na paalis. I travelled for an hour since hindi pa masyadong traffic. I
arrived early for my class so I went to Gonz first to meet my friends.

"Oh, you drove to school?" Rylee asked when she saw my car keys.

"Yeah. I just have this.. situation." I smiled before sitting down. "Anyway, I hope
the prof is nice 'no?"
"Heard she doesn't curve." Alex shook her head.

"We're seniors, come on. We should be used to that already." I laughed. "Good thing
the sched is not that tight, right?"

"This year, I'll get a boyfriend. How about you, Sam?" Delly asked. "You're close
with Adonis. Are you sure nothing's going on between the two of you? Hmm?"

"Come on! We're just friends!" I laughed. "Speaking of. He's actually on his way
here na."

"Yo yo, sup, mga tsong! First day na first day mukha kayong may pinagmemeeting-an,
ah! What is it? Spill the tea!" Adi sat beside me, greeting my friends.

"Adi, can you shut the hell up for a second?" Kalix sat beside him too. Hindi nila
kasama si Leo and Amethyst, huh. Maybe hindi pa rin sila okay.

"Aga-aga ang KJ ni KJ! Ganiyan talaga kapag broken." Adonis laughed. "Sam, long
time, no see! Namiss kita, ah."

"Missed you, Adi." I chuckled.

We went to our class before 9 AM so we had to leave Adonis and his friends. Wala
akong masyadong subjects so tumambay muna kami ng friends ko sa mall. I was
thinking if I should take out some chicken wings for Clyden or not.

He would probably give a meaning to it so huwag na lang. Hindi ko pa naman nababasa

'yung utak niya. He was so unpredictable.

"You're going home already?" Rylee asked after a bucket of beer. After sa mall,
uminom muna kami around Katipunan. I only had two beers since magda-drive pa 'ko.

"Yes, babe." I kissed their cheeks before waving my hand. "Take care of her, guys!"
And then I left.

It was such a bad idea to go home late since the traffic was so terrible on my way
back. I gathered all the patience I had. Nakinig na lang ako sa music para hindi
ako mainis pag-uwi.

"Hello!" I greeted Summer when I saw her at the door. She was wagging her tail so I
gave her a pat on the head before entering the house. Sumunod siya sa likod ko.
"Oh, hey," I greeted Clyden who was reading a book.

"Ginabi ka ata," he said without looking at me.

He was about to go upstairs but stopped beside me. His brows furrowed when he
looked at me, closing the book he was holding. He was reading so he was wearing
glasses.

"Did you drink?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

"A bit," I answered honestly.

He scratched his nose a little, not pleased with the smell. What? Nangamoy ba 'ko
kahit beer lang naman ang ininom ko? Dalawa lang 'yun. Walang effect sa 'kin,
actually.

"You shouldn't drink and drive," seryosong sabi niya.

"Hey, you don't like the smell of beer?" I asked. He was still holding his nose.

He sighed heavily before going upstairs. I thought he wouldn't give me an answer

but he suddenly stopped on the steps to look at me.

"I don't drink," he said before walking away.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

04 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Was that a lie?"

I laid down on my bed, looking at the ceiling and wondering if he was being serious
or he was just trying to fool me. I mean, there was obviously nothing wrong with
not drinking but his face was so hard to read. Clyden was suspicious that way.

"Why do I even care?" I asked before standing up to do my skincare. "A lie or not,
let him live his life."

I went outside my room to go to the bathroom but stopped when I saw Clyden at the
hallway, rubbing Hail's belly. I smiled at the dog and waved my hand so it ran to
me, wagging his cute little tail. Around 5 months pa lang siguro siya.

"Hello." I bent my knees to caress his head. It was a boy. I saw how Clyden stood
up and looked at me with his hands inside his pockets. He just showered so I can
smell his shampoo and soap from him. "Where did you buy the dog?"

"I adopted him." His brows furrowed, obviously offended by my term.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's rare." I swallowed hard. The dog had a breed so I just thought
that he personally chose him.

"My friend's husky got pregnant and Hail was the only one who survived. My friend
had to go to another country so he gave the baby to me," he explained.

"Where's his mom?" I looked at the dog.

"Died two months ago."

Ang ayos niyang kausap kapag aso niya ang topic, huh. What a fur dad! He was like
talking about his children. I could see the affection in his eyes. Maybe he was
saying the truth about 'dogs over you'. I would probably say the same thing.

"Poor baby." I pouted, still caressing Hail's head. I could tell that he was
enjoying it. He was wagging his tail.

"Yeah." He nodded before holding the knob of his room. "You can take care of him.
I'll sleep now."

"Really?" My eyes lit up. He told me that I could take care of the dog! Naramdaman
ko tuloy na parang owner na rin ako. I would love to take care of his dogs too!
He didn't answer. He just closed the door so I stood up and went inside the
bathroom, Hail following me from behind. I did my skincare before carrying Hail to
my room. I put him on the floor before sitting down on my bed, watching him. I was
so afraid that he would pee on the floor or worse, poop.

"Are you potty-trained, baby?" I asked like the dog would answer me. "Well, he
wouldn't let him inside the room if he's not, right?"

I stood up from my bed when I heard the dog whimpering. I panicked a little so I
wanted to ask Clyden about it but the moment I opened the door, Hail left my room
and began scratching Clyden's door using his paw.

Clyden immediately opened the door and looked down. He was wearing glasses so I
assumed that he was studying. Bukas pa ang pasok niya, though. Ano'ng inaaral niya?

"Come in." I actually thought he said that to me but he was looking at the dog so I
felt relieved.

"Where are the others?" I asked about Summer and Maple.

"Downstairs. Hail is spoiled. He likes being with me inside my room," he said

before closing the door.
Just when I thought that Hail liked me, he went back to his owner's room
immediately. I pouted and laid down on my bed to sleep. Makukuha ko rin ang puso ng
mga aso niya! They would like me more than him! That was my impossible goal.

My class will start at 8 AM so I woke up around 4 AM and went straight to the

shower. I brushed my teeth and prepared my things. I was planning to drop by
Starbucks on my way since I took a lot of time getting ready for school.

I was only wearing a purple Adidas cropped top and black leggings partnered with
white shoes. I also wore a white ribbon headband for my short hair. I went
downstairs and walked straight to the kitchen to get my flask. Tote bag lang din
ang dala ko for my things.

I was actually surprised to see Clyden on the breakfast table with a biscuit on his
mouth while he was pouring water on his container. I opened the fridge to get a
pitcher before placing it on the breakfast table.

"Good morning," I still greeted him. He wasn't rude to me yesterday! Maybe because
he was busy. Sana palagi na lang siyang busy para hindi na niya 'ko iniinis.

"Morning," he said in a low voice.

I looked at him when he left the breakfast table to get his black backpack. That
was the only time I noticed him wearing his uniform. Kinuha niya ang white polo
niya sa sofa at sinuot 'yon. He was only wearing a maroon shirt underneath
partnered with white slacks.

I was watching him while he was buttoning the polo. The buttons were placed on the
left side from my view. He really looked like someone who worked in the hospital.
He fixed his hair using his hands before looking around, trying to find something.

I looked at the I.D placed on the table. Kinuha ko 'yon at tinignan ang picture
niya. He looked normal. He looked like him. He wasn't even showing his teeth. He
was just staring at the camera with a small smile plastered on his face.

University of the Philippines Manila. The Health Sciences Center. There was a
student I.D under his name, too.

Clyden Jaile H. Ramirez.

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

"Hey, obviously, this is yours." I extended my hand.

He walked towards me and snatched the lace out of my hand without saying anything.
Sinuot niya 'yon sa leeg niya bago kinuha ulit ang backpack niya. He started
putting on his white shoes.
"You look clean today," I teased, smirking.

"Do I look dirty without my uniform?" He raised a brow, naghahamon sa 'kin habang
nagsusuot ng sapatos.

"No. You just look rude. With your uniform on, you look nice and innocent." I
shrugged before actually pouring water on my flask. I was supposed to do that
earlier. I got distracted a little.

"I am neither." He rolled his eyes before standing up, holding his car keys.

He glanced at his watch while walking towards the door. I closed my flask and put
the pitcher back inside the fridge so I didn't notice that he stopped at the door,
until I looked at him again to check if he already left without saying anything.

"What? You want me to say 'take care' like a good fiancée?" I raised a brow.

"No. I just forgot to say bye to my dogs." He went back and whistled to call his
dogs.

I laughed when three dogs came to him, wagging their tails. He kissed the top of
their heads before walking to the door, waving his hand. I stared at him when he
looked like he was in a dilemma.

"Why are you staring at me? Are you also waiting for a kiss?" Tanong ni Clyden,
nakakunot ang noo.

"What?!" I looked away and scoffed in disbelief. "Ew, no way! Just go! You're going
to be late in class!"

"Bye," he said before leaving, hiding his smirk.

Like what I said, I went to Starbucks to get my breakfast before actually going to
class. Good thing I arrived early. I hated being late. I waved and talked to my
blockmates before taking my seat. Tumayo rin kaagad ako nang malapag ang gamit ko
para makipag-usap habang wala pa ang prof.

"LK after class?" Rylee asked, grinning. "They said yes already. How about you,
Sam? You can't miss this, dude. Nilasing mo 'ko yesterday! It's payback time!"

"Oh, Lan Kwai?" I bit my lower lip and scratched my head a little, remembering
Clyden's words. "I'm driving home, e. I can't."

"Why are you driving home ba? Your condo's there lang, oh." Michel pointed outside
the window.
"Yeah, but I need to go home tonight. Actually, for the whole month. I'm in the
middle of a.. situation." I gave them an awkward smile, afraid that they would
suspect anything. Hindi ko alam kung mayroon sa kanilang aware about my engagement.

"That's sad but okay! I understand naman! Gaganti ako sa 'yo next time! Remember
that, ha!" Rylee pointed at her eyes before pointing at me.

"Hindi mo malalasing si Sam. Stop dreaming, Ry!" Michael laughed.

"May org party tayo to welcome our new members. Are you G with that one? You need
to be there!" Angelica reminded me.

"Yeah, I'm G. Maybe I'll just ask someone to drive for me na lang." I shrugged.

We went back to our seats when we heard the bell for the second time. A sign that
it was already time for class. Dumating na rin 'yung prof namin so tumahimik na
kami. Ngayong sem pinakamaluwag ang schedule ko kaso may papers.

We ate lunch at Macci Up. It was a study hall named Matteo Ricci but they call it
Macci for short. May two floors so they call the second floor Macci Up and the
first floor Macci Down. Some students had other terms, though. Matteo Up, Matteo
Down. All the same. Usually, you would see SOM (School of Management) students
there but I just loved the grilled cheese being served upstairs.
I smiled when I saw some familiar faces upstairs. It was a little hard to find a
table since lunchtime na pero sakto nakita ko sila Adonis na nagliligpit na ng
laptop. I went to them and put my hydroflask on the table, reserving the table.

"Wow, ang bilis mo, ah." Adonis laughed when he looked at me.

"It's hunger games out here." I shrugged before looking at Kalix and Leo to greet
them. "What's up? Busy, ah!"

"Yeah, a bit." Kalix stood up to fix his things. I couldn't look at him without
thinking about Luna. They were exes. They just broke up a few months ago.

"Hey Kalix," I called again when he was about to leave. He looked even more serious
now, or maybe he was just back to being himself after what happened with my friend.
"She's.. doing okay so far. Don't worry."

He stopped for a second before looking at me with no emotion. "Of course she is,"
he said and left.

"Sungit, 'no, bro?!" Tumawa si Leo bago sinuot ang bag. "We're going now, Sam! See
you around! Enjoy your sandwich!"
Maaga akong nakaalis sa school since hindi naman ako sumama sa inuman nila but the
traffic was so dreadful during afternoon! Maaga nga akong nakaalis pero ginabi pa
rin ako pag-uwi ko. I still managed to smile when I saw Summer and Maple playing in
the garden.

"Hey, it's getting dark. Let's go inside." I talked to them like they would
understand.

I opened the door and called them over. I was actually surprised that they really
went inside. Sinara ko na ulit ang pinto at naglakad papasok only to see Clyden
watching the news in the living room. He was still wearing his uniform, minus the
white polo so he was left in his maroon shirt.

"It's your dad." Clyden scoffed, pointing at the television. "I won't even be
surprised to discover that they're actually the ones protecting the rich drug lords
here."

"I'm tired. I do not want to engage with that conversation about my dad." I sighed
heavily.

"Of course," he said, shrugging. I didn't know if it was sarcastic or not.

I bit my lower lip and looked at him, trying to calm myself. He was just staring at
the television, not minding my glare.
"I don't understand you, really. Sometimes you're nice but most of the time, you're
rude. What did I do to you, huh?" Kumunot ang noo ko. "Ako lang ata 'yung tinatrato
mong ganito."

"I hate your dad," he simply said, not looking at me. "Actually, your family. It's
pathetic, to be honest."

"And what about you?" I put my tongue on the insides of my cheek, getting mad now.
"You are more pathetic than my family."

"How so? I do not steal people's taxes." He looked at me with the same intensity.

I stepped forward, holding on to my bag so tight. "Can't you see how pathetic you
are? You are trying so hard to impress your father maybe because you badly want
recognition from your parents. It was the only thing you could do best, right? It's
the only thing that can give you validation!"

The annoyance on his face faded when he heard my words. It was replaced by
different emotions but I couldn't point it out. I wanted to stop talking but I just
had to let it all out after enduring everything.

"Go on," seryosong sabi niya, hinihintay ang sasabihin ko.

"You can't even say no to your father because you want to play the 'best son'. No
wonder why your brothers are so mad at you. It's because you are a jerk. You don't
care about other people's feelings at all. Even your own brothers!" I continued.

He stared at me for a moment before biting his lower lip and looking away like I
just hit something inside him so bad. I immediately felt guilty for yelling those
words to him. He turned the television off and stood up, getting his things.

I wanted to apologize. I was tired from today but it was never an excuse to use his
struggles against him. He did not even attack me personally. He attacked my family.

"Hey, I'm-"

"For the record, I fucking hate being the 'best son'," he cut me off. "You know
where that shit got me?"

He looked at me like he was waiting for me to say something but I remained silent.
I sighed heavily, wanting so bad to apologize now.

"Here. In this house. And it makes me sick," mariing sabi niya bago ako nilagpasan.
I was left standing there, dumbfounded and guilty from what happened. I saw two
helpers looking away and trying to go back to their work. I gave them an apologetic
smile. I felt bad that they had to hear all of it.

"Can you just deliver my food upstairs? Thank you," pagod na sabi ko bago umakyat.

I had a cold shower to calm myself. I couldn't stop thinking about the little
argument we had back there. In fairness, hindi naman siya nag-apologize sa 'kin for
being rude. It was the only thing stopping me from apologizing.

"Maureen, what is wrong with you?" I asked myself in front of the mirror. "You hurt
the person. You apologize. Since when ka naging ma-pride na tao?"

It was so frustrating. I went outside the bathroom only wearing my white robe while
drying up my hair using another towel. I stopped walking when Clyden's door opened
and he walked outside. Our eyes met for a second before both of us looked away.

He walked away so I walked inside my room and closed it, breathing heavily. I
pouted and just waited for my dinner, still bothered by what happened. I tried to
distract myself with doing some research and talking to some friends but it was no
help.

I looked at the time. It was already 12 AM when I finished doing my skincare. I was
wearing my pink pajamas when I went downstairs to get some milk, hoping that it
would help me sleep. I stopped at the living room when I saw Clyden on the
breakfast table, reading a book.
When he glanced at me, I turned around and went upstairs again. I probably looked
so dumb but I couldn't care less! It was so awkward! The air around us was so heavy
I couldn't take it. I couldn't be in the same room with him!

Natulog na lang tuloy ako. Good thing I didn't have class the next day so I had a
good sleep. Wala na si Clyden pagkagising ko. Pumunta na siyang school. That was
our set-up until Friday. Hindi kami masyadong nagkikita, actually. I would eat my
food inside the room and he would go home late, probably from studying in a coffee
shop.

On Friday night, I just started preparing to meet my orgmates. Mag-aasikaso pa kami

para sa party. Freshies below 18 were not allowed to come. Poor them. They could
join next year, I guess.

The venue was at my orgmate's village. May event center sila roon and we were
allowed to stay until midnight. I drove there and started helping with the set-up.
They put the drinks and food on two different long tables. May lights na rin and
may DJ. It was around 8 PM when people started arriving.

"Hey, why are you here?" My eyes narrowed when I looked at Adonis.

"Got dragged by a friend so I dragged other friends, too!" He laughed when he

pulled Leo and Kalix with him. "May bayad pala kapag outsiders. Na-scam ako ng org
n'yo, ah."
"Well, for the funds." I laughed before giving them red cups. "You can get drinks
there."

I was at the door to welcome our members and also to check their names on the list.
I was like a bouncer. We closed the doors around 10 PM so I started joining the
party. I was playing beer pong with my friends. Sanay na 'ko so palagi silang
natatalo.

"Adi, drive for me if you're sober," I told him.

"Kalix." Siniko niya si Kalix. "Ikaw na bahala sa 'kin, ah."

Kalix rolled his eyes before drinking coke. I started dancing with Angelica and
Rylee on the dance floor with a bottle of tequila in my hand. I started making
people chug, including myself. We finished four bottles already so I felt a little
dizzy.

"Shoot," I looked at my phone when I saw my mom calling. "I'll take this!"

Lumabas kaagad ako ng venue para sagutin ang tawag. I put my hand on the wall to
support my weight. I was afraid my mom would hear the loud music from inside but I
was more afraid that she would hear my drunk voice.
"Mom," I greeted using my normal voice. At least, I tried.

[Where the hell are you, Maureen? I went to your house to bring food but you were
not around.] She sounded mad.

"Oh, I have org stuff, Mom! I'm going now!" I panicked.

[Go home immediately. I asked Clyden where you went but he didn't know. You should
have informed him at least.]

"Yes, Mom!" She ended the call. I sighed heavily before going inside to look for my
friends. "Hey guys, I need to go na."

"Why? Not yet!" Rylee pouted. "Why so early?!"

"It's almost 1 AM, Ry." I laughed. "I'm going now! Bye, girls!"

I gave them kisses on the cheeks before walking around to find Adonis. I saw him
playing beer pong with Leo so I went to him and tugged on his shirt. When he looked
at me, his cheeks were a bit red.
"Damn, you're drunk?!" My brows furrowed.

"Kaya kitang i-hatid! Tara! Tara na!" He was obviously drunk when he got my car
keys out of my hand. "Uwi na 'ko! Ang ingay na rito!"

"Dumbass." Kinuha ni Kalix ang susi ng kotse ko. "Let's go. I'll drive."

"Thank you, Kalix!" I laughed before following him. "Leo, we'll be back! I mean,
they will! They will be back! Hey, Kalix, leave my car sa condo ko na lang muna
when you go back, ha!"

Humiga si Adi sa may backseat habang ako ang nasa shotgun. Kalix looked a little
annoyed while driving. I closed my eyes a little, getting dizzy again because of
the movement of the car.

"To your condo, right?" Kalix asked.

"Hey, no!" I woke up. "Here. Here's the address." I showed him my Waze app. "Follow
mo na lang."

I closed my eyes again when he didn't say anything. There was no traffic so the
ride was smooth. When the car stopped, I opened my eyes and looked outside the
window. Oh, I was already in front of the house. I took my seatbelt off and opened
the door, only to stumble on the gutter.

"Hoy lasing!" Adi held my arm and helped me get up. Kalix got off the car to help
too. I stood up, trying to regain my sanity. "Saan ba? Bahay mo 'to?"

"Yeah, there! You can go now! I can walk!" I said, pulling away their hands but I
almost stumbled again.

"Hay nako!" Reklamo ni Adonis at tinulungan ulit akong maglakad. Hawak ni Kalix ang
kabilang braso ko and he was the one who rang the doorbell for me.

"You guys can go na! I can-" I stopped talking when the door opened and it revealed
Clyden wearing a white shirt and grey sweatpants with specs on. He looked serious
and irritated a bit. "Oh, hi!"

"Nasa tamang bahay ba tayo?" Adonis asked Kalix.

"Cy," Kalix greeted, surprised. Oh, wait! They knew each other, huh?! Family of
doctors si Kalix! Right! Maybe they already met!

"Ano 'to? Ano 'yan?" Clyden pointed at me like I was an unexpected package from an
online shop.
"Sabi sa 'yo we got the wrong address, bro!" Adonis tried to pull me away but
Clyden held my arm. "Ay!"

"Who are you?" Clyden asked Adi, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, he's my friend! Ex-crush, actually!" I giggled.

"Friend! Friend lang!" Adonis tried to defend himself. "We're just friends, bro!"

"You can go now. Thanks," Clyden helped me walk inside, holding my arms. I pouted
and sat on the couch while he was still talking to the guys. Hindi ko marinig
ano'ng pinag-uusapan nila. Wait, what if he was telling them about our engagement?!

When he closed the door, I jumped a little on my seat. Umayos ako ng upo at
lumingon sa kaniya. I couldn't read his expression. Galit ba siya? Walang pakialam?
I didn't know! It was so hard to read him!

"You should have just texted me to pick you up," he said in a monotone.
"What?" Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. "Are you serious? We're on a fight! You are mad
at me!"

"Am I?" He raised a brow, pushing his tongue a little on his cheek.

"What? You weren't?" Naghahamong tanong ko.

"I am now." He shook his head and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

I thought he was going to drink it but he sat beside me and offered me the glass.
Kinuha ko 'yun sa kamay niya at ininom, tinatantya pa ang mood niya. I could never
expect anything from this guy so palagi akong nagugulat kapag may ginagawa siya.

"My mom went here?" I asked.

"Yeah. She brought groceries and she also tried to spy on us but you were not
around so she said she'll just come back tomorrow," mabilis na sabi niya,
pinapanood akong uminom sa baso.

"Oh hell," I whispered, massaging my head. "Why are you mad again?"
"I am?" He asked again, raising his brows.

"You just said that you are." My brows furrowed, getting confused. Was I hearing
things? Did he not say that? Was I that drunk? "Didn't you?"

"I did." He nodded.

"You know? You are so confusing. So gulo mo kausap." I leaned on the couch and
crossed my arms over my chest, looking annoyed now. "You didn't get mad when I said
all those things about you?"

"I did," maikling sagot niya ulit.

"I thought you didn't?!" Reklamo ko.

"It faded. I have no time to feel mad. To even feel anything, actually. You can
insult me all you want. I do not care." He got the glass out of my hand and went
back to the kitchen to get me another.

"I am sorry that you are the 'best son'," I apologized sincerely.
"At least you were right on the part that my brothers hate me." He sat beside me
again, handing me another glass of water.

"You mentioned earlier that you're now mad. Why? Why are you mad?" I didn't know if
I was even making sense. I was drunk and confused.

"It's 2 AM." He pointed at the clock.

"And so?" I scoffed. "Were you worried?"

He stared at me for a moment, pursing his lips. I blinked twice, staring back at
him and waiting for his answer.

"Maybe." He whispered, getting the glass out of my hand. "Maybe I was."

_______________________________________________________________________________

:)

05 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"What do you mean maybe? Why are you uncertain?"

Clyden placed the glass on the table before glancing at me again, pursing his lips.
He looked like he was trying to think. I got conscious a little so I looked away,
slowly getting sober now. His words suddenly made me sober.

"Bakit? Hindi ka sanay?" He raised a brow. "Pwede namang hindi sigurado."

"My mom used to tell me that I should never be uncert-"

"I'm not your mom," he cut me off.

I blinked twice when he stood up and opened the fridge to get the pitcher. I was
taken aback by his words, though I knew they were just words. I didn't understand
the great impact it brought.

"I don't need water now. I want to sleep." I stood up to go upstairs but I suddenly
felt dizzy.

"Alcohol dehydrates you," he answered back, placing the glass on the breakfast
table.
"Oh, really?" I walked towards him when he gestured for me to sit beside the
breakfast table, sa may high chair. I placed my elbow on the table and my chin on
my palm.

"Yeah. You know the pituitary gland?" He pointed at his head. "Well, it secretes a
hormone called vasopressin or the antidiuretic hormone. It basically regulates the
fluid in the body by controlling your urination."

"No. I don't know a thing about that." I giggled. "I'm good with names, though!
Want me to try? Oh, wait, are you finished?"

"Alcohol prevents the release of that hormone so you urinate more than you drink,
the reason why it dehydrates your body. Plus, if you vomit, you will lose more
fluid." He slid the glass over the table until it reached my side. "Actually, I
don't know yet if water will help since you will take this out, too."

"What you're saying is starting to scare me. You know that?" I rolled my eyes and
drank the water in one shot. "You really don't drink?"

"Occasionally," he answered properly this time. "You must know by now that I'm not
allowed to have fun. You already met my dad."

"Well, you can have fun without alcohol." I shrugged. "It's really not everything,
you know? You can have fun playing with your dogs. You can have fun watering the
plants, or cooking? Baking? I don't know! Or just by simply taking a nap? You can
also have fun playing games on your phone! Or you can have fun with your friends.
I'm sure you have friends, right? You can have fun by just spending time with them
or talking about the things that don't really matter-"
"Ang daldal mo, 'no?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

I bit my lower lip to hide a smile. "Alcohol."

"May boses ka naman pala, e." Umayos siya ng tayo at niligpit na ang mga gamit niya
sa table. He was studying earlier before I came home.

"What?" My brows furrowed. I wanted to ask him about what he said but he already
left with Summer following him from behind. They went upstairs so I was left alone
in the kitchen. Uminom ulit ako ng tubig bago umakyat sa kwarto ko. I showered and
did my night care routine before going straight to bed, getting so sleepy.

I slept peacefully that night dahil Saturday bukas at wala akong pasok but of
course! Of course, someone had to ruin my beauty sleep!

"What the hell," I whispered when I felt something on my palm. When I opened my
eyes, I saw Clyden carrying Hail and making him lick my hand.

My brows furrowed and looked at him with so much confusion. He was wearing a simple
navy blue shirt and a pair of black jogging pants. He looked fresh in the morning.
I could smell his shampoo and soap so halatang kakaligo niya lang.
"Gumising ka diyan. 'Yung parents mo nasa baba. Lumipat tayo ng kwarto," he said
that so fast I couldn't catch up.

"W-what?" I looked around, still confused. Kakagising ko lang at hindi pa gumagana

ang brain ko. I couldn't take any information inside.

"Your parents are downstairs. Ano ba? Kailangan ba English?" Naiinis na sabi niya.

"Oh shit!" Nagmamadali kong kinuha ang kwintas ko sa side table at sinundan si
Clyden palabas ng kwarto. Nilapag niya muna si Hail sa kwarto niya bago naglakad
ulit sa hallway.

He opened the master's bedroom and gestured me to lay down on the bed. Nagmadali
akong tanggalin ang comforter bago humiga at tinakip sa katawan ko. That was the
only time I realized that I was wearing nothing but my blue nighties.

Napatakip ako sa dibdib ko. I wasn't wearing a bra! Naka-panty lang din ako! Good
thing hanggang taas ng tuhod ang nighties ko.

"Your ring! Where's your ring?" I panicked, sliding the ring on my finger.
Clyden showed me his hand before turning the aircon on. Suot na niya 'yung ring
kanina pa. When we heard footsteps on the stairs, we looked at each other with wide
eyes.

"Come here! What the hell!" I panicked.

He looked at the door again before walking towards the other side of the bed. I was
about to close my eyes to pretend that I was sleeping when he suddenly wrapped his
arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"What the fu-" I immediately closed my mouth and my eyes when the door opened.

"Oh, they're still sleeping. How lovely." I heard my mom's voice.

"You smell like alcohol," Clyden whispered to me.

Patago ko siyang siniko pero hinigpitan niya lang ang yakap niya sa bewang ko. I
bit my lower lip to stop myself from talking.

"Let's just wait for them downstairs," my dad said, which made me celebrate
silently. When the door closed, Clyden quickly let go of my waist and got off the
bed, looking disgusted. Umayos ako ng upo at inis siyang tinignan.
"So what now?" I raised a brow.

"I don't know. Having that old man in this house makes me want to jump off the
window, honestly." He rolled his eyes, getting more irritated now. Somehow, I was
starting to get used to him badmouthing my father. He probably said worse behind my
back but I couldn't blame him for that.

"It's fine. Ako na lang ang bababa. I'll just tell them that you studied all night
so sleepy ka pa." Bumaba ako ng kama at inayos ang sarili ko.

"Hindi ka nagba-bra?" Curious na tanong niya.

My eyes widened and looked back at him, suddenly remembering that I wasn't wearing
a bra. I looked down on my chest to see if it was that obvious.

"Don't get me wrong. Wala akong pakialam. Nagtatanong lang baka kasi nakalimutan
mo-"

Tumakbo na kaagad ako palabas at bumalik sa kwarto ko. I locked the door and
changed my clothes. Nagsuot ako ng shorts at plain white shirt bago nag-hilamos at
bumaba. Nakasalubong ko pa si Clyden na pabalik sa kwarto niya pero hindi ko siya
pinansin. I was a little embarrassed. Did he see my.. Did he? Or naramdaman ba niya
noong niyakap niya 'ko?
"It's okay, Sam. He said wala siyang pakialam. That's right! Women can go out
without wearing a bra," I assured myself to hide my embarrassment.

"Maureen! You're finally awake!" My mom was seated at the breakfast table, eating
pancakes.

"I forgot that you were supposed to visit today. I'm sorry, Mom." I greeted her
with a kiss on the cheek. Dad just gave me a small nod. "Clyden is still asleep. He
studied all-"

"Good morning."

Kumunot ang noo ko at lumingon kay Clyden na nasa likuran ko na. He shook my dad's
hand, looking straight into his eyes before smiling at my mom. Then, he turned
around and washed his hands in the kitchen.

"You don't have classes today, Clyden?" My dad asked.

"I don't," maikling sagot niya, nakatalikod pa rin. He didn't call my dad 'Senator'
this time. He just refused to acknowledge him, which was fine with me. I understood
that.
"Do you need anything else here, Maui?" My mom looked around the house.

"Babe, can you get me the towel right there?" Clyden suddenly pointed at the towel
placed on the countertop near me.

Kinuha ko 'yon at naglakad palapit sa kaniya. Pinunasan niya ang kamay niya at
tinupi ang towel bago nilagay ulit sa tabi ng sink.

"No, Mom. I'm-" I stopped talking when Clyden suddenly held my hand and intertwined
it with his. "I'm f-fine. We're fine." I stuttered when I felt his thumb brushing
against mine.

"I can see that." My mom looked down on my hand. "Well, I think it's time for us to
leave."

Clyden pulled me closer until my body was directly beside him, leaving no space
between us. Binitawan niya ang kamay ko at hinawakan ang bewang ko, pulling me
closer to him. His elbow was placed on the countertop, keeping his balance.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered on the side of my face.

My eyes widened before I awkwardly gave my parents a glance. Clyden was acting like
I was the only person in the damn kitchen! My mom looked at my dad like she was
trying to communicate using her eyes.

"I can't wait to marry you," Clyden whispered again in a low voice.

"Uh, we're going now. Take care, Maureen and Clyden." My mom awkwardly looked away
to give us privacy. Tumikhim si Daddy bago kinuha ang gamit niya. I didn't know if
he was pissed or not. He was not the protective type.

"Thank you for visiting us, Mr. and Mrs. Vera," pormal na paalam ni Clyden.

Kumawala kaagad ako kay Clyden para ihatid sila Mommy sa pintuan. I gave my mom a
kiss on the cheek before they went inside the car. I waved my hand for the last
time and went inside the house. I was about to yell at Clyden but when I turned
around, he was already right in front of me.

"It worked." He chuckled, still looking outside.

"What the hell is your problem?" I pushed his chest away from me. He was too near!
That was the only time I realized that I was holding my breath earlier. "Why would
you say words-"

"-that could make you blush?" He tried to finish my sentence.

"I did not blush!" I denied, walking away from him.

"O? Kilig na kilig ka nga, e."

He followed me to the kitchen to get a mug. He was probably going to make coffee
for himself. I noticed that he liked drinking coffee.

"What makes you think mapapakilig mo 'ko, huh? You're not my type and I don't like
you." I rolled my eyes while pouring water on my glass.

"Type kita pero hindi kita gusto," he casually shot back.

"What?" Napatigil ako sa pagsasalin ng tubig para tumingin sa kaniya. "Did I hear
that right? I am your type?"

"Narinig mo naman, papaulit mo pa."

"What exactly is your type ba?" Curious na tanong ko. "Paano mo nasabing type mo
'ko?"

Nakatalikod siya sa 'kin dahil busy siya sa coffee maker so hindi ko makita ang
reaction niya. I thought he wouldn't answer so I was surprised to hear him talk.

"See? Feel na feel mo." He scoffed sarcastically.

"I knew it. You were just being an asshole again." I scowled. I couldn't say that I
was disappointed. Well, maybe a bit. What did I even expect from this guy?!

Kumain na lang ako ng pancakes na nakahanda sa table habang nagkakape siya sa

living room. I had the whole day free so I decided to do some exercises inside my
room. After that, I took a shower and went downstairs for lunch.

"Hey, I'm so sorry for what happened last night and thanks for taking me home!" I
was talking to Adonis on the phone.

[Wala 'yon! Si Kalix 'yung nag-drive, hindi ako! Lasing din ako, e! Malas, bro.]

"Oh, did he leave my car in the condo? I have the key on my side table."
[Hindi! Nag-grab na lang kami kasi sabi noong lalaking kasama mo iwan namin 'yung
kotse! Ano ulit pangalan niya? Cyanide? Ah, Clyden? Nakalimutan ko na! Basta
nagpakilala siya sa 'kin.]

"I'm just curious. What did you guys talk about last night? May sinabi ba si
Clyden?" Clyden glanced at me when he heard his name. He was watching a medical
drama in the living room.

[Wala, kinumusta niya lang si Kalix tapos sabi niya sa 'kin, kapag nakita niya 'ko
ulit, babasagin niya mukha ko.] I gasped. Adonis went silent on the other line
before he laughed so loud. [Just kidding! Hindi niya sinabi 'yon! Hahaha!]

"That still sounds like something he would say." I glared at Clyden. Napansin niya
ata kaya tumingin siya pabalik sa 'kin at tinaasan ako ng kilay.

[Mabait naman siya, ah?!]

"What?!" I laughed sarcastically. "Oh, dear, you don't know what you're saying.
Never trust someone based on their looks alone."

"Pinag-uusapan n'yo ba 'ko?" Clyden asked, narrowing his eyes on my direction.

"Of course not!" I exaggerated my reaction. "Why would we even talk about you? Are
you that important?"

"Yes, because I heard my name. Come on, Samantha. Stop telling people about me. I
prefer being lowkey." He smirked.

"Ew!" I rolled my eyes. "Hey, Adi. Thanks again! I need to go! Bye!"

I went to the dining table after ending the call and noticed an empty plate in
front of me. I looked at Clyden who was still busy watching a show.

"Aren't you going to eat?" I asked him.

"Bakit? Concerned ka sa 'kin?" He asked casually without looking at me.

"Maybe," I mocked his words last night. "Maybe I am."

"Ah, tapos?"
Tumikhim ako at kumain na lang. Fine! Hindi ko na lang siya papakialaman. I
finished eating and went outside to play with the dogs. Summer rested her chin on
my lap while Hail was trying to fight the grass. Maple was just running around.

"Your dad is so hard to read, you know?" I told Summer.

She looked at me with her adorable eyes so I gave her a smile. I really wanted a
dog back then but Naomi was allergic so I couldn't. It wasn't that severe but I
still didn't want to affect her health. Oh, Naomi.. Naisip ko tuloy ulit siya. I
hoped she was doing fine.

"Do you love your siblings?" I asked Summer while looking at Hail and Maple. "Of
course you do, right?"

"She does."

Napalingon kaagad ako kay Clyden. No wonder why Summer suddenly stood up. Hail and
Maple also ran to him, wagging their tails. There he was, the daddy of these three
dogs. He bent down to caress the heads of his children.

"I'll go home tonight to check on Naomi," I told him.

He just nodded and didn't answer. I stood up and went inside to go to my room.
Kinuha ko ang mga gamit ko bago bumaba at lumabas ulit. Clyden was still in the
garden, playing with the dogs. I stopped when I caught a glimpse of his genuine
smile.

He looked better smiling.

"I don't know if I'll go home or not," I informed him.

"Weird. Why are you telling me that?" Nagsalubong ang kilay niya at tumingin sa
'kin.

"My mom told me to inform you. Don't get too full of yourself." I smiled before
going to my car. I opened the window to wave at the dogs before I drove away.

It wasn't a long drive to the mansion so I arrived earlier than expected. When I
went inside the house, three helpers ran to me to help me again with my things but
I waved my hand to stop them. I took my shoes off and put on my house slippers
before going upstairs.

"Where's mom and dad? Are they around?" I asked.

"Pauwi pa lang po. May pinuntahan lang po."

I nodded and went to my room to place my things. I noticed that my drawer was left
open so I quickly checked what Naomi borrowed this time. I smiled to myself when I
saw 3 of my new lipsticks missing. Well, I bought them for her so it was fine. I
also checked the camera to see if she took photos.

"Oh," I whispered when I saw the photos she forgot to delete.

It was during their ORSEM or orientation seminar. She took pictures of people but
none of herself. It was nice to see her with friends around. She should be out
there making friends. I didn't want her to feel like she was alone.

I went outside my room to knock on hers. Binuksan niya kaagad pero sumimangot siya
nang makita ako.

"Hi, how are you?" I asked, smiling.

"Why are you here?" She didn't answer my question.

"Oh, I just want to.. Uh.. Give you this camera. It's yours now." I handed her the
camera slowly, a little afraid with her reaction. Her eyes widened a bit when she
glanced at it, probably realizing that she forgot to delete the pictures. "No
worries. You can take it."
"I don't need it," she said in a monotone.

"I also don't need it so you can have it-"

"Stop giving me the things you don't want anymore, okay?!" She yelled at me. "Are
you trying to offend me or what?! Just leave me alone!"

I blinked twice, a little taken aback from her words. She closed the door on my
face so I stepped back, still surprised. Did that offend her? Oh my god, I felt so
bad. Ganoon ba ang labas sa kaniya? I couldn't blame her, though. I used the wrong
words.

I pouted and got a piece of paper. I wrote 'I'm sorry' before sliding it on her
door. I knew she wouldn't open the door for me again so I just went back to my room
to place the camera back.

"Samantha, honey?" My mom called so I went downstairs. "Hey! Why are you here? We
just saw each other earlier this morning."

"I just tried to check on Naomi," I answered honestly.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. She's doing fine! She's probably enjoying her new school
because she finally has something that you have." My mom laughed. "You know that
kid. She's just so jealous of you."

"Mom, don't say that," seryosong sabi ko.

"What about it, honey? I'm just saying the truth. Don't you agree?" She laughed
again, placing her shopping bags on the couch. I stared at it for so long before
shaking my head.

"Mom, I'm thinking if I should start.. applying for a part-time job?" I bit my
lower lip, getting nervous.

"What?" Like what I expected, she looked at me like she was ready to snap. "Why
would you? Do you need money? Hindi ba enough ang allowance mo?"

"It is more than enough, Mom. I'm just-" Guilty. "Nevermind." I gave her a forced
smile.

"Never say that again. Don't even let your dad hear that, okay?" She caressed my
cheek before going upstairs, leaving me standing there in the living room.

I sighed heavily before leaving the house. I couldn't stay there for too long or I
would probably lose my mind so it was better for me to leave. I just texted Mom
that I was in a hurry. That night, I drove all the way to Nueva Ecija to run away
from my thoughts.

"Are you home?" I asked Yanna on the phone.

[Anak ng tupa, Samantha. Anong oras na? Siyempre, nasa bahay ako!] I smiled when I
heard her voice. I missed my best friend.

"I'm already near," I informed her.

[Huh? Anong near?] She sounded so confused. [Pucha, papunta ka rito? Nasisiraan ka
na ba? Paano ka uuwi? Gabi na, ah!]

"Yanna, you know what?" I paused for a moment to laugh. "You are sounding like a
mom now."

[Hay nako!]

It took me so long to end up outside her house, parking my car beside the gutter. I
checked the time when I saw Yanna sitting on the stairs outside, probably waiting
for me. May kumot siya sa balikat niya at may mug sa tabi. I laughed when I saw her
face.
"You should have just waited inside. That's bad for the baby!" I went inside the
gate and walked towards her to hold her tummy. "Oh my gosh, the baby bump. It still
feels so weird."

"Ano'ng problema?" She suddenly asked. My smile also faded away.

"Nothing!" I sat beside her and looked at the dark sky, admiring the stars and the
moon. "I just missed you! That's all!"

"Ang layo ng dinayo mo dahil namiss mo 'ko? Jowa ba kita?" Yanna raised a brow,
laughing. "Ano nga, Sam?"

"Nothing!" I denied again. "Come on. I just wanted to make sure that the baby is
okay, and also you! Are you doing well? "

"E, ikaw?" She asked back, refusing to answer my question. "Are you doing well?"
She glanced at my ring.

I bit my lower lip and sighed heavily, giving up now. I didn't know how to explain
what I was feeling at that moment. I just felt so lost, confused, and maybe guilty
for being a part of that.. family.
"I just feel so bad," I whispered. "I just feel so guilty that I'm living like
this, you know? When there are people who.. You know.. I just feel pathetic. Maybe
I need to start earning my own money?"

"Paano?" She asked now. "Hindi ka naman papayagan ng magulang mo. Parang kulungan
na nga 'yang bahay n'yo, e. Buti pinayagan kang makaalis diyan.. Kaso akalain mo
'yon? Kalayaan mo pa rin ang kapalit."

"Maybe I should start modelling?" I asked her as a joke.

"Oo nga. Bagay sa 'yo." She looked at me from head to toe. "Uy, bagay nga sa 'yo!
May potential ka, promise! Nakikita ko na!"

"That was a joke, Yanna. Don't take it seriously." I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Joke ko lang din dati 'yung 'buntis ako' pero tignan mo nangyari." She pointed at
her tummy before letting out a laugh.

She was trying to hide her pain with that smile and I was the only one who could
see it. She could also easily read me. It was hard to hide things from her when we
could see each other's eyes.

"Naisip mo na ba ipapangalan mo sa baby?" I asked her.

"Hmm, kapag lalaki, Alex." She looked up, thinking. Halatang ngayon niya lang
naisip 'yon.

"Kapag babae?" I asked.

"Kapag babae.. Alex."

"Can you be more creative?" Reklamo ko, natatawa. My laugh turned into a smile when
she leaned her head on my shoulder, trying to find comfort. I knew she was having a
hard time. The baby alone was giving her flashbacks about the man she loved. "Do
you miss him?"

"Sobra," she whispered, looking at the sky. "Umaga na roon, 'no?"

"Close to noon," I answered, holding her hand. "What does love feel like? It's
weird, 'no? You used to tell me before that you have absolutely no idea what love
means but here you are."

"Hindi ko pa rin mapaliwanag ang pagmamahal, Sam." She sighed. "Siguro 'yung pag-
bitaw ko ang simbolo ng pagmamahal ko."
"I wish I could freely love someone without thinking about my engagement." I looked
at my ring. "I envy you. At least, even if it brought you pain, you were free to
love. You were free to experience happiness on your own."

"Bakit? Hindi mo ba gusto si doc?" She asked, laughing.

"He's so annoying, Yanna! Why did you have to make me remember his face?! Naiinis
na tuloy ako. You know what? Ever since we started living together, he just-"

"Live together?!" Umayos siya ng upo, gulat. "And whoa whoa, Samantha. Nag-rarant
ka ba? Ngayon? Wow! Ngayon lang kita nakitang ganiyan, ah."

"It's because I never met someone who's as annoying as he is. Kung ikaw ang nasa
pwesto ko, you would probably feel the same way. Actually, baka nasuntok mo na siya
but I am still calm. I am calm," I convinced myself.

"Hindi ko pa siya kilala pero sa tingin ko bagay kayo," she teased, smirking.

"Don't ever say that again." I stood up, ready to go. I wasn't really planning to
stay. I just hoped that I wouldn't get sleepy on my way back. "I think I need to go
home now."
"Home?" She repeated.

"To the house," I told her.

"To him," she teased again. It was starting to get annoying.

"Whatever. Take care, okay?" I reminded her before walking away. "Don't forget to
eat healthy food! Take care of the baby! If you need anything, contact me, okay?
I'm one call away! I can drive all the way here again."

"Oo na, Sam! Bye!"

"Love you!" I said before getting inside the car.

I took a deep breath before driving away. It was
to stay up. I also stopped by a gasoline station
'ko nang makarating ako ng Manila, then I had to
I wondered if Clyden was already asleep.. or was
niya natutulog ako sa mansion.
a long long way home but I managed
to buy coffee. Medyo inaantok na
drive all the way to the house pa.
he waiting for me? No, baka akala

I was already sleepy when I parked in the house. Nakita kong bukas ang ilaw sa may
stairs so I assumed that he was still up. When I opened the door, Summer came
running to me, wagging her tail.
"Hello!" I greeted her using my baby voice. It was the voice I use when talking to
children. I caressed her head and looked around.

"Uminom ka ulit?" I almost jumped when I heard Clyden's voice. Kakababa niya lang
sa hagdanan.

"Oh, hindi ka pa tulog?" I asked.

"Mukha ba 'kong tulog?" Sagot niya pabalik.

I laughed, already getting used to his attitude. He was wearing a black sweater and
a pair of grey sweatshorts. Matutulog ba siya ngayong gabi? He wasn't carrying a
book and wala ring libro sa table.

"Why is Summer still awake?" I looked at the dog.

"What do you think?" He raised a brow. "She's waiting for her mom."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)
 06 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"You waited for me, baby?"

I bent down and gave Summer a pat on the head. She stuck out her tongue so it
looked like she smiled at me. I looked at Clyden again and saw him walking towards
us with hands inside his pockets.

"Saan ka galing?" Seryosong tanong niya. "I called your mom and she told me that
you didn't stay for dinner."

"You called my mom?" I raised a brow.

"Yeah. Am I forbidden to do so?" Sarkastikong balik niya sa 'kin.

He stopped walking in front of me and tapped his leg twice to call Summer. The dog
immediately stood up and went to him, wagging her tail. He bent down and held
Summer's face in his hands.

"You also think that Mom should inform us where she's going right?" He asked the
dog.
I scoffed and looked away, trying to prevent letting out a laugh. "Didn't you call
me weird earlier when I told you where I was going?"

"I thought I wouldn't care," he said, glancing at me.

"So you care?" I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling.

Clyden looked a little taken aback from my question. He stared at me for a moment
before pursing his lips and looking at Summer again. He caressed her head like he
was combing her fur. The Golden retriever liked it so much.

"Is Mom cheating on us?" He joked, asking the dog again.

"Hey, that's such a bad accusation!" I defended myself, scowling. "I went to my
best friend's house in Nueva Ecija. It was a long drive so late na 'ko nakauwi. How
about you? Why are you still awake?"

"I won't sleep tonight," he simply said, standing up and putting his hands inside
his pockets again.
"Why? Are you still studying? Sunday naman so wala kang pasok bukas. I mean, mamaya
since midnight na pala." I looked at my digital watch.

"My body clock is messed up." He shrugged, going to the kitchen to look for
something to eat, taking himself out of the conversation. Summer followed him
there.

I already felt so sleepy though I drank coffee earlier. Hindi yata siya um-effect
sa 'kin so I already went upstairs to take a quick shower, did my skincare routine,
and went to bed to sleep. Buti na lang walang sumira ng beauty sleep ko the next
day. I woke up around 12 PM dahil bumawi ako ng tulog.

I went to the bathroom to wash my face and made sure I was wearing the right
pajamas before I went downstairs. Pababa pa lang ako pero paakyat na si Clyden kaya
nagkasalubong pa kami. He looked tired and sleepy, still carrying his books. His
specs were hanging on the collar of his shirt.

"Good noon." I stopped walking.

"Good night," sabi niya at nilagpasan ako.

I laughed and went to the dining table to eat my lunch. Nakahanda na roon ang
pagkain. I didn't see Clyden's plate so I assumed that he didn't eat again or baka
naman naligpit na? I looked at the helper waiting for me to finish my food.
"Did he eat?" I asked her while smiling.

"Nag breakfast lang po siya, Ma'am," she answered back, smiling. "Nagluto po siya
ng pancakes para sa sarili niya. Ah, medyo marami ho kaya may natira. Akala ho
siguro niya maaga kayong magigising."

"Oh, nasaan na?" I curiously asked.

"Pinakain na ho niya sa mga aso."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. That was something he would really do. Sounds so
much like him, huh. I can't believe I could now tell what he would and would not
do. I was starting to realize that maybe he was not that hard to read. Being
sarcastic was already in his personality, as well as being soft with his dogs.

After I finished eating, I did a quick exercise before I went upstairs again to
take a shower. Nadaanan ko ang room ni Clyden pagkatapos at masyadong tahimik sa
loob so he was probably sleeping. Hail was probably with him because when I went
outside, I only saw Maple and Summer.

"I'm your mom now." I grinned while pouring water on their bowls.

The fact that Clyden referred to me as the mother of his dogs still wouldn't sink
in. I guess he was already slowly accepting me as a person and not just as the
daughter of the politician he hated to see or to even interact with. I understood,
though. I understood why he would act like that. Sometimes, I also couldn't bear to
be in the same room as Dad.

I can't imagine that the money I was using to study in a prestigious school came
from the people's taxes and also from their secret business. Maybe I was trying to
mask off my guilt with joining so many organizations that were made for the welfare
of people. I started volunteering, donating, and doing charity work maybe because I
was guilty and I wanted to do something to bring that money back to the ones who
should benefit from it.

"I can't wait to become independent," I told Maple like he would understand. "Maybe
if I have the strength to talk back to my parents."

Maple looked at me for a second before barking. I jumped a little from my seat, a
little surprised but also laughed after a few seconds. Maybe he was trying to teach
me how to use my voice, huh?

"What a smart dog. If only it could be that easy," I whispered.

I stood up when my phone vibrated. I thought it was just a notification from

Instagram but it was a text from my Dad. I stared at it for so long before
gathering the courage to open it. I already knew what it would say. My dad never
texted me 'how are you' or 'are you eating well'. His messages were always related
to business, politics, or the engagement.

From: Dad
We're going to have dinner with Clyden's family tonight at their mansion. 7 PM.
Dress nicely.

I texted him 'okay' before going inside the house to wake Clyden up. It was already
4 PM so we needed to get ready. He probably didn't know about the dinner because he
was asleep. Naawa ako sa kaniya dahil apat na oras lang ang tulog niya ngayon pero
kailangan ko siya gisingin.

I stopped in front of his room and held the doorknob, still having a debate with
myself. Should I just knock and wait for him to open the door? Maririnig ba niya
'ko? Hindi pa 'ko nakakapasok sa kwarto niya. I had no idea what I would see
inside.

I tried knocking thrice. "Clyden, wake up. Dad texted me about dinner tonight," I
said as loud as I could but there was no response.

"Hey, I'm going inside na." I inhaled a large amount of air before opening the
door. I was a little surprised that he didn't lock it.

I looked around his room before stepping inside. I heard the little bell on Hail's
collar when he ran towards me, wagging his tail. I carried him before looking
around again, admiring the interior design of his room. I could see white, dark
blue, grey, and dark brown wood.

The shelves were in dark brown wood, as well as his closet. He had a white study
table with his laptop on it and a grey swivel chair. The walls were painted white
so his room didn't look that dark. Clyden was covered in his dark blue comforter
while sleeping. Ang lamig sa loob dahil bukas ang aircon.
"Hey, Clyden." I tried waking him up but he didn't even flinch. He was even
sleeping with his grey hoodie on. He looked so peaceful, like no one could ever
hurt him.

I didn't know how to wake him up so I put Hail on the bed. The dog immediately went
to him and started licking his face. I laughed when Clyden's brows furrowed as he
tried to touch his cheek. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, still a
little confused. When he saw Hail, he let out a small smile.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you up. We're going to have dinner at your place tonight,"
I informed him.

He looked at me like he knew I was there. Hindi man lang siya nagulat at umayos na
lang ng upo. He took his hoodie off and went off the bed, placing Hail back on the
floor. He reached for his phone on the side table to probably confirm what I just
said.

"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes and massaged his head.

"Get ready," I told him before leaving his room.

I already showered so I just started doing my makeup inside my room. I just did a
simple one since kami-kami lang naman 'yon. My look was fierce with my smokey eyes
and red lips. I had to match my red off-shoulder bodycon dress tonight. I let my
wavy hair down and put on two diamond hair pins on the side.

I finished getting ready around 5:30 PM. I wore a pair of black heels and got my
black purse out of the closet to complete the look. When I went downstairs, Clyden
was already in the living room, waiting for me.

He was wearing a black dress shirt with two buttons opened and sleeves folded until
his elbows. It was partnered with grey slacks and black belt. He also fixed his
hair to the side with a strand falling over his forehead. He had his pair of specs
on and a silver watch. He looked like he was ready to go to a formal party.

"Hey, let's go. Are we taking your car?" I asked because I felt lazy to drive after
yesterday.

His gaze went from his phone to me. He stared at me for a moment before standing up
and putting his phone inside his pocket. He just nodded and walked out of the house
without saying anything.

"We'll be back!" I told Summer and Maple before leaving the house.

It would be my first time to ride on Clyden's car. He owned a white Mazda 6 Sedan.
It was actually simple, something he would own. I opened the shotgun door and went
inside only to smell a familiar perfume. It was his.
"Honestly, I thought you would own a Lexus or something," I said when he started
the engine.

"Anong gagawin ko roon? Flex? Papasok lang naman ako sa school," seryosong sabi
niya habang hinihintay uminit ang engine.

I put my seatbelt on when he turned the gear into reverse and started taking the
car out of the garage. The car was so quiet so I felt a little awkward. Hindi ako
sanay nang hindi maingay so I looked at the mini screen in front, planning to play
some music.

"Can I connect?" I asked him.

He just nodded and didn't bother talking. I had no idea how to connect to his car
so kinalikot ko na lang 'yung controls. It was looking for a password so I looked
at him, biting my lip. He looked like he was into deep thinking and I didn't want
to bother him.

"Uh." I fake coughed. "It's looking for-"

I stopped talking when he offered his hand. My brows furrowed and stared at it for
so long, wondering what it meant. I looked away when I realized that he was asking
for my hand. What? Why would he ask for my hand?
"Uh, okay." I slowly put my hand above his, feeling a little awkward. He glanced at
me with parted lips and brows furrowed like I did something stupid.

"I'm asking for your phone," seryosong sabi niya habang nagda-drive.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Binawi ko kaagad ang kamay ko at nilapag ang cellphone ko
sa palad niya. I was so embarrassed I had the urge to jump out of the damn door! He
chuckled when he saw my reaction.

"Hindi mo naman sinabing gusto mo pala mag-holding hands," he teased, smirking.

Umirap lang ako at hinintay siyang i-type ang password sa phone ko. Good thing may
stop light so binalik na niya sa 'kin ang phone ko after ma-connect sa bluetooth. I
started playing some music to make myself a little comfortable.

Both of us were silent the whole ride so it was really awkward for me. As much as I
wanted to talk, I didn't want to distract him while he was driving. I silently
celebrated when the car stopped in front of their house. Finally, the end of my
agony.

Oh, wait. May ride pa pauwi! My god!

"Sam," he called me when I started walking, leaving him behind.

I stopped and looked back at him, raising a brow. Binigay niya 'yung susi ng kotse
niya sa isang lalaki bago naglakad palapit sa 'kin, nakapamulsa ang isang kamay. He
stopped in front of me and lent his hand again. I was about to reach for my phone
when he suddenly held my hand and pulled me inside the house.

He intertwined our hands together while walking so I got distracted from looking
around the house. It was like he already knew where his parents would be. Everyone
was already in the dining room when we arrived. His parents, his brothers, and my
parents. Naomi wasn't around again. They left her.. again.

"Darling," my mom called. She stood up and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Hi Clyden.
Take your seats."

Clyden pulled a chair for me before he sat down, ignoring my dad and his family.
His brother, Charles, was on my right side and his other brother, Colin, was in
front of Clyden. They were all silent like they were strangers.

The dinner was already served so we started eating quietly. The only ones talking
were my parents and his parents. I looked at Charles when he accidentally dropped
his fork below the table. I pushed my chair back when he went down to get it.

"I'll get it for you," Clyden stopped his brother.

"I can do it, Cy." Charles gave him a smile.

"It's on my side. I'll get it." Clyden pulled the table cloth up before getting the
fork just in front of my feet. He put the fork back on the table and wrapped it
with a tissue before handing it back to his brother with no emotion on his face.

"Thanks." Charles said, getting the fork out of Clyden's hand.

His parents were watching them for a bit until my dad talked again so their
attention went to him. I glanced at Clyden who already went back to eating. Colin
looked like he didn't care about the tension between his two brothers.

"Cy, honey, can you ask for an extra fork in the kitchen for your brother? And also
tell them to serve the dessert," Clyden's mom told him.

"He can't get one for himself?" Clyden sounded pissed.

"I'm not asking you to get one for me. It came from mom," Charles answered back.
The table suddenly went quiet.

"See? He doesn't need it," Clyden told his mom.

"Okay, honey. Oh, they're already preparing for the dessert. I guess there's no
need to go to the kitchen." His mom smiled at him after looking at the kitchen
side.

"Shouldn't you be scolding him about his attitude?" Colin asked. I bit my lower lip
and looked at Clyden who silently put his utensils down on the plate.

"Shouldn't you be studying harder to pass med school?" Clyden raised a brow.

"Enough," their dad tried to cut the conversation.

"See how disrespectful he is?" Charles joined in. "He deserves to be scolded in
front of everyone like what you do with us. You always let him get away with it
just because he has good grades and he's successful. I call bullshit on that one."

"You're the eldest but you sound like a kid," Clyden calmly said. "I call bullshit
on that one," he mocked again.

"What an asshole!" Reklamo ni Charles at napatayo na.

"Enough, Charles!" Their dad yelled now.

"Oh, how's internship, by the way? I can't imagine you doing well in the medical
field." Clyden sipped on his water and raised a brow.

"Enough, boys! Oh my god, I am so sorry for this," Clyden's mom apologized to my

parents. I bit my lower lip and stared at Clyden again who was obviously pissed off
now.

"I think we need to go. I'm tired and I still have school tomorrow," I told his
parents and my parents.

"Right. Thank you for lending time, Maureen." Clyden's mom gave me an awkward
smile, probably embarrassed that I had to witness what happened between his sons.

"Love, let's go?" I stood up and looked at Clyden.

"Sure," he replied in a low voice. He wiped his mouth with the table napkin before
standing up to put his hand on my waist. "Thanks for having us."

My dad looked so unhappy with what happened but he still gave us a nod before we
left. Clyden's hand tightened on my waist when we reached his car. I stopped
walking so I could face him. He noticed that I wanted to say something so he closed
the door again and leaned against it, waiting for me to talk.
"Uh, are you okay?" I asked.

"Of course," seryosong sagot niya. "Why wouldn't I be? That used to happen every
day."

"Maybe we should be calm next time?" I suggested, giving him an awkward smile.

"I am calm," he pointed out. "Don't I look calm to you, Sam?"

"You look mad," I told him honestly. "Are you mad because your mom asked you to get
a fork for your brother? That's where it started, right?"

He looked at me for a second before he scoffed sarcastically. "Ganoon ba 'ko

kababaw sa paningin mo?"

I didn't talk, afraid that it could just worsen the situation. I really tried to
stop myself from talking because I knew it wouldn't help. I wanted to comfort him
but I also wanted to know the reason why he suddenly snapped. I didn't know what to
do.
"Just get inside the car," he said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Maybe you need to cool down for a bit. It's not good to drive when you're mad," I
calmly said but he probably took it the wrong way because he looked at me again
with his brows furrowed.

"You know-" He stopped himself from talking and just shook his head. "Nevermind."

"What? Tell me." I got curious. Was he going to insult me or was he about to say
something with sense? I wanted to know. He shouldn't stop talking like that.

"Nothing. I was about to throw out a sarcastic remark but I realized that
sometimes, it's better not to open your mouth." He opened the door again and looked
at me. "That's what you're good at."

"Was that an insult?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. I couldn't read his tone.

"Maybe it's in between a compliment and an insult. It's like the phrase 'I hope you
get what you truly deserve'. It sounds like a good thing for good people but a bad
thing for bad people. You choose." Then, he went inside the car.

Umikot ako at sumakay sa shotgun seat. I put on my seatbelt and connected my phone
again to play some calming music. Though he was mad, he still drove smoothly. I was
actually expecting him to speed up but he remained calm and composed while driving.

"Can I play KPOP?" I asked randomly.

"Bakit hindi?" Tanong niya pabalik.

I gave him a small smile but he didn't glance back at me so I just looked away and
played an acoustic K-pop song. I mumbled the lyrics while staring outside the
window, waiting for us to get back home. We were silent again like we were in the
middle of a fight. Did we fight? He was too calm that it was confusing.

"Are you mad at me?" I suddenly asked.

"Hindi," maikling sagot niya.

"Are you mad at your brothers?" He shook his head again. "Your parents?" He didn't
answer this time. "My.. My parents?"

He glanced at me for a second before nodding. "I have no compassion for politicians
like your father. I'm saying this as early as possible so you would know."
"It's okay." I nodded. "I understand. Maybe I was just in denial back then. No one
actually talked about my father like that in front of me. I was surprised."

"Sanay kang pinaplastik ka ng mga tao sa paligid mo?" He raised a brow. "Balita ko
marami kang kaibigan. Naisip mo ba kung ilan doon ang totoo sa 'yo?"

"It's okay. It's their choice if they would want to be a dick to someone who treats
them nicely." Siningkitan ko siya ng mata para malaman niyang siya ang pinatatamaan
ko.

"Alam kong mabait ka pero minsan, hindi sapat ang pagiging mabait. Magkaiba ang
mabait sa may pakialam," he told me.

"Is that.. political?" I asked, getting a little confused. I didn't get the meaning
behind his words.

"Everything is." He chuckled. "You shouldn't be nice to everyone because if you are
nice to oppressors, then you are ignoring the cry of the oppressed. At least, for
me."

That was the last thing he said before we went silent again. I reflected on his
words the whole ride. That was when I realized that I could really learn a thing or
two from Clyden. Maybe he was not just a sarcastic asshole. Maybe he could actually
be helpful. Maybe there was something wrong with me that I needed to fix? I
couldn't point it out yet.
The next day, I had to wake up early again for class. I took a quick shower and
brushed my teeth before I went downstairs wearing a black tank top, a mustard-
colored jacket, a pair of mom jeans, and white shoes. I went straight to the
kitchen to pour water on my flask.

"Hi," I greeted Clyden when I saw him toasting bread. "Did you sleep?"

"A little," he answered back.

He was already wearing a white shirt and a pair of white slacks. His white polo was
in the living room. Hindi pa niya sinusuot siguro dahil baka marumihan. He already
fixed his hair to the side like last time. I looked at his hand when he took the
bread out of the toaster.

"You're still wearing the ring," I pointed out. Maybe he forgot to take it off.

"I always do," he replied, putting the bread on the plate.

"W-what?" I blinked twice and looked at my necklace, kung saan nakasabit 'yung
singsing ko. I didn't know if I would get embarrassed that I took it off. I was the
one doing the right thing!
"Baka mawala ko," he explained. "Wala namang may pakialam kung may singsing ako o
wala."

"Really? I'm pretty sure some women from your school would actually like you."
Sinara ko na ang flask ko at nilagay sa loob ng tote bag ko.

"Bakit? Sa tingin mo madali akong magustuhan?" Natatawang tanong niya pero may
bahid ng sarcasm sa boses niya.

"Why? Are you also rude to them like how you are to me?" I asked while putting the
pitcher back inside the fridge.

He didn't answer. He just finished his food and went to the bathroom to brush his
teeth. Kinuha ko na rin ang yellow ribbon headband ko at tsaka ang car keys ko para
umalis. I called the dogs so I can say goodbye to them.

"Bye!" I kissed Maple's head, then Summer's, and Hail's. Clyden raised a brow when
he saw me kissing his dogs goodbye. "I'm going now," I told him.

"Ako? Hindi mo 'ko hahalikan?" He teased, hiding a smirk.

"Ew!" I rolled my eyes and waved my hand again before leaving the house. "Bye!"

I arrived at school a little early so I decided to just buy a salad in Gonz. I saw
people I knew from table to table so I got a little confused where I would sit.
Good thing I saw Adi so sa table na lang nila ako nakiupo habang hindi pa time.

"Hey, Kalix, thanks for the ride home," bungad ko.

"You guys are together?" Diretsong tanong niya. Napakunot pa ang noo ko, naguluhan
sa sinabi niya. "Clyden."

"Oh, uhm-" I looked away, unable to talk. "Well, it's- Uhm-"

"It's okay. No need to tell me," he assured me. "You're in good hands though.
You'll learn a lot from him."

"Bakit, bro? Prof ba 'yun?" Curious na tanong ni Adonis. "Mukhang mas matanda siya
sa 'tin, 'di ba? 'Di ba?"

"Dumb ass," Kalix replied, shaking his head. I laughed because he just refused to
answer Adi's question.
"Giselle! Hi!" I stood up when I saw her with a shake on her hand. She stopped
walking when she saw me. "What's up? You're getting so busy these days. I saw some
of your commercials."

"Samantha!" She kissed both of my cheeks before smiling. "No naman. I can still
handle the schedule. Medyo maluwag since seniors na, right?" She laughed.

"It must be hard to be a student model? I'm thinking if I should start modelling,"
I joked.

"Oh my gosh, Sam! It suits you!" She looked at me from head to toe. "You know, if
you need help, I can refer you to a lot of people. I can see that you fit in the
industry. You have my number, right? Just give me a call!"

"I was just kidding, Selle. My parents would never let me." I laughed. "But thank
you."

"Basta, just give me a call. I know where to take you. Anyway, I have class pa so I
think I need to get going." She checked the time on her phone before kissing my
cheek and walking away. I gave her a smile and waved.

"She's so nice," I told Adonis. "You know her, Kalix, right?"

"Yeah," walang pakialam na sagot ni Kalix. He was just busy with his phone.

The whole day was just a usual school day. Nicole and my other blockmates went to
UP Town Center for lunch and then we went back again for our last two classes.
Monday so walang nag-aya ng inuman pero sa Friday, we were already set to go to a
club.

"You're going home na, Sammy?" Nics asked.

"Yeah. I need to do the paper pa. Bye, babes!" I kissed their cheeks before going
to the parking lot. Somehow, I was already getting used to driving every day.
Nanghihinayang lang ako sa gas. What a waste of money.

When I went home, Clyden wasn't around so I assumed that he was still in school or
probably studying outside. I went upstairs to take a shower before going to the
dining room to eat my dinner. I was just wearing a white shirt and a pair of red
dolphin shorts.

I stopped eating when the dogs started running to the door, a sign that Clyden just
arrived, I guess. I heard the engine of his car and in just a few minutes, he
already went inside the house, still wearing his uniform. He smiled and gave the
dogs a pat on their heads.

"Hi," he greeted them.

"Hey," I greeted while seated in the dining room. He glanced at me and gave me a
small smile before looking at the dogs again, playing with their faces.

I continued eating silently, still thinking about what Giselle said. I looked up
when Clyden sat in front of me, unbuttoning his white polo to reveal his shirt
underneath. He didn't even look tired from school.

"Anong iniisip mo?" He suddenly asked.

"What?" Naguluhan ako. How did he know? Was it that obvious?

"Anong iniisip mo? You look like you're having a dilemma." He shrugged while
getting rice to put on his plate.

"What if I become a model?" I asked. Sinamahan ko na ng tawa para hindi niya

masyadong seryosohin. It was just a random thought.

He stared at me for a few seconds before putting his utensils down. He crossed his
arms over his chest and tilted his head a little to the side, still looking at me
like he was rating me from one to ten.
"What?" I asked nervously. "Was that a no? Don't worry. I was just kidding-"

"That sounds good." He nodded and smiled. "Bagay sa 'yo."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

07 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Did you just smile at me?"

I pouted my lips to prevent forming a smile. He looked down on his plate and
started eating like he didn't hear my question. I just shrugged and ate with him
while thinking about his answer to my question earlier. Bagay ba talaga sa 'kin?
Ever since I met him, I knew he was an honest person so his opinion was really
important to me.

Clyden was the type to let people know if they were doing the right thing or the
complete opposite of it. I can't say that I knew him better than anyone but for
days that we had been together, I could say that he was a very vocal person.

If he thinks I could be a model, then maybe I could start with something, huh? It
looked like he didn't have any plans on taking it back. I actually stared at him,
waiting for an insult to come but he didn't say anything. Instead, he looked back
at me and raised a brow, probably asking why I was staring at him without saying a
word.
"Thanks," I whispered, giving him a sincere smile.

"For?" He stopped chewing to wait for my answer.

"For saying that it sounds good. I know you don't like it but your words boost my
confidence." I chuckled. Alam ko namang ayaw niyang palakihin ang ulo ko but I
really felt confident with his answer. "So thanks. I just hope it's an honest
opinion."

"When did I ever lie to you?" He asked, his eyes piercing into mine.

"Oh god, you're sounding like a total romantic now. Let's just eat." I laughed the
tension off. I felt a little conscious with his stares so I just looked down on my
plate and tried to continue eating.

Maliit lang ang servings na kinukuha ko and usually I ate less rice just to keep
myself fit. He probably noticed that because I caught him looking at my plate like
he wanted to say something but decided not to. Nauna pa 'kong matapos kumain sa
kaniya so tumayo na 'ko at niligpit ang plato ko.

The next day, I woke up a little early since I also slept around 9 PM last night.
That was the earliest hour I could reach. When I went downstairs, I hadn't showered
yet. I was planning to eat breakfast first since I got plenty of time. I wasn't
completely expecting Clyden entering the house in an athletic shirt and a pair of
shorts, sweating.
"Hey. You're.." I looked outside the window and it was still dark. "..up early. Or
did you not sleep at all?"

"I did," he replied short before he started walking towards the breakfast table.

He took his airpods off and even his digital watch. He was also holding a dark blue
tumbler but it was already empty so he got another glass from the kitchen. I was
planning to cook for breakfast so I checked the fridge for food.

"Any breakfast in mind?" I asked casually.

"I'm actually surprised that you know how to cook." He laughed sarcastically.

I scowled and glared at him before taking out eggs and bacon from the fridge. I
didn't like rice for breakfast so I took out bread instead. He sat on the high
chair while drinking water and probably staring at me because I could feel it from
my back.

"Why do you keep on staring at me? Don't tell me you like me," I joked, laughing a
bit.
"Hindi naman. Iniisip ko lang kung saan ka natuto magluto. 'Di ba senyorita ka sa
bahay n'yo?" When I glanced back at him, he was already looking so curious.

"That's the skill you will acquire when you take your friends home in your condo
and treat their hangover the next day." I laughed again, remembering my girls. "We
used to party every week."

"Do your parents know?" He raised a brow.

"They would. Somehow, they always end up knowing." And then I would get an hour of
sermon. I had no choice. Partying with my friends was my escape. It was the only
time I felt free from the chain my parents put on my neck. It was the only time I
could breathe.

He didn't talk after that. While I was busy cooking, I didn't even notice that he
already went upstairs to shower. Tapos na 'ko magluto nang bumaba siya ulit, now
wearing his uniform, except the white polo. Nasa hanger pa rin 'yon. He really
looked so clean in his uniform. I couldn't get over it.

"Do you have time to eat?" I tried asking. Hindi ko alam ang schedule ng class niya
pero maaga siya palaging umaalis and minsan hindi na siya rito nagbe-breakfast.

"I guess." He put his bag and polo down on the sofa before walking towards the
breakfast table where I was seated.
"I thought you're such a busy person that you just can't 'make' time," I mocked,
smirking. I could still remember everything he said to me back then.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were desperate to eat with me." He smiled at me
sweetly but it was fake.

"I don't even think about having breakfast with you. Not even once," I replied,
also giving him a fake smile.

"Talaga? Bakit dalawang plato 'yung nilagay mo sa lamesa?" He was smirking now
while pointing at his plate. "Hay, nag-abala ka pa, Sam."

"That's not for you. That's for Summer." I glared at him. "Summer, come here!"

"I'm sure as hell Summer doesn't like bacon." He playfully bit on the bread and
raised his brows to tease me.

I didn't know that. Hindi ko rin alam kung papaniwalaan ko siya. I just rolled my
eyes and started eating so I could already take a shower. Iniwan ko siya roon para
umakyat pagkatapos kumain. I didn't want to be late for school.

I went downstairs wearing a pink Ralph Lauren polo and a pair of white maong
shorts. I tuck my shirt in and wore a belt. I partnered it with a pair of white
shoes and a tote bag. After pouring water in my flask, I already went out and saw
Clyden opening the door of his car.

"Wala kang headband ngayon," he pointed out.

"I didn't know you like paying attention to my school outfit." I smirked at him.
"But actually, I have." I reached for the pink bandana in my bag to show it to him.

"Good for you," he said before going inside his car and closing the door.

I also went inside my car to start the engine and waited a few minutes for it to
heat. Clyden went out of the garage and I followed. Before we went in different
directions, I opened the shotgun window and stopped beside his car.

"You're ugly," I said, smirking.

I was surprised when he rolled his window down and rested his arm on it, lowkey
showing me his middle finger while his eyes were fixed in front. His other hand was
holding the steering wheel. He was even wearing a pair of sunglasses like he was
off to a vacation. When I laughed, his lips formed a playful smile.

"Bye, asshole!" I said before rolling the window up again and driving away.
I arrived in school just in time for my first class. Kasabay ko ang prof pagpasok
sa room so wala na 'kong time makipag-usap kila Raylee. I just silently sat there
with my notebook, trying so hard to listen.

"Come on! ISO?" Michel asked us. We were trying to come up with one solid decision
on where to eat our lunch today. May canteen ang ISO but it was too far and the
heat was no joke today.

"Ayaw ni Sam doon for sure. It's hot." Raylee laughed. "But I also don't like Gonz.
Sawa na 'ko. Wala na bang ibang choice? It's so hot."

"Puno ang JSEC." Nicole looked at her watch. "And probably Matteo Up. How about
Regis? We got plenty of time."

"Uh, not me. I have org stuff pa. I'll just stay for an hour." I gave them an
apologetic smile. In the end, we just ate at Regis, hoping to find a table.
Luckily, I knew some people and they lent us their table after they finished
eating.

I was eating my salad quietly while Raylee and the other girls were talking about
the thesis. When I noticed that they suddenly stopped talking, I looked up and saw
them staring at a freshman.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Hey, are you taking pictures of us?" Lea asked the freshman. My eyes widened when
I looked back and saw Naomi holding my camera. She was standing there, alone, but I
could see her friends on the other table, trying to call her.

"I am not," Naomi answered. When she saw me, she scowled and rolled her eyes.

"Did she just-" Nicole looked so confused. "Did she just roll her eyes?"

"Hey, just let her go," I told them, getting stressed out.

"Sam, she took a picture of us without our consent. May flash pa. That's not
right," Ayessa said. "What if she's going to use it for other purposes?"

"Like what?" Naomi replied, walking towards our table. "Do you think I'm going to
crop your photo, make a fake account, and flirt with old men using your face? Now
that gives me an idea."

"Oh my god," Raylee whispered. "Why is she so rude?"

"Girls, just let it go. I'll handle it, okay? It's fine." I stood up and got my
things. I was already running late to my org meeting and this thing with Naomi
wasn't helping.

"Do you know her?" Michel asked, her brows furrowed.

"Kind of," I stuttered a little before pulling Naomi's arm away from our table.

Nang makalayo kami, padabog niyang binawi ang braso niya sa 'kin. I made sure my
grip wasn't tight but she still looked hurt. She glared at me and handed me the
camera, hitting my abdomen with it.

"Hey," I calmly said, holding her hand so she could take it away from me. "I'm
sorry about what happened. Can you just please delete the photo?"

"I did not take a picture!" She yelled at me. "See it for yourself!"

"Oh," I whispered, not knowing what to say. Were my friends lying? I took the
camera from her hand so I could check it myself but she looked so offended.

"You really had to check, huh?" She laughed sarcastically. "Of course you will
believe your friends more. You can't even tell them that I'm your sister!"
Oh my. I was so shocked that I almost lost my grip on the camera. I looked at her
with so much confusion until I felt the need to apologize. Hiding her wasn't my
intention at all. She bit her lower lip and looked away. I could see anger in her
eyes and a hint of pain.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I just thought you wanted us to treat each other like strangers in
school," I said softly, giving the camera back to her.

"You couldn't even defend me back there. I think it's really better if we just act
like we're strangers." Kinuha niya ang camera at nilagpasan na 'ko.

I was holding my breath for a moment so when she left, I was panting a little. I
bit my lower lip and watched her go back to their table. I gave myself a pat on the
shoulder and a smile before leaving. I wanted to assure myself that it was fine but
I felt guilty that maybe she also felt like I was hiding her, like what my dad did.

"Oh god, I'm the worst," I whispered to myself.

I had two org meetings that afternoon and two more classes before I went to
Starbucks to buy myself a drink. Pagkabalik ko, nadaanan ko 'yung football field
and I saw Adonis kicking a ball up repeatedly using his feet. He stopped to give me
a wave.
"Uuwi ka na?" He asked.

"Yeah! Friday, okay? Don't forget!" I reminded him about the party.

While I was on my way home, I made a few calls to my friends just to ask them if
they were available for the party this Friday. I was actually hesitant to call
Arkin because he was already too busy. Matagal ko na siyang hindi nakakasama.

[Hello? Kung inom 'yan, hindi ako interesado.] Bungad sa 'kin ni Luna.

"Please? Walang ambagan! Just go present yourself! I promise hindi pupunta si

Kalix. He already told Adonis that he wasn't available so don't worry!" I tried to
convince her. "Also ask Kierra about it! I need her to attend! Maybe it's already
time for the both of you to get a guy or what!"

[Kierra!] I heard her shout. [Friday! BGC. Bawal daw ang hindi 'oo' ang sagot sabi
ni Sam. Wala kang choice. Ini-inform lang kita, sis.]

"Thanks, Luna! Love you!" I said before ending the call. I called Via next but she
was out of reach so I just left a message. I called Sevi instead.

[Ano na naman, Samantha? Kapag tumatawag ka, kinakabahan ako kasi alam kong tawag
'yon ng alak na naghihintay mainom.] Sevi answered the call.
"You know what? You're right." I smiled. "Friday. BGC. It's a big party. Malay mo
roon mo na makita ang magiging girlfriend mo. Oh, by the way, Luna's attending."

[Oy, naka-move on na 'ko roon! Pero sure ka bang magkakaroon ako ng girlfriend
diyan? Marami ka bang ininvite? Baka naman sa rami niyan, wala pa rin akong
makita!]

"Oh come on! If it's meant to be, it's meant to be! Don't rush it! Just have fun!
You're going na, ah? I'll put you on the guestlist. Thanks!" I ended the call
immediately so he wouldn't have time to protest.

I also invited some LaSallian friends like Shan, Helen, and others. It was going to
be a big party since Raylee reserved the whole damn club for us. Her family was the
owner so it was easy. We invited people from different schools. Thanks to me, I
knew a lot of people.

When I arrived home, Clyden was already there, studying with his specs on. He was
wearing a blue sweater and a pair of black shorts. I greeted the dogs with a smile
on my face no matter how pissed I was because of traffic. I caressed their heads
and carried Hail. He was the only one I could still carry since he was the
youngest.

"Hey, I'm going to have a party this Friday. I'm just thinking if you want to
come?" I stood beside him, trying to look at what he was reading.
"Mag-aaral ako," maikling sagot niya.

"Okay!" I shrugged and put Hail down before going upstairs to take a shower. I
already expected that answer from him. He just couldn't leave his studies for a
minute and I also didn't think I could act normal kung pupunta siya.

I ate dinner without him. He was too busy studying that he probably forgot to eat
dinner but I also didn't want to bother him. He looked like he had a bad day.
Masyado siyang seryoso, huh. I admit that he still looked good even when he was
mumbling random words under his breath, probably memorizing something.

I stopped eating when I heard a car pulling up in front of our house. I stood up
and opened the door to see who it was. On the other hand, Clyden looked
uninterested.

"Oh, Charles!" I looked at him with surprise. I wasn't expecting a visit from him
so I looked back at Clyden who probably didn't hear what I just said. "What's up?
What brings you here?"

"Oh, Mom sent me for an errand. She wanted to bring some food from Japan," Charles
said, holding two paper bags. "She went there yesterday."

"Come in!" I smiled and opened the door widely to give him a way.
"Hi brother." Charles let out a smirk.

Clyden looked at him with his brows furrowed, like he wanted to kick him straight
out of the door. He took his glasses off and stood up to get the paper bags out of
his brother's hands.

"I said I'll just get these tomorrow, right?" Clyden said under his gritted teeth.

"It's fine. I also wanted to see what your house looks like. Can I look around?"
Charles gave me a smile so I nodded. Clyden put the paper bags on the breakfast
table while Charles was walking around the house, admiring the design.

"Where are the bedrooms?" Charles asked. "Sam, can you show me around?"

"No, she can't," Clyden answered for me, glaring at his brother. "But I can. Come
and follow me upstairs."

I blinked twice before I went back to eating. Mabilis lang din akong natapos kaya
niligpit ko na at sumunod sa kanila sa taas. They were nowhere to be found so I
checked the balcony at the end of the hallway of rooms.

"What the fuck do you want?" Clyden sounded pissed.

"Oh, come on. Like I said, I was doing an errand for Mom and I wanted to see the
house. Why are you so mad? Besides, sa akin naman talaga dapat 'tong bahay na 'to,
'di ba?" Charles laughed.

"Well, you already let it go so the best you can do right now is to fucking dream."
I heard a bump on the wall, like he pushed Charles against it.

"You're living my dream, Clyden. Don't let your engagement fall off. You got a
great woman with you." I heard him push Clyden away from him. "Watch your back.
Maybe I could finally get even with you."

I heard footsteps so I immediately ran inside my room to hide. I waited for a few
seconds before I opened the door and saw Clyden in front of me. My lips parted and
stepped back a little because of guilt. It was really not my intention to
eavesdrop!

"Hey!" I smiled at him. "You're there pala! Where's your brother? Umuwi na ba siya?
What are you doing in front of my room? Do you want to say something?"

"Bakit ang dami mong tanong?" Kumunot ang noo niya.

"Oh, right!" I let out a fake laugh. "So what are you doing in front of my room? Do
you need anything?"
"Papunta ako sa kwarto ko." He pointed at his room with his brows furrowed. "You're
acting weird."

"Uh, where's your brother? Umuwi na?" I asked and he nodded. "Hey, listen. I know
it's personal but if you have any problems with your family or friends, you can
talk to me. I am a great listener!" I gave him a sweet smile.

"For sure. You even heard what my brother and I talked about on the balcony." He
chuckled before entering his room. Nawala kaagad ang ngiti ko.

This asshole! He knew I was there and he just let me act so weird when I opened my
door! I felt a little embarrassed and guilty but he seemed okay about it so I just
went back to my business. I did a paper and also studied for a quiz tomorrow.

When I heard a knock on my door, I immediately closed my laptop and stood up. I was
expecting the helper because I asked for snacks but instead, I saw Clyden holding
my lace on his hand. My brow shot up, wondering where he got it.

"Samantha Maureen Vera," he read the name on my I.D. I never knew my name would
sound that good.

"Yes, that's my name. I hope you remember," I said sarcastically. I was about to
snatch my lace out of his hand but he moved his hand.
"Maui," he called me.

"Only my family gets to call me that. Now, give me my I.D." Sumimangot ako at
sinubukan ulit abutin ang lace pero tinaas niya ang kamay niya. Inis ko siyang
tinignan. Seriously, what's his deal?

"I'm your family," he teased, smirking. "Your husband, to be exact."

"Nice try. Except that we won't last until the day of our wedding. Dream on." I
gave him a smile before getting the lace out of his hand. Finally, he let it go. He
looked like he enjoyed pissing me off.

"Sigurado ka?" He bit his lower lip to hide a smile.

"Why? Do you like me now?" I stepped closer to him and raised a brow. I could now
smell his masculine scent.

"Do you?" He asked back, making a step forward.

He was too close to me so I stepped back to my room. He pushed the door and went
inside, still staring at me. I didn't want to lose so I stared back at him and
tried to read what he was thinking, but my mind couldn't get off the fact that he
was standing inside my room. My room!

"No, I don't like you," taas-noong sagot ko.

"Then the feeling is mutual." He smiled and pinched my cheek before leaving my
room, leaving me dumbfounded.

"What the hell," I whispered, panting a little. Napahawak tuloy ako sa dibdib ko at
huminga nang malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili ko. For some reason, what happened
was intense for me. I couldn't explain why.

I tried to go back to studying but I was so distracted so I decided to go

downstairs. Pagkabukas ko ng pintuan ko, palabas din si Clyden sa kwarto niya. I
quickly closed the door and went back to bed. That was a dumb move but I just
couldn't be near him right now!

The next morning, I decided to take a quick run around outside. 10 AM pa naman
'yung class ko so marami pa 'kong time. I saw some people I knew so I would stop
running to wave at them.

"Sam?" I stopped again when someone called me. "Hey! Have you received your
invitation for my debut? You didn't send me a reply."
"Elyse!" I smiled at her. "Oh, no, honey. I moved out of the house. I didn't get
the invitation. Message me the deets and I'll check my schedule."

"Oh, that's unfortunate." She pouted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. If you can't
come, it's okay. I'll fill in your position. I know we're not even that close. It's
just that my brother wants me to invite a lot of people. He thinks I don't have any
friends! Ugh!"

"It's fine! Oh, hey, we have a party this Friday," I said but also stopped when I
realized that she was still a minor. "Oh, nevermind. I invited your brother but I
think I can't invite you yet."

"Oh, god. Don't worry. I don't drink," she said before running again.

Elyse was a sister of a friend from La Salle. The kids were starting to grow up
now, huh. I kept on receiving debut invitations from the younger siblings of my
friends. I tried my best to attend all of them but sometimes, it just wouldn't fit
my schedule. Org stuff, studies, and parties. That reminded me of Naomi's birthday.

"Oh, she's turning eighteen," I whispered. "And I still haven't heard about her
plans."

I made sure to ask my dad about it later this evening. He texted me to have dinner
tonight. He didn't say I should bring Clyden so I was just planning to go alone
after class. Speaking of him, when I went back home, his car was already gone so
hindi kami nagkita this morning. What a relief.
"Sam, we're going to have a few beers," Raylee told me after class. "Are you going?
Diyan lang near Army Navy."

"No, I have a family dinner tonight." I gave them an apologetic smile.

"You're drinking less these days, ah. Hmm, new life?" Ayessa teased. "Medyo
blooming ka rin, ah. Let me guess! You have a new boyfriend?!"

"W-what?!" I exclaimed but I just sounded so defensive.

"Sam with a boyfriend doesn't add up well. Hindi na siya nakakalagpas sa 'crush'
stage. Kapag nagustuhan na siya pabalik, she tends to lose interest and end up
ghosting the guy so I think that's a no." Raylee shook her head in disapproval.

"Hey, nakakalagpas ako sa 'crush' stage! Well, hanggang 'dating' stage nga lang," I
defended myself.

The last boyfriend I had was in highschool and it wasn't even serious. I got strict
parents so having a boyfriend wasn't really on my mind, plus the engagement thing.
I didn't want to break my own heart, knowing we wouldn't even end up together.
"So you don't have a boyfriend? How about that guy friend of yours from UST? The
captain? Are you sure you don't have a thing for him? He's good looking!" Nics
joined the conversation.

"Sevi?! Oh, god, no!" I denied. "I mean, he's nice, yes. He's attractive, yes. But
he's my friend. It can't happen. Never. That's so awkward."

"How about Kalix from SOM? You're friends with him too!" Michel gave me a teasing
smile.

"What?!" I made a disgusted face. "Oh my god, he's my friend's ex! I would never!
Come on, guys! Stop trying to find me a boyfriend. I'm completely fine!"

"This Friday. I'm getting you a boyfriend. Dry season is over!" Raylee winked
before I walked away, laughing.

That night, I drove my way to the mansion for dinner. The helpers welcomed me again
by getting my things from me but I shook my head. I took my shoes off and wore the
house slippers before walking towards the dining room. They were already eating
without me again. I just quietly sat down and placed my bag on the empty seat
beside me.

"Hi Mom, Dad," I greeted. The food was already served on my plate so I just started
eating.
"Where's Clyden?" My mom looked like she was expecting him.

"Oh, Dad didn't tell me that I should bring him." I looked at Dad. "And I think
he's also busy with his studies."

"You should always bring your fiancé with you, Maui," my dad said. "He is your
future husband, after all. You need to get along with him or force yourself to get
along with him. Do not let him back out from this engagement. You need him."

No, I don't. I wanted to say that but I knew it would just disappoint my dad so I
just gave him a small smile and a nod. I looked at Naomi who was seated in front of
me, barely eating her food.

"Naomi, do you have any plans for your birthday?" I smiled at her. She looked at me
in surprise. She probably didn't expect me to remember her birthday.

"We already talked about it. No grand party. Just a little get together with her
friends. Not in the house, of course," dad answered for her.

"But it's her debut." My brows furrowed. "It should be grand if she wants it to
be."
"Oh, no, honey. Just because your debut was grand doesn't mean she should also make
hers grand. A little get together with her friends can do," my mom said, wiping her
mouth with the table napkin.

Naomi was quiet the whole dinner and I felt like she wanted me to stop talking
about her birthday so I did. After we ate, I kissed mom and dad on the cheek before
leaving the dining room. I said I needed to go back early so I could study.

"Sam." I stopped when Naomi called me.

I looked at her and gave her a smile. "Hey, what's up?"

"Can you please just stop talking about a grand party for my debut?" She looked
irritated. "You don't know a thing about me. You don't know what I want so stop
acting like you do! It's annoying!"

"Naomi!" My eyes widened when I saw my mom behind her. "What an ungrateful child!
You actually need to thank your sister for bringing up your birthday because almost
all of us already forgot about it!"

"Mom!" I yelled to stop her.

"Do not raise your voice at me, Maureen." She gritted her teeth before facing
Naomi. "And you. Your room. Now. You're grounded."

"Mom, don't do that to her. Do not just jail her inside her room," I calmly said.
At least, I was trying to be calm.

"Yeah, like it would even make a difference," Naomi said before running upstairs.

"I am so disappointed with that child." My mom rolled her eyes. "Do not make me
feel the same with you, Maui."

I massaged my head and sighed heavily, getting so stressed out. I wanted to follow
Naomi upstairs but I knew she wouldn't like to see me so I just left.

When I arrived home, I still managed to let out a small smile for the dogs before
walking to my room. I closed the door and covered my face as tears started to run
down my face. I felt so helpless. As much as I wanted to do something, I just
couldn't and it was so frustrating.

I jumped out of surprise when I heard a knock on my door. I quickly wiped my tears
with the back of my hand before twisting the door knob. Clyden parted his lips when
he saw my face. His fist was still on the air from knocking on my door.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Yes?" I tried to smile at him.

"Kakain na." He looked away and bit his lower lip.

"I already ate." I was about to close the door but he pushed his hand over it to
stop me. I looked at him and waited for him to say something. He looked like he
wanted to. "What?"

"Do you need a hug?" He asked, looking away from me.

My lips parted in shock, trying to process his offer. I couldn't help but laugh at
him. That wasn't what I expected him to say.

"Can you give me a hug?" I teased.

My smile faded when he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, resting my
head on his chest. I blinked twice and swallowed hard as my heart started to race.
I could smell his scent from his sweater. For some reason, it felt so comforting.
"I can feel your heartbeat but I'll just pretend that I can't," he whispered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

08 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"That's not mine."

I heard him laugh again before tightening his
embarrassed but I still rested my head on his
falling. I wanted to cry, I really do, but he
lahat ng luha ko noong niyakap niya 'ko dahil
would actually do it.
hold on my shoulders. I felt
chest, trying to stop my tears from
was distracting me. Parang umurong na
sa gulat. I wasn't expecting that he

"You can let go now," I whispered. My words were muffled because of his hold.

He did let me go but his hand remained on my shoulder while the other one tried to
hold my chin up so he could see me clearly. I pouted my lips because they were
shaking a little out of nervousness. Clyden's eyes pierced into mine like he was
trying to read my thoughts.

"Ano'ng nangyari?" Tanong niya.

"It's nothing." I gave him a smile and held the door so I could close it. He looked
like he wasn't convinced with my smile so I smiled wider to look happier. "I swear,
it's nothing."

"You like lying," he pointed out. It was not a question. "Why? Do you think it
would burden me? That I got my own problems too and you think opening up about
yours will just add up to it? That's how you think, right?"

"Are you aspiring to become a therapist?" I raised a brow. Everything he said was
all right.

"No. I want to become a pediatric surgeon," he corrected me, letting out a small
smile. "What about you? Do you know what you want to become or are you also waiting
for your dad to tell you?"

I didn't talk because I didn't know what to say. How can he hit all the right spot?
Was he a mind-reader or what? Everything he said was exactly how my thoughts were.
That was the time when I realized that I also didn't know what was ahead of me. I
was so used to making my dad decide on what will happen to my future that I already
forgot how to make a choice myself.

"Gusto mong maging model?" He asked now, remembering what I asked him last time.
"Then pursue that. What's stopping you?"

"My parents won't like it. They want me to focus on my studies before getting a job
or a career. M-maybe if I finish college, I could pursue that. I don't even know if
I want that." I looked away.
I envied him because even though he had problems with his family like me, he still
had his life together and good thing he wanted to become a doctor himself. It was
different for me because my dad originally wanted me to enter politics. The only
reason he let me study Comm was because it would help me acquire skills I could use
for campaigns. That wasn't what I wanted.

So what about what I want? What do I really want to become? I also didn't know. I
wasn't sure of anything yet. I wanted to decide after finishing college. I could
try working in a media company but I was also not that passionate about it.

"My friends are all so sure, you know?" I chuckled and bit my lower lip before
looking away. "And I can't help but feel a little jealous. They are so sure with
the programs they took and their future is already set and served in front of them
like food. They got clear goals. They want to become architects, engineers,
directors, lawyers, and here I am.. Still lost."

"Hey, hindi mo naman kailangang gumawa ng desisyon kaagad. Hindi naman palaging
alam mo ang gusto mong mangyari. It will take some time to make a big decision for
yourself."

"But all of you are so sure about what you want." I looked down and played with my
nails. I was getting nervous for no reason.

"Maybe you just need time to figure it out. Try other things. Modeling, painting,
singing. I don't know. Get out of your comfort zone. Maybe at some point you will
find yourself enjoying what you do. Pursue that one." He leaned against the door,
crossing his arms over his chest.
I can't believe we were actually having a serious conversation outside my room. Sa
pintuan pa talaga at pareho kaming nakatayo. Some would go out for coffee or maybe
talk about it over dinner, or after a few drinks. Kami, nakatayo sa tapat ng kwarto
ko.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the party this Friday? You look like you can
say more when drunk." I laughed when I imagined him uttering some medical terms
after a few drinks.

"Do you want me there?" He raised a brow.

"I don't really 'want' you there. I mean, if you can go then you should go. If you
can't, then don't. It won't make any difference. It's a party! We might also lose
each other in the crowd. If you're going, you can also bring some friends. I'll
tell you the address." Nilabas ko ang cellphone ko para i-text sa kaniya kahit
hindi naman niya sinabi.

"Enough of this club talk." He put his hands inside his pocket and stood in front
of me. "Remember this. Okay lang na hindi mo pa alam kaysa ipilit mo at magkamali."

That was the last thing he said before he went back to his room. After taking a
shower, I took some time to think about everything he said while staring at the
ceiling. I was re-evaluating my life choices at this point. If only it was that
easy to make a decision for myself but my parents were expecting so much from me.
It was not my money after all.
The next morning, I accidentally turned my alarm off while sleeping. Good thing
Clyden went inside my room to wake me up.

"Don't you have class?" He asked. I felt something heavy on my tummy so I opened my
eyes again, only to see Clyden beside my bed and Summer standing on top of me.
"Summer, get down."

"What time is it? Oh my god!" Napaupo kaagad ako at napahawak sa ulo ko. Oh my
gosh, I overslept. I did, right?! Clyden was already wearing his uniform and he
looked like he was already about to leave.

"Relax. 6 AM pa lang." Clyden looked at his watch.

"Pa lang?! My class starts at 8 AM today! What the hell!" Tumakbo kaagad ako
papunta sa cabinet to get some clothes before going inside the shower. I was
already panicking because I knew the traffic would get in my way again.

I didn't have time to eat breakfast anymore and when I went downstairs, Clyden was
already gone. How unfortunate that I had to stop by a gasoline station to refill my
damn tank. I wasn't used to being late! I was always early so it stressed me out.

"Sammy!" Raylee called when we saw each other at the parking lot. "Omg, late ka
rin?! Tara, sabay na tayo! We're doomed! You want some?" She offered me her
Starbucks paper bag. Probably bread ang laman.
"You even had time to go to Starbs." I laughed while walking. "I'll just get a bite
later. We need to hurry up."

"Come on! Wala ka pang cuts so it's okay. Half cut lang naman ang late! Relax and
admire the trees." Raylee laughed, closing her eyes and acting like she was
connecting to the nature. I pulled her hand away so she could catch up.

When we arrived at class, good thing they were not doing anything important. May
meeting lang with groups so the prof did not really record attendance that day.
Raylee offered me her bread and I took a bite while writing on my notebook.

"Why can't you just go back to your condo? Did you sell it?" Ayessa asked while we
were at JSEC (John Gokongwei Student Enterprise Center) eating lunch. It was like
an open canteen full of SOM students. Maraming stalls around and you will pick
where to buy.

"No. It's still mine and my things are still there. I just can't go back now. Maybe
after a few weeks. Let's see! I can't get used to dealing with this damn traffic
every day." I massaged my head, remembering how frustrated I was earlier.

"Why can't you go back?" Mich asked.

"She's in a situation that she can't tell," Nicole answered for me. "We already
heard that answer, Sam. Are you having problems with your family or what? Or are
you living with your boyfriend?"
"What?! Boyfriend?!" I stuttered. My reaction was probably exaggerated but I
couldn't help it. "I don't have a boyfriend. I don't have plans on getting a
boyfriend. I can be alone forever. I'm too busy with my studies and my parents
won't-"

"Wow, sobrang defensive!" Raylee laughed out loud. "Ang fishy, huh! I'm starting to
smell something. Hmm, Samantha is hiding something."

"No!" I denied, shaking my head. "Come on. Stop trying to find me a lovelife. I'm
fine! Worry about yours, Ray."

"Tambayan na rin ng mga taga-Comm ang JSEC?" I looked at Adonis who was just
walking by with Kalix. He laughed when I hit him with an envelope. "Tuloy sa
Friday, ah!"

"Have fun," Kalix said while reading something.

"Luna's going," I told him, smiling. I saw how his eyes stopped reading to process
what I just said. "Well, I'm just informing you."

"Add that to the reasons why I should not go," he replied, still not looking at me.
I chuckled and gave Adonis a look. He shrugged and rested his arm on Kalix's
shoulder to tease him about it before they walked away. Raylee and I started
finalizing our guests for the party on Friday before we went back to class. I had
org stuff after so I went home late.

"Hello!" I greeted the dogs when I went inside the house.

All of them were running towards me, wagging their tails. I bent down to caress
their heads while looking around to find Clyden. I couldn't see him anywhere and it
was already late.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked Summer like she would answer. I didn't see his car outside
so he was still probably out.

I took a shower and did my skincare before I started studying for tomorrow. I kept
on glancing at the clock, getting a little worried about him. What if he got into
an accident? I had to check the news. Wala namang nakalagay. I didn't want to text
him because he might tease me about it.

Hindi tuloy ako gaanong nakatulog. It was around 6 AM when I went inside the
bathroom to take a shower. My class will start at 9 AM so I still got plenty of
time. I was wearing a simple white off-shoulder romper and a pair of black sandals
when I went downstairs. I placed my bag on the breakfast table and looked around.

"Did he go home last night?" I asked a helper.

"Hindi po namin napansin, Ma'am. Wala pa rin po 'yung kotse niya pagkagising ko
kaninang 5."

I nodded before eating. I looked at my phone and checked if he texted me but he did
not. I pouted and quickly finished my food so I could go to school early. He
wouldn't go to school that early, right? So he probably stayed outside all night.

"Hey, what does it mean when a man stays outside for the whole night?" I asked
Raylee after class.

"What else? He's smashing someone." Raylee giggled. My smile faded and I stopped
walking to stare at her with wide eyes.

"You mean he's having sex?" My brows furrowed.

"I'm kidding! Why are you even asking me about what a man would do? I'm not a man!"
She laughed again. "Why? Are you having problems with your secret boyfriend?"

"I don't have a secret boyfriend!" I denied again. She looked like she wasn't even
convinced. I shook my head and continued walking, trying to get my thoughts out of
my head. "I guess I'll just see you later."
"See you! Don't even try ditching!"

I went inside my car and drove home. I raised my brows when I saw Clyden's car at
the garage. So he was still alive, huh. When I went inside the house, I saw him
leaning against the countertop in the kitchen, waiting for his toasted bread. He
was still wearing his uniform and his pair of specs.

"Do you want bread?" Clyden asked when I glanced at him.

"Hi babies!" I greeted the dogs to purposely ignore him.

I kissed the top of their heads before I went upstairs. I heard him call for my
name but I didn't look back. How casual of him to just ask me if I wanted bread
after being gone for one whole day?!

I started getting ready for our club night after taking a shower. I blow-dried my
hair before I started putting on my makeup. I tried to make it simple but fierce
because I knew it would just fade later. I braided my short hair in a half-ponytail
before putting a pin.

I was having a dilemma on what to wear so I just sat on my bed, staring at two
dresses. In the end, I just wore the beige v-neck dress ending inches above my
knees. It was fit on my body and the thin strap revealed my arms and collarbones. I
partnered it with diamond earrings and white pair of heels.
I put my things inside my white purse before spraying perfume and going out of the
room. It was already 8 PM and Raylee and I needed to go there early so we could see
if everything was ready. The party will start around 10:30 PM.

When I went downstairs, Clyden was in the living room, playing with the dogs. When
he saw me, his eyes quickly surveyed my body from head to toe. I glanced at him for
a moment before rolling my eyes.

"Galit ka ba?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

"No," I replied while walking towards the main door with my car keys on my hand. He
already showered but he was wearing sweats so he was probably not going to the
party.

"Bakit hindi ka namamansin?" He asked again when I was about to walk out the door.

I stopped and glared at him. He raised his brows and held his chest dramatically
when he saw my threatening look. He looked around and pretended that I was glaring
at someone else but him.

"Galit si Mommy sa 'yo," he told Summer.

I rolled my eyes and went out, ignoring him. Nag-drive na lang ako papunta sa club
nila Raylee. It was still traffic so I arrived a little late inside. It was
pleasing to see an empty club waiting for its guests. The party was going to be
chaotic but chaotic for me was fun.

It wasn't totally free. The guests can pay how much they want but since we invited
some people in the same social circle as Raylee, I was sure we would get enough. I
sat on the high chair and asked the bartender for a martini while waiting for the
party to start. I rolled my eyes when I received a text from Clyden.

From: Clyden

Summer wants to ask why you're mad at her

I drank the cocktail in one shot and ignored his text. So his phone was working,
huh? He just chose not to send me a message to tell me why he was out all night and
all day.

"Why do I even care?" I whispered, ordering another cocktail. "It's not like he
really had to tell me, right? We're not even friends."

"Sino'ng kausap mo?" I almost jumped on my seat when Sevi suddenly appeared on my
side. He was already with Via.

Sevi was wearing a simple dark green short-sleeved polo with two buttons opened and
a pair of black jeans. Via, on the other hand, was wearing a brown cropped top
sweater and a pair of white high-waisted shorts.
"Hey! You didn't text me. Sinundo ko sana kayo sa harap." I gave Via a kiss on the
cheek before she sat beside me, looking serious. I turned to Sevi and lowkey gave
him a look, asking why Via was in a bad mood.

"Arkin," he whispered.

My mouth formed an 'o' before nodding, giving Via a secret glance. Originally,
Arkin was Via's bestfriend even before she met us so the reason why Arkin started
hanging out with us was because of her kaso ever since nag-college, masyado na
siyang naging busy. Si Via at Sevi lang ang palagi niyang kasama.

"Come on, Via. I'll get you a drink. You should have fun!" I nudged her and ordered
a drink for her. "Actually, let's go na sa couch. It's better there. Follow me."

I stood up and looked for the best spot in the club. That was the only time I
realized that some of the guests were already inside. Medyo napupuno na nga 'yung
tables but good thing I had one reserved for my friends. Via and Sevi sat down
while I was ordering drinks.

"Ouch!" I almost hit Luna with my purse when she suddenly pulled on my hair.

I laughed when she gave me a smile and a peace sign. She was wearing a black tank
top and a pair of high-waisted maong jeans. Kierra was with her, wearing a white
off-shoulder and black leather skirt. She was looking around like a lost girl. I
gave them both a kiss on the cheek before they sat on the couch.

"Uy, si Luna, kabado," Sevi teased, laughing.

"Uy, si Sevi, kagago." Luna glared at him.

"Don't worry, Kalix is not going," I assured her. "So feel free! And also, Kierra,
if you feel uncomfortable, I can take you home anytime, okay? Just wait for your
drinks. I'll greet some of my friends."

I went out and welcomed some people I knew. Actually, kilala ko halos lahat ng
dumalo. I was the one who invited them anyway. I went from table to table just to
make sure that everyone was having fun kaso bawat table na puntahan ko, pinapashot
nila 'ko. My alcohol tolerance was high so it was okay.

"Wala bang marereto diyan, Sam?" Mich asked, holding a shot glass on her other
hand. "Oh, is your Thomasian friend around?"

"Sevi?" My brows furrowed. "Yeah, sure. I can introduce you to him. Follow me!"

"Hey, me too!" Humabol pa si Nicole.

I was describing Sevi's personality to them while we were walking but also stopped
when Nicole and Mich started whispering to each other. I looked around to see the
person they were staring at.

"You invited him, Sam?" Mich asked me.

"Who? Shan?" I laughed when I realized what was wrong. "I'm so sorry! I forgot that
he almost dated half the population of women in Manila including the both of you."

"Damn. I can't believe he played me like that." Nicole rolled her eyes. "Anyway,
nasaan na 'yung friend mo? Introduce me!"

Shan was with his friends. When they saw me, I just gave them a wave before pulling
the two girls away. We stopped in front of the couch where Sevi was seated. He was
busy talking to Via so he didn't even notice me.

"Sev," I called. He looked at me and raised his brows in confusion. "I would like
to introduce you to my friends."

"Oh." His mouth formed and 'o' before standing up, panicking a little. Michel's
lips parted when she realized how tall Sevi was. Mich was like 5'2 so it was funny.
"Hello! Sevi nga pala."
I got called by a friend so I left them to get to know each other. I started going
around with two bottles in hand to make people drink until I reached the dance
floor. I started dancing with Raylee but the smile on my face faded when I
remembered Yanna. I missed her so much, especially at times like this. She used to
get all the guys with her moves.

"Sev!" My smile went back when I saw him on the dance floor with Luna. They were
laughing about something while dancing. "Where are my friends?"

"Hindi ko type, Sam! Ine-english ako! Bobo ako roon," Sevi joked.

"Ayaw niya raw sa conyo. Judger 'yan, 'no? Masama ugali niyan," Luna joined the
conversation.

"Ikaw nga sabi mo rati ayaw mo sa taga-Ateneo kasi mayaman. Ngayon, iiyak-iyak ka
dahil sa isang Atenean diyan sa gilid-gilid," ganti ni Sevi.

"Let's dance na lang! Come on!" I started pouring tequila on Sevi's mouth before I
asked him to dance. I put my arms on his shoulders and playfully moved my hips to
tease him. He rolled his eyes when Luna laughed at his reaction.

"Kapag ako hindi nakahanap ng kalandian ngayon dahil sa inyo, ah," Sevi threatened.
"Baka isipin nila girlfriend kita, Sam."
I mimicked his pouting face before putting my hand on his cheek. "Aw, poor you."

"Maureen."

My eyes widened when I heard a familiar voice. I immediately let go of Sevi and
looked at Clyden who was now raising his brows. He was wearing a dark blue dress
shirt that was tuck inside his black jeans with a leather belt on. His hair was
fixed to the side with some strands falling over his forehead.

"This is fun." He scoffed sarcastically before walking away.

"Oh god," I whispered, holding my head.

"Siya ba 'yon?" Sevi whispered on my ear so I could hear him. I nodded, still
shocked that he really came to the party. "Gagi, sundan mo na! Nagalit ata! Patay
ka ngayon!"

"Hindi kaya ikaw ang patay, Sevi?" Luna grinned.

"Hoy, huwag naman ganoon, pare!" Sevi held his chest, getting scared now.
I inhaled a large amount of air before leaving the dance floor to find Clyden in
the crowd. I was still holding a bottle of tequila when I saw him seated on the
couch with probably some of his friends. Three men and two women.

"Cy," a man nudged Clyden when he saw me approaching.

Clyden glanced at me before looking away to get his bottle of water. I smiled at
his friends when I stopped in front of their table. They also gave me a smile but
they felt awkward for me because Clyden was completely ignoring my presence. He
couldn't even look at me.

"Cy," the man nudged him again.

"Ano ba?" He glared at his friend before getting the glass of whiskey. The man gave
me an apologetic smile when he looked at me.

"Eva, baka gusto n'yong mag restroom," the man told the two women.

The woman looked at him before glancing at Clyden. She was still hesitant when she
stood up and asked her friend to come with her. She leaned and whispered something
to Clyden before smiling at me and leaving.
"Tara, order tayo," the man who was nudging Clyden stood up and asked the other two
men to come with him, leaving me and Clyden alone on the couch.

I sat beside him and poured tequila on an empty shot glass so I could drink it in
one shot. He was looking away, still holding his glass of whiskey. I poured another
one and another and another until I reached my 9th shot. Wala pa rin siyang
sinasabi.

"What? You came here to ignore me?" I looked at him, getting a little dizzy now.

"Like what you said, the club is big. It's normal for us not to see each other so
why are you here?" He said that without looking at me.

"I was the one who invited you here. Why didn't you tell me that you will come?" I
raised a brow, drinking my 10th shot.

"Maybe if you stopped ignoring my messages and calls, you would know," he said
under his gritted teeth.

That hit me. I took my phone out of my purse to check if he was saying the truth.
My lips parted when I saw 14 messages from him and 21 missed calls. I didn't even
notice, huh. I was too busy going around.
"You can text naman pala so why couldn't you inform me why you were out all night?"
I glared at him.

His brows furrowed in confusion but I saw how his reaction changed when he realized
what I was talking about. I poured tequila on my glass again and drank it in one
shot without a chaser. Kinuha ko rin ang Black Label para inumin. He was pissing me
off.

He sipped on his drink before carefully putting the glass on the table. "I was out
all night studying so I could go to your party."

I did not talk. I just bit my lower lip and looked away.

"I slept in my condo for a few hours and also showered there before attending
school. I didn't know you were waiting for my text. Sana tinawagan mo 'ko," he
explained.

"Why would I call you? You might tease me about it." I rolled my eyes. I was about
to pour Black Label on another glass when he stopped me. "What?"

"Lasing ka na ba?" Nagsalubong ang kilay niya.

"Hi!" A woman suddenly approached him. May kasamang dalawang friends 'yung babae
just to cheer on her. She gave Clyden a shy smile, totally ignoring my presence. I
tried to remember her name but my mind was going to other places.

She offered her hand. "I'm Jani-" She stopped talking when Clyden showed his hand.
The one wearing the ring.

"I'm married," Clyden said in a low voice, his eyes not leaving mine.

The woman's smile faded before walking away with her friends, obviously
disappointed. I looked away and drank another glass. That was embarrassing. Why
would he say that? Poor girl.

"Lasing ka na?" Clyden asked again.

"No!" I shook my head and stood up just to prove a point but I ended up stumbling
in his lap. My eyes widened when I realized our position.

"Umuwi na tayo," he whispered, holding my waist to push me up.

I stood up and tried to regain my balance but my vision was already spinning. He
held my arms and guided me out of the club, holding my purse on his other hand. I
smiled and waved at people playfully while he was pulling me away.
"Oh, come on! It's too early to come home!" Binawi ko ang braso ko.

He closed his eyes for a moment and massaged the bridge of his nose before looking
at me again. I fell against the wall, giggling. He reached for my arm but I pulled
him with me instead. He put his hand on the wall to support his weight.

"We need to go," he told me again, looking around.

"I'm your type, right?" I put my arms on his shoulders so I could pull him closer
to me. He pursed his lips and looked away from me, feeling a little awkward.

"Don't do this here. Umuwi na tayo." He tried to take my arms off him.

"The man earlier was my friend, by the way. I was just teasing him." I giggled,
remembering Sevi's face.

"Wala akong pakialam." He went closer to me and held my chin up. "Kasi alam kong sa
'kin ka rin uuwi."
Ngumuso ako at umayos ng tayo, only to fall on his chest. My arms automatically
wrapped on his waist for support. He stiffened and held my waist, stepping back a
little. I felt my heartbeat racing again.

"Can you feel my heartbeat?" I asked, laughing. "It's so loud and fast, right?"

His grip on my waist tightened. When I looked at him, he was already staring at me.

"Are you sure that it's not mine?" He seriously asked.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

09 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Samantha, can I ask a question?"

I was staring at Clyden for too long until someone called me. My gaze immediately
went from him to the guy. My vision was a little blurred so I shook my head and
closed my eyes before opening them again, seeing Shan in front of me.

"Oh, here's the playboy!" I laughed so hard I almost fell backwards but Clyden
wrapped his hands on my waist to support my weight, pulling me closer to him, our
bodies bumping into each other. He looked at Shan and raised a brow.
"I just want to ask a question, man." Shan sounded defensive, moving his hands up.

"Ask her tomorrow. She's drunk," Clyden replied, trying to put me in my place
because I was moving too much.

"I think she can answer my question better when drunk." Shan smirked before looking
at me. "Do you really not know where Yanna is staying?"

My brows furrowed with the mention of my best friend's name. I looked away and bit
my lower lip, trying to go back to my senses. I knew Yanna was in Nueva Ecija and I
was pretty sure Shan was asking that for his best friend who flew to Florida,
leaving Yanna behind.

"She's-" I was going to say 'not here' but Clyden covered my mouth with his other
hand, afraid that I would accidentally say a secret while drunk.

I would never do that to my best friend kahit painumin pa 'ko ng siyam na bottles
ng alak. Yanna made me promise not to say anything to anyone so I wouldn't, kahit
kila Luna so why would I tell Shan? But of course, I really appreciated Clyden's
gesture.

"She's what?" Shan asked again.

"Do not take advantage of her state." Clyden glared at him before wrapping his arms
around my shoulder to pull me away. Shan sighed and nodded before stepping aside to
let us pass.

"I hope you also won't." Shan held Clyden's arm to stop him from walking away.
Clyden's brows furrowed before moving his arm away with force, glaring at Shan who
was probably just protective of me because I was being taken care of by someone he
wasn't familiar with.

"Ano bang problema mo?" Clyden stepped forward, obviously getting pissed now.

"Bring her back to her friends. Saan mo siya dadalhin?" Shan tried to reach for my
arm but Clyden lightly pushed me to his back.

"We're going home," seryosong sabi ni Clyden. My eyes were so wide that I had to
look around to ask someone for help. They looked like they were about to punch each
other.

I massaged my head again, hoping that the spinning would stop. Damn, I drank too
much. "Shan, it's fine-"

"Do you know this guy, Sam?" Shan asked me now.

"I am bringing my fiancée home. Do you have any problem with that?" Clyden put his
tongue on the insides of his cheek and raised his brows.

Shan looked so confused when he glanced at me to confirm it. I gave him an

apologetic smile before showing him my necklace with the ring on it and making a
'shh' sign. Clyden even bumped on his shoulder when he pulled me away to exit the
club.

"Saan ka nag-park?" Clyden asked when we arrived at the parking lot. I pouted and
looked around, trying to remember where my car was.

"Where's yours?" I asked him.

"Iniwan ko sa bahay. Sumabay lang ako kay Ridge," Clyden answered while getting my
car keys inside my purse. He unlocked the doors and followed the sound.

He opened the shotgun seat for me before putting his hand on the top of my head so
I wouldn't get hurt while trying to get inside the car.

"Who's Ridge?" I asked while he was putting my seatbelt on. His face was so close
to me I could still smell the whiskey on him. "I thought you don't drink?"
"Si Ridgen, 'yung lalaki kanina. Best friend ko," he replied. "Huwag kang magalaw."

"You smell like whiskey. Are you sure you don't drink?" I asked again when he
didn't answer. He stared at me after putting my seatbelt on. I had to look away
because it felt so awkward.

"I said I do. Occasionally," he whispered, still staring at my face. I felt

conscious so I pushed his face away using my hand.

He closed the shotgun door and walked to the other side of the car until he was
already beside me, starting the engine. I closed my eyes when I felt the car move.
I was getting dizzy again from the motion.

"I didn't meet your friends," he said while driving.

"It's okay. I met yours but I don't know their names," I said, my eyes still
closed. "And my friends don't know that I'm engaged so I think it's better that we
left without saying goodbye. Hindi ko alam kung paano kita ipapakilala."

"Really," he said without any emotion. I opened my eyes and I saw him licking his
lower lip. His eyes were looking at the road furiously but his body looked so calm.
I closed my eyes again and when I opened them, we were already in front of the
house. Clyden opened the door and helped me get out of the car by holding my waist
and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I can walk you-" I covered my mouth when I felt my stomach turn.

I ran inside the house until I reached the bathroom on the 1st floor. Lumuhod ako
at sumuka sa toilet bowl. God, my stomach felt so bloated and my body felt so hot
from the alcohol. I could still smell and taste the tequila. Hindi ko dapat
sinunod-sunod ang shot!

"Sige, inom pa," Clyden whispered when he went inside the bathroom. Oh, I left it
open pala.

He stood behind me and held a handful of my hair while I was waiting for another
turn from my stomach. "Nag-sayang ka lang ng pera. Iinom ka tapos isusuka mo rin,"
he said.

"What do you want me to do, huh? Swallow my vomit?!" Sigaw ko bago ako nasuka ulit.
I heard him laugh before pulling on my hair again so my head won't fall on the
toilet bowl.

"Kadiri ka," he said.

I flushed it before standing up to hug the sink this time. He opened the faucet and
washed my face for me before damping a clean towel on my face. He stopped when he
realized that I was already staring at him.

"Why are you being so nice to me now? When I first met you, you were so rude," I
murmured, drunk.

"I was rude because I hate your family," he explained before looking away to put
the clean towel back to its place.

"How about now?" My voice sounded demanding because I was drunk. It also sounded
like a kid. Oh my god, was that me?

He held my chin up and looked straight into my eyes. "You are not your family," he
whispered.

I was about to answer when he easily scooped me with his arms and carried me bridal
style. I tried to move but I was afraid that I would fall on the floor so I just
stayed still until he reached my room. He lightly kicked the door and tried to find
my bed in the dark. He couldn't turn the lights on because his hands were carrying
me. I suddenly felt conscious. Was I heavy?

"Ouch," I groaned when he tripped and fell on the bed with me. Thanks to the light
coming from the window, we saw each other's reaction. My lips parted when I
realized how close he was to me. He pursed his lips and looked away, letting go of
my waist.
"Where are the lights?" Hindi ko na naramdaman ang bigat niya sa 'kin so he
probably stood up already. I heard some footsteps and in a blink, the lights were
already turned on. I looked so dumb on the bed with the hem of my dress rolled up,
revealing my cycling shorts.

"I don't want to go to bed without taking a shower. I feel dirty," I whined.

I tried to stand up but I was too dizzy so I moved my hands up, lowkey asking him
for help. He sighed heavily before walking towards me to pull my hands. I gave him
a cute smile before standing up to leave the room. He called my name but I already
locked the bathroom when I went inside.

I took my clothes off and went inside the shower. I closed my eyes and almost fell
asleep while the water was running through my body. Nagising lang ako nang marinig
ang katok ni Clyden sa labas.

"Buhay ka pa ba?" He asked, his voice muffled because of the door.

"Y-yes!" I shouted.

"I have your clothes. Call me when you're already finished."

What? He went through my closet? My brows furrowed as I tried to recall what was
inside my closet. Umiling na lang ako at tinapos na ang pag-ligo ko. Mabilis lang
because I already felt sleepy. I put my robe on and opened the door, only to see
Clyden seated on the floor, holding my clothes on his hand.

"You're done?" He stood up, rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

"Can you help me with my skincare? I'm dizzy." I opened the door wider so he could
come in. He nodded and went inside, putting my clothes on the empty countertop.

He got my purple toothbrush out of the glass and washed it before putting
toothpaste. I leaned on the countertop and got my brush out of his hand to put it
inside my mouth. I closed my eyes while brushing my teeth slowly. My hands were
weak and my head was spinning.

When I opened my eyes, he was already holding a glass of water. Kinuha ko 'yon at
nagmumog sa sink bago ko punasan ang bibig ko gamit 'yung tissue. I was about to
get my makeup remover when he suddenly carried me and put me on the countertop like
a child.

He sighed before putting drops of my makeup remover on the cotton pad. He held my
chin up and softly wiped my face with it. I closed my eyes so he could take my
eyeshadow and eyeliner off too. Good thing I didn't put mascara or else I would
look like a panda after taking a shower.

"You know, it's good to have someone beside me," I said. "My best friend, Yanna, is
in Nueva Ecija and the only person who knows about my problems other than Yanna is
Sevi. The guy I was dancing with? Do you remember?"

"Like it didn't happen just a few hours ago," he replied sarcastically.

"I miss Yanna," I whispered, tearing up a bit. He suddenly stopped wiping my face
when he heard how my voice broke. I covered my face when I felt my tears falling.

He remained silent while I was trying so hard to stifle my sobs. I felt his hands
pulling my wrists away so he could see my face. I bit my lower lip and looked away,
getting embarrassed now. I was so emotional because I was drunk. On normal days, I
wouldn't even cry like this. At least not in front of him.

"You can open up to me," he whispered. "I am willing to listen."

"Of course. We're going through the same thing but the only difference is that you
are getting recognized for your efforts but mine was never enough for my dad. It's
so hard trying to live up to their expectations, you know? I always have to be like
this. I always have to be like that. I am Samantha Vera, I should act like this, I
should act like that. I just want to be free," I said while crying.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, not knowing what to say.

"You don't have to say anything. You just have to listen." I gave him a small
smile. "Actually, you're the only person who can understand me the most. You
haven't done anything about it so of course I understand why you can't give me
advice right now. You know, maybe someday, we can finally learn how to turn our
backs against them and just.. run free."

"Just walk. At your own pace, Samantha. You don't have to rush it." He also gave me
a small smile.

"Thanks." I leaned to give him a light kiss on the cheek.

My eyes widened when I realized what I did. I looked away and jumped off the
countertop to act like nothing happened. I washed my face again after applying
cleanser. Hindi ko na tinapos ang buong skincare routine ko dahil sa hiya. Oh my
god, what the hell did I do? I blamed that on alcohol.

"Get dressed," he simply said before leaving the bathroom awkwardly.

When I locked the door again, I leaned against it and held my chest, panting. I was
holding my breath for too long! The atmosphere suddenly became heavy after that
stupid kiss. I wanted to bang my head against the wall.

"Oh my god." My embarrassment increased when I saw my white pair of underwear on

the countertop, along with my black nighties. I swallowed hard when I closed my
eyes. He even went through my pairs of underwear, huh? So what made him choose
white? What made him do this?!
After getting dressed, I opened the door and made sure that he wasn't around before
running inside my room and locking it. I went to the bed and closed my eyes as I
dozed into sleep. Good thing the next day was Saturday so I had enough sleep.

I woke up twice. On the first one, I was so dizzy I had to vomit again inside the
bathroom before going back to sleep. For the second one, my head was lightly being
hammered but I could still manage. I went to the bathroom again to wash my face
before going downstairs. It was already 12 PM and Clyden was outside, feeding the
dogs.

That was a good thing because I didn't know how to face him after kissing him like
that last night. I silently ate my lunch, thinking if pretending that I don't
remember any of it will work. No, I wasn't that drunk to not remember anything.
Maybe I should have drank more!

My eyes widened when Clyden went inside the house and looked at me. Mabilis kong
inubos ang pagkain ko at dinala ang plato sa kusina para umiwas. I heard his
footsteps on the stairs so he probably went to his room already. I sighed in relief
and went to the living room to watch something just to get over my light headache.

I was watching a Korean drama when Clyden suddenly put a small paper bag on the
coffee table in front of me without saying anything. My eyes were wide when I
looked at him in question but instead of saying something, he just put his hands
inside his pockets and walked away to go to the garden.

I paused the show to check the small paper bag. May gamot doon for my headache and
a bottle of orange juice. I was confused but I still took it and opened the bottle
so I could have something to drink while watching.
When Clyden went inside the house again, umayos kaagad ako ng upo at nagkunwaring
busy sa pinapanood. I was silently praying that he wouldn't talk to me because it
will just make the atmosphere awkward. Hindi na matanggal sa isip ko ang ginawa ko
kagabi. Well, look at the positive side, Samantha! At least hindi mo siya sa lips
hinalikan! That would make things even weirder!

"Summer, go to your mom," Clyden said before going upstairs.

I smiled widely when Summer went up on the couch and sat next to me. I gave her
body rubs while watching. After two episodes, I turned the television off and went
upstairs to work out inside my room.

I took a shower to get the sweat off my body before deciding to leave the house for
a moment to buy a gift for Naomi's birthday. I was just wearing a black cropped top
shirt and a pair of maong shorts. I went to the nearest mall and searched for
cameras Naomi could use for her photography thing. She didn't want to take my
camera so I should just buy her a new one.

"Yeah, I'll get that," I told the guy employee. Nilabas ko ang card ko at nilapag
sa counter. I will just pay my father back using my savings.

After buying a gift, I went to a bookstore to find a new notebook. My brows

furrowed when I saw a familiar face. I had the urge to hide behind the shelf when I
realized that it was Naomi, my sister. She was with a guy. I recognized him. He was
Jaron from Ateneo. A SOM student and a year younger than me. My damn ex-suitor.

My eyes widened when he put his hand on my sister's waist. I had to walk away from
them before they could even see me. I knew Naomi was already turning eighteen this
year but seeing them together was so uncomfortable for me. The last time I checked,
Jaron was in a relationship with Raylee's sister.

I was so bothered while driving. Hindi na tuloy ako nakabili ng notebook. Naomi was
grounded, right? Good thing Mom actually let her out? I had nothing against that
but seeing him with that guy just didn't sit right with my spirit.

I felt even more bothered when I saw Clyden in the living room, eating sushi. I
almost forgot what happened last night but seeing him reminded me of it! I looked
away and went upstairs without saying anything to him. Summer followed me from
behind so I opened my bedroom door to let her in.

I put the box of camera inside my cabinet before sitting on the edge of my bed.
That was the only time I saw the piece of paper on Summer's neck collar. Naka-ipit
doon kaya kinuha ko at binuksan. I laughed when I realized who wrote it.

'Galit ka ba?'

He thought I was mad again because I was ignoring him? I chuckled and wrote a
little 'No' on the bottom of the paper before folding it and putting it on Summer's
collar. I opened the door and she ran away. I was sure Clyden would see it.

I studied inside my room until I was called for dinner by a helper. Clyden stayed
in the living room, studying, while I was at the dining table, eating dinner. He
was probably full from eating sushi or maybe he was trying to avoid me too? Hindi
pa kami nag-uusap ngayong araw directly.
I stopped eating when I got a text from my mom. I opened it and sighed heavily when
I read the text.

From: Mom

Clear your schedule tomorrow. We're going to ride a cruise for my friend's
birthday. Semi-formal. 4 PM. Bring your fiancé.

I took a screenshot and sent it to Clyden so he could read it himself. I saw him
reading the text before looking at me to give a nod. After eating, I went upstairs
to take a shower and do my night care routine. Just like that, we didn't talk the
whole day.

The next morning, I woke up early to take a run around the village. Clyden was
asleep the whole day I had to wake him up around 1 PM so he could finally prepare
for the party. Maybe he was up all night studying again.

"Yeah, I'm up," he whispered with his eyes still closed.

"No. You need to stand up. Baka makatulog ka ulit." I held both of his wrists so I
could pull him out of the bed. I laughed when he almost fell because I pulled too
hard. He threw the pillow on me when I ran away.

I already took a shower so I just took my time putting makeup on. I tied my hair in
a braided half-ponytail and put some hair pins on it to add some style. My mom
delivered a new dress this morning and good thing it did fit me. It was a burgundy
satin bodycon dress ending inches above my knees. A thin strap was holding it and
the neckline was deep on my chest, revealing my cleavage a bit.

I partnered it with a black purse and a pair of black heels. I took the ring out of
the necklace so I could wear it. I also wore a pair of black diamond earrings and a
silver necklace. Halos sabay lang kaming bumaba ni Clyden. He stopped on the stairs
to fold his sleeves up. He was wearing the burgundy dress shirt from my mother and
a pair of black slacks, matching my color. He tuck it under his pants and even put
on a designer leather belt. He had his ring on and a silver watch.

"Are we taking my car or yours?" He asked while fixing his hair using his hand. I
could smell his perfume from where I was standing.

"It won't matter. Let's just take yours," I said.

We didn't talk to each other while we were on our way. Good thing we had music on
or else it would be so awkward. Since when did the awkwardness between us start? It
was getting annoying. Hindi naman ganito noon.

It was a long drive to the port but we still arrived on time. A woman was in front
to check the names so Clyden and I stopped walking. The woman got distracted for a
bit when she glanced at Clyden's intimidating aura.

"Samantha Vera," I said. "And Clyden Ramirez."

"Vera and Ramirez.." The woman nervously looked on the list, glancing at Clyden a
bit. I looked at him and furrowed my brows. Was there something wrong with his
face? He looked at me too and raised a brow. "Here. Thank you, Miss Vera and Mr.
Ramirez. Someone will assist you inside."

"Mr. and Mrs. Ramirez would sound better." Clyden chuckled.

"Ew." Siniko ko siya habang naglalakad kami papasok. He laughed before wrapping his
hand on my waist. I had no choice but to let him because we were welcomed by my
parents. His parents were not around this time, huh.

"Maui, darling," my mom greeted, kissing me on my cheek. "Hi Clyden. Thank you for
keeping my daughter company."

"No problem," Clyden simply answered.

"Come. Let me introduce the two of you to my friends." My mom gestured for us to
follow her so we did. I tried to glare at Clyden because of his hand but he just
tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"We're so close," I whispered under my gritted teeth.

"You didn't think of that when you kissed me the other night," he whispered back.

I quickly plastered a smile on my face when my mom looked at us again. Clyden

chuckled by the sudden change of my facial expression.

"This is my daughter, Samantha Vera and her fiancé, Clyden Ramirez," my mom proudly
introduced.

"Ramirez Medical?" The woman asked, smiling.

"Yes, Ma'am." Clyden shook her hand and flashed a fake smile. I was the only one
who could see through him.

"And this is the daughter of Senator Vera!" The woman smiled at me as she held my
hand. I subtly stepped on Clyden's leather shoe when I heard him scoff beside me.

"Tanggalin mo paa mo. Masakit," Clyden whispered on my ear, still smiling so people
would think that he was whispering something sweet.

I looked at him and gave a wide smile before leaning to whisper back. "Let's not
embarrass ourselves here."
He laughed in exaggeration like I said something so funny before pulling me closer
so he could whisper again on my ear. The woman, my mom, and some of her friends
were watching us, smiling.

"The only one who could embarrass himself right here is your father," he whispered.

"Oh, silly you!" I faked a laugh and hit his chest playfully like we were flirting
with each other. He also laughed and gave me a subtle glare.

"Okay, lovebirds. You can now get some food right there." My mom pointed at the
other side of the restaurant.

Clyden and I excused ourselves to go get some food like what my mom said. Somehow,
we managed to make my mom and her friends feel awkward by just whispering to each
other. We could actually get paid for being so good at acting.

"Hello, Cy." His brother suddenly appeared on his side while we were getting food.
I was actually surprised to see Charles here. I thought his family wasn't invited.
"Oh, I'm here to represent the family."

"Who asked?" Clyden didn't even give him a glance.

"Are you jealous because dad chose me instead of you?" Charles made it sound like a
joke but I knew it was a serious question to piss Clyden off.

"You're here because I declined dad's invitation but sure." The side of Clyden's
lips rose up, mocking his brother with a smirk.

"Then what are you doing here?" Charles asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Because my fiancée asked me to come. Is that enough reason for you?" Clyden looked
at him without any emotion on his face.

"You are unbelievable, Cy." Charles scoffed sarcastically. "You sure know how to
ruin someone's mood."

"You're the one who approached me, bragging about how Dad chose you instead of me
like a whiny teenager." Clyden laughed at that. "Grow up, Charles. The only thing
you develop is how to be better at disappointing Dad."

"You fucking asshole!"

"Hey, stop!" I went in between them when Charles was about to punch Clyden. I
almost hit the table when Charles pushed me away so he could grab Clyden's collar,
causing me to let go of the plate and fall on the floor.

Clyden glanced at me for a moment before looking at his brother with so much anger.
My eyes widened when Clyden placed the plate down on the table and suddenly grabbed
the collar of his brother.

"Oh my god!" I covered my mouth when Clyden punched Charles so hard he fell on the
floor with a bleeding nose. Clyden wasn't even satisfied with that. He kneeled on
one knee and grabbed the collar of his brother again, almost choking him.

"You sure do know how to get on my fucking nerves," Clyden hissed, tightening his
grip.

"I'm-" Charles couldn't talk more. He was getting out of breath.

"The next time you touch her, I hope you know it's going to be fucking over for
you," Clyden said before letting his brother go.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

10 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Someone clean this mess, please!"

I was still on the floor, surprised about what happened in front of my eyes. Clyden
stood up and went towards me to hold both of my hands, pulling me up until I was
already standing beside him with shaking legs. My dress was all messed up because
of the wasted food. My mom immediately went to me to clean the hem of my ruined
lovely dress.

"My god! This is expensive!" My mom was panicking while wiping my dress with a
table napkin.

"I am so sorry for this," Clyden apologized to my mom's friend. "I didn't mean to
ruin your party. I just had to protect my fiancée."

"I know, I know! I.. I understand!" My mom's friend couldn't talk. I knew she
wanted to say more but she was also shocked from the mess and so were her guests
who were watching closely in circles. "Clean this mess, please! My god!"

"My dress is ruined. I think we need to go," I told my Mom. She sighed heavily and
gave me a nod before placing the table napkin on the nearest table.

Charles was already gone when I looked around, feeling a little awkward. Clyden
glanced at me and I tried to communicate using my eyes. I wanted out. He seemed to
understand what I was trying to say so he held my hand and pulled me out of the
cruise. Good thing we were still at the port.

Clyden opened the door of the car for me before he walked around and went inside
the driver's seat. I silently put my seatbelt on as my eyes remained in front. He
started the engine and gave me a glance.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

I didn't talk. I didn't know what I was feeling exactly. I wasn't mad at him but I
was just thinking that violence wasn't necessary, especially if it was his brother.
I remembered Naomi. Sometimes, I would get hurt by her physically but deep down I
knew she didn't mean it but Clyden looked like he didn't regret what he did to
Charles. I mean, he pushed me, yes, and I was also mad at him for doing that but
they could have resolved it in a less violent way.

"You shouldn't have done that to your brother," I said, still looking in front.

"That was the only time I resorted to violence, Sam. That was a one-time thing.
Even after everything he did to me, I never hurt him back," he said under his
gritted teeth.

Dahil sa galit sa boses niya, alam kong hindi lang ito ang dahilan. Maybe there was
something deeper. Maybe something even worse happened to them so I realized that it
was wrong for me to judge by just knowing the surface. Like what he said, I didn't
know his struggles.

"I have never watched a fight. That was a first." I looked at him and gave him a
small smile just to calm him down.
"Dapat tinakpan mo mata mo," he sarcastically said, which made me laugh.

"Where did you learn how to swing it like that?" I continued teasing, mimicking the
way he punched his brother with his fist. That was a powerful move. "What are you,
really? A member of a gang?"

"Kung oo?" He raised a brow.

"Then it's good to know that you can fight. You can protect me," I joked. He looked
at me for a second before letting out a sigh. "What?"

"Kaya kitang protektahan sa kahit anong paraan," he said before moving the gear and
driving away.

That caught me off-guard. Ever since I got drunk and kissed him on the cheek
without thinking, I started feeling awkward around him, lalo na kapag bumabanat
siya ng ganyan, though alam ko naman na joke lang 'yon.

I hated giving him a reaction. Hell, I never gave him a reaction because I was
afraid that he would tease me about it. The thing about Clyden was that he could
make you feel like you know him but when you actually think about it, you can't
really read his inner thoughts or even assume what he's feeling.
One day, he was easy to read but the next day, he had his walls built up again. I
could never expect or assume anything from this guy. Was he really hard to read or
was I just making it complicated? Baka ako lang 'yung nago-overthink sa lahat.

"Is Charles a good guy?" I asked randomly.

"He is, in your eyes, because you only like seeing the good in people," he answered
back in all honesty.

At this point, hindi na 'ko nao-offend kapag ganito ang sinasagot niya because he
was right. Always. And maybe that was his way of making me realize what was wrong.
Baka ang kailangan ko lang talaga ay 'yung taong makakapagsabi sa 'kin ng
katotohanan, even if it will hurt me. I knew my friends valued me the most and the
kindness I had presented to them was always reciprocated. They couldn't hurt my
feelings.

"Don't you believe that there's always good in every person?" I asked him.

"If you believe that there is always good despite the fact that they have done more
evil, you can never open your eyes to injustice," he said while driving.

"Why?"
"Because you're always hoping that they will change. That's the thing about being
so nice, Samantha. Sa sobrang bait mo, nakatira ka na sa isang ideal world kung
saan perspective mo lang ang nagma-matter. 'Pwede pa siyang magbago, baka hindi
siya ganoon kasama'. You can say that dahil hindi ikaw ang naaapektuhan. You are
very privileged and I am too but we can both do something about our privileges." He
glanced at me for a second before turning the steering wheel.

"I am trying," I whispered.

"Alam ko, pero alam ko ring ginagawa mo 'yun dahil mabait ka at guilty ka, hindi
dahil alam mo ang paghihirap ng mga taong nasa kalsada. Ang totoong laban ay nasa
labas. Immerse yourself when you're ready and you will see how bloody it is outside
our privilege bubble."

I nodded and looked outside the window. Clyden did not sound mad at all. He was
very patient and calm with me and he never forced me to do anything. I was just
glad that I was slowly starting to feel comfortable with this topic. He was right
and it made me realize that I used to avoid that topic too much because I was
scared that I would hear my own father's name.

"I admire you," I told him. "I wish I could be like you."

"Don't wish for that." He glanced at me again and gave me a small smile. "Because
you are your own person, Maui."

Bakit ba lahat ng sasabihin niya may sense? Well, except when he was being so
sarcastic. I remained silent the whole ride, just looking outside the window and
hoping to see the world in another perspective. I reflected on his words and it
made me realize a lot of things, but I knew it was not enough. Not until I could
finally go against my own family.

"Can you stop by a convenience store? I want to buy some beer," I told him.

He gave me a silent nod. Like I said, he stopped the car in front of a convenience
store and even parked it so he could go inside with me. I assumed that he was also
going to buy something so I just let him follow me.

I put 6 cans of beer in my basket while Clyden was walking around to find
something. I also bought a bottle of vodka and a few bags of chips. I stopped
walking when Clyden suddenly put four bottles of coffee in my basket.

"You are so unhealthy," he said while looking at my chips.

"Okay, Doc," I sarcastically replied, rolling my eyes. Nilagpasan ko siya para

maglakad papunta sa counter.

"Matagal pa." He chuckled and followed me from behind.

"Who knows? Maybe my daughter could be your patient the next time we meet?" The
side of my lips rose when I glanced at him. "After ending this stupid engagement."
He didn't answer. He just stared at me for a moment before looking away, getting
his wallet from his back pocket. I knew what he was planning to do so inunahan ko
na siya at inabot ang pera ko sa cashier guy. He looked at me in betrayal but he
didn't complain anymore.

"I'll pay you back for my coffee," he said in a low voice.

"No need. That's my payment for your gas." I was about to get the paper bags but he
already reached for them.

"Then you need to pay me more. Mahal ang gas." Ngumisi siya bago ako nilagpasan.
Sumimangot ako at napairap bago sumunod sa kaniya palabas ng store.

I thought we were going straight home but he suggested that we should just grab
dinner outside since ang alam ng helpers namin sa cruise kami magdi-dinner. What a
surprise na hindi siya nagmamadali pauwi para mag-aral. Maybe he already finished
studying yesterday.

"I want pizza," I told him.

"Pizza it is." He nodded.

We parked in front of a famous Italian restaurant I searched on Google that was
just around the corner. It was the nearest one and hindi naman siya umangal so I
guess it was fine for him. I was going to cheat on my diet because this day was
stressful for me.

Maraming tao but since dalawa lang naman kami, madaling nakakuha ng table. Was it
my first time dining in a restaurant with him? I can't remember. I was just hoping
that I wouldn't see anyone I knew.

Clyden let me order first before saying his order. When the waiter left, silence
surrounded us again. We were seated in front of each other so it was even more
awkward. Hindi ko alam kung pati siya, naiilang din. He looked so casual and calm.

"Do your friends know that we're engaged?" I asked randomly. I was just trying to
look for something we could talk about. Communicating with people was never hard
for me but everything was different with him.

"Ridge knows," he said. "He was at my graduation party."

"Your other friends?" I asked again. "I could remember the lady's name. Is it Eva?"

"Evianne?" He raised a brow after remembering his friend's full name. I assumed Eva
was her nickname. "No, she doesn't know, as well as my other friends."
"Are you close to her?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. I just remembered how
she leaned on him and whispered to him casually while smiling.

"We're friends." His brows furrowed when he looked at me, leaning his chin on his
palm while his elbow was placed on the table. He was watching me intently like I
said something wrong.

"Really?" I bit my lower lip, still looking at him. I could sense that there was
something more than that. "Did you date her before?"

"Ano bang tanong 'yan?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya. Why couldn't he answer,
huh?

"It's a yes or no question." I shrugged and sipped on my glass of water casually

even though my heart was already beating so fast inside my chest.

"Kayo ba nung Sevi mo nag-date dati?" He raised a brow.

I choked.

I choked on my water when I heard Sevi's name! How the hell did he remember that
name when I only said it twice? Was it twice? Ah, I was drunk! I thought I already
explained what happened with Sevi? This guy liked holding grudges!

I coughed and put the glass down on the table before wiping my mouth with the table
napkin. Tumulo na hanggang baba ko 'yung tubig na muntik ko nang madura kakaubo.
His reaction did not change at all. He was raising a brow at me, waiting for my
answer.

"I told you. We're just friends!" I sounded so defensive. "And why are you asking
me that?"

"Ikaw din. Bakit mo tinatanong kung nag-date kami ni Eva?" He fired back. "Selos
ka?"

"What?!" Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. I was about to lash out when the waiter arrived
to serve our food. Natahimik tuloy ako sa kinauupuan ko at hinintay malapag ang
food sa table. Clyden was already smirking while sipping on his glass of water. He
looked so satisfied when he got a reaction from me.

I smiled at the waiter when he left the table. I was just waiting for him to go
before arguing with Clyden again.

"Then why are you asking about Sevi? Are you jealous?" I asked him too.

"Why would I be?" He looked so cocky when he smirked after saying that. He looked
like he even wanted to laugh at it.

"Why wouldn't you?"

His lips formed an amused smile after letting out a small laugh. "Who's your
fiancé, Samantha?"

That made me silent! He took advantage of that moment to put food on his plate. He
was still smiling when he bit on his pizza while looking at me like he wanted to
laugh. Halatang gustong gusto niyang inaasar ako and of course, gumagana! Umirap na
lang ako at sinimulan na ang pag-kain.

I could still hear his laugh while eating pero kapag titignan ko siya, nag-iiba ang
mukha niya. He would look at me with his innocent eyes and it was more irritating.
Umirap na lang ako at sinubukang ubusin ang pagkain ko. He took out some leftover
chicken for the dogs.

"Bakit ba ang init ng ulo mo?" Clyden asked while driving home.

"You are pissing me off." I glared at him.

"Nagjo-joke lang ako, e. Pikon mo naman." He chuckled again. 'Yung tunog ng tawa
niya, mas nakakainis.
When we arrived at home, the dogs welcomed us with their wagging tails. Clyden
carried around Maple like a baby kahit malaki 'yung aso. I caressed Summer's head
and also Hail's before placing the leftover food and the drinks we bought inside
the fridge. For sure the helpers already fed them for tonight.

"Sinong hindi kumain?" Clyden talked to the dogs after checking their food bowls.
"Hail, hindi inubos."

Hail howled like a wolf like he was trying to talk back to Clyden. Clyden frowned
and bent his knees to talk to Hail like he was talking to a child. His voice was
very calm and soothing. Bagay nga sa kaniya ang mag-pedia.

I smiled and went upstairs to take a shower. Kanina ko pa pala suot 'tong marumi
kong dress. After taking a shower and doing my night care routine, I already slept
so I could wake up early for my class the next day.

I woke up around 4 AM to prepare for school. I was still sleepy when I went outside
my room with a towel on my shoulder. I was about to enter the bathroom when it
suddenly opened, revealing Clyden's half-naked body. He was drying his hair with
the towel placed around his neck. Another towel was wrapped around his waist.
Nagising tuloy ako!

"Uh." I looked away from him. It felt like a sin.

"Ganiyan pala itsura mo kapag puyat." He pointed at my face. "Mukha kang inaantok
na panda."

"Get out of my way!" Inis ko siyang tinulak bago pumasok ng bathroom. I closed the
door and locked it before taking my clothes off to take a shower and also brush my
teeth after.

I was wearing a white off-shoulder top and a simple pair of high-waisted ripped
jeans partnered with my white pair of shoes. Tote bag lang ulit ang dala ko pagbaba
ko ng kitchen. Clyden was already in his uniform when I saw him leaning against the
countertop.

I poured water inside my hydroflask while he was watching me from behind. He was
holding a bowl of cereal. That was his breakfast. Ako, oorder na lang ako sa coffee
shop. I wanted to leave the house early. It was Monday so malala ang traffic.

"Good morning?" He greeted me but it sounded like a question.

"Good morning," I said while closing the lid of my hydroflask. Nilagay ko na ulit
'yon sa bag ko bago kinuha ang car keys kong nakasabit near the door. "I'm going
now."

"Ingat," he simply said.

"You, too," I said without looking at him. The dogs were still sleeping so I left
the house without kissing them goodbye.

Maaga pa noong nakarating ako sa Ateneo so I still had time to buy my breakfast in
Starbucks. Nakasalubong ko pa si Raylee doon so sabay na kaming naglakad pabalik. I
suddenly remembered Jaron, the guy who was with my sister the other day.

"Hey, you know Jaron, right? The guy from SOM? Your sister dated him, right?" I
asked her.

"Dated? I think they still have a thing on. I'm not so sure, though. Jaron hasn't
visited the house since last month," she said before sipping on her tea. "Why are
you suddenly bringing him up? Did something happen? Kinukulit ka pa rin ba niya?"

"No, uh, nevermind." I couldn't look at her. Why was Jaron with my sister the other
day? Baka naman friends lang, right? But why would he hold her waist? Wait,
ginagawa naman sa amin ni Sevi 'yon. Maybe I was just judgmental or protective
because it was my sister.

"Hey, by the way! Bakit bigla ka na lang nawala sa party, huh?! It was too early
when I saw you walking out with a guy! Ikaw, ha! Sinong nabingwit mo?" Raylee
nudged me, smirking.

"T-that was my friend!" I lied. "He brought me home after a few drinks. I got
drunk, Raylee! My gosh. I shouldn't have taken consecutive tequila shots."
"Ikaw talaga! Nalalasing ka kapag may gwapo!" Raylee laughed again.

"How judgmental!" I glared at her. "My head was really spinning that night so I had
to go. Hindi na 'ko nakapag-goodbye sa inyo but I messaged the group chat the next
day!"

"Yeah, so did you have sex?" She asked, smiling.

"Why the hell-" I looked at her with wide eyes. "Hey, we didn't. I told you we're
just friends, 'di ba?"

"With benefits?" Hindi siya nagpatalo. "I mean, I was kind of drunk din so I
couldn't see his face clearly but I remember his side profile and he looks hot!
Saan ba galing ang mga friends mo at ang gwapo nila? And until now, wala pa rin
akong jowa?! Explain!"

"Why? You want me to reto?" I laughed.

"Reto mo 'ko sa guy na nag-uwi sa 'yo!" She hit my arm softly out of excitement.

"What?! No way!" I shook my head immediately. She looked at me for a second before
her smirk became wider. She just trapped me with that.
"Friends, huh," she repeated, mocking. "Oh, sure! Friends na nga. Baka naman the
reason you left your condo is because you're already living with your secret
boyfriend? Oh my gosh, that sounds so exciting!"

"I'm not living with my secret boyfriend!" I denied again. Well, it wasn't a lie.
Clyden wasn't my boyfriend.

Raylee wasn't convinced with that. I actually felt bad that I had to lie to my
friends but I was the one who told Clyden not to tell anyone about our engagement.
I didn't want my own words to bite back.

The whole day was just a normal day. I had org stuff after school and while we were
having a meeting, Luna sent a message in the girls' group chat.

Luna: wala bang nomi diyan?

Via: girl lunes na lunes

Kierra: kung si Yanna 'yan, G na agad.

Luna: MIA SIYA GIRL HAYAAN MO NA SIYA. sam tara nomi :( sama 'ko sevirous.
magkasama kami ngayon.

Kierra: sana all daw kasama boy bestfriend

Via: Huh

Our group thought that Yanna transferred to a school in Nueva Ecija because of
financial problems. Luna actually offered to help with money but Yanna refused, of
course. Hanggang ngayon, medyo nagtatampo pa rin sila.

Sam: may class tomorrow girls. inom responsibly. why don't we just eat dinner
together? i can go there sa españa?

Luna: GG basta dala ka food <3 mwa hoy via punta ka rito sa rotonda magkakasama
kami rito sa condo

Via: girl magdidilim na

Luna: magdidilim na rin paningin ko sa'yo be

Via: HAHAHAHAHA ETO NA

I laughed before hiding my phone again. After the meeting, I drove straight to
España just to eat dinner with my friends sa condo nila Luna and Kierra. Magkasama
sila sa unit since cousins sila and mas tipid nga 'yon. That was good since Kierra
needed a companion, especially now. Luna shouldn't leave her alone and I also
didn't think that she would.

Dumaan na rin ako sa drive-thru so I could buy extra food. Nasa hallway pa lang ako
ng condo, naririnig ko na 'yung ingay ni Luna. She was the loudest among us and
also, pinakamakulit. They left the door open for me so hindi na 'ko kumatok. When I
went inside, Luna was throwing pillows at Sevi while Kierra was cooking something.
Via was just doing her plates on the table.

"Kapag itong ginagawa ko, nasira, lagot kayong dalawa sa 'kin," Via warned Sevi and
Luna.

"Luh, ito kasi, epal." Hinampas ulit ni Luna ng unan 'yung ulo ni Sevi. She had to
tiptoe just to reach his head. "Hi, Sam! Nandito ka na pala! Omg, may dala nga
siyang food! Please tell me na fries 'yan or burger!"

"You're right." I placed the paper bag on the dining table. "Madalas ka na ata
rito, Sev?"

"Parasite kasi 'yan sa food," Kierra answered. "Tamad mag-luto."

"Hindi. Wala kasi siyang kasama kumain. Wala kasing jowa!" Luna laughed at him
hysterically.

Sevi also laughed sarcastically and pointed at Luna's face. "Ah, pinagpalit sa
malapit! Haha!"

Via sighed heavily when the two started hitting each other with pillows again. I
just laughed and sat on the couch while waiting for the food. I took my phone out
to send Yanna a picture of the group. She replied in an instant.

From: Yanna

I miss you girls :(

To: Yanna

We miss you more. Si Sevi, hindi mo miss?

From: Yanna

Hindi.
I laughed and hid my phone again when Kierra placed the food on the table. Nag-hain
na rin siya ng plates so I stood up to help her. I called everyone so we could
finally sit together in one table. Being with them was still so comforting for me
kahit wala silang alam sa problems ko. They had already become my comfort ever
since highschool.

"I'll pray," Kierra said.

"Uy, pray daw. Labas ka muna." Siniko ni Sevi si Luna.

"Girl, tignan natin sino ang unang masusunog sa 'tin," Luna fired back.

"Tumigil na kayo, ha. Nasa hapag," Via scolded the two of them. Sumimangot si Luna
at nanahimik na lang para mag-pray.

We ate after that. May pinag-uusapan sila about UST that I couldn't relate to. I
was just laughing at their stories.

"May outsider dito. Guys, pagtulungan natin 'yung Atenean," Luna whispered. They
all looked at me with a creepy smile.

"This is unfair." I rolled my eyes.

"Si Luna, napaghahalataang may galit sa Atenean," Kierra teased.

"Hoy, foul, sis!" Reklamo naman ni Luna.

After eating, I helped with washing the dishes. It was already around 9 PM and I
already knew matatraffic ako pauwi so I was planning to stay for a few more
minutes. Besides, malapit lang naman dito 'yung bahay.

"Sam, may tumatawag! Sagutin ko?" Sevi shouted from the living room.

"Yeah, okay!" I said. It was probably Raylee. She was calling me earlier to ask
about the assessment. I forgot to send her a reply.

Pinunasan ko na ang kamay ko pagkatapos maghugas. When I went to the living room, I
caught Sevi placing my phone back inside my bag with a scared look on his face. My
brows furrowed with his reaction.

"Hala, Sam!" Sevi covered his mouth. "Galit ata!"

"What?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. Sevi gestured for me to follow him inside
the bedroom so we could talk about it. That was when I realized that he was
pertaining to Clyden. Clyden was the one who called me!

"Sabi ko, hello, naghuhugas ng plato si Sam. Bakit ka tumawag?" Pagkekwento ni Sevi
pagkapasok sa kwarto. "Akala ko okay lang sa kaniya, bro! Bakit mukhang nagalit?!
Nasaan raw tayo?! E'di sabi ko, nasa condo!"

"Oh my gosh, you dumb ass." I massaged my head. I forgot to tell Clyden that I was
going out for dinner with my friends. "I think I need to go home now."

"Uy, Sam! Galit ba siya, Sam? Sam!" Sevi was panicking. He followed me from behind
when I left the bedroom.

"Don't worry. It's fine," I assured him while getting my bag. "Girls, I need to go
now. Thank you for tonight!"

I kissed them on their cheeks before leaving the unit. I drove straight home,
thinking about Clyden's reaction. I knew Sevi's words sounded so wrong but why
would he care, right? He shouldn't care.

I inhaled a large amount of air before going inside the house. Summer went to me so
I gave her a pat on the head before looking around. Clyden wasn't around so he was
probably inside his room. I went upstairs and stopped in front of his room. Should
I greet him and let him know that I was already home?
"Should I?" I asked myself.

I was about to knock when Clyden suddenly opened the door, making me step
backwards. Hail left the room and ran in the hallway, leaving me with Clyden. He
was wearing a white shirt and a pair of sweatshorts. He had his specs on so he was
probably reading something.

"What?" He raised a brow and fixed his hair using his hand.

"Nothing. I'm home," I told him casually. At least I tried to make it sound casual.

"Oh, I thought you're going to stay in your boyfriend's condo." He laughed

sarcastically, crossing his arms on his chest.

"That's not my boyfriend and it's not his condo," I defended myself.

"So it's yours?" He leaned sideways against the door frame.

"Does it matter?" I asked again, raising my brows. "Do you care? Why are you so
curious about my lovelife? Who cares if I'm dating someone?"
"Me," seryosong sagot niya.

"What?" My brows furrowed.

He put his tongue on the insides of his cheek before pursing his lips and looking
at me again. He looked like he was trying to stop himself from talking but failed.

"Date me," he whispered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

11 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"What? Are you serious?"

My brows furrowed after hearing what he said. There was no inch of regret in his
eyes but he just stood there without saying anything. I was waiting for him to say
that he wasn't serious about it but it never came.
"What do you mean date you? Date? As in.. Date?" I blinked twice, still confused.

He closed his eyes for a moment before shaking his head like he was disappointed in
me for not getting what he meant. What really did his words mean? He said 'date
me', right? Did I hear that right? Was I delusional?

"Let's try to make this work," he said. Finally, he talked!

"What do you mean? What are we going to work on?" I already knew what he was
talking about but I was just waiting for him to say it out loud. It should come
from him, right? I didn't want to assume things anymore. With Clyden, everything
was uncertain.

"Our non-existent relationship," he answered sarcastically. "I mean, if we want to

continue living with each other, we need to make this work."

"So you want us to date?" I almost laughed at that. It sounded so funny after
saying it out loud. It was just ridiculous.

"Let's hang out," he corrected what I just said.

"Why? Because you don't date and you don't want to break that?" I sarcastically
asked, raising my brows. He clearly said he didn't like dating, right? So what
changed his mind?
"Honestly, I don't care about what I could break, Samantha," seryosong sagot niya
sa 'kin. Umayos siya ng tayo, shifting his weight on both feet. "I can date if I
want to."

"Don't worry about 'living together' because first, I'm already moving back to my
condo next week and second, we won't be 'husband and wife'. We're breaking the
engagement, right?" I asked him once again. Iyon ang napagkasunduan namin and I
wanted to follow the rules.

"Of course," he answered in a low voice. "You're moving next week?"

"Yes. My mom said I should live with you for 2 weeks or even a month so I can
already move out next week. I'm tired of waking up early and driving to school
everyday. Aren't you?" I asked him back.

"I can't leave my dogs," he told me. "So I'm staying here."

The dogs! I also didn't want to move out because of them but I wanted to be
practical. It was so tiring to deal with traffic from Monday to Friday and mahal
din ang gas. Maybe I can just visit during the weekend? I should!

"Do what you want. I can visit the dogs kapag weekend. I hope they won't forget
about me." I gave him a small smile before going inside my room, ignoring what he
said earlier about us 'hanging out'. Gosh, it was so awkward.

It was even more awkward the next morning because when I went downstairs around 5
AM, he was already seated on the breakfast table with a coffee beside his book. He
looked like he didn't sleep but he was already ready for school in his uniform.

"Did you sleep?" I asked him while getting breakfast.

"Hindi," maikling sagot niya at bumaba kaagad ng high chair para ligpitin ang
gamit.

Was his answer cold or was I just overthinking it? Palagi naman siyang ganiyan
sumagot, right? But there was something wrong with it this time. I wanted to talk
to him again but he already left the house without interacting with me again. He
did not even look at me.

"Okay," I whispered to myself. "It's okay. He's just in a bad mood because he
didn't sleep. Poor him."

Oh well, I just did my morning routine before driving to school. I was just wearing
a simple Ateneo shirt and a pair of white shorts. I was kind of lazy to pick an
outfit today so I resorted to that one. Binawi ko na lang sa white scarf sa hair
ko. I tied it in a ribbon.
"Good news! I'm moving back to my condo next week!" I told my friends while we were
eating bread at Matteo Up after our classes in the morning. "We can finally go back
to our old routine."

"Yes, tambay sa condo ni Sam after class with chicken and beer!" Ayessa sounded
excited. "Why are you moving back, by the way? Where are you staying right now ba?"

Raylee let out a meaningful laugh after the question so I gave her a soft glare.
She almost choked on her food because she was laughing too hard. The girls looked
at her in confusion, wondering what was funny about the question.

"Sa house, of course," I answered. They would automatically think of my father's

mansion even though I was pertaining to the house where Clyden and I were staying
in. It was not a lie! Iba lang ang interpretation nila.

Michel was talking about some school related stuff when someone caught my
attention. I made sure that it was Jaron with Raylee's younger sister. They were
walking together and he was even carrying her things. I looked at Raylee and nudged
her.

"They're still together?" I asked.

"Who?" Sinundan niya ang tinitignan ko. "Oh, I told you, I don't know. Wala naman
kaming pakialamanan ni Riya but yeah, I guess they still are. Why? Do you think
it's weird because he used to be your suitor?"
"No," I whispered and shook my head. "It's nothing."

I just decided to ask Naomi about it so after class, I drove straight back to the
mansion, hoping that she was already there but instead, si Mommy ang naabutan ko.
She was talking to someone on the phone and she looked so stressed out.

"I don't care! Make up a story!" Mom said. "Fix that. Make sure the business is
safe or we might lose our clients. You know, they will come at our families."

She suddenly stopped talking when she saw me enter the living room. She put the
phone down and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek as a greeting. She smiled at me
like she wasn't going on full monster mode earlier. It was kind of scary.

"What brings you here, Maui?" She asked in a soft voice. She was soft-spoken and I
got it from her. "Do you need anything? May problem ba kayo ni Clyden? Don't worry
about what happened at the party. The Ramirez family already reached out and sent
their apologies. I made sure hindi madadamay ang pangalan mo."

"No, we don't have a problem and I already told you that I'm moving out of the
house next week, right? I'm still doing that," I told her because she was expecting
for me to change my mind. "Where's Naomi?"

"Right. I don't know kung nakauwi na siya or not." She looked at the stairs, trying
to remember if Naomi already went to her room today.
"How could you not know?" My brows furrowed. "Mom, she's a kid. She needs
attention. Especially motherly love."

"I am not her mother!" She looked disgusted when I said it. My lips parted in shock
after realizing how cruel she was. "And her mother died because of her. It's her
fault."

"Mom, do you even hear yourself?" I tried to tone my voice down. As much as
possible, I didn't want to shout at her. I was afraid Naomi would hear our
conversation if ever she was around.

"Yes, I hear myself. Her mother died because that kid wanted so bad to swim at that
stupid beach." My mom rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, my heart started to race so fast after feeling so heated. It wasn't my

first time hearing about how her mother drowned saving her but the way my mom said
it with intended harshness just made me feel so mad. I wanted Naomi to live with
me. I wanted her out of this house.

I was about to lash out when the door opened and Naomi went inside, her clothes a
little wet from the rain. I didn't even know that it was raining. Narinig ko lang
noong pumasok siya. She gave me a glance before going upstairs. I looked at my mom
before following Naomi from behind.

"Hey," I tried to call her but she was ignoring me. I followed her through the
hallway but she immediately went inside her room. When she was about to close it, I
placed my hand on the door to stop her. Napasigaw ako nang maipit ang kamay ko.

"Oh my god!" Naomi opened the door and immediately held my hand in panic.

"Hey, it's fine, it's fine," I assured her even though my knuckles were all red.
Three fingers were bleeding after hitting on the broken door frame.

"Oh my god!" Naomi didn't know what to do. She let go of my hand and ran around her
room just to look for something to treat my hand with. She went back, holding a
clean cloth. She tried to hand it to me with shaking hands.

"It's okay," I told her, getting the cloth from her using my other hand so I can
wrap it around my knuckles. She did not slam the door so hard so my hand was
luckily fine. I could feel na wala namang na-dislocate or na-fracture na bone, but
it was bleeding because it hit the broken frame.

"Why would you do that?!" She yelled, still panicking.

"I wanted to talk to you," I honestly answered. "I saw you with Jaron the other
day. Is there something going on between the two of you?"

"No, we're just friends!" She told me. "Please, don't meddle with my relationship
with other people. I'm not a kid anymore! I can make decisions for myself!"
"Even though it will hurt you?" I looked at her, still holding my hand.

"Everything hurts me, Sam. I'm already numb," she said without any emotion in her
face. That one scared me. "So please, just go away. I don't need your protection."

"You can always go to me." I gave her a smile. I wanted to give her a hug but my
hand was injured a little and she would probably just push me. She didn't say
anything. She just closed the door and locked it to prevent me from going inside.

I sighed heavily before leaving. Hindi na 'ko nagpaalam kay Mommy. I couldn't even
face her after hearing everything she just said about Naomi. If she can't act as a
mother for her, then I will, whatever the consequences might be.

Good thing my car was parked at the garage so hindi ko na kailangan magpa-ulan. I
drove straight home but still got stuck in traffic dahil gabi na kaya natagalan pa
'ko bago makauwi. I parked my car beside Clyden's. Since wala akong umbrella,
malakas ang ulan, at malayo ang pintuan, I just made sure my phone was inside my
bag before deciding to run.

I was about to go for it after closing the door of my car when Clyden suddenly
appeared in front of me, holding an umbrella. I almost bumped into him after
turning around so fast.

"Hey," bulong ko, medyo gulat.

I saw him glance on my hand before getting my bag so he could carry it. Without
saying anything, he started walking so I followed him. Nakatapat sa 'kin 'yung
payong kaya siya 'yung nababasa sa may balikat niya. He was still wearing his
uniform so kakauwi niya lang siguro.

"Thank you," I told him when we reached the doorstep. The dogs welcomed me inside
so I gave them kisses on their heads. I went straight to the bathroom so I could
take the dirt off me. Medyo nabasa na rin ang damit ko.

I was wearing my sky blue pajamas when I went downstairs just to get some beer.
Clyden was already at the living room with his polo opened, revealing his maroon
shirt inside. A medicine kit was placed on the coffee table, beside his book.

"Come here," he suddenly said.

I thought he was pertaining to Summer so I ignored him. Kumuha ako ng baso para
lagyan ng yelo but he talked again.

"Summer, get your mom."

I blinked twice and placed the empty glass on the countertop when Summer walked to
me and moved her paw up like she was telling me to come. What a smart girl. I
caressed her head before walking to Clyden.
"Why?" I asked him.

"Patingin ako ng kamay mo," he gestured for me to take a seat beside him.

I sat beside him but he stood up and sat on the wooden coffee table in front of me
so we could see each other clearly. He held my hand carefully to look at the wound.
It already stopped bleeding. It was a good thing, right?

"Anong nangyari?" He asked.

"Naipit sa door and it hit the broken door frame so nasugat," I explained. Of
course, hindi ko na sinama sa explanation kung bakit ba naipit 'yung kamay ko. I
didn't want Naomi to get a bad reputation.

"Nagagalaw mo ba?" He asked again.

I tried moving my hand and fingers. "Yes, but my knuckles hurt kasi may sugat so
when I stretch it, naiistretch din siya. Why?"
"Does your hand feel numb?" I shook my head. "Does it feel cold?" I shook my head
again. "Luckily, the bleeding already stopped then. If you want to see a doctor
just to make sure that you did not damage your hand, please do. The least I can do
is treat your wound."

He opened his emergency kit and placed my hand on his thigh. My hand position was
so awkward so I looked away. I shouldn't even feel like this! Samantha, get a grip!
Baka kung ano ang isipin niya sa 'kin.

"Why do you want to become a doctor?" I asked him. "Is it not because of your
family?"

"It was at first," he answered while treating my hand. He looked so serious in what
he was doing. "But Charles used to hit me physically when we were kids. I learned
how to treat myself, to cope with it since I didn't want to tell my parents about
it. It occured to me that I wanted to treat more people other than myself. Kids,
especially."

"So that's why you chose pedia."

"I wanted to help people." He let go of my hand so he could find something to cover
my knuckles with. "In all aspects. Fighting against the injustice, standing with
them, donating, treating them. Whatever I can do to help. I have the privilege to
do something. Ayokong pumikit at hindi pansinin lahat ng nangyayari."

"Do you think bad politicians regret what they're doing?" I asked him. I remembered
the conversation with my mom. She was as harsh as my father.
"Alam mo, para sa 'kin, once na pumasok ka sa trabahong hawak mo ang buhay ng
napakaraming tao, hindi ka basta-bastang pwedeng magkamali. Lalo na kung ikaw ang
inaasahan ng taong-bayan," he answered back.

He looked a little irritated now pero sigurado naman akong hindi dahil sa 'kin.
Maybe he remembered something or someone.

"Ang mga doktor, kapag nagkamali, pwedeng makasuhan, matanggalan ng lisensya. Anong
magagawa ng pagsisisi mo kung marami nang buhay na nawala? Una pa lang, dapat nag-
iingat ka na. You don't just 'regret' it. You should be held accountable," he
added.

I heard so many bad things about my father but never did he mention anything to the
family so I didn't know what to believe in. It was hard for me. I grew up seeing
him as a man I could trust but that trust got tarnished ever since he got involved
with another woman. I felt betrayed.

And, I could say that he was still continuing to betray me after hearing all the
news about him. Hindi lang tiwala ko pero tiwala rin ng maraming tao.

Clyden placed my hand on my thigh after wrapping it with a bandage. While he was
putting the kit back inside the cabinet, I stood up and got myself a can of beer. I
put ice on an empty glass before pouring beer on it. Mas masarap kapag mas malamig.
I sat on the couch and sighed heavily. Clyden sat beside me and started reading
something. He already changed his shirt pala pagkatapos mabasa sa ulan kanina. I
was just watching him study while drinking my beer. The conversation stressed me
out.

"Have you ever talked back to your parents?" I asked him.

"If I could, do you think both of us would be here?" He asked without looking at
me. I slowly nodded, realizing how we got into this situation in the first place.

"Right," I whispered. I didn't want to bother him anymore so after finishing one
can, I already went upstairs to do my night care routine.

Nothing really happened the whole week. Clyden did not go home for two nights
straight but he informed me that he was studying with Ridge in his condo. It was
Friday when Mich invited us to a party. Friend daw ng friend niya and they wanted
the party to be big so she asked her to invite a lot of people.

Noong umuwi ako para magbihis, wala pa rin ang sasakyan ni Clyden. I was just
wearing a black leather skirt and a velvet cropped top partnered with my black
heels and black sling bag. I heard they rented a house for the party so I was
excited.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?" I asked Michel again.
"Oh come on! It's a birthday party! Minsan lang, e!" Raylee pulled me inside the
house. It was a bit noisy inside because of the loud music and people having fun in
the backyard. I guess we were already a little late to the party since I could see
some people making out. I laughed and just went with Mich and Raylee.

"Here! This is Elle! She's from UP!" Michel introduced us to the birthday girl.
"Elle, here are my Atenean friends."

"Hello!" Elle looked so nice when she shook our hands. "Ikot lang kayo. 'Yung mga
inumin nasa kitchen!" She was about to say more when she got distracted.

"Elle, bubuksan na namin 'yung Jack Daniel's, ah." I looked at the woman in shock.
It was Eva! Friend ni Clyden. She seemed to recognize me because she gave me a
smile.

"Okay." Elle gave her a nod before Eva left. "Sorry. It's my sister. Wait lang, ah.
May kukuhanin lang ako. Ikot lang kayo!"

"Happy birthday!" Pahabol ko sa kaniya bago siya umalis. I suddenly felt

uncomfortable after seeing a friend of Clyden. Was he around? Tingin tuloy ako nang
tingin sa paligid. "Let's go outside, Raylee."

Tumango si Raylee at hinatak ako papunta sa backyard. There were chairs and tables
there and bawat table, may mga nag-iinuman. It wasn't as big as the parties Raylee
and I threw but it was still fun. Kung hindi lang talaga ako conscious na baka nasa
paligid si Clyden.
"Oh god," I whispered when I saw a familiar face.

"Samantha?" Ridge, Clyden's friend, stopped walking when he saw me. "Uy! Narito ka
pala. I'm Ridge, by the way, kung hindi mo naalala. Nagkita tayo sa club last time.
Palagi na ata tayong nagkikita sa inuman, ah."

He offered his hand so I took it. "Hi, Ridge." I looked behind him consciously.

"Si Cy ba ang hanap mo?" He laughed after realizing it. "Kasama ni Eva sa loob para
kumuha ng bote pero saglit lang 'yon. Doon table namin, oh." Tumuro pa siya.

Tumango ako at umalis na rin siya pagkaupo namin nila Mich sa table. Some random
people sat with us and I interacted with them. Some were from La Salle and others
were from UST and FEU. I was talking to the guy I met when I suddenly saw Clyden
walking towards their table. He was with Eva and he was holding a bottle.

When he sat down, Ridge whispered something to him so he looked around. Doon ako
umiwas ng tingin at tinuon na lang ang pansin ko sa lalaking kausap ko. He was
telling me a story and I could feel na medyo lasing na siya.

When I looked at Clyden again, he was already pouring water on his glass. Katabi
n'on ang isang glass ng whiskey. Hindi pa ata niya ginagalaw. He looked at Eva when
she leaned on him and whispered something to him. He gave her a small smile and
nodded.
I was just drinking a cocktail. I wasn't in the mood to get drunk. Hindi ko rin
maintindihan kung bakit kanina pa 'ko tumitingin sa table nila. I caught Eva and
Clyden whispering to each other again. Eve smiled and looked at Clyden's lips. I
could see her affection for him. I knew it.

They were playing cards. Hindi ko pa rin nakikitang uminom si Clyden ng alak. He
was just drinking water. Ridge and Eva were both a little drunk, judging by the
color of their faces. They were already a bit red.

I glanced at Clyden's hand and noticed that he wasn't wearing his ring. I laughed
sarcastically before taking another shot. I didn't know why it was making me mad.
Hindi ko rin naman suot ang sa 'kin but he told me that he never took it off. What
a lie!

"I'm going to the restroom," I told Raylee. I just wanted to retouch my makeup. It
was a little hot outside or maybe it was the madness I was feeling inside me?

I had a hard time finding the restroom. Good thing someone pointed to the stairs so
I went up to the second floor and found the powder room at the end of the hallway,
next to the balcony. I retouched my makeup inside and also sprayed perfume.

Pagkalabas ko, napaatras ako ulit nang makita si Clyden sa labas. Hindi ko alam
kung hinihintay niya 'ko o hinihintay niyang magamit din ang restroom.
"You can go inside na." I pointed at the door before walking away.

He held my arm to stop me from walking away. There were people at the other end of
the hallway and we were at the dark side of it so I hoped walang makakakita na
magkasama kami. I was scared of Raylee's reaction!

"Why are you here? You know Elle?" He asked with curiosity. He didn't drink
alcohol. Hindi siya amoy alak, e.

"No, my friend is a friend of hers so she invited us," I answered in a cold voice.

"Sabay na tayo umuwi," he told me when I was about to walk away again.

"No, thanks. I'm with Raylee. You can drive your friends home na lang. I think
they're drunk." I faced him and gave him a fake smile. His brows furrowed a bit
when he realized that my tone was a bit off.

"May problema ba?" He asked again. "Galit ka ba kasi hindi ako umuwi? Tinext naman
kita, ah?"

"I'm not mad," I whispered softly. I didn't want people to hear us. It will just
catch attention. "You know what? I think it's better to bring your friend, Eva,
home."
"Bakit ko naman gagawin 'yon?" Kumunot lalo ang noo niya. "Birthday ng kapatid niya
'to. Sabay silang uuwi."

"Oh, okay." I shrugged and tried to walk away again but he held my arm and pulled
me back. I scowled and glared at him. "What?!"

"Are you jealous?" He asked again, his eyes piercing into mine, trying to find
answers.

"I am not," I denied again. I wasn't even sure of what I was feeling at the moment.
I was so confused. Bakit ko nararamdaman 'to? Hindi naman dapat, 'di ba? Dati, wala
naman akong pakialam!

"Kung hindi, sabay tayong umuwi," he told me again. "Did you bring your car?"

"No! And ayaw ko ngang kasabay ka!" Sumimangot ako lalo. My voice sounded like a
kid! It was annoying to my ears. "Where's your ring, by the way? Why do you need to
lie that you never took it off?"

"What?" His brows furrowed more. "Why are you looking for my ring?"
I stepped forward and pointed at his chest. "You're engaged to me."

The side of his lips formed an amused smile. "I know that," he whispered. He looked
like he was enjoying it.

"So where is it?" I asked again, taking another step forward until he was already
leaning against the wall with me in front of him. The smirk on his face did not go
away when he looked down on me. "I looked for it and-"

I suddenly stopped talking when he held my chin and moved his face near mine. My
lips parted in shock when he stared at my eyes. I swallowed hard as my eyes
automatically closed when I felt his lips on mine.

I held on his shoulders for support as his other hand circled around my waist to
deepen his kiss. When he let me go, I was already breathing so heavily.

"Here." He showed me his other hand with the ring on it. "I guess you were looking
at the wrong hand."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

12 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Oh my god."

I pushed him away immediately as he loosened his hold on my waist. He looked away
and bit his lower lip. I could see the instant regret in his eyes for kissing me.
Kissing me! He kissed me! He suddenly kissed me and I closed my damn eyes!

"Oh my god," I whispered again, stepping away from him, holding my lower lip with
my thumb.

I looked at him who was still leaning against the wall with his hands inside his
pockets. He couldn't look at me now. He licked his lower lip and swallowed hard
without saying anything. He looked like he was stopping himself from saying
anything.

"You.. You're really unbelievable!" I gasped dramatically before marching away from
him so fast I bumped into Raylee on my way down the stairs.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She held my arm in concern when she saw my face. "Do you want
to go home na? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I want to go home now, Raylee," mariing sabi ko.

She furrowed her brows in confusion but she still nodded and went with me
downstairs so we could find Michel. I was looking around consciously just to see if
Clyden was following us. When we saw Michel and Elle, we bid our goodbyes before
leaving the house. Good thing Raylee was already sober so she drove for me.

My mind was so clouded and confused the whole ride! I kept on touching my lips with
wide eyes while looking outside the window. I knew Raylee was already getting
weirded out because of my silence. Hindi naman ako ganito katahimik.

Did he just kiss me? I mean, it wasn't my first kiss since I already dated a lot of
guys before but this was the only time I got so weirded out and confused! What was
that kiss for? Gusto niya ba 'ko? Oh my god. I couldn't stop thinking about it. The
kiss replayed inside my head. It was more embarrassing that I even closed my eyes
for him!

"Seriously, are you okay?" Raylee asked for the 5th time since we left. "Did
someone violate your personal space back there? Do you want me to turn the car
around and give that man a smack?"

"Have you ever been kissed by a man you're not even dating?" I asked her while
looking in front.

I saw how she glanced at me through my side with wide eyes before turning her
attention back on the road. She suddenly made weird seal noises out of excitement.
I looked at her with a soft glare just to make her stop screaming.

"Oh my god! Who the hell kissed you? Sabi mo mag-rerestroom ka lang tapos may
hinahalikan ka na pala sa taas?!" She sounded so excited. "I mean, marami ngang
gwapo sa birthday party na 'yon but, oh my gosh, who is the lucky guy?"
"Raylee, I'm not happy! It will make things so awkward between us!" Reklamo ko sa
kaniya.

"Oh, so you know him as in you KNOW him? That's why you're so concerned about being
awkward around him?" She asked again and I nodded. "Well, he likes you, obviously.
Why would he kiss you if he doesn't?"

"What?! No way!" I denied. She held her chest for a moment out of surprise by my
sudden snap. "No way, Raylee. He doesn't like me. Why would he like me? We never
got along! We're the total opposite of each other!"

"And that's what makes you compatible." She laughed and playfully winked at me.
"You see, it's not about your similarities and differences. It's how you work them
out to fit."

"I swear, Raylee. We're not even friends. We're just strangers who.. know each
other." That sounded so dumb after saying it out loud.

"Then you're not strangers. You're more than being just 'strangers'. What if you
try to be honest with yourself this time, Samantha? You're so honest with other
people but you seem to enjoy lying to yourself," she told me.

Oh my god. I needed to talk to Yanna. Maybe I could stay with her this weekend? I
was already planning to pack my things tomorrow and move out on Sunday but I guess
the plan changed. When I got home, I went straight to my room to pack my clothes.

I had to hit my head softly with my hand because I couldn't think of anything but
that kiss. His lips were so soft against mine, like they were perfectly made for
each other. Like they really fit. Oh my god, ano bang iniisip ko?

I left some of my clothes since plan ko naman bumisita tuwing weekend, just for the
dogs. I also left some of my essentials. I will just buy another set for my condo
para hindi na maraming dinadala. I already finished packing pero hindi pa rin
nakakauwi si Clyden.

I checked the time after putting my things at the back of my car. Hindi naman siya
marami since iniwan ko ang iba kong gamit. When I saw a car approaching, I
immediately went inside my car and drove away, not knowing where to go.

"Can I still drive?" I asked myself. I checked Waze to see my estimated time of
arrival in Nueva Ecija. I didn't know where to go and I obviously needed Yanna's
blunt words so I took my time to travel.

Dumaan ako sa convenience store para bumili ng coffee and sa gas station to refill
my tank. I would usually have stop-overs just to stretch my legs in the middle of
the night. Madaling-araw na 'ko nakaalis kanina so parang hinahabol ko na ang araw
ngayon. I could see the sun rising while driving.

I didn't even tell Yanna that I was coming. I stopped the car in front of her
grandma's house and walked towards the mini-gate to call her name. I was about to
yell again when she suddenly went out through the backyard, holding a hose.
"Hey!" I called her.

I saw how her eyes widened when she saw me in front of the gate. She held her chest
dramatically as the hose fell from her hands. I gave her a sweet smile and a small
wave. She looked around before opening the gate for me.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito gaga ka?!" Bungad niya sa 'kin.

"God, I'm so sleepy. Stop shouting." I held my head and went inside the house,
pulling my small luggage with me. She suddenly hit my back with her palm so I
looked back at her and glared. "What?"

"Ano kakong ginagawa mo rito?! Galing kang Manila?! Hindi ka pa natutulog?! Hindi
mo man lang sinabi sa 'kin na darating ka?!" Sunod-sunod na tanong niya.

"I knew you were sleeping already and what will even change if sabihin ko or not?
Magpapahanda ka ba?" I asked, smiling.

"Wala sila Lola. Ako lang naiwan ngayon. Doon ka muna sa kwarto ko matulog," she
said when I walked inside the house. It was just a small one. Probably smaller than
their house in Laguna but the air was cleaner. Mas masagana sa puno at damuhan
'yung bahay nila rito. Mas tahimik din sa paligid.
"Walang signal?" I asked when I checked my phone.

"Wala. Sa ibang parte lang ng bahay mayroon. Medyo mahina rin ang internet pero
huwag ka nang choosy. Ikaw na nga nakikitulog diyan," masungit na sabi niya.

"I just asked!" I defended myself.

She went inside a small room and prepared the bed for me. She even changed the bed
sheet like hindi kami tabi natutulog noon? This woman, really. I actually felt bad
for her. She didn't need to do all of these things for me, especially when she's
pregnant!

"I can do it. Don't you need some rest?" Kinuha ko ang hawak niyang bed sheet para
ako na ang mag-lagay sa kama.

"Girl, kakagising ko lang," she sarcastically said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't feel nauseous anymore?" I asked again while putting the sheet on the
foam. "You're on your 4th month na, right? Going 5?"

"Hindi na masyado. Tumaas na appetite ko. Tumataba na 'ko!" Reklamo niya sa 'kin at
ngumuso. She held her tummy while scowling. Hindi pa naman ganoon kalaki ang tiyan
niya but I could already see the baby bump. It was fascinating.

"It's okay. That's normal. Don't forget to exercise, ah. I'll sleep lang. Why did
they even leave you here alone? What if may mangyari sa 'yo? Good thing I came!"
Sunod-sunod na sabi ko. I was just that worried for her and the baby. I couldn't
lose them both.

"Okay lang. Babalik din naman sila kaagad at hindi naman nila inaasahan na maaga
akong magigising," she explained. "Matulog ka na. Mag-uusap tayo mamaya."

"Wow, that's scary." I sat on the bed and got my towel out of the luggage. I was
planning to shower first before sleeping. Galing pa 'kong party. "What are we going
to talk about?"

"Kung anong bumabagabag sa 'yo. Kaya ka narito, 'di ba?" She raised her brows.
Right. She could really read me that easily huh? "Hula ko, lalaki 'yan 'no?"

"Hey!" I pouted. She just knew where to hit it! "Yes, but I'm so sleepy. I don't
want to talk about it right now."

"Sige na. Maligo ka na. Naroon 'yung C.R." She pointed at the door outside.
"Marunong ka naman gumamit ng tabo tsaka timba, 'no? Bawal ka mag-reklamo rito."
I wasn't even saying anything. I just gave her a smile before she left. Kinuha ko
na ang damit ko at pumasok na sa C.R para maligo. After that, I brushed my teeth
and did half of my skincare routine since I left some products back at the house.

I slept peacefully for a few hours before Yanna went inside the room, pushing me
over to the wall so she could lie down beside me. The bed was small so I had to
adjust for the pregnant woman. I slept again for a few more minutes before I
decided to go to the restroom to pee. That woke me up.

It was already 12:30 PM. Nagising din si Yanna noong tumayo ako so pagbalik ko,
nag-aayos na siya ng kama. I ran towards her when I saw her holding her tummy with
her brows furrowed.

"Why? Why? Are you okay?!" I panicked. "Do you want to go to the hospital?"

"Gaga, wala 'to. O.A nito, o!" She pointed at my face and laughed.
"Pinapakiramdaman ko lang, e!"

"Hey, when are you planning to tell our friends about your pregnancy?" I sat beside
her and held her hand. She stared at me for a moment while thinking deeply about
it. "It's okay if you're not ready yet. It's your choice."

"Baka isipin nila ang tanga tanga ko." She laughed sarcastically, looking away from
me. I could feel her hand trembling so I squeezed it softly just to make her
realize that I was there.
"Trust me. They would never think of that," I assured her. "Our friends do not
judge. Baka nga matuwa pa sila. It's the first baby in our group. Your child will
become so spoiled."

"Nahihiya pa rin ako, Sam. Hindi ko pa nga makalimutan 'yung hiya sa 'kin noong
kinailangan kong itigil 'yung pag-aaral ko para rito. Nakakahiya kila Mama.
Nakakahiya sa lahat." Her voice broke so I scooted over and gave her a hug.

"I understand what you're feeling right now. If you're not ready yet, it's okay. I
just want to let you know that I will never leave your side, okay? Like what I
promised you, we'll get through this together," I whispered as I caressed her hair.

"Hindi ba nila iisipin na ang tanga ko para magpabuntis sa lalaking.. tinulak ko

paalis?" I could feel her shoulders shaking so I hugged her tighter.

"No. I think you're so brave for that." I let go of her and held her chin up so I
could see her face. "You are the bravest woman I know."

She laughed and wiped her tears away. "At ikaw? Duwag ka ba kaya namomroblema ka
ngayon sa mapapangasawa mo?"

"You changed the topic real quick." I laughed, letting go of her hand. "Uh, he..
kissed me."
"Ano?!" Sigaw niya bigla. Nagulat ako kaya umusog ako palayo sa kaniya. "Kiss
lang?" Mas mahinang tanong niya ngayon.

"Yes, kiss," I answered, nodding. "Kiss lang, okay? We attended a party and for
some reason, I think I got jealous for a moment? Then he suddenly kissed me."

"Shet." She covered her mouth with wide eyes. "Masarap?"

"Yanna! This is not the right time to ask that!" I glared at her and she laughed.
"I'm confused. Gusto niya ba 'ko? Bakit niya 'ko hahalikan? If he does, then why
couldn't he tell me?"

"Ano ka ba? Inosente ka ba, ha? Feelingerang inosente 'to! Akala mo walang lalaking
dine-date. First time mo, girl?" Sarkastikong tanong niya. "Malamang gusto ka niya!
Bakit ka hahalikan no'n? Free taste ka ba, 'te?"

"But he never told me that. Ayoko rin mag-assume because it's Clyden! Everything's
uncertain with him. I'm just.. scared, I guess," I admitted, looking away from her
while playing with my hands.

"Ano ba sa tingin mo? Ganoon lang kadali umamin na gusto mo 'yung tao?" She asked
me. "Kahit kailan, hindi ko sinabi kay Hiro na mahal ko siya dahil sa napakaraming
rason. Siguro ganoon din sa kaniya. Baka natatakot siya dahil ikaw, hindi ka pa
sigurado. Ano bang nararamdaman mo?"
"I couldn't tell, really. He's just.. not like the other guys." I sighed. It
sounded so corny after saying it out loud! "Noon naman, I could easily tell when I
like the guy. Swipe right sa dating app, we will meet, and then we will date for a
moment. Everything's just different with Clyden maybe because our starting line is
also different."

"Hindi rin, e. Madali mong maamin sa mga nakakadate mo noon na gusto mo sila dahil
alam mong hindi mo ibibigay lahat sa tao. Alam mong temporary lang sila pero kay
Clyden, natatakot ka kasi alam mong kaya mong isugal lahat. Natatakot kang aminin
kasi natatakot kang masaktan kapag natapos kayo." She let out a short laugh. "Kita
mo? I know you more than you know yourself."

That made me silent for a moment. I took some time to reflect on her words without
letting my denial side get into me, but I just couldn't accept it, you know?
Maybe.. Just maybe I liked him a little. Just a little, and the proof was my
jealousy at the party.

But he was the type of guy to leave, and I was the type to get easily scared of
commitment.

"It just won't work between us, Yanna," I told her. "It just won't. Maybe it's
because I'm not seeing other guys at the moment. Maybe if I download dating apps
again, I could take my mind off him?"

"Sure," she said, not even convinced. "Gawin mo ang gusto mo hanggang sa mauntog ka
at marealize mo kung bakit hindi ka na interesado sa iba, kung bakit ayaw mo na ng
iba. Based on experience, by the way."
"Oh, this is different," I still tried to convince her but she just laughed and
shook her head.

We went down to eat our lunch. I greeted her aunt Isabel and her grandmother when I
saw them preparing food. Her aunt told me that Yanna's mom went home to Laguna to
get some things and to pay for their bills.

"Saan mo planong manganak, Ashianna?" Her grandmother asked while we were eating.
"Mas maganda sa Manila na, hija, at hindi kompleto sa materyales ang pinakamalapit
na hospital diyan sa kabilang barangay."

"I can bring her to Manila po," I told her grandmother.

"Ay, mabuti pa nga iyon, Sam!" Her grandmother smiled at me. "Itong si Ashianna,
matigas ang ulo at para bang may tinataguan kung makasabi ng hindi kapag sinasama
siya sa Manila! Taga-roon naman pala ang mga kaibigan mo."

Yanna and I looked at each other before she scowled at her grandma, refusing to
answer. Kami na lang ang nagkakaintindihan ngayon. Her grandma asked me some
personal things like kung saan ako nag-aaral at kung sino ang parents ko. I was
actually surprised that she didn't know who my father was.

"Wala akong kilalang ganoon! Ah, baka nakalimutan ko na. Tumatanda na ako talaga,"
her grandma said. "Hindi ko na nga rin maalala kung sino nga ulit ang nakabuntis
dito sa apo ko! Mamamatay na lang ako ay hindi ko pa makikilala."
"Lola! Huwag kang magsalita nang ganiyan, ha," Yanna warned her.

She told me a month ago that her grandma was sick. It was because of her old age
kaya nagkakaroon ng complications. Hindi na nga raw niya alam kung aabot pa kapag
nanganak na siya. It actually made me sad, though I never met my grandparents.
Hindi ko alam kung buhay pa ba sila o hindi na. My parents never mentioned them
before.

Maybe because my parents were mad at them for fixing their marriage. My
grandparents took away their freedom and my parents were doing the same for me. I
didn't understand that one. Dapat alam na nila ang pakiramdam. Minsan naiisip ko na
gumaganti sila like I should suffer too because they did.

I wasn't planning to stay the whole day. I played with Yanna's sticky notes and
wrote down some healthy baby tips for her to remember while I was away. Dinikit ko
lahat 'yon sa pader niya para madali niyang mabasa.

"Wala ka pang naiisip na name?" I asked her again.

"Wala pa," she answered. "Saka na. Matagal pa naman ang due date ko. Marami pang
oras."

"You want me to ask Hiro for a name?" I let out a laugh when she glared at me for
saying her lover's name. "I'm just kidding!"
"Huwag mo 'kong hintaying asarin ka sa honeymoon n'yo ni Clyden." She smirked.
"Marami akong kayang sabihin na hindi mo magugustuhan."

"You know? I think it's weird that he said he doesn't date but he knows how to
kiss?" My brows furrowed when I remembered that. "What do you think?"

"Aba, pwede mo naman halikan kahit hindi mo i-date, ah. O baka kung medyo santo
'yang si Clyden at wala talagang experience, baka nanonood ng porn." She shrugged.

"O baka mahilig manood ng romance movies," I suggested another one.

"Magaling ba talaga? Test mo nga. Try mo ulit," she teased, letting out a laugh.

Around 5 PM, umuwi na ako sa Manila. Gabi na nang makarating ako at dumiretso na
'ko sa condo ko para ilapag ang mga gamit ko. I wanted to bring Yanna with me but
she was just too scared that our friends would find out.

I didn't receive anything from Clyden buong weekend kahit alam kong aware na siyang
umalis na 'ko ng bahay. My things were gone already. He never even tried reaching
out to ask me. Akala ko mahina lang ang signal kila Yanna. Wala pala talaga siyang
text. I sighed and put my phone down.
"Why am I even looking for his message?" I asked myself, confused.

I cleaned the whole condo and organized my things the whole night until I got
tired. I showered and did my skincare routine before going to bed. I checked my
social media notifications and also scrolled through Instagram until I thought of
something.

I couldn't find Clyden's profile the first time I searched for him but when I
searched for the letter 'c' on Ridge's following list, nakita ko ang account niya.
He had Instagram after all. Akala ko wala talaga siyang social media. Nalaman ko
lang din ang account ni Ridge when I searched for him through our common friend.

@c.jaile

9 posts - 481 followers - 226 following

Clyden Ramirez

Lagi't lagi, para sa bayan. Padayon.

That was his display name and bio. His account was private so I couldn't see his
posts. I was thinking if I should send a follow request pero alam kong mahihiya
lang din ako kaya hindi na. He might even think that I was curious about him!
I tried searching if he had Facebook and Twitter but I couldn't find his account!
That guy was too private! I searched for Ridge's name again but I didn't know his
full name so I got stuck with 'Ridgen'. I just gave up in the end. Hindi ko na nga
siya i-stalk.

"Oh my gosh!" I said when I remembered something. "Kalix is his friend!"

I opened Facebook again to search for Kalix's name. Napasimangot ulit ako nang
makitang naka-private ang friends list niya. I knew it. What did I even expect from
this guy? I rolled my eyes and just went to sleep.

The next morning was a Sunday. Suddenly, my condo felt so empty. Matagal na 'kong
mag-isa nakatira rito but it was my first time feeling so.. alone. I just did
everything to distract myself. I cleaned the condo again and cooked something.
Still, there was no message from Clyden the whole day.

Weekdays came and every day, halos sa labas na 'ko tumira. I would go home at 9 PM
after going out for drinks with my friends, o kaya from dinner outside. That used
to be our routine. I didn't deal with traffic the whole day but I still felt
drained.

"Really? You can't set me up a date with some of your friends?" I asked Adonis
again. Noong Monday ko pa siya kinukulit.

"Bro, taken nga silang lahat, except for Kalix. Pero taken by heart 'yon kaya pwede
na rin. Swear! If you want to find a date, download Tinder again," Adonis answered.
We were walking back to school pagkatapos niya 'ko ilibre sa Starbucks.
"I want to go out on a date with someone I know," I told him.

"Bakit? May problema ba kayo ni Doc?" He asked, letting out a teasing smile.
Sumimangot ako at umiling sa kaniya.

"Come on! Kahit sa friends mong football players? Nothing talaga?" Pangungulit ko.
"Just one date. We can just eat outside or something."

"Tetext kita kapag mayroon." Napakamot siya sa ulo niya.

He really did set me up on a date! May pinakilala siyang football player sa 'kin
and we both agreed to eat outside on a Friday night. He was tall and good-looking
but I felt nothing when I saw him.

"Hey," I greeted and smiled. "Lewis, right?"

"Hey, Sam. Yeah, Lewis." He smiled at me and offered his hand. He looked like a
nice person so I felt a little bad when I felt nothing about him. My heart did not
even race by the sight of him. "Do you want to go inside so we can order already?"
"Yeah, sure." I nodded and followed him inside the restaurant. I was just wearing a
white tank top and a pair of grey slacks with a designer belt on partnered with a
black sling bag and a pair of grey heels.

We ordered pasta and he tried to strike a conversation with me so I went along with
him. We tried to get to know each other but I kept on looking at my phone, waiting
for someone else's text. I was going crazy.

"Do you want to go out for a drink?" He asked. I knew he would. That was the usual
line, and I knew where we were headed next but I wasn't just having it this time.

"You know, I actually have an emergency." I gave him an awkward smile and stood up.
"So I need to go now. I already paid for our food, though, so don't worry about
it."

He was about to say something when I already left. I went straight inside my car
and drove back to my condo. Malapit lang so nakarating ako kaagad. While I was
inside the elevator, I was already determined to pack my things again and go back
to the house.

Whole week without him felt so empty. I thought going out with other guys would
help me get over my feelings for him but I couldn't. It was still there. It wasn't
even infatuation or anything like that. It was something deeper. I also couldn't
explain why, or how, or when did it even start.

I went out of the elevator and walked through the hallway, finding my keys inside
my bag. I stopped walking when it fell on the floor. When I stood up, I was
surprised to see Clyden in front of my door. He had his fist up like he was about
to knock. Nagulat din siya nang makita ako.

"H-hey," I whispered. My heart suddenly started racing. That was supposed to happen
earlier with the other guy but it didn't.

"Hey." He took a step backward, looking embarrassed, like I just caught him doing
something illegal.

He was wearing a white sweater with a design in front and a pair of black shorts
partnered with his white sneakers. Nakasuot din siya ng specs. Cellphone at wallet
lang ang dala niya sa isang kamay at nakasabit ang susi ng kotse sa daliri. He
fixed his hair using his other hand, letting out a heavy sigh.

"W-why are you here? How did you know my.. Uh.. Condo unit?" I stayed in my place,
standing two meters away from him. I just couldn't go near him.

"I asked your mom," he answered, still refusing to look at me. I saw his Adam's
apple move when he swallowed hard.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, walking towards the door. He took another step
backward until he was leaning against the wall in front of my door. I turned my
back against him as I tried to open my door with my key. "Did I forget something?"
"I missed you."

The key suddenly fell from my hand. Nataranta kaagad ako at pinulot 'yon. My hands
were shaking as I tried to open my door again. Pagkatapos, binuksan ko nang kaunti
ang pinto bago humarap sa kaniya.

"What?" My brows furrowed. It wasn't like I didn't hear him or anything. I just
wanted him to repeat it.

"I thought I could study better when you're not around. I swear, I tried." He bit
his lower lip and looked down on the floor, embarrassed. "But I couldn't focus,
knowing that you left because of me. I'm sorry about the kiss."

"So you regret kissing me?" My heart suddenly fell.

"No." He scoffed. "That's the best thing I did."

My hand was still holding the door knob. It served as a support for my knees
because they were already getting weak. My heart was beating so fast I was afraid
it would jump out of my chest. The hallway was too quiet. I was also thinking if he
could hear my heartbeat.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked, looking at him.

He looked up and our eyes met. He licked his lower lip a little while staring at my
eyes. He parted his lips like he wanted to say something but he closed them again,
looking away from me.

"Say it," I urged.

He stared at me for a moment before letting out an amused smile. "I like you."

That was it. I felt like my heart jumped out of my chest. I reached for his hand
and suddenly pulled him inside my unit, pushing him against the door. He wrapped
his arm around my waist and kissed me, moving his other hand up to my neck.

I encircled my arms on his neck to pull him closer to me. I moved my lips and
pushed my tongue inside his mouth. I stopped kissing him after a moment just to
catch my breath. We stared at each other's eyes without an inch of regret.

"What now?" He asked.

I caressed his cheek as the side of my lips rose. "Let's date?"

________________________________________________________________________________
:)

13 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"I was already planning to pack my things when I saw you."

I sat down on the floor after getting my luggage bag, putting all my things inside.
Clyden was busy looking around my unit until he went back inside my bedroom. He
looked a little fascinated by the pastel design. It described me. Ganito rin naman
sa kwarto ko sa bahay, ah. Bakit mukhang namamangha siya?

"And I came here to convince you." Clyden carefully sat down on the mini couch
inside my bedroom. He looked so uncomfortable while looking around. "I want you
back, Maureen. In the house."

"I also want to go back," I whispered. "Everything's not the same without you.
Sounds so cheesy and corny, right? Ew, why did I even say that?"

He let out a small laugh before standing up to help me get some of my things.
Tinulungan niya 'kong mag-impake ulit at since hindi naman marami ang dinala ko
papunta rito, kaunti lang din ang kinailangan kong dalhin.

"So saan ka galing?" He asked while closing the luggage.

I suddenly stopped walking, holding some of my skincare products on my arms. They

almost fell when he caught me off-guard with the question. How should I say it?! I
came from a date with another man and then I came back, asking him to date me? I
would sound like a player.
"I ate dinner," I simply said, putting my skincare products inside the paper bag. I
couldn't even look at him.

"With?" He asked again. God, can he please just stop asking? I ate dinner! 'Yun na
'yon! I also didn't want to lie because I knew it would just make things worse so I
decided to just change the topic.

"Kanina ka pa ba nag-aantay sa labas ng condo ko?" I asked him back, refusing to

answer his question.

"Maybe," sagot niya pagkatapos hatakin patayo ang maleta ko. He looked at me again
and his brows furrowed when he noticed my awkward reaction. Maybe I looked guilty.
"I had a hard time in the lobby. Good thing Kalix was there to pick me up."

"Oh, right. He lives here, too." I nodded. He finally forgot about his question.
Thank God.

"Sinong kasama mo mag-dinner?"

Oh, damn. Just when I thought that he already forgot about it, nag-tanong siya
ulit! He just couldn't let it pass, huh? I forgot that this med student was so good
with memorization. I remembered how he memorized my phone number in just a few
seconds. Mukhang hindi siya titigil hangga't hindi nasasagot ang tanong niya.

"I was with a friend," I kept stalling. Binuhat ko na ang paper bag at naglakad
palabas ng kwarto. He followed me from behind.
"I asked who," he sarcastically said. I could now hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Lewis," I answered in all honesty. "He's Adi's friend. Football player."

"Kayo lang dalawa?"

Ugh! He kept on asking unecessary questions! Hindi pa ba enough 'yung sinagot ko na

ang name? Okay, maybe guilty lang talaga ako kaya naiinis ako. Hindi ko masagot
nang maayos. I couldn't even lie to him.

"Yes," I answered, pulling the luggage with me. "Let's go. I'm taking my car and
you take yours. Let's see each other in the house." I changed the topic again.

"So it was a date, huh?" He still couldn't let it go!

"Maybe it was but I bailed, okay? Come on. It's already getting late so traffic
na." I tried to open the door so we could leave the unit but he pushed the door
back with his other hand, creating a loud slam noise. I bit my lower lip, avoiding
his eyes.

"Then let's stay here and wait for the traffic to ease off," he seriously said.
I nodded like a kitten before walking back to the living room with him behind me. I
sat on the couch and put a pillow above my thighs, looking around like a visitor in
the house. He stood in front of me, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked so
disappointed in me.

"So you came from a date, then you kissed me after?" He asked, making me sound so
bad!

"When you put it like that, you're making me sound like a player," I said in a soft
voice. "I just wanted to go out with a random guy because I thought my feelings for
you were not that serious at all."

"What feelings?" He urged, raising a brow.

"Feelings," I repeated. I couldn't even say it! "You already know it."

"No, I don't."

He played innocent! I mean, yes, I didn't even say it back but I already asked him
to date me. Was that not enough? Ano pa ba ang gusto niya?

I was aware that I was just making excuses because I was too shy to say it. Oh come
on, Sam! Ikaw pala ang duwag dito, e!

"W-we like each other," I stuttered.

"Really?" He sarcastically replied, parting his lips in exaggerated surprise. He
even covered his mouth to mock me. "I didn't know that."

"Fine! I like you, okay?!" I yelled at him, getting pissed off and embarrassed at
the same time.

God, this wasn't even my first time confessing feelings for a man! Everything was
just so different with him. Maybe I knew my old flirty tricks won't even work on
him. He was just too intimidating for me.

"So why did you go out on a date with a fucking football player?" He hissed,
raising his brows.

"You sound mad but you look calm." I let out an awkward laugh just to ease the
heavy atmosphere around us but his emotion didn't change. He was still waiting for
my answer. "Hey, are you hungry?"

"Yes. I'm hungry for answers," he seriously answered.

I tried to change the topic again but it didn't work. Ugh, the conversation was
making me feel like a criminal, hiding things from the authorities.

"I already told you. I went out with him because I wanted to see if my feelings for
you were real! Why do I have to repeat everything? Why is it such a big deal ba? I
came home to you, right?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest.
"Hinalikan mo?" Diretsong tanong niya.

"No, of course not!" I denied in an instant. "I only kiss the guys I like, okay?"

"Ah.." He let out a sarcastic laugh, pushing his tongue on the insides of his
cheek. "So ilan kami, Sam?"

Oh god, that sounded so wrong. I pulled on my hair using my two hands in

frustration. I let out a groan and a heavy sigh to make him realize that his
questions were starting to drain me. Doctor ba talaga siya or detective? He really
wanted to know everything, huh?

"One, okay? And it's you. God, we are engaged for Pete's sake." I showed him my
necklace with the ring on it.

"Wear it," utos niya sa 'kin.

"Okay, fine." I shrugged and reached for the back of my neck so I could take the
necklace off. Clyden noticed that I was struggling so he sat beside me and made me
turn around. Nilagay ko ang buhok ko sa isang side ng balikat ko para hindi siya
mahirapan.

I almost hissed when I felt his cold touch on my neck. I could feel his breathing
behind me, making my heart beat so fast. My thoughts got distracted when he reached
for my hand and placed the necklace on my palm.
Humarap ulit ako sa kaniya at tinanggal ang singsing sa necklace ko. I was about to
put it on my ring finger when he held my wrist to stop me, getting the ring from my
hand. Sa sobrang tahimik sa unit, pakiramdam ko naririnig niya 'yung heartbeat ko.

"Do not take this off," he told me while sliding the ring on my finger. I stared at
his serious face, unable to talk.

"You never texted me." It was almost a whisper. He let go of my hand and looked at
me straight in the eyes.

"I didn't know you were waiting," he pulled my arm so I could sit closer to him.
"Akala ko umalis ka kasi galit ka sa 'kin."

"No, I was confused." I tried my best to keep staring at his eyes but my gaze went
down when he licked his lower lip. His simple gesture was making me feel things.
God, ganoon ba 'ko ka-uhaw?

"Akala ko galit ka kasi hinalikan kita," he continued talking while I was staring
at his lips. He probably didn't even notice because he was busy reaching for my
hand.

"No, I like kissing you," I unconsciously said.

"Ano?" His brows furrowed as he looked up on me. I immediately stood up and looked
away so I could avoid him. I stepped backward and pretended that I was looking at
the time so I wouldn't see his teasing smile.
"I think wala na masyadong traffic. Let's go na." I tried to walk away from him but
he caught my arm and pulled me back.

I almost bumped on his chest when I turned around. He was standing so close to me I
had to look up just to see his face. He held my chin and lightly pushed me
backwards until I was already leaning against the wall.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" He whispered on me.

"We can stay here." I bit my lower lip and wrapped my arms around his neck, waiting
for him to make the move.

I looked so thirsty for him. Yanna would probably tease me about this kung nakikita
niya lang ako. Yanna and I used to be competitive in finding guys to flirt with
especially sa club. Palagi siyang panalo, though.

He was staring at my eyes, trying to read my thoughts. I tiptoed so I could reach

his lips. He looked down on me, wrapping his arm around my waist, when I gave him a
soft kiss. I was about to kiss him again but he covered my mouth with his other
hand.

"That's the last kiss you will receive from me," he suddenly told me.

"What? Why?" I asked after pulling his hand away.

"'Yung susunod, kapag tayo na." He let out a small smile before pulling my luggage
out of the unit, leaving me dumbfounded.

Inis akong napairap bago ko kinuha ang ibang gamit at hinabol siya palabas. I
turned the lights off and locked the door. Mabuti na lang at naabutan ko pa siya sa
elevator papunta sa parking. I glared at him but he looked like he was enjoying it.

So no kiss policy while dating, huh? 'Yung next kiss kapag official na kaming in a
relationship? Ganoon ba? For Pete's sake, we were already engaged! Hindi pa ba 'yon
sapat sa kaniya? Ayaw niya ng hanggang dating stage lang?

I was starting to sound like a thirsty demon so I calmed myself. It seemed like
Clyden was the only one who could bring out the other side of me. I should be more
understanding. Maybe he was trying to take it slow. Of course. I can do that.

Clyden took his car with him and I took mine. Nakasunod lang ako sa kaniya hanggang
sa makarating kami sa bahay. He helped me with my bags but the moment I entered the
house and saw the dogs approaching me, binitawan ko na kaagad ang mga gamit ko.

"Ah! I missed you!" I bent my knees and hugged the dogs. Summer licked my face
while I was hugging Maple. Hail rolled over so I gave him some belly rubs.

"I brought your mom back," Clyden told the dogs before going upstairs, carrying my
bags.

"No, I came here on my own. Your dad's a liar," I defended myself like the dogs
would understand me.
After playing with the dogs, I went upstairs and took a shower before going back to
my room to put my things back in its place. Clyden already stayed inside his room
the whole night. Baka nag-aaral siya kaya hindi ko na siya ginulo.

I thought I would finally get a peaceful sleep that night but the next morning,
nagising ako nang daganan ako ni Summer. I opened my eyes and looked around, still
confused why Summer was in my bed.

"Wake up. Aalis tayo." I heard Clyden's voice.

"Huh?" I held my head and looked at the time. "It's 8 AM, Clyden! Where the hell
are we going?"

"We're going on a date," he simply answered. "Get dressed."

That was the last thing he said before leaving my room with Summer behind him.
Nagmadali kaagad akong tumayo at naligo nang marealize ko ang sinabi niya. A date!
He was going to take me out on a date for the first time! Finally, a normal one and
hindi 'yung pretending date!

I didn't know what he was up to so I had a hard time picking the right outfit. I
just wore a black sleeveless turtle-neck top, a pair of high-waisted mom jeans with
a designer belt on, a pair of white shoes, and a black mini-bag. I wanted to wear
heels pero hindi ko alam kung saan ako dadalhin ni Clyden so I just went with the
safest option.

I braided my hair into a half-ponytail, leaving some short strands at the side of
my face. It was too early I brought a pair of sunglasses. I put on a light make-up
and sprayed perfume before going downstairs. I also made sure that I was wearing
the ring. Sinamahan ko na rin ng earrings. Clyden was already outside, playing with
the dogs while waiting for me.

"Let's go?" I told him.

He stood up when he saw me. He was wearing a beige short-sleeved button-down dress
shirt with all buttons opened, revealing his white shirt that was tucked inside his
jeans. He was also wearing a pair of white sneakers like me. His glasses were
hanging from the collar of his white shirt.

"I'll just give them water. Mauna ka na sa sasakyan. Nakabukas na 'yon," he told me
before getting the dog bowls.

I nodded and went inside his car. Malamig na nga sa loob dahil kanina pa naka-start
'yung kotse. Nagulat pa 'ko nang buksan niya na ang pinto at sumakay sa driver's
seat. His masculine scent suddenly invaded the car.

"Seatbelt," he reminded me.

"Oh, right." Sinuot ko ang seatbelt ko at tumingin sa kaniya. "Where are we going
exactly?"

"First, breakfast," he told me.

A breakfast date. I never had one before. Usually puro lunch and dinner lang so
this was probably the first time someone took me out for breakfast. The idea was so
wholesome it made me smile.
"Masaya ka?" He asked. I didn't know if it was sarcastic or not!

"Yeah, so don't ruin it." I rolled my eyes. "It's my first time going on a
breakfast date."

"It's also my first time," he replied.

My brows furrowed. "What? Going on a breakfast date?"

"Going on a date in general."

My lips parted as I stared at him with wide eyes. I was waiting for him to say that
it was a joke but he didn't so maybe he was telling the truth after all. Wow.

"How about the kiss? Was that your first time?" I asked in curiosity.

"No." He let out a small laugh which made me scowl. I crossed my arms over my chest
and just stared in front, refusing to say another word.

He glanced at me and his smile faded when he saw my reaction. I took out my phone
and just browsed on my social media account. Walang date pero marami nang
nahalikan? Was he a player or what? Yanna's guy version?
"Ano? Galit ka?" He asked, confused.

"No. I'm just thinking if you're an expert player and if you're just playing me
right now. No date pero may kiss? How's that?" I couldn't even stop my mouth from
talking.

"You're making me sound bad. I have only kissed three women during college," he
tried defending himself.

"And during med school?" I asked again, expecting him to say more.

"Ikaw lang," he casually answered.

I bit my point finger to hide a smile while looking outside the window. Why did it
even make me so happy? Well, I was the first woman he ever dated. I had an
advantage on that part. Wait, since when did 'first's become so important to me?

He parked the car in front of a breakfast cafe. Good thing wala masyadong tao so
nakakuha kami kaagad ng table. The interior of the cafe looked so calming and it
really fit their breakfast concept. They serve all-day brunch or breakfast food.

I ordered one chocolate waffle, one slice of cheesecake, and a fruit shake while
Clyden ordered two pieces of pancake and a cup of coffee. Binigay niya na kaagad
ang card niya para raw hindi ko siya maunahan mamaya. That was tricky.
"Let's get to know each other," I suggested, moving closer to the table so we can
hear each other clearly. He was seated in front of me with his elbow on the table.
"What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. Yours is purple. Minsan pink." What the hell! He did not even ask! He
already knew the answer.

"How the hell did you know that?" I asked.

"Because I pay attention to you," he said before sipping on his coffee.

That made me feel bad. I already had a feeling that his favorite color was blue but
I wanted him to confirm it first. Napailing na lang ako. "So what's your favorite
ice cream flavor?"

"Cookies and cream. Yours is coffee crumble." Kumunot ulit ang noo ko nang marinig
'yon. He probably noticed because puro coffee crumble ice cream ang nasa freezer,
huh? "Stop asking about our favorites and just go straight to interesting things
like do you prefer the soft type or the hardcore?"

"The what?" My lips parted in shock. I wasn't sure if we were on the same page.
Tama ba ang iniisip ko or baka iba sa ibig niyang sabihin? "Are you talking about
sex?" I whispered so no one would hear us.

"Huh?" Nagsalubong ang kilay niya.

I felt the sudden embarrassment creeping inside me. Good thing the waiter saved me
when he started serving our food. As much as I wanted him to stay on the table so I
wouldn't have to face Clyden, he had a job to do so he immediately left.

"Personality. I'm talking about personality," he corrected me. "Stop thinking about
sex, Sam, it's 10 AM," he scolded me.

"It's your fault! You were not clear with your question!" I blamed him, still
embarrassed. "Fine, I'm going to answer both. For personality, I prefer the middle.
For the other thing, I prefer hardcore. Okay na?"

"Hindi ko naman tinanong 'yung isa." He shook his head before getting the syrup for
his pancake.

"Just saying," I said, getting my utensils so I could finally start eating. I was
starving. Nakakatakam 'yung pagkain and when I took a bite, I didn't even get
disappointed. It was so good.

He quietly ate his food while I glanced at him from time to time. Napaiwas ako nang
magtama bigla ang tingin namin. He stopped chewing to sip on his coffee, still
staring at me.

"What? Gusto mo tikman?" He looked down on his plate.

"Masarap ba? Can I take a bite?" I leaned over the table to look at his plate.
Kinuha ko 'yung fork ko para kumuha sa plato niya but he used his fork instead to
give me a slice. I blinked twice before opening my mouth. Pagkasubo niya sa 'kin ng
slice of pancake, he put the fork back on his plate and gave me a tissue.

"It's good. You want mine?" I also offered him my plate but he just shook his head.
Good, kasi ubos na, e. Wala na pala akong mabibigay. I just started eating a slice
of cheesecake. "Where are we going after this? Can we go to the mall? I need to buy
a notebook."

"Okay." He nodded.

After we finished eating, he already drove us to the nearest mall. Nauna akong
maglakad sa kaniya pagkatapos dumaan sa security check because I wanted to locate
the bookstore. I was too busy searching on my phone when he suddenly called me.

"Maui," he called. "You're walking too fast."

"Oh, sorry." I stopped walking to look at him. He fixed his hair and sinuot niya na
rin ang glasses niya habang naglalakad palapit sa 'kin. I saw some girls looking at
him. Napapatigil pa sila sa paglalakad.

Nang maabutan niya 'ko, I started walking again, still searching on my phone. May
nabunggo ako so I looked back to apologize before walking again. I stopped when
Clyden suddenly held my hand to pull me back.

"Saan ka ba pupunta?" His brows furrowed, getting annoyed now.

"Bookstore?" I showed him my phone. "I was searching for it."

"Well, you're going the wrong way." He intertwined our hands before pulling me to
the opposite direction. I hid my phone inside my bag and just focused on his hand
on mine. My face started to heat and I prayed that he wouldn't notice.

He wouldn't let go of my hand even after arriving inside the bookstore so I had to
walk around, pulling him with me. I searched for some notebooks, only using one
hand, while he was stalking me from behind.

Kumuha ako ng basket at siya na ang nagbuhat kaya nilagay ko na lang ang dalawang
notebook ko roon. After that, I went to the pen section. I stopped walking when he
got distracted with the highlighter pens.

He tested the highlighter using his right hand before getting some and putting them
inside the basket. He gestured for me to continue walking so I did. We were like
handcuffed to each other!

"Remember when you told me na pasmado kamay ko at diring diri ka hawakan noon?" I
asked while I was looking for my favorite brand of pen.

"That was me. I was nervous." He let out a short laugh.

"Now you wouldn't let go of my hand." I showed him our intertwined hands. "Really,
Clyden? You really won't let go?"
"No, I won't," he seriously answered.

I rolled my eyes and just continued walking until I saw my favorite pen. Kumuha ako
ng tatlo at nilagay sa basket bago ko siya hinatak ulit para bumili ng isang set ng
A4 papers. He was already talking to someone on the phone using his other hand.

"Nasa mall ako, pre," I heard him say. "Oo, kasama 'yung diniscuss last time. Huwag
ka na nga tumawag. Istorbo ka, e. Oo, nag-aral ako kagabi. Hindi ako pwede mamaya
kasama ko nga si Sam."

Lumingon ako sa kaniya saglit nang marinig ang pangalan ko. He just glanced at me
for a moment before letting go of my hand so he can walk away. I felt a little
disappointed noong binitawan niya kamay ko. I walked around and looked for some
room designs while waiting for him to come back.

My brows furrowed when I saw a familiar face. It was Jaron with Raylee's sister,
Riya. They were holding hands when they walked inside. I remembered Naomi saying
that he was just a friend. Was that even true?

Speaking of Naomi, birthday na niya next Friday. I needed to ask about her plans
again so I could do something to help. I just hoped she wouldn't invite Jaron in
the house, or she actually could so I could talk to him.

"Sinong tinitignan mo?" I almost jumped when I heard Clyden's voice behind me.

"Oh, nandiyan ka na. I'll pay for the items." I was about to get the basket from
him but he was already holding a paper bag. "What the hell."
"Tara na." He offered his hand again but I just stared at it. "Ano? Bakit?"

"You said you won't let go, huh? But the moment you received a phone call, you left
me here alone," panunumbat ko sa kaniya.

He stared at me for a moment before licking his lower lip and shaking his head,
laughing at me. Sumimangot ako lalo at tinaasan siya ng kilay.

"Clingy mo, 'no?" He raised a brow, teasing.

"I am not!" I denied. I just wanted him to tell me kung sino ang kausap niya.

Oh gosh, I was never the jealous type. Yanna would probably laugh at me kapag
nalaman niya 'to. I also didn't know what was happening to me. Small things were
starting to become bigger. Samantha, get a grip.

"Si Ridge 'yon. May exam kami sa Monday. May tinatanong lang siya sa coverage," he
explained. "Pwede ko na ba hawakan kamay mo?"

I pouted and held his hand, pulling him out of the bookstore. Busog pa kaming
dalawa for lunch kaya hindi muna kami kumain. We just walked around and tried to
find some clothes to buy. Sinamahan niya naman ako. Sinamahan ko rin siyang bumili
ng shake niya.

"Sam?" My eyes widened when I heard Nicole's voice. My blockmate!

I suddenly had the urge to run away or just pretend that I didn't hear anything but
I couldn't do it to my friend so I slowly turned around and gave her a genuine
smile. Clyden also looked at her with no emotion on his face.

"H-hey!" I greeted Nicole.

"Hey," Nicole awkwardly replied, staring at my hand intertwined with Clyden's. Her
lips parted as she slowly looked at Clyden from head to toe, obviously checking him
out in front of me. "Your.. boyfriend?"

"Uh.." I couldn't answer! I looked at Clyden who was also waiting for me to talk.
Mukhang wala siyang pakialam. He just casually sipped on his watermelon shake,
looking away.

"Or just.. one of the boys you're dating?" Nicole tried to tone it down but Clyden
still heard her because he looked back and raised a brow.

"W-what?" I acted innocent before glancing at Clyden. "N-no, and he's also not my
boyfriend!"

Clyden rolled his eyes and tried to let go of my hand pero hinigpitan ko ang hawak
ko. Nicole slowly nodded, her mouth forming an 'o'.

"So he's a.. friend?" Nicole asked again.

Clyden tried to pull his hand away again, naiinis na, pero hinatak ko siya pabalik.
He stopped sipping on his shake to glare at me.

"Ano?" Inis na tanong niya sa 'kin.

I gave my blockmate a small smile. "No, he's my fiancé."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

14 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Fiancé?!"

My smile turned into an awkward one when Nicole suddenly looked like she was going
to faint out of shock. I consciously looked at Clyden to see his reaction but he
was just looking at me with parted lips, gulat din sa sinabi ko.

"It's a long story," I tried to explain to Nicole. She held her chest and slowly
inhaled a large amount of air to calm herself.

"Oh my gosh, why didn't you say anything? Does Raylee know?" Nicole whispered like
she was scared someone would hear us.
"Ang daming tanong," Clyden whispered, looking away and sipping on his shake again.
I gave him a glare to shut him up.

"Not yet. I'll tell her soon so just keep this a secret for now." I gave her a
smile and she nodded with determination like keeping a secret of mine was thrilling
for her. "Anyway, we need to go na."

"Yeah, sure! Uh, enjoy your date!" Nicole waved before walking away, still unable
to process what happened.

Lumingon ako kay Clyden nang makaalis si Nicole kaya tinignan niya rin ako pabalik,
raising a brow. Tumigil siya sa pag-inom ng shake niya para makipag-titigan sa
'kin, naghihintay ng sasabihin ko.

"Are you okay with me telling her that we're engaged?" I asked for his permission.
Baka ayaw niya pala tapos magalit siya dahil sinabi ko.

"Mas gusto ko nga 'yon," seryosong sagot niya.

"Okay. Saan na tayo pupunta? Are we going home na or gusto mong sumama sa 'kin?
Dadaan ako sa house to speak to Naomi about her birthday celebration," I told him
about my plan.
"Oo, sasama ako sa 'yo. May bibilhin lang ako para kila Hail bago tayo umalis,"
sabi naman niya bago naglakad ulit. Hindi pa rin niya binibitawan ang kamay ko.

We walked inside a small pet shop selling some pet accessories, clothes, and food.
I just followed him around like a lost girl. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang
makita through the glass wall 'yung grooming section. I unconsciously smiled while
watching the cute puppy getting trimmed.

"Okay na, Sam," Clyden talked so he could get my attention back. Napatingin ulit
ako sa kaniya at nakitang sinusundan niya ang tingin ko. He also let out a small
smile when he saw the cute puppy. "Ang liit niya."

"Yeah. Your dogs are all huge. Kapag lumaki na si Hail at Maple, hindi na sila
mabubuhat," I talked like I was pertaining to my children.

"Our dogs," he corrected before walking away to pay for the items.

My face heated when I realized that he was starting to include me in his life.
Sobrang mahalaga sa kaniya ang mga aso niya so the fact that he was willing to
share a big part of his life with me was already meaningful to me. He was starting
to be open and I was also starting to let him into my life, too, not just because
we were forced to live together but because he already became a part of me.

He bought a bottle of shampoo for the dogs and also some new collars before we left
the mall. Sumakay ulit kami sa kotse niya at siya na ang nag-drive papunta sa
mansion. Nagpapatugtog lang ako sa kotse niya habang nakatingin sa labas. He looked
like he was thinking so deeply about something else.
"What's the problem?" I asked.

"Naroon tatay mo?" He asked back. I bit my lower lip, realizing how much he hated
to stand in the same place as my father.

"I think he's out. He's always out and minsan na lang siya umuwi or baka hindi ko
siya naaabutan. He's always with his co-politicians or business partners," sagot ko
sa kaniya.

"Anong business?" Kumunot ang noo niya. The moment he asked that question, I
realized that I didn't know the answer. I just assumed that my mom and dad were
doing a business together because of some men visiting the house, exchanging bags
of money.

"I.. don't know." I looked outside the window. "But I'm hoping that it's a good
one."

"Pray that it's legal rather than good. A good business is not always legal," he
corrected me.

I bit my lower lip as my heart started beating so fast just by thinking about what
my parents were up to. I was never scared of my surname being tainted because the
moment my dad entered politics and decided to become a shitty one, the elegance of
my own surname was already gone.

"If you're worrying about your dad going to jail, you're lucky because the justice
system is currently fucked." He let out a sarcastic laugh.

"You know, if they're really doing something bad, I'm hoping for them to get
caught." I gathered the strength to say that. I never said anything against my
parents to someone else before. I was slowly making a stand.

"Yeah? I wonder if my dad is involved in that." Clyden shrugged. "We never know
what they're up to, honestly. If he's not, then I wonder what his reaction would
be."

Nakarating na rin kami kaagad sa mansion dahil malapit lang ang pinuntahan naming
mall. I thought Clyden would stay inside the car but he accompanied me inside
instead. He put his hand around my waist while walking.

"Is my mom around?" I asked the helper while looking around the living room.

"Umalis po saglit, Ma'am, pero baka pabalik na po," she answered.

"Okay, thank you." I gave her a smile before walking upstairs to find Naomi. Clyden
followed me from behind, removing his hand on my waist. I looked back at him and
pouted a little bago tumuloy paakyat.
I went inside my room first so I could check if Naomi got my new makeup collection.
I purposely left it above my desk so she could borrow them or pwede ring sa kaniya
na 'yon. I just imagined how hard it was for her to live without asking my father
for anything. Lahat ng kailangan niya, siya ang humahanap ng paraan. I wanted to
provide everything for her.

"This is my room," I told Clyden.

"Alam ko," pambabara niya sa 'kin habang nagtitingin paikot.

He was walking around, looking at some picture framed displayed on the wall and
above my side table. My high school graduation picture was there and also may
picture din namin nila Luna, kami ni Yanna, a family picture, and also some
pictures when I was young.

"Ikaw 'to?" Nagtatakang tanong niya sabay pakita sa 'kin ng picture frame. Picture
ko 'yon sa Los Angeles when I was still in high school. I had a long hair before so
hindi siguro siya sanay. "Ilang taon ka nito?"

"Sixteen, I think?" I looked at the ceiling while thinking. "Yes, sixteen nga.
Why?"

"You look familiar. Baka nag-kita na tayo sa gathering." He placed the frame down
and got another one.

I walked towards him to see the photo he was staring at. Nagulat pa siya nang
lumitaw ako bigla sa tabi niya. He showed me the picture frame and pointed at
Yanna's face. High school graduation 'yon namin ni Yanna.

"Bestfriend mo?" He asked. "What's her name again? Alyanna?"

"Ashianna," I corrected him. "Yes, that's Yanna. She's in Nueva Ecija right now. I
think sinabi ko sa 'yo noong lasing ako. What's your first impression on her?"

"I don't know. I don't care." He shrugged, putting the frame down on the table.

Sumimangot ako at inayos ang pagkakalagay niya no'n. He walked around the room
again like he just came inside a hidden cave full of treasures. Wala na masyadong
gamit 'yung room ko dahil dinala ko na sa house namin so puro old things na lang
ang naiwan.

"Who gave this to you?" Kinuha niya 'yung pink teddy bear sa sofa at pinakita sa
'kin.

My brows furrowed, trying to remember who gave me that. I think it was my

highschool boyfriend? Or was it Sevi?
"I can't remember. Baka 'yung ex ko when I was in high school," I answered
honestly. It wasn't even a big deal to me. I already forgot about him. I couldn't
even remember his face now.

"You like teddy bears?" He raised a brow, waiting for my answer.

"I'm more of a 'flowers and chocolates' type." I shrugged, closing the drawer of my
makeup collection. Kumuha na rin ako ng ilan so I could bring them home. Naomi
didn't touch what I put above the table this time.

"People still give flowers?" He curiously asked.

"You really don't know how to date, huh?" I rolled my eyes before walking away.
"Stay here. I'll just talk to my sister."

He nodded so I already went out, closing the door behind me. I stopped walking in
front of Naomi's bedroom door and softly knocked on it. When she didn't answer, I
knocked again, a little harder this time so she could hear it.

"Naomi? Are you there?" I asked.

I was about to knock again when the door suddenly opened, revealing her in full
face make-up. May hawak pa siyang eyeliner nang buksan ang pinto like I just
interrupted her while she was putting it on.

"What?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"I like your make-up," I complimented, giving her a genuine smile.

She looked surprised with my compliment, not knowing how to take it. She pursed her
lips and looked away as her cheeks started to heat. This wasn't even her first time
receiving a compliment from me.. or was it?

"You have a nice eye for art," I added. "Next time, practice on my face, too, if
you want."

She bit her lower lip, still looking away from me. "What do you need?" She even
tried to sound grumpy.

"Your birthday's getting near. Do you have any plans? The final one? I could help
you," I offered.

"My birthday?" Kumunot ang noo niya. "Oh, right. I forgot about it." She laughed
sarcastically, shaking her head a little.

How could someone forget about her own birthday? I immediately got worried about
how bad she was being treated by my mom. Siya lang ang lagi niyang kasama sa bahay.
My mom should be the one asking for Naomi's birthday plans especially when it was a
debut. It was her debut.

"I don't want to celebrate it," she said, about to close the door.

"Hey." I stopped her again so she opened the door widely, maybe afraid that she
would hurt my hand again because she glanced at it with wide eyes. "Why not? I
thought Dad offered to take your friends to a beach resort?"

"Yeah, I don't want it." She rolled her eyes, getting annoyed now.

I blinked twice, confused now. "Why not?"

"Stop asking, okay?!" She raised her voice at me, causing me to take a step
backward. When I saw a hint of pain in her eyes, I pursed my lips and decided not
to say another word. I suddenly remembered why it was painful for her to go to the
beach. "Geez!" She closed the door loudly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered like she would hear it. I sighed, hitting my head lightly
with my hand. "How insensitive of you, Sam!" I scolded myself for not remembering
about her mother's death.

"She's a mad kid."

I almost jumped out of surprise when I heard Clyden behind me. I wondered if he
heard the whole conversation or not. Hindi ko naman siya napansing nakatayo roon
kanina but it was still possible that he heard it inside my room.

"She's hurt," I defended my sister. "That's why."

"I know. I didn't say her anger's not valid." He glanced at the door again like he
was worried for her, too.

I sighed and just walked downstairs with him stalking me from behind. I suddenly
stopped when I saw my mom entering the main door holding two designer paper bags.
She was talking to her newly hired secretary when she saw us.

"Maureen! You're here!" She smiled and gave me a soft hug. "And Clyden too. It's
nice seeing you together."

"Good evening, Ma'am," Clyden greeted her formally. My mom just gave him a nod
before dismissing her secretary.
"Mom, we need to go now," I told her because I noticed that Clyden was starting to
get uncomfortable. He was looking around now to avoid talking to my mom.

"That fast? Let's eat dinner first! I think dinner's ready!" She placed the paper
bags above the coffee table before walking to the dining room, gesturing for us to
follow her. I looked at Clyden and gave him an apologetic smile. He just nodded and
put his hand on my waist.

I sat in front of my mom and Clyden sat beside me while the helpers are serving
food on the table. Tumayo na rin ako para tumulong mag-hain ng plato pero lahat
sila ay ayaw akong paghawakin.

"Naku, huwag na po, Ma'am Samantha." The helper even looked nervous.

"Okay, I'll just call Naomi." I was about to walk away when I realized that Clyden
will be left alone with my mom so I sat beside him again. "We should call, Naomi,
Mom."

"She eats dinner around nine so I think she won't go down. Hayaan mo na ang batang
'yon." My mom shrugged it off in a snobbish manner. My lips parted and looked at
her in disgust.

"You don't even call her to eat?" I tried to tone my voice down. Clyden stayed
silent beside me, looking down on his plate.
"If she wants to eat, then she will go downstairs to eat. I called her once and she
didn't respond." My mom was slowly starting to get mad. I could hear it in her
voice.

"Maybe check up on her? Maybe there's something wrong with how you're treating her
that she would rather stay inside her room than to eat dinner with you?" I still
tried so hard to sound calm but my mom's reaction was getting on my nerves.

"You are my only daughter, my dear." She gave me a smile. "Now, let's eat."

I was about to stand up and throw the table napkin on the table when Clyden
suddenly held my hand. I went back to my seat before looking at him, confused.

"I'll call her," he simply said before standing up and leaving the dining room.

I inhaled and exhaled before silently putting food on my plate, ignoring my mom.
She looked like she wasn't even bothered by it. She was still busy with her phone,
talking with some of her business partners.

Napatigil ako sa pag-kuha ng utensils pagbalik ni Clyden. He sat beside me again

while I looked around, expecting to see Naomi with him but she was nowhere to be
found. Tinaasan ko ng kilay si Clyden, nagtatanong.
"She doesn't want to," he told me. "She said she's still busy watching 'get ready
with me' videos on YouTube."

Kumunot ang noo ko pero hindi na lang ako nag-reklamo. Maybe she was really busy
practicing her make-up. Forcing her to go down will just make our relationship
worse so I just ate silently. Clyden did the same.

"So Clyden, are you okay with Sam moving out of the house?" My mom tried to strike
up a conversation.

"She can do what she wants," Clyden simply answered without looking at her. "As
long as she's happy with it."

"I moved back, Mom," I told her.

"Really?" My mom looked amazed for no reason. "You were so determined to move out
the other week. I guess you like living with your fiancé."

It's better than living in here. "Yes," maikling sagot ko.

Binilisan ko na ang pag-kain ko para makaalis na kami kaagad. Mom was talking to
Clyden about studying in med school so I had time to calm myself. I also didn't
want to talk to her because I might just end up yelling out of anger so I was
thankful Clyden was there.

"That house is a disaster," I said while we were on our way home.

"I know the feeling." He gave me a comforting smile while driving. "Maybe moving
together was a nice idea, though I hated it before."

"You were so mean to me!" Reklamo ko nang maalala. "Minsan ba you feel guilty after
being so mean to me, huh? Of course not. You're a cold person."

"I do," he said in a soft voice. "Always."

"I don't believe you." I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're
the most sarcastic asshole I ever met."

"Until now?" He raised a brow. "I'm treating you nicely."

"Where? I can't see it." I put my hand above my eyes to act like I was looking for
something. He let out a small laugh, making me fight the urge to smile. His laugh
sounded sexy. It was contagious, too.
"You'll see it," he simply said.

When we arrived home, I went straight inside the bathroom to take a shower and
Clyden also went inside his room to study. I remembered may exam nga pala siya sa
Monday so I just gave him time to study. I did my night care routine before I went
to sleep.

The next morning was a Sunday pero maaga pa rin akong nagising. I just went
straight to the bathroom to wash my face before going downstairs to find something
to eat. I was surprised to see Clyden serving breakfast on the table.

"You're up early.. or did you even sleep?" I asked after taking a seat.

"Natulog ako," he said, taking a seat in front of me. "Good morning, by the way."

"Good morning. Are these for me or for the dogs?" I asked while looking at the
plate. He cooked eggs, bacon, ham, with toasted bread.

The side of his lips rose up, forming a smirk. "They already ate."
"You like sunny side up more than scrambled?" I noticed the way he cooked the egg.

"Are you asking me how I like my eggs in the morning?" He raised a brow, trying to
hide a smirk.

My brows furrowed, a little confused why a teasing smile was plastered on his face.
I was just genuinely curious about the egg, though. He was making it sound so
weird! I hoped he wasn't talking about anything sensual especially when we were in
a 'no kissing' policy.

"You know what? Just eat." I rolled my eyes and just put some bacon and egg on the
bread. Maybe he also wasn't the type to eat rice for breakfast.

After eating, I went upstairs to finish typing a paper while Clyden went out to
check on the dogs. Mabilis lang din at bumaba na rin ako kaagad. I went outside to
play with the dogs but I saw Clyden rubbing Summer's body with shampoo instead.

Napasigaw ako nang lumapit si Hail at pinatuyo 'yung katawan niya, splashing water
around the place. Clyden looked back at me when he heard my sudden scream but he
just ended up laughing at me.

"Hawakan mo nga muna si Summer. Kukuhanin ko lang 'yung hose," Clyden told me.
Since medyo nabasa na rin ako, lumapit na 'ko at lumuhod sa tapat ni Summer. I
started rubbing her body with shampoo while she sat there like a good girl, waiting
for me to get finished. I smiled when she closed her eyes while I was rubbing her
head carefully.

"Oh my god!" Napatayo kaagad ako nang bigla akong mabasa ng hose. Because of that,
Summer got out of my hold and ran around the garden. Clyden put the hose down to
come after her.

"Summer!" He called.

I laughed and took the hose from the grass, targeting Clyden this time. Napalingon
kaagad siya sa 'kin at inilag ang kamay nang mabasa na siya. Sinamaan niya 'ko ng
tingin so I gave him a smirk. Basang basa na 'yung shirt ko dahil sa ginawa niya
'no! It wasn't even an accident! Sinadya niya!

"Summer, come here," he commanded in a serious voice this time. Summer immediately
walked to him. "Sit."

Lumapit ako at tinulungan siyang banlawan si Summer. Hail and Maple were running
around the other side of the yard, tapos nang paliguan. I laughed when Summer tried
to dry herself by also splashing water on me and Clyden.

Clyden put the hose down and pushed his wet hair back. The smile on my face faded
when he suddenly reached for the hem of his shirt before taking it off. My lips
parted as my eyes roamed down to his chest. When our eyes met, I looked away in an
instant.
"Basa na 'ko." I heard the annoyance in his voice before drying Summer up with a
clean towel. He was doing that without a shirt.

"Yeah, me too," I unconsciously said.

He looked at me and raised a brow. When I realized how wrong it sounded, I stood up
and pointed on my wet shirt and shorts. Good thing I was wearing black.

"I mean, basa na shirt ko," I defended myself.

"Ano pa ba dapat?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

I just shook my head and went inside the house again to take a shower. After
dressing up, I walked downstairs again to watch Netflix in the living room. Clyden
was still outside with the dogs but minutes later, umakyat na rin siya para maligo.

He sat beside me, fresh from the shower. I could smell his soap and shampoo while
he was drying his hair with the small towel. He was wearing a simple navy blue
shirt and a black pair of sweatshorts.
"You want to watch?" I gave him the remote but he shook his head.

"I'll just watch what you're watching right now."

He really did but he kept on asking questions about it dahil hindi naman niya
nasimulan! This guy! Nagugulo tuloy ang panonood ko. After the movie, he even
complained na magulo raw at hindi niya nagets.

"Of course! Hindi mo naman napanood sa simula!" I hissed.

"Sus," walang pakialam na sagot niya. "Magulo lang talaga. It's all over the
place."

I rolled my eyes and just let him pick the next movie. It was a miracle that he
wasn't reading a book so sinulit ko na lang 'yung free time niya. It was rare! I
wanted to make the most of it so I scooted over, leaving no space between us while
watching.

I wasn't expecting him to do anything but I still felt butterflies when he silently
put his arm around me, pulling me closer to him. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa balikat
niya habang nanonood. I actually couldn't understand the movie because I was too
distracted with his warm hold. My heart was beating like crazy.
My face suddenly heated when the two main characters started kissing each other.
Clyden didn't have any reaction at all so I tried to contain my thoughts inside me.
I stood up and excused myself so I could go to the bathroom. It was so awkward I
had to leave!

Nag-hilamos muna ako sa bathroom bago ako bumalik. Good thing the scene was already
finished. I sat beside him again and he renewed his hold on me, making me bite my
lip to hide a smile.

"Ah, the baby girl looks cute," I pointed at the screen. "I also want to have a
baby girl. How many children would you have in the future?" I asked him.

"How many are you willing to take?" He asked back.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko at tumingin sa kaniya. When he stared back at me, I looked
away and faked a cough. My face heated, making my cheeks blush. Did he really just
say that?

"Uh, for me, I'll just.. Uh.. have two," I told him. "I want a daughter. I have
always wanted a daughter."

"What would you name her?" He asked again.

"Hmm." I looked up while thinking about the name. "Maybe April? Sounds cute, right?
April for spring. Blossom. Pink. Or Avril? Something like that."

"Sounds good." He nodded. "I'll go with that."

"Sweet talker." I rolled my eyes, trying to contain my emotions inside.

The characters were kissing again when we looked back at the screen so it made the
atmosphere awkward. I faked a cough and shifted on my seat uncomfortably. He must
have noticed because he moved a little away from me.

"I'll just get a beer." I stood up to excuse myself again.

Kumuha ako ng dalawang cans of beer just to see if he will drink. If not, I can
drink them by myself. I placed the can on the table and opened one before taking a
seat beside him. He didn't hold me this time.

"You want some beer?" I asked without looking at him. The characters were making
love now!

"Yeah, I guess." Kinuha niya 'yung isang can at binuksan. He took a gulp before
putting it back to the table.
I held the can of beer with my two hands, obviously feeling so awkward now. Hindi
ko na alam kung saan ako titingin. When will they finish making love for Pete's
sake? I couldn't even look at Clyden to see his reaction.

When the scene finished, I let out a heavy sigh. Finally. I glanced at Clyden who
had his elbow on the arm rest, holding his head. When our eyes met, I immediately
looked away, holding my can tightly with two hands.

"Why did you even choose this movie?" I tried to ease the tension around us.

He didn't answer so I looked back at him. I was about to say something but stopped
when I noticed his stare. I swallowed hard when he moved closer to me and held my
chin up, looking down on my lips.

"I thought-" I couldn't even talk. "Y-you will wait for.. Uh-"

I stopped talking when he suddenly kissed my forehead, making me close my eyes for
a bit. When I opened them, he was already taking a sip on his can of beer while
looking at the screen.

"What are you thinking?" I asked when I noticed him zoning out.
He glanced at me for a moment before taking a sip again on his beer, looking away.
I moved closer to him to take a better look on his face.

"Maui." He looked at me again and our eyes met. "How will you know if you're
already falling in love?"

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

15 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"I also do not know the answer to that. I'm sorry. Do you want me to ask my
friends?"

His question got me so confused. It suddenly made me realize that I had no idea
what love felt like or how I would differentiate 'love' from simply just 'liking'
someone. My idea of love came from fictional books, movies, not from experience and
definitely not from my family. I couldn't imagine my parents loving each other
ever.

Were they in love? Did they also fall in love during the process of their
engagement like how Clyden and I were now beginning to like each other? I wondered
if at some point, they also became happy with their marriage but then my dad
cheated with Naomi's mom and it was all gone. It was all ruined.

I couldn't get my idea of love into words because I never experienced it. I dated
before, had a boyfriend, but I couldn't say that it was love. Maybe it was
something less than that. It was never as powerful as the love that I saw in my
friends. Love was so powerful it made my friends devastated, hurt, broken. Hindi ko
pa nararanasan ang umiyak nang ganoon dahil sa pagmamahal.
I knew platonic love. It was the love I felt with my friends and my sister. It was
the love that I could easily express with messages like 'text me when you're home!'
or 'see you tomorrow ily!'. The love that was so easy to give. The love that was so
easy to express.

But I knew Clyden wasn't talking about platonic love. He phrased it as 'falling in
love'. It was the kind of love that was unexpected. It was the kind of love that
you wouldn't know unless you admit it to yourself. It was slowly burning in flames
until you felt it.. and the idea was scary.

I didn't want to get burned, because my love had always been selfless. Platonic or
not.

"Have you ever loved someone before?" I asked Clyden this time. I knew the answer
would be no because if he did, he wouldn't ask a question like that.

"If we're talking about the same type of love then the answer is no," seryosong
sagot niya sa 'kin. "I only know the science behind it but when you finally
experience it, suddenly there's no definite meaning or process. It's just.. there."

"You're not sounding like yourself." I laughed to ease off the atmosphere. It was
too serious for me. "I'll get back to you when I finally realize the answer to
that."
I stood up and placed the pillow back to the sofa before standing up to throw the
empty can of beer away. When I came back, the movie was already finished and Clyden
was also busy talking to someone on the phone so I just went upstairs. Hindi ko
napansin na padilim na pala dahil sa kakanood namin.

I didn't go down for dinner so Clyden went up, holding the tray and placing it down
on my side table. I was busy doing some school work on my laptop so after putting
the tray down, Clyden tried to sneak a glance at my screen.

"I'm not hungry," I told him. "Get the tray back."

"Kumain ka kahit kaunti lang." I thought he would leave but he sat on my couch
instead to watch me do my business.

"I'm not hungry," I told him again while typing something. I was trying to do a
sample resume I could use after my graduation.

"Running for Latin honors?" He asked me, still looking at my laptop screen. Nakaupo
ako sa sahig at nakapatong ang laptop sa kama habang nasa likod ko siya, nakaupo sa
couch.

"I hope so," I answered back. The main reason why I wanted to do well in school was
to get my parents proud. I knew with my surname, a lot of privileges could come
with it, especially in job opportunities, gustuhin ko man o hindi. I didn't want my
parents to get disappointed.
Pakiramdam ko palagi akong may pinapatunayan. I used it as a mask to hide my career
uncertainties. I could always say 'at least I'm doing well in this program' to
cheer myself up and to convince myself that I chose the right path but I still felt
empty. It still didn't feel right. I couldn't identify myself. I didn't know what I
wanted. It was always what they wanted. It was always what my parents would want to
see. I was trying to do well so they could say 'She didn't choose PolSci but at
least she's doing well in school' when bragging.

I asked for a condo and a car, I moved out and chose my own program to finally feel
free but it still wasn't the case. I was still trapped inside, conforming to the
rules. Samantha Vera, never a disappointment. The epitome of grace.

"I do not know what I want anymore," I told him after the long silence. "I refuse
to believe that this is the product of letting my parents choose my path because
it's different in your case. You like what you're doing."

"People respond differently to similar situations. If you think it's a product of

bad parenting, it is. If you think they fucked your life so bad you couldn't even
decide for yourself, then that's the truth because that's what you feel and you
should not invalidate your feelings," he answered while playing with my rubik's
cube.

"I hate what they're doing to me but I can't say that I hate them. I am mad but I
can't say that I want to get rid of them and completely take them away from my
life. Do you understand me?" I was just hoping that he could. I never told this to
anyone before, not even to Yanna because I was afraid she wouldn't understand or I
was afraid I would add up to her problems.

"I am mad at my brothers but I still feel bad when my dad talks shit about them in
front of other people," he told me. "But still, our anger is valid. I don't think
they know about our feelings, though, because we never told them, and it's not easy
to speak about it so take your time. I'll also take mine."

I wondered if Naomi was feeling the same way? Trapped. She couldn't speak up for
years, keeping all the pain inside her. She was doing the things she needed to cope
and I understood that. Hindi ko sinasabing tama na sinasaktan niya 'ko pero
naiintindihan ko kung bakit. I was just hoping that someday, she would finally open
up her doors to me because I was willing to help her get out of the situation I was
still in.

"Hindi ka talaga kakain?" Clyden asked again, putting the cube back to its place.

"I will," I said, closing my laptop. Nawalan na ako ng gana gawin 'yon. I wasn't
passionate about it. I couldn't think of my future so ikakain ko na lang. "Who
cooked this? The helpers?"

"Yes. Why? Gusto mo bang paglutuan kita?" Nakakunot ang noong tanong niya.

"I would prefer that," I joked around, hiding my smile. I just imagined him cooking
for me every day. Masarap siya magluto ng breakfast, e. Hindi ko lang alam kung
pati lunch at dinner. Hindi ko pa natitikman ang iba niyang luto.

"Kaunti lang ang alam kong lutuin." He suddenly looked nervous.

"Hey, it's fine!" Binawi ko kaagad dahil mukhang sineryoso niya. He looked like he
was already thinking of the next dish to cook. "Same with me. I also don't cook
that much but I know how to and I could follow cooking videos."

"Anong oras lunch time mo?"

"Around 11 usually. Why are you asking?" Kumunot ang noo ko at tumingin sa kaniya.
He just shook his head before standing up to leave the room. He still reminded me
to finish my food before closing the door. Anong gagawin niya? Mag-aaral siguro.
May exam nga pala siya.

I returned the tray downstairs before taking a shower and preparing for bed time.
Maaga akong natulog kaya maaga rin akong nagising kinabukasan. I was just wearing a
simple tee and a pair of maong shorts to school. I was putting on my I.D when I saw
Clyden eating breakfast on the breakfast table.

"Hi, good morning!" I greeted him with so much energy. He was the complete opposite
of me. He looked so tired from studying.

"Good morning," he greeted me back, getting his finished bowl of cereal to put it
on the sink.

He went inside the bathroom to brush his teeth before putting on his white polo to
complete his uniform. Nag-spray na rin siya ng perfume habang naglalagay ako ng
tubig sa hydroflask ko. Maybe he didn't sleep again.
"Aalis ka na?" I asked, a little disappointed. We didn't even talk this morning.

"I have an exam," sabi niya sabay suot ng backpack sa balikat. I thought he was
already going to leave but he still walked towards me to hand me a cute white paper
bag. I stared at it with my brows furrowed, confused.

"What is this?" Kinuha ko sa kamay niya 'yon at binuksan 'yung paper bag only to
see a cute lunch box there. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. "You
cooked for me?"

"Yeah," he looked shy when he said that. Hindi pa siya makatingin sa 'kin at
napahawak sa batok. "Uh, alis na 'ko."

"Thank you for this!" I sounded so excited. I gave him a cute smile and he returned
it with a shy one before leaving.

Nakita ko pa siyang hinalikan sila Summer sa ulo bago pumuntang garahe. Nasa labas
kasi sila Summer, naglalaro sa backyard kahit maaga pa. Hindi ko muna binuksan
'yung lunch box so it would surprise me later. I just ate bread before going to
school.

"Ang ganda ata ng mood ni Sam!" Raylee commented when I went inside the room,
smiling. I greeted the girls before taking my seat. I looked at Nicole and she
looked away, pursing her lips.
"What's this?" Ayessa pointed at the white paper bag. Sinubukan pa niyang sumilip
pero tinago ko na sa tabi ng chair ko.

"It's just food," I answered, taking my notebook out of my bag.

"Wow, Samantha, you packed your lunch for the first time!" Raylee sat beside me and
clapped her hands. "Did you cook that? Patikim naman! I can rate your food!"

"No!" I laughed it off. Mabuti na lang at hindi na nagsalita si Raylee dahil

dumating na 'yung prof. I was so inspired the whole day and I couldn't even wait
for lunch time. I had never been so excited to eat lunch.

After two subjects, everyone stood up and left the room. The girls were still busy
with deciding where to eat when I received a text from Clyden. Lumayo muna ako sa
kanila para tignan 'yon.

From: Clyden

Enjoy your lunch. Don't judge me lol

I bit my lower lip before hiding my phone. I was planning to reply after tasting
the food. Mabuti na lang nakapag-decide na sila Raylee kung saan kakain so naglakad
na kami paalis. We just went to Regis and luckily, we found an empty table. I
thanked my orgmates for lending it to us before they left.
I placed the paper bag on the table and took out the lunch box. Color beige 'yon
and it has two layers. Tinanggal ko 'yung lock bago nilapag 'yung first box. The
first box had rice with vegetables on the side and the second one had sweet and
sour pork, then fruits sa side. Kinuha ko rin 'yung utensils sa loob ng paper bag
and may pabaon pang juice. It was adorable.

"Sam, 'yung ngiti mo aabot na sa langit," Raylee told me. "Why are you so happy
about your lunch box? Oh my gosh, did your boyfriend give that to you?!"

Muntik nang masamid si Nicole dahil doon. I looked at Raylee with a smile on my
face, shaking my head a little. I didn't give her a verbal answer and just started
eating my lunch. He clearly didn't know my diet so I will forgive him this time.

They still tasted good, though. I finished the rice and pork before taking my phone
out to text him back.

To: Clyden

They taste good, don't worry. Next time, don't give me rice. I'm on a diet! Grrr.

He texted back in a few seconds.

From: Clyden
Choosy ka pa

I laughed before hiding my phone again to finish eating the fruits and vegetables.
I already expected his sarcastic reply but it still made me smile. Wait, why did it
make me smile?! Dati naman naiinis ako kapag ginaganyan niya 'ko. What the hell.
Everything was starting to change.

While putting the lunch box back inside the paper bag, I saw Naomi with her
friends, taking their seats on the table near us. I stared at her and unconsciously
smiled when I saw her laughing with them. Umiwas na lang ako ng tingin bago pa niya
'ko makita. I didn't want to ruin her good mood.

Naomi stood up to go downstairs so I also left our table to follow her. I suddenly
stopped walking when I heard her friends talking.

"Ugh, she's so annoying, 'no? So dramatic," the girl said.

"Who? Naomi? Oo nga, e. I was just about to say that. Ngayon lang naman siya sumama
ulit sa atin but she really has that attitude, 'no?" The other girl said.

I looked at them with my brows furrowed. "Excuse me, it's not good to talk about
people behind their backs. If you have a problem with her, just say it to her
face."
"What?" Naguluhan silang tumingin sa 'kin. I knew it wasn't my place to pick a
fight with freshmen but I just couldn't stand hearing them talk about my sister
like that. "Who are you and why are you even listening to other people's
conversations, huh?"

"I'm your senior," I told the girl. I looked at her I.D lace and noticed that she
was on the same org as me. "Your org must be ashamed to have you as a member."

"Excuse me?" Kumunot ang noo niya. "Why are you being so weird?"

"Sam?" I looked back when I heard Naomi's voice behind me. Naguguluhan siyang
tumingin sa 'kin at sa mga kaibigan niya. "What are you doing?"

"God, you know her? She's so weird. Suddenly pupunta siya here to pick a fight?"
Her friend told her. "What is her problem, really? Talk to her nga."

Naomi looked at me with so much disappointment. She sighed heavily and put her
drink on the table before pulling me on my wrist. Nang makalayo na kami, binitawan
niya 'ko at sinamaan ng tingin. I couldn't talk when I saw how mad she was.

"What the hell is your problem?! What did my friends do to you, huh?! Are you
planning to push them away from me too?! Do you really want me to end up alone?!"
She kept on yelling at me.
"No, I was just-"

"Cut it out, Samantha! Stop meddling into my life!" She looked like she wanted to
cry out of frustration. I kept my mouth shut. "Can't you see that the more you try
to meddle, the more you push everyone away from me! Dad, your mom, and now, my
friends?! Sino pa ang isusunod mo?! Jaron?! You're trying to keep him away from me
too, right?!"

I bit my lower lip and looked down on the floor
no point in explaining because she was too mad.
explanation right now. I will just wait for her
sa birthday niya. Sinasara ng mga tao ang tenga
will utter would be useless.
without saying anything. There was
I knew she wouldn't accept any
to calm down or babawi na lang ako
nila kapag galit sila. Any word I

At least ngayon alam ko na kung ano ang nararamdaman niya. She was blaming me for
the treatment of my mom and also for my dad having his favorites. Ako lang ang
pinapakilala sa public, leaving her behind. Her anger was misplaced but if I were
in her place, I would be mad at me too. It was frustrating.

"Please, just stop, okay?! Just stop playing the 'good sister'! It does not suit
you!" She told me before walking away.

I remained standing there, exhaling the breath I was holding for too long. I
crossed my arms over my chest and looked up to stop my tears from falling. Nang
tumulo ang luha ko, pinunasan ko kaagad using the back of my hand. I inhaled and
exhaled before going back to our table, smiling like nothing happened.
"Hey! Babalik na tayo?" I asked them with a smile plastered on my face. They nodded
so we started cleaning the table before leaving. I also made sure I was carrying
the lunch box with me. It was the only good thing that happened today.

My mind was too clouded during our next class. I was thinking if I should really
just stop meddling into her life. Maybe I should stop trying. Napapagod na 'ko. I
didn't know what to do anymore. It was starting to get tiring. She clearly didn't
want me to go near her. She didn't want me to care anymore.

I should rest first, but I shouldn't stop trying. I knew at some point, she would
see that my intentions were clear and good. I was the only person she could trust
because I wanted nothing but the best for her.

To: Yanna

I feel tired haha :(

I sent that around 1 PM and she didn't reply, maybe because she was taking a nap.
Pinagsisihan ko kaagad na tinext ko 'yon sa kaniya. I wanted to take it back. I
didn't want her to worry about me too. She should just worry about herself and the
baby. I didn't want to stress her out especially when she's pregnant.

My class finished around 5 PM and it was the exact time I received a message from
my mother. I closed my eyes and massaged my head before reading it.

From: Mom
I sent you three dresses for an event this Friday. Pick something that will suit
you. Make sure you will look elegant in that dress.

I was about to drive myself home but I was still too drained so I sent Clyden a
text that I will be late home. I went to my condo instead and just drank beer alone
in my balcony while looking at the view. I already had three bottles when I got a
call from Luna.

[Saan ka?] Bungad niya sa 'kin. Medyo maingay pa sa background niya. [Nasa Katip
kami! Walang class tomorrow!]

"Yeah," I said after realizing the date. "Buong Manila ba? Or kayo lang?"

[I think kasama kayo! Anyway, bored na kami rito nila Ke! Punta kami diyan! Nasa
condo mo ba ikaw? Kasama rin namin si Sevirous!] She sounded excited. Narinig ko pa
ang boses ni Sevi sa tabi niya. Palagi na silang magkasama ngayon, huh. Sevi would
always skip drinks because he was an athlete and kami lang naman girls palagi ang
magkakasama. Madalas, si Sevi at Arkin ang palaging magkasama. Now we couldn't even
reach the other guy.

"Come here. Nasa condo ako," I told her. "Bring drinks. I'm having a bad day."

[Ay true ba? Anong nangyari, sis?] She sounded concerned now.
"Nothing. Just school stuff," I lied. "Anyway, hurry up!"

She said okay before ending the call. I went back inside my unit to clean while
waiting for them. I was surprised Luna offered to come to my condo knowing her ex
lived in the same building. I laughed by myself before taking my phone out to
inform Clyden that I will be drinking with my friends since wala namang class
tomorrow.

From: Clyden

Okay. Ingat ka. Huwag kang umuwi kapag hindi mo kaya. Diyan ka na matulog. Huwag ka
na mag-drive.

I smiled and typed 'okay'. Tinago ko na kaagad ang phone ko nang marinig ang boses
nila Luna sa pinto. I opened the door for them and welcomed them with a smile but
Luna welcomed me with a hug instead. Gulat akong napaatras bago siya niyakap
pabalik.

"Love you," she whispered before letting me go. She smiled at me before going
inside my condo.

Pumasok na rin si Ke, Via, at Sevi. Kompleto pala sila. I closed the door again and
watched them invade my unit. Nilapag ni Sevi ang mga alak sa coffee table at
sinimulan na nilang buksan 'yon. I leaned against my study table and watched them
talk about some funny stuff. All of them were still sober. Wala atang epekto ang
ininom nila.

"Hoy, Sev! Ako na kasi magbubukas! Bobo ka magbukas, e!" Inagaw ni Luna ang opener.
I smiled while watching them fight.

"Ako, bobo lang magbukas. Ikaw bobo ka bukas tsaka sa susunod na bukas," ganti ni
Sevi.

"Dami mong alam!" Luna rolled her eyes.

Kierra was busy talking to Via. Narinig ko pang si Arkin ang pinag-uusapan nilang
dalawa. We weren't that close to Arkin since si Via naman talaga ang dahilan kung
bakit namin siya nakakasama, like how the main reason why Sevi became our friend
was because of Luna and Arkin. Originally, kami talagang girls ang magkakasama
palagi.

"Busy 'yun sa taping. Hindi ko na masyadong nakakausap," Sevi said when Kierra
asked him about Arkin. "Baka si Via nakakausap niya."

Via just shrugged, refusing to give an answer. I bit my lower lip to hide a smile
when she reached for the bottle of beer to take a gulp. She looked mad again.
Palagi na ata silang nag-aaway, ah?

I looked at the door when I heard a knock. Luna said she ordered something through
Grab food so ako na ang nag-offer buksan ang pinto. I was expecting a guy in
uniform but I saw a woman in a grey tee and black leggings instead.
"What the hell," I whispered, leaving my lips parted.

"Okay ka lang? Ano 'yung text mo?" Yanna looked so worried in front of me.

"Sam, sino 'yan?" Luna yelled inside. "'Yan na ba 'yung Grab? Wait, kuhanin ko
'yung pambayad ko!"

Yanna's eyes widened when she realized that I wasn't alone in my unit. I
immediately closed the door behind me and held on the door knob, still staring at
Yanna with wide eyes. What the hell, bakit narito siya?!

"Did you go to Manila alone?!" I asked, getting concerned now. "How?! Why did you
do that?! You should have called me! I would have picked you up!"

"Nag-bus ako. Nagmamadali ako dahil sa text mo. Akala ko kung ano nang nangyari sa
'yo," she explained.

"Sinong kasama mo? My god, Yanna!"

"Ako lang, bakit? Marunong naman ako mag-commute! Hindi mo sinabing nandiyan sila!
Tinetext kita kanina pa, ah!" She pointed at my face, panicking.
My eyes widened when the door suddenly opened. "Sam, eto 'yung bayad sa-"

Luna suddenly stopped talking when she saw Yanna in front of me. Nabitawan niya ang
wallet niya, causing the coins to roll over the floor. Luna looked away and started
getting the coins. Lumuhod din ako para tulungan siya while Yanna just stood there,
unable to kneel down.

"Oy, bakit ang tagal? Nasaan na 'yung pagka- Putang-!" Sevi stopped when he saw
Yanna. "Hoy, buhay ka pa pala, ah?! Bakit hindi ka nagpapakita?!"

"Hindi pala Grab," sabi ni Luna pagkaayos ng tayo. Pumasok na kaagad siya sa loob
at sumunod sa kaniya si Sevi.

I looked at Yanna and gave her an apologetic smile. "Do you want to go inside?" I
carefully asked.

She shook her head. "Natatakot ako."

I walked towards her and held her hand to make her feel that I was with her. I knew
she was scared to tell everyone the truth. She was ashamed and scared to be judged
again dahil sa buong buhay niya, walang ginawa ang mga tao kung hindi husgahan
siya. She was the bravest, but even the bravest could break down.
"Come on." I slowly pulled her inside my unit and she nodded. She closed the door
behind her before we walked towards the living room where everyone was waiting. No
one talked when they saw Yanna with me. "Hey, guys. Uh, Yanna's here."

Yanna bit her lower lip and looked away, unable to talk. Everyone was quiet and no
one dared to talk. Via stared at Yanna before her eyes went down to her tummy. The
baby bump was now visible through her tee when Yanna put her hands behind her.
Kierra was looking down on the floor while Luna and Sevi were trying to busy
themselves with the bottle.

"B-buntis ka?" Via asked with so much surprise.

Everyone suddenly looked at Yanna in shock. Bumaba ang tingin nila sa tiyan niya,
making her conscious.

"Sorry," Yanna whispered. "Na.. Nagkamali-"

She didn't finish her sentence because Luna suddenly stood up and ran towards her
to give her a tight hug. I suddenly became worried for the baby but Yanna seemed
fine when she hugged her back, trying to stop the tears from falling.

Kierra stood up and joined the hug too. I let go of Yanna's hand so she could hold
them in her arms. I heard Luna crying on her shoulder saying how sorry she was for
getting mad at her.
"I'm sorry, it's just that.. You were suffering alone and we didn't even know,"
Luna cried, letting go of her so she could wipe her tears. "I'm so sorry."

"Hindi ko naman pinasabi kay Sam. Natatakot kasi ako," Yanna's voice broke. She
looked up to stop her tears from falling. "Na baka sabihin n'yo na ang tanga ko..
na dapat in-expect ko na 'to dahil sa ginagawa ko."

"Huwag mong sabihin 'yan." Via gave her a hug. "We're sorry for making you want to
hide your pregnancy from us. Naiintindihan namin."

"Sorry." Yanna started crying, making me so worried for her. Kumuha kaagad ako ng
baso ng tubig para ibigay sa kaniya. "Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Hindi ko alam
kung paano ko sasabihin kasi hanggang ngayon, ang sakit sakit pa rin sa 'kin."

"Sinong.." Kierra wanted to ask about the father but she stopped herself.
"Nevermind. Hindi na 'yon mahalaga. We can be the father of your child!"

"Ako na tatay niyan, payag ako," Sevi added, letting out a teasing smile. "Gusto
mo, Yanna? Willing naman ako!"

"Gago ka talaga." Yanna stopped crying to hit Sevi with the pillow. "Anong ituturo
mo sa anak ko, ha? Kagaguhan mo?"
"Kapal nito, o! Baka ako naman talaga tatay niyan. Nabuntis ata kita sa first kiss
natin, e," Sevi continued teasing to make everyone laugh.

"Bobo ka, Sevi," Yanna said, laughing. I made her drink a glass of water before
wiping her tears with my handkerchief.

"Sorry talaga," Luna said, still crying. Sevi started laughing at her for crying so
hard. "Kung alam ko lang, sana hindi na kita pinaparinggan sa group chat na missing
in action palagi. Hindi ko alam na may.. may pinagdadaanan ka pala. Sorry."

"Lasing ba 'to?" Yanna asked me, pointing at Luna.

"Inom mo 'yan!" Sevi teased Luna again.

"Para kang gago, Sevi! Sinisira mo moment ko, e!" Binato siya ni Luna ng sapatos na
napulot niya sa sahig.

Yanna sat with Kierra and they talked about her pregnancy. Via and Kierra looked so
worried and hurt for her. It made me happy that they made Yanna feel welcomed and
accepted. It was what she needed.

"Mahal mo?" Kierra asked.

"Oo naman." Yanna tried to hide her pain with a laugh. She looked down on the floor
and suddenly remembered her memories with him. "Wala akong pinagsisisihan pagdating
sa kaniya, Ke. Kahit ulitin pa lahat ng nangyari sa amin, gagawin at gagawin ko
ulit. Ganoon ko siya kamahal."

My lips parted when her words gave me an idea of love, the thing Clyden was asking
before. I sat with them and started listening to their stories, realizing how
strong love was.

"Hindi ko masasabing ganiyan din ang nararamdaman ko," Luna said, about to cry
again. "Nakakainggit naman kasi kung ako ang papapiliin, kung uulitin ko lahat,
huwag na lang dahil masyadong masakit. Ang tapang mo, Yanna."

"Kung bibigyan ako ng pagkakataon ulitin lahat, mas gugustuhin ko ring lumayo na
lang. May mga pagmamahal na maganda, katulad sa 'yo, at may mga pangit katulad ng
akin," Kierra also said. "Ikaw ba, Sevi?"

"Ako, uhm." Sevi pretended that he was thinking before smiling. He glanced at Luna
for a second before looking away. "Uulitin ko pa rin. Mamahalin ko pa rin kasi
'yung pagmamahal ko, kahit masakit sa 'kin, okay lang, e. Minsan kasi, kuntento ka
na na makita mo siyang masaya. Masaya ka na rin sa mga simpleng ganoon lang.
Tangina kasi ng pag-ibig, e 'no? Hindi pwedeng masaya lang. Kailangan masakit din?"

Contentment, sacrifice, pain. Mixing them together was my idea of love based on
what they said. Suddenly, I felt brave to face it. Watching how Yanna and Luna
talked about their experience made me feel so many things.
"Wala akong alam diyan," Via said, shaking her head a little. "Salamat na lang sa
lahat."

Kumuha ako ng bote ng beer bago ako lumabas sa balcony. I immediately felt the cold
air hitting on my face when I opened the door. Sinandal ko ang siko ko sa railings
habang nakatingin sa mga ilaw. Everyone looked happy, but deep down I knew they
were also suffering like me.

I heard the sliding door open but I didn't bother looking back. Yanna was suddenly
beside me, holding a glass of water and leaning against the railings without
looking at me.

"Kumusta?" She asked like it was her first time seeing me after so many days.

I gave her a glance and a fake smile before looking away again. The air was so
cold, matching the gloom I was feeling inside for so many reasons. The harshness of
the cold was suddenly replaced with warmth when Yanna wrapped her arms around me
for a hug. I leaned my head on her shoulder while she caressed my hair.

"Dito lang ako," she whispered.

I nodded. "I know," I whispered back.

I didn't know how to say it. Hindi ko rin naman alam kung ano ba ang nararamdaman
ko. I just felt tired of caring. I felt tired of trying. Sila na lang at si Clyden
ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagpapatuloy.

I suddenly wished I was hugging him right now. I knew he would make me feel so much
better.

"Do I love him?" I asked Yanna. "How did you know that you were already in love
with Hiro?"

"Hmm, paano nga ba?" Yanna sighed. "Siguro simula noong nasasaktan na 'ko sa bawat
halik niya kasi iniisip ko na baka hanggang doon na lang. Baka hanggang doon na
lang ako. Kami. Pero hindi naman 'to mag-aapply sa 'yo, e. Kung gusto mong malaman
kung mahal mo siya, harapin mo."

"And what if he doesn't feel the same way?" I asked her again.

"Narinig mo ba sinabi ni Sevi? Okay lang 'yun. Nagmamahal ka lang naman, Sam." She
tapped my shoulder and gave me a smile.

"Kayo muna rito. May pupuntahan ako," I told Yanna. "I'll be back tomorrow. Just
stay here."
"Go lang." She gave me a smile and a thumbs up. "Go home to him."

That was what I did. I think I was ready to face him. Him, at least. Sa susunod na
ang ibang tao. I was ready to open up to him. I was ready to share my life with
him.

Kahit ilang bote na ang naimom ko, I still felt sober. It didn't have any effect on
me so I drove myself home safely. When I went inside the house, I wasn't expecting
to see him in the living room, watching a cooking video while taking down notes.

"Hirap naman," he told Summer. "The sweet and sour was easier."

I smiled and suddenly walked towards him, placing my bag on the coffee table. His
eyes widened when he saw me. Nag-panic kaagad siya at pinatay ang TV bago tumayo.

"Akala ko hindi ka uuwi," he said, looking like I caught him doing something
unusual.

"Well, I'm here now." I gave him a smile.

His face changed when he saw my expression. "Okay ka lang ba?"

I suddenly had the urge to cry. I bit my lower lip and looked away. I failed to
contain my emotions inside me when he suddenly wrapped me around his arms for a
tight hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist in return and leaned my head on his
chest.

"Shush," he whispered.

"I'm tired." I cried on his chest.

"I'm sorry." He kissed the top of my head repeatedly to calm me down. "I'm here.
What's our problem, love?"

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

16 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"I don't know. I feel drained."

Clyden sat down on the couch with me with his arms around my shoulder, gently
brushing his fingers on my arm to calm me down. His eyes did not leave my face. He
was staring at me for so long, ready to listen.
"I had a fight with Naomi. I know that she's going through so much too but I just
feel like I'm always misunderstood, you know? But I completely get why she would
push me away. I just.. It's so frustrating when people misunderstand your
intention. It's all getting so tiring," I said while looking on the floor. I
couldn't look at him with tears streaming down my face.

"Give her time and give yourself a rest. Hindi naman kailangang palagi kang
nandiyan para sa ibang tao kung nawawala ka naman sa sarili mo," he said in a soft
voice.

"Maybe I'm just overreacting. Why the hell am I crying right now?" I tried wiping
my tears away but they just wouldn't stop.

He held my chin up and gently made me face him so I could see him clearly. "You are
not overreacting. Your feelings are valid. Crying is valid."

"Besides that, I also received a message from my Mom to attend an event this Friday
but I'm just not in the mood to meet other people again and force myself to act
like everything's good, like everything is going okay," I told him without taking
my eyes off him.

"Then don't attend."

I had so many events coming up and so many events I skipped like Elyse's debut. My
parents attended the party for me since they were invited by Mr. Ledezma and I just
asked them to send my regards. Wait, I suddenly remembered Naomi's birthday. Sa
Friday na 'yon, ah!

"It's Naomi's birthday but my mom has an event to go to." I suddenly realized that.
"Maybe it's a surprise party for Naomi? You think so?" I looked at him.

"Uh, no," he said, avoiding my eyes like he was embarrassed to tell me that I was
wrong. "But we could check if you want to attend. Sasamahan kita."

"Like my mom would allow me to say no," I sarcastically said.

That was the problem with me. One day, I'd be having the courage to speak up
against my parents but the next day, I was still the coward who couldn't say no to
the people who provide for my needs simply because they were the reason why I was
still living. I had this toxic mindset that I couldn't go against the people who
provide for everything, including my education.

That was the reason why I wanted to move out and earn my own money but I knew they
would just stop me. The last time I told my mom that I wanted to earn by myself,
she just laughed at me and told me not to tell my Dad. I knew Dad would just say
'You have money. You don't need more'.

Siguro titiisin ko na lang hanggang sa maka-graduate. Baka sakaling matamo ko ang

kalayaan na matagal ko nang inaasam. Maybe. Just maybe it would happen. I wasn't
thinking of achieving my dream job anymore, if I really had one. I just wanted to
be free.
"Let's show up and then bail," he suggested, letting out a small smile.

"We're like rebels," I told him, laughing now. I saw how his smile widened when he
suddenly heard me laugh. He didn't say anything. He just stared at me like he was
so delighted to see me smiling.

I moved closer and gave him a peck on the cheek. When I moved away, the smile was
now gone on his face. It was replaced by a surprised and amused look. I suddenly
remembered how he called me 'love' earlier. It was like music to my ears.

I couldn't believe one word could make me feel butterflies in my stomach. It

sounded so cheesy, yet calming, and I appreciated the way he said 'our problem'
instead of 'your problem' like he was sharing everything with me and vice versa.
Like we were part of each other. Clyden really knew what I wanted to hear.

"Are you sure you haven't dated anyone before me?" My brows furrowed, accusing him
now. How could he be so smooth like it wasn't his first time?

"Oo nga. Bakit ba ayaw mong maniwala?" He scowled, showing how disappointed he was
on me for asking that again.

"You just know how to flirt like it's your expertise." I shrugged before standing
up to go upstairs. I was dying to take a shower now. I just realized that I spent
all day out in school and here I was, being so close to him. I suddenly felt
conscious.
He asked where I was going and I told him I was going to take a bath. He didn't say
anything after that and just let me leave like that. I took a shower for fifteen
minutes before doing my night care routine. I wore my navy blue pajamas and went
inside my room to check my phone.

Like what I expected, my inbox was bombarded with messages from the girls, asking
where I went and why I left them. I suddenly felt bad for leaving like that so I
sent an apology in the group chat. I was sure Yanna would explain for me.

Bukas pala, since walang class, ihahatid ko si Yanna pabalik sa Nueva Ecija. I
would visit my condo first since doon siya mag-stay. I was sure the girls wouldn't
leave her alone there especially after knowing that she was pregnant so panatag ang
loob ko na may kasama siya.

I thought I would be able to sleep after checking my inbox but Clyden suddenly
knocked on the door. When I told him that it was open, he went inside without
hesitation. I raised my brows, lowkey asking him why he was inside my room.

"Uh, are you feeling better now?" He asked to check on me.

I suddenly let out a smile after realizing that it was so rare for me to hear that
question. Natatanggap ko lang 'yun mula sa mga kaibigan ko pero hindi madalas.
Somehow, Clyden's presence made me feel secured, like he was always going to make
sure that I was okay and I was really thankful for that.
"I am," I answered, still smiling. "How about you? Are you okay?"

"Bakit hindi?" Tinaasan niya 'ko ng kilay, nakahawak pa rin sa pintuan ang isang
kamay at ang isa sa door knob. He looked like a kid asking his parents to buy a toy
for him. He looked shy.

"Nothing. I just want to do the same to you so our relationship is balanced," I

told him while fixing my bed. I suddenly stopped after realizing what I just said.

"What relationship?" I could hear the tease in his voice. I fake coughed to clear
my throat before fixing my bed again. "What relationship are you talking about,
Maui?"

"We're engaged," I said as an excuse. I was pretty sure he didn't buy that but I
was thankful that he didn't talk anymore. I was pretty sure my feelings were
already deep for him but I was still too shy to admit it out loud.

"Kapag tayo na, sa master bedroom na ba tayo matutulog?" He suddenly asked, making
my head turn to his direction so fast he ended up laughing at my reaction.

"I mean, uh, if you want," I whispered, looking away from him again. Oh my gosh,
just thinking about going to bed every night with him sent shivers! My face heated,
making my cheeks red.
"Gusto ko," diretsong sabi niya.

"Uhm, okay." I cleared my throat again before sitting at the edge of my bed. When I
looked at him, he was already closing the door with a teasing smile on his face.
Nakahinga lang ako nang maluwag nang makaalis na siya sa kwarto ko.

I woke up early so I could visit Yanna in my condo. Nag-shower na 'ko at nag-

toothbrush bago bumaba. Naabutan ko pa si Clyden na nagluluto ng breakfast habang
nagbabasa ng libro. I thought he was reading a recipe book but he was actually
studying while cooking. Who knew he was capable of doing both at the same time?

"Oh, gising ka na." He put the book down on the breakfast table when he saw me. He
was even wearing an apron na parang cinacareer niya na ang pagluluto. "Wait, you're
leaving?"

"Yes, I need to pick my bestfriend up and drive her back to Nueva Ecija," I told
him.

"Wait lang, baunin mo na lang 'to." He suddenly panicked, afraid that I would leave
without eating the breakfast he prepared for me.

Kinuha niya ang lunch box at nilagay doon ang niluto niya. Those were just pancakes
and naglagay pa siya ng syrup sa isang maliit na lalagyanan. I sat on the couch and
waited for him to finish packing my breakfast. I was smiling while he was getting
himself busy.
"You're cute," I told him, biting my lip to stifle a smile.

I saw him roll his eyes before putting the lunch box inside the paper bag. He
walked towards me and handed me the white paper bag without saying anything. Tumayo
na rin ako at kinuha sa kamay niya 'yon. He even put two bottles of juice inside.

"Para sa kaibigan mo," he explained when he noticed me looking at the bottles.

"How sweet of you," I teased. He raised a brow and scowled, sinusungitan ako.
Tumawa ako at kumaway na sa kaniya bago lumabas.

"Text me!" He yelled inside the house and I shouted 'okay' from the garage.

I drove away, hindi mawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko, and to think that I was on my way
to see my best friend just made me even happier. I focused on being positive today
and decided to give myself a rest from my own problems. I wanted to forget it just
for today.

When I arrived in front of my unit, I immediately heard Luna's voice from the
outside. Pagkapasok ko, mas lumakas lang ang volume ng boses niya. I looked around
and only saw Luna and Via. Sevi and Kierra were gone so I assumed that they didn't
spend the night here.
"Maupo ka nga, buntis! Ako na rito!" Luna yelled at Yanna who was trying to help
make the breakfast.

"Gagang 'to, kung hindi kayo hiwalay, buntis ka na rin, tanga!" Yanna fired back.

Luna glared at her and rolled her eyes, wala nang masabi. I laughed and greeted
them before placing my things on the coffee table. Via was busy cleaning the mess
from last night. I suddenly wondered what the hell happened here last night. Did
they get drunk?

"Saan ka pumunta kagabi? Iniwan mo 'ko rito," Via complained to me.

"I'm sorry, I had an emergency." I gave her an apologetic smile. "What happened
here last night? Did Luna cry again or what? I'm surprised hindi siya sumugod sa
unit ni Kalix, ah."

"Muntik na," she whispered like she was afraid Luna would hear her. "Pinigilan lang
ni Kierra pero muntik na nga mag-elevator si Luna, my gosh! Nothing much really
happened. Yanna slept early and Kierra was sober. Si Sevi, hindi ko alam kung
lasing o ano. Pareho lang naman siya umakto kapag lasing at hindi."

"That's true," I said while taking my lunch box out. Via looked at it with her
brows furrowed but she didn't ask anymore.
I started eating pancakes while Luna was busy cooking their own breakfast. Yanna
sat beside me and leaned her head on my shoulder while touching her baby bump. I
suddenly got worried that maybe she was hurting or what.

"Pinapakiramdaman ko lang," she told me again. "Anong nangyari kagabi? Nag-kiss na

kayo?" Bungad niya sa 'kin.

"No!" I denied so fast. "It was just wholesome."

"Did you tell him that you love him?" She whispered again. I looked at Via and Luna
and they were both busy preparing breakfast. Medyo malayo naman sila sa amin kaya
hindi nila maririnig.

"No, I haven't. I'm scared to say it," I whispered back. "I'll just wait for him to
say it first and then susunod na lang ako. Anyway, para sa 'yo raw 'to." I handed
her the juice.

"Hala, bakit? Crush niya 'ko?" Yanna teased. The smile on my face faded which made
her laugh at my reaction. "Kabahan ka na. Rawr." She even winked at me.

I just chuckled because it was an inside joke between us. Back when we were still
having a competition with guys before, we used to joke around that we could steal
from each other in a second but those days were already over ever since she fell
inlove.
They ate breakfast together but I was already full so I just helped fixing Yanna's
things para makaalis na kami kaagad after breakfast. Good thing Luna offered to
come with us or else malulungkot ako sa byahe pauwi dahil mag-isa lang. Via had
plates to do and I think magkikita sila ni Arkin so she already left.

"Bakit ako rito nakaupo?" Reklamo ni Yanna sa backseat.

"Kapag buntis, sa likod!" Luna, who took the shotgun seat, told her. Ang dami pang
dalang snacks ni Luna like she was going camping. She was the one playing music so
ang lulungkot ng kanta. "Inisip ko kung bakit ganito ang langit, nilayo ako sa
'yo," she sang.

"Change the song to a happy playlist naman. Yanna might end up crying here," I told
Luna.

"Anong ako? 'Yan nga 'yung ngumangawa kagabi, e!" Yanna pointed at Luna. "Kalix,
bakit mo nagawa sa 'kin 'to? Kalix, tayo na lang, sige na," she mimicked.

"Hoy, hindi ko 'yan sinabi!" Luna looked back at her like she was ready to fight.
"Why would I say that?! Tanga ba ako, ha?!"

"Ay, hindi mo sure," Yanna fired back, laughing.

Ngumuso si Luna at umayos na ng upo. In the middle of the trip, Yanna fell asleep
on the backseat and Luna suddenly looked like she was filming a music video with a
sad song on the background so natahimik ang loob ng car ko.

"Hello?" I answered my phone while driving. Napalingon pa si Luna sa 'kin but she
went back to filming her music video and just minded her own business.

[Saan ka na?] Clyden asked.

"I'm near Nueva Ecija na. I might be back before dinner. Why?" I felt a little
conscious because Luna looked at me again with judgmental eyes.

[Nothing. I'm just thinking if I should prepare dinner but now I will since you're
going home.] His voice sounded low through my phone. [Take care.]

"You too," I said before ending the call. I focused my eyes on the road while Luna
was still staring at me with a meaningful look. "What?" I asked without glancing at
her.

"Sana all," she whispered before looking outside the window again.

Pagkagising ni Yanna, nasa tapat na kami ng house niya. Her aunt invited us inside
and Luna being Luna really went inside to look around the house. I told her that we
couldn't take long since I had to go home before dinner but Yanna's grandma offered
us meryenda and I didn't have the heart to refuse.

We finished eating around 4 PM so late na kami nakaalis. I texted Clyden that I

might be late to dinner and he replied it's okay. Luna was talking non-stop during
the whole trip until she fell asleep.

Gabi na nang mahatid ko si Luna sa condo niya bago ako umuwi sa bahay. When I
entered the house, I caught Clyden studying in the living room, wearing his
glasses. He stood up and put the book down when he heard the opening of the door.

I greeted him with a smile and he walked towards the kitchen so he could heat the
food he cooked for me. I suddenly felt bad because he looked tired from studying
and here I was, making him do things for me.

"I can do it myself," I told him while he was plugging the microwave.

"Huwag na, ako na," he told me. "Umupo ka na lang diyan. Mukhang napagod ka sa
byahe."

And just like that, the days went by smoothly. Clyden would always cook lunch for
me every morning and babaunin ko sa school so I saved more money than ever. Iba-iba
pa ang niluluto niya bawat araw. Some were perfect and some were a failure but at
least he was trying. He was really eager to learn how to cook other food.
Sometimes, I would catch him watching cooking videos on YouTube. I appreciated all
his efforts.
Friday came and right after getting home from school, I went straight inside the
bathroom to take a shower so we could attend the event my Mom was inviting me to. I
picked the black satin halter neck dress because it was the most elegant one. I
braided my hair and went down with my silver purse. Clyden was already ready,
wearing his black dress shirt.

It was just a casual gathering so when we arrived at the party, everyone was
already in their own circles, talking about business with champagne glasses on
their hands. My mom greeted Clyden and I before introducing us to her other
friends.

"Clyden Ramirez and his fiancée, what a surprise!" The man greeted with a laugh.

"Samantha Vera," Clyden corrected. "Her name is Samantha Vera."

"Samantha Vera," the man awkwardly said before giving me a smile. "I heard from
your father that you're inheriting Ramirez Medical."

Clyden's brows furrowed in confusion but he still managed to make up a fake smile.
"Is that so?" He asked in a low voice.

"Your father really likes bragging about you, like how you're the best son among
the three! Now, I get why. You seem like a respectable man. I admire you for that."
The man tapped his shoulder.
"Thank you," Clyden said before excusing us. Nang makalayo na kami, irita niyang
nilapag ang champagne glass sa cocktail table. He didn't even take a sip on it.
"Come. Let's get out of this shithole."

"Let's go." I gave him a smile and he returned a small one despite how angry he
was. He held and intertwined my hands with him before pulling me out of the venue.
I didn't even say goodbye to my mother, like she would actually notice that I
wasn't around.

"See how tiring it is to act like everything's a praise?" I said, shaking my head a
bit.

"Those people are so high up in the ground that they think everything they say is
fine. And what the fuck is the inheritance bullshit? They did not even tell me
about it," Clyden said in frustration while driving.

"Ayaw mo ba?" I asked.

"No, it would drive Charles crazy. I'm fine with becoming a pediatric surgeon and
your husband. I don't need anything else."

I bit my lower lip to stop a smile. I was waiting for him to say that he was joking
but it didn't come. So he really meant that one? He was really planning to marry
me? I was included in his plans now?
The smile on my face faded when I got a text from Naomi. I had her number saved but
she never texted me so this was probably the first time.

From: Naomi

Help

My eyes widened while staring at the message with her shared location on it and a
unit number. "Turn the car around!" I told Clyden. He looked so confused at first
but he really did turn the car around when I told him about the text.

Naomi never texted me and this was the first message I ever received from her? I
suddenly felt nervous. I already texted her a 'happy birthday' earlier and was
planning to visit her tomorrow because I thought giving her space was the right
thing to do. This message changed my plans.

It was a condo building near mine. It was already so late in the evening! What the
hell was she doing outside? Nagce-celebrate ba sila ng friends niya ng birthday
niya? Could be.

I called a friend to help us get inside the building so after parking the car,
dumiretso na kami paakyat. I was so nervous I couldn't walk properly because my
knees were so weak. Clyden was beside me, trying to catch up.
I stopped in front of the unit and I heard loud music from the inside. I knocked
repeatedly but no one answered. Clyden gently made me step sideways so he could
smash on the door with his fist. The music suddenly stopped and the door opened,
revealing Naomi's girl friend. The one on the same org as me.

"Where's my sister?" I asked her.

"She's having fun. Go away," she said, about to close the door.

I was about to put my hand on the door to stop her but Clyden pushed the door open,
making the girl stumble backwards. I ran inside and looked around, only to see
birthday party designs that were already ruined. I saw the other girl on the
balcony, smoking.

My eyes widened when I heard Naomi's muffled voice inside the bedroom. I tried
opening it but the room was locked.

"Naomi?!" I yelled outside.

I heard loud noises inside before the door opened. I almost fell on the floor when
Naomi suddenly took me into her arms, shaking.

"Sam!" She cried on my neck.

"What the fuck is happening around here?!" I yelled at Naomi's friend. I felt more
anger when I saw Jaron coming out of the room with a cigarette on his finger.
Binaba niya kaagad 'yon nang makita niya 'ko.

"Sam!" He looked surprised to see me. "What's up?"

"What the fuck did you do to my sister?!" I yelled, not letting go of Naomi.
Jaron's brows furrowed before looking around like he was expecting someone to
answer for him.

"Her friends told me to celebrate her birthday with them because she has a crush on
me and I thought it would make your sister happy. Am I wrong?" Jaron raised a brow.

"Do you think she's fucking happy right now?! She's crying!" I continued raising my
voice at him. Naomi cried harder on my shoulder like she was going to collapse.

"Oh, come on! We were playing truth or dare! Why are you crying? We just dared you
to stay in the same room with Jaron for 30 minutes!" Naomi's friend rolled her
eyes.

"No, you shut up!" I pointed at her. "We're going. Don't ever talk to my sister
again. And oh, by the way, find another org that will take you. You're out," I
hissed before leaving the unit with Naomi.

Clyden stayed silent behind us until we reached the parking. I sat with Naomi on
the backseat while she was still crying. I was trying to comfort her until she
finally calmed down. We took her back to the mansion and I made her drink a glass
of water before talking.

"I'll go to your room," Clyden said, giving us privacy.

I gave him a nod before looking at Naomi again. She was wearing a white dress that
really suited her and her makeup was smudged due to crying so kumuha na rin ako ng
cotton pad to wipe her makeup.

"What happened?" I asked. "Did he do anything to you?"

"No," she answered, shaking his head. "He was telling me all about his girlfriend,
Rina, and the things they do together. He made me so uncomfortable. He even told me
that if I really like him that much, we could get in a relationship together
without Rina knowing. He made me look like a fool.. Like I'm a desperate woman for
liking him."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking down on the floor. "I.. already knew about him
and Rina. I should have told you."
"It's not your fault," she said in a soft voice. "Maybe I was really desperate.
Maybe I was a fool."

"No, you're not," I told her.

"No, just admit it, Sam. I was a fool because I defended my friends instead of you.
I was a fool to believe that they were really true to me," she said in a cold
voice. "And I was desperate to keep them as my friends because I had no one."

"You have me," I assured her.

"And you have it all," she whispered, biting her lower lip to stop her tears again
from falling. "It's so easy for you to say that because even if you give a part of
you to people, the people around you are also willing to fill up the void by giving
you a part of theirs."

"T-that's not true," I tried to deny even though I saw her point.

"No, it is true. You have everything. You have everyone and the only person I have
is me, but it's better that way because the last time I had someone, she died
because of me." I could hear her controlling her emotions with her voice.

With the mention of her mom, I became silent. I didn't know what to say. I just
realized that she was opening up to me this way and somehow, she was slowly making
her feelings known. I understood why she was trying so hard to push me away, and
because of what happened with her friends now, I was afraid her trust issues would
worsen.

"I just want to live my life, Sam." She started crying again.

"I'm.. I'm sorry." I wanted to hold her but I was afraid she would push me away so
I just sat beside her and watched her cry. She tried wiping her tears away but they
just won't stop falling. "I'm sorry you had to deal with this."

"Eighteen years of existence but half of it was barely living," she cried more.

I scooted over and slowly put my arms around her, leaning her head on my shoulder.
I tapped her shoulder lightly to calm her down. I suddenly had the urge to cry too
because of how painful it was for me to see her like this. I didn't like seeing
people in pain, especially those who were close to me. If only I could take
everyone's sadness and make them mine, I would.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm here for you. You might not accept me now but I hope
that you will, soon. We'll get through this together, okay? I'll do my best."

We stayed like that for a few minutes after she calmed down and told me that she
wanted to be alone. I stalked her from behind until we reached the door of her
room. She opened it and went inside but also stopped to look at me.
"H-happy birthday. I placed my gift on the desk inside my room. You can check it
tomorrow." I gave her a genuine smile.

She nodded before closing the door. I turned around and was about to walk away but
I heard the door open again.

"Ate."

My eyes widened before turning around. Naomi bit her lower lip and looked away
after calling me her sister for the first time. My lips parted, not knowing what to
say.

"Thank you," she whispered before closing the door.

I was about to say something but she was already gone. I blinked twice before my
lips formed a small smile. Baby steps. At least we were making a progress.

I went inside my room and saw Clyden sitting on my bed, looking at my stolen
picture in frame. It was during his graduation party. My mom loved my photo so she
had it framed. When Clyden noticed my presence, he looked at me and gave me a
smile.

"How did it go, love?" He asked smoothly.

My stomach felt butterflies again. I slowly walked towards him and stopped in front
of him. He slowly placed the frame down on my side table before putting his hands
on my waist. I put my hands on his shoulder for support.

"Baby steps," I told him, smiling.

"That's good." He nodded, licking his lower lip a little.

I went closer and sat on his left thigh, leaning my head on his shoulder blade. His
arm automatically went around my waist to support my back. He also placed my legs
over his other thigh so my feet were now hanging on his other side.

"You smell good," I gave him a compliment.

Umayos ako ng upo para makita siya nang maayos. My face heated when I saw him
staring at me like he was trying to get through my soul. I looked away and still
felt his stare on me even after a few moments.

"What are you thinking?" I asked him, biting my lower lip.

"I'm thinking if I should kiss you," he said in a low voice.

I looked back at him and parted my lips in shock. His gaze went down from my eyes
to my lips, making me conscious. I stared back at him until he held my chin to stop
me from moving. I automatically closed my eyes when he leaned and gave me a soft
kiss.

My grip on his shoulder got tighter when he moved his lips and moved his hand on my
nape to deepen our kiss. He bit my lower lip and pushed his tongue inside my mouth,
letting out a groan. I pushed my thighs together when he expertly explored my mouth
like a hungry man.

When he let me go, I was already panting. I licked my lower lip and looked away
from him. I was pretty sure my cheeks were already red. Tumayo ako kaagad at inayos
ang dress kong medyo tumaas nang umupo ako.

"L-let's go," I told him.

I was about to walk away but he held my hand and pulled me back. I bumped on his
chest so I stepped back to give us space.

"What?" I asked because he was staring at me again like he wanted to say something.
"What is it? Come on say it. It's getting late. We need to-"
"I love you," he cut me off.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

Advance happy 1M.

Always always thankful to you, Areums. I love you through thick and thin.

Let's do our best and give love to each other.

- Gwy

17 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"You mean that?"

I looked so hopeful while staring at his eyes, realizing how serious and sincere he
was. His gaze never left mine while I felt his hands encircling around my waist.
His other hand went up to the back of my head, making me lean against his chest. He
held me in silence for a moment, like we were connecting through our hearts.

"I can hear your heartbeat," I told him while my ears are slightly placed against
his chest. It was like he was purposely making me listen to his heart.
I could also almost hear mine if I would focus my attention on it. I wondered if he
was hearing it or if he could feel it. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
Him, confessing his feelings for me.

For a moment, I remembered myself being so clueless about love. I defined it before
with so many words like sacrifice, contentment, and pain, but now that I was
already feeling it, I couldn't even describe it with a word. It was just there. It
was longing to be felt. It existed without me knowing.

It was so powerful that I was even scared to say it. I was afraid that after saying
those words, I would experience the same pain my friends went through and I didn't
want that. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko tatanggapin ang masaktan din dito sa
papasukin kong 'to but I would still choose to love. I will always choose to love
despite the pain it will bring, because that was me, the nature of Samantha Vera.

"I love you," I whispered.

I felt him stiffen a bit until he relaxed again and held me even tighter and closer
to him like he was afraid I would run away, like he couldn't even let me go. There
was something about barely just being with him that made me feel so at ease.

"Let's go home." He kissed the top of my head before letting me go.

I gave him a genuine smile when our eyes met again and he gave back a small one,
but his eyes were so full of admiration. Kinuha ko ang bag ko at lumabas ng kwarto.
I glanced at Naomi's closed door for a moment before leaving. I couldn't explain
how good I was feeling tonight because of everything that happened. Everything felt
so good I felt so afraid that tomorrow would feel different.

While Clyden was driving home, I checked my phone and saw messages from my mom,
asking where I went. Ang sabi pa niya, dumating daw ang parents ni Clyden and I
should go and greet them but we were already gone when it happened.

"Your dad almost announced you as the heir of Ramirez Medical but you were not
around. It was a surprise," I told him when I read the last message from my mom.

"I know. That's why I bailed," he simply answered like it wasn't a big deal when in
fact, it would cost him so much.

"Don't you want to inherit your family business? They chose you for a reason."

I didn't want to butt in but it was a big deal and he was treating it as if he just
rejected a candy offer. Kung tatanggihan niya, dapat tanggihan niya nang maayos
because if he wouldn't say 'no' in his father's face na will just continue running
away from it like what happened earlier, his dad will just force it onto him.

After meeting his siblings, I really did realize how different he was and I
understood why his dad would choose him instead of the two, but I also understood
why Clyden would reject the offer, not because he wanted to but maybe he was also
afraid that his brothers would feel more anger towards him. If I would put myself
in his shoes, I would do the same.
"I told you, I don't want it. I know nothing about business," Clyden answered.
"Speaking of business, any news about what your family's really up to? Ngayon ko
lang naalala ulit."

"Uh, no. Hindi na 'ko madalas sa bahay so I wouldn't know. I.. I'll ask my mom next
time about it."

I suddenly felt extra anxious about it. Biglang hindi na ako mapakali dahil kung
ano-ano na ang pumapasok sa utak ko. I was judging my parents in my head already so
I needed to stop. Clyden probably noticed how uncomfortable I was so he offered his
hand for me to hold while he was driving.

I held his hand in silence and the warmth of his palm automatically brought me
comfort. I exhaled a large amount of air before staring outside the window. He
didn't let go of my hand the whole night even though he would occasionally move the
gear.

Pagkauwi namin, tulog na 'yung dogs so dumiretso na kami sa taas. I went inside the
bathroom to take a shower and he went inside the master bedroom para makapag-shower
din siya sa C.R sa loob ng kwarto na 'yon.

"Oh my," I whispered when I realized that we could be staying in the same room
tonight.

We already confessed that we were in love with each other, right? So it

automatically meant that we should be in a relationship by now? Or should we talk
about it first? Wouldn't it be awkward to ask if kami na?! Hindi ba dapat siya ang
magtatanong?! But he already got brave and confessed his feelings first. I should
also do the same. I should take the initiative.

I spent so many minutes in the shower thinking about how I should ask him about it.
I practiced inside and talked to myself in the mirror like a foolish woman. I was
even whispering because he might hear me outside the bathroom.

"So are we like, together na?" I practiced in front of the mirror.

I shook my head after realizing how conyo it sounded. Damn, I wasn't good at this.
I wouldn't usually ask guys about this matter! Hindi naman ako umaabot sa ganito.
Clyden was taking me into places I hadn't gone into and I didn't know if it was a
good thing or a bad thing! Nakakainis naman!

"So, what's our deal?" I tried again. "Are we boyfriend-girlfriend already? I mean,
I know we're engaged but are we like, engaged 'engaged'? As in engaged like with
true feelings? Like we can now say that we're in a relationship, setting aside the
fixed engagement thing? Damn, I'm talking too much. This is not good."

I shook my head again and just wrote a script inside my head while getting dressed.
Pagkalabas ko, I even checked if he was around before I went inside my room and
started drying my hair. Pabulong-bulong pa ulit ako ng script ko habang nagpapatuyo
ng buhok, praying that he won't suddenly appear or else I will forget my script.

I applied my face cream and was about to end there but I suddenly realized that
there was a chance that we would sleep in the same room tonight so I sat in front
of my vanity table again and started applying lip tint and gloss. I slapped my
cheek a few times so it would come off as naturally pink but I kind of failed.
I changed my clothes into a satin night dress and sprayed perfume in the air before
running towards it, hoping that the smell would lowkey stick to me. I didn't want
to spray it on my skin because he might tease me about it kapag narealize niya na
strong ang amoy. Oh my gosh, I was starting to overthink it! What was my script
again?

The door suddenly opened, causing me to hide the perfume behind my back. Clyden
looked at me with his brows furrowed, wondering why I looked so surprised to see
him. I slowly walked back until I reached my side table. I smoothly placed the
perfume there and acted like nothing happened.

"Yes?" I asked him, smiling nervously. Inside my head, I was trying to remember my
script! Damn, I already forgot about it!

"Have you-"

"Okay, wait, before you start, I know where this is going already," I cut him off.
His brows furrowed again while staring at me, waiting for me to finish. "I know
that you're going to ask if we're together already and actually, I'm wondering the
same thing! Maybe this is the right time to talk about it! If your answer is no,
then it's okay! Maybe we need more time! But if your answer is yes, then that's
good! We can now sleep in the master bedroom and use it, not treat it as an empty
storage-"

"Have you seen my phone?" He cut me off. "I was about to ask that when I entered
the room."
My body suddenly felt cold after I realized how embarrassing that was! I saw how he
bit his lip and looked away to stop his lips from forming a teasing smile but he
couldn't contain it! I pursed my lips and also looked away out of embarrassment.

"Yeah, you put it inside my purse earlier," I said, feeling a little disappointed.
I walked towards my desk to get his phone inside my purse before handing it to him.
Kinuha niya 'yon habang nakangisi sa 'kin, tinitignan ang reaction ko.

"Thanks," he said, obviously teasing me.

"Yeah, you can leave now." Tinalikuran ko siya at naglakad na papunta sa kama.

Tinanggal ko na ang comforter at tinupi para makahiga at makatulog na 'ko but he

was still standing there like he was waiting for me to say something. What? He was
still expecting me to talk after ko mapahiya, huh?! Bakit hindi siya ang magsalita?
Or better, umalis na siya sa kwarto ko. He was making things weird.

"Fix your bed. We're sleeping together," he said in a low voice before leaving my
room.

My eyes widened and my body froze, still holding the comforter with my two hands.
Agad kong binalik ang comforter at tinignan ang sarili ko sa salamin just to check
if I looked okay. I even curled my lashes and slapped my cheeks again. I brushed my
hair again and tried to smell it before leaving my room.
I was panicking so I did some breathing exercises before opening the door of the
master bedroom. He wasn't inside so I had time to fix myself and adjust to my new
sleeping environment tonight. I turned the aircon on and sat on the edge of the
bed, feeling how soft the mattress was.

I suddenly stood up when Clyden went inside the room, wearing his grey sweatpants
and a black shirt. May dala siyang libro at nakasuot ng salamin, mukhang mag-aaral
ata. He looked at me quickly from head to toe before his lips formed a smile.

"You're going to study?" I asked while he was walking towards me. I stepped
backwards when he stopped in front of me, hitting the back of my knee against the
bed, causing me to sit down.

"Yeah, I have an exam on Monday," he answered. "But.." He took his glasses off and
put it on the side table.

"But what?"

My lips parted when he lightly pushed on my shoulder until my back hit the foam. He
put his knee on the bed and his arm encircled on my waist, smoothly adjusting my
position. He pushed me back on the mattress again until my feet were already on the
bed. He slowly placed the books on the side table before going on top of me,
placing his body in between my legs. I blinked twice in shock while staring at him.
"Nag lip tint pa nga," he said before letting out a small laugh.

Sumimangot ako at tinulak siya paalis sa taas ko. He sat on the bed and continued
laughing to tease me. Napikon ako kaagad at pumunta na lang sa kabilang side ng
kama para matulog. I covered myself with the comforter and faced on the other side
so he wouldn't see me.

"Hoy," he called, pushing on my shoulder a little bit. "Pikon naman nito. Maganda
naman 'yung shade, ah."

God, he was even making it worse! I wished he would stop talking because every word
coming out of his mouth just made me feel more embarrassed! I really shouldn't do
extra things for this guy! Aasarin niya lang ako!

"Sinasabi ko lang naman na nag lip tint ka pa, e matatanggal din naman."

"Ewan ko sa 'yo." I rolled my eyes, though he wouldn't see it.

"Ewan ko sa 'yo," he mocked and probably made a face kahit hindi ko nakikita. "Sam,
dali na kasi. Hindi na 'ko nakikipagbiruan, ah."

He tugged lightly on the comforter but I tugged it harder, rolling it over my body
a bit. I heard him sigh heavily, probably giving up now. I didn't feel his weight
anymore on my side and I heard the door open so dahan-dahan akong sumilip.

"What the fuck!"

I screamed when he suddenly tugged on the comforter
bringing myself to his side. He smirked and put the
going on top of me again, holding both of my wrists
His hold was purposely loose and I could easily get
liked it that way.
so hard I rolled on the bed,
comforter on the edge before
above my head with one hand.
out of it but I chose not to. I

"What now, huh?" I glared at him and scowled. "You are so stupid! I thought you
left the room! What a fool!"

"I am the fool?" He scoffed. "Samantha, respect your boyfriend."

"My what?!" Kumunot ang noo ko at sinamaan siya ng tingin. "Ahuh? So we're together
now?"

"We have always been," he whispered before leaning to kiss me.

My eyes automatically closed when I felt his lips on mine. His other hand went down
to my waist while his other hand was still holding my wrists in place. His lips
massaged mine before biting my lip and pushing his tongue inside me. I sucked on it
before he let me go, wiping his lower lip with his thumb.
"I thought you're going to study?" I asked, raising my brows.

"Yeah," he whispered but his actions contradicted his words. He leaned again and
rested his face on my neck, smelling it before he started showering it with hot
kisses. I got out of his hold and grabbed his hair while his tongue expertly licked
on my soft spots. I craned my neck to give him more access, letting out a moan.

I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes, feeling his pleasuring kisses on my neck, up
to my jaw. His other hand suddenly held my thigh, rubbing it and slowly pushing the
hem of my dress upwards to reveal my panties. I started panting heavily, feeling
hot now.

His kisses went back to my lips now, exploring my mouth like an expert. He moved
his hand away from my thigh and just held my waist again. I wanted to push my legs
together but he was in between, causing me to spread it wider.

I let out a moan against his mouth when his hand reached my chest. He slowly
massaged my mounds against my satin dress, and then suddenly stopped, causing me to
glare at him. He sat down beside me and looked away like he did something illegal.

"What?" I curiously asked.

"Nothing," he said, reaching for his books now so he could start reading.
What the hell was that? He suddenly acted like we weren't doing something! Like we
were not trying to reach something! I sat on the bed and fixed my dress, staring at
him and wondering why he was acting up after touching my..

Oh my gosh. My lips suddenly formed an amused smile after realizing something.

"Is it your first time?" I curiously asked, smiling.

His head turned towards my side with a surprised look, like I hit the spot. I
smirked and scooted over to his side so I could see his reaction up close. His lips
parted like he wanted to say something but he couldn't.

"What? Don't tell me you don't know what to do with boobs?" I whispered, looking
down on my chest.

"I'm studying, Sam." He tried to make me shut up but it was just so fun having a
reason to tease him. He looked shy and it was cute. "Bastos mo. Tsk."

"Hindi nga?" Pangungulit ko ulit. So I was right? He wasn't even denying it. It was
my first time meeting an innocent guy. Or was he really? "Totoo ba? I don't want to
conclude. I mean, you really don't know how?"
"I know what to do with it. I'm not dumb," he answered, rolling his eyes a bit.
"It's just my first time touching one for real."

"Oh my gosh, really?" I didn't know if I would be amazed or not. I was still 50/50
on him. Maybe he was just trying to come off as innocent so he could surprise me or
something. Maniniwala ba ako rito?

"Just go to sleep." He reached for the remote to turn the lights off, leaving the
lamp on beside him so he could still read.

I didn't know how I would sleep that night. Everything felt so surreal. Akala ko
lang naman mahihirapan akong makatulog pero nang humiga na 'ko mabilis lang akong
inantok maybe because knowing that he was with me inside the room made me feel safe
and comfortable, like nothing else could go wrong.

I woke up close to noon after arriving home so late last night. I was about to
stand up when I felt an arm around my waist. I tried to look back and saw Clyden
sleeping peacefully with his face near my neck. He looked like a baby. I couldn't
stop smiling.

I tried to go back to sleep but the feeling was just too good and strong I couldn't
sleep again. Good thing it was Saturday so we were allowed to stay like this for a
while. I took a picture of his arm on my waist while half of our bodies were both
covered with a grey comforter.
I put my phone back on the desk when he suddenly moved, holding me tighter and
pulling me closer to him. I slowly took his arm off me before standing up to go to
the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and washed my face so I would look fresh. Kinuha
ko na rin ang phone ko at bumaba ng kusina para magluto.

He was always the one cooking breakfast for me so today, ako naman. I guess he
studied so late kaya tulog pa rin siya hanggang ngayon. I wasn't sure if he was
going to wake up for breakfast so I just cooked simple pancakes so I could give
them to the dogs if he won't be up until lunch.

After cooking, I went outside and walked the dogs. Tatlong leash ang hawak ko and I
honestly thought it would be hard but good thing Maple and Summer were both calm.
Si Hail lang ang makulit na gusto laging tumatakbo maybe because of his breed. He
liked pulling heavy things like a human for example.

When I went back to the house, gising na si Clyden and he was already eating the
pancakes I made. He looked at me and raised his brows when he saw how sweaty I was.
May kagat pa siyang pancake.

"I walked the dogs," I told him while getting water.

"All three of them?!" Gulat na tanong niya sa 'kin.

"Yes, why? Is it wrong?" I suddenly felt worried. Hindi ba pwede 'yun? I didn't
know! I never owned a dog! Damn, I should have asked him first pala.
"No, it's fine. You just require so much strength in order to walk those three. Ano
ka, Wonder Woman?" Nakataas pa rin ang kilay niya.

"Okay naman, ah," I defended myself. I looked at the time and suddenly remembered
that I was supposed to visit the mansion today for lunch. "Hey, I'm going out for
lunch."

"Iiwan mo 'ko?" He playfully pouted and acted so sad about it.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. I made a disgusted face before rolling my eyes, making
him laugh a bit. He was obviously just teasing me about it. Hindi bagay sa kaniya
ang ganoon! He just looked like a dog, but less cute.

"Saan ka pupunta?" He asked before drinking water through his glass. He put it back
on the table and wiped his mouth using the tissue. "Sama."

"What? No! I'm going to the mansion. Ano, sasama ka pa?" I smirked.

"Hard pass." He suddenly changed his mind.

I went upstairs to take a shower and brush my teeth before getting dressed. I just
wore a simple pair of high-waisted mom jeans and a yellow cropped top. Nagsuot na
rin ako ng white headband at white shoes bago bumaba.

Clyden was watching Netflix when I went downstairs. He paused the movie when he saw
me leaving. Sinundan pa niya 'ko ng tingin like he was waiting for me to say
something. I decided to tease him and just said nothing until I was already on the
door.

"Hey, you're not going to say goodbye?" He asked like a kid.

"Okay." I looked at him, trying to keep a neutral face. "Goodbye."

"Text me, love," he said before playing the movie again.

I bit my lower lip and closed the door, smiling like an idiot. Hanggang sa
makapasok na 'ko sa kotse ko, nakangiti pa rin ako. Gosh, ganito ba tuwing umaga
kapag may pasok? What a day starter.

Puro love songs pa ang nasa playlist ko, making me feel even better. It was like my
first time having a boyfriend! Para akong highschool! Samantha, get a grip. I
inhaled and exhaled to calm myself while driving until I reached the mansion.

"Sam! What brings you here?" Nakasalubong ko si Mommy sa main door. She was just
about to leave, wearing a black elegant dress and big shades. She still looked so
young at her age.
"Just paying a visit. Are you leaving?" I curiously asked, putting my car keys
inside my bag.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with a client. I'll see you later if you're staying. I'm in
a hurry right now." She quickly kissed my cheek before going inside the car. In
just a few seconds, she was already gone. I think that was better. Not having her
for lunch will make Naomi more comfortable with me.

When I went inside the mansion, Naomi was going down the stairs, trying to see if
my mom already left but she saw me instead so her expression went from being
nervous to being surprised. I gave her a smile and she returned a small one.

"Have you eaten lunch?" I asked her while taking my heels off so I could wear the
house slippers.

"I was about to," she answered in a monotone. Umalis na siya kaagad at pumunta sa
dining kaya sinundan ko siya, hoping that I wouldn't irritate her that much. She
still looked and sounded distant but it was okay. At least she was talking to me
without yelling and looking mad.

The food was already served on the table when I sat down in front of Naomi. She
looked at me with so much confusion but she chose not to ask. Kumuha na rin ako ng
food pagkatapos niya. It was just the two of us so there was an awkward silence.
"Are you feeling better now?" I asked while eating.

"Yes," maikling sagot niya. She couldn't even look at me while she was eating. I
thought that was the end of the conversation. I was already thinking of another
topic but she talked again. "Thank you.. for.. the gift."

"You saw it?" My eyes lit up and my lips formed a wide smile. "How is it? Do you
like it?"

"I haven't tested it out. Do you.. Uh.. have time?" She looked away and started
chewing slowly. She looked so nervous to ask.

I felt bad that she had to feel that way when asking me about something, like she
wasn't used to asking anyone about anything. Maybe she really wasn't. Ever since
she started living with my parents, she was quiet and she never did ask my father
about her needs. She just waited for them to provide what they could. She settled
for that.

Also, asking me if I had time for her almost broke my heart. I may be busy but I
will always have time for my family, for her. Did I give off the vibe that I was
hard to reach? I worried that maybe her perception of me was twisted.

"I always have time," I assured her, giving her a small smile.
"Okay, can I.. t-take a photo of you? To test the.. camera." She was stuttering.
Maybe she really felt so nervous and afraid to ask but I appreciated her effort. We
were finally having progress.

"Of course. Can you do my makeup?" I even suggested. I wasn't wearing any makeup
today. "I might look ugly in the camera."

"You still look good with your bare face, though.." She whispered.

I heard that but I just pretended that I didn't. I tried to contain the happiness
inside me and just continued eating until we were both done. She stood up and even
washed the dishes by herself, making the helpers panic. When they arrived, she was
already done.

She glanced at me before going upstairs, making me follow her. It was probably my
first time seeing her room clearly after a year. It was never this bright. Dark ang
room niya dati but I think she redecorated it last year so it looked different.
White and pastel yellow ang dominant colors.

I saw an unfinished painting on the floor and mabilis niyang nilagay 'yun sa tabi
ng cabinet para hindi nakakalat. I felt that she was conscious with the look of her
room, afraid that I would judge. I gave her a smile to assure her that it was fine.

"Here." She suddenly handed me a makeup bag. When I opened it, I saw some of my
missing products. "I.. didn't use them. I just.. I checked what shade y-you liked
getting.. I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's fine! You can keep them!" I gave the bag back to her but she shook her
head. Tumango na lang ako at nilapag 'yun sa gilid.

She shyly gestured on her vanity table so umupo ako roon. Her hands were shaking
while preparing the makeup products that she will use. She looked uncomfortable but
she was still trying. I didn't know how to assure her that she could relax.

"Hey, no pressure," I told her.

"I'm.. I'm not a pro, okay? I'm still learning how to do makeup through 'get ready
with me' videos on YouTube," she said as a disclaimer.

I laughed and remembered what she said to Clyden when she was asked to go down for
dinner. She was really busy watching YouTube that time, huh. She had an eye and
passion for art so I knew that she would do well with makeup. She was painting,
too.

"You met my fiancé," I said while putting moisturizer.

"Yeah, I think so." She shrugged while checking her foundation shade. Hindi niya
alam kung babagay sa 'kin because her skin was a shade darker than mine. "I think
he's okay for you."
"You think?" I asked, smiling. We were talking about boys while doing makeup. For a
moment, I finally felt that we were really sisters.

"Yes, though he looked scary when he asked me to go down for dinner." She rolled
her eyes before putting alcohol on her hand. Sinuot ko na rin ang headband. "He
said 'Go down for dinner' with no expression on his face. That kuya is scary."

Kuya. I suddenly laughed, but I appreciated that she called him brother, like she
already accepted him as a part of my life and she also accepted me as her sister
already. I also felt that she was slowly getting comfortable by the way she was
talking. Her tone sounded casual now.

I never knew she was a little talkative. Ngayon ko lang din narealize na hindi ko
pala talaga siya kilala. She closed her doors for so many years, not allowing me to
get to know her more, but at least she was opening the door for me now. Pwede na
naming kilalanin ang isa't isa.

"Ate, pikit." She said while holding a pink sponge.

I closed my eyes and waited for her to finish doing my makeup. She applied
foundation and concealer. She decided to go with a simple look, afraid that she
would take too much time. I told her that it was fine but she insisted that I was
busy.

"Is this okay?" She asked and our eyes met through the mirror. "I think I messed up
with the eyeliner. Oh no."

"Hey, I think it's fine! Really!" I looked at the mirror closely. She really did it
so good kahit beginner! "Come on! Let's test the camera now. Have you tried opening
it?"

She said yes and even told me about her watching YouTube earlier this morning on
how to set up the camera. She even felt bad because it was expensive when she
searched for it on Google. I just smiled and told her that it was fine.

She opened the curtains to let a natural light in and she made me sit on a chair.
She was going around, trying to find a good spot and angle. Nakailang alis siya ng
gamit sa likod ko para magmukhang maayos. I told her that it was fine. We were just
about to test the camera anyway, but she was taking it seriously.

"Is it okay now?" I asked her.

She nodded so I started posing. I smiled at first like it was for an I.D picture.
After taking one shot, she checked it and bit her lower lip to stop herself from
letting out a laugh.

"You looked stiff. Loosen up a bit. Think that you're modeling for a magazine," she
told me.
I adjusted my posture and parted my lips a bit before looking at the camera with a
fierce look. She took a shot and gave me a thumbs up. She took more pictures and I
just kept on making poses. I liked reading magazines before so I just tried to do
poses I would often see with models.

"You know, you would pass as a model," she suddenly said while looking at the
pictures.

Her comment made my heart jump. I didn't know what to say so I just gave her a
smile as a sign of appreciation. She bit her lower lip and gave me back a shy smile
before looking away.

"Really?" I asked just to make sure.

"Of course," she answered without looking at me. "I will learn more about
photography so you can hire me for your modeling portfolio! That sounds so nice,
right?"

I bit my lower lip to stop a tear from falling. "It does," I whispered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

18 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Next time, Ate, let's try baking! I'm craving brownies!"

I looked at Naomi who was already skipping through the stairs like an excited kid
holding her camera. She said she will edit the photos first before sending them to
me so I won't judge the raw ones. I said I wouldn't do that but she still insisted
that it could serve as a practice to her.

"Do you want to go to some photography workshops? I can get you slots," I told her.
Some orgs in Ateneo liked holding workshops for photography and I knew a lot of
people who could help her. She looked very much determined to learn more about it.

"Really?" She asked as her eyes lit up. Now, she was finally accepting my help. She
used to reject everything I offered back then. It was a sign that she was already
accepting me and my clean intentions.

"Of course. I'll see what I can do. I'll text you kaagad," I told her, smiling a
little. "The next time I come here, I'll bring baking ingredients! Or you can come
to my house?"

"Kuya Clyden is scaring me." She scowled and rolled her eyes. She even hugged
herself and acted like she was shivering, which made me laugh.

"No, he's not that.. grumpy," I tried to defend my boyfriend but he was really
scary in first glance. Maybe because he had this intimidating aura around him
wherever he went. The glasses were already one thing but his overall look screamed
intelligence. Sa isang tingin mo pa lang sa kaniya, alam mo nang marami siyang
alam, parang nakakatakot magkamali sa harapan niya.
But in all fairness, Clyden wasn't like that. He was very patient with me, kahit
ganito ako. Kahit ganito pa ako mag-isip, kahit minsan hindi kami nagkakasundo. He
would sometimes look pissed but he was always willing to educate me on things I was
unaware of. I loved that about him.

"Mom is already here," I said as I looked outside the window. Naomi suddenly went
quiet. Fear and nervousness were both evident in her eyes. My lips parted as I
realized her attitude towards my mother. "Go upstairs na."

"I will." She nodded and gave me a small smile before running upstairs to avoid
seeing my mom. She was like a monster she couldn't face. Was she that cruel to her?

My mom entered the house looking angry while talking to someone on the phone. I
heard her shouting to clean something or else she will come for the person's
family. My brows furrowed as I watched her get inside the mansion, holding her
paper bags. She threw them over the couch and ignored me. Or maybe she didn't see
me at all beside the staircase.

"You will pay for that amount! How could you lose it?! You have until tomorrow to
bring it back, or else you're out. You hear me?!" My mom continued yelling. When
she finally ended the call, she frustratingly held her head before looking at my
side, parting her lips. "Maureen! You're still here!"

She looked like she was caught doing something I shouldn't see. I still gave her a
fake smile before showing her my car keys. "I'm on my way out. Who were you talking
to?"
"It's just an employee of mine. Take care on your way back, dear." The anger in her
face suddenly vanished, replacing it with warmth I almost got fooled.

She was that good of an actress. She could easily cover her original emotions. That
was the reason why I found her a little scary. You wouldn't really know what she
was thinking because most of the time, the look on her face did not reflect the
thoughts running inside her.

"I will." I didn't know what to say anymore. I was about to go out the door when I
thought of something I could ask. "What are you up to these days, Mom?"

My question did not even surprise her. She looked like she was expecting me to ask
that, or she just already knew what her answer would be. She was very much prepared
to answer everything thrown to her like a professional actress in an interview.
That was one of her skills.

"Helping your dad, going out to meet some of my friends, attending social
gatherings. Nothing much, I could say. How about you, dear? What are you up to
these days? Is everything okay between you and Clyden?" She asked me back, smiling.

"Yes, we are okay," I answered. She just nodded and asked the helper to get her
some tea. That was my cue to leave. I knew she would just find a way to dodge my
next questions so I just left.

Or maybe I was just scared of the answer.

I shook my head and calmed myself down while driving back to the house. Lumulubog
na ang araw kaya padilim na nang padilim habang pauwi ako. It was already 5 PM when
I arrived home. I was surprised to see another car parked outside the house. It was
unfamiliar to me like I had never seen it before so it wasn't probably from
Clyden's family or my family.

"I'm home!" I yelled in the house just in case Clyden was upstairs. The dogs ran to
me so I gave them a pat on their heads as I hugged them one by one. "My good girls
and one good boy! How are you? You missed me?"

"Hello, Sam!" I suddenly stood up when I heard an unfamiliar voice. My head

automatically turned to the right side, only to see Clyden's friend, drinking water
from the glass. "Ridgen! Nagkita na tayo last time!"

"Y-yes, of course! Hi! I'm so sorry for looking like this. Haggard from driving!" I
laughed to hide my embarrassment. I did not even look so presentable. "Where's
Clyden?"

"I'm sorry I forgot to inform you. He just barged in here." I heard Clyden's voice
behind me so I turned around and my lips automatically formed a smile. He also
smiled at me and encircled his hands around my waist. "How's your day?"

"Jusko naman," Ridge suddenly whispered, coughing a little. Mukhang nasamid sa

iniinom niyang tubig.
"Ano? Kuhanin mo gamit mo sa taas. Sa sofa tayo mag-aaral," Clyden's voice suddenly
changed when he turned to Ridge.

"Sabihin mo lang kung gusto mo 'kong paalisin kasi 'yun 'yung nararamdaman ko, eh."
Ridge dramatically held his chest and closed his eyes in pain.

"Talaga," Clyden answered, rolling his eyes.

"Sam, oh," pagsusumbong ni Ridge sabay iling. When Clyden raised a brow, Ridge
immediately went upstairs to get his things like what Clyden told him. He was even
murmuring hateful things about his friend's attitude.

I laughed and waited for Ridge to vanish before wrapping my arms around Clyden's
neck. Sinandal niya 'ko sa breakfast table at hinigpitan ang hawak sa bewang ko. He
was staring at me for so long but the only thing I could think of was his manly
scent. He smelled like he just showered which made him look sexier.

"He just barged in here, asking for help. May exams kami sa Monday, 'di ba?" He was
explaining it to me, probably because we told each other back then that we wouldn't
let visitors in the house without telling the other one. "Hindi niya naintindihan
'yung lesson last time."

"Hey, it's okay. Your friends are my friends," I said, smelling him a bit.
"I can't say the same to you or else I'd be friends with everyone in Manila," he
whispered, getting closer to me. When he noticed that I was wearing makeup, his
brows furrowed. "Hindi ka naka make-up kanina."

"Oh, you noticed." It amazed me how he could notice even the smallest detail.
"Naomi and I had a bonding together. She did my makeup and we did a small
photoshoot to test her new camera. 'Yung gift ko."

He was staring at me, waiting for me to say more so I did. He was just listening to
me intently while I was telling him about how good it felt to finally exist in the
same room as Naomi without her yelling at me. A small smile was plastered on his
face while listening to me.

We suddenly heard a cough so I moved my hands away from his neck. He looked at
Ridge and pursed his lips, trying to contain the irritation inside him. I smiled at
his friend before pushing Clyden away from me so I could shower and they could
finally start studying. Clyden looked like he didn't want me to leave him alone but
I should.

I took a shower and went down wearing my satin purple night dress ending inches
above my knees. I tied my hair in a bun before going downstairs to look if the
helpers were already preparing dinner. Nang madaanan ko sila Clyden, pareho silang
napatingin sa 'kin but Ridge immediately looked away when Clyden suddenly hit him
with the book he was holding.

The helpers were already preparing dinner so bumalik na lang ako sa living room at
umupo sa kabilang sofa to watch them study. Clyden got a little distracted when I
sat down near them but he still continued explaining something to Ridge. He showed
him something in his laptop before reaching out for my hand. Inabot ko naman sa
kaniya 'yon at hinatak niya 'ko papunta sa sahig where they were seated.
I sat on the floor, in between his legs because it was where he wanted me to be. He
wrapped his other arm around my waist as I leaned my back against his chest. I
could feel his chest vibrating when he talked. Ridge scowled when he looked at us,
shaking his head.

"Gagong 'to, halatang gusto na 'ko paalisin," Ridge whispered while writing
something.

"Buti alam mo," Clyden answered back before kissing the top of my head just to piss
off his friend more. He smirked at him and kissed my cheek this time.

"Puta naman," reklamo ni Ridge. "Landi mo talagang hayop ka. Naalala ko dati
ganiyan ka rin noong nasa condo tayo nila-" He suddenly stopped talking when he
realized something. I saw how his eyes panicked, turning his attention back to the
paper.

"Nila?" I asked, looking at him. I felt Clyden's heavy sigh behind me, his hand
forming a fist. "You said you never dated anyone?" I looked back at him.

"Hindi nga," Clyden defended himself. "Ano, Ridge?" He raised a brow.

"Hindi, Sam, kasi, ano." Ridge was
even looking mad. I just wanted to
sinama ko siya sa party ng date ko
siya roon sa isang babae sa party!
ba?"
trying to find the right words to say. I wasn't
know what he was about to say. "Dati kasi,
tapos noong medyo nalasing siya, naging malandi
College pa 'yun! Hindi pa kayo engaged noon, 'di
"What? So that girl was one of the girls you kissed during college?" I looked back
at Clyden again and now he was looking guilty.

"Oo pero hindi naman importante 'yon. Ridgen, tangina, umalis ka na nga." Clyden
looked so pissed now. I stood up and sat on the sofa again, imagining how he
flirted with that woman back then. I wondered what he looked like during college.
Did he have the same aura? Or was he cool? Everyone was changing during college.

Bumalik pa rin ang iniisip kong humahalik siya ng ibang babae kaya nainis ulit ako.
I knew it wasn't his fault and that I was probably doing the same thing back then
but it was pissing me off. I knew it was also unreasonable so I just refused to
talk. Just forget it! It wasn't even a big deal.

"What's the name of the girl?" I asked Ridge but he automatically looked at Clyden
for help.

"Hindi nga importante 'yon," he said without looking at me. He was busy reading the
book. I bit my lower lip and nodded before crossing my arms over my chest.
Napatingin siya sa 'kin nang padabog akong sumandal sa sofa. "Samantha."

"Clyden," I called his name too.

"Bakit ba gusto mo pang malaman?" Kumunot ang noo niya at binaba ang librong hawak
niya. "Hindi ka ba makakatulog sa gabi kapag hindi mo nalaman 'yung pangalan?"

"Why? It's just a name. Why are you refusing to answer?" I asked back. If it wasn't
a big deal then why can't he just answer the question? I was just going to check if
I knew the woman. I won't even do anything! Curious lang!

"Bakit tinatanong pa?" Clyden sighed heavily before reading again.

"Wala! Curiosity! Bakit hindi masagot?" I fired back.

"Para ka namang highschool, e. Sinabi nang hindi importante kaya huwag mo nang
isipin, 'di ba?"

Ridgen was looking at us, changing sides. Kung sino ang nagsasalita, roon siya
nakatingin. He smiled awkwardly when our eyes met, then he immediately collected
his books to put them inside his bag.

"Siguro rito na ako dapat um-exit," Ridge awkwardly said.

"Aren't you going to stay for dinner?" I asked in a soft voice, still giving him an
apologetic smile. He didn't have to see us arguing. I felt bad for him. It was
probably so awkward. "You should stay for dinner."
"Umuwi ka na," Clyden said the opposite.

"Tama, Sam! Uuwi na 'ko! Salamat!" Ridge looked a little nervous while putting on
the strap of his bag on his shoulder. He gave me a smile before mouthing something
to Clyden. Clyden nodded and stood up to see him out.

I rolled my eyes and sat on the dining table to start eating. Hindi ko na hinintay
si Clyden. When he sat in front of me, I already finished eating so I stood up,
holding my plate. He watched me walk away before shaking his head and moving his
chair closer to the table in a manner that created a loud sound.

I went upstairs and instead of sleeping in the master bedroom, I decided to sleep
in my own room tonight. I went inside the bathroom first to brush my teeth and do
my skincare but when I opened the door, Clyden was already waiting outside. Our
eyes met for a moment before I looked away and opened the door of my bedroom.

"Saan ka pupunta?" He suddenly asked in a low voice.

"Matutulog," I said without looking at him.

"Diyan ka matutulog?"
I nodded before closing the door. I turned the lights off and turned my lampshade
on before going to bed. I couldn't sleep so I just scrolled through my phone and
also searched for some baking ingredients for Naomi. Tomorrow is Sunday so it
should be Clyden and I's date day but since he was acting up, I decided to just go
to the mansion tomorrow.

Unless magka-ayos kami tonight. The fight was not even a big deal but he was making
it bigger and it pissed me off. All I wanted was a name but he went overboard with
it, making me think that maybe he was hiding something.

"Oh," I whispered when I saw Hiro's Instagram post. It was a photo with his older
brother, Haze, who was about 3 or 4 years older than him. I wasn't sure. The
caption was 'Happy birthday, bro' so I also typed a comment to greet him happy
birthday. I already had few interactions with him during gatherings and I was
pretty sure he knew me.

I scrolled again and checked Clyden's account on Instagram. He was still in private
and hindi pa rin namin finofollow ang isa't isa. He was not even following me since
walang 'follow back' na option. This guy!

I turned my phone off when I heard a knock. Humiga kaagad ako sa kama at
nagtalukbong ng comforter para magkunwaring natutulog. I heard footsteps which made
me nervous. Naramdaman ko ang bigat ni Clyden sa kama nang umupo siya roon.

"Hindi mo ba 'ko tatabihan?" He asked in a soft voice.

I remained silent but my heartbeat was so loud. I still pretended that I was
sleeping so he could finally leave my room. Pigil na pigil ko ang pag-galaw ko
dahil baka makahalata siya.

"Sam, alam kong gising ka. Kitang kita kong nagtalukbong ka pagkapasok ko." Clyden
sighed heavily.

I rolled my eyes and took the comforter off before standing up to fix my bed.
Kinuha ko ang phone ko at dumiretso ako palabas ng kwarto para pumunta sa master
bedroom. He followed me from behind and tried so hard to keep up with my fast-paced
walking but failed. Humiga ako sa side ko at nagtalukbong na ulit ng comforter.

He sighed heavily again before pulling the comforter so he could cover his body too
beside me. Naramdaman ko ang pag-higa niya at pag-lapit sa side ko so I moved away
from him until I was already on the edge of the bed. Kapag umurong pa ako ay
mahuhulog na 'ko sa sahig.

"Alessandra, Leanne, Eva," he said, touching my shoulder so I would face him but I
refused to do so. "The names of the women I kissed back in college. It's nothing
serious. I'm sorry. Please talk to me."

I suddenly felt bad for him for apologizing but then I realized something. "Eva?" I
took the comforter off and sat on the bed so I could look at him with my brows
furrowed. "Your friend? You kissed her?"

"First year, I think. I already forgot about it. Was it a dare?" He looked up,
trying to remember what happened. "Ah, basta. Ganoon. Freshman year was my dumbest
year."
"Ew, you kiss friends." I rolled my eyes, trying to stop sounding jealous. He was
friends with her! She was probably his first kiss or whatever! And she liked him.
Of course, she liked him. I saw it in her eyes.

"Galit ka pa ba?" He asked, ignoring my rude remark. He looked so hopeful that I

would say no but I refused to answer. I pouted and just looked away from him.

He sighed heavily and massaged the bridge of his nose for a bit to calm himself and
probably to convince himself to be more patient. He looked at me and reached for my
hand so he could intertwine it with his. I looked down on it and stared at our
rings. God, we were engaged already! I shouldn't even be jealous!

"Ikaw lang ang papakasalan ko," he suddenly told me.

Gulat akong napatingin sa kaniya. He smoothly touched the ring on my finger while
staring at me. He leaned closer and caressed my cheek before giving me a soft kiss.
I parted my lips to welcome him like I didn't get mad earlier.

I thought it was just a simple kiss but he suddenly moved his lips and bit my lower
lip, tugging on it a little before pushing his tongue inside my mouth. Unti-unti na
'kong napahiga habang nasa taas ko siya. I held the hem of his shirt while he was
kissing me and exploring my mouth. I closed my eyes when his kisses went down to my
neck.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I answered back.

"Don't say 'too'. It's like you're just saying it for the sake of replying." He
looked at me and kissed the tip of my nose.

"I love you," I corrected, panting a little.

The side of his lips rose up before pushing the hem of my night dress up, revealing
my shorts and my stomach. He started kissing my neck again as I craned it to give
him more access. I let out a moan when he suddenly grabbed my mound through my bra.

He bit the sensitive skin on my neck while his thumb was making small circles on my
nipple, refusing to take my bra off. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes. He
massaged them alternately, pleasuring me.

"Yes, I know what to do with them," he whispered in my ear before letting out a
small sexy laugh.

"Tomorrow is date day," I reminded him, opening my eyes.

"I know, love."

He kissed my nose before pulling my bra down to my stomach. I looked at him with
wide eyes when he went down and licked on my left mound while massaging the other
one. I grabbed a handful of his hair while he was doing it alternately. He kissed,
sucked, and licked on it until I was moaning.

When his kisses went up to my lips again, my hand travelled down to his crotch.
"Whoa, okay, that's enough." He moved away from me and sat down on the side of the
bed.

I scowled and glared at him. He was hard as steel but he refused to let me touch
him! He awkwardly looked away and turned the lights off so we could finally sleep.
Nag-reklamo ako pero tinakpan niya lang ang bibig ko at sinabihan akong matulog na.

"But you were hard-"

"Tulog na," he cut me off again.

Sumimangot ako at humiga na lang para matulog since I also needed beauty rest for
our date tomorrow. He hugged me from the back and pulled me closer to him. He
played with my hair until I already fell asleep.
I woke up early pero mas maaga pa ring nagising si Clyden. Pagkababa ko pagkatapos
mag-hilamos, nakahanda na ang breakfast na niluto niya. We just took a bite because
we were planning to take a run around the village with the dogs. Mamaya na ulit
kami kakain pagbalik.

"Wait for me!" I yelled at him when he was already getting far, holding the leash
of Hail and Maple. I was the one holding Summer. He stopped running and waited for
me, wiping his sweat a little.

"Hurry up or I will cool down!" He yelled back. He was wearing a white shirt, grey
Nike jacket, and a pair of black athletic shorts. I was wearing a purple cropped
top and a pair of black leggings.

Tumakbo ulit ako kaya tumakbo si Summer kasama ako. Among the three, she was the
calmest and the most patient so Clyden gave her to me. I stopped in front of Clyden
and he suddenly wiped the sweat on my face using his other towel. I felt like he
brought it specifically for me.

Kinuha pa niya ang bottle at pinainom ako ng tubig like I couldn't do it myself.
"Thanks," I said before I started running again. This time, he went with my pace.
He slowed himself down so we could run together.

When we arrived home, we ate breakfast before taking a shower.

"Sabay na tayo," he even suggested, earning a smack. I was sweaty and disgusting. I
didn't want him to see me like that!
I showered and brushed my teeth before going back to my room to do a simple makeup.
We were planning to buy groceries today. We couldn't go far since may exams pa siya
tomorrow so kailangan naming umuwi nang maaga. Grocery shopping was already enough
for me, though. As long as I was with him.

"You don't like cucumber?" I repeated what he just said while we were going around
the grocery store. He was the one pushing the cart, following me wherever I went.
"How about tomatoes? You eat tomatoes, right?"

"Yes," he answered back. "Aren't you looking for baking ingredients? Dito 'yon."

I followed him through the other section. I followed the ingredients on my list and
he helped me find some of them. Pati mga equipment na kailangan ko, nilagay niya
rin sa cart. Since our house was new, hindi pa nga complete ang kitchen equipment,
especially for baking since hindi naman kami nagbe-bake masyado.

"Bumili ka pa ng marami nito. Magbe-bake din ako." The side of his lips rose up
after saying that like he was proud of himself.

"Are you serious? Cinacareer mo na ang pagluluto mo, ah," I said, adding more flour
to our cart.

"Anything to serve my wife." His hand went around my waist before kissing my cheek.
My face heated up as I looked around to check if anyone saw us. That was PDA! He
was making me blush!

I bought some alcoholic drinks to store inside the house just in case I would need
it. He bought more energy drinks and coffee before we finished shopping. I was
about to pay for it but he already gave the woman his card. Masama ko siyang
tinignan at naglabas ng cash sa wallet ko para i-bigay sa kaniya.

"Half-half," I told him. Good thing he didn't argue anymore and just accepted my
money. It was just reasonable to do so. They weren't just his food! They were mine,
too!

After putting the grocery bags in the car, umikot na 'ko at sumakay sa shotgun
seat. I suddenly remembered his Instagram account so I waited for him to get inside
the car before showing him his account on my phone.

"Ano?" He asked while putting on his seatbelt.

"You're not following me," I told him.

"I was following you back then." He rolled his eyes a bit. "But I unfollowed."

"What?" Kumunot ang noo ko. "Why?!"

He stared at me for a moment before shaking his head a little. He started the
engine and turned the aircon on. I thought he would drive away but he reached for
his phone and searched for my username too.

"Nairita ako sa Instagram story mo kasama 'yung Sevi mo," he answered while
scrolling through his phone.

"What?" Mas lalong nagsalubong ang kilay ko. "So you used to check my Instagram
story, huh? Pasalamat ka hindi ako nagche-check ng nagvi-view!"

A notification popped up on my Instagram so I checked it. I smiled when I saw his

username. Finollow na niya 'ko sa Instagram.

"12 posts. What are you posting?" I asked him but he just shrugged. "Let me see!
Accept my follow request!"

He sighed and opened his phone again to accept my follow request, which made me
excited. He handed me his phone so I could put it inside my bag before he drove
away. I checked his Instagram profile and scrolled through his feed.

There were photos of him in a protest, photos with his friends, his graduation
pictures, and some pictures in other countries, but what caught my attention was
his recent post. There were three of them and all of them were me.
The first one was the picture frame in my room. The one that was taken during his
graduation party. The second was a picture of me playing with the dogs, smiling.
Both didn't have a caption, except the most recent one.

The most recent photo was the one he posted earlier. It was a photo of my back with
half of my body covered with the comforter. I was probably sleeping. My hair was
beautifully arranged on the pillow like he combed it with his fingers.

c.jaile: Wife.

"Wife?" I asked him. "We're not married yet."

He glanced at me for a moment before bringing his attention back to the road. He
reached for my hand and gave it a soft kiss.

"We will be."

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. "So we're not breaking the
engagement anymore?" I asked in a hopeful voice.
"We're not breaking the engagement," he answered. "Whatever happens. I promise you
that."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

19 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

tw: self-harm

"May plans ka sa birthday mo, Sam? Like last time, club ulit?"

My chewing slowed down after Luna asked the question. It was another Saturday and
we were eating along España because I didn't want to eat alone. Clyden went out to
a coffee shop today to study with his friends the whole day. Unti-unti na siyang
mas nagiging busy habang palapit nang palapit ang December.

I almost forgot about my birthday. These past few weeks, I had been focusing more
on my studies and also on my new relationship with Clyden. If Luna didn't remind me
about it, I would have just let it pass.

"I think so. Wala naman akong ibang way to celebrate but to be with my friends.
Yanna can't go, though," I said with a hint of loneliess in my voice. I knew Yanna
won't go even if i-invite ko siya because there would be so many people and she
didn't want to be found. Maybe we'll just celebrate my birthday on another day.
"Sam, baka hindi ako makapunta. UAAP season, e. Training," Sevi said as he was
typing on his phone. He didn't even look at us. Kanina pa siya text nang text at
minsan natatawa pa. Hindi ko alam kung nagtitingin siya ng memes or what.

"It's okay. Fight well!" I gave him a smile though he didn't see it because he
didn't even give me back a single glance. Luna stared at Sevi for a moment before
smirking and rolling her eyes.

"Sam, please don't invite him," Luna suddenly begged after realizing that I was
also friends with her ex. "Please! Please!"

"Luna, kapag nalaman niyang invited ka, I think he won't go," I told her honestly.
Kalix was always like that.

Upon mentioning Luna's name, he would automatically say no to my invites.

Sometimes, he would ask if Luna was invited beforehand bago siya pumunta and I
didn't want to lie even though I really wanted them to finally see each other.
There was too much avoiding on both sides. I didn't know how long they could go.
They were both so good at avoiding. These bitter people, really.

"Sinong pipiliin mo? Ako o siya? Diba ako?! I'm your friend since high school! Ako
dapat ang aattend sa birthday mo at hindi siya so huwag mo siyang i-invite or else
hindi ako pupunta!" Luna sounded like a kid.

"Bitter mo naman." Kierra laughed at her before taking a bite on her pizza.
"Porket kasi ikaw.." Luna glanced at Kierra and suddenly stopped talking. The side
of her lips slowly formed a devilish smile before taking a sip on her juice like
she was holding so much power against her cousin.

"Via, where's Arkin?" I asked her when I noticed that she was extra quiet today.
She was staring at her plate for too long but when I asked her about her best
friend, her head shot up to look at me with wide eyes.

"Shooting," maikling sagot niya. "Ata," she added. "Hindi ko alam. Si Sevi ang
tanungin mo."

"Hala, bakit ako?" Sevi held his chest like he was attacked by the tone of Via's
remark. "Bakit parang galit ka sa 'kin, Avianna? Last na kita ko roon, noong nag
gym kami!"

"Inaagawan mo na kasi siya ng best friend!" Singit ni Luna sa usapan. "Ayan! Mang-
aagaw ka kasi palagi kaya maraming galit sa 'yo! Tignan mo, pati si Via, galit na
sa 'yo! Actually, selos lang 'yan! Yieee!"

"Ang cute mo talaga, Luna. Walang maaagaw kung walang magpapa-agaw. Diba? Ay,
pasmado bibig ko. Sorry!" Sevi covered his mouth dramatically and raised his other
hand as a sign of apology but his expression said otherwise. He looked like he just
achieved something.

"Kaya walang lumalandi sa 'yo kasi ganiyan ugali mong hayop ka!" Luna yelled back
at him, medyo napipikon na.
"Sure ka walang lumalandi sa 'kin?" Sevi raised a brow, smirking now.

I laughed and shook my head before finishing my plate. I just let them quarrel on
the table because it was their normal bond. Good thing Yanna wasn't around or else
the table would have already turned by now. Those three were so good at pissing
each other off and knowing Yanna, hindi pa 'yun nagpapatalo.

In the table, Kierra and Via were the most responsible but their difference was
that Via was calmer than Kierra. Ke had always been hot-headed. Mabilis siyang
mairita at mapikon kaya hindi ko rin alam kung paano niya nakakayanan makipag-
sabayan kay Luna knowing how loud and carefree she was.

When I went home, Clyden was still out so I just spent the whole day planning my
birthday. I made calls and invitations after reserving a club with the help of
Raylee. I also informed my dad about it and actually, sanay na sila dahil every
birthday ko naman may ganoon. Though my mom was never in favor of it kaya lagi kong
sinasabi na it's a formal and elegant party para pumayag siya. My parties were the
total opposite of formal and elegant. It was always a beautiful disaster because
guests came from different schools and circles of friends.

I was also already planning to introduce Clyden to my friends but I still wasn't
sure if he was available. Sobrang busy na niya and occupied sa studies niya ngayon
pero hindi pa rin naman niya nakakalimutang magluto para sa lunch box ko na
binabaon ko sa school. He was really determined to learn how to cook various dishes
and he was improving day by day.

I just finished brushing Hail's fur when the door opened. The dogs automatically
ran to Clyden when they smelled his presence. Tumayo na rin ako at ngumiti sa
kaniya. He looked at me after giving the dogs a pat on their heads. He looked extra
tired today. I just knew that he didn't sleep at all last night because when I woke
up, the bedsheet was still in its place.

"Hey," he greeted me while walking towards my direction. I placed the brush down on
the table so I could welcome him with wide arms. He automatically went to me and
gave me a tight hug, leaning his head against my shoulder and relaxing his body. "I
missed you," he whispered.

"You should rest more. You studied all day. I think that's enough," I told him as I
played with his hair.

"It's never enough," he said, laughing a bit. Umayos siya ng tayo at hinawakan ang
bewang ko. I looked up to him because of his height. Matangkad na ako pero mas
matangkad pa siya sa 'kin.

"Relax your brain tonight and come sleep with me, please?" I pouted, hoping that my
tactic would work. I really just wanted him to rest. I think he was really pushing
himself too hard.

He stared at me for a moment before giving my forehead a kiss. "Okay. I'll just
take a shower."

I already took a shower so I just went up to brush my teeth and do my skincare

while waiting for him to finish taking a bath. I sat down on the bed and leaned my
back against the frame while scrolling through my phone. I received so many replies
on my invitation and almost all of them said yes so I was a bit nervous about the
chaos approaching.
I looked up when Clyden sat beside me, fresh from
towel placed around his neck to dry his hair. His
which made me feel so many things. Even though we
few weeks now, we didn't really make progress and
talk about it or not.
the shower. He was using the
masculine scent invaded the room,
had been sleeping together for a
I wasn't also sure if we should

Not that I was that thirsty for him, geez! I was just.. conscious dahil hindi ko
alam kung gusto ba niyang pag-usapan o hindi, kung gusto ba niyang gawin o hindi,
kung may balak ba siya o wala. Oh well, I'll just go with the flow.

"Bakit tunog nang tunog phone mo?" Nagtatakang tanong niya sabay tingin sa phone
ko. Mukhang gusto niyang kuhanin pero hindi niya ginawa.

"Nothing. I was sending invites earlier to my party. D-do you want to come? It's
next week, Saturday." I didn't know if I should mention my birthday or not. Hindi
ko nga alam kung aware siya sa birthday ko. I wanted to test if he would remember
it.

"Saturday?" He looked up while he was thinking, then he checked the calendar on his
phone. I thought he was going to mention my birthday but he didn't. "Hindi ako
pwede. May bibisitahin kaming hospital nila Ridge tapos mag-aaral kami pagkatapos.
May dalawang major exams kami sa Monday. I'm sorry."

Though I felt a slight pain on my chest, I still gave him a small smile. "It's
okay. Your exams are more important! Ace it! Relax your brain for now. Let's rest!"
He nodded before putting his towel inside the bathroom. Humiga na 'ko sa kama at
nilapag ang phone ko sa side table pagkapatay ng ilaw. I also turned the lamp on,
leaving a little source of light around the room. Naramdaman kong humiga na rin
siya at nagtakip ng braso sa mata niya, a sign that he was still thinking. I could
hear him whisper some medical terms like he was memorizing.

"I told you to sleep," inis na sabi ko sa kaniya. He stopped mumbling and let out a
small laugh like he purposely did that to annoy me.

"Tinitignan ko lang kung may naaalala ako sa inaral kanina. I always do it before I
sleep," he explained and continued mumbling.

I closed my eyes and just waited for him to stop but he just wouldn't. Did he study
all of those in just one day? How come he could still remember? He was so good at
memorization.

When the mumbling stopped, I felt his arms on my stomach, pulling me closer to him
so I moved with my eyes still closed. He planted a soft kiss on my shoulder before
whispering good night. I checked if he was already asleep after a few minutes
before giving him a kiss on the tip of his nose. I admired him for a moment before
I actually fell asleep.

The next morning was a Sunday and it was a rule between us na kapag Sunday, we
should go out and do something. I wondered what it would be today. We failed to
talk about it last night so I had no clue what it would be.
Nauna akong magising sa kaniya dahil bumabawi siya ng tulog at mukhang hindi siya
magigising after lunch kaya kumain na lang ako mag-isa. Pinaliguan ko na rin 'yung
dogs and let them run around to dry themselves. I took so many pictures of Maple
because she was so cute, like a bear. I posted it on my Instagram story and Luna
replied a 'bb bear!!! <3'.

Even after taking a shower, Clyden was still asleep so I just went to the living
room to arrange his things. He left his books on the coffee table and I got curious
so I opened the thickest one only to be surprised to see so many highlighted words
and post-it bookmarks on the corner with different colors. He still looked so
organized when studying. Color-coded ang highlights niya. I suddenly felt bad for
him. It must be hard to study all of these.

Ang dami rin niyang ballpen at highlighter sa pencil case niya. His handwriting
looked a little messy pero naiintindihan ko pa rin naman. He was probably
practicing his signature because I saw a paper full of them, which made me laugh a
little. It was also the time when I discovered that he drew well! He drew so many
illustrations and he was also good at coloring them and labelling. They looked so
great.

I just realized that we really didn't know much about each other, especially small
things like this. I sighed and just finished arranging his things inside his bag
before going up to change my clothes. Mukhang mamaya pa siya magigising kaya
pupunta muna ako sa mansion para mag-bake kasama si Naomi. She was really looking
forward to it.

I just left a note beside the table to let Clyden know that I was leaving, kahit
pwede ko namang i-text. I just wanted to be extra. I drove to the mansion after
that, bringing the ingredients and materials Clyden and I bought. Iniwan ko 'yung
ibang ingredients dahil sabi ni Clyden magbe-bake din daw siya.

"Ate!" Naomi ran down the stairs when she saw my car through the window. I welcomed
her with a warm smile. Mom probably wasn't around because Naomi could act freely
like this. "Are we baking brownies?!"
She sounded so excited, which made me smile wider. "Yes! Let's go! I even bought
matching aprons!"

She almost jumped out of joy before we went to the kitchen to prepare. I had my
laptop beside the table so we could check the instructions. It wasn't my first time
baking so I kind of already knew what to do but it was still better to have a
guide. I taught Naomi how to mix and what to mix. I also helped her crack an egg,
which she wasn't really good at but it was fine.

"It's so hard to mix!" She complained, looking like she was already about to cry.

"Here." I held her wrist to guide her but suddenly stopped when she flinched. I
looked at her with wide eyes when I felt a scar against my palm. I parted my lips
and slowly let her go when she looked uncomfortable.

She pursed her lips and gave me a small smile that didn't even reach her eyes.
"Okay! Next step!" She sounded enthusiastic to cover up what just happened. I felt
like she really didn't want to talk about it so I just remained silent.

"L-let's go with the frosting!" I also matched the tone of her voice, but deep
inside, I was already overthinking.

After doing everything, we just waited for the brownies to bake. She sat on the
high-chair and watched some photography videos in YouTube. I heard that she
attended the photography workshop I recommended last week. She was really
determined to learn.

"Did you really want to take Pol Sci?" I asked, sitting across her.

Her head shot up to look at me, not pausing the video on her phone. She looked like
she was still thinking of what to say. Mukhang hindi niya rin alam ang isasagot
niya.

"I thought I wanted it," she said in a soft voice before looking away. "Turns out I
just wanted validation."

I pursed my lips. I didn't know what to say because I knew how hard it was for her
and how I got it all so easy. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

I thought she wouldn't reply back but she actually held my hand above the table and
gave me a smile. "It's not your fault that your parents love you."

"And everything that's happening is also not your fault." I suddenly had the urge
to cry but the alarm went off so I had to get the brownies inside the oven.

They turned out so great. We added frosting and waited for it to cool down before
we actually took a bite. It was a little sweeter than usual but Naomi still loved
it and she looked so proud that she baked something.

"You look great when you're happy," I suddenly told her.

Her smile faded a bit when she looked back at me but it returned wider. "Come on,
stop being so cheesy." She rolled her eyes and laughed.

When I came back to the house, Clyden was finally awake, but he was too busy
studying to even notice me. Nagtatampo ako sa kaniya dahil wala kaming nagawa
ngayong araw pero okay na rin dahil nakapunta ako kay Naomi. I didn't know what to
feel. I kind of wanted to get mad at Clyden for sleeping for too long but it was
such a lame reason to get mad and he probably won't even get bothered by it. Busy
siya sa pag-aaral niya para mapansin pang galit ako so I just let it pass.

I was about to go upstairs but he suddenly talked. "You won't greet me?" He said
without giving me a glance. He was highlighting his book.

"Hey," I said, giving him a fake smile.

He sighed before looking at me, still holding the highlighter on his hand. "I know
you're mad. I'm sorry. Babawi ako sa 'yo. Let me just finish this."

"Hey, no, it's fine!" I panicked and waved my hands in front of me. "Just focus on
your exam. I'm tired from baking so I'll just sleep early."
I didn't wait for his answer anymore and just went upstairs, feeling a bit mad now.
Maybe it wasn't because he slept for too long but it was because there was still no
mention of my birthday! Hindi ba talaga niya alam? Or was he just pretending? I
doubt! Baka sobrang busy niya lang at nakalimutan na niya!

It was really annoying that he couldn't come to my party but his reason was
acceptable. He had to study but I can't help but to feel sad about it. Ugh, I
didn't want to feel like this. I didn't want to be 'that' kind of person.

"Get over it, Samantha," I whispered.

The next morning, Clyden woke up earlier than me, or maybe he didn't sleep at all.
I couldn't really tell. My lunchbox was already left on the breakfast table and he
was already gone. He still left a note saying that he had to go early so he could
still study before his exam. I accepted that one, of course.

Days went by so fast. Nothing really changed except the fact that Clyden slept 3
consecutive nights in his condo because he said driving was a waste of time during
his busy week. I was so close to getting mad at him but his reasons were all valid
so I couldn't do anything about it! I just can't help but to sulk on it alone.

"Yo! Tuloy party bukas, ah? May attire na 'ko!" Adonis sat beside me while I was
eating at Gonz with my friends. "Wow, may lunch box! Cute naman niyan! Nagtitipid
ka, Sam? Bago 'yun, ah!"
"No, Clyden made it for me," I said, still staring at my food. "By the way, is
Kalix coming to my birthday? Napilit n'yo ba?"

"Wala, ayaw niya. Alam mo naman! Maarte 'yon, e!" He said out loud he had to look
around to check if Kalix heard him or not. Nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang
makitang busy bumibili ng shake si Kalix. "Huwag mo 'ko sumbong, ah! Pero kami ni
Leo pupunta! Pass lang ako sa mga chicks, dude!"

"Wow, you have someone you like now?" I asked, raising my brows.

"I have someone who likes me now," he corrected. "Just kidding!"

"Hey, I liked you before, remember?" Nakakatawa pala kapag naaalala ko. He used to
tease me about it ever since we became friends. Ngayon, nagtataka na rin ako sa
sarili ko. How embarrassing.

"Oo, kaso hindi talaga kita type, Sam, e." He fixed his hair before smirking at me.
"Pasensya ka na, ah," mayabang na sabi niya which made me roll my eyes. This guy,
really.

While I was on my way home, I called Yanna just to check on her. Due na siya a few
months from now. Habang palapit nang palapit, I was worried that it would hurt more
for her. I watched so many labor videos so I knew how painful it was to go through
pregnancy, especially when she's alone without her family.
[Happy birthday!] Yanna shouted when she answered the call.

"Friday pa lang, Yanna," I corrected her although I knew she did that on purpose.
"You probably can't come to my party, right? Let's just video call on Sunday."

[Malungkot ka? Ano ka ba, okay lang 'yan! Ang daming birthday mo nang kasama ako
'no! Okay 'to kasi mas macecelebrate mo kasama jowa mo!]

"I don't even know if aware siyang birthday ko sa Sunday." I rolled my eyes in
annoyance.

[Alam niya naman siguro 'yan! Don't worry! Mas mag-alala ka sa pechay mo dahil
hanggang ngayon, hindi ka pa rin nadidiligan! Hahahaha!] She laughed so hard to
piss me off but her laugh was contagious so I just ended up laughing with her.

When I got home, I noticed Clyden's car in the garage so he was probably home
already after 3 days without him! This jerk! Hindi ko tuloy siya pinansin
pagkapasok ko. I gave all my attention to my dogs.

"Hi," Clyden greeted me but I purposely ignored him. He was at the kitchen, cooking
something while holding a book. I didn't even give him a glance and just went
straight upstairs.
I took a shower and did some school work before going downstairs only to see Clyden
serving the food he cooked. He looked like he wanted to invite me to eat dinner
with him but he couldn't seem to open his mouth to talk.

Umupo na lang ako sa harapan niya kaya nakahinga siya nang maluwag. He also sat in
front of me and was about to put rice on my plate but I shook my head.

"Diet," he said, nodding and putting the bowl down. "Nagluto ako ng gulay para sa
'yo." His tone was so careful like I was a monster he didn't want to offend.

"Should I thank you for that?" I asked without looking at him.

He pursed his lips and shook his head slightly which made me feel guilty. That was
so mean, Samantha! Hindi na tuloy ako mapakali!

I wanted so bad to apologize but my pride was so over the top at the moment because
he obviously forgot about my birthday. Kapag hindi pa niya nabanggit ngayong gabi,
hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko sa kaniya!

"Ako na magliligpit," he said when I was about to get my plate. Binitawan ko tuloy
at tinalikuran na siya. I heard his heavy sigh before I went upstairs.
I was cursing the mirror while I was brushing my teeth, imagining that it was
Clyden. I never wanted to fight with the mirror so bad! Tinuro-turo ko pa habang
bumubulong ako. Ganoon ako kaasar sa kaniya. I sighed again to calm myself before I
went inside the master's bedroom.

Humiga na 'ko at pinikit ang mata ko. Tomorrow will be my celebration so I needed
some beauty sleep. Hindi ko na hinintay si Clyden na umakyat at natulog na lang
ako.

When I woke up, he was already gone. I didn't even expect him to be downstairs
anymore since he already mentioned last week about his hospital visit with Ridge
today. Tama nga ako at maaga siyang umalis, but he still left a text message to
inform me. Mas lalo lang lumala ang tampo ko sa kaniya but I couldn't do anything.

I just rested the whole day while waiting for the right time to prepare. It was
around 5 PM when I started getting ready for the party. I decided to just wear a
black bodycon strap dress with a deep v-neck. It was also backless, ending just
above my hips with a crossed strap. My hair was already ending below my shoulders.
I just curled them a bit to achieve a wavy hair before braiding a few strands in
front.

I sprayed perfume before getting my silver purse partnered with my silver heels. I
had to be extra because it was my birthday so I also put on some jewelry. I kind of
wished Clyden was around to see my outfit for today but he wasn't. He was busy
studying. It was fine. It was for his future all along. For our future.

I went to the club early so I could coordinate with the organizers about the
design. I also helped arrange tables for the visitors, putting their names per
table. I made sure everything was okay before 10 PM.
Little by little, the venue started to get crowded. I was in the main door,
greeting my friends and guiding them to their tables. Almost everyone was holding a
present so I put on a gift corner so they can leave their gifts right there.

"Happy birthday, Sammy!" Luna gave me a hug. "Wala si Sev! Si Ke tsaka Via kasama
ko!"

"It's okay! Thank you!" Kierra and Via also gave me a hug after greeting me a happy
birthday. Luna was consciously looking around so I laughed. "He's not here, don't
worry."

"Hinahanap ba kasi ayaw makita o hinahanap kasi gustong makita?" Kierra asked,
smirking.

"Happy birthday, Sam!" I looked at Shan who just entered the club with his other
friends. Sila Neil.

Shan bumped against Kierra, making her step backwards a bit. She glared at him
before walking away to find their table. I laughed and just continued greeting
other guests until the party started for real. I went to the stage to drink the
first shot for the night before everyone started drinking.

I couldn't drink since I was busy going around to welcome everyone in my party.
"Hello!" I greeted Lewis, the one I dated back then. 'Yung football player na
nireto ni Adonis.
"Hi, Sam. Happy birthday!" He gave me a small hug before getting a bottle of beer.
We talked about Adonis for a bit while his hand was still on my waist. I think it
was just a friendly habit. I laughed when Adonis pointed at him.

"Hoy, backstabber!" Adonis scowled. "Uy, si Luna! Nandito talaga! Mukhang blooming,
ah!"

"I'll just go to my friend's table," paalam ko kila Lewis.

When I turned around, I was shocked to see Clyden holding a small paper bag. He was
wearing a dark blue button-down polo shirt tuck inside his black slacks with a
designer belt on. His hair was brushed a bit to the side, making him look more
formal than usual. However, his eyes were fixed on my waist.. with Lewis' hand
holding it.

He sighed heavily before turning around and pulling Ridgen with him. Ridge looked
so confused but he still put the bottle of beer down on the table and followed
Clyden out. I massaged my head and muttered a curse before running to catch up on
him.

"Hey!" I shouted but he still continued walking to the parking lot. The club had
its own parking lot with two floors. Clyden probably parked on the underground
level since he stopped in front of the elevator, letting go of Ridgen's sleeve.

"Huwag mo 'ko idamay, pre! Lukot na tuloy!" Ridgen tried to straighten the crease
on his shirt.
Clyden didn't respond to him. He just put his hands inside his pocket and when the
elevator opened, he went inside and pushed the close button so fast but I also
managed to put my hand in between the doors. When Ridgen saw me, he stopped and
just let me walk inside the lift.

"Balik na 'ko sa loob, ah," Ridgen carefully said before running away like he was
scared of Clyden.

Both of us were quiet inside the elevator. I bit my lower lip, a little nervous
about the overall aura of his. It was too dark, heavy, and serious. Hindi pa nga
ako umiinom at isang shot lang 'yun ng tequila pero pakiramdam ko nag-iinit ako
dahil sa nerbyos.

The elevator opened and he left me again. He was taller than me so it was so easy
for him to keep distance using his legs. He opened the door of his car and went
inside. The light on the side where he parked was broken so it was a bit dark.
Mabuti na lang nabuksan ko rin ang pinto at umupo ako sa shotgun seat.

"What are you doing? Bumalik ka roon. Birthday mo," he said, looking at me with his
brows furrowed.

"So you know about my birthday?" I raised a brow.

"How could I not? I spent the whole fucking day looking for a nice gift only to see
you having fun with another fucking guy. Who has the right to get mad now, huh?" He
was controlling his anger so much. It was so evident in his voice.

He started the engine and turned the aircon on. He sighed heavily and leaned his
elbow against the steering wheel, massaging the bridge of his nose. I looked in
front and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for him to calm down before I
talked.

"Bumalik ka na," he said more calmly now. "Aalis na 'ko."

"No, you can't leave," I said in a stubborn tone. He looked at me with frustration
in his eyes before pushing his chair backwards to give himself more space.

[r-18.]

"Sino ba 'yon?" He asked now, trying to control his emotions. "Bakit ang saya saya
mo? You were ignoring me the whole week. May iba ka na ba?" He sounded in pain now.
"Ganoon ba 'yon? Sawa ka na ba sa 'kin?"

I felt a punch on my chest when I saw his doubtful eyes. I bit my lower lip before
facing him to touch his face. I forced him to look at me and leaned to give him a
soft kiss. He closed his eyes a little when he looked down on me but he was so
unresponsive.
"No. I love you, okay? I just thought you forgot about my birthday so I was mad," I
explained softly, my lips still inches away from him.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if you knew," he whispered back, getting hypnotized by

my kisses and my scent.

He stared at me for a moment before holding my nape and pulling me closer to him so
he could kiss me deeper. I opened my mouth and sucked on his tongue when he pushed
it inside me. His hands slowly reached for my waist and pulled me towards his
position, forcing me to move from the shotgun seat to his seat.

I straddled his hips, the hem of my dress going up to my legs, revealing my lace
panties. He placed his hands on my thighs before kissing me again. I was now
hovering on top of him so he had to look up. I almost yelled in shock when he
pushed the backrest a little backwards.

"Is it okay to do this here?" I consciously looked around only to see no one.

"It's tinted," he whispered before pulling on my nape to kiss me again.

His kisses went from my mouth
lightly, careful not to leave
brushed on my thighs, pushing
stomach. I could now feel his
and wet down there.
down to my neck where he playfully licked and sucked
any marks. I bit my lower lip when his hand slowly
the hem of my dress upwards until it reached my
bulge in between my legs, making me feel more heated
"Take it off," he said as he played with the strap of my dress.

I nodded like a good girl and took the straps off my shoulder. As soon as it left
my arms, he pulled it down, revealing my mounds. I didn't have time to react
anymore because he started kissing and sucking on it while he was massaging the
other one, brushing his thumb on my nipples.

"Cy," I moaned when he grabbed me harder. He massaged and licked alternately to

give both of my mounds equal attention before kissing my neck again down to my
collarbone. He was playing with my chest with both of his hands now like an expert.

My hands started unbuttoning his polo while he was kissing me, pushing his tongue
inside my mouth to taste every corner of me. When I successfully unbuttoned his
shirt, I pushed it over his shoulders so he could take it off, and so he did. He
threw it on the backseat and went back to kissing. I hissed when I felt his hand
slowly going in between my legs. He stopped kissing me when he pushed my panties
aside to touch my wetness with his fingers.

"So this is what it feels like," he whispered, laughing a little.

"Do you know what to do?" I teased him back. I was about to laugh at him when he
suddenly dug a finger inside me, making me moan in his ear.

"I think so," he answered, smirking now.

His finger suddenly left me when I was already feeling it. I looked at him in
confusion and he looked back at me with serious dark eyes.

"Turn around," he commanded.

I changed my position from facing him with my legs straddling his hips to just
sitting pretty on his thighs with my body facing the steering wheel. Good thing the
backrest was reclined so I wouldn't hurt my head.

His hand went in between my legs again to pull my panties down to my legs. My eyes
widened when I saw a group of people walking in the parking lot, malapit sa amin.
Clyden wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me in place when he successfully
pushed my panties down. I helped him take it off.

"May tao, Cy," I looked back at him.

"It's okay," he whispered before pushing my hair away from my shoulder so he could
kiss my neck. "Aren't you thrilled?"

"Aren't you? It's your first time," I teased back.

"My goal is to not make you feel like it's my first time. Tell me if I'm doing
something wrong," he said before pushing a finger inside me, making me moan. He
covered my mouth with his other hand when the group of people walked past his car.
"Shush."

He started thrusting his finger inside me and stopped to massage my clit with his
thumb. I was shocked that he found it so fast. Did he study that one too? Probably
one of the perks of analyzing the human's body.

I leaned my back against his chest when he started thrusting his fingers faster
inside me. He touched my thigh and hanged it on his other thigh so he could spread
my legs wider. I bit my lower lip and held on his arm while he was adjusting his
pace.

"Is it okay?" He asked and I nodded. I yelled his name when he adjusted his hand
and hit the right spot.

"That's better." Halos hindi na 'ko makapagsalita. When I felt like something was
already building up on my stomach, he stopped fingering me and made us change our
positions. He made me go back to the shotgun seat before spreading my legs wider
while facing him. I never felt so exposed!

"What are you- Oh my god."

I held on the backrest when he started sucking on my wetness before pushing his
tongue inside me. He looked at me for a moment to see my reaction before pushing
another finger. His finger's thrusts mimicked the pace of his tongue inside me,
making me explode.

"Please, let's.." I couldn't talk anymore.

He nodded and made me move back to the driver's seat, with him seated and leaning
against the reclined seat and me on top of him, straddling his hips. I fumbled on
his belt and pushed it down until he was only left with his black designer boxers.
I licked my lower lip and touched the bulge on it, feeling how large he was.

"Ah," he groaned when I started rubbing on him.

I pushed it down on his legs again and he helped me with it. My eyes widened when
his member proudly stood in between my legs. He looked away, feeling a little
embarrassed now. I laughed at his reaction before wrapping my hands around him,
making him close his eyes.

"Do you have a condom with you?" I asked him while I was moving my hands up and
down his member. He nodded and licked his lower lip before reaching for a box
inside his mini compartment. "Why the hell do you have a box with you?" Kumunot ang
noo ko.

"I bought one for you. God, don't hold it too tight." He sounded in pain because I
unconsciously squeezed his member on my hand when I asked the question.
"Do you know how to put it on?" I teased again, trying to stop myself from smiling.

"Anong tingin mo sa 'kin? Kahapon lang pinanganak?" Masungit na sabi niya sabay
kuha ng pack sa loob ng box. Upon opening the foil pack, the condom almost slipped
on his fingers because of the lubricant. I laughed when I noticed that he was
nervous.

"Hey, relax, I got this," I whispered, smirking.

He looked at me with dark eyes before smoothly sliding the condom on his member. I
didn't have time to react because he held my waist to push me up, positioning his
member in between my legs. I held on the backrest and slowly pushed my hips down
but I had a hard time because of the pain I felt.

Damn, he was fucking huge. I felt like my insides were being stretched. He looked
at my face, closely watching my reaction and panicking a bit.

"Masakit ba?" Nag-aalalang tanong niya.

"No," I denied but my expression said otherwise. I pushed my body down until he was
completely inside me, making him sigh. I was already panting while adjusting to his
size. I shouldn't fail him! I had to move!
I started moving my hips on top of him until the pain was already gone. I held on
the back rest, just beside his head, and started moving my hips up and down over
him. He held my waist so tight and guided me, groaning a little.

"Cy," I moaned on his ear as I adjusted my position, making him hit my most
sensitive spot. His hands went around my ass to help push my hips against his. I
circled my hips before going down on him again.

"Fuck," he whispered before wrapping his arms around my waist, keeping me in place.
I moaned on his neck when he started pushing himself up to meet my hips. I started
kissing his lips but the kisses were getting sloppier as I felt my stomach tighten.

I was giving out small moans until I felt my legs shaking. He gave one full thrust
before I felt my release. He gave more slow thrusts inside me while releasing his
juice. Napasandal na lang ang ulo ko sa balikat niya habang hinahabol ang hininga
ko. We were both sweating but it felt so good.

"Clean up. We need to go back to the party," he whispered while playing with my
hair. "How was it?"

"You feel so good," I whispered in a little voice. I was too tired to talk. "I'm
tired. Let's go home."

"Hindi pa nga nagsisimula party mo uuwi na kaagad? Magbihis ka na. Babalik pa tayo
roon." He kissed my forehead before lightly pushing me away. "Get dressed, Maui."
I sighed and nodded before going to the shotgun seat to fix my dress. There was
already a crease on it but since it was black, it wasn't that obvious. I fixed my
hair and wiped my sweat. Nag-retouch na rin ako ng makeup habang binubutones niya
ang polo niya.

"Maureen," he suddenly called.

"Yes?" I looked at him and waited for him to talk.

He glanced at the time before giving me the small paper bag. "Happy birthday,
love."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

20 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"What is this?"

I asked that as soon as I opened the small paper bag he gave me. He was putting
alcohol on his hands when he stopped to look at me. Slowly, I saw how his cheeks
blushed as he looked away in embarrassment.
"Why? Why are you getting shy now? What is this?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ko. When I
received no response from him, I started to just find out myself.

I took out the thing inside the bag and I was shocked to see a small velvet box. I
looked at him in confusion but he was playing with his lower lip while looking
outside the car's window. I blinked twice when I saw a ring inside. It was a simple
one with a rose gold band and a small diamond in front.

"W-what.." I didn't know what to say. I was confused and out of words. I looked at
the ring I was wearing and it was actually more extravagant by this one. The
simpler ring was more like him.

"I didn't choose the ring you're wearing right now. Our parents chose it for us. I
think it's just right to give you a ring that I picked myself," he explained, a
little nervous. "If.. If you don't want to wear it, it's fine-"

"Oh my god," I whispered, still staring at the ring. My lips slowly formed a smile
out of so much happiness. How sweet of him. I never even thought of it that way! I
was actually fine with the ring I was wearing. Little did I know that he was
thinking about it that way. "Suot mo sa 'kin!"

He looked at me for a moment before smiling a little and reaching out for the small
box in my hand. Tinanggal niya ang singsing at hinawakan ang kamay ko. I was
looking down on my hand, waiting for him to slide the ring on my finger but I
immediately looked up when his other hand touched my chin to give me a soft kiss.

I automatically closed my eyes to welcome his lips on mine. When he let go, his
eyes went down to my hand, admiring the ring on my finger. It looked so pretty on
me. Dalawa na ang singsing ko ngayon!
"I'm going to marry you," he suddenly said.

"Do not be so sure, Clyden. You're giving me false hopes. What if something big
happens that will force us to be apart from each other?" I raised a brow at him.

I knew I was the one who asked that question but I felt a sting on my chest just by
thinking about it. I probably couldn't be apart from him for a long time. He was
the only one that was keeping me sane apart from my friends. I found comfort in his
arms. I couldn't live again in a world with us treating each other as strangers.

"Even if the world forces me to leave you, I wouldn't," he seriously answered. "I
will stay by your side whatever happens so do the same for me."

"I also want to stay with you," I said in a small voice. "You will always be there
for me, right?"

"Of course, love."

I smiled and gave him a short kiss before we decided to come back to the party. I
hoped I wasn't gone for too long! When we entered the club, his hand automatically
went around my waist to pull me closer to him. I almost fell when I bumped against
Kierra on my way out. She looked so mad!
"Sorry, Sam! Uuwi na 'ko!" She gave me a wave and a forced smile before walking
away again, holding her bag so tight like she wanted to hit someone with it.

"Hey, wait!" Clyden pulled me away when I almost bumped against Shan this time. He
looked back at me and gave me an apologetic smile before running out of the club.

"Ke! Huwag mo 'kong iwan!" Luna was running, too! She looked so scared to be left
inside that she even ran wearing high heels. Wala na siyang pakialam kung madadapa
siya o ano.

My brows furrowed, now getting so confused why everyone was running. Lasing na ba
ang mga bisita ko? I thought it was the end of it but I saw Via being pulled away
by a mysterious man wearing a black cap and a black jacket. I was about to butt in
when I heard Via's yell.

"Larkin! Ano ba?!" Via sounded so frustrated.

"Wow," I whispered when I realized that all of my friends were now gone!
Ipapakilala ko pa naman sana si Clyden! Nawala lang ako, lahat sila umuwi na?!
"Ugh. Come on. Let's just get a drink."

"Those are your friends, huh?" He asked while I was pulling him towards the counter
to get us some drinks. I gave him a nod and an awkward smile. "How chaotic."
"Oh, wait 'til you meet my best friend." I laughed.

We sat on a couch after I ordered us some cocktail drinks to start with. Doon na
'ko umupo sa couch nila Kierra kanina but since wala na sila, kami na lang dalawa
ni Clyden ang natira. I looked at him and watched him smell the cocktail. He made a
disgusted face before putting it down.

"It's okay. You don't need to drink if you don't want to," I told him. I was not
the type to peer-pressure my visitors into drinking. It should be their choice so
they wouldn't blame me for their hangover afterwards.

"Gusto kong uminom," he told me before getting the glass and taking a large sip.
His brows furrowed when he tasted it. The taste of alcohol was too strong,
obviously, but he pretended that it was good. "Wow."

"It's strong because that's mine." I laughed before switching our glasses. 'Yung sa
akin ang ininom niya. I ordered the one with less alcohol content for him. "Drink
this instead."

Instead of drinking the one I was giving him, he finished my glass and got another
one. I didn't know if he was purposely trying to get himself drunk! I couldn't lose
to him but I also wanted to supervise him so I just slowly drank tequila with him.
I saw some girls eyeing him while he was busy drinking so I scooted closer to him
and took his other hand so I could intertwine it with mine.
"Do not get yourself drunk. You used to preach about alcohol drinking back then," I
teased him, laughing a little.

"Ngayon lang. I'm still a little embarrassed," he whispered on my ear. The music
was so loud so kailangan niya talagang bumulong sa 'kin.

"Embarrassed? Why?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. "About?"

"About what happened earlier." He looked away before taking another shot. Kumunot
ang noo ko, nagtataka kung anong tinutukoy niya.

What happened earlier? About the ring? Was he embarrassed to give me a ring? Mukha
nga. Kanina nga nahihiya pa siyang ibigay, e. Wait, so the hospital visit was a
lie, huh? What a good liar! I didn't even notice it!

"Hey, it's okay. You do not need to feel shy about giving me a ring," I assured
him. His brows furrowed when he looked at me.

"Our sex, Sam," he clarified.

My lips parted when my brain suddenly played some flashbacks from earlier. I felt
heat on my cheeks so I had to look away from him. Baka mabasa niya ang iniisip ko!
I put my legs together when I suddenly remembered how it felt. Damn, yeah, that was
embarrassing. In the car, really? Samantha Vera?!

"Wait, was that your car?" I asked him back. It was different from the white one he
used to bring. This time, it was silver. "Oh god, don't tell me we did it on
Ridgen's car?!" The thought horrified me!

He looked at me for a moment before calmly putting the glass back on the table. The
side of his lips slowly formed a smile like he wanted to laugh but he couldn't. I
was still waiting for his answer! His silence was starting to horrify me more!

"It's my car. An old Benz I used to own. It was my dad's graduation gift," he
clarified, laughing at my reaction. "I don't use it that much anymore."

Okay, nakahinga ako nang maluwag doon. Speaking of Ridgen, nasaan na kaya siya?
Clyden looked like he didn't care at all. I hoped that he was still sober so he
could drive for Clyden. I came here with my car so I had to drive it home, too.. Or
I could just ask someone to drive it for me. I don't know. I was still feeling
sober even after drinking shots. The alcohol wasn't working.

"Sam!" My eyes widened when Raylee and my other friends from Ateneo suddenly
stopped in front of our table. Her eyes automatically went down to my hand holding
Clyden's hand. "Ooh. Is this the lucky guy?!"

"More like Samantha, the lucky girl. The man's hot," Ayessa said to tease me,
touching her lower lip a little.
"Uh, Cy, my blockmates." I stood up to introduce him. Clyden also stood up and gave
my friends a small smile before shaking their hands. Mukhang nag-blush pa 'yung iba
kong friends nang mahawakan ang kamay niya. He really had that kind of effect, huh.
"This is Clyden, my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, but you're wearing a diamond ring." Raylee looked on my hand again,
smirking. "Hay! Sana all na lang talaga!"

They had to go to the restroom so I went back to our seat. Clyden pulled me closer
to him hanggang sa magdikit na ang binti namin. He was extra clingy so I concluded
that he was already drunk. His alcohol tolerance wasn't that good. Alam ko na 'yon.

"Come on! Let's dance!" Tumayo ako at hinatak siya kasama ko para mahimasmasan siya
kahit papaano. I knew he was drunk but he could still walk properly. Hindi halatang
lasing na siya. O baka hindi pa naman and I was just assuming it?

"Ayokong sumayaw pero sasamahan kita," he said.

I went to the dance floor and greeted some of my friends. I kissed the girls on
their cheeks and talked to them a bit before dancing with them. Clyden was just
standing there and watching me with his arms crossed over his chest.

I waved my hand at Adonis when I saw him walking over to their table with a bottle
on his hand. The smile on my face faded when I noticed that he was with Kalix!
Mukhang kakarating lang dahil may hawak na car keys. I blinked twice and remembered
Luna leaving earlier. They missed their chance! These dummies!
I knew I expected Clyden to be the drunk one but after chugging on some bottles
from random people, I ended up getting wasted. Clyden was also tipsy but he managed
to talk to Adonis and Kalix while pointing on the gift section like he wanted them
to bring it tomorrow.

"You can't possibly drive in that state," Kalix replied, getting his car keys.
"Come on. I'm driving. Adonis, drive Sam's car. Leo, take Clyden's. I'll take mine
and use it on our way back."

"Your logic, Kalix!" I laughed hysterically and clapped my hands. "You are so
brilliant! I wonder why you're so dumb with Luna!"

"Hoy, foul!" Adonis covered my mouth but Clyden slapped his hand away. "Ay, sorry
naman, bro!"

That was what they did. I can't believe I was troubling Adonis and Kalix again like
last time! I should really stop getting wasted at my own party! It was even more
embarrassing because Clyden had to witness all of it! I was hoping he was as drunk
as me so he wouldn't remember this tomorrow.

"Hey, forget about this, okay?!" I pinched Clyden's cheek while we were on the
backseat of Kalix's car. "But don't forget about what happened to us earlier! In
your car!"
"The fuck," Kalix said while he was driving. I bit on my lower lip when Clyden
glared at me to make me shut up.

I did not even mention anything! Sumandal na lang ako nang maayos sa balikat ni
Clyden para mawala ang hilo ko. Kalix was a smooth driver so my dizziness came to
an ease for a moment. Good thing I wasn't feeling like I wanted to throw up. It
would drive Kalix crazy if masukahan ko ang sasakyan niya.

"Luna was there earlier!" I told him again. He didn't answer me back and just
focused on driving. Siguro pinagsisisihan na niyang hinahatid niya kami ngayon.
"Sayang, you didn't see her because she left already! I thought you wouldn't go?
Why did you change your mind?"

"Ang daldal, sorry." Clyden covered my mouth but I pulled his wrist away.

Kalix did not answer any of my questions and just remained silent all throughout
the ride. I wanted to ask more but Clyden's glare was scaring me so I had to shut
up. I waited until the car stopped in front of our house before getting down to
throw up on the nearest garbage bin.

"Hey, thanks." I heard Clyden's voice while I was busy throwing up. He was holding
my hair up while touching my back.

The next thing I knew, I was already in the shower, forcing myself to sober up. I
brushed my teeth and changed my clothes before Clyden, who was waiting outside the
bathroom, carried me to the master's bedroom. I kind of expected him to dress me up
himself but I guess he didn't want to feel like he was taking advantage of me when
I could still do it myself.
The next day, I woke up with a little hangover. Kanina pa tunog nang tunog ang
phone ko kaya sinagot ko na kahit sabog pa ako at hindi ko pa alam kung nasaan ako
o anong nangyari kagabi. I was about to talk when I heard Yanna's loud voice.

[HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABE!] She shouted so loud I had to move the phone away from my
ear. Nagising kaagad ako sa sigaw niya. [Happy happy happy birthday! Sa 'yo ang
inumin! Sa 'yo ang pulutan! Happy happy happy birthday! Sana malasing mo kami!] She
sang.

"Thank you," I said in my tired voice.

[Ano? Okay ka lang ba? Bakit ganyan boses mo?] She was suddenly worried. Or.. that
was what I thought. [Oh shit! Nakadilig ka ba?!]

"Hangover," I reasoned out, holding my head. "Last night was wild. Our friends left
me there! Ang aga nilang umuwi. Good thing you didn't go because Hiro's friends
were there."

[Ahh.] She suddenly sounded so down with the mention of Hiro's name. [Sa December,
bago 'yung due ko, luluwas na 'kong Manila kasama si Mama. Hindi ko pa alam saan
kami tutuloy.]

"My condo's vacant! I can lend it to you! Or you can live here with me!" I
suggested.

[Huwag na. Nakakahiya. Sa condo mo na lang.]

"Okay, I'll pick you up."

My plan was to pick Yanna up all by myself when December came pero nang
accidentally kong nasabi kila Luna ang plano ko, lahat na sila gustong sumama. For
the past two months, everything was just going smooth even though Clyden was mostly
occupied with his studies. I was also busy with mine so quits lang. I waited for my
finals to be over before I organized a charity work for Christmas.

Wala naman akong masyadong gagawin sa Christmas since my parents were always busy
even during holidays so I just decided to celebrate it myself. I accepted donations
from different people and Sevi and others helped me with it. The beneficiaries
would be the victims of the recent typhoon and earthquake.

"Ang aga naman. Inaantok na 'ko," reklamo ni Sevi pagkasakay ng van. I rented a van
para magkasya kaming lahat. Luna and I will take turns in driving.

While we were on our way, I was thinking if I should tell Yanna that Hiro actually
went home and he texted me about her but I felt like she didn't want to know since
it would just hurt her. Kahit naman umuwi si Hiro, wala pa rin siyang planong
ipaalam ang tungkol sa baby. I felt bad for him but I should be loyal to my best
friend. Yanna made me swear my life that I wouldn't tell anyone about her being
pregnant so I protected that secret for months, even hiding it from our friends.
It was hard to watch your friends suffering with you in the middle. Siguro ito na
rin 'yung problema sa maraming kaibigan. Kapag konektado sila sa isa't isa, hindi
mo na alam kung paano kikilos. I was being extra careful the whole time. With Hiro
and Yanna, Kalix and Luna. I wanted them to give each other a chance but I didn't
want to butt in. Besides, relasyon nila 'yon. They chose to be that way.

"Sam, may idadagdag pala akong cash donation sa charity mo," Sevi said.

"Wow, si Sevi, maglalabas ng cash," Luna teased, laughing.

"Hindi galing sa 'kin," Sevi said, handing me an envelope. "Baka makalimutan ko, e!
Eto, oh. Baka mabulsa ko 'yan. Ipangbili ko 'yan ng diamonds sa ML."

"Anong rank mo na? Buhatin kita." Luna smirked at him, nagyayabang.

"Ulol, baka ikaw pa buhatin ko. Diba binuhat ka ni Kalix hanggang Mythic kaso nag-
break kayo kaya bumalik ka sa Legend? Haha, bulok!" Sevi laughed so loud.

Kierra and Via were both sleeping. Buti nakakatulog pa sila kahit ang ingay ni Sevi
at Luna. They were just teasing each other the whole trip. Since madaling-araw kami
umalis, nakarating din kami kaagad sa Nueva Ecija. Yanna was already waiting
outside with her bags and her mom was with her, too. My eyes widened when I saw how
big her tummy was already! It looked like it hurt!
"Alalayan ang buntis," Via teased.

"Thank you sa sundo. Kaninong van 'to?" Yanna's voice changed a bit. It was calmer
now. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa mother na siya or inaantok lang siya dahil
madaling-araw.

"Nirentahan ni Sam," Kierra answered. Yanna sat on the second row while Sevi was
putting her bags at the back. He insisted just to flex his biceps. "Hello po,
Tita."

While we were on our way back to Manila, they started playing a game where they
will throw out some names for the baby. Of course, the dumbest and ugliest names
came from Sevi. Yanna massaged her head in frustration after hearing their
suggestions.

When we arrived at my condo, Sevi and the others had to go home immediately so they
could get some sleep while I helped Yanna with her things. Her mom went out to buy
some food. Inaantok na rin ako pero kailangan kong bantayan si Yanna.

"How about April?" I suggested the one I wanted for my child. "Or like.. Avi? Since
her parents like aviation."

"Pwede." Yanna looked up while thinking. "Avrielle kaya? Malapit na sa April..

since April din naman siya nagawa."
"Second name could be related to the sky? What do you think?" I wanted so bad to
connect the kid to Hiro as much as possible. Iyon na lang ang kaya kong ibigay. I
didn't want the kid to be away from her dad, kahit sa pangalan lang.

"Haven," Yanna said like she already thought of it beforehand. "Avrielle Haven."

I realized that she purposely made the initials 'A.H'. Ashianna and Hiro, I guess.
Maybe she was thinking the same way. Ayaw niya ring malayo ang anak niya from the
dad. Even if she wasn't voicing it out, I knew Yanna wanted Hiro to be by her side.
Who doesn't want that? But well, I couldn't judge her decision. It was selfless and
not necessarily right but it was for Hiro's future anyway.

Umuwi na rin ako pagkarating ng Mommy niya. I invited them to spend Christmas with
me but I figured out that it wasn't good for Yanna to do some work during Christmas
day. Later that day, I met with Clyden at the mall so we could buy some Christmas
decorations for the house. I really wanted to get a Christmas tree.

"Done with your exams, right?" I asked him after giving him a hug. I missed him so
much. We became busy with finals that we barely even saw each other in the house
but now that the sem was over, we can finally spend time with each other.

"Yes. Let's get that Christmas tree you've always wanted." He wrapped his hand
around my waist after giving me a kiss on top of my head.

I never knew shopping for Christmas decorations would make me feel so excited. Mas
exciting lalo noong kinakabit na namin sa bahay. We even bought some Christmas
costumes for the dogs, which they loved, except Hail. Hail didn't want a dress! At
least Summer and Maple loved the cute reindeer headband.

"Uh, Cy, our families are coming over," I informed him when I received a text.

I heard his tired groan which made me laugh. We finished setting up the decorations
before I went up to get dressed. According to my mom, it was the only available
time they had so they decided to have our Christmas dinner earlier than usual. They
were bound to go out of the country for two weeks.

To: Mom

Bring Naomi or I won't join the dinner.

I had to message her that so she would have no choice but to bring my sister with
them. I couldn't leave Naomi alone so I wanted her to stay with us while my parents
were out. She had to escape from that mansion to get some fresh air.

I was putting on my red dress in front of the mirror when Clyden suddenly hugged me
from behind wearing his unbuttoned maroon dress shirt and black slacks with a belt
on it. I leaned my back against his chest and craned my neck when he started
kissing me there.

"They're already on their way, babe," I said, biting my lower lip to stifle a moan.
"I know," he whispered back before tightening his hold on my waist. His other hand
went up to my chest, pulling the dress down to my tummy to reveal my strapless bra.
"Let's be quick-"

"Shit!" I panicked when I heard the doorbell. Clyden automatically let me go to

button up his dress shirt. Mabilisan ko na ring sinuot ang dress ko bago bumaba.

I greeted his parents and my parents with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. My smile
widened when I saw Naomi at the back, wearing a white dress and holding a bag with
her. She was uncomfortably looking around, unfamiliar with the place.

"Hey, come. Let's get inside." I wrapped my arms around her shoulders to pull her
with me towards the dining room. Clyden was already there, greeting my parents. I
saw how the smile on his face faded right after turning his back against my dad.
This man, really.

The food was already served on the table so after settling down, we started eating
right away. I helped Naomi with her steak and Clyden helped me with mine. Our
parents were busy discussing the inheritance of Ramirez Medical when Clyden's
brothers arrived. They were a bit late.

"Hey, Sam. Long time no see, huh." Charles leaned to give me a kiss on the cheek.
Clyden stared at him before looking away and pursing his lips. Colin silently sat
down beside Clyden's mom, not greeting any of us.
"Malapit na ang graduation ni Sam and ang clerkship ni Clyden. After that, we can
now finally set the date for their wedding," Mr. Ramirez said. "And sa wedding
nila, I will announce Clyden's inheritance of our family business."

Charles and Colin suddenly stopped eating to look at their father with horrifying
reactions. Charles then looked at Clyden with a glare like he wanted to kill him
with his own hands. Clyden sipped on his glass calmly before looking back at
Charles and raising a brow, not a bit scared.

"You didn't have to make a decision that fast. Your health is still good," Colin
said. "Do not think of passing the business yet."

"It's better to be ready, son," Clyden's dad, Cristopher, said. "Besides, I do not
need you to prove anything to me anymore. I gave you a chance and you wasted it for
years."

"I can do better than him!" Charles stood up in anger. Clyden's mom suddenly
panicked and begged for him to sit down. My parents were just watching, a little
disappointed and entertained at the same time.

"In which aspect?" My eyes widened when Clyden suddenly talked.

"Love," I whispered, holding his hand below the table. It was not a good time to
lose patience. It will just do him bad.
Naomi, on the other hand, was just eating, not minding the commotion happening
around her. Besides, hindi naman niya maiintindihan at dapat naman talagang wag na
siyang mangialam. She was still young.

"How does it feel taking all my leftovers, Clyden?" Charles displayed a mocking
smile on his face. "You steal everything that should have been mine in the first
place. The company, this house, your fiancée!"

"You're the one who fucked up your life. Stop finding someone to blame," Clyden
calmly said, his hands playing with the wine glass.

"Manners! Please!" Clyden's mom yelled at the both of them. "I'm so sorry. I'm
sorry." She started apologizing for my parents for what happened.

"You shouldn't have been born," Charles told Clyden under his gritted teeth before
leaving the dinner table.

"Harsh," Colin whispered, shaking his head a little.

I looked at Clyden who was now staring at the wall. His grip on his glass was so
tight I was afraid it would break. I squeezed his hand to calm him down but he
suddenly moved it away. He stood up and placed the table napkin beside his plate.
"Would you excuse me, please," he said before walking away.

"I'm sorry," I apologized before running to catch up on him.

He was so fast I didn't know where
inside any of the rooms, including
sliding door to the garden. There,
The light reflected on his eyes so
tearing up.
he went. I looked for him upstairs but he wasn't
the balcony so I went down again and opened the
I saw him sitting on the bench beside the pool.
I saw how he was trying to stop himself from

I walked towards him and sat beside him without saying anything. I felt like he
didn't want me to talk so I just stayed there beside him. I just wanted to let my
presence known para alam niyang narito ako para sa kaniya.

"It wasn't the first time he said that," he whispered, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry." I looked down on the floor and noticed some little drops of his tears.
My chest tightened, hurting for him.

"The hell with that fucking inheritance. If he wants it that bad, I'll give it to
him. I'm tired of always receiving shit for putting hard work on everything that I
do. Do I deserve nothing? Should I always be considerate to those fuckers who did
nothing but to make my life a living hell?" He clenched his fist out of
frustration.
"You deserve every good thing in this world, love." I scooted over to hug him
sideways. He leaned his head over my shoulder, letting out a heavy sigh.

"You're the only good thing in this world," he answered back.

"No, there are many and we are going to explore them together." I stood up and
offered him my hand.

I gave him a smile when he looked up on me. It took him a moment before holding my
hand and standing up to go back inside the dinner table. However, when we went
back, they were already preparing to leave.

"I'm so sorry, Samantha," Clyden's mom apologized again. "It's so awkward now that
we have to leave. Next time, I won't invite the two anymore. We really can't be
complete without the boys fighting."

I nodded and gave her a smile before saying goodbye to my parents. Naomi was at the
living room, watching them go. I saw Clyden's mom caressing her son's face and
whispering something to him before giving him a tight hug.

"That family is so chaotic!" My mom whispered to me. "Kung hindi lang natin sila
kailangan, I would have pulled you out of that engagement already. My gosh!"
"What?" My brows furrowed. "Why do we need them?"

"You need them, Maureen." My mom smiled at me and caressed my hair. "You need
Clyden to save you if anything happens to us. With him, your future is secured so
just lean on him, okay, darling?"

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

21 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Let's go! We're going to be late!"

I clapped my hands to pressure Clyden and Naomi more. Clyden was busy carrying the
boxes to the van I rented while Naomi was busy putting on her earrings. It was
probably her first time attending a charity event, and her first time actually
celebrating Christmas. I chose to spend this special holiday with the children who
do not have family to celebrate it with.

I guess it was a reflection of me, huh? It had been my tradition every year to
celebrate my Christmas with orphanages because though I had my parents with me, I
never celebrated Christmas with them. Siguro noong bata pa ako, we did celebrate it
for like.. less than 5 times, I guess. Usually, they would leave me alone in the
house, opening gifts by myself. I knew exactly how they felt. Children needed
someone to lean into. Kahit ngayon lang, I wanted to be their light.

Holidays had always been lonely for me until I met my friends. With them, I felt a
different feeling. It was the sense of belongingness. They became my family and
they treated me the same. When I felt that kind of comfort with my high school
friends, I decided to make more friends to fill in the emptiness inside me, hoping
to feel the same way.
"Some of my friends are going to be there," I told Clyden and Naomi while we were
inside the car. Clyden was the one driving and Naomi was at the backseat alone.

"How many are 'some'?" Naomi raised a brow, doubting my choice of words. I laughed
at her remark, knowing where she was coming from.

"Don't worry. I only invited my highschool friends. About 4 of them will be there,"
I answered.

I was so excited while we were on our way and became even more excited when Clyden
parked the car. I immediately went down and helped him with the boxes. Some of the
staff from the orphanage also helped us. I also invited children who were victims
of the last typhoon disaster in the area and when I saw all of them lined up with
smiles on their faces, I felt glad.

Luna and Sevi were already there, talking with some children and laughing with
them. When Sevi saw me, he stood up and went for a hug.

"Oh." He suddenly stopped midway when he saw Clyden behind me, carrying a box and
staring at him with no emotion on his face. "Hello, Sam!" He just gave me an
awkward wave instead.

"You can help carry the boxes. Marami pang natira sa van," Clyden told him before
walking away. I gave Sevi an apologetic smile because of the way Clyden said it! He
didn't even ask if it was okay for Sevi to carry the boxes!

"Ano ka ba, Sam! Okay lang! Macho naman ako, e!" Sevi rolled his sleeves up and
flexed his biceps. I can't help but cringe and walk away, ignoring him. He probably
felt like he was Johnny Bravo or something.

After placing the box on the table, I opened them and helped some staff in placing
the food on the tables prepared in the covered court. Ang laman pa ng ibang box ay
'yung donations from my friends. Some toys and clothes the kids could use.

For clothes and pre-loved items na hindi naman pang-kids, I decided to leave them
at home and just donate it to other beneficiaries. For cash donations, I donated it
to the families in this area affected by the typhoon. Some of the cash donations,
especially from Elyse, pinambili ko ng relief. She actually donated the largest
amount of money. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano niya nalaman 'yung about sa charity
event.. and how she knew Sevi dahil si Sevi ang nag-abot sa 'kin. It was a bit
weird but I guess magkakilala sila dahil pareho silang umaattend ng UAAP?

On the other hand, Clyden and Naomi helped me with everything, pati sa pagpa-pack.
It wasn't easy to get them both in the same room since Naomi felt like Clyden would
suddenly hit her with a metal pan or something. She was scared of his facial
expression, and maybe his overall aura, but it still went fine.

They prepared a program for the event and we couldn't start late so while I was
still preparing the food, I asked them to start already. The children lined up in
front with Luna guiding them to their seats. Ni hindi ko pa pala napapakilala sa
kaniya si Clyden. Hindi rin naman siya nagtatanong. Sa dami ng kaibigan ko at dahil
kung sino-sino ang kasama ko, normal na siguro sa kanilang isipin na kaibigan ko
lang naman.
"Ate, saan 'to ilalagay?" Naomi approached me, holding some gifts I prepared.
"Also, they're calling you on the stage to introduce yourself."

"Huh?" My brows furrowed before glancing at the stage. The one heading the
orphanage home were making hand gestures, calling for me. "Damn, I didn't prepare a
speech. Oh, just place those beside the boxes."

I wiped my hands and went up the mini-stage to get the microphone. "Hi! Ako si
Samantha," I introduced myself. I didn't mention my surname because I didn't want
them to get the wrong idea of me doing this for my dad's future campaign.

I really didn't know what to say next and I even saw Clyden trying to stop himself
from laughing. Good thing the head of the orphanage already started to fill the
kids in on why I was there. From that, I started talking again on the reason why I
was doing this.

"Actually, nanggaling na rin ako rito 2 years ago pero baka hindi n'yo na 'ko
naaalala. Okay lang! Narito ako ulit para i-celebrate ang Christmas kasama kayo.
Sana mag-enjoy kayo at magustuhan n'yo 'yung pagkain!" I smiled. "Merry Christmas!"

I was so careful with my words. I didn't want the children to feel like I was there
as their 'savior' or that they needed help. I wanted to make them feel that I was
there because I enjoyed being with them and I wanted to spend Christmas with them.
It was also important to use a language that everyone could understand.

"That was short. I don't know if it even made sense," sabi ko kay Clyden pagkababa
ko.

He laughed and placed his hand on my shoulder. "A child's attention span is not
that long so a short message can do. Don't worry about it."

Right. He was actually the one making sense. Tinapos ko na lang ang pagpaprepare ng
food bago natapos 'yung introduction sa program. Nang i-announce na pwede nang
kumain, the kids suddenly went wild out of excitement. Nakiupo rin ako sa ibang
tables para maki-kain sa kanila.

"Hello, anong name mo?" I asked the little girl.

"Mika po," she answered in a soft voice. "Kayo po si Ate Sam, diba po? Tinanong
n'yo po ako dati kung ano po gusto ko maging paglaki ko po."

"Oh." My mouth formed an 'o', amazed that she actually remembered me. I tried so
hard to remember what she answered back then but I couldn't grasp on it. "Ano ang
sinagot mo?"

"Gusto ko po maging model po. Katulad mo po." She looked at me and smiled. My eyes
widened when I realized that she got the wrong idea.

"Hindi naman ako model," I told her the truth. "Paano ako naging model?"
"Hindi po? Sabi mo po dati sa 'kin gusto mo po maging model." Her brows furrowed in
confusion.

I blinked twice, trying to remember if I really said that. Hindi ko maisip na

sinabi ko 'yun noon. Maybe I panicked at that moment and said the first thing that
came into my mind. I can't believe I was really seeing signs to pursue becoming a
model. Maybe I really could? Maybe after my graduation?

"Hoy, Albert, sinong idol mo ulit? 'Yung ginagaya mo kanina," Sevi asked the little
boy, smiling to tease him. I was guessing that they already got close. Sevi was
good with kids.

"Ah, si Kuya Arkin po! Napapanood ko 'yun tuwing gabi! Pogi 'yun parang ako!" The
boy smirked and made a 'pogi' sign.

Clyden sat down beside him and handed him his pair of sunglasses when he noticed
the boy reaching for it. He even helped him put it on.

"Pogi, 'no?! Astig na ako!" The boy crossed his arms over his chest. I laughed and
sipped on my juice.

"Oo naman. Pwede ka na mag artista," Clyden said, giving the kid a smile.
"Hindi naman pogi 'yung idol mo, e," pang-aaway ni Sevi. I didn't know Arkin was
popular with kids, huh. Maybe because he actually landed on an early evening show
so may time na panoorin siya ng mga bata. His genre was also making him cool. May
action.

"Ang tagal naman ni Via," reklamo ni Luna nang dumaan, buhat buhat 'yung batang
babae. I was guessing that the girl was the youngest among the children. "Pinakuha
ko lang 'yung dessert para sa mga bata, natagalan na!"

Via was going, too. Kierra was supposed to be here but she suddenly cancelled.
Maybe something happened. Baka may emergency.

"Bakit?! Mas pogi si Kuya Arkin sa 'yo! Bleh!" The boy stuck his tongue out.

"Eto na lang. Sinong mas pogi? Ako o siya?" Clyden asked the boy, pointing at him
and then pointing at Sevi. I saw how mortified Sevi looked, which made me laugh.

"Ayus-ayusin mo 'yung sagot mo, may laruan akong hinanda para sa 'yo, ah," Sevi
blackmailed.

I stood up and sat with the other kids while the boys were arguing there. Parang
mga bata tuloy silang pinagsama-sama. I was helping a kid open her bottle of water
when Via suddenly arrived in a car. Arkin went out of the driver's seat and opened
the backseat to get boxes of cake. Via helped him with it.
"Oy, Albert, gusto mo makita idol mo?" Sevi teased the boy. "Nandito na idol mo,
oh!"

"Weh, niloloko mo ako, e!" The boy rolled his eyes before taking a bite on his
chicken.

"Totoo nga!"

I looked at Clyden who was feeding the little girl who injured her hand because of
the recent calamity. I heard their house collapsed, causing her injury. Clyden was
talking to her in his calmest voice, the kind of voice he was using when talking to
children. I suddenly imagined him in a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his
neck while talking to a child. I couldn't be prouder to see him wearing those soon.

"Ang tagal mo naman!" Reklamo ni Luna pagkakuha ng isang box ng cake galing sa
kamay ni Via. "Nagdala ka pa pala ng artista! Hay, sana all!"

Sevi stood up to call Arkin. "Oy, Kino! May papakilala ako sa 'yo, dali! Halika
rito! Ang bagal mo! Alam mo bang hindi ako naniwalang pupunta ka talaga kasi wala
ka nang pakialam sa mga kaibigan mo, 'di ba? Sikat ka na kasi, e." Sevi suddenly
became so dramatic.

"Bobo mo, magkausap lang tayo kagabi," Arkin said after placing the box on our
table.

"Uh, Via, Arkin, si Clyden," I introduced. Clyden looked surprised but still stood
up to offer a hand.

"Hello, pre, kilala mo naman na siguro ako kaya hindi na 'ko magpapakilala!" Arkin
took Clyden's hand with a smile.

"Hindi kita kilala," Clyden replied.

As expected, Sevi bursted out laughing while holding his stomach. Sa sobrang lakas
ng tawa niya, napatingin sa kaniya 'yung ibang mga bata. Sinabayan pa ng tawa ni
Luna na halos maglupasay na sa sahig sa sobrang tuwa. Those two started hitting
each other while laughing. Arkin held his chest and pouted a bit.

"Larkin S-sanchez.. Bro.." Arkin put on a sad face.

"Clyden Ramirez." Clyden gave him a small smile before looking at Via, raising his
brows.

"Via," pagpapakilala ni Via. "Boyfriend ni Sam, 'di ba? Cute n'yo! Bagay kayo.
Huwag na kayong maghihiwalay, ha."
"'Yan din sinabi mo sa amin, Via. Malas mga salita mo." Luna rolled her eyes.

"Malas ka lang," Sevi replied. I knew a fight would start eventually so I started
walking away to serve the cake.

I looked around and tried to find Naomi. I could see her blending well with the
children so hindi ko na siya ginulo kanina. She was actually enjoying their
company. I was worried that she would have a hard time communicating with other
people but she really did well. I guess maybe because she felt like she was in the
same position as them.

"Hey," I held Naomi's shoulder so she looked up at me. "Want to help me serve the
cake?"

She nodded and stood up to help me place slices of cake on the plates. While we
were doing that, I felt the need to ask about her experience. She looked like she
was thinking deeply.

"Are you happy?" I asked without looking at her. "Are you enjoying this?"

It took her so long before she could answer. I looked at her and caught her looking
at me, her lips forming a smile. "Yes, I'm happy, Ate."
I stared at her for a long time and noticed how much she changed. Those good
changes made me want to shed tears but I didn't want her to worry so I just looked
away and continued slicing the cake.

"That's good," I whispered. "It's good that you're happy. I want you to be happy.
Always."

"A person can't be happy all the time," she said, laughing a bit. "Though I also
want that for myself. It's just not possible."

"Naomi, I.." I bit my lower lip, a little hesitant to continue but I had to. "I
know.. a doctor.. D-do you want to meet her?"

She suddenly went silent so I panicked. Maybe it wasn't the right time to bring it
up? But I was so worried for her ever since our baking moment. I couldn't wait any
longer. I wanted to help her get through it.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "I'm fine. I'm happy." It sounded like she was
convincing herself. She was repeating it because she wanted to believe it.

"You are happy right now. What about tomorrow? And the following days? Naomi, I
want to help. I'm your sister," I said softly.
She looked at me again and noticed that I was already close to crying. She bit her
lower lip and slowly nodded.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'll do it so you won't cry everytime you see me. I don't
like seeing you cry so stop being sad because of me, okay?" Mariing sabi niya bago
naglakad paalis, dala-dala ang dalawang plato.

I had to put on a smile again when I faced the kids. After eating, they rested for
a bit before they started playing games like Bring Me, dance battle, rap battle,
and hep hep hooray.

"Ang tagal naman ng 'Bring me poging lalaki'. Naiinip na ako rito, oh." Sevi
sighed.

"Huwag naman sana. Ayokong mapagkaguluhan. Isa lang ako, oh." Arkin sighed and
massaged his head, acting frustrated.

Clyden just looked at them with his brows furrowed, probably getting weirded out.
When he noticed that I was looking at him, he looked back and raised a brow. I gave
him a smile before looking away.

After playing games, the children started opening the gifts I prepared for them. It
was the looks on their faces that made me so happy. While I was admiring them,
Clyden suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek from behind.
"Hey, there are kids around," I told him while looking around.

"Here's my gift." He showed me the black paper bag he was holding. Kinuha ko 'yon
at sinilip ang nasa loob pero black box lang din na may silver ribbon ang nakita
ko. "Open it."

"Mamaya na pagkauwi so I could have my moment. Thank you. I also have a gift for
you but I left it at home."

"Don't tell me it's sex?" His brows furrowed.

"Hey!" I looked around with wide eyes. Good thing no one was close so wala naman
sigurong nakarinig. Everyone was busy with their gifts. "We can't! We're with Naomi
at home. It feels like a sin."

"Hoy! Picture-taking na!" Via suddenly interrupted us.

I nodded and walked away, pulling Clyden's hand with me. We took a picture with the
kids as requested by the owner of the orphanage. Arkin also took a picture with his
fans. They were all so playful. Arkin's presence as a celebrity made everyone
happier, pati 'yung mga staff nagpa-picture sa kaniya.
"Thank you for today," I thanked my friends after we cleaned up the venue. "It
really means a lot to me and to the children."

"Ano ka ba, small thing! Wala rin naman akong plano ngayong Christmas, e!" Luna
said after giving me a hug. "Aalis na kami. Ingat kayo pauwi, ah. Hoy, Sevi, dalian
mo."

"Thank you, Sam." Via also gave me a hug. "Aalis na kami."

Nang umalis sila, sumakay na rin kami sa sasakyan nila Naomi. She got so tired she
ended up falling asleep the whole ride. When we arrived home, she went straight
upstairs sa may guest room para magpahinga na habang naiwan pa kami ni Clyden sa
living room para mabuksan ko 'yung regalo niya.

"Oh my gosh. My dream heels!" My eyes twinkled when I saw the beautiful pair of
heels he gave me. I was talking about wanting to buy it last month. I can't believe
he really remembered it.

"I hope someday, you could wear that pair of heels on the runway." Clyden said,
staring at me.

Matagal ko siyang tinitigan bago ko siya niyakap nang mahigpit. It was a simple
gift but it meant a lot to me. At that moment, I was finally sure of what I wanted
to become.
"Here's my gift," I gave him a small box. He opened it and smiled when he saw a
necklace with a small stethoscope attached to it. "To motivate you. You have a long
way to go. With that necklace, you'll know that I will always be there with you
through the process."

"Thank you for this," he said while putting the necklace on his neck. He touched it
with his fingers, admiring it before giving me a soft kiss.

Naomi stayed with us until New Year. It was again a wonderful event to spend with
my family. Good thing there were no fireworks around the village because the dogs
were scared of the sound. We went with lusis instead and a pic-nic in the yard.
Clyden really cooked sotanghon dahil pampahaba raw ng buhay.

"You want to be a doctor and you believe that?" I laughed.

"You can't take a joke?" Clyden rolled his eyes before placing a bowl of fruit
down.

Umupo siya sa tabi ko at tumusok sa watermelon sabay bigay sa 'kin para kagatan ko
bago niya kinain. Naomi was looking at us with her brows furrowed, a little annoyed
that she had to third-wheel.

"Let me get my camera so I could take pictures." She stood up and went inside the
house.
As soon as she went inside, Clyden leaned to give me a soft kiss on the lips. I was
again lost when he moved his lips and held my waist to pull me closer to him. I
immediately pushed him away when I heard Naomi's footsteps. Napahiga tuloy si
Clyden sa damuhan.

"Here! I have my- What happened to him?" Naomi glanced at Clyden who was trying to
get the dirt off his sweater.

"He's.. He's admiring t-the sky," I answered.

Good thing Naomi bought that excuse or wala lang talaga siyang pakialam. She took
pictures of Clyden and I, then the three of us. Clyden also offered to take a
picture of Naomi and I, which made me so happy because it was actually our first
photo together without actually fighting.

"You're going home tomorrow, right?" I asked her while Clyden was checking the
dogs.

I actually didn't want her to go back to the mansion but she insisted because she
wanted to give Clyden and I some privacy. I felt like she was thinking that she was
a burden to us. Mukhang hanggang ngayon, may problema pa rin siya sa pakikitungo sa
'kin. Of course, it was a process.

"Home," she repeated, smiling a bit and looking down.

"It's not home," I whispered when I realized what she was thinking. "I know the
feeling of not treating your home as your 'home'."

"Did you move out of the house to get rid of me?" She suddenly asked, making me
part my lips.

I didn't expect her to ask that, or even assume that that was the reason why I
moved out when I went to college. It was true that she contributed to the reason
but it was because I thought she wanted me out. That she wasn't comfortable with
having me there.

"Why would I do that? All I wanted was to make you comfortable with living in that
house."

She looked up at the sky and admired the moon, giving herself a fake smile. "When
you moved, it just seemed harder for me to breathe in that house. I couldn't
understand myself either. When you were still around, all I could feel was envy and
anger but when you went away, I felt fear. I felt.. scared. That night.. My
birthday.. I didn't know why I texted you. My hands moved before I could even
think."

"But you made the right choice."

"It was one of the few things I decided on that actually brought good things." She
extended her hand and covered the moon from afar. "I want to go there."

"Where?" My brows furrowed.

"To the moon. Or just beside it. I want to be one of the stars." She moved her hand
to reach out to the brightest star she could see in the sky.

I looked at her and noticed that she was trying so hard to stop her tears from
falling. "You shine bright in my eyes, Naomi," I whispered.

"Do you think there's pain there, Ate?" She asked now with her lips curved to a
smile.

"I don't know. I haven't gone to the moon."

I didn't know what to say. When she looked back at me and moved her hand down,
tears fell from her eyes but along with those tears was a genuine smile. I bit my
lower lip to prevent myself from crying with her.

"Thank you for making me happy, even for a short period of time," she suddenly
said.
"I will be with you all throughout your healing process. May this year become a
wonderful year for the both of us." I smiled and sipped on my wine.

"I hope so."

Just like that, the celebration ended. Hinatid ko na siya pabalik sa mansion
kinabukasan and she promised to call me when she felt like talking to someone.
Hindi pa naman uuwi sila Mommy galing sa trip nila so may oras pa siyang
magpahinga.

"Babe, my phone," I said while my eyes were still closed. It was several days after
New Year and to make up for the time, Clyden and I had been tiring ourselves out by
going to dates, learning new things, or just anything to spend our time together.

"Mamaya na," Clyden answered back, still sleepy.

I moved my hands so I could hit him on the back. He groaned and reached out for my
phone beside him. Kanina pa nagriring kaya nagising ako. Who the hell would call so
early?

"Hello?" I asked, closing my eyes.

[Malapit na ata akong mag-labor.]

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig at napabangon ako kaagad. I even fell on
the floor when my leg got tangled with the sheets, causing me to sit there in a
weird position, only wearing my underwear.

"Ooh," Clyden teased, smirking. "Halika, isa pa."

"No, shut it!" I picked up his shirt and put it on before walking out of the room.
"Hello? What?! How are you feeling?! Where are you?!"

[Okay lang. Nasa hospital na 'ko. Sinundo ako ni Sevi at Luna kagabi sa condo.
Hihintayin ko na lang manganak dito.]

"I'm on my way! I'm going! I'm going! Do not go into labor yet!" I was panicking so
bad. I ended the call immediately and ran to get a towel.

I had a quick shower and even packed some things if ever I would stay there for a
night. Of course, I would. I would probably stay there! Clyden was watching me by
the door, all relaxed with a cup of coffee in his hand while I was here, panicking.

"Saan ka pupunta?" Tanong niya.

I was about to say that Yanna was having a baby but I promised her that I wouldn't
tell anyone so I kept it a secret. "My bestfriend went to Manila so I'll spend time
with her."

Not that I didn't trust Clyden but I really didn't want to tell somebody else's
secret. Luna, Sevi, Via, and Kierra also probably didn't tell anyone.

"Are you that excited to spend time with her?" Kumunot ang noo niya.

"I am! I am so thrilled!" I acted so stupid and suspicious but good thing he didn't
ask anymore. Mabuti na lang at magaling siyang makiramdam. Clyden knew when to mind
his own business. I also knew that he trusted me so it didn't really bother him.

Just when I was about to leave, my orgmate texted me to run an errand in Ateneo so
I had to go to Katipunan first but I texted Yanna that I would be late. She said it
was fine since kasama naman niya si Sevi. I also ate lunch there before I actually
drove to the hospital.

When I went inside the room, Yanna was alone, watching television with a smirk on
her face. "Where's your mom?" I asked her.

"Kumuha ng mga damit," she answered. "Kakaalis lang ni Sevi. Si Kierra, nandito
pero lumabas para bumili ng pagkain."
Kierra went back but she had to go home at 6 so I was left with Yanna and her mom.
Yanna wanted me to go home but I refused to leave. I wanted to wait and be there
for her during her labor.

"I'm going to buy us dinner, Tita," paalam ko sa Mommy niya bago ako lumabas ng
hospital. Good thing there were so many restaurants around.

I was looking at the menu when my phone suddenly rang. Sinagot ko kaagad nang
makita kong tumatawag si Yanna. "Hello? Anong gusto mo-"

[Pumutok panubigan ko, sis.]

"What?!" I yelled, standing up now and getting my bag so I could leave without
ordering. It was a little embarrassing to the waiter but she must understand that
an emergency came.

Tumakbo kaagad ako pabalik pero nang papasok na 'ko sa room niya, ililipat na raw
siya sa mas malaking room to get ready for her labor. I actually requested that one
because I wanted to be there for her. I would help pay the bills.

A few moments later, Yanna was already crying in pain because of her contractions.
I sat there beside her wearing a hospital gown and a hair cap, holding her hand
tight. It hurt me to see her like that. Yanna was so strong in my eyes but at that
moment, she just looked so.. weak.

"It's fine, it's fine. Tiisin mo lang," I whispered at her.

"Sam, ang sakit." She was breathing heavily with her eyes closed. She would calm
down after a few minutes but she would contract again. Pinagpapawisan na siya
ngayon and I couldn't even do anything but give moral support.

Good thing she finally got her epidural so she wouldn't feel that much pain
anymore. I couldn't stand watching her whimper all night. They did so many tests on
her that I actually felt bad. I cursed Hiro inside my head a few times. Na-guilty
din ako after.

After a few more hours, she was finally getting ready to deliver the baby. Her mom
didn't want to look at it because Yanna looked so miserable but I stood there with
her and held her hand while she was holding on to the bed railing.

"And push.. Very good," the nurse said.

Yanna already looked so tired that she wanted to cry and give up so I kept on
saying encouraging words to her like 'malapit na' and 'konting tiis na lang'. When
I heard the cry of the baby, I cried, too. Yanna closed her eyes while breathing
heavily. I didn't know if it was her sweat or she was really crying.
"Good job, babe. Good job," I praised her while looking at the baby still covered
with blood. "You're so strong. You did it."

She was crying so hard I had to wipe her tears and also her sweat. "Anak ko," she
whispered before crying again. It was the first time I saw her cry like that after
Hiro left. It had the same intensity as that night.

"She's getting cleaned," I told her as soon as I wiped my tears. They just won't
stop falling.

"Hiro," she cried, getting weak now. "Wala.. siya.."

"I'm sorry." I held her hand and squeezed it a bit. It must hurt a lot. During her
delivery, she was probably thinking of him.. and wishing for him to be there with
her. If she wanted him to be there that bad, dapat sinabi niya sa 'kin. It will
just take one call for Hiro to come home. I knew he loved her, but Yanna couldn't
see how strong his love was.

"Avi.." She whispered.

I nodded. "Yes. Avrielle's here. She's finally here."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)
 22 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Come! I'm going to introduce you to one of my favorite designers!"

The week after Avrielle's birth, classes resumed for me. Ito na 'yung last sem ko
sa Ateneo and in a few months, finally, gagraduate na 'ko so while waiting for my
graduation, I wanted to seek for modeling companies. I didn't want to take a rest.
I wanted to land a job after graduation since I was planning to live by myself. It
was the first time I'd be doing something against my parents so it was better to
earn early with the risk of getting cut off from the family.

I had been hanging out with Giselle a lot because when I asked for modeling
companies in my IG story, she replied to meet her in a coffee shop to talk about
it. The following days, she kept on introducing me to the people who could help me.
I really appreciated her efforts because I really didn't know a thing about how the
industry worked until now.

"Markus, this is Samantha Vera, my friend from Ateneo," Giselle introduced me to a

guy with glasses and a fashionable scarf around his neck. He smiled and offered his
hand, looking at me from head-to-toe, trying to examine me, I guess. I took his
hand and gave him an awkward smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not checking you out. I'm gay, darling." He laughed and put his
glasses down on the table. "You're smaller than Giselle but other than that, you
look fine. How innocent! Pareho kayo ng agency?"

"Oh, no. I haven't applied to agencies yet!" I smiled nervously.

"So you're saying that no one has contacted you? Scouting? No one? Geez, they're
missing a piece right here! What's your name again? Samantha Ve- Oh my gosh." He
covered his mouth dramatically. "You kind of look like Selen Aguilar."

"She's actually my mother." As I mentioned before, my mom was popular with media
companies and fashion industries since she was a celebrity before she got married
to my dad. Her beauty was exceptional but after getting married, she retired from
the industry to take care of me.

"She's hitting big! Selene was the goddess of our generation! Bakit wala pang
cumocontact sa 'yo? You should start sending your portfolio. A lot of agencies
would probably reply A-S-A-P."

"I'm already helping her with her portfolio so no worries! I introduced her to my
agency last week via video call and they loved her!" Giselle sounded so excited.
She told me that her agency was really nice to her and helped her a lot with
bookings. After 3 local shoots, the agency already booked her an international one.
However, her agency was based in New York so I wasn't sure if I could do it.

We had coffee and shopped together before I went home. It was a Saturday and Clyden
was out studying with his friends. Tomorrow, we'll probably just stay at home and
watch a movie. Masyado na kaming busy para lumabas pa. I was busy trying to fit in
the industry and he was busy studying. Ito na ang last lecture sem nila. Clerkship
na ang kasunod so he was really trying his best to learn.

It actually felt good that I finally had something I could focus on. Back then, I
used to envy Clyden for being occupied with the things that could help him achieve
his dreams. Now I could say that I was doing the same thing. It wasn't really easy
to survive in modeling here so I asked for Giselle's help. I read articles and they
said that you really need friends from the industry to help you. I didn't want to
bother Giselle but she also looked so excited for me.
The next day, I had to leave early for a shoot. Giselle sent me some sample photos
I could imitate. Ang sabi niya, pwede siyang mag-hire ng photographer para sa 'kin
pero ang sabi ko, I wanted my sister to take them. Last Christmas, ang regalo ko
kay Naomi ay lens ng camera niya. Clyden also gave her some light equipment she
could use. I wonder how much kaya 'yon?

"I prepared so hard! I'm so excited!" Naomi said while setting up her tripod. She
really hanged some pieces of cloth around so the background would look white.
Inalis niya rin ang mga gamit niya at nagmukha na ngang studio 'yung kalahati ng
room niya. She looked so passionate about photography.

"I already did my makeup. Hindi ko alam ang susuotin ko so I brought a lot." I
placed the hanger on the mini sofa.

"Wear all of them so you won't look the same in the photos. Let me fix your hair a
bit. It should look a bit messy for my concept." Naomi went to me and tied my hair
before plucking out some strands to look a bit messy. I curled it earlier. Humaba
na ang buhok ko at lumagpas na ng balikat ko. I wasn't planning to cut it short
anymore.

I sat on the stool and retouched my makeup a bit while she was setting up. She
gestured 'okay' and looked at the screen of her camera. Umayos ako ng upo at ginaya
'yung pose ng babae sa sinend ni Giselle na photo. I put my leg up and leaned my
elbow above my knee before staring at the camera with fierce eyes. I parted my lips
and moved up my chin a bit for the next pose.

"Great! Now try smiling! Laughing, whatever!" Naomi said. "They need to see how you
would look like in every expression."
My first smile was a bit awkward so she scolded me for it. She played music while
taking photos so I would 'get in the mood'. It really helped me. I sang along with
it and ended up laughing when she said a joke. After taking a few more pictures, I
changed my clothes. This time, it was a fitted dress hugging my body. Naomi gave me
an apple I could hold and I had to figure out myself what to do with it.

"Where did you even get this apple?" I asked, confused. She just laughed and asked
me to focus on the shoot so I did. I pretended to take a bite so it emphasized my
lips. I also took off my hair tie and moved my hand up, looking at the fruit with
seductive eyes. I tried so hard for it! I was praying that it would actually look
good, and not weird!

"That's great. Loosen up more," Naomi said while looking at the screen of the
camera. "They turned out good but I know you can do better than this. Go and
unleash yourself. You're still a little awkward."

I felt like I was the younger sister here! I can't believe she was actually
scolding me. Ginawa ko na lang ang sinabi niya at inisip na we were both
professionals. I should act like a professional kahit hindi pa. I shouldn't act
like this during an actual shoot or everyone will get disappointed in me.

After taking photos, Naomi told me to practice my 'walk'. Ni hindi ko nga alam na
kailangan ko pala 'yon ipakita sa kaniya kaya niya 'ko pinagdala ng heels. I wore
Clyden's gift and lumabas kami sa long hallway. I used to wear heels a lot so it
wasn't really a problem for me to walk in those. Naiilang lang ako dahil may
nanonood.

"Your walk looks so plain like you're walking in a mall," Naomi insulted. I
scratched my head in embarrassment and tried again. She got pissed after so she
made me watch runway shows for me to imitate.

I can't even see what was wrong with my walk! It was just... walking! How can I
even make walking look so pretty and charismatic? How could it be enough? I
reminded myself to ask Giselle about this next time.

"You know what a model needs? Confidence. Power. You need to stand out in the
crowd. Deliver yourself properly. Dalhin mo ang sarili mo. You need to believe that
you're a powerful woman when you walk. You need to make heads turn to your
direction, you hear me?" Naomi was already getting so annoyed. She was even making
hand gestures. Tumango na lang ako at sinubukan ulit.

I inhaled and exhaled before walking again with my chin up but she stopped me and
said that I was moving my hands too much. I massaged my head and tried again. Ah, I
wouldn't suddenly learn how to 'walk' properly! It would take a lot of practice!

"Not gonna lie, you're great when it comes to shoots but your walk still looks
plain so work on that one. I'll send you your photos this week after editing,"
Naomi said, like an instructor.

I changed my clothes and wore my flats before I left the mansion. My parents were
out the whole day so it was peaceful in the house. When I went back to the house,
Clyden was playing with the dogs. I went to them and joined before going inside to
take a shower.

I was taking a shower when the door opened and Clyden went inside the bathroom to
shave his facial hair. Normal na sa amin ang magkasama sa bathroom. Good thing may
glass wall naman sa shower na hindi see-through so it was fine.
"My walk is plain daw. How do I even walk? Do you know how to make heads turn when
you walk?" I asked while I was in the shower.

"You make my head turn when you walk," Clyden replied outside.

"It's because you love me. How about strangers? I need to get everyone's attention
to become a model, right?" I asked again. "I don't understand what is a good walk
and what is not. I'll show you later so you can judge me. Your judgment is
important because you're a judgmental person."

"Para namang ang sama ng ugali ko." He scoffed.

After taking a shower, I wiped my body and covered my hair with a towel before
wearing my bathrobe. When I went outside, Clyden was already waiting, leaning
against the countertop in his sweatpants without wearing anything on top. May towel
sa balikat niya at handa nang maligo.

"Dapat nag-sabay na tayo, e," he said, his lips forming a smirk. "I can help you
wash your body."

"No, thanks." I rolled my eyes. I was about to walk past him when he grabbed my
wrist and pulled me back to a deep kiss. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms
around his neck to pull him closer to me.
He made me lean against the countertop and put his hand over the mirror to support
his weight while kissing me. I opened my mouth to let his tongue inside and sucked
on it while my other hand was going down to his abdomen. He held it and put it back
to his neck before his hands went in between my legs.

"How was your photoshoot? I can't wait to see the photos," he said while kissing my
neck.

I gasped when I felt his finger inside me. "It was... It was fine."

"Yeah? Tell me about it," he whispered.

I ended up taking a shower again because he dragged me with him. I got so tired I
ended up taking a nap on the bed. He just woke me up for dinner so I went down
again.

He cooked for me again. Kahit gaano siya ka-busy these days, he would still cook
for me every day. Walang araw na lumipas na hindi niya 'ko nilulutuan ng food. By
now, na-master niya na lahat ng dish na inaaral niya last sem. He was still trying
new things and new flavors. I didn't know if he wanted to become a doctor or a
chef.

"Let me see your walk." Clyden pulled a chair with him and sat, facing my
direction.

Kinuha ko ang heels ko at sinuot 'yon. It was a bit weird to do a walk while
wearing my nighties but I only asked him to watch my walk and not pay attention to
my clothes. He looked so serious now while watching me.

"I can't do it when you're watching." I stopped after two steps and covered my face
in embarrassment. His stare was too intense for me! I was easily intimidated by his
eyes and aura.

"Come on!" He groaned and massaged his head. "Isa lang ako. Paano kapag humarap ka
na sa maraming tao?"

Crowds had never been my problem ever since but he seemed to not realize that his
presence affected me so much. Kung ibang tao 'yon, hindi naman ako magkakaganito.
He thought I was nervous because someone was watching me when in fact, I was
nervous because he was the one watching me.

I sighed and tried walking again without looking at him. I focused on the clock
aligned with my vision when I did the walk. I turned around and went back to my
place earlier only to see him holding his chin, thinking. I suddenly felt nervous
because of his expression. I was like defending my thesis to a professional.

"You look good. However, you walk like you're going to fall in a second. Why are
you so awkward?" He asked with his brows furrowed.
"It's because you're watching me."

"You're embarrassed? Even after everything we did?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo
niya. "Babe, nothing could ever make me love you less so just do your thing."

His words made my face heat so I had to turn around just to hide my face from him.
I didn't want him to see me blushing! He really knew how to make me feel good, huh?
After that, I told myself to just do my best and imagine that he wasn't around no
matter how intense his stare was. I tried to imitate the ones I watched earlier in
runway shows.

"That walk is better but honestly, you need to improve the strength on your leg.
Your leg still looks weak, like you are at risk from falling." He tapped his leg.
"And I don't want you to hurt yourself so try your best."

"Okay." I nodded and sat down to take off my heels but Clyden kneeled in front of
me and did it for me. His touch was so careful like my skin was so delicate. At
that moment, I just wanted to be in his arms forever.

The day after Naomi sent me the photos, Giselle helped me with choosing which ones
to include and then sent the requirements to her agency. While waiting for the
response, I focused on my school works since we needed to start working on our
thesis. Clyden also got busy with his studies. Sometimes, I would catch him
studying around 5 AM before I go out for a morning jog.

I also bought gym equipment and placed them in my room so I could work out at home.
I wanted to work on my body more. Clyden also tried his best to help me with my
work out but he had things to do.

It was around March when I received an e-mail while browsing on my phone. My brows
furrowed when I saw the name of Giselle's agency. It was Zenaida Models, one of the
top modeling agencies in New York. My heart was beating so fast while reading the
e-mail.

"Oh my gosh! I got hired! I got hired, love!" I screamed while running down the
stairs. Clyden held his chest out of surprise and put his highlighter down, a
little confused. "I have an agency now! Look! They e-mailed me!"

"Wow, congratulations! That calls for wine night!" He gave me a tight hug. I was so
happy I wanted to cry.

"I'll go to New York after my graduation!" I said with so much excitement while
holding my phone and showing him the e-mail. The smile on his face slowly faded and
his expression looked more confused with the mention of New York.

"New York?" Kumunot ang noo niya at tinignan ang e-mail.

"The agency is based in New York but I can also land bookings here in the
Philippines like Giselle if I request to be here. Though there will be times that I
would... I think... go there for meetings. I'm thinking of buying an apartment
after saving up. I don't know. I haven't talked to them in person so I'll schedule
it after graduation," I explained nervously.
"Hey, it's okay." He laughed it off and caressed my cheek. "Don't worry about it.
Whatever and wherever it is, I'll support you on that. Our love is not that
shallow, Maui."

"Thank you," I whispered before giving him a kiss.

It was the only thing I was looking forward to while practicing for our graduation
ceremony. I was also thinking about Avrielle. I knew Yanna's mom would be there to
take care of her habang nasa school si Yanna but I also wanted to be there for the
kid.

"My graduation photo looks a bit weird, right?" I showed it Clyden. I mean, the
photo looked good with my blue toga and all but I looked weird because of the edit.

"No, you look gorgeous," he replied while putting my grad picture photo inside his
wallet. Lumabas na rin kasi 'yung physical copies and I gave him a copy of the
wallet-sized one. "Let's frame the big one and hang it with my graduation picture."

"I like your college graduation picture. Bagay sa 'yo 'yung sablay. I want a copy
of that one." Nilahad ko ang kamay ko para manghingi. I didn't expect him to
actually give me one from his wallet!

On the day of my graduation, both of my parents attended the ceremony, as well as

Clyden. I can't believe I would actually cry with my precious block mates. I would
miss them so badly, especially my girls. Raylee told me not to cry because my
makeup will be ruined.

"Why are you crying?" Clyden laughed while carefully wiping my tears so he wouldn't
ruin my makeup. "It's not like it's the last time you'll see each other."

"But I'll miss going to class with them." I pouted while holding the bouquet he
gave me. My parents went to me to give me a hug so I returned them. I was actually
surprised that they really attended my graduation, especially my dad.

"Congratulations. You should have done better to be the summa cum laude," my dad
said.

I saw how Clyden clenched his fist and pursed his lips like he was about to fight
my dad but I held his other hand to calm him down. He sighed heavily before looking
away, whispering something. Probably cursing my father.

"He should have done better to be a better politician," Clyden whispered again.
"He's fucking useless."

I squeezed his hand to stop him from talking before smiling at my mom. She hugged
me and gave me her graduation gift which was a bottle of wine and an expensive
designer bag. I was looking for Naomi but they didn't bring her with them. It was
okay since may graduation party naman sa mansion after and she'll be there.
While we were on our way to the mansion, I can't help but look outside the window,
remembering my father's words. I only graduated as a cum laude but it still wasn't
enough. When will it ever be enough? He was giving me hell for not taking Political
Science like what he wanted. Because of him, Naomi was also suffering from her
program.

"I hate him," I whispered.

"Who?" Clyden asked while driving.

I bit my lower lip. "Dad."

He pursed his lips and remained silent, probably sensing that I didn't want to talk
about it. He looked a bit surprised too because of what I said. Was it my first
time saying it out loud without actually feeling guilty about it?

The car stopped in front of the mansion. Before I could go out of the car, Clyden
held my hand to stop me. I looked at him and raised a brow, asking what he needed.

"Sinabi mo na ba 'yung tungkol sa modeling?" He carefully asked.

"Not yet. I'll tell them today." I gave him an assuring smile because he looked
nervous for me. He looked like he wanted to say something but he kept his mouth
shut. "Don't worry about me. I'm calm. My mother trained me for years to fake my
emotions when facing a lot of people so-"

"I love you," he cut me off. I stopped talking and gave him a kiss before we went
inside the mansion.

I greeted Clyden's parents before my mom introduced me to her other friends. Clyden
also went around with his dad to talk to other people. He was also good at faking
his expressions. Inside him, he was probably already thinking about how to excuse
himself out of the conversation.

"This is Samantha, my daughter. She's marrying the heir of Ramirez Medical next
year. I'll send you the invites!" My mom proudly said.

"Next year? You already decided on a date?" I whispered to my mom, a little

confused now.

"Yes! Clyden will graduate next year, remember? We'll start preparing for your
wedding soon. It will take a lot of work so just cooperate with me, okay, honey? We
need to rush your wedding," my mom said after pulling me out of the circle.

"Why? I don't want to rush my wedding. I want to do other things, too." I felt like
my freedom was getting taken away from me again.

"You can do those things even when you're married, okay? We already talked about
this, honey. Stop fighting back," my mom calmly said.

"I am going to New York this weekend," I told her without hesitation. "Because I
got hired by Zenaida Models."

"What?" Kumunot ang noo niya at humigpit ang hawak sa braso ko. When her friend
greeted her, she smiled at her with her fake expression before dragging me out of
the venue. We went out to the garden so we could talk. "You want to become a
model?! Why?!"

"Because it's what I want!" I raised my voice. "Why don't you just let me do what I
want without exchange?!"

"No, you can't enter that industry!" She shook her head. "Contact that agency and
tell them that you're not signing! No way!"

"Mom!" I yelled. "This is what I want and I do not need your opinion in my life! I
graduated already! I will now start working for myself! I do not need your help or
agreement on this!"

"I am worried as your mother, Maureen!" She yelled with so much anger in her eyes.
It was the first time I had seen her become this angry. She failed to control her
emotions. "You know why? Because I was once a part of that industry! It's not
exactly rainbows! I do not want you to go through the storm!"
"Then how will I ever learn how to grow?!" My face heated as tears started pooling
at the side of my eyes. "When will I grow if I will spend my life doing everything
you want me to do?!"

"Maureen! Listen to me! Be useful to us just for once!"

My lips parted when I heard what she said. 'Be useful'? Was I only born to become
'useful' to them? I questioned my existence a lot of times. All my life, I had been
following them just to please them.

"Fine! Fine!" My mother massaged her head. "Fine! Become a model and be famous
enough so you can help your father with his future campaign. Your popularity can do
something."

I inhaled sharply before looking away, tears suddenly falling from my eyes. "You
are.. unbelievable."

She was about to say something but I already walked away. I ran through the crowd
while looking down. I just wanted to leave the place. Hindi ko na napansin kung
sino ang mga nabubunggo ko. I went inside the restroom to wipe my tears but as soon
as I entered, the door opened and I saw Naomi.

"Hey," Naomi whispered before opening her arms.

I walked towards her and hugged her tight. She wrapped her arms around me and
caressed my hair while I cried on her shoulder. It wasn't good to show my weakness
to her as her big sister but I couldn't help it anymore. It hurt so much to be
treated as a possession rather than a precious daughter.

"You're worth more than what they say," Naomi whispered. "So focus on doing things
for yourself, okay?"

"Can you just leave with me? I can't imagine what you're going through in this
house," I cried.

"I'm hanging in there, okay? Besides, I took your advice. I'm already doing
sessions. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," she assured me.

She had to lend me a light yellow handkerchief with her name on it. Pinunasan ko
ang luha ko at nag-retouch ng makeup para hindi mag-alala si Clyden. I couldn't
stay in this place anymore. It was a party for me but I couldn't feel it at all.

"You'll be okay, right?" Naomi asked me before I left the restroom.

"Of course. I need to be strong because you look up to me," I teased. She gave me a
smile before nodding.
I went out to find Clyden but he found me instead. He looked so worried so he
probably saw me running earlier. He caressed my face so he could look at my eyes.
He sighed and held the back of my head to lean it against his chest in a protective
manner.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to get off the car," he whispered.

"I went against my mom. I can't believe it." I laughed, my lips forming a smile. I
didn't know what to feel about it. When I realized what happened, I can't help but
feel a little happy because I finally got the courage to stand up for what I want.
"Honestly, it feels a bit good."

"Let's go home." He wrapped his arms around my shoulder and guided me out of the
mansion.

That weekend, I went to New York alone... Or that was what I thought. Noong hinatid
ako ni Clyden sa airport, nagulat akong hindi siya dumiretso sa drop-off area. He
parked the car and helped me with my bags.

"Hindi sa 'kin 'yan." I pointed at the black luggage.

"Yeah, because it's mine. I'm going with you, dummy." Clyden laughed before pulling
my luggage with him. My eyes widened as I watched him walk away pulling two
suitcases. "Hurry up, Maureen!"
I got back to my senses and ran to him so we could walk together. I didn't even
expect him to book a flight with me! I didn't ask him to come with me but he must
have noticed that I was nervous to go alone. I kept on repeating how nervous I was
last week. Wala naman siyang sinabing sasamahan niya 'ko. I thought he was busy so
I didn't bother asking him anymore.

"Loooove," I said dramatically before clinging on his neck. Because of that, he

suddenly stopped walking. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah? You're paying for my ticket," he simply said.

"What? No! Go home! I don't have savings anymore!"

Inalis ko ang hawak ko sa kaniya at umayos ng tayo. I literally spent my savings on

this flight. I didn't want to ask my parents for money anymore. Ever since my
graduation party, hindi na kami nag-usap.

"I'm kidding." He laughed and kissed my forehead before walking again. "Let's go.
We might miss our flight."

"Just say that you booked a flight with me because you can't be away from me. You
love me that much, huh?" I smirked and squinted my eyes.
"I want to spend every hour with you as much as possible because I wouldn't know
how to make up for it once I start with my clerkship," he explained.

"It's okay. I'll be busy with my gigs, too... I hope? I hope I could book a shoot
or a fashion show. I'm not like.. so tall like Giselle."

"Stop comparing yourself to other people. You're good enough."

And with that, I felt another door opening for me. It was the beginning of an end.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

23 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Samantha Vera! It's nice to finally meet you!"

After arriving in New York, I wanted to take a nap with Clyden but since my body
was adjusting and I slept during the flight, I went straight to the agency, leaving
Clyden in our hotel room, sleeping. He must be so tired. Hindi siya nakatulog
masyado sa byahe at ang tagal pa.

After the casual introduction, we finally went into the details of our contract.
Good thing there were no policies about dating or getting married. They can also
get a manager for me or I could get one from the outside. Wala naman akong kilalang
manager pa and I still didn't think that I would need it. I can manage things by
myself for now. I wouldn't go to big events immediately, right? I should start from
the bottom.

I requested to be in the Philippines more but I was also open to international

bookings. They said they will contact me because they will still process my papers.
The next day, I had to come back for a shoot with them so they can add me to their
website and social media accounts. It was my first proper photoshoot so I was so
nervous!

"Still jet lag?" I asked Clyden when I went home, carrying a box of pizza for him.
He was still a little sleepy when I entered the bedroom. Nakadapa siya sa kama at
yakap ang unang hinihigaan. "I went to the agency to sign some papers."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked in his sleepy voice.

"You look so tired. It's good to rest. I managed by myself naman so it's good.
Here. I bought Pizza for you and also ordered steak and wine from room service so
we can celebrate!" I placed my bag on the couch and removed my heels. He groaned
and got up to go inside the bathroom.

We were only staying here in New York for 4 days. I allotted enough time for us to
go around. Besides, we can come back here next time kapag hindi siya busy. Good
thing he already got a VISA beforehand like me so he was able to come. His family
also traveled a lot.

He sat on the couch and took a slice of pizza while I was telling him all about the
contract. He was staring at me while he was eating and listening carefully. He was
like memorizing the details of the contract by the way he looked.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to my first ever proper shoot. You can stay here and go around
New York or you can come with me if you want, though it's not necessary. Don't
waste your time here following me around," I told him.

"What do you mean? I came here for you, not because I wanted to go out," he said,
rolling his eyes. I laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek.

I was actually scared of entering this new door all alone but good thing Clyden was
with me all throughout the process of adjusting. He never left my side even for a
moment while the shoot was on-going. Some people were staring at him not because
they were confused why he was there but because of his looks. His appeal was too
strong. Mas bagay ata sa kaniya ang mag-model kaysa sa 'kin. He had that kind of
impact, the one that could make your head turn.

He was watching me so I felt a little awkward while the shoot was on-going. He must
have noticed so he turned around and walked away, pretending to admire the studio.
I relaxed a bit and did my best so everyone wouldn't be disappointed in accepting
me. I learned how to be friends with the camera.

"Very nice, Samantha! Now try putting on a carefree look," the photographer said.

The music was really helping in making me feel comfortable. I smiled, I laughed, I
relaxed my body. In between shoots, they would retouch my makeup and make me change
my clothes. It finally felt so real... All of it. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa nagsi-
sink in sa akin. How did I even get here? From not knowing what I wanted to become
to actually doing the things I enjoyed?
"Is that your boyfriend?" The make-up artist asked after the shoot. I was putting
on my denim jacket inside the dressing room.

"Yes," I proudly said before getting my bag. "Thank you so much for today."

"You guys look good together," she said and smiled. I thanked her again and the
director before leaving the studio.

Clyden was already waiting outside for me with his hands inside his pocket. I put
my hands around his arm and gave him a cute smile. He looked down on me and kissed
my forehead before we walked out of the building. He was telling me to overcome my
awkwardness in front of him. He was such a judgmental person!

Since I was already done with my job, we decided to take a cab to Brooklyn Bridge
so we can catch the sunset there and take pictures. As expected, there were so many
tourists around. I leaned against the wooden fence and admired my view while Clyden
was beside me, taking pictures like a tourist.

"Have you been to New York before, love?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered honestly.

"Then why are you still acting like it's your first time? What a tourist," I
teased.

"It's my first time with you. I don't take pictures when I'm with my family because
I don't want to remember the moment," he explained. "But here, I can look at these
pictures again and remember that I was here with you once."

What a sweet-talker. Minsan hindi ko alam kung inuuto niya na lang ako para kiligin
ako, e. His words were always so smooth! Ako naman 'tong kinikilig sa mga simpleng
ganoon niya. I knew deep inside, he really meant them though.

"When I finally get bookings, I'll be busy, especially with international bookings.
Are you going to be okay? Are we going to be okay?" I asked him, a little worried.

We were always together when I was still studying. No matter how busy we were, we
always found time to be together, kahit tuwing matutulog lang. I knew I would be
busy traveling around if I would be lucky enough to land on international bookings.
That was the goal, though I wasn't planning to live elsewhere. I will stay in the
Philippines and travel when I need to.

"Of course we're going to be okay. It's normal to be busy with our own dreams. The
clerkship will also take a lot of my time but we'll work it out." Clyden looked so
calm like he wasn't even scared of what could happen to us. He was so confident and
so I needed to be like him too.

We took pictures together before we went to Times Square to watch a broadway show.
Around midnight na kami nakalabas so wala na masyadong tao. We were just walking
around until we reached our hotel room. Good thing it was near the area.
We also had no plans the next day so we woke up around noon. Our bodies were still
adjusting to the time so we forced ourselves to sleep late last night by doing
intimate things. I got off the bed, still a little tired. Pinulot ko ang sweater
niya sa sahig at sinuot 'yon with only my underwear underneath. I opened the
curtains so he would also get up.

I ordered room service for our lunch before we took a shower together. We were
planning to go to so many places today but our sexual thoughts were getting in the
way. Late na tuloy kaming nakapagbihis.

"Ayan tuloy! 4 PM na!" I scolded him when we left the hotel room. He intertwined my
hand with his and walked beside me. Nag-iba na ang plans namin. Mag-shop na lang
daw kami. I didn't even bring that much money with me!

"Kasalanan mo 'yon. Ikaw 'yung nagmakaawa sa 'kin na isa pa," he blamed me.

"Excuse me? Nagmakaawa? You're exaggerating. I never said that!"

Since I didn't have enough money with me, he paid for our expensive dinner after we
went shopping. Clothes lang ang binili ko at kaunti lang din because I wanted to
start saving already, especially now that I wasn't supported by my parents anymore.
Hindi pa rin kami nag-uusap nila Mommy.
"Why do you have so much money with you? You're not working yet," I said while we
were eating. He said he wanted to try going on a formal dinner in New York so we
had to wear formal clothes too.

"Because I'm responsible and I save a lot from my allowance," he answered,

smirking. He looked so proud, huh. "Don't worry, I saved enough for us, too."

"Feeling ka. Money pa rin 'yan ng parents mo." I laughed and rolled my eyes. He
sounded like he was already getting paid.

"Matagal pa 'ko, e. Hintay ka lang," maangas na sagot niya sa 'kin.

"Okay, Doc," I teased again.

Our New York trip wasn't that productive but it was fun. A week after we went back
to the Philippines, my agency already sent me the photos I could use on my
Instagram. I also changed my bio and tagged them. It was such a big moment for me.
It was one of the most famous modeling agencies, posting my photos on their social
media accounts!

After that, they told me that I finally got local bookings. May photoshoot ako for
a makeup brand and a skincare brand. I was so nervous I had to go to Naomi to ask
her for tips. Finally, I was going to get paid in a shoot!
"Have you already improved your walk?" That was the first thing she asked when she
saw me!

Sinaktuhan ko talaga na wala sila Mommy bago ako pumunta sa mansion. I didn't want
to see them yet, though I was being eaten by guilt after that day. I also hated
myself for being like this. Why did I need to feel bad for defending myself? I
shouldn't feel guilty for doing the things I want.

"My walk is improving. Giselle is helping me with it, but she's so busy these days
so I'm working on it by myself," I told her. "I'm not here for the walk. I'm here
because.. Guess what?! May photoshoot ako! Dalawa!"

"Oh my gosh!" Her face lit up and her smile grew. She jumped out of excitement and
gave me a hug. "Finally! Congratulations! Let's work on your skills! Come on!"

She sounded more excited than me! For the whole vacation, my routine was just doing
shoots, waiting for another one to come, and doing shoots again. My Instagram
followers started to rise up ever since my agency posted my photo, and ever since I
started endorsing some brands. Giselle also posted a 'welcome to the family' photo
of us.

"What's that?" I asked Clyden when I went home. He was opening a box from a paper
bag. It looked like a gift.

"My dad sent me this," he answered.

Nilapag ko ang mga gamit ko sa sofa bago ako umupo sa tabi niya. I was also curious
about what was inside the box. When he opened it, my mouth formed an 'o'. It was a
stethoscope. It looked expensive.

The note said 'Good luck on your clerkship'. His dad also had a sweet side, huh?
Clyden didn't look so pleased with the note but he looked glad to receive a
stethoscope. Hinawakan niya 'yon at pinagmasdan.

"Try it. Does it work?" I asked.

He suddenly laughed at my question. "Does it work? What do you think it is? A toy?"
He couldn't help but smile.

Sinuot niya 'yon sa tenga niya at hinatak ako bigla palapit. He was so close to me
when he put the circle one on my chest! I was so shocked I held my breath. I can't
believe I still got nervous when he was this close to me. Will I ever get used to
it?

"Why is your heart beating so fast?" He raised a brow before taking off his
stethoscope. He hung it around his neck like a real doctor. He looked good in
those.

"N-no! You heard it wrong!" I held my chest and looked away.

He laughed again and held my face to give me a kiss. The next week, he already
started his clerkship. I didn't have a shooting schedule that week so I just stayed
at home and practiced cooking. Clyden went home on his first day looking great. His
pre-duty was from 8 AM to 5 PM.

"So which department are you assigned to now?" I asked while cooking dinner.

"ENT," he simply answered while taking his white polo off. My mouth formed an 'o'
while nodding. It looked interesting. "I can't go home tomorrow. My duty is from 7
AM to 7 AM the next day."

"It's okay. Make sure to take care of yourself," I told him. It was ironic how
their job was to take care of other people but they can't even take care of
themselves. I couldn't stay awake for 24 hours! It would drive me nuts. It looked
like he was already used to it, though. Hindi na siya natutulog dati, e.

The next day, I was surprised to see my mom in the living room. I didn't know how
to act around her. She stood up when she saw me going downstairs. Wala na rin si
Clyden kanina pa.

"Breakfast?" I simply asked without looking at her.

"I'll just have tea, please," she answered formally. I heard her footsteps from
behind me when she followed me to the kitchen.
"Why are you here?" I asked coldly.

"Maureen, I am your mother. Stop treating me like a stranger. Let's end this petty
fight and just start talking to me. Pumayag na akong mag-model ka, right? What more
do you want?" She sounded so calm but I knew she was just trying to control her
emotions.

"Should I thank you for letting me do what I want, Mom?" I asked while toasting
bread. I couldn't look at her now.

"No, honey, I'm saying that I support you! As your mom, I support you! Now stop
giving me a cold shoulder. Your Dad and I are really having a hard time right now."
When I looked back at her, she was massaging her head in frustration.

"Why? Did something happen?" I asked.

"Nothing for you to worry about, honey. Just stick to Clyden as long as you can.
Your Dad and I will try to fix things." Mom still gave me a smile, but it looked
like a creepy one. "We just have to take out some traitors."

I placed her tea on the table along with a plate of toasted bread. I didn't know
what to say to her anymore. Hindi ko maintindihan 'yung sinasabi niya. I wondered
if something bad was happening while I was occupied with my work.
"Is everything alright?" I asked her for the last time before she left the house.

"Of course, dear." She gave me a smile. "As long as your relationship with Clyden
is not falling, everything is going to be alright. Trust me."

I wanted to defend myself and say that I wasn't using Clyden as my 'fallback' plan
but she already went inside the car. I sighed and went inside to play with the
dogs. The next day, Clyden went home around 7 AM looking so tired.

"Breakfast?" I asked carefully.

"I'll just take a shower. I'll go back there in 2 hours," he said without looking
at me.

I thought I would get used to it since I also became busy with my stuff. After two
months, I received an email from my agency about an international show I was going
to participate in so I was so thrilled. I already booked my flight to New York that
weekend and prepared my stuff.

"Babe! You're here! Good news!" I excitedly said when Clyden went home early in the
morning. He looked so sleepy and tired while taking his polo off.
"Let me hear it later, love. I'm really tired," he said in a monotone before going
upstairs.

The smile faded on my face but I still gave him a slight nod. It was fine since he
really looked tired. Clerkship was stressing him out. I waited for 'later' to come
but he already left after a few hours to go back to the hospital. I ended up not
being able to tell him until my flight. I just texted him that I'll be out for a
few days.

My trip to New York was so lonely but I met some models with the help of Giselle. I
shopped with them after practice. It was the first time I felt like I really fit in
the industry. All of them were so nice. We also followed each other on Instagram.

"The change in your walk is drastic! I love your improvement!" Giselle praised.
"Keep it up! You'll become a supermodel in no time. I'm really proud of you, Sam!"

"Thank you, Giselle." Ever since then, Giselle had always been so humble. Even
though she was already working with big brands, she never boasted about it. She was
so eager to help a beginner like me.

My first fashion show was nerve-wracking. I was so nervous when it was my turn but
I still pulled it off. I managed not to trip on the runway. That was already an
achievement for me. After that show, I met some other designers and socialites. My
circle was starting to get big because of my communication skills. It really helped
me a lot in striking conversations with other people.

Clyden barely replied to my messages since he was busy with his duty, but he sent
me a photo of him in a maroon scrub suit with a surgical mask on. He messaged me
with 'E.R duty' along with those photos. I replied 'Good luck!' with a heart emoji.

When I went home straight from my flight, Yanna texted me to take care of Avi since
her mom was going to leave for Laguna. I went home for a moment just to get more
clothes and to return my dirty clothes before going to my condo in Katipunan.

"Sorry, Sam, ah. May aasikasuhin lang ako sa Laguna. Biglaan lang din. Baka ilang
araw pa ako roon. Pasensya na," Yanna's mom said when I went inside the unit.

"It's okay, Tita. I'll take care of her," I assured her.

She gave Avi a kiss before leaving the unit with her bags. I texted Clyden that
I'll stay in my condo for days and he replied 'Okay'. Hindi na rin naman kami
masyadong nagkikita kaya wala namang changes kahit nasa bahay ako o wala. Bihira na
nga niyang higaan 'yung kama namin dahil laging sa sofa na siya inaabot ng antok.
He would barely sleep.

Ridgen would also send me photos of Clyden for fun. He was sleeping anywhere in the
hospital! Sa desk, sa sahig, sa upuan, pati habang kumakain. I felt bad for him so
I promised myself to be the most understanding partner. He was having a hard time.
I didn't want to add up to his problems anymore.

"Hello, love!" I carried Avi who was on the floor, playing with big shapes.
She was putting it on her mouth so she was drooling. I had to clean up the room
after putting her inside the crib. I was so sleepy but Avi was crying so I couldn't
really lay down peacefully. The baby wanted to eat so she kept on pulling on the
hem of my shirt to reveal my chest.

"I don't have milk with me, baby," I told her while getting Yanna's stored
breastmilk inside the refrigerator. It was the only thing I could do at the moment.
She had to go to classes so I bought her pumping equipment so she could collect her
milk.

I made her drink milk through the bottle until she was already spitting it out. I
had to clean her again before getting her to finally sleep. Nang makatulog siya,
nakatulog na rin ako sa kama. Nagising lang ako nang dumating na si Yanna, still
wearing her uniform.

"Sige lang. Matulog ka pa. Mukhang pagod ka," she said while removing her I.D.

"No, I'm not tired. It's fine!" I lied. "I'll cook for dinner!"

She was busy with her studies so I had to cook dinner for them. Nagising pa si
Avrielle so kinailangan niyang buhatin habang nag-aaral siya. Yanna was so good at
multi-tasking. Mukhang nasanay na siyang mag-alaga ng bata habang nag-rereview. I
admired her so much that I was willing to do anything just to make her rest for a
moment, kahit huwag na akong magpahinga.

While cooking dinner, Clyden sent me a close-up photo of him with a mask on and a
hair cap. He was wiping his sweat with his forearm so I saw him wearing gloves. His
eyes looked so tired but he looked like he was enjoying it.
Clyden would often have an afternoon off but he was spending it studying and
usually, may shoot din ako kapag off-duty siya so hindi ko rin siya naaabutan. It
was all okay to me, though. We were busy chasing our dreams. It was normal.

I cooked dinner for Yanna and I. I also offered to wash the dishes because she was
preparing for an exam the next day. Ako na rin 'yung nag-alaga kay Avi at nagpaligo
to lessen Yanna's burden. After that, I organized my schedule again. I was already
trying to find a good manager.

It went on for the next two days. I canceled my schedule just to take care of Avi
while Yanna was out but I had to go back to work during the weekend. Noong Sunday,
nasaktuhan kong off-duty si Clyden noong afternoon so we went out on a date.

"Do you want me to help you study?" I asked him while sipping on my shake. Kahit sa
date, nagbabasa pa rin siya.

"I'm sorry." He panicked and started fixing his things. Nilagay niya 'yung mga
papel sa bag niya bigla. "I was just looking at my notes from last week. How are
you?"

"I'm okay. How are you?" I asked him back.

"I'm fine. How's your dad? I heard he's under investigation," he simply said before
taking a sip on his watermelon shake. My brows furrowed immediately, confused by
what he said. "Wait, you didn't know?"

"What?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "What investigation? What did he do?"

"He's being accused of plunder and your mom's being accused of doing underground
business. They're helping in the importation of illegal drugs," he explained
carefully. "That's what I read. It's all over the news."

I blinked twice, still not processing any of it. My head suddenly hurt when I
sipped on my shake too much. I felt dizzy, just thinking about what my parents were
going through at the moment and I exactly had no idea!

"I'm sorry, I..." I got my bag and left my shake on the table. "I need to see my
Mom."

I didn't wait for his nod and just ran away. I was trying to call my mother a lot
of times but she wasn't answering! I tried reaching my dad but his phone was also
off. I drove faster until I reached the mansion. Dali-dali akong bumaba at pumasok
sa loob, only to see both of them with a group of lawyers in the living room.

"Honey, you're here." My mom looked surprised to see me. "Excuse us for a moment,
please."
When the lawyers left, I walked towards the living room and looked at them with so
much confusion. "What the hell is happening around here?"

"Maureen, just calm down. Everything's fine!" My mom smiled again. It was such a
crazy smile. Hindi ko na alam ang iniisip niya.

"Is it true?" I asked, hoping that they would say no but my dad just stood up and
tried to shut me down. "Is it true?! Answer me!" My voice echoed in the whole
mansion.

"We have enough money, dear, so don't worry about it." My mom tried to touch my
shoulder but I stepped back. Money? What the hell were they planning to do with the
money? "Maureen, please, stop being such a burden and just stay out of this!"

"Do you know... how many people... how many people are suffering in this country?
How many people are out there, barely even living for a day?! How many people are
paying taxes only for you to..." I was breathing so heavily. My eyes started to
heat as I tried so hard to stop my tears from falling. "Only for you to fucking
steal?! Huh?! I am so disgusted!"

"Maureen, calm down," my mom said.

"No! Everyone was right about you, Dad! You're a useless politician and also a bad
father!" I yelled. "You know what else can I call you? A criminal!"
I held my cheek after a harsh slap from my dad. My mom yelled at him and went to me
but I pushed her away. When dad walked towards me again, I closed my eyes and
waited for another pain to come but instead, I heard Naomi's cry.

"Stop, please. Stop." I opened my eyes and saw Naomi holding my father's wrist.

"Naomi, go back to your room," mariing sabi ko. "Let him go."

"You fucking child, do not even try to butt in!" My dad moved his hand away to get
out of Naomi's hold, causing her to fall on the floor. I immediately went to her to
help her. "All of you are so ungrateful! I paid for your fucking tuition, your
needs, everything, and this is how you will treat me? Huh, Maureen?!"

"You paid for my needs using other people's money!" I yelled at him again. "Do not
even sound so proud!"

"You, stand up and go back to your room!" My mom shouted at Naomi and tried to drag
her away but I pulled her back. "Do not even try, Maureen. Stop doing things for
this child just because you pity her!"

My lips parted in shock. "Pity? She is my sister so let go of her!"

"This is not your sister because I did not give birth to this child! Get away from
her or she will also become the cause of your downfall, like what happened to her
mom! You hear that, kid? You bring misfortune to everyone! Now we're going down,
too!" My mom kept on saying everything going inside her head without thinking.

"Stop it!" I yelled. "You did this to yourself! Stop blaming the child! She's just
a kid!" Hinatak ko si Naomi pabalik. She looked like she was already hurting so I
let go of her hand. She looked down and cried, begging for us to stop. "Naomi, come
with me."

She looked at me and slowly shook her head. My mom scoffed. "See? She's staying
here! Now go back upstairs!"

I wanted to pull her back with me and force her to leave but she looked at me like
she was begging me to stop so I didn't move my hand. I was about to walk away when
the door opened and Clyden went inside, looking around.

"Let's go, Maui." He held my hand and pulled me out of the mansion. I tried to get
out of his grip but he wouldn't let me go until we reached the parking. "It's not
good to act on your emotions."

I moved my hand away and stared at him with disbelief. "Are you hearing yourself?!
You can say that because you are not in my position! You are not having a hard time
with your parents!"

He loudly closed the door of his car and faced me with so much anger now. He looked
at me like he wanted to say a curse but he was stopping himself.
"I am not having a hard time?" He repeated in a calm voice. "You do not know a
thing."

"What do I not know?! You also do not know a thing about me and what is going on
with me so don't act so high!" I yelled. My emotions started getting on me that I
couldn't stop my mouth anymore.

"This is not good. Just... Just go home." He sighed and took my bag from me so he
could get my car keys.

Binuksan niya ang sasakyan ko at pinapasok ako sa loob. I sighed and hit the
steering wheel before driving away. His car followed me from behind. My mind was
too clouded. Everything was too much. While I was driving, I received a message
from Yanna. I stopped my car at a red light to read it.

From: Yanna

Ang taas ng lagnat ni Avi, Sam. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to breathe before texting Clyden that I'll
visit my friend. Pagka-green light, lumiko na kaagad ako at pumunta sa Katipunan.
When I parked the car, I checked the news and saw the articles about my family.

"Fuck," I whispered when the issue about my dad having an illegitimate child also
blew up. Everyone was now talking about Naomi and her mom's death. Some people were
saying that my dad probably planned her death because he wanted to get rid of her.

My head was spinning. I wanted to explode, but I still went out of the car when I
saw Yanna running to me, carrying Avi with her.

I opened the door for her while she was crying. May dala-dala pa siyang reviewers.
She looked so devastated.

"Hey, it's okay. We're taking her to the hospital. It will be alright," I comforted
her. "Stop crying. I'm here, okay?"

She nodded and wiped her tears. I held her hand and gave her an assuring smile
before driving away. We managed to take Avi to the doctor in time and they admitted
her to the hospital to take care of her for a few days. They said everything will
be fine and it wasn't anything critical so the next day, I went to my shoot.

I knew they weren't satisfied with what I did so they called it off and just
rescheduled. They probably heard the news about my family so they were considerate.
After the shoot, I stayed inside my car for a moment and tried to call people I
could drink with.

Luna, Via, and Kierra were all busy with their plates. Sevi was busy with reviewing
for his boards. Arkin was.. busy as usual. I didn't want to bother Yanna because
she was having a hard time with school and Avi. Clyden probably had duty by this
time.
"It's okay, Sam," I whispered. "You have yourself."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

24 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

trigger warning: self-harm, death

"Ngayon ko lang nabalitaan. Hindi na 'ko masyadong nakakapag-online, e. Okay ka

lang ba?"

I sighed and sipped on my can of cold beer while looking at nowhere. I was too
occupied by my thoughts to even focus my attention somewhere. Matagal akong
nakatulala sa kawalan hanggang sa narinig ko ang maikling tawa ni Luna. When I was
about to go home by myself because I couldn't call them, she called me instead.

"I'm fine," I whispered. It didn't sound like it so I needed to add a smile so she
would believe my words.

"It's no use. Hindi gagana sa 'kin 'yan, kahit ngumiti ka pa. Alam na alam ko na
'yung ganyang mga ngiti, e. Pinipilit na lang natin 'yung sarili natin maging okay,
'no? Kasi baka kakapilit natin, magkatotoo." She laughed again before sipping on
her beer.
We were on the balcony of her condo. Kierra was out so kami lang dalawa ang naiwan.
I wondered why Kierra was so busy. Good thing I refused to call her. Baka makaabala
pa 'ko. Sometimes, it will just hit you, right? That all of your friends had their
own lives, their own problems to mind. Whatever was going on with you, their lives
will still go on. It was the reason why I didn't want to tell them my problems. I
didn't want them to stop living their lives just because I stopped mine.

It was just a problem. I will get over it by myself. I can get over it... At least
that was what I wanted to happen but it was really hard. Really really hard.

"I'm fine," I whispered again as my tears started to fall. "It's fine. I'm okay."
My voice broke this time. I looked down and let the tears fall to the cold tiles. I
couldn't look at Luna anymore. I was too embarrassed.

"Sige lang," she casually said before sipping on her beer again without looking at
me. She refused to look at me because she knew I would be embarrassed. I rarely
cried because of my personal problems. I often cried because of theirs.

I tried so hard to stifle a sob until my chest was already hurting. I held my chest
and fisted on my shirt while looking down. I was trying to hold it all in but it
was too hard. My emotions were overflowing but I also didn't want Luna to see me
like this. Devastated.

I stopped crying when she suddenly handed me a box of tissue. I didn't even notice
that she went inside to get one. Kinuha ko 'yon at pinunasan ang luha ko habang
hindi nakatingin sa kaniya. She was also looking away from me.
"How do I endure it?" I asked her, still trying to stop my tears.

"Well, life goes on even though it feels like shit," Luna whispered. "Kapit lang.
Kapit ka sa 'kin. Kapit ka sa amin. Kumapit ka sa mga taong handang hawakan ang
kamay mo. 'Yung mga taong hindi ka bibitawan."

I nodded and finished my can of beer before going home. She gave me a long hug
before I left, which made me feel better. I was driving home, ready to face Clyden
when I realized that he was probably out on his duty.

When I parked my car in the garage, I saw an unfamiliar car just in front of the
house. I turned the engine off and got my bag before I went out of my car, only to
see Clyden's mom looking at the flowers in the garden. She kneeled down when Hail
went to her, giving the dog a pat on the head.

"Uh.." I went closer to get her attention, not knowing what to say. She immediately
stood up and gave me a small smile when she turned to my direction. "Good..
evening, Ma'am." It wasn't fully evening yet. "Clyden's on his duty."

"Hello, Sam," she greeted. "I'm not here for Clyden. To tell you the truth, he's...
He's actually not talking to us at the moment."

My brows furrowed in confusion. Was it because he was too busy now to even talk to
his family? His parents would understand because they were all in the same field,
but his mom looked lonely.
"Do you want to come inside?" I asked while putting my car keys inside my bag. I
stopped when she talked.

"No, I wouldn't stay long."

I looked at her and pursed my lips. Something was making me nervous but I didn't
know what it was. Clyden's mother was kind. I knew that already when I first met
her, but not because she was kind, she was a good mother to the three. She let her
children fight... But I also couldn't judge her with that. Maybe she was also
having a hard time with those three.

"Clyden stopped talking to us ever since his dad tried to force him to cancel the
engagement," she told me.

My lips parted in shock, not knowing what to say. Clyden... He never said anything
about that. I got that he was too busy with his clerkship but he had the chance to
tell me that when we went out on a date. He didn't so he really just didn't want to
tell me.

"You probably already know what's going on with your family. My husband is worried
about our business. We are in the medical field, and it is also political. People
are trusting their lives on us and being with your family can be critical for us.
We want nothing to do with your family anymore, Samantha. I hope you understand,"
she said, trying so hard to make it sound less painful for me.

"Of course," I whispered, looking down.

I understood where she was coming from. Even I hated my family. Even I hated where
I came from. I knew it would affect their family as well and the thing with me was
that I didn't want other people to suffer because of me. I didn't want to bring
them down with me and my family as well. My parents had affected so many lives
already just by stealing money. Enough was enough.

"But Clyden was still stubborn about it." Her mom sighed heavily. "So his dad used
the inheritance against him. He said he didn't care but I don't want him to lose it
just because of this. That kid has a bright future ahead of him. I also don't want
him to get caught in this issue. If only we knew... We wouldn't have forced him to
say yes to this engagement. I'm so sorry to bother both of you."

'I'm not having a hard time? You don't know a thing'. His words suddenly came back
to me. To think that I told him that without knowing how he was ready to give up on
his family for me. I didn't know what to feel. Just when I was about to think that
everything will be alright, another problem came up.

"Did you know that he agreed to this engagement because he didn't want you to get
married to Charles?"

So we both had reasons why we agreed to get married at this young age. I remembered
how we hated each other at our first meeting. Who knew it would come to this point?
I should have been ready to face this. Besides, it was the ending we were planning
all along. We forced ourselves to get along with each other because we wanted to
cancel the engagement in the end. It was the moment we planned back then.

But why did it hurt so much? Why was I feeling like dying? Like my chest was being
hammered continuously. It hurt. All of it.
"When he was young, Charles used to hit him. Maybe he was afraid that his brother
would do the same to you. I don't know. He didn't talk about the reason so I just
assumed that that was it."

He didn't want to disappoint his family. That was the reason he told me... But now
I was doubting him. He couldn't tell me about all of these. Ang dami ko pang hindi
alam sa kaniya, sa buhay niya. He was vocal but not about himself. Not about the
things he was going through. Not about his problems. We were the same.

"He had the softest heart among the three despite having such a tough attitude. He
might be acting based on his emotions now so he can't see the future ahead of him.
Because of his love for you, he might as well end up helping your dad. The person
he hated the most. And that will become his downfall."

He wouldn't do that. Clyden would never do that because he knew how to stick to his
principles. His mother was wrong on that part but I agreed on her statement that
this could become Clyden's downfall. Having the surname "Vera" was already hard for
me. I wanted to bring a new meaning to that surname so I refused to give it up.

"Please give me time," I whispered. "Everything's too much for me right now. I hope
you understand."

"Of course." She nodded and gave me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry to drag you
into this, Sam... But I really want the best for my son. He's still young."
I nodded and stared as I watched her walk away. Nang mawala siya sa paningin ko,
napaupo na lang ako sa damuhan at napatakip sa mukha ko. I was close to crying when
I felt a paw on my shoulder. I moved my hands away from my face and saw Summer with
her tongue out. She was trying to get my attention from touching me with her foot.

"Hello, baby," I greeted her and smiled. I ended up smiling when Maple also ran to
me, causing me to fall on my back. Hail started licking my face while Maple rested
her body on top of me.

The next day, I woke up to a message from the doctor I recommended to Naomi. I
opened my eyes and got off the bed before I opened my phone.

From: Dr. Peja

Hello, Sam. I hope I'm not disturbing but Naomi has already missed a lot of
sessions. I'm just worried about her. I heard about what happened to your family.

I massaged my head and replied 'I'll check on her' before I went down to have some
breakfast. I suddenly stopped walking to the kitchen when I saw Clyden putting a
plate of pancake down on the breakfast table. He was wearing his white polo. Hindi
ko alam kung kakauwi niya lang o paalis na siya.

"You're awake now," he said when he saw me.

Dahan-dahan akong umupo sa high chair at uminom ng tubig habang nakaiwas ng tingin
sa kaniya. All I could think about was his mother's words. Clyden was in conflict
with his family but he was keeping it all inside, not knowing that I already knew
about it.

"Cy," I called, looking down on my plate. "When are you available to talk?"

He stared at me for a moment before looking away and pursing his lips. He turned
his back away from me like he knew what I wanted to talk about. He was purposely
trying to avoid it. It hurt me to see him fighting for us. Our relationship was
already in crumbles, to begin with.

It wouldn't actually make a difference now if we were separated. We had already

gotten used to not seeing each other ever since we started chasing our dreams. It
wouldn't hurt that much, right? It shouldn't... But it did. It really did.

I felt like I wanted to lean my head on his chest for him to assure me that
everything will be alright between us. I didn't want to lose him too but everything
was too much and I didn't want to bring him down with me. He was already having a
hard time with his clerkship.

"I can't," he whispered, holding on to the countertop so tight. All I could see was
his back. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iniisip niya. "I can't talk. Not now. Not
ever."

With that, he walked away to get his bag. "Finish your breakfast," he said before
leaving the house. I sighed heavily and covered my face to stop the tears from
falling. Araw-araw na lang ba akong gigising nang tinitiis ang sakit? May araw pa
bang darating na hindi ako masasaktan?
I checked the news and saw Naomi's face on the articles about my dad. I suddenly
felt the heat going around my body. Madness. It was all I could think of. These
people just couldn't spare the kid! Who wanted to be called an 'illegitimate' child
all over the internet?! Fuck them! I wished Naomi wouldn't see all of this.

After taking a shower, I rushed out to the mansion. Alam kong may pasok dapat si
Naomi ngayon kaya titignan ko kung pumasok siya. I wanted to message her friends
but then I realized that Naomi never talked about having friends ever since what
happened during her birthday. Did she find other friends? Or.. was she alone? All
this time?

"Is Naomi here?" I asked the helpers and they nodded. I sighed heavily and went
upstairs. It was also possible that my mom grounded her and told her not to go to
school because of the issue but I doubted her intentions. She wouldn't care that
much.

I stopped in front of her door and knocked. "Naomi, this is your sister. Are you
there?"

When she didn't respond, I knocked again. And again. And again. I continued
knocking until I finally heard her voice.

"Go away!" She yelled. "Leave me alone, Sam!"

My lips parted in shock. Memories of her, kicking me out of her room, flashed. Our
relationship went back to zero just like that? Was she back to pushing me away from
her? Why? Because my mom made her feel guilty for what was happening?

"No, I would never leave you alone. I told you that!" I yelled back. This time, I
wouldn't let her go. I wouldn't leave her anymore. I turned my back away from her a
lot of times when she told me to go away. That was my mistake. "Open the door and
let's talk, please."

"I don't want to talk! Stop fucking pitying me! I am not a charity case!" I heard
the anger on her voice.

"What the hell did Mom say to you? I am your sister and I want to take care of you!
I never treated you as a charity case!"

Pity? Maybe I did. Maybe I pitied her back then when I first saw her and heard what
happened to her mom, but I wasn't doing this because of that. I valued her. I was
the only one who could see her worth. Not even she could see it.

I sat on the floor and leaned my back against the door. I stayed there for so long,
waiting for her to open the door. The helpers offered me food but I refused. I
couldn't eat anymore. Naomi was probably skipping meals, too. I knew my parents
wouldn't be home at this time. They were busy with their hearings. I was actually
surprised that they hadn't faked their medical records yet. Someone couldn't do it
for them, huh? Even Clyden's family couldn't.

It was already 1 AM when I decided to stand up. I knocked again and told her that I
will get the keys. She was already getting me worried. She didn't make a sound for
a long time.
"Can you get the keys for me-" I stopped talking to the helper when the door
suddenly opened. Naomi looked at me with her coldest stare. She took a step forward
and touched my shoulder to push me away.

"Leave," she whispered. "Just leave, please."

"I told you that I will be with you throughout your healing process. I won't leave
now. I couldn't." I promised. With my parents closely going to jail, I was the only
one left to take care of her. I will bring her with me.

"You don't understand!" She suddenly raised her voice, which made me step back a
bit. "You don't understand! You will never understand because no one was talking
ill of you just for being the daughter of your father! I am too embarrassed to get
out now. When I went to school, some people were looking at me like.. like they
pity me," her voice suddenly broke.

"Naomi..." I wanted to say something but nothing came out.

"Do not even try to sound like you understand! It's not that easy! My face was all
over the internet. My mom's death was brought up. Everything is... Everything
hurts..." She fell on her knees and cried.

Tumulo rin ang luha ko at lumuhod sa harapan niya para yakapin siya. She was
shaking badly because of crying. She wanted to get out of my hold but I held her in
place. I tightened my embrace and leaned my chin on top of her head. She gave up
eventually and just cried on my shoulder. Her cries were like knives piercing me on
my chest.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I tried to contain my sobs. "You don't deserve this."
They should talk about me instead. I was ready to take the blow to protect my
sister. I lost my parents and I was about to lose Clyden, too. I couldn't lose
Naomi this time.

"I deserve this," she whispered, crying. "I deserve this... My mom died because of
me... I deserve this. I deserve this."

"No," my voice broke. I shook my head and tightened my embrace more. "You don't.
Please."

"It hurts so much... Everything hurts..." She was breathing heavily. Parang
nahihirapan na siyang humabol ng hininga kakaiyak. "Why do I need to feel sorry for
living? Why do I need to suffer when all I wanted was to be happy? I shouldn't have
gone out of the door... I should have stayed in my place. Now everything's
backfiring to me."

"I am here," I whispered to her continuously. "I am here. Lean on me."

"You don't know how many times I wished I wasn't born! You don't know how many
times I wished that my mother lived instead of me! You don't know how many times I
tried to treat myself as a criminal. My father hid me from the world like I was a
monster... You denied me in front of your friends... I felt so ashamed..."
My lips parted in shock as I tried to recall what happened back there. I thought
she didn't want to be associated with me. I didn't know that it would scar her up
to this day.

"You don't know how many times I tried to please your parents. I couldn't fight
back, knowing that they provide my needs. They are the only reason why I am alive.
I took Political Science, even though I hated it. I tried to make friends and they
betrayed me. There was nothing good going on with my life anymore because your mom
was right. I bring misfortune to everyone. I could never be happy... It feels like
a sin to be happy.." She cried again until she couldn't breathe anymore.

"Remember what you told me? You are worth more than what they say," I told her.
"Don't believe what my mother says. Let's fight back, Naomi. We can live without
them."

"Sam," she called before getting out of my hold. I couldn't see her face anymore
because of my tears. She held my chin and wiped my tears away with her thumb. "Be
free."

I shook my head again. "Come with me. I'm going to provide you with your needs.
Trust me. I will do something so we can get through this without anyone's help."

She stared at me for a long time before her lips curved into a sad smile. She
nodded and stood up, pulling my hand up with her. "I'll... get my things," she said
in a soft voice before going inside her room again, leaving the door open.
I wiped my tears while waiting for her to pack her clothes. I thought she would
bring a large suitcase with her but she only brought one duffel bag and a camera.
She said she didn't have that many clothes, maybe because she couldn't ask my dad
to buy some for her.

She lived a hard life. I admired her for being strong. The people surrounding me
were all so strong so I wanted to be like them. My friends, Clyden, my sister.
Lahat sila, kinakaya nila, kaya kakayanin ko rin.

"Let's go," she told me.

I brought her back to the house. She was kind of allergic to fur but she still let
the dogs welcome her. She smiled and gave them a pat on their heads before
following me upstairs to the guest room, where she stayed.

"Can I stay in your old room?" She asked me.

"Yeah, sure. I'm sleeping in the master's bedroom."

I opened my room and she went inside, looking around. Nilapag niya ang bag niya sa
sahig at umupo sa kama ko habang tinitignan ang frames doon. I didn't have a
schedule tomorrow so I asked her if she wanted to bake again.

"Yeah, of course," she told me, smiling a bit. "Let's try baking cupcakes."
Both of us were already tired so I already left the room to sleep. The next day, I
woke up early to buy the ingredients. Naomi wanted to stay behind and I understood
that maybe she wasn't ready to go out yet.

I went back to the house and Naomi helped me prepare our baking tools. We were just
following instructions from the internet. Hindi pa 'ko nakakapag-bake ng cupcakes.
This was also my first time.

"Wow, you broke them perfectly!" I praised her when I saw what she did with the
eggs. She smirked proudly before whisking them.

"I practiced a lot," she said, laughing a bit. "Let's mix them together. I'm
excited to eat chocolate cupcakes. We can make more than ten, right? It's sad,
though, because the dogs couldn't eat them."

"It's okay. Tayo na lang uubos," I told her.

She looked at me again and slowly gave me a smile before nodding. We finished
mixing the ingredients together so we poured them into the liners. Pagkalagay ko sa
oven, sumandal na ulit ako sa breakfast table habang naghihintay.

Naomi was staring at me while leaning her chin on her palm. When I looked at her,
she smiled at me again. When I was mixing the ingredients earlier, she suddenly
hugged me from behind and leaned her chin on my shoulder.

"You're the best sister in the world," sabi niya kanina.

"I am your only sister," I told her back and she laughed.

After letting the cupcakes cool down, we added the frosting we prepared earlier. We
couldn't eat them right away so we just stored the cupcakes inside the
refrigerator. Bukas pa namin balak kainin.

Naomi watched Netflix for the rest of the day because she was determined to finish
the series she was watching. Umakyat na rin ako sa kwarto para ayusin 'yung
schedule ko at mag-reply sa emails. After that, I went out to pick up Yanna and
Avrielle from the hospital.

"She's fine now, right?" I touched Avrielle's forehead.

"Oo. Salamat, Sam. Nag-panic lang siguro ako. Na-miss ko tuloy 'yung exam." She
sighed and massaged her head. "Magsusulat na lang ako ng excuse letter."

"I'll take care of Avrielle for the meantime. Go and focus on your studies."
"Huwag na. Pinapabalik ko na si Mama. Alam kong marami kang pinagdadaanan ngayon.
Okay ka lang ba?" She looked at me and gave me a small smile.

"Of course," I told her before driving away. "I'm getting there. I'll call you when
I can't take it anymore."

"Sure ka, ah." Mukhang hindi pa siya naniniwala sa 'kin. I gave her a genuine smile
and nodded. That should assure her.

When I went home, Naomi was in the garden, taking pictures of the dogs. When she
saw me, she took a picture of me too and laughed.

"Your boyfriend was here earlier but he already left," she told me after standing
up.

"Yeah. He's busy with his clerkship. I'll take a shower inside," paalam ko bago
pumasok sa bahay. I went upstairs to take a shower and looked at some apartments in
New York secretly. I wasn't really planning to move permanently since I also needed
to take care of Avrielle.

The next day, when I walked downstairs, Naomi was already taking a bite on the
cupcakes. She offered me one when she saw me and told me that they tasted good so I
tried them myself. It wasn't really that good pero pwede na.
"I have a schedule today but I'll be back right away," I told her before drinking
water.

"I'll visit my mom," she told me back.

"Do you have money?" I reached for my wallet but she shook her head. Malayo pa
'yung libingan ng Mommy niya. I wanted to drive her there but may photoshoot pa
'ko.

"I have. Don't worry about it."

I went upstairs to take a shower and she offered to do my makeup for me. Of course,
I couldn't refuse so I just let her do that for me. Siya na rin ang nag-ayos ng
buhok ko at pumili ng susuotin ko. She looked like she was enjoying it.

"You can be my makeup artist and photographer," I teased.

"I wish," she whispered, laughing a bit. "Hey, you're going to become a great model
even without me as your photographer. I know that you're good at getting along with
other people but try your best to become more comfortable in front of other
people's cameras, okay? Isipin mo na lang na ako 'yung kumukuha sa 'yo ng picture
kapag naiilang ka."
"I surely will." I nodded. "Thank you."

"Now go." She tapped my shoulders after finishing up my look. Tumayo na 'ko at
kinuha ang bag ko para umalis. She followed me downstairs until I opened the front
door.

"Bye, Naomi!" I waved my hand.

She nodded and put her hands on her back. "Bye, Ate," she said before giving me a
smile that reached her eyes.

I also said goodbye to the dogs before I went inside my car. Something was
bothering me the whole day but I couldn't point it out. Which exactly was it? Sa
dami ng problema ko, hindi ko na rin alam kung alin ang uunahin ko.

I managed to get through my shoot early kaya nakauwi ako nang maaga. When I arrived
home, Naomi wasn't around. I texted her when she'll be back but she didn't reply to
me. Umakyat ako sa kwarto ko at napansing iniwan niya ang camera niya, pero wala na
'yung duffel bag niya.

Was she going to stay out? I tried to call her again but she didn't answer. Nag-
prepare na lang ako ng dinner para sa aming dalawa. When the door opened, I thought
it was Naomi, but I saw Clyden instead.
"Hey," I greeted, not expecting him.

He had a small cut on his cheek. He looked so tired and angry at the same time,
which got me worried. Kumuha kaagad ako ng medicine kit at umupo sa sofa para
gamutin 'yung nasa pisngi niya.

"Did you have a fight with someone?" I asked while he was taking his polo off.

"Just a small brother fight," he answered. "Huwag mo nang gamutin. Maliit lang
'to."

He was about to walk upstairs but I called his name. Matagal akong nakatulala sa
sahig, hindi alam kung paano sasabihin ang iniisip ko. He stopped walking and
clenched his fist.

"Can we talk, please?" I asked him again.

He didn't answer for a long time. He looked up and closed his eyes, letting out a
heavy sigh. I played with my nails and waited for him to respond.

"No matter what happens," he started talking. "I'll stay with you, right? I'll
marry you. Nothing can ever change my mind."
He took another step but stopped when he heard my voice. "Why are you still
fighting for it?" I bit my lower lip as I tried to stop my tears.

He clenched his fist tighter before looking at me with bloodshot eyes. The light
reflected on the tears in his eyes.

"Because I love you," he answered before walking away.

I sighed heavily before standing up to continue making dinner. I waited for Naomi
again so I refused to eat. Gabi na pero wala pa rin siya kaya tinawagan ko siya
ulit. No one was answering so it got me worried. Kinuha ko ang jacket ko at umalis
ng bahay para mag-drive papunta sa libingan ng Mommy niya. Maybe she got lost?

I tried to reach her again. Her phone was ringing but no one was answering. Gabi na
nang makarating ako sa sementeryo. There was a bouquet of flowers there so she was
here earlier. Wala na siya kaya bumalik na ulit ako sa sasakyan. I called her again
and after three rings, finally, she answered.

"Hey, where are you? I've been looking for you," I told her. She didn't answer
right away. "Hello?"

[I'll... I'll stay at my friend's house. It's a little late already so just go
home. Don't worry about me.] She said, sounding a little tired.
"Are you sure you're okay? I can pick you up."

She stayed silent for a long time so I checked if she was still there. The call was
still ongoing.

[I'm okay. I want to hang out with my friends, too. We're... stargazing.] She even
laughed a bit. [Bye... I love you. Take care.] She said before she ended the call.

I went home that night again and sat on the breakfast table, looking at the cold
food I prepared earlier. Hindi na 'ko kumain at nilagay na lang 'yun sa loob ng
ref. I went home... after the call... na dapat hindi ko ginawa.

If only I had been a little persistent.

If only I sensed that something was wrong.

If only I did better... It wouldn't come to this.

[Ma'am, wala na po siya...] The helper from the mansion cried over the phone.
[Kagabi po, rito siya natulog pero noong lilinisin ko po ang kwarto niya, wala na
po siyang malay.]

My head felt heavy. My vision got dark. Blurred. Everything was suddenly a blur. I
couldn't hear anything anymore. I felt dizzy. My heart started to race, making it
hard for me to breathe.

"No," I whispered, holding my head, panting. "No way."

[Tumawag po ako ng ambulansya pero huli na po, Ma'am... Hindi na raw po humihinga
si Naomi pagkarating.] She cried again.

I held my chest. Pasikip nang pasikip ang dibdib ko habang tumatagal. I tried to
stand but I just fell on the floor, staring at nowhere.

'Do you think there's pain there, Ate?'

Her words. Her smile after asking that. She was... She was feeling pain... And I
did nothing to fix that. If only I tried harder.

'Thank you for making me happy, even for a short period of time.'
My mind was too clouded. Everything was not sinking in even while driving to the
hospital. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakarating, o kung paano ko kinaya. My legs
were shaking when I stopped in front of the cold room.

I slowly walked towards her and pulled on the white cloth. When I saw how peaceful
she looked, I couldn't help but to break down. I fell on my knees and cried loudly,
screaming, yelling, until there was nothing left to say.

"Naomi..." I cried again, held her hand, and squeezed it. "How will I live now? How
can I live without you now?"

Her hand was cold. She was too cold... It was harsh. She had scars. She was hurting
for so many years now.

"I'm sorry," I whispered repeatedly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

'I want to go there.'

'Where?'

'To the moon. Or just beside it. I want to be one of the stars.'

That day... Naomi became one with the stars.

________________________________________________________________________________

25 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

tw: self-harm, suicide, death

"Kayo po ang cumontact Ma'am? Nasaan po ang katawan?"

I pointed at my sister's body covered in white cloth. I already contacted a funeral

service to get her while I was still mourning. I knew I had to take her out of the
hospital and I also had to process her death certificate all by myself.

Death certificate. It hurt so much to hear those words. My parents were already
informed about what happened to Naomi but they haven't replied yet. I couldn't
contact anyone. I didn't know how to. I didn't know what to say.

I had to process the documents while mourning. When I arrived at the funeral home,
they asked me to choose the casket for my sister, which broke me. I couldn't take
it anymore. I fell on my knees and cried again in a quiet room full of caskets of
different colors. I couldn't choose one. I couldn't... if it was for my sister. I
can't accept it.

"I'm sorry. I'll just make a call." I forced myself to stand up and wipe my tears.
The funeral home staff nodded so I went out of the room to get my phone. I looked
at the time and assumed that Clyden was still on duty so I called someone else
instead.

[Hindi mo na kaya?] She asked as soon as she answered the call.

"Yanna..." I covered my mouth to stifle a sob when I cried again. Sobrang bigat sa
dibdib ng lahat ng nangyayari. I couldn't take it anymore. It was the first time I
said that I couldn't take it anymore. Palagi kong kinakaya lahat, pero hindi ito.
This was already too much for me. I lost everyone, including myself.

[Nasaan ka? Pupuntahan kita.] Seryosong tanong niya.

I told her the address of the funeral home before ending the call. I couldn't
choose the casket by myself yet so I stayed outside the room and just forced myself
to stop crying. I waited for Yanna while they were asking me where and when I will
hold the burial for my sister. I couldn't even give them a concrete answer yet.
Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin tanggap. I wished that all of it was a long dream.
I wanted to wake up from this.

"Sam!" I stood up when I heard Yanna's voice. She was running to me in her uniform
as she went straight from her class. As soon as I saw her, I started crying again.
"Shush," she whispered while hugging me.

I still felt like shit but being held and having someone to lean into make me feel
a little better. I cried on her chest again while she was talking to the staff. She
was the one who handled the documents while I was beside her, still crying.
"I want her buried immediately." That was what I decided on.

I didn't want to see the people who made it harder for her to live in this cruel
world. Holding a funeral for her would just make me more devastated. I wanted to
cremate her body but I figured that Naomi would want to be buried beside her
mother.

"Her favorite color is yellow," I said as my tears started to fall again. Sobrang
sakit na ng mata ko. Pagod na pagod na 'kong umiyak. "Gold is the closest color.
I'll go with that."

I didn't care about how much it would cost me any more. I was willing to spend all
my savings because I would never let my parents pay for her death. It was like
compensating for all the shit they put her through. I will hold the burial by
myself and I won't invite anyone else. Naomi wouldn't want the public to know.
Everyone talked about her mom's death. I didn't want them to talk about hers, too.

"Dadalhin na lang nila 'yung katawan sa sementeryo," Yanna told me. "Asikasuhin na
natin kung saan siya ililibing."

I had to buy the spot next to her mom. Good thing they processed it fast. Tomorrow
afternoon would be her burial and I asked someone from the church to hold a short
ceremony for my sister. I wanted her spirit to have peace.

"Did you just cut your classes?" I asked Yanna while we were walking at the
cemetery. Having someone to talk to made it less painful for me. I distracted
myself.

"Lecture lang." She shrugged.

Up until now, hindi pa rin tinatanong ni Yanna kung ano ang nangyari. It was like
she knew she couldn't force it out of me. Maybe she thought that I didn't want to
talk about it so she was purposely trying to avoid the topic, but with all of her
help, I felt like she deserved to know.

"She..." I stopped talking when my voice broke again. I covered my face again when
I started crying. "I knew her mental health was bad... And she was... willing to
heal... She was getting treated... She was seeking professional help... But... At
some point, she just..."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, squeezing my hand.

I tried to wipe my tears again. Pakiramdam ko masusugat na ang mata ko kakapunas ko

ng luha ko. I wanted to look at it in a different perspective but I just really
can't stop blaming myself for not trying harder... There were so many 'if's going
on inside my head. Kaunti na lang, mababaliw na ako.

I had to drive her back to Katipunan before I went back home. I couldn't accept
that she was just here yesterday. To think that I left her to attend a shoot. To
think that that was the last time I would see her alive. Why must it hurt like
this?
I went upstairs to see if she left some of her clothes in the closet, but when I
opened it, I saw the white dress she was wearing when she first came into this
house. It was hanged there like she wanted me to see it so she could wear it on her
burial. I cried again as my hands started to shake. I held on to the dress. Her
scent was still there. I could still feel her around like she... like she was
alive.

My lips parted when I saw a note attached to it. My cries went even louder after
reading it.

'I would look good in this :)'

It took me a lot of time to process everything. I sat down on the bed. She cleaned
my old room and even fixed the bed before she left. I was imagining her in this
room, hurting all night while I slept peacefully in the other room. I should have
slept right here. With her. Maybe that would become less painful for her. Or will
it really be?

Kinuha ko 'yung camera sa side table. It was the one I gave her on her birthday.
She left it right here and I felt like I needed to open it so I did. My lips parted
when I saw the photos she left on the camera. Those were her last days. She took
pictures of the dogs, of me, and of Clyden who just came home from his duty. She
also took pictures of the cupcakes we made.

The other photos were on different dates. I inhaled a sharp breath. The lump on my
throat started to get bigger when I saw me. My photos. All of them were me,
smiling. Some were stolen and some were from the shoots.
Kinuha ko ang laptop ko at ininsert ang memory card for me to see everything in
there. I cried even harder when I saw some old pictures. She had been capturing my
smiles, my laughs, even when we weren't close yet. Even during the times when she
used to push me away. I saw a smiling photo of me in Regis, when we saw each other.
It was the one from her old camera. That was the time when my block mates thought
that she was taking pictures of them.

It was me. She was pissed that day and even showed me the photos but I didn't
remember seeing myself in there. Our photos from New Year were also there. We had a
picture when I suddenly hugged her and she looked at me with her surprised
expression. Her lips were parted and her eyes were wide.

There were also photos from the charity event. I saw pictures of the children. All
of them were smiling, laughing. She even took a selfie of them. My laptop got wet
with my tears. I held Naomi's face with my hand through the screen, like she was
real. Like she was still here.

"You shine so brightly," I whispered.

There were a lot of photos on the card, but there was only one video. I got curious
so I clicked on it fast. Napakunot ang noo ko nang makita ko ang background ng room
ko. She filmed this here. She filmed this on the night when I took her with me. She
was wearing the same thing.

She fixed the camera and sat on my bed, smiling, but her smile faded again when she
noticed that something was wrong. She adjusted the camera again and sat on the bed,
now ready to talk. I didn't know if I was ready to hear what she was about to say
so I paused the video to calm myself.
When I played it again, my tears started running down my face. She was fixing her
hair and trying to look good in the camera.

"Hi!" She greeted me. She even waved her hand cutely. "Well, how do I start this?
Uh, if you're watching this, I'm probably... Uh, nevermind... Hi, Sam!"

My lips trembled when she said my name. The video was for me. She filmed this for
me specifically. She left the camera so I would see the video. Hindi ko alam ang
mararamdaman ko. The sound of her voice made me cry even harder. I missed her. I
missed her sound.

"Of course, this video is for you, dummy." She laughed. "So I'm here to ask you if
you have already improved your walk."

I tried to wipe my tears away so I would be able to see clearly. I was crying but
she made me laugh a bit with the mention of my walk. Memories of her, practicing my
walk with me, played inside my head.

"Uh, I don't know how it would sound less... painful for you." Her voice suddenly
changed from being playful to being lonely. "Hey, if ever you're crying right now,
stop it or you won't be able to focus on what I'm about to say! So... Okay..." She
coughed and looked up. I saw the tears in her eyes that she was trying to stop from
falling.

She told me to stop crying like it was that easy for me after losing her. She made
it sound like I could just accept everything in one go. Naomi... Why do you have to
make me feel like this? All of it hurt. Everything.
"I'm sorry I pushed you away a lot of times when all you wanted was to save me. I
didn't really want to push you away and hurt you but I was afraid that being with
me would be even more painful for you because up until now, the death of my mom
still lives inside. The guilt from it. I have... or had... been living my life with
nothing but pain. I was in the darkness for a long time. A lot of times, I compared
myself to you. Actually, I envied you. I wanted to have everything you had. I have
always thought that you're so lucky because you have everything. That's why I was
mad at you."

I knew that already. I already understood her reason even without her telling it to
me like this. Kung ganito niya lang din naman gustong ipaalam, sana hindi ko na
lang nalaman.

"I was such a lonely kid. I had been suffering for so many years now until... Until
that day. You were so persistent that I had to let you in, but you know what? You
made me so happy," her voice broke and she looked down to hide her face. She wiped
her tears before looking at the camera again. "You made me so happy. You made me
explore many things. You helped me heal. You never left my side. You were there for
me when no one else was. You became my mother figure, and I couldn't thank you
enough for that."

Just by knowing how much she appreciated everything I did, the guilt slowly started
to go away. I remembered our happy times. Our baking moments. The moments when she
smiled a lot. When she was genuinely happy.

"I will treasure every moment with you, so if you're still blaming yourself for
what happened, please know that you did enough. You were more than enough. At some
point, I felt like I wanted to get through it. You made me stronger, but there were
still times when I will break down no matter how happy I was that day, but it
wasn't because of you. Do not blame yourself. Do not live like me. That feeling is
the feeling I had to bear for so many years."
I slowly nodded. Somehow, I felt myself accepting everything that happened.
Nagsisink-in na sa akin lahat. I was on the stage of acceptance.

"Sam, I already told you this, but you will become a great model someday. Please,
live for yourself this time. Choose yourself, kasi alam kong ubos na ubos ka na. Do
the things you want and be happy. Genuinely happy," she said, smiling. "Of course,
you need to work on your walk, but as your former photographer, I know expert ka na
when it comes to shoots. I'm saying this now, and I will never get tired of
repeating this up there, in the sky. I am... so proud of you."

Halos hindi ko na siya makita kakaiyak ko. My vision became a blur.

"I am now a star, and I will shine bright for you. Look up when you miss me and I
will look down when I miss you." The tears already fell from her eyes but she was
still smiling. "I love you, Ate."

That was her last statement before she turned the camera off. I closed the laptop
and hugged it while crying. I ended up sleeping on my bed, imagining her beside me.
I woke up around midnight to bring her dress to the funeral home before going home
again. I haven't talked to anyone yet besides Yanna. Kahit si Clyden, hindi ko pa
nakakausap.

"You could shine brightly... and become a star without being taken away..." I
whispered before falling asleep.
The next day, I went out early to buy flowers for Naomi. I also bought sunflowers
because she liked yellow. What a bright color for my brightest star.

Wala pang hapon ay pumunta na 'ko sa sementeryo para mag-hintay. Yanna wanted to go
but she had exams this afternoon. I didn't want to bother her anymore so I told her
that it was okay for me to get through this alone. Naomi's message last night made
me feel better. I already accepted her death and I didn't blame myself anymore.

Nahukay na 'yung spot katabi ng Mommy niya pagkapunta ko roon. They already worked
on it this morning. Nang palubog na ang araw, nakita ko na rin ang casket niya na
dinadala ng apat na lalaki. I smiled by myself. Today, I was wearing a black long-
sleeved dress. I picked the prettiest one for her pretty soul.

The ceremony was short. Hindi ako umiyak habang binabasbasan siya, pero noong
sinabi sa akin na silipin ko na bago siya ibaba, I almost broke down. I walked
towards her and saw her face.

"I love you," I whispered, touching her face through the hard plastic barrier. She
looked so pretty. She looked so bright.

They were about to close it but a hand stopped them. My lips parted when I looked
at Clyden who was already beside me. He was wearing a white button-down polo and a
pair of grey slacks. He pursed his lips and stared at Naomi's face.

"W-why are you here?" I asked.

"Why are you here alone?" He asked back in his most serious voice.

I looked down and didn't answer anymore. He walked closer to Naomi and also touched
the barrier. He was staring at her for so long. He wasn't saying it but I knew that
it was also painful for him. Kahit hindi sila ganoon katagal nagkasama, they still
had fun teasing each other while we were packing the donations.

"I wasn't there," he whispered before taking a step backwards.

I bit my lower lip as I watched them close the casket. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa mga
bulaklak na hawak ko habang pinapanood kong ibaba siya. I started crying again
while Clyden was beside me, standing still. When it was time for me to throw the
flowers, I gave him some and we both threw them down with Naomi.

Before I threw the last flower, I looked up at the sky. "You asked me if I think
there's pain there..." I whispered when I saw the moon showing. "Naomi, I hope
not... I hope there is none. And in here, too. I could only wish... that you didn't
leave."

And at that moment, I swore to myself that I would help more... I would like people
to see the hope she once saw... and continue to live.

And I was one of those people who wanted to continue. To live... Not for other
people, but for myself... Because it was also what she wanted for me. Naomi would
want me to keep going.
I threw the last flower and turned my back away to wipe my tears. I felt Clyden
behind me, staring. He walked away after a few minutes. I thought he already left
but he came back and handed me a bottle of water.

"Do not dehydrate yourself," he said, opening the bottle for me.

Kinuha ko 'yon mula sa kaniya at ininuman. We didn't talk to each other until it
was already dark. I stayed there until they were already finished putting the soil
back to its place. I thanked all of them before they left.

"I'm sorry..." Clyden finally talked. "I wasn't there. I'm sorry you had to face
this alone."

"It's okay," I whispered, giving him a small smile. "It was my choice not to tell.
How did you know?"

"Your mom messaged me," he answered honestly. "She asked me to check on you because
you wouldn't return her calls."

I nodded, still not looking at him. I couldn't look at him without remembering
everything her mom said. There was nothing good going on with me anymore, but I
still had to do it. If being married to him would make him turn his back against
his family, then I would be very much glad to cancel the engagement. It was what
they wanted all along.
"Cy," I called when we reached the parking lot. "Can we talk now?"

He suddenly stopped walking. Nakita ko kung paano humigpit ang hawak niya sa susi
ng kotse niya. He turned his back against me and refused to look at me again.

"I can't," he answered again.

"No, let's do this right here." I touched his arm and pulled on him so he would
face me. He looked at me and bit his lower lip, getting mad now. "Stop avoiding it.
We both know where we will end up."

"Married, Maureen. That's where we will end up," he said under his clenched teeth.

"Cy, please." My face started to heat again. I was already tired. I wanted it to be
over immediately. "Let's end this. Please."

He looked away and pushed his tongue against his cheek while breathing heavily. He
already knew I would say that but he just couldn't accept it. Until now, he was
still stubborn about it.
"You're just tired. Why don't we talk about this some other time?" He tried to
avoid it again.

"Clyden!"

"Sam! Fuck! You know my answer! I would never leave you! If you don't want me
anymore, I don't care! Even if you push me away, I'll stick with you because that's
what I promised you!" He yelled back. The desperation in his voice was painful for
me. "So, please... Stop telling me to end this. It's not happening."

He turned his back away from me again and opened the door of his car. He was about
to get it when I said something that would stop him from walking away.

"I was using you," I told him coldly.

He suddenly stopped and closed the door of his car. He refused to look at me and
just held on to his car tightly. He was slowly trying to control his breathing.

"My mom told me to stay with you because we needed your family to save me. I had to
hold on to you to secure my future, but now I realized that I wanted to secure my
own future without your help. I want to live for myself now, Cy," I added a bit of
truth to it so I wouldn't feel so bad.
He sighed heavily and walked again until he was already in front of me. When I
looked at his eyes, I saw pain, anger, and the tears that he was trying to stop
from falling.

"Use me, then," he said without any hesitation.

"What?" My brows furrowed in confusion. I heard him, but I never thought that he
would actually say that.

The man who valued his pride more than anything was in front of me, telling me to
use him. He was slowly turning to someone I never thought he could become. He was
desperate to keep me that he was ready to lower himself down.

"Use me. I don't care, Sam, please, just don't leave me," he begged.

"How can I use you when your father already took the inheritance away from you,
huh? I don't have a secured future with you anymore!" I shouted at him, trying to
get him back to his senses. "I don't want you anymore. You're nothing without your
family's money."

He pursed his lips and looked away, clenching his jaw. My words were like knives to
him. I chose to attack where it would hurt the most. Inside, I was begging myself
to stop. I already felt bad about it. I couldn't hurt him anymore.
"I'm nothing?" He repeated in disbelief. "Without my family?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes, so just go back where you belong. I will now do things by
myself. I don't want to be with you anymore."

"You don't mean that." He looked at me in the eyes, trying to read my lies, so I
had to look away from him. "You don't mean that, right? Please, tell me."

"I meant everything I said. What more do you want me to say? What reason do you
want me to come up with just for you to let me go? That I never loved you?" I
asked.

"That's a lie," he said, still denying it. "I know that's a lie. Don't fool me."

"You're so desperate," I said harshly. "Can't you see yourself? Why are you still
forcing yourself on me? I already told you. I don't want you anymore. If you can't
accept that, then it's not my fault anymore."

Tumalikod na 'ko at naglakad papunta sa kotse ako. I couldn't say more. I was
feeling so guilty. Seeing him like that was already so painful for me. Baka hindi
ko na kayanin at manatili na lang sa tabi niya.

Hinabol niya 'ko hanggang sa makarating kami sa bahay. I went straight upstairs to
get my suitcase. He stopped at the door and watched me put my clothes inside.
Binibilisan ko ang kilos ko dahil akala ko pipigilan niya 'ko, but he just stood
there and watched me. I looked back at him and saw him staring at my suitcase.
Namumula na ang mukha niya.

"You're going to leave us?" He asked softly. 'Us', including the dogs.

I dropped my clothes and covered my face while crying. I broke down in front of him
after putting on such a tough attitude. I can't imagine the dogs, waiting for me to
come home every day.

"Will this make you happy, Sam?" He asked again as his tears started to fall.

It took me a long time before I nodded. It wouldn't make me happy but it will set
you free, and it will also set me free. Maybe happiness would come afterward. I
wanted to live for myself now, and not tied to anyone.

"Okay," he whispered, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

He walked towards me and kneeled down on the floor. I cried harder when he started
folding my clothes and putting them inside my suitcase. Tumayo pa siya para kuhanin
ang iba ko pang mga damit. I cried and cried while he was doing that. He was
helping me leave, no matter how painful it was for him.

"All I want is for you to be happy," he whispered. Nakita ko ang pag-patak ng luha
niya sa iba kong mga damit. "So be happy."

"Cy," I whispered, sobbing.

He looked at me and held my chin. He stared at my eyes for so long and wiped my
tears with his thumb before giving me a soft kiss. I closed my eyes with tears
streaming down my face. It was a long kiss. The kiss that sealed our relationship.

"If you're going to leave me, do it without crying," he whispered after kissing my
forehead. "Or else I would take you back to my arms again."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I apologized over and over until I finally gathered the
courage to get more of my clothes.

He helped me pack my things all night. I was planning to leave tomorrow morning and
I told him that so it wouldn't worry him.

"Can you sleep beside me for the last time?" He asked, giving me a small smile.

I nodded. I took a shower before I went to the master's bedroom. Nang humiga ako,
hinatak niya kaagad ako palapit sa kaniya. He embraced me tightly and caressed my
hair, still not ready to let me go.
"Can you keep the ring for me?" He whispered.

I bit my lower lip again so he wouldn't hear me crying. He touched my ring finger
to check if I was still wearing it. Yes, I was. I couldn't take it off, though I
had to.

"Answer me."

I nodded. "I will."

He sighed heavily and kissed the top of my head before I fell asleep. The next
morning, he was already gone to his duty. Nauna pa siyang umalis sa 'kin. I took a
shower and pulled my suitcase downstairs. When I was about to leave, the dogs
suddenly came running to me.

I kneeled and hugged all of them, giving them kisses on top of their heads. Summer
kept on touching me with her paw so I looked at her and saw the note attached to
her collar. Kinuha ko 'yon at binuksan.

I don't want to watch you leave.

Be happy. I'll become someone you can be proud of.

See you around, love.

- Cy

I cried and hugged the dogs again for the last time, bidding goodbye. I also wrote
something on the back of the note and attached it to Summer's collar before I left
the house.

Maybe someday,

I'll make your head turn again with my walk.

Take care of yourself, Doc.

- Maureen

Before I went to my condo, I decided to stop by the mansion. I wasn't ready to see
Naomi's room yet but I came there to talk to my parents. They were about to leave
when they saw me, which made them stop. They were both wearing black so I assumed
that they were on their way to Naomi.

"Maureen, dear..." My mom went to me and held my shoulders. "Finally, you came to
see me. Are you okay?"
I moved her hands away from my shoulder. I looked at her straight in the eyes
before looking at my dad.

"Thank you for the things you've done for me," I told him coldly. "But starting
today, I'll do all of them by myself. I won't follow you anymore. I won't follow
the things you want anymore."

"What are you saying, Maureen?" My dad asked, getting mad now.

"I'm saying that I am not one of your possessions," I told them. "I am Samantha
Vera... and I will create a name out there for myself."

That was the last thing I said before leaving. Starting today, I will live for
myself.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

26 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Kapag ikaw, hindi ka pa tumigil sa kakaiyak diyan, ihahampas ko na 'to sa 'yo."

I laughed and drank another shot while Yanna was busy studying for her exams.
Second sem na nila. Panibagong year na ulit. Months had already passed ever since
my breakup. I turned my back against my parents so I didn't want to live in the
condo anymore. I told Yanna to move with me to a cheap apartment where we could fit
in.

I was in a bad condition for months but I never stopped with modeling. I had more
and more bookings and I liked getting my hands full to distract myself from coming
back into his arms again. Speaking of him... Halos wala na 'kong balita sa kaniya.

"He deleted my photos on his Instagram!" I told Yanna with a laugh while scrolling
through my phone. Even though I let out a loud laugh, I was still a bit hurt.

"Ano bang dahilan para hindi niya i-delete? Wala na kayo, duh," Yanna said without
looking at me.

Still emotionless as ever! Still harsh! Parang hindi siya ganito noong nagmo-mourn
pa siya sa relationship nila ni Hiro, ah!

"You could be a little nicer to me! I never treated you like this when you were
heartbroken!" I yelled, getting a little drunk now. "Ah, this tastes like shit!"

Ako lang ang umiinom ng whole bottle of tequila because Yanna was busy studying.
Avi was already asleep so it was fine to relax tonight. Besides, wala akong
schedule tomorrow, though I had to take care of Avrielle.
Since we moved into a small apartment, the space was a bit suffocating! I had too
many things so medyo magulo ang kwarto. It only had two rooms. Yanna stayed with
Avi and I had my own room but my things were still everywhere. Ang gulo ng buhay
namin ni Yanna.

"They pay me well but damn, I have a manager now so nagpapasahod na rin ako! My
life is a mess!" I held my head and closed my eyes, getting frustrated now. "Damn
my parents! I won't ever crawl back to them! I can do this by myself!"

"Tama. Kaya mo 'yan," Yanna cheered me up while reading something. She was just
putting up with me because I was already drunk. Paano pa kaya siya nakakapag-aral
kahit ang ingay ko rito? Well, she could even study while taking care of Avrielle
so I guess sanay na siya.

The more I drank, the more I cried. It was really embarrassing. Yanna had to put up
with me all night.

"Yannaaaa," I cried again. "It hurts so much.. Why did I leave him?! Why?! I miss
him!" I started shaking her shoulders while she was reviewing.

"Same question," she said without any emotion.

I suddenly stopped crying when I saw my phone placed on top of the table. Gumapang
ako at kinuha 'yon para buksan. I started scrolling through my messages until I saw
Clyden's name. I opened it and typed something.
"Hoy, anong ginagawa mo diyan?" Yanna suddenly got the phone out of my hand.

Umiyak ulit ako nang kinuha niya na. "Come back to me?" Binasa niya pa 'yung tinype
ko! "Samantha Vera! Nakakahiya ka naman!"

"How dare you!" I covered my face and cried again. "I just miss him. Can't we just
see each other again? Even as fuck buddies?"

"Samantha!" She yelled at me, disgusted by what I said. "Yuck! Ano ba 'yang
lumalabas sa bunganga mo?"

"Wow!" My mouth formed an 'o'. Tumigil bigla ang luha ko at napatingin sa kaniya
with so much amazement. "Wow, Ashianna... You're really saying that?"

"Heh." She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Itatago ko muna 'tong cellphone mo. Umiyak
ka nang umiyak diyan basta huwag kang mag drunk-text."

The next day, I woke up so early because of Avrielle's cry. Although I was still
experiencing a severe hangover, I still stood up and fed her milk. She was already
getting bigger after turning one! I can't believe she was growing up too fast. It
almost had me in tears.
"Are you still hungry?" I asked her while she was reading a storybook. She was
turning the pages by herself already. She liked looking at the pictures, especially
those with beautiful skies.

"Uh!" She answered. She was also learning how to respond now, though wala pa siya
masyadong alam na words.

"No? You're not hungry?" I asked again. Nang hindi niya 'ko sagutin, I just took
that as a yes and put the milk back. She became too busy with the storybook now
while on the floor. She can take a few steps now! Nagugulat na lang ako na nasa
tabi ko na siya at nakahawak sa hem ng shirt ko.

My break-up with Clyden had me more devastated than ever. I kept on missing him.
Halos hindi na 'ko sanay na hindi siya nakikita. Maybe living together was a bad
idea. I didn't know how to continue living my life alone now.

"Hala, sige, stalk pa," Yanna said while I was scrolling through Clyden's Instagram
account. I used her phone and account to see his stories! "Tanga ka talaga, Sam."

He even made his account public now right after deleting my photos like he was
finding a new girl. Like he wanted to tell the world that he was single already. It
was fine for me, though. It will be easier for him to move on.

"We're on the same page here." Humiga ako habang tinitignan pa rin ang story niya.
Clyden rarely put something on his Instagram story. "He looks okay. He looks fine.
How can he look fine?"
"Nakamove on na siya sa 'yo, e," Yanna harshly said!

"How fast!" I sighed heavily and put the phone back on the table. I didn't want to
see his face anymore. "How I wish I could do that, too."

He was already okay. He was doing well. I needed to catch up! Hindi pwedeng ako na
lang ang naiiwan. I chose to do this. I should be happy.

A few more months have passed before Yanna's graduation. She was planning to apply
in Fly Asia so we really waited for their job openings. I didn't know why she liked
tormenting herself more. That airline was owned by her past lover's family.

"Gosh, what floor ulit?" I asked Yanna while we were in the lobby of the building.
Dito ini-schedule 'yung job interview but I forgot what floor. We left Avrielle
with Via today since wala naman siyang gagawin. I wanted to be with Yanna today!
I've waited so long for this day to come!

"Kaya ko 'to!" Yanna told herself but she was shaking. "Tangina, kaya ko 'to, 'di
ba? Sagutin mo ako! Kinakabahan ako!" She started shaking my shoulders!

"Kaya mo 'to! Go na! I'll wait here! Ace the interview, okay?! Be natural! Don't
seduce the interviewer!" I yelled while she was walking away. Lumingon pa siya sa
'kin pabalik para samaan ako ng tingin bago sumakay ng elevator.
I took a call from my manager, Arah, while waiting. She started talking about my
schedule and my upcoming bookings. I landed on a big brand just now and was invited
to New York for a photoshoot and a show. My manager was really great! She already
booked my flight ahead. Having a manager made my life a little bit easier.

"Yeah, I'll get back to you. I'm just waiting for a friend," I said before ending
the call. I went out of the building for a bit and was about to come in again but I
bumped into a familiar man. "Oops, sorry!"

"It's okay. You can go first," he said while typing on his phone. He stepped aside
and dialed something before putting his phone on his ear.

My brows furrowed when I got a clear look on his face. No wonder why he was
familiar!

"Haze?" I asked, still not sure about it. He looked a bit like Hiro but he had
rougher features since he was older than him. He was wearing a white button-down
polo tucked inside his light brown pants. He looked like he was in a hurry.

"I'm sorry, who..?" Kumunot din ang noo niya at tumingin sa 'kin. He didn't want to
sound offensive so he really tried remembering who I was. "I give up. I can't
remember."

"Samantha Vera," I introduced myself and even offered a hand. I already met him
years ago in a few events and we even talked but I guess not everyone could easily
remember me. His connections may be wider than mine.
"Oh." His mouth formed an 'o' before putting his phone down. "Hiro's friend, I
think?" He still wasn't sure about it. Maybe he assumed that because I looked like
I was in the same age as his little brother.

"Yeah, and we have already met before. I guess you don't remember much, huh. It's
okay, though! See you around!" I smiled before entering the lobby.

I sat down on the couch and watched him walk towards the elevator while talking to
someone. That was when I connected the dots. Yanna was here for a Fly Asia
interview. Hiro's family owned Fly Asia. Haze was Hiro's brother. I heard he was
helping in the business because he was a business major back in college.

I grabbed something to eat before I went back to the building. Yanna texted me that
the interview was over so I stood there, waiting for her to come out of the
elevator. When I saw her, she looked so down!

"Hey! What happened?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko. "Why do you look like that? What did
you say? How was it?"

"Okay lang siguro, pero hindi ako satisfied sa sagot ko! Ugh! Kapag hindi ako
natanggap dito, maga-apply pa 'ko sa iba! Hassle naman!" She scratched her head
while ranting. She looked so pissed over the job interview!
But in the end, she got accepted in Fly Asia! May assessment pang kasunod so hindi
pa siya pwedeng magpakampante. I also had to fly to New York so I needed to leave
her for weeks. I wanted to stay there to look for apartments, too. I really wanted
to move here but I was thinking about Yanna and Avi. I couldn't leave them both.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Pia and I'm your chief flight attendant. On
behalf of Captain Haze Limuel Juarez, our first officer William Kaw, and the entire
crew, welcome aboard to Fly Asia Airlines."

My mouth formed an 'o' when I heard a familiar name again. I just met him last time
as a businessman and he was already flying a plane?! What a coincidence. I shook my
head and just put my eye mask on before I slept through the flight.

It was a long flight to New York. Sa sobrang dalas kong magpabalik-balik, nasanay
na rin ako sa mahabaang flight. If only I had more money, I would have booked a
business class seat but I had to save. Besides, malapit na 'kong makatanggap ng
malaking pay sa big brand na nag-hire sa 'kin. I was slowly crawling my way to the
top.

"Samantha Vera! A pleasure to meet you!" The director gave me a warm embrace when I
entered the studio for the photoshoot. "I've been preparing for this day! I've
heard a lot of good things about you in the industry and I heard you're also
friends with Giselle!"

"Yes, we were schoolmates," I told him, smiling. "Thank you, too. Take care of me
today! It's nice meeting you!"

The makeup artist had to do my makeup again before I put on the sleeveless shirt
partnered with a pair of panties. It was a big lingerie brand so I was pretty
excited to do this shoot. Two days ago, after I landed in New York, I went to their
company and had a brief meeting. I was glad everything went well.

"You have a nice body! You must be strict with your diet and work out?" The female
makeup artist asked.

"Yeah, I can't skip a day. I had to discipline myself. My manager was pretty
strict, too," I whispered and laughed. Arah was strict with keeping my form but she
was really nice. I liked her a lot and she was taking good care of me.

The shoot was for their new lingerie collection and I had to work with other
models, too. We finished early so I asked them to hang out with me so we can get to
know each other more because I had always been that kind of person. I wanted to be
friends with everyone. Good thing they were so nice so all of us went to a shopping
mall after and grabbed a coffee. Arah was busy running around New York to take care
of my stuff.

"I'm actually happy that dating's really not a big deal here. I know some agencies
want their models to stay single for years!" Iya, the female model, said. She was
the tallest among us. "Have you dated anyone, Sam?"

"Well, for sure. She looks like she could get the boys in one wink," Carina
praised.

I laughed and took a sip on my coffee. Inside my head, I was thinking of... him. I
couldn't help but think of him whenever I hear the word 'love', 'date', or
'boyfriend'. It was always him. It was always Clyden. He wouldn't leave my thoughts
for a second. I had a lot of past flings before but he was the only one I could
think of.

Because we were serious. I had only ever loved him that way. My love for him was
overflowing. It was something no one could break, but I was already trying to move
on now. Being busy helped me a lot. Hindi ko na siya ganoon kadalas iniisip. He was
probably the same. Busy din naman siya katulad ko. We were still chasing our dreams
but we were now running in different directions.

"Of course, I have dated before," I still answered. "But I won't talk about it. How
about you?"

My circle started to get bigger and bigger. More connections meant more
opportunities. In this industry, it was important to get to know the people. I was
so good at making friends that everyone I met admired me. I got invited to parties
and events a lot by models and designers.

"You like this? Tita-Ninang bought this for you! Happy birthday, love!" I hugged
Avrielle as soon as I came home. I was late for her 2nd birthday party because I
had a shoot in France. Mabuti na lang nakaabot ako bago pa mag 12 AM at matapos ang
birthday niya.

"Birthday," she repeated what I said and giggled. "Tita-Ninang!" She called before
giving me a hug back.

The next morning, I had to meet a female friend in a coffee shop in Robinsons
Manila. I arrived earlier so I just sat there, waiting while scrolling through my
phone. For some reason, I felt nervous around my surroundings. Maybe because I kept
on seeing students around. This mall was so near UP and PGH.
I stopped scrolling through my phone when I heard a familiar name. "One latte for
Clyden!"

My heart started beating so fast when I looked over the counter and saw him getting
the cup. He was wearing a maroon top, a white coat, and a white pair of pants. He
looked tired but I could see that he was doing fine. He didn't lose weight. He was
still the same, minus the different hairstyle. His hair looked a little longer than
before and it was pushed to the side.

"One iced Hibiscus tea for Samantha!"

I almost fell on my chair. Hindi ko alam kung tatayo ba 'ko at pupunta roon! Clyden
was still on the counter, putting something on his cup. I sighed heavily and stood
up to get my cup when the woman shouted my name again. My knees were shaking a bit
when I went to the counter. I could smell Clyden's perfume. He was so close.

"Oh, fuck," I whispered when I almost slipped. Nabunggo ko pa si Clyden sa likuran

ko at natapon nang kaunti 'yung latte niya. "I'm sorry!" I looked back at him,
trembling.

He was looking down on his coat, trying to wipe the little stain on it. Because of
that, I couldn't help but look at the name on his coat, just above the pocket with
the logo on it.
Clyden Jaile H. Ramirez, MD

"It's fine," he whispered without looking at me. He was busy getting a tissue.
Hindi ko alam kung alam niyang ako ang nasa harapan niya. He looked like he didn't
care at all.

"Cy! Tara na!" A woman called him.

He looked at her and nodded before leaving. He didn't even glance at me once. Did
he notice me? I never saw him looking. Doon ko lang din narealize na it was Eva.
The woman who called him.

"Sam! Uy!" I stopped walking to my table when I heard a familiar voice again. When
I looked at him, it was Ridgen. "Kumusta? Nandito ka pala!"

"Hey!" I awkwardly smiled and looked around. Eva and Clyden already left. Ridgen
was wearing the same coat with the name on it. "Did you graduate last year?
Congratulations."

"Hindi pa! Ngayong year pa lang kami ga-graduate. May internship pa kami ngayon, e.
Wait, Clyden was here a while ago. Nakita mo? Nag-usap kayo?" Sunod-sunod na tanong
niya.

"I saw him but he didn't see me," I told him. I smiled a little so he wouldn't
think that it was tragic. "Anyway, it's nice seeing you."

"Uy, sikat ka na pala, ah! Pa-autograph next time! Bye, Sam!" He said before
running away. He was in a hurry so hindi na 'ko nakapagpaalam nang maayos.

That was the last time I saw Clyden. When Yanna started working in Fly Asia, I
became busier than ever. I had to attend events, take care of Avi, manage my
schedule, find a new condo, take flights. When Avrielle turned three, she was with
me all the time. Paminsan-minsan na lang akong umaalis ng bansa. My fee went higher
and higher until I could finally afford a big condo unit. I saved enough.

I was still not used to taking pictures with strangers in public. They started
treating me like a celebrity. Kaunti na lang ang nag a-associate sa 'kin sa family
ko, which was better. For me, it just happened that I had the same surname as my
dad. No connection with him at all. Last year lang sila nakulong. The case moved so
slowly. Maybe they already ran out of money to bribe, huh.

I felt nothing at all. No pity. No regrets. After everything they did to Naomi, I
could never look at them anymore. When my sister died, they just visited her grave.
I wondered if they asked for forgiveness, too. Even if they did... I still couldn't
accept them again. I already cut ties with my family ever since I lost Naomi.

It wasn't easy. Some nights, I would still break down remembering her pain.
Sometimes, in between shoots, I would cry in the dressing room because memories of
her, being the one behind the camera played over and over inside my head. Those
were such good memories.

"I miss you so much," I whispered while looking up at the brightest star.
I was standing at the balcony of my new unit with a wine glass in my hand. The air
was cold, and my heart was, too. Even though I made more friends and my circle got
bigger, there was still this emptiness inside me. Something that would bother me
usually in the middle of the night, when I'm all alone.

I was eating at the airport when I saw an airline crew walking by, finding
something to eat, too. There was just something about flight attendants that could
make you head turn whenever you hear them walking. They caught my attention that
fast.

I stood up and went to the counter to order a drink, but someone already got in
line before me. I was about to walk behind him when he suddenly stepped back.

"You can go first," he said.

"Thanks-" I stopped when I saw a clear look at him. "Oh, Haze!" I was surprised to
see him again. He was wearing his pilot uniform now.

"Oh, it's you again." He let out a small laugh when he noticed. "Samantha Vera,
right?"

"One cup of coffee, please," I told the woman at the cashier before turning to Haze
again. "So you remember me now?"
"It's easier to remember now that I see your face everywhere." His tone sounded
playful. It reminded me a lot of his brother. Hiro was always this nice, too. "Can
I get a bottle of water, please? Thank you," he told the cashier.

"You're still flying planes." It was more like a statement than a question. I heard
he was helping managing the airline. Hindi ko alam na nagpapalipad pa rin siya
ngayon.

"Just when I'm free. Besides, Hiro will soon replace me." He shrugged. "Put her
orders on me," he told the cashier again before paying in dollars.

"Hey, you don't have to pay for my drink!" I waved my hands in front of me. "I have
dollars with me!" I opened my wallet but the cashier already took it.

"It's fine. It was nice seeing you again, Sam. I'll get going now." He smiled at me
before walking away with a bottle of water on his hand.

After that, nag-board na 'ko for my flight back to the Philippines. It was so
tiring to attend a shoot after landing, and then take care of a kid after getting
home. Sometimes, when I wasn't around, I would just hire a babysitter for a day.
However, I didn't want to depend on a babysitter always because I rarely trust
people these days. Avrielle was safer with me.

I never unfollowed Clyden so I could still see his posts. He didn't unfollow me,
too. Hindi ko alam kung chinecheck niya IG stories ko dahil masyadong marami nang
nagviview. I was stopping myself to check his stories because I knew he would see
it. I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

The latest photo he posted was him in a white coat. 'Yung uniform nila noong
internship. He had a stethoscope around his neck and he was also wearing his specs.
He looked so good in there... and happy. He looked happy.

He was over me already. I was so happy for him.

I wanted to congratulate Clyden when I saw his graduation pictures. I wanted to

congratulate him when I saw that he passed the boards, topped it, even. He became
so famous because of that. He was all over social media. Most of them were
thirsting over him, praising his good looks and his intelligence.

"Grabe si Clyden Ramirez, 'no? He's all over the news! How could someone be that
perfect?" Even my manager was thirsting for him. Well, I couldn't blame her. She
was still young. Maybe 4 years older than me.

"Doctor Clyden Ramirez," I whispered. "He made it, huh."

Doctor Clyden Ramirez...

"Sam, this is Dr. Clyden Ramirez. He's a pediatric resident," Dr. Lana introduced.
Fuck. My mind was flying around somewhere. With the mention of his name, I went
back to my senses again. I realized that I was in the same room as him! Him!
Clyden! He was in front of me! After almost 4 years ever since I broke his heart,
he was right in front of me, in a coat!

"Hi Maui."

My heart was beating so fast. This was so awkward. My last encounter with him was
when I left him a stain on his coat. I wasn't even sure if he noticed that I was
the one who did that. He was too occupied back then. But now... He was looking at
me. His eyes were like looking into my soul.

"Hello Cy," I greeted him back. What an awkward moment to call each other by our
nicknames! Why would he call me Maui?!

"How do you guys know each other?" Dr. Lana asked. "Common friends? Or maybe sa
social gatherings?"

"She was my fiancée," Cy answered casually without taking his eyes off me.

I suddenly cursed him inside my head and regretted it after. He didn't lie! We were
really engaged, but why would he even tell Dr. Lana that?! It wasn't like she
needed to know! But she asked how we knew each other! I also didn't want to lie...
But he could have said that we had a 'thing' back then. That would sound more...
appropriate.

"I'll leave Avi to you, Cy. Maui, I'm sorry. I need to go to the ward," Dr. Lana
apologized before getting her coat and leaving the room.

Fuck! Why the hell should this happen?! How did I end up in the same room as him?!
Ngayon pa?! I was with Avrielle!

"Okay! Let's see! What do we have here?" Clyden suddenly changed his voice when he
sat in front of Avrielle. He checked Dr. Lana's notes on the table and just to be
sure, he checked Avrielle's breathing, too. "Can you take a deep breath for me,
Avi?"

I was standing there like a dumbass! I couldn't move! I couldn't talk! My presence
didn't affect Clyden at all. He was still doing his job, ignoring me. I wanted to
say something but no words came out of my mouth.

"Does it hurt when you cough?" He asked Avrielle calmly. His voice was so soothing.

"My throat. A bit," Avi answered, staring at Clyden. She was trying to familiarize
herself with him. Avi liked memorizing people's features. She liked knowing people.
"Can you say 'ah'?" Clyden showed Avrielle how to do it so she can mimic it. He had
a pen with him with a light on the other side so he used that in checking. "Okay,
then. Thank you, Avi." He caressed her face before taking a small piece of paper.

He went outside to call Dr. Lana before he went inside again and handed me the
note. Avrielle was looking around and moving her legs while seated on the high
chair. She looked so happy and carefree.

"Don't worry too much. She'll be fine after taking medicine. This is from Dr. Lana.
You can give this to the pharmacy. We have it on the 2nd floor." He talked so much
like a professional. He kept his cool but here I was, still trembling at the sight
of him. "If it doesn't go away after two to three weeks, take her back here again.
If it gets worse, or if she starts having chest pains or difficulty in breathing,
call..." He suddenly stopped.

"I'll call Dr. Lana," I finished his statement. "Thank you. Avi, let's go," I said
without looking at him.

As soon as I went out of the room, I exhaled the breath that I was holding in for
too long. Avrielle was looking at me, wondering why my face looked red. I just gave
her an assuring smile before walking to the parking lot.

"Wow, the rumors are getting out of hand. Are you sure you don't want to talk about
it?" My manager, Arah, asked again while scrolling through her iPad. I just
finished a shoot for a swimsuit brand.

"It will die down," I told her.

"Why don't we create a new rumor, huh? You have a non-showbiz boyfriend? What about
that?" Arah teased again, smirking. She was still so persistent in giving me love
life! Ang sabi niya, masyado raw akong focused sa work. Kailangan ko raw mag-relax.

"I don't have time for boyfriends," I told her again. Ilang beses ko nang sinasagot
sa kaniya 'yan.

"You're starting to get grumpy, Samantha Vera!" She covered her mouth in surprise.
That was an exaggeration. "Is it because you're not getting laid?"

"Arah!" I yelled at her. My face started to heat! Hindi ko na iniisip 'yun!

A lot of male models had also tried to 'get it' with me but I turned them down.
Dating didn't sound bad but it had already lost its effect on me. I didn't want to
be talked about that way and I also didn't want the media to talk about the people
who were close to me.

"How about that ex of yours? Hindi mo pa rin sinasabi sa akin kung sino!"
Pangungulit niya ulit. "He better be hot."

I was reminded again of Clyden. Damn, I can't believe I ran into him in the
hospital. What a small world. I thought I would never see him again, but because of
Avrielle's constant check-ups, we seemed to be bumping against each other a lot of
times.

"Dog! Tita-Ninang!" Avi suddenly stopped walking in the parking lot when she saw a
dog.

"Avrielle!" I shouted when she suddenly ran towards the dog. I followed her and
tried to pull her away when I noticed the familiar face of the dog. It was a Chow-
Chow. I was shocked when the dog ran to me and started poking me with her paw.

"Maple, calm down."

Maple! I was surprised to see Clyden in his casual look. He brought Maple with him!
I heard there was also a veterinary clinic in the hospital, pero sa ibang building.
Maybe he was taking Maple there. Or he already did.

"Dog!" Avrielle looked so happy when she hugged the dog.

"I'm sorry. She just likes dogs." I carried Avrielle to stop her from hugging Maple
too tight. She pouted and started telling me to bring her down. I struggled with my
hold so my bag fell on the floor.

I was about to get it but Clyden kneeled down and started putting my things back to
the bag. I was so embarrassed! He handed it back to me without saying anything. He
was just staring at Avrielle's face for so long like he was memorizing her.

"Thank you," I said after getting my bag back.

Clyden opened his car and carried Maple to the back seat before closing the door
again. Umikot siya papunta sa driver's seat at binuksan 'yung pinto. I thought he
would already leave but he still said something that made me so confused.

"She takes after you." That was the last thing he said before driving away.

______________________________________________________________________________

:)

Question: Bakit may MD sa coat kahit gagraduate pa lang?

Answer from a UP med grad:

Once you finish med school, may MD na, but still you're not a doctor yet. You can't
practice and nag-remind daw ang APMC about the usage of MD and Doc without license.
You still can't practice. You need to take the exam.

In other med schools 4 years lang and graduate ka na (MD) but in UP, 5 years kasi
kasama ang internship. However, kaya may MD sa internship coat ng UP, considered
nang tapos ka na after nung 4 years. Pero 'yung graduation mo, after pa ng
internship.

This is just about the name sa coat :)

27 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Samantha, come on! You're not finished yet!"

I moved my hands up as a sign of 'wait' to my trainer while drinking water. I was

on a hardcore workout for today because of the upcoming fashion show with the
lingerie brand I was working with. I had been training for days! And guess what?
Yanna left her child with me again so...

"Go Tita-Ninang!" Avrielle laughed cutely while sipping on her juice.

She was seated on the bench, watching me do my work out. Mahihimatay na ata ako!
Ayaw ko lang na makita niya. I was always with Avrielle everywhere I go. Pakiramdam
ko ako na ang Mommy niya! Buti hindi pa niya 'ko tinatawag na Mommy!

I wiped my sweat before doing my workout all over again. I was working on my legs
and butt today. Damn, being a model was so hard. I had to go through this for
months and I can't even skip a session! Ang hirap din kumain! Arah was so strict on
my food! Mabuti na lang at may cheat day ako. I can eat everything I want pero ang
kapalit non ay workout ulit!

"I'm going to die now, Rich," I told my trainer after removing the bands on my
legs. "My thighs are giving up on me. My butt is burning."

"Just a few more. Keep it burning," he encouraged me. I sighed heavily before doing
it again. "Pagod or fashion show? You can only pick one!"
"Fashion show!" I yelled to have more energy.

Thank goodness, it was finally over! While cooling down, Avrielle went to me and
mimicked my moves. Kapag tinataas ko ang binti ko, tinataas niya rin ang sa kaniya.
She was so bored! Binigyan ko pa siya ng yoga mat para roon humiga. Her clothes
will get dirty!

"Can I play with the ball?" She asked innocently while staring at the big gym ball.

"That's not something you can play with, Avrielle," I told her while stretching my
arms. She pouted and looked around for more things to play with. The gym was a
private one for models and artists. Kaunti lang ang tao ngayon but everyone was
working really hard.

My trainer helped me push my back down to the mat to stretch my body more. I held
on to my toes while Avrielle was walking around. When I stood up, I heard a loud
cry. Napalingon kaagad ako kay Avi at nakita siyang nasa sahig at dumudugo ang
ilong!

"Oh my god!" I ran to her and held her chin up. She was crying while holding her
nose! Nasubsob siya sa sahig right after throwing herself on the big ball! "I told
you not to play with it! Gosh!"

I panicked! Tinakpan ko kaagad ang ilong niya gamit ang panyo ko. She was still
crying while holding on to the handkerchief with her little hands. Yanna will kill
me! Oh my gosh!

"Let's go!" I carried her and got my bag on the bench before running out of the gym
to take her to the hospital. She hurt her nose and she looked dizzy! Did she hit
the floor that bad?!

I didn't have the chance to change my clothes anymore! Hindi na rin ako nakapag-
shower! I was wearing a beige sports bra and black leggings! Good thing I brought
my car with me today and didn't depend on Arah's van. Avrielle won't stop crying
while we were on the way.

"I'm sorry I shouted," I told her. "We're going to get your nose checked. Is it
still bleeding?"

She nodded at the back. I sighed heavily and sped up. Nang makarating na sa
parking, I carried her and went inside the hospital to go to Dr. Lana's clinic. I
was calling her a while ago but she wasn't answering!

I looked like I was holding an injured dying person when I entered the hospital.
Dumiretso kaagad ako sa hintayan ng elevator habang tinatawagan si Doc. Maybe she
was busy? I didn't know why I was panicking so bad. My heart started to race even
faster when the elevator door opened and Clyden was there, texting. He was wearing
a white coat, specs, and a stethoscope around his neck.

Some of the people went out but he stayed there like he entered the wrong elevator.
He probably thought it was going up. I stepped inside and stood there, maintaining
a distance from him.
"What floor?" He suddenly asked.

"5th," I told him.

A moment of silence came and I saw him staring at my back. When I looked at him, I
realized that he was talking to someone else on the phone!

What the heck! Binalik ko na lang ulit ang tingin ko sa harapan. My face started to
heat out of embarrassment! But... he still moved forward and clicked the 5th floor
for me without saying anything to me. "Yes, Doc," he said before moving his phone
down.

"Tita-Ninang, blood." Avi removed the handkerchief on her nose and showed the blood
to me. My eyes widened and suddenly shoved the handkerchief back on her face again
out of panic.

"I'm sorry, do you know where Dr. Lana is?" I had to ask him that! I had no other
choice.

He looked a bit surprised that I talked to him. He hid his phone in his pocket and
looked at me with hesitation. Why? What was stopping him from answering me?
"Ward. I'm going there. Take her with me," he said in a monotone before pushing the
5th floor again to remove the button light.

I pursed my lips and stared in front again. When the elevator opened on the 6th
floor, he went out so I stalked him from the back. Kapag hihinto siya, napapahinto
rin ako. I didn't know if he was purposely stopping to text someone so I would
panic and stop, too! Muntik ko na siyang mabunggo sa likod!

"Can't you walk faster, please?" I asked.

He looked at me and raised a brow. He was like asking 'Sino ka para utusan ako?'
without saying a word. I pursed my lips and looked away to avoid awkward eye
contact. He scoffed and walked again so I followed him.

"Put her there." He pointed at the empty bed when we entered the ward. The large
room full of beds were specially designed for kids just by looking at the walls and
the colors.

I put Avrielle down to sit on the bed while Clyden was talking to the nurse at the
counter. He was looking at a folder while saying something. I looked around and saw
Dr. Lana talking to a patient. She looked busy so I didn't try to catch her
attention.

Clyden walked over to Dr. Lana and pointed at me so both of them looked at my
direction. Dr. Lana gave me a smile before tapping Clyden's shoulder. Nang maglakad
papunta sa amin si Clyden, napaiwas ako ng tingin at napaayos ng upo.
He sat on the other side of the bed, pulling gently on Avi's wrist so she could
face him. "What happened?" He asked me when he removed the handkerchief on
Avrielle's face.

"I think she hit her face flat on the floor at the gym..." Speaking of! I was
suddenly reminded that I was still wearing my gym clothes!

"Why would you bring your kid to the gym?" He asked sarcastically.

Hindi ko nga alam kung sarcastic ba 'yon dahil masyadong kalmado ang boses niya.
Maybe because he was facing a child. This two-faced person!

He checked Avrielle's nose and asked her some questions before standing up and
going to the counter. When he went back, he already had an ice pack with him. He
pinched Avrielle's nose a bit and wiped the remaining blood before gently putting
an ice pack over the upper part of the nose.

Kumuha pa siya ng cotton buds para linisin 'yung dry blood sa ilong ni Avrielle. I
was just sitting there on the other side, watching him. He was smiling at Avrielle
and talking to her about her favorite games or something, just to distract her.

"Yeah? You like Rapunzel?" Clyden asked, laughing a bit. "Why? Do you like her long
hair?"
"Yes, and she's pretty, and... and she's a princess. I am a princess, too,"
Avrielle answered. Her voice changed because of the ice pack on her nose. "Am I
pretty?"

"Of course you are," Clyden replied while putting the cotton on the tray with one
hand because he was still holding the ice pack on Avi's nose. "You're a pretty
princess."

He got a wet tissue to clean Avrielle's hand, too. Since she covered her nose
earlier, she got blood stains on her hand. I stood up and went to their side to see
if I could help.

"Can you hold this for me, please," he said. It was more like a command than a
question! Hindi man lang tumaas ang tono ng boses niya sa dulo so I knew that he
was talking to me. His voice changed.

I walked closer and stared at Avrielle's face. He didn't tell me what to hold! I
thought he was talking about the wet tissue so I moved my hand and tried to get it.
He suddenly stopped wiping Avi's hand when our fingers touched.

Nakakunot na ang noo niya nang tignan niya 'ko pabalik. My eyes widened in
surprise. Why was he looking at me like that?
"I was pertaining to the ice pack," he said with his brows still furrowed.

"O-oh!" I immediately moved my hand away and touched the small ice pack on
Avrielle's nose. Binitawan niya kaagad 'yon nang pumalit na ang kamay ko, like he
was careful not to come in contact with me again.

He stood up and went to the counter to give the tray to the nurse. After that, Dr.
Lana went to me to check on Avi again. I told her the story about what happened at
the gym and she laughed at it! She told me to keep an eye on her because it was
natural for kids to get curious around the things they haven't seen yet.

"Just to make sure, go and get her an x-ray." She handed me a note and told me to
go to the x-ray room. Hindi ko alam kung saan 'yon. "Dr. Ramirez, can you take the
kid there? May gagawin ka pa ba? I can ask the nurse."

Napalingon ako kay Clyden na kakalapit lang din. He looked at his watch and checked
his phone for a message before nodding. "Yes, Doc. I can."

He put Avrielle down on a wheelchair before pushing her out of the ward. Nakasunod
lang ako sa likuran niya, feeling a little cold and awkward because of my outfit. I
was also conscious of my odor. Did I smell like sweat? I couldn't get close to him
because of that.

We entered a room and he talked to the person at the counter. Nang ilahad niya ang
kamay niya sa 'kin, naguluhan ako ulit. He looked at me again and raised a brow,
losing his patience now.
"The paper," he clearly said.

"Oh!" When I handed him the paper, I noticed that he wasn't wearing the ring
anymore. It was the same with me, though, but I had it stored inside my drawer. Did
he also keep it? He asked me to keep mine but he didn't say that he will keep his.

Why was I thinking of the ring at this time? It happened years ago. Baka hindi na
nga niya naaalala ang tungkol doon. Besides, both of us were now distant towards
each other. It was impossible to hang out like we used to.

"Just wait for them to call the child's name. You can pay there," he pointed at the
small counter. "Then bring the x-ray result back to Dr. Lana. I'll go now."

"Thank y-" He cut me off by turning his back against me. He started walking away
without looking back. Ni hindi na niya 'ko pinatapos! He was back to his rude self,
huh?! Kapag sa mga pasyente niya, ang bait niya, ah!

When the result came out, I showed it to Dr. Lana again and it was a good thing it
wasn't anything serious! She asked Avrielle to take a rest after that but I had an
upcoming photoshoot so I had to leave her with Francine, my assistant. Sa dressing
room ko na ng studio pinatulog si Avi.

"Gorgeous as ever, Samantha Vera!" The director praised me after the shoot. I liked
how the raw photos turned out. Posing in front of the camera was like breathing for
me. I could do it so normally now.
For weeks, my routine was workout, photoshoot, walk training, taking care of Avi,
and repeat. Yanna would always go home to my condo looking troubled so I figured
out that she was already seeing Hiro at that time.

Because my world was too wide now, I didn't expect to see Clyden outside the
hospital. When I took a morning run in a small park just beside my condo building,
I also saw him with a Golden Retriever puppy! He was wearing a black shirt and a
black pair of athletic shorts. He was looking at his digital watch while holding
the leash of the dog.

When I ran past their direction, the puppy tried to run with me. Clyden let go of
the leash so it wouldn't choke the puppy. Napahinto tuloy ako sa pag-jog nang
lumapit na sa akin 'yung aso. I kneeled and caressed the puppy's face. It looked so
fluffy! Especially the ears!

"Hello, what's your name?" I talked to the dog like it would answer me.

"Solar." I looked up at Clyden when I heard his voice. He was now standing right in
front of me, picking up the leash.

"New dog?" I asked casually. The puppy started licking my hand so I couldn't let go
of her. She was wagging her tail, too!

"It's Summer's daughter."

My brows furrowed and looked up at him. Summer? As in Summer the Golden Retriever
he owned? I looked around and tried to find Solar's mom but she wasn't around.
Ibang aso lang ang mga nakita ko sa park.

"She already died," Clyden said, pursing his lips and looking away. "Summer."

"Oh..." I slowly stood up and looked down on the floor. Summer was already gone? I
didn't know what to feel about that. It must be hard for him, huh. He was with the
dog for so many years. "I'm sorry." How I wished I was there during her last
breath. She helped me a lot during the times when I was feeling down.

He suddenly got a call so he walked away for a moment. When he came back, he looked
like he was in a hurry. Kinuha niya ang leash sa sahig at binigay sa 'kin. I held
it in confusion!

"Can you take care of her for me? I'll come back later." He was typing so fast!
Hindi rin siya nakatingin sa 'kin habang nagsasalita. "Sorry, there's an emergency.
Thanks."

Before I could even say no, he already walked away so fast! I saw him running after
a few steps. It must be an emergency at the hospital! I stood there for a few more
minutes, wondering how I suddenly ended up with a dog when I was just asking about
the name.
"Oh, no. What will I do with you?" I scratched my head and carried the puppy back
to my unit. Good thing the condo allowed pets inside. I chose the same building as
my condo when I was in college so it wouldn't be hard for me to keep in touch with
my friends. The unit was just bigger this time.

Ugh, Clyden! Paano niya kukuhanin pabalik 'to ngayon? Bakit nga ba naroon siya? Did
he get a unit around here? Well, the hospital was kind of near here. Avrielle was
so happy to see a dog, though! She played with it all day!

"Bagong aso mo?" Yanna asked when she came home.

"No, pinabantayan lang." I couldn't tell her the thing about meeting Clyden! She
would probably sigh in disapproval!

"Hindi naman nangangagat 'yan, 'no?" She asked again.

"Hindi, ah. Ang bait nga, e." I looked at the puppy again. Hay, when will your Dad
come back? Ang tagal niya nang nandito. I didn't know what to feed him! I also lost
Clyden's number so I didn't know how to contact him.

When Yanna was already asleep with Avi, I received a text from an unknown number.
The typing format was familiar so I immediately figured out who texted.
From: Unknown Number

Bring her to the park again.

I put my phone back inside my pocket and carried the dog down to the lobby. How did
he even get my number? Sa records ni Avi? Whatever. Naglakad na lang din ako
papunta sa park. Good thing maliwanag pa rin dahil sa mga ilaw sa puno. A lot of
people were also dating at the park.

I put the dog down when I saw Clyden waiting there. Solar automatically ran to her
owner so Clyden carried her with him before looking at me again. He was wearing
something semi-formal now. His coat was on his arms.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for the trouble," he said without any emotion. He looked like
he wasn't even 'sorry'!

"Okay, see you around." I didn't know what to say! I didn't want to see him around!
Why did I say that?!

"I hope we won't see each other so often," he suddenly said. I didn't know why I
felt a slight ache on my chest. "Because it would mean that the kid's unhealthy.
Take care of the child."

One nod and he already walked away with the dog. Just like what he wanted, I never
saw him again, but I think that was better since I also didn't want Avrielle to
visit the hospital so often! I rarely saw him at the park, too. Maybe he purposely
avoided it.
I attended a formal event for my friend's birthday but I didn't expect to see
Charles there. Clyden's brother. He was wearing a black tux, holding a champagne
glass. His hair was longer now but his attitude was still the same.

"Samantha Vera, wow, long time no see, huh!" Charles walked towards my direction.

"Hello, Charles." I didn't want to talk to him but I still tried my best to fake
it. After knowing what he did to Clyden when they were kids, I couldn't face him
the same way, too. "How are you?"

"Well, I'm fine. I'm taking care of Ramirez Medical now under the supervision of my
Dad." He smirked.

"You're... inheriting the medical?" I asked. The last time I remember, it was
Clyden, right? He gave it up for me but I already left him so what happened?

"Yes. You should realize by now how dumb my brother is. Hawak na niya ang pera,
pinakawalan niya pa. I worked hard to get this one." He gave me a satisfied smirk.
"Dad changed his mind."

I looked at the ring on his finger. "You're engaged now?"

"Well, yeah." He shrugged and looked at his hand. "Arranged. I don't care, though.
As long as I have the business. Congratulate me, I guess? I'll invite you to the
wedding."

"C-congratulations." I gave him a fake smile before excusing myself out of the
conversation. That was unexpected.

I had to take Avrielle to Japan for Yanna so I cleared my schedule for her.
Besides, I wanted to meet some of my friends, too. I made friends with Japanese
models during shoots. I was planning to go out on a drink with them.

So now that Hiro came back, I knew he would take Yanna and Avrielle with him. I
wouldn't worry about taking care of Avi anymore, huh. I will miss her, though.
Should I get myself a dog? But do I have time to take care of a pet? I was thinking
of so many things while waiting for Raylee.

From: Raylee

Sam, oh my gosh, I'm sorry I ditched you but I got caught in a taxi accident. I'm
okay, though! Let's see each other next time!

Damn! She bailed! I sighed heavily and massaged my head while seated alone in a
luxury restaurant here in Japan. I went here so early to see her because she asked
me to meet but then I couldn't blame her for having an accident. It was
embarrassing not to order now that I waited here for so long.
"Hi, can I have what I ordered earlier?" I talked to the waiter. He nodded and
walked away.

I was about to pour wine on my glass when a familiar man sat on the empty chair in
front of me. My eyes widened when I realized who it was. Muntik ko pang matapon
'yung wine kaya binalik ko muna sa table.

"Haze!" I gave him an awkward smile. I had been seeing him a lot in some events but
he never actually sat in front of me like this. "I never thought I would see you
here."

"Same with you, Sam. Can I sit here?" He asked formally and I nodded. "So, your
date didn't show up, huh?"

"Oh, it's just an old friend," I explained. He got the bottle on the table and
poured it on my wine glass. He did the same with his. I looked around to see if he
was with someone else but I saw no one.

"The businessmen I was in a meeting with already went out to grab some drinks," he
explained when he noticed my eyes.

"You don't want to grab a drink?" I asked. "Don't you drink?"

"I was about to but I saw a familiar face and look at where I am now." He chuckled
and sipped on his wine glass, hiding his smirk underneath.

I bit my lower lip and took a sip on my wine, too. A few moments later, the waiter
already served my food. I asked him if he wanted some but he ordered a dessert by
himself out of respect. He said he didn't want me to eat alone.

"Hiro was here," I told him. I was with them earlier! I was happy because Avrielle
was finally with her dad.

"Yeah, mom told me." He shrugged. When he noticed that I was having a hard time
slicing my steak, he offered to slice them for me. I just let him do that because I
didn't know how to refuse. Besides, I didn't want to embarrass myself anymore.

"Thanks," I said when he brought the plate back in front of me. He started eating
his dessert quietly while listening to me. I couldn't be silent even for a second
so I started talking to him about his business here in Japan.

It was still early. I had to come home early to take care of Avrielle and let Hiro
and Yanna have some alone time for dinner tonight so binilisan ko ang pag-kain ko.
Haze must have noticed so he also quickened his pace.

We had to finish the bottle of wine fast pero mas marami akong nainom. Since
binigla ko sarili ko, I got a little tipsy. It was just a little so it wasn't
really a big deal. I just gained some confidence and became more talkative.
"Have you ever fallen in love?" I asked him, smiling. He looked like he wasn't even
surprised by my question. He even laughed at me.

"Of course," he answered while his fingers were playing with the wine glass. Hindi
pa nga niya nauubos ang baso niya. "How about you?"

"I fell in love with such a great person, you know! We were together for a long
time! We even lived together and promised to marry each other but at some point, I
ended up leaving him. And then I started seeing him again weeks and weeks ago and
now I realized that everything already changed!" I wanted to stop my mouth but I
couldn't!

"What changed?" He asked, his lips curving into a smile. He was enjoying this!

"Well, he didn't look at me the same way anymore. He didn't talk to me the same way
anymore. He was cold and rude like his usual self and he told me that we shouldn't
see each other often! It hurt a little, you know?! I thought I already moved on
from him but when I saw him, I went back to zero! But... But! But it's not like I
want to get back together with him, alright? It's just... I don't know... I was
expecting more, I guess." I sighed heavily and held my head.

The sun was still up and I was here, talking about my heartbreak?! Samantha Vera,
ang aga aga pa! I was keeping all of this for weeks! For months!

"Well, you left him. You can't just expect him to treat you the same way. Love
fades, Sam." His smile was so teasing! I wanted to punch him in the face!
"Okay! But it hurts!" I pouted and held my chest. He suddenly looked away and
coughed awkwardly when I accidentally pulled on my neckline when I fisted on my
shirt.

He stood up and placed a huge sum of money on the small black tray on the table
before holding my shoulders to force me to stand up.

"Come on. Pick yourself up, princess. I'll take you home," he whispered while
helping me up.

I went to the bathroom to wash my face and retouch my makeup again. I sobered up
when he got me a cab and just to make sure that I was going in the right direction,
he went inside with me. I was looking outside the window the whole time,
embarrassed now. What the hell did I just say to him? Kaunti na lang ikwento ko ang
buong buhay ko.

"Don't you have a girlfriend, Haze?" I asked when I remembered him telling me that
he already fell in love back then.

"I don't," he casually answered. "Why? Are you applying?"

My head immediately turned to his direction with my eyes wide. I wasn't expecting
him to say that! He suddenly laughed at my expression and shook his head in a
teasing manner. Damn, the attitude of his really matched Hiro! Both of them liked
teasing women and giving mixed signals.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked back. "Oh, right. You are heartbroken." He
smirked again.

"Wow, just when I thought that you're a nice person!" I glared at him playfully.

"I am, I think." He looked outside the window and leaned his elbow against the
door. "You just look cute when you're mad."

Cute?! Cute?! I heard a lot of compliments for my looks but cute wasn't one of
them! I rarely hear the word 'cute' to pertain to me! Cute was like a puppy! Like a
kid! Hindi naman ako bata. Maybe he was looking at me like I was a child because he
was older than me. I didn't know his age. Maybe about four to five years?

"You're old," I told him.

"What?" His brows furrowed when he looked at me again. He didn't look offended. He
looked more amused. "I'm what?"

"Old," I repeated, not regretting it. I was surprised when he suddenly let out a
laugh. The side of his lips went up, forming a smirk.
"It's not like you look young either," he insulted back.

"What?!" Agad nag-init ang ulo ko! I felt my blood boiling inside of me. My gosh!
My head hurt! I wanted to hit him with my bag so bad! "So you're showing your true
colors now, huh?"

The smile on his face didn't fade when he scooted over and held my chin up. My eyes
widened when he suddenly leaned over to me and looked straight into my eyes.

"Are you still drunk?" He whispered, raising a brow. I blinked twice and shook my
head. "Yeah? Then calm down and be good."

I nodded and stayed on my seat when he let me go. He laughed again when he saw my
reaction and even said sorry, which was obviously a half-ass apology. What happened
just now?

"Goodness. I am surrounded by assholes," I whispered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

28 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Do we really need to meet here? I don't like it here."

I kept on looking around, getting conscious of my surroundings. I was meeting with

Raylee in Ramirez Medical because she said she wanted to give me a gift for
Christmas. It was already January and here she was, still talking about Christmas?!
Malapit na nga ang 5th birthday ni Avrielle!

"Why are we even meeting here?" I asked her again. We were in a small cafe so early
in the morning. I told her this was my only available time so she asked me to come
here.

"I told you. My niece is currently confined here and ako ang inutusan nilang mag-
bantay since her parents are still out of the country. Why? Are you scared of
seeing your ex, hmm?" The side of her lips rose up, smirking. She even tried to
hide it by sipping on her coffee.

"No, I'm just-"

"Oh my gosh, Samantha Vera? P-pwede pong magpa-picture?" I was cut off by a lady
younger than me. My lips immediately formed a smile when I looked at her and
nodded. She looked so excited when I stood up beside her to take a photo. She was
trembling, too. "Ang ganda n'yo po sa personal!"

"Oh, thank you!" My smile widened when she waved before running away. I went back
to my seat and wore my purple cap. I didn't want to be recognized by other people,
too. I was getting eyed by the media because of my issues about having a child but
now that Hiro's here, I think the rumors will finally die down.
Because Avrielle will be moving with his dad now and I think Hiro and Yanna got
into an agreement not to go into flights that will overlap each other. Hiro will
most likely stay behind since Yanna can't just stop flying. Hiro can play with his
schedule a little. His family owned the airline after all. Yeah... I heard his
brother was already the C.E.O. That jerk!

I felt like Avi was being taken away from me but we weren't even blood-related, to
begin with and it wasn't like I can't hang out with her anymore. Maybe after some
time... It made me think, though. Ngayong wala na 'kong icoconsider na iba, can I
move to New York already?

I will be left alone after Avrielle's birthday. I wouldn't be taking care of the
child anymore. If ever na mag-overlap ang schedule ng dalawa, naroon ang Mommy ni
Hiro to take care of the child. Besides, they lost a lot of time with her. It was
just right to bond. Family bonding. I wasn't her... family to begin with.

Ugh, I was starting to sound so single. I wanted a family, too, but I was too busy
to have one.

"Are you listening to me? Samantha Vera, hello? I said, here's your gift!" I was
suddenly back to reality when Raylee flicked her finger on my forehead. Right, I
was starting to overthink things again.

"Sorry!" Kinuha ko ang paper bag na inabot niya sa 'kin. It was a white Balenciaga
tote bag! My eyes twinkled as I hugged the bag. It looked so pretty! "Thank you for
this!"
"You can afford one. Why are you so happy?" She laughed and sipped on her cup
again. The smile faded on my face when she almost choked because she saw something.
I knew because her eyes widened and it looked fixed on something... or someone.

"Why?" I asked but she didn't answer so I looked back to see for myself. Good thing
I wasn't chewing something or I would choke on it, too. "Ah, damn. I told you I
don't want to meet here," I whispered.

Clyden walked inside in his white coat while reading something on a folder. His
hair was fixed to the side and he was wearing his specs. A stethoscope was also
placed around his neck and he was holding a pen on his other hand. He looked so
fresh in the morning, although his eyes looked tired. Underneath his white coat, he
was wearing a navy blue button-down polo.

"Cy! I told you to wait for me!" I blinked twice when a woman held Clyden's arms,
causing him to look back on her. He smiled and said something that made the woman
laugh. It was... Eva. Eva was also wearing a white coat. So rito rin pala siya?
"Sabi mo libre mo 'ko ngayon, ah. Pagod na 'ko, wala pa 'kong tulog. Ikaw ba?"

"Isang oras lang. Umidlip ako kanina," Cy answered. The counter was so close to our
table that I could even hear their conversation! "Pumili ka na. May pasyente pa
'kong pupuntahan."

"Tapos 'yung sa 'yo, 'yung usual, right?" Eva went to the counter and talked to the
cashier before looking at Clyden again, leaning her elbow on the countertop. "Dapat
sinamahan mo 'ko sa Surgery. Why did you use Pedia? Akala ko ba mag pedia surgeon
ka?"
"Yeah..." Clyden became distracted with the mention of it. He looked like he got
lost in his thoughts for a second. "It's too long. I want to get married before
fellowship."

"Akala ko ba after fellowship ka magpapakasal?" Eva asked again after getting two
cups. She handed the other cup to Clyden. "Matagal nga 'yon!"

"Thought so."

Clyden shrugged and turned around to walk away but our eyes met, which made him
stop. Napaiwas kaagad ako ng tingin at sumimsim sa frappe ko. I could still feel
his eyes on me!

"But I think I need to hurry up a bit," he answered Eva again without taking his
eyes off me.

I almost coughed when he walked past behind me, invading my nose with his perfume.
I could still smell him even when he already walked out of the cafe, holding his
cup. He stopped for a bit to take a call so nauna na si Eva paalis. Raylee must
have noticed that I was zoning out so she started laughing.

"Your ex became hotter, huh," Raylee commented. "Are you sure you don't want him
back? I would want him back." She couldn't stop teasing me about it! "Maybe we
should meet here more often. What do you think? You can use me as an excuse to see
him as long as my niece is confined here."
"Can you stop it? Geez." I touched my cap and pulled it down a bit so it would hide
my face. Silly me. My face heated with just the sight of him. "How's your niece,
then?" I changed the topic.

"You want to see her? They're preparing for her operation. She has a problem with
her chest part." She stood up and got her things when she saw me leaving.

"I'll see her later. I need to go to a meeting. Arah's already waiting for me,"
paalam ko sa kaniya bago umalis.

"Samantha Vera? Samantha Vera!" My eyes widened when I saw a member of the media.
"Sabi sa 'yo, nakita ko 'yung van, e! Samantha Vera, wait!"

I started walking in the other direction when he called other people. We were
gaining too much attention now! Being a model in the Philippines also made me enter
showbiz for a short time. I did an acting job before but stopped to focus more on
modeling but this industry just can't stop pestering me! All they talked about was
me having a child!

"I'm sorry, I have nothing to say," I told the interviewer, pulling my cap lower so
the flash of the camera wouldn't bother me.

"Is it true that you currently have a non-showbiz boyfriend?" A woman asked now.
Oh, so it was another rumor, huh. Did Arah spread this one to cover up the rumors
about Avrielle? Either way, I didn't want to talk about it. The more I talk about
it, the more they will dig deeper. It was frustrating to be in this industry.

I was about to walk away when the male interviewer pulled on my arm to stop me. My
eyes widened when I looked back at him, but I got blinded by the flashes of the
cameras eventually. Why... Why would they touch me? They knew they shouldn't touch
someone or even force them to stay! They were starting to get wilder now? I still
couldn't get mad, though. I was annoyed but I couldn't get mad.

"I'm sorry. Please let me go," I told the man.

"Is it true that-"

"She told you to let her go, right?"

Suddenly, the flashes stopped. I tried to turn my head around to see what happened
but he was blocking my view. Clyden... Clyden was blocking my view. He stood right
behind me so the cameras couldn't get a glimpse of my face. He held the wrist of
the man holding my arm and harshly pulled it away.

"Do not cause a ruckus in our hospital. There are patients around," he told them
coldly. "You shouldn't be allowed here."
In just a few seconds, security came in and blocked the way. I stiffened when
Clyden put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me away to go to the corner where
I wouldn't be seen. He went inside a small hallway before letting me go. I didn't
notice that I was holding my breath for so long.

"Just wait for them to go away first," he said, looking over the door to see the
situation outside.

I couldn't talk. I couldn't talk at all when he was this close to me! He was
leaning over the wall, his hand on the side of my head while looking at the door. I
looked away and stopped myself from moving. He was tall so I was in the same line
of vision with his neck.

"I think they're-" He suddenly stopped talking when he looked at me and realized
our position. He immediately took a step back and leaned his back against the other
wall. "They're gone."

"I... I'm sorry." I even stuttered a bit. I didn't know what to say to him.
"They're usually not this wild. I don't get why they followed me here. M-maybe
because they still couldn't get anything from me with those rumors going around."

"Rumors," he repeated. He looked away and put his hands inside his pockets.

Crickets. I could hear crickets! I knew I had to walk away now but my feet were
betraying me! They wouldn't move! I had to say something!

"Uh, y-you didn't take Surgery?" Oh, damn! It looked so obvious that I was
eavesdropping earlier! What would he think of me now?!

He stared at me for a moment before answering the question. "Yes, I didn't."

He just gave a straight answer and nothing else. I knew I had to exit the
conversation already. His short answer was like telling me to leave. He was
dismissing me. I had to move! I had to walk away! I knew he was also busy.

"If I did, it would have been... 5 years more," he answered before I could leave.
My brows furrowed in confusion when I looked at him. "I guess I was impatient. I
wanted to prove myself quick."

"Uh, okay," I whispered. I didn't know what to say anymore. I didn't even get what
he just said. He wanted to prove himself quick? Kanino? Sa magulang niya? He
already did. A lot of times... But we weren't in that kind of relationship to talk
about family issues anymore. "Shoot! I have a meeting! I have to go now!"

"Hey, you left your-"

Hindi ko na siya nilingon at tumakbo na 'ko paalis. Arah would kill me! I was never
late for a meeting! It would be my first time! Well, it was the media's fault. She
would understand my situation. She should!

"I'm sorry, nahabol ako ng media. Kahit sa hospital! Maybe because someone posted
that I was there... Oh, right. A lady asked me for a picture," I said as soon as I
entered the van. I went to the backseat to quickly change my outfit for the
meeting. I didn't want to look like a mess. I was wearing my casual clothes
earlier.

"Yeah, I heard. It's fine now. They didn't get anything from you, right?" Arah
asked and I nodded. "Why are they saying that you have a non-showbiz boyfriend
now?"

"What? Didn't you spread that rumor?" I asked while putting my white leather
jacket. "I thought you did that to cover up rumors about Avrielle."

"No... Naunahan nila ako, huh," she said while scrolling on her iPad. Francine was
beside me, doing my makeup while the van was moving. Sanay na kaming dalawa sa
ganito.

"Dahil ata may nagsabi sa Twitter na nakita ka sa Japan na may kasamang lalaki a
few weeks ago but there was no photo to confirm it so hindi nakarating sa big media
outlets," Francine answered.

"What? Me? With a man?" I got so confused until I finally realized who I was with.
Ugh! What the heck! Haze?! They were talking about him?! "I got myself doomed. It
was just a friend, Arah. That wasn't my boyfriend."
"I didn't ask. Why are you so defensive? Who's that man? Tell me," she insisted.

"Haze Juarez," I told her. There was no point in lying to my manager. She had to
know everything or else she wouldn't clean the mess. "You probably know him."

"Of course! I know all the hot guys! Oh my god." She sounded so thrilled. I thought
she would be at least mad at me for not being careful. "You mean, Fly Asia's C.E.O?
He was a pilot, too, right? I also heard about Akihiro Juarez. They're brothers? I
see."

"Hiro is Avrielle's dad," I told her casually while Francine was working on my
blush. Both of them suddenly stopped to look at me. "What?"

"He's what?!" Arah yelled. Wait, didn't I say it already before? Did I forget about
it or sila ang nakalimot? "Avrielle... is a Juarez?!"

"Oh my, ang daming chika," Francine whispered, continuing her work.

Tuwang tuwa naman siyang makarinig ng chismis ngayon. Isa siya sa mga pinaka-
chismosang kilala ko kaya siya rin ang nagbabalita kay Arah ng lahat. She was young
so she was immersed in social media too.
"Yeah, he's crazy about Yanna." I almost rolled my eyes when I said that.

In just one look, everyone can easily tell how whipped he was! When I was with them
in Japan, I saw how he looked at her. He would probably do anything for my best
friend. It got me a bit... jealous. I wanted someone to look at me that way, too.

Ugh, I was sounding so single again.

I knew Arah wanted to ask more about Haze but I already told her that we were not
in that kind of relationship. I hadn't even seen him for a long time now. There was
no reason to see each other.

The meeting was just fast so right after that, I asked to go to the nearest mall to
get Avrielle a gift for her birthday. She was already entering kindergarten this
year so I wanted to get her cute shoes. Her birthday party this year will be bigger
than the ones she had before since they'll be inviting Hiro's friends, too.

I promised Raylee that I'll be back to see her niece so I also bought a doll for
her. I couldn't go there empty-handed. Gabi na rin nang makarating ako kaya nagdala
na rin ako ng dinner. It was just salad for me but I bought a lot for Raylee.

I knocked on the door twice before slowly entering. "Hey, Ray, I bought you dinner.
Can you eat with m-" I suddenly stopped when she looked at me with wide threatening
eyes. "What?"
I placed the food on the table before looking at the hospital bed. My eyes widened
when I realized that she wasn't alone in the room. Her niece was talking to a man
in a white coat. Beside him was a nurse.

"Does it hurt?" The voice was familiar. When I sat on the sofa, I got a clear look
on the doctor's face. What the hell, it was Clyden again! Why do we keep seeing
each other?! "It'll be quick, alright?"

The nurse started applying alcohol on a cotton ball before wiping it on Raylee's
niece's hand. It was probably my first time so I had no idea what would happen.
Were they going to put a needle on her? I hated needles. They were scary.

The nurse was obviously having a hard time finding where to put it. She tried twice
but I think it failed so Clyden asked to do it himself. He was whispering something
to the child. I guess Raylee's niece was about 6 years old.

"What's your favorite show, Queenie?" Clyden asked while casually holding the
needle with his gloves on.

"I... I like Barbies," the kid answered, obviously nervous. She couldn't look at
the needle at all. Clyden was trying to calm her down, I guess.

"Are you sleepy?" He asked again in his calmest voice. "If not, can you look at me
for a moment?"
I looked away when I felt my heart racing so fast. I had to stand up and go to the
restroom to wash my face para naman mahimasmasan ako. I was staring at him for so
long! Good thing he didn't notice.

When I came out of the restroom, they were already done. The nurse was checking the
fluid while Clyden was talking to Raylee. He was holding a folder with him and a
pen. When they finished talking, our eyes briefly met for a moment. Umiwas din
kaagad ako ng tingin at tumalikod para kuhanin ang pagkain ko.

"Kumain ka na, Doc?" Raylee suddenly asked.

Clyden looked at her when he was about to leave. "Not yet..." He sounded so
confused.

"Sige, Doc. Take care of yourself!" Raylee eyed me on the side with a teasing
smile. "Saan ka madalas kumakain, Doc? Gusto mo ng kasama?"

"Uh, no. I have a lot of things to do." Clyden surely looked like he was in a hurry
so I covered Raylee's mouth to stop her from talking again. With that, Cy looked at
me instead.

"Thank you, Doc. You can go now," I told him.

He bit his lower lip and nodded before closing the door to leave. Nakahinga lang
ako nang maluwag nang makaalis na siya. Muntik ko nang sabunutan si Raylee. She was
obviously doing it on purpose!

"What? I heard him talking earlier with the nurse! Hindi pa siya natutulog o
kumakain! Your ex should take care of himself. Doctor pa naman siya!" Raylee sat on
the couch. "You guys were staring at each other too much it made me sick too! Just
go out already!"

"What? No way!" I denied it. "I wasn't staring at him! And he's not interested in
me anymore. He's too busy now."

Raylee's niece fell asleep so I didn't get the chance to give the doll by myself.
After that, I went home to get all of Avrielle's things. Marami siyang naiwan dito
dahil mas madalas pa siyang dito nakatira kaysa sa apartment ni Yanna. Now, they
were already moving.

The next day, I woke up because of Arah's call. Ang aga-aga tumatawag siya kaya
chineck ko kaagad kung may nakalimutan ba 'kong schedule.

[Samantha Vera, you were seen buying kids stuff sa mall, huh! There were photos,
too! Now everyone's really assuming that you have a daughter!] Bungad niya sa 'kin.

"Ugh, it's for Avrielle and Raylee's niece. Why are they making a big deal out of
it?" I asked while preparing my cereal.
[Reasoning out would sound defensive. It will die down. If you're going to
Avrielle's birthday party, be careful, okay?! Assumero na lahat ng tao, gosh!
They're now saying na you got pregnant early by your non-showbiz boyfriend!]

"Ridiculous," I whispered. She reminded me about my shoot today before ending the
call.

I had been wondering for a long time when will they know about my previous
engagement with Clyden? The son of Cristopher Ramirez. That would be big. Maybe if
they dug a little deeper, they would know about it. It wasn't like it was a secret
before, but not everyone knew about it. They just announced it with the family's
close friends. Almost all of them aren't interested in the media.

Just like that, Avrielle's party came. I cleared my schedule the whole day so I
could help prepare the designs. The venue was held at the Juarez mansion and since
Yanna was still feeling awkward around Hiro's mom, she wanted me to come early.

"Hello, Tita," I greeted Hiro's mom and kissed her cheek. Ilang beses na rin kaming
nagkita noon kaya kilala na namin ang isa't isa. "How are you?"

"Samantha! You look even prettier now. I see your billboards around Manila. What a
sight!" She smiled at me and held my shoulders. "I'm fine. I'm fine. I'll just
check on Avrielle. Feel at home, okay?"
When she left, Yanna let out a heavy breath. She was preparing the balloons
pampalipas-oras lang daw so I helped her with that. May mga hired people naman para
mag-ayos ng venue pero gusto niyang tumulong dahil nakakahiya raw sa Mommy ni Hiro.

"I'll go outside to place these," I told Yanna.

When I went to the backyard to place the balloons, I saw Haze going out of the
house in his corporate attire. He opened the door of his black luxury car and went
inside. So he was in the mansion all this time? Good thing he didn't see me or else
he would annoy me again!

The visitors started coming at 4 o'clock and I helped in greeting the visitors
since I also knew Hiro's friends. Helen, Shan, Ericka, Neil... They were all there.
As usual, 'yung friends namin ni Yanna ang late.

"Where's Kierra?" I asked Luna when she came. She was with Sevi this time but Sevi
was quiet. He displayed an unusual behavior so I assumed that something happened.

"Ah, susunod daw," Luna answered. "Hoy, Sevirous, ayusin mo mukha mo. Naiinis ako
sa ganiyang itsura mo! Birthday party 'to, hindi lamay."

"Ah, umabot ako!" Via showed up with a gift.

It was just a simple birthday party in the backyard with our friends gathered
around the tables. Kami-kami lang din at ang iba pang friends ni Yanna at Hiro sa
airline. It wasn't chaotic... or that was what I thought.

"An important announcement!" Hiro told everyone. Napakunot ang noo namin at
tumingin sa kaniya na nasa harapan. "Check the invitations on your tables."

Nag kaniya-kaniya kaming kuha ng white envelope sa table. They had names I knew
what was mine. Nang buksan ko, muntik na 'kong mahulog sa inuupuan ko. I looked at
Yanna in betrayal. How dare she not tell me about the wedding date?!

"We're getting married in a few months. We hope you can come," Hiro said. Avrielle
was already taking a nap on Yanna's shoulder.

"Sana all," Luna whispered before drinking a glass of champagne.

"Sana all," Sevi whispered too.

Kierra was here a while ago but she kept on leaving! She was so good at avoiding,
huh. Mag-pinsan nga sila ni Luna. I appreciated that she still came here, though.

"They're so happy," I whispered. I wanted to join their 'sana all' moment but I
just kept it inside. At least I wasn't the only one feeling jealous here. The
thought was comforting. "Don't worry, guys. You will find your happiness, too."
When Yanna came inside to let Avrielle sleep, the real party started! Hiro placed
alcohol bottles on our tables when the sky went dark. Tuwang tuwa naman ang mga
adults nang makakita ng alak. Wala pang sinasabi ay binuksan na nila Luna ang
bottles. I was just sitting there with a glass of wine. I wasn't in the mood to
drink but I still took their shots.

"Oh my gosh, Samantha Vera! Kumusta?" Helen asked. I stood up and left my table to
join them. I socialized with other people, too, while my friends remained on the
table. They were having an alcohol contest there.

"Where's Shan?" I asked when I didn't see him.

"Uh, he was here a while ago but I think he left. Maybe he's with Hiro," Helen
answered. "Anyway, you're big time now, huh?! I heard from Giselle that you're one
of the recognized supermodels now!"

Luna kept on giving me shots kahit nasa kabilang table na 'ko. Dumadayo pa siya
palagi. I knew they were starting to cheat on my shots but I just let them. When I
went back to the table, Sevi was already tearing up. What a sight.

"Tanginang buhay 'to, oh," Sevi said, wiping his tears away.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you have a problem? Can I do something to help?" I gently
asked, putting my hand on his back to calm him down. He had a problem with money
before so I gave him some.

"Hindi na 'to masosolve ng tulong mo, Sam. Tangina ko!" Inuntog niya ang noo niya
sa lamesa, making me jump a bit. Oh my! Did it hurt?!

"Hala, sige, umpog mo pa ulo mo. Gusto mo tulungan pa kita?" Luna offered before
gathering Sevi's hair on her hand. She was seriously about to hit his head!

"Tama na 'yan, ha," Via scolded the both of them. "Umupo ka na nga, Luna. Ubusin mo
na lang 'to."

Since Sevi couldn't take shots anymore, ako na lang ang umako. I drank more than I
planned! I wasn't expecting to get drunk at this party! Akala ko wholesome kid's
party but when the birthday girl fell asleep, everything went down. It turned into
a reunion.

"Kapag hindi ako maid of honor, hindi ako aattend!" I told Yanna in my drunk voice.

"Sira. Sino pa bang maid of honor kung hindi ikaw?" Yanna held my shoulders to keep
me standing. "Okay ka lang ba? Parang tanga 'to, oh. Mabilis ka na malasing
ngayon?"
"No, I can still walk. I'll just go to the restroom," I told her.

I went inside the house by sliding the door in the backyard. I couldn't remember
where the restroom was so I kept on walking around. I was starting to realize that
I was just walking in circles so I stopped in front of the stairs and scratched my
head. I couldn't sit down on it because I was wearing a white bodycon dress.

I closed my eyes for a moment but opened them again when the main door opened and
it revealed a familiar man. I blinked twice to get a clear view of him. He was
taking his coat off, leaving him with his black button-down dress shirt, a grey
necktie, and a pair of grey slacks. He put his coat on his arm and fixed his silver
watch before walking towards my direction.

"It seems like you're always drunk when we see each other," Haze said, laughing a
bit.

"Restroom," I told him. "Where is it? I kept on walking around! I couldn't find
it!" I yelled at him now.

"Yeah? Let me take you there."

He was about to touch my shoulder but stopped himself midway. Nauna na lang siyang
maglakad at sumunod ako sa kaniya. His masculine scent was surrounding him. He
stopped in front of the white door and opened it for me.
"Thanks," I told him before going inside. Their restroom was big! May cubicles pa!

I washed my hand and retouched my makeup after leaving the cubicle. As soon as I
opened the door, I saw Haze waiting for me outside. I didn't think that he would
really wait for me. He looked like a busy man.

He was tall. His shoulders and chest were broad and his dress shirt was hugging his
arms well. He probably got a lot of girls seduced with his looks, huh. When he
noticed me staring, he raised a brow and clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"What now? Don't fall in love with me," he joked.

"As if," I whispered, rolling my eyes. "Ugh, I need to go home." Kinuha ko ang bag
ko para hanapin ang susi ng kotse ko. I really needed to go home. My head was
already spinning.

"Are you sure you can go home? You can rest here," he sounded worried now. "You
can't drive in that state."

"I can drive!" I walked away but he pulled on my hand to stop me. When I was about
to lash out, he answered a call so I just kept my mouth shut.

"Yes. Place them on my desk and I'll check them tomorrow. Better to send them to me
via email if you happen to have soft copies. I'll try to work on it tonight." He
sounded so formal. I tried to get away from his grip but he didn't budge.

"Let me go. I can drive," I whispered so the person on the other line wouldn't
hear.

"Give me a second," he said before moving the phone away from him and looking at
me. He was tall so he was looking down. "I'll drive you home so keep quiet."

I frowned and rolled my eyes. It made me dizzy so I held my head a bit while he was
still talking to someone on the phone. When he ended the call, he finally let my
wrist go.

"Are you dizzy?" He asked again.

I was closing my eyes. I started thinking of Clyden at this time. Why... Why was I
thinking of him?! Why did it have to be now? Ayoko na siyang isipin!

"I want to sleep," I told him, still closing my eyes. "Sleep with me..."

"What?" I heard the surprise and confusion in his voice.

Clyden... I miss him so bad. I miss him.

"Sleep with me, please," I whispered again. "I miss you."

"Hah!" I heard him scoff. When I opened my eyes, he was pushing his tongue on his
cheek, looking amused. "You're really losing it, huh?"

"Ugh, my head!" I held my head again and out of frustration, I punched Haze's
chest. What the hell was I saying to him earlier? "This is all your fault. I told
you I want to go home already."

"No, you told me to sleep with you. Flattering, but no." He got my bag out of my
hand so he could carry it. "How long have you been out of this world to beg someone
to sleep with you?"

"I haven't had sex for years! Damn you all!" I yelled, punching him again on the
chest. "I'm going to lose my mind."

"If you weren't drunk and you asked me to sleep with you, I would gladly accept."
The side of his lips rose up, forming a smirk. "Unfortunately, you need to go home
so let's just go, woman."
He held my shoulders and guided me out. He opened the shotgun seat for me and even
put on my seatbelt before going to the driver's seat. He asked me where I lived so
I told him the building of my condo. It was a little far from here.

"Do you guys... Do you guys do it with other women after a breakup?" I asked,
looking outside the window. I wondered if Clyden went into that kind of
relationship after me.

"What's 'it'?" He asked, raising a brow while driving with his one hand. "Can you
elaborate, please?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Do you guys do it with other women, too? I can't
do it with other men after the breakup." I didn't know what I was saying anymore! I
wanted to stop my mouth but I couldn't.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted. "Is it sex? Are you asking
me about sex?"

"Why do you have to say it out loud? Geez. I censored it for a reason." I rolled my
eyes and leaned my chin over my palm. "Yeah, so what's the answer?"

"I do it with other women. It depends on my mood. My last breakup didn't really
affect me that much, but I don't know about your man. Why are you even curious
about that matter?" He laughed a bit. Did I sound ridiculous?
"Nothing." I sighed heavily. "I wanted to feel good but your answer made me feel
worse. Asshole."

"I know how to make you feel good," he casually said.

My brows furrowed when I looked at him. When he saw my reaction, he laughed again
and shook his head. He leaned his elbow on the window and played with his lower lip
using his thumb.

"Sleep. Sleep will make you feel good. Don't think about something else. I wouldn't
do that to you," he said with a smirk on his face. "Unless you want me to."

"You're really something." I glared at him. "You're just like your brother. That's
the reason why Yanna got pregnant. Both of you are... something!"

I kind of fell asleep on the way so when I opened my eyes, he was already at the
parking lot of my condo. He opened the door and wrapped my arms around his
shoulders to help me walk.

I stopped when I heard something. He must have noticed because he looked at me with
a confused expression.
"Cover your face!" I moved my bag and covered his face, pulling him faster inside
the elevator.

When the elevator door closed, I held my head and closed my eyes. "What is it?"
Haze asked again.

"Cover your face when you go back to the parking lot. It's better if you just ask
someone to pick you up from the lobby and leave your car there," I advised.

"Why?" Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya.

"Someone took a photo of us," I told him. At that moment, I already knew what will
happen tomorrow.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

29 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

[Samantha Vera, you're all over the news! My gosh! What did I say about being
careful, huh?!]

I woke up so early to take Arah's phone call, only to be shouted at first thing in
the morning! I held my head while my eyes were still closed, suffering from a mild
hangover. Last night... Right. Last night, Haze dropped me off outside my unit and
asked a driver to pick him up. Nakuha na kaya niya ang sasakyan niya ngayong umaga?
I checked the news on my iPad to see what articles were written about me and it was
just like what I expected.

The famous model, Samantha Vera, seen on a date with a mysterious man

Samantha Vera has a non-showbiz boyfriend?

Samantha Vera goes home with a man

Different headlines, different tones, same photos. It looked like the person who
took these pictures made quite a large money for selling these, huh? Well, good
thing the angle of the camera didn't get Haze's face and I covered it with my bag
on the other photos. My face was clear, though, because I kind of looked back to
see.

It was so weird to see my name on the news. Out of all issues, I had never seen
myself being involved in a 'dating' article. I couldn't even call it a scandal
because dating behind the camera wasn't something to be treated as malicious.
Actors, models, famous people... Lahat kami may buhay. It was just that an
invisible spotlight was created by the media so they could get attention from
people.

"Well, it doesn't look that bad. My arms were on his neck because I was losing
balance and his hand was on my waist..." I told Arah while looking at the photos.
"They didn't see Haze and he didn't leave any trace unless they investigated the
car. I don't think they saw the car because they should have figured it out already
if they did."
[You're so calm about this, huh? I'll take care of this. Do not answer interviews!
Do not tweet, do not talk! Just do nothing! We'll say that you were so sick that
you almost fainted because you've been overworking yourself so a friend of yours
drove you back to your home. Convincing story.]

"Do whatever you like. It's not like we're really dating. I'm not guilty to deny
it."

I sipped on my cup of tea while still scrolling on my iPad. Arah reminded me about
my shoot today before ending the call. It was just one shoot, and then I'll go to
the gym. After that, wala na rin akong gagawin but I didn't want to go home early
so I'll try to find something to do while on my way.

"Everyone says you really have a pretty face 'no, Ma'am?" Francine complimented
while putting on my lip gloss. We were already at the studio tent in a resort that
was about 2 hours away because we needed to do the shoot at the beach. It was for a
swimsuit brand so I'd be wearing bikinis.

"I don't think so, but thank you," I told her after glancing at myself in the
mirror. A lot changed after years and years in this industry. My features became
more mature but still natural, my hair was already long, and my body became more
fit. It wasn't easy to climb up, but because of my communication skills, I built up
my connections with a lot of people.

I didn't really treat myself as one of the most famous models here and
internationally. There were so many people with greater potential. I just wanted to
continue doing what made me happy... and what could make 'her' happy.
If she was watching me from above, what would her reaction be? Or if she was still
here, would she take over Francine's position? Siya ba dapat ang nasa harapan ko
ngayon at nag-aayos sa 'kin? Or was she going to be the one behind the camera?
Taking photos? Naomi would probably do anything for me, just to see me successful.
I wanted to do those things to her, too... If only... If only I could.

"Miss Samantha, let's go na po. Ready na," the staff called me inside the tent.

I nodded and stood up after Francine sprayed on my hair. I took off the robe and
placed it on the chair before putting on my sunglasses because it was so bright
outside. Mabuti na lang at maaga ang shoot. Hindi mainit masyado ang araw.

I was wearing a red one-piece swimsuit for the first outfit. It wasn't my first
time posing for clothes like these so I already knew what to do even before they
told me. They still guided me about how they wanted the photos to turn out. I had
to kneel on the sand and got myself a little wet so it would look sexier.

"Retouch!" The director shouted so Francine came to me and retouched my makeup.

Pinunasan na rin ng ibang staff ang katawan ko at ang nakuha kong buhangin sa legs
ko. They were taking good care of me while I was talking to the photographer for
the next pose.

Pinahiga na rin ako, pinadapa, lahat na ng posisyon nagawa ko. Maglakad sa dagat,
nagawa ko na rin, at inulit ko 'yon sa iba pang swimsuit. I did another shoot for a
navy blue two-piece bikini. It had to be sexier than the other one. I remembered
when I was still new to this industry, I would often land on wholesome shoots
because they thought I was 'cute' but after years, they realized that I could pull
off a sexy shoot, too. Everything was changing because of time.
"You didn't forget to put on sunscreen, right?" Arah asked again for the nth time
after giving me water.

"Yes, I did. I did, okay?" I repeated my answer. Fortunately, the shoot just
finished before the sun could burn us. I went inside the resort's exclusive shower
room to wash off the sand on my body before changing into my gym clothes. It was
tiring to go after a shoot but the preparations for the fashion show cannot be
skipped.

I felt like my body already got used to tiredness. I had been pushing myself too
hard so my body became stronger, too. Back then, when I was still new, there were
times when I would stay in the hospital because of fatigue. I was trying my best to
earn money, not just for me, but for Yanna and Avrielle, too. But now... Nandiyan
na si Hiro so I'd be earning for myself now. Only for myself.

"Arah, I suddenly want a child. I'm so lonely," I told her after getting inside the
van. "Avi's gone. She's with her dad now so I'm basically alone."

"You want a child? Then find a boyfriend! Geez. You don't even have a boyfriend and
you're thinking about building a family?" Arah scoffed, which made Francine laugh.

"It's not that easy to find a boyfriend! And you don't have a boyfriend, too. You
got dumped 4 months ago," I fired back. She turned to me and glared to make me shut
up. I laughed and gave her a peace sign.

"Why did you break up with your ex again? Did he hurt you that bad kaya after him,
wala ka nang naging boyfriend? Even a fling? What is the reason why you couldn't
replace him?" She asked, curious about my past now. I didn't tell her that much
about the reason for our breakup. I just said it didn't work out.

"It's not that I couldn't replace him..." I looked outside the window to get lost
in my own thoughts. Bakit nga ba? "Maybe I just don't want to. I feel like no one
could ever treat me the way he did and I couldn't love anyone else but him."

"Weren't you dumped, too?" She asked again.

I looked at her and shook my head. "I broke up with him. No more questions. It just
happened like that. I'm an idiot because I'm the one miserable here."

Good thing she didn't ask questions anymore but I could tell that she got even more
curious because of what I said. Well, who wouldn't get curious, right? Ako ang
nakipag-break pero mukhang ako pa rin 'yung umaasa. I was still holding on to him
without realizing. Maybe I didn't really try to move on? Maybe I was just too
occupied to think about him?

I was overthinking again so I had to distract myself. I picked up my phone and

played games while we were on our way back to Manila. Arah was doing something
about my financial stuff on a new application so she had to check my account again.
Just when I was about to reach for my card holder, I realized that I didn't have it
with me.

"What?" Arah furrowed her brows, confused. "What did you just say?"
"My card holder is missing." I checked my bag and wallet again. My wallet was
different from my card holder para kapag naiwan ko 'yung isa, may pambili pa rin
ako. I didn't notice that I lost my card holder! I mean, I didn't use cards that
often! "I don't remember how or when I lost it! The last time I brought it was..."

I tried to remember it again. The last time I used my card was before meeting with
Raylee at the hospital! That was it! Right?! Did I lose it because of the media?!
Because I was running? Did someone report a missing card holder? Oh my gosh. Did it
fall into bad hands?

"Arah, call the bank and ask if I made weird transactions. I'll try to call someone
from the hospi-" I suddenly stopped when I remembered that Clyden was about to say
something before I left. "Shoot!"

Kinuha ko ulit ang phone ko at sinubukan siyang tawagan. He could be busy at the
moment but he might have picked it up, right? That it was the one that I left? That
jerk! Then why didn't he return it when we saw each other at Queenie's room?! Maybe
he forgot about it, too!

[Yeah?] He answered the phone so casually!

My heart skipped a beat. I felt it. This was the first time I was hearing his voice
over the phone again. His voice changed a bit. It was lower now. But I didn't have
time to think about that. I was worried about my cards.

"Did you see a card holder the last time I went there? It was a brown Louis
Vuitton." I tried so hard to sound casual, too, but I could feel myself trembling.
[Doctor Ramirez!] I heard a voice in the background. [Yeah, give me a second.
Hello, yes. I forgot to tell you. I have it.]

"Thank goodness! It fell in good hands!" I released the breath I was holding
earlier. I didn't expect to say it out loud! I immediately felt awkward after!

[Are you sure it did?] He asked in a low voice.

"Uh, stop fooling around. I'll get it later. I'll text you before going to the
hospital." I was panicking already. Arah was busy calling the bank so I made a sign
that everything was alright.

[No. I'll text you when I'm free. I'm busy right now.] And just like that, he ended
the call.

I wanted to get mad at him but I knew he wasn't lying when he said that he was
busy! At least I knew where my cards were! Clyden wouldn't... memorize my card
number, right? What would he do with them? Go online shopping?

"It's alright, Arah. I know who has it. I'll get it later," I told her. "Ah, that
made me nervous for a second. I'm so careless."
"Who has it?" She asked out of curiosity.

I looked at her and blinked twice. I was confused for a second but his name slipped
through my mouth. "Doctor Ramirez. Uh, Clyden. Clyden Ramirez." It was so awkward
to refer to him as a stranger.

"You know Doctor Clyden Ramirez? He topped the boards, right? He was the famous hot
doctor everyone was talking about?! Wow, I'm not even surprised that you know that
guy. You know everyone here." Arah clapped proudly.

"Well..." I didn't know what to say. I didn't just 'know' Clyden. I was with him
for a long time. We lived together. We were engaged. We loved each other. I knew
his secrets, his miseries, the small things that made him happy, his pet peeves,
his love for dogs, his personality, everything. I witnessed his hard work, his
efforts, and I was glad to see that it paid well. "Yeah... You can say that... That
I know him."

"Don't you want to date him? I mean, he's hot. People are dying to be his patient.
Unfortunately, he's a pedia, right?" Arah laughed hysterically. It wasn't even that
funny! "So it's no use!"

I almost got choked when I heard what she said. Date him?! Date him, huh?! We
already dated! For some reason, I couldn't even tell her that. I knew I couldn't
keep secrets from Arah but the one with Clyden was too deep to explain. I couldn't
avoid talking about my 'family' when telling our story. And that 'family' will
include Naomi.
"He looks nice, too!" Arah complimented.

"Looks can be deceiving," I told her while thinking about how rude Clyden treated
me again! He was always like that! He just became soft and nice when we started
dating.

I went to the gym to continue my
was aching all over after taking
move properly without my muscles
and sleep, but I was afraid that
holder.
training and it lasted for a few hours. My body
a shower and changing my clothes! I couldn't even
hurting! I was so tired! I just wanted to lie down
Clyden would suddenly text me to get my card

"Hello, Dr. Lana? Hi! I was wondering if I could stay in your office for a while or
if I can wait somewhere else. I just got out of the gym and I'm kind of tired but I
need to wait for someone so..." I didn't know how to explain it to her!

[Sam! Of course! I'm seeing patients in my office right now so you can stay
somewhere else. I'll take you there. See you!]

Okay, at least nasa hospital na 'ko kapag tumawag si Clyden. I wouldn't be rushing
out from my condo. I really wanted to sleep, though. Dinala ni Arah 'yung sasakyan
ko sa parking lot kaya nag-drive na lang ako papunta sa hospital. When I arrived, I
went straight to Dr. Lana's office. Saktong break niya kaya sinamahan niya 'ko sa
labas.

"There are many patients in my office at the moment. You can wait in the new ward.
There are empty beds there and kaunti lang ang tao kasi inaayos pa. Sino ba ang
hinihintay mo? You look so tired, sleepy, and pale. You look like a patient, to be
honest."

"Well, I drank yesterday, didn't get enough sleep, went under the sun for hours,
and then went straight to the gym. I think I'm about to get sick, too." I laughed
it off. I wasn't feeling anything bad... yet.

We went to a large room with small beds. Just like the other one, may designs din
sa wall na pambata pero kaunti nga lang ang pasyente rito. May harang pa sa may
bandang gitna kasi may inaayos pa sa mga kama. Dr. Lana made me sit there, though.
She said it was clean and that the room was safe for me to stay in while waiting.
She looked worried and I knew she lowkey wanted me to sleep.

"You're waiting for Clyden, right?" She asked, smiling now. Nagulat ako kaya hindi
ako nakasagot kaagad. "Then it's really better to wait here. He'll come here later
to check on the patients."

"O-okay. I'll just wait here. Thank you so much, Doc." I sat on the bed when Dr.
Lana walked away. She talked to the nurse on the counter and pointed at me before
leaving the room. Maybe she told the nurse that I was waiting for Clyden.

The pillow was starting to attract my sleepiness. I was still suffering from a mild
headache because of my hangover so humiga muna ako, while still leaving my feet on
the side so it won't touch the bed. Kalahati lang ng katawan ko ang hiniga ko
habang nakatingin sa kisame. Everything was starting to get blurry. My eyes were
begging to be closed.

I think I fell asleep. I fell asleep. I had a short dream but I didn't remember
what it was. I felt someone staring at me so I slowly opened my eyes. When I saw a
white ceiling, I panicked for a bit. I was feeling bad. I was feeling sick like my
body was burning up. Hindi ko alam kung dahil sa workout o ano.

"You're up now?"

My eyes widened when I heard a familiar voice. Napaayos kaagad ako ng upo sa kama
at tumingin sa paligid para alalahaning nasa hospital ako. Damn, I really fell
asleep here! I checked the time. It was already 9 PM! How long was I asleep?! Bakit
ang tagal?!

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep." I looked away because of embarrassment. Clyden was
standing beside the bed with his arms crossed, wearing his white coat with a beige
button-down shirt underneath. He didn't have his stethoscope and specs this time.

"Here's your wallet." He placed my card holder on the side table. "I'll get going
now. I have a paper to do."

Kanina pa ba siya nandito? Why didn't he wake me up? Did he wait for me to wake up
or it was just a coincidence that I woke up when he was standing right next to me?
I would feel really bad if he waited for me to wake up. He had things to do.

"Okay. Me too. I'll go home now." When I stood up to get my bag, I suddenly felt a
headache so I held my head with one hand and put my other hand on the wall for
support. I almost lost my balance when I also felt dizzy.
I waited for seconds before opening my eyes again, only to see Clyden staring at me
with his brows furrowed. He wasn't saying anything. He was just observing me. I
looked away and placed the card holder inside my bag before walking away.

Just when I was about to walk past him, he held my wrist and pulled me back in
front of him. My eyes widened when our eyes met.

"Stay there. I'll get you something." His voice was cold but his words said
otherwise.

He turned his back against me and walked to the counter while I was left there,
standing. My body was hurting all over so I sat down on the bed slowly and massaged
my thigh while waiting. I was wearing an oversized brown knitted sweater and a
pair of black leggings when I came here but I was still feeling cold.

I put my hand on my neck to feel my temperature, and then on my forehead. I

couldn't feel it by myself. My lips parted when Clyden suddenly held my wrist to
move my hand away from my forehead and replaced it with his hand. My heart was
fluttering the whole time.

"Why are you sick?" He asked like he was blaming me for being sick. He sat down on
the other bed just in front of me and placed the small tray of medicine beside him.

"It's normal to get sick from time to time," I told him. Maybe I pushed myself too
hard this time. Or I was dehydrated because I drank last night.
"You were sick last night, too, huh?" He scoffed.

My brows furrowed when he said that. I was confused and I didn't get it at first so
I was just staring at him, waiting for him to say more. It looked like he wasn't
planning to talk again so I tried to figure it out myself.

And then, I remembered Arah's words. Did she tell the media about her excuse? That
I was so sick I almost fainted so my friend drove me home? Clyden read that? Did he
buy that excuse?

"I didn't know you like reading showbiz news," I teased him a bit so he would talk.

"Everyone's talking about it." His voice was still cold. It almost felt like I did
something wrong to him. He sounded a bit mad. "Take this medicine and go home.
Actually, it's not safe to drive so call your boyfriend and tell him to pick you
up."

My what?

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya. So he was mocking Arah's
excuse? He believed that it was my boyfriend after all? Was he that dumb? Of course
not! But why would he even... Well, there were pictures. It was easy to believe
that I was dating. I didn't know what to say. Should I explain? But what for? Was
he expecting me to explain? He would probably just dismiss my words.
"I have no one to call," I told him that way just to be subtle about me not having
a boyfriend.

But of course! Of course, someone had to ruin it! The phone that I placed beside me
on the bed earlier just rang and both of us looked at it. Haze was calling. His
name was there. Haze. Clyden saw it. He probably did because he was looking at it.

"Hey," I answered it because I thought it was an emergency. I saw how Clyden's eyes
darkened a bit. He looked away and pretended that he wasn't listening to give me
privacy but he didn't leave my sight.

[I'm quite famous now, huh?] Haze laughed a bit.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry about that. Did you just see them now? Your face wasn't seen
so everything should be alright for you." I kept on looking at Clyden because it
was so awkward to talk about it while he was in front of me.

[I don't actually care, but is this okay for you?]

"Well, I'm used to it. It will die down after weeks so don't worry about it." I
looked at Clyden again and our eyes met this time. Nagulat ako kaya umiwas kaagad
ako ng tingin.
[Okay. Have you eaten dinner? Why do you sound different?] Even him noticed! My
voice sounded tired.

"Dinner? U-uh, I fell asleep so... Hey, I'm in the middle of something. Just
message me. Bye." I ended the call quickly because Clyden was already looking so
pissed in front of me. I was nervous to look at him again.

He stood up and placed the small tray on the side table, creating a harsh sound. He
poked his tongue against his cheek and stared at me with those dark eyes. I didn't
know what to say. He looked annoyed.

"A friend, huh..." He whispered.

"Sorry I took a call in the middle of a conversation. That was my friend," I

explained but I really didn't want it to sound like an explanation.

"You should have asked him to pick you up," he harshly said before walking away.

He already left the ward when I stood up and placed the medicine inside my bag. I
couldn't take them since I wasn't sure if it was safe in an empty stomach. I was
planning to get food but it was so hard for me to move. I wanted to go home
already.
"Arah? I feel sick. Can you pick me up at Ramirez Medical?" I called Arah while I
was finding myself out. I was a bit dizzy so I was getting lost in the hallway.
There were so many people, too. All of them looked busy.

[Right now?] Arah asked again. [I'm still in a late meeting. I'll call the driver.]

I was about to say something but I lost my balance again and almost fell on the
ground, but a man held my arms and yelled at me out of shock. It wasn't Clyden, but
it was a man in a white coat.

"Uy, gagi! Okay ka lang, Sam? Nakita kita kaya lalapitan sana kita tapos bigla kang
matutumba?!" Yeah, it was Ridgen.

Umayos ako ng tayo at huminga nang malalim. What in the hell was wrong with me?
Fatigue? Was this it? Or the fact that I haven't eaten anything except a diet meal
before going to the gym? I probably burned all of it already.

"Sorry. I feel a bit dizzy," I told him while holding my head.

"B... Buntis ka, Sam?" He whispered with his eyes wide.

"You're a doctor and the first thing you conclude when someone feels dizzy is
pregnancy, huh?" Ridgen and I turned to Clyden when he suddenly appeared behind me.
He walked and held my waist to support my weight.

"Grabe naman ang top ng boards! Nakakapang-liit!" Ridgen teased, laughing. "Nagjo-
joke lang, e! Galit ka naman agad! Bakit ka ba galit? Pero seryoso, i-check mo kaya
si Sam? Mukhang may lagnat."

"Uh, he sent me home," I told him.

"You're a doctor and the first thing you do when the patient feels sick is send her
home?" Ridgen fired back, smirking now like he won the lottery.

"I see you have a lot of time in your hands, Doctor Alcazar," Clyden raised a brow
and changed his tone, which made Ridgen shiver.

Ridgen hugged himself like he saw a threat. "Nag-break lang saglit! May pupuntahan
pa 'kong pasyente! Ikaw na bahala kay Sam, ah! Don't send her home! If she dies,
it's your fault!"

When Ridgen walked away, I faced him and he removed his hand on my waist. I didn't
know what to say now. A part of me wanted to go home, believing that this will go
after a night of sleep but I slept earlier and just felt worse upon waking up.
"Don't go home," he suddenly whispered. "Get yourself checked. Have you eaten
anything?"

"Uh, no," I answered truthfully. He bit his lower lip and shook his head a bit.
"I'm on a diet," I told him again like it would make it better.

"You've been on a diet ever since college," he suddenly said without looking at me.

It caught me off-guard. Did he just talk about the past? Our past? I mean, yeah, he
was so casual about saying that we were engaged. He didn't actually care.

Because I was thinking a lot, I didn't notice him pulling me with him while
walking. Hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta. We rode the elevator and he pushed
the one with a black button. When it opened, the receptionist stood up to see who
it was but when she saw Clyden, she suddenly sat down and minded her own business.
Were we even allowed here? It didn't look like a part of the hospital.

"V.I.P rooms are here," Clyden explained. "Also the board room and the executive
office."

He pulled me in the hallway and I even saw some bodyguards standing in front of the
doors. Their patients were bigtime, huh? He pulled me until we reached the end and
he opened the brown door. I thought it was going to be a hospital room but it
looked like a large office with a bed, a sofa, and a large study desk.
"Hello? Yes, Doc, I'm doing my paper right now, but I can go to the ward and check
if you need me," Clyden was talking to someone on the phone. He was holding it in
one hand while the other hand was removing his white coat.

I looked around and saw a lot of medical stuff on the desk. There was a research
paper going on at the monitor when I accidentally moved the mouse and I saw his
name there. Oh, so this was his... What? Study room? His office? He was receiving
special treatment after all, huh. Well, if I were his parent, I would give him his
own room, too.

"It's nothing much. I can finish this tomorrow." Clyden put his white coat on the
sofa and unbuttoned two buttons of his polo.

There was a bed on the other side of the room so I assumed that he was staying
here, but I saw him walking the dog the other day. So someone else was watching the
dog for him when he was out?

"Sit on the bed," Clyden told me after ending the call.

"H-huh? Okay..." I sat on the bed and he walked towards me, pulling his own chair
with him. He sat in front of me again and used an ear thermometer to check my
temperature.

"38.7," he whispered. "What were you doing all day? Since when did you start
feeling dizzy?" He got his notepad.
"Aren't you busy?" I asked back. I was worried that I was becoming a nuisance to
his work. What if there was an emergency?

"Is that the answer to my question?" He raised a brow. He was merciless!

Geez! He was so nice with children pero pagdating sa mga adult na katulad ko,
ganito na siya makipag-usap? Good thing he took pedia. If he didn't, his patients
would probably punch him for being rude.

"Well, I drank last night..." When I said that, I saw him roll his eyes. What the
hell. "...and I woke up early to go to a shoot. I was under the sun for hours and
then ate a salad before going to the gym. Felt tired and went straight here, fell
asleep while waiting, and when I woke up I felt sick."

"Did you drink enough water?" He asked again. "I told you if you drink, you'll get
dehydrated." He stood up and left. When he came back, he was already holding two
glasses of water. He placed it on the side table and got his white coat again.
"I'll get you something to eat. Stay there."

"You're busy, right? Don't worry about me. I'll just go home." I was about to stand
up but he suddenly held my shoulders and pulled me down. I lost my balance so I
fell on the bed.
He placed his knee on the bed and hovered on top of me. "I won't let you fall into
another man's arms again so just stay here. Got it?"

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

30 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"He looks busy..."

I was walking around the room while waiting for him to come back. Dalawang oras na
siguro ang nakakalipas nang sabihin niyang kukuhanan niya 'ko ng pagkain. It was
already late but I wasn't feeling sleepy since I just woke up from a long nap
earlier. Naiinip na 'ko kaya tinitignan ko na lang ang mga gamit niya.

It was like he had his own unit, pero sa hospital naman. Being the son of the owner
had so many advantages, huh? I sat in front of his study desk to check the paper he
was doing. It was about medicine. I was just curious so I read some of it, but I
couldn't understand anything. Chineck ko rin ang papers na nakalatag sa tabi. He
had so many books with him and all of them looked organized.

Maybe he was working again kaya ang tagal niya. Baka pinatawag siya. They said
residents were called residents because they reside in the hospital. They were too
busy to go home.

"Hey, Francine, can you cancel my schedule for tomorrow? I'll tell Arah. I'm not
feeling well." I called my assistant while waiting inside the room. I went back to
bed and just sat there.
[Sure, Ma'am. Pagaling po kayo. Call me when you need anything. Papabalikin ko na
po 'yung driver? Pinasundo po kayo ni Ma'am Arah.]

"Ah, yes. I already texted the driver. Thank you."

I ended the call when the door opened and I saw Clyden looking down on the floor.
He silently placed the paper bag on the study desk and removed his coat, breathing
heavily. I wanted to talk but stopped when I saw him holding the edge of his desk,
gripping tightly while looking down. His coat was already on the floor and he
looked... devastated.

I stood up and slowly walked towards him. I picked up the white coat on the floor
and tried to fix it, only to see little stains of blood on it. I blinked twice and
looked at him, slowly getting why he was acting like this.

"Did something happen?" I asked softly. I didn't want him to suddenly burst out.

"It's... It's fine. Here's your food." He was breathing heavily when he handed me
the paper bag, still refusing to look at me. It looked like he didn't want to show
his face to me.

I looked at his hand and saw a bloodstain on it, too. I didn't stare for too long
and just placed the food on the small dining table near the refrigerator. He walked
to the bedroom and closed the door, leaving me here. Maybe something happened out
there kaya siya natagalan.
I was on a diet but because he bought the food for me, kinailangan kong ubusin
'yon. Niligpit ko na rin ang tinapon sa trash bin bago ako humiga sa sofa. Clyden
wouldn't go out of the bedroom. Was it a sign for me to leave? Should I leave now?
I thought he wanted me to stay here? I didn't have my clothes with me so I guess I
needed to go home.

I stood up and knocked on the bedroom door para makapagpaalam sa kaniya bago ako
umuwi, but he didn't answer. When I held the doorknob, I noticed that it was open.
Unti-unti kong binuksan ang pinto at nakita siyang nakaupo sa kama at nakasandal
ang dalawang siko sa binti habang nakahawak sa ulo. He looked like he was in pain.

"Are you okay?" I asked in a worried tone.

He looked up to me and stared for so long. His eyes looked so dazed. After a few
seconds, he stood up and fixed the bed before pointing at it.

"You're sick. Stop walking around and take a rest," he said in a monotone. It was
almost a whisper. Parang may kung ano sa lalamunan niya at hindi siya makapagsalita
nang maayos.

I did what he said and sat on the bed. I wanted to tell him that I would like to go
home so it would be more comfortable for me to rest but I had this feeling that he
didn't want to be left alone tonight. His eyes were distracted and he was in deep
thought.
"Are you uncomfortable having me here?" I concluded. "I can sleep on the couch. You
can sleep here-"

"A kid died," he suddenly said.

I parted my lips out of shock when he looked down on the floor and wiped the tear
on his eye. He didn't want me to see it but it was obvious that he couldn't contain
his emotions inside. He covered his eyes and turned his back against me.

"I'm sorry," I told him. It must be hard to work in a hospital, seeing patients
live... and die... and the worst part was not being able to do anything about it.
Clyden always had soft spots for kids. This must be hard for him to accept.

"He was close to me," he added. "When I visited his room, he was... he was having a
hard time breathing. He coughed blood and held on to my coat like he didn't want me
to go. I called everyone I knew... I tried to keep him breathing but before the
doctors came and before he was transferred, he was already..." He was panting. It
was so hard for him to tell the story.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. The story alone was enough to make me tear up a bit
because I remembered Naomi. I shared Clyden's sentiments. It was the feeling of not
being able to save someone. He must have felt so useless, studying medicine for
years and watching a patient die. "Is it your first time witnessing someone's
death?"

"No. It happens to our critical patients often. I had to witness it a lot of times.
The kids... suffering. I couldn't get used to this. I wanted to quit when I saw it
the first time." He chuckled sarcastically before turning to me. "Sorry. You must
be tired. You can rest now. I need to do my paper."

"Aren't you going to sleep?" I asked him.

"I don't sleep," he simply replied before leaving the room. It looked like he
wanted to be alone so I just let him be.

I felt the tiredness in my body again so after drinking medicine, humiga na 'ko at
sinubukang matulog. His scent was all over the room. I could smell his perfume in
his bed. Sa unan, sa comforter, sa sheets. It was like I was sleeping with him
again. It somehow comforted me so I fell asleep again.

I woke up from a dream when I felt my body sweating. I was burning up. My body hurt
from the intense workout and I couldn't breathe properly. When I opened my eyes, it
was still dark. I checked the time and it was already 3 AM. I wanted to stand up
but my body felt so heavy.

I closed my eyes again when the door opened. I was making weird breathing sounds.
My body felt hot but the room temperature was making me shiver. I hissed when I
felt a damp towel on my forehead. I opened my eyes and saw Clyden sitting beside
the bed, slowly damping the cloth on my face.

"Sorry to wake you up," he whispered.

He changed his clothes. He was wearing a grey sweater now. It was a casual look so
I assumed that he was done with his duty. I was breathing heavily, hugging the
comforter on my body. I closed my eyes again when I felt him wiping my arms with
the towel.

"Did you sleep?" I softly asked. It was hard for me to talk.

"I've been awake for 38 hours now," he told me like it wasn't a big deal.

He held my hand and slowly wiped it with the cloth too. His hand was so soft on
mine. It was the first time in years that I felt his hand on me again. He went to
the other side to wipe my left arm. He was trying to lower my body temperature.

"Go get changed," he said, pulling the comforter down.

I opened my eyes and tried to sit down, leaning against the headboard. He placed a
sweater on the bed and a pair of pajama pants before leaving the room to give me
privacy. It was so hard for me to move but I forced myself to remove my top,
although my muscles hurt like hell.

"Are you done?" Clyden asked outside the door.

"Not yet," I said, hoping that he would hear it.

Kinuha ko ang sweater na binigay niya at sinuot 'yon. The leggings were starting to
get uncomfortable so I took them off while still on the bed. I couldn't even stand
up. I was left in my lace panties when I tried to reach for the pajama. He gave me
his clothes. They were big and it smelled like him.

"I need help." I tried to say it out loud.

Dahil sa panghihina, humiga na lang ulit ako sa kama at pinikit ang mga mata ko. I
was still holding the pajama on my hand. I couldn't lift myself up anymore to put
it on. Clyden must have heard because I heard the door open.

"Shit," he muttered a curse and the door closed again. When I opened my eyes, he
was already gone. "Sorry, akala ko tapos ka na," he said outside.

"No, I need help," I tried to yell.

Bumukas ulit ang pinto at naglakad siya palapit sa 'kin, refusing to look at my
legs. It was so embarrassing for me to stay in my panties but I had no choice. It's
okay, Sam! You've been in magazines wearing something more revealing than this!
This shouldn't be a big deal! Besides, he already saw it all!

He silently sat beside me and started wiping the towel on my legs. I hissed with
sudden contact. He was looking so serious while doing it. After that, kinuha niya
'yung pajama sa kamay ko at sinuot 'yon sa paa ko. He lifted my leg up and slowly
pulled the pajama up.

"Lift it up," he said. "I mean... your ass."

Wow, it sounded so awkward for me but he said it so casually! I lifted my lower

body up so he could finish up and then brought it down again. I hugged the pillow
while my eyes were still closed.

"Drink your medicine." I felt Clyden pulling on my wrist to lift my body up. "Drink
it or I will inject it inside your body."

"I will drink it! I will!" I hated needles so I forced myself up. I parted my lips
and put the medicine inside my mouth. He held a glass of water and helped me drink
some to help me swallow the tablet. May tumulo pa sa baba ko kaya pinunasan niya
gamit ang towel.

"If you don't listen to me, you'll get admitted to this hospital," he warned me.

Naalala ko bigla 'yung mga panahong naka-confine ako sa hospital. The dextrose!
Gosh, ayoko noon! They felt weird! Something was flowing through my veins! It was
weird!

"Please. I don't want to be confined again," I weakly said. "I hate needles..."
"You won't need needles if you just eat properly and drink water. Stop being
stubborn and listen to me. You need to take care of yourself." His voice sounded a
little mad.

I suddenly remembered what happened earlier. He was devastated. Surely, it was

still affecting him but he was here, taking care of me. I felt bad. He didn't have
time to mourn.

"Cy," I called him. He stopped getting the small tray of medicine on the side table
to look at me. "You can't save everyone."

He looked a bit surprised to hear what I just said. He looked down and put the tray
back to sit beside me on the bed. He pursed his lips and stared at me like he was
trying to read through my mind.

"Alam ko." He touched my forehead with the back of his hand. "Pero hangga't kaya
pa, hangga't pwede pa, walang pwedeng sumuko. Buhay ang hawak namin, hindi 'yun
madaling bitawan."

"But sometimes, it would slip through your fingers without you knowing," I added.
"And it happens. But do not give up, right? Do not give up on your dream. Treat it
as a reason to keep moving forward. Death is a part of life..."

"Yeah, but death is also something that we, doctors, can't get used to, no matter
how many times we witness them." He fixed the comforter and pulled it up until it
covered my chest. "Take a rest."

That was the last thing he said before leaving the room. I fell asleep again when I
closed my eyes. I felt tired. I didn't know how long I slept but when I opened my
eyes again, it was already morning.

I was feeling better than yesterday. I was able to stand and walk properly now. I
went inside the bathroom to wash my face before going out of the bedroom. I was
surprised to see Clyden taking a nap on his study desk, still holding a paper on
his other hand. Nakatulog siya habang nagbabasa. This used to be my view every
morning when we were still engaged. Noong mga panahong nag-aaral pa siya,
nakakatulugan niya rin ang pagbabasa.

He looked tired so I didn't bother waking him up. I texted Francine and asked her
to bring me clothes because I couldn't walk out of the hospital wearing Clyden's
pajamas. I didn't want to wear what I wore yesterday. It felt uncomfortable.

"Hey, sorry for asking you to go here," I told Francine as soon as she handed me
the paper bag, along with the breakfast I asked her to order. Sa elevator ko siya
ng floor sinalubong. I was still wearing pajamas pero 'yung dalawang nurse lang
naman sa reception ang makakakita kaya okay lang. I also wore a cap so they
wouldn't recognize me.

"Omg, Ma'am, alam ba ni Ma'am Arah na nasa hospital ka? Are you sure you're okay?!"
Francine panicked. "I didn't know that you were confined!"

"I'm... I'm not..." Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko. Bakit ako nandito at
nakasuot ng pajamas kung hindi ako naka-confine sa hospital? Nasa floor pa 'ko ng
V.I.P rooms. It looked weird. "Yeah, I was admitted but don't worry. I'm fine now."

"I'll process your papers! Where's your doctor, Ma'am? Ako na ang kakausap!"
Francine was panicking. "I'll take care of everything. You should rest!"

"Ah, no! I already took care of it!" I lied again. Francine blinked twice before
nodding slowly, halatang hindi satisfied sa sagot ko. She really wanted to help.
"I'm okay now so uuwi na 'ko mamaya. I took my car here. I'll be fine."

It took me a lot to finally convince my assistant to go home. When I walked back to

Clyden's mini office, he was now up. Nagty-type na siya ulit sa computer niya at
mukhang nagulat pa nang makita akong pumasok.

"I thought you already left," he suddenly said.

He looked tired and sleepy. He didn't get enough sleep but at least he slept even
for a while. I placed the breakfast I bought on his study desk, along with his
favorite coffee from back then, bago ako umupo sa maliit na dining table para
kumain ng healthy sandwich. I also ordered a cup of hot choco for myself. I needed
something sweet to bring back my energy.

"I just met with someone," I said.

He suddenly looked at me with an arched brow. I stared back at him until he gave up
and scoffed. I almost jumped on my place when he placed the book on his desk
harshly, creating a sound. He was also holding the pen so tight, I was afraid it
would break.

"I met with my assistant," I explained, just in case he needed it.

"Hindi ko naman tinanong," he fired back while reading something.

I ate quietly while he was busy with his paper. Hindi siya kumakain pero iniinom
naman niya 'yung kape. How could he stay up for so many hours? I can't do that. I
would probably faint again. He was right. His med school days were already
considered as training.

"You didn't do anything to my cards, right?" I had to ask.

He rotated his swivel chair and looked at me with his brows furrowed. "Excuse me?"
He couldn't believe it.

"I mean, when I said it fell on good hands, you said 'Are you sure it did?' so I'm
wondering if you memorized it or something. What did you buy if ever?" I continued
talking.

"If I would use your card to buy something, then I'll buy food for our dogs. The
mom has to contribute something, don't you think?" He asked before sipping on his
coffee.

He made it sound so casual so my reaction time got delayed! Saka ko lang narealize
ang sinabi niya after a few seconds. Our... Our dogs?

"Who's watching them?" I asked.

"Helpers," he answered. "And Colin. Colin's watching them. My younger brother."

"Isn't he busy?"

"He gave up on becoming a doctor. He knew he wasn't suited for it. He's taking
business instead." He was still staring at me while holding his cup of coffee. I
felt conscious.

I bit on my lower lip and continued eating. I still couldn't get over the fact that
he referred to me as the 'mom' of his dogs. Oh... 'Our' dogs, huh?

I ate and asked if I could take a shower inside the small bathroom. It looked like
he didn't care and just gave me a slight nod. I went inside the bathroom and
realized that I didn't have a towel with me so napagdesisyunan kong umuwi na lang
para maligo. I just changed into my clothes and put his clothes inside the paper
bag. Ako na ang bahala magpalaba.
"I'll go home now," paalam ko sa kaniya. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

He stopped typing on his computer to look at me. He glanced at my clothes before

looking at the paper bag I was holding. I told him that I will bring his clothes
back. A part of me was looking forward to it. I was treating it as an excuse to see
him again.

He just nodded so I already walked towards the door.

"Maui," he suddenly called, making me stop.

I held on the doorknob and glanced at him nervously. "Y-yes?" He called me Maui!
Again! Why?!

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked while his finger was playing with his pen.

I parted my lips out of shock. Why would he ask that? He was making me feel hope.
He should stop doing that!
"I don't. Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked back.

He licked his lower lip a bit before smirking. Sumandal siya sa swivel chair niya
at matagal akong tinitigan habang nilalaro ang ballpen sa kamay.

"Do I look like I have the time to entertain someone else?" He raised a brow.

I bit my lower lip and looked away. His stare was so intense. "I'll go now. Thank
you."

I left without him saying a word. He did a lot of things for me last night and I
really appreciated it. He did all of those despite his busy schedule. It must be
hard for doctors to date outside the hospital, huh? Kaya siguro madalas ng mga
kakilala kong doctor, ang partner nila ay nagtatrabaho rin sa hospital.

I remembered Eva. Didn't she like him before? Nag-confess kaya siya kay Clyden?
Kung oo, did he reject her? Kung hindi, magiging sila ba? There was nothing to hold
him back anymore. He was single so it should be alright... But why was I thinking
of things that would just hurt me? Did I like torturing myself that much?

After taking a shower, I just rested the whole day to bring my energy back. My body
was still aching all over but I still attended my training the next day. My trainer
was happy to see me back and scolded me for skipping one session. I had to make up
for it that day by doing a longer workout and eating a diet meal.
I had to fly back to New York to do some stage rehearsals for the fashion show. I
was with Arah and Francine this time and as soon as we landed, Francine went with
me to look for apartments. I already computed everything. I was already planning to
move to New York and leave the Philippines since bookings here pay more.

"Kung saan ka, Ma'am, doon din ako," Francine told me, smiling. She was my first
assistant, and hopefully my last. She was so flexible. Kahit saan ako magpunta,
handa siyang sundan ako. Wala naman kasi siyang family na iiwanan. She was just by
herself.

I went to the venue for rehearsals right after, still can't get over my jetlag. I
went backstage to put my high heels on while the other models were busy practicing
their walk. There were new models I wasn't familiar with this time and both of them
were staring at me. I looked at them and stood up after putting my heels on.

"Hi!" I greeted them and smiled. The other woman looked away and ignored me while
the other one gave me a small smile. Just like that, they walked away. My smile
faded as I tilted my head to the right, confused now.

Was I rude? Did it sound rude? I started overthinking what happened. Did I scare
them or what? Why did they ignore me?

"Samantha! Hi!" Monica, the other model, went to me and gave me a hug. "Long time
no see! You're looking good!"

"You look lovely, Monica." I gave her a kiss on both sides of her cheek and glanced
at the two new models again. "I haven't seen them around. Are you familiar with
them?"

"Oh, they're actually new. I heard them talking about you earlier, like how
intimidating you are. Don't worry about them. They're probably just jealous that
the brand values you a lot." Monica shrugged.

"I don't want to be on bad terms with anyone. I'll try to work things out later."
It actually made me sad. Having the title 'supermodel' made me look intimidating
for people who were new to the industry. I wasn't used to seeing people avoiding me
because of that.

We started rehearsing our walk on the stage. It was easy for me but some models got
scolded over and over again. I would comfort them as soon as they return to
backstage. I had experienced all of it before. I didn't want them to lose faith in
themselves because of that. The director was extra grumpy today.

"Good as always, Samantha Vera!" The director clapped. "Hey, the two of you, you
can do better than that. Watch Samantha's walk, will you?"

He was scolding the new models too much. I walked on the stage again before going
back to the backstage, only to see my clothes on the floor. I would be attending a
meeting after a rehearsal so I brought extra clothes with me. Francine went out to
buy me food so I was left alone in the dressing room.

I was about to pick it up but someone stepped on it. I looked at the new model with
confusion. She was staring right back at me with anger. Her arms were crossed on
her chest. She was a bit taller than me so she looked intimidating.
"I'm sorry. Uhm, that's my shirt." I gave her an awkward smile and pointed at the
shirt she was stepping on.

"Oh, is this yours? Oops, sorry." She smirked and stepped back, removing her heel
on the shirt.

"Thank you," I told her, picking it up, along with my pants. They were both on the
floor. I gave her a smile again. "Sorry for the mess."

I was about to walk away but she suddenly pulled on my arm. "Seriously, what's your
deal? What the hell is wrong with you?"

My eyes widened out of surprise. I was confused. Why was she mad at me? "There's
nothing wrong with me..." I answered truthfully.

"I'm sure you're not this nice. You're faking it, aren't you? Come on! Show us your
true self, Samantha Vera! Stop acting like a goody-two-shoes!" She insisted.

I bit my lower lip and held my clothes tightly. I didn't like her tone but I
couldn't get mad at her. Some models noticed the commotion so they started flocking
in our direction.
"Hey, what is your problem?" Monica asked the new model. Halos lahat ng narito,
kaibigan ko, kaya lahat sila ay nasa side ko. I felt bad for the other person.
"Stop acting like you're so high and almighty when you just entered this industry.
With that kind of attitude, kid, you won't survive here."

"Monica, it's fine." I stopped her before she could say something worse. "Hey, I
don't know what I did to you but if I did something to offend you, I'm sorry," I
turned to the new model.

"You probably cheated your way up to the top!" She said before walking away.

I saw her tearing up a bit. It must be stressful for her to fit in, tapos
napapagalitan pa siya kanina. I understood that she might be having a hard time but
it was wrong to take it out on me. I sighed heavily and told my friends that I was
okay. All of them seemed worried about me.

"She doesn't know who she's talking to! Gosh!" Luce rolled her eyes. She was a
model younger than me. She claimed that she was my fan when we first met each
other. "The disrespect! She's talking to Samantha Vera for Pete's sake!"

"I'm really fine. It's all good. Maybe she's just having a rough day," I continued
making excuses for the girl.

Because that behavior... reminded me of someone.

Was I really too nice to the point that it was already looking unreal? I sighed
heavily and took my heels off to wear comfortable shoes. I felt like a punching
bag. People liked taking their anger out on me.

After rehearsals, Francine accompanied me to the mall. I had to look for new
clothes to wear since my clothes got stepped on. Wala na rin kaming oras bumalik sa
hotel dahil male-late lang kami sa meeting. I wore my shades and went inside,
avoiding the cameras.

"Samantha Vera?! Samantha Vera!" A paparazzi called.

I covered the side of my face and just went inside the mall. Hanggang sa loob,
sinundan pa rin ako ng mga camera. Francine was on her phone, calling the security.
I went inside a store to hide. The staff closed the glass door to not let the media
in.

"Oh my god, it's Samantha Vera," a woman whispered to her friend.

I sat on the couch and let Francine pick my outfit for me. I was wearing my shades
but people still recognized me. I modeled for this clothing brand before at may
poster ko pa sila sa labas. I went here to hide, but I didn't expect the
salesladies to actually close the store for me.

"I'm so sorry for the commotion," I told the saleslady. "I'm kind of in a hurry.
I'm really sorry."
"I-it's okay! Security is on the way, M-m-Ma'am!" She looked nervous and surprised.
Tinignan niya ang poster ko sa wall bago ako tinignan ulit. Pinabalik-balik niya
ang tingin niya. I awkwardly smiled before Francine went back with the clothes she
picked.

She already paid for it so pumasok na 'ko sa dressing room para magpalit. I had
been on famous shows here in America before so I was easily recognized by some. All
of it still felt surreal. I wasn't used to it. Maybe those photographers got a hint
that the models will rehearse today so they waited outside the venue.

I changed into formal wear and thanked the staff again before leaving the store.
Security personnel went with me hanggang sa makasakay na kami ni Francine ng cab.
Arah was already waiting at the meeting place.

The week went by smoothly. I did some workouts to keep my body in shape and then
attended rehearsals. During my free time, I would hang out with some models. Hindi
naman kami palaging pinagkakaguluhan. Kapag lang may mga camera, people will start
paying attention.

On the day of the fashion show, everyone was so busy. Everyone was panicking.
Everyone wanted the event to go well. May livestream pa so who knows sinong
makakanood kung papalpak kami sa runway?

I was only wearing a pair of underwear underneath my silk robe while the make-up
artist was doing my makeup. The models were all gathered in the makeup room and
right after finishing our makeup, we will proceed to the other room to do our body
makeup. After putting on my body makeup, I went with other models inside the
dressing room. We were just waiting there. All of us had our own racks of clothes
so we wouldn't get confused.
I took selfies with the other girls and we did everything to ease our nervousness.
We danced, we sang, we played games. When the staff asked us to get dressed, my
nervousness came back. Maraming staff ang tumulong sa 'kin magsuot ng first outfit
ko. We listened to mini speeches before actually starting the event.

"Come on, let's go! Five minutes!" A staff yelled.

"Hey, you can do this. You can do this," I held Natalie's cheeks and smiled at her.
She just looked so nervous. It was only her second time. Everyone was cheering each
other up, yelling, screaming, everything to calm ourselves.

"3 minutes!"

"Let's go, gorgeous!" I shouted at Monica when she was called on standby. "You can
do it!" I kept on cheering for other models, too.

I inhaled and exhaled when Monica and the other models were called. I was standing
there, stretching my legs while waiting. The models did so well. Napapanood ko sa
TV sa waiting area.

"Samantha Vera, let's go. You're up," a staff member said.

I went to the side of my stage and the staff fixed my cape before I walked out. I
was smiling the whole time, and praying that my legs won't suddenly break. The
first walk went smoothly. I had to change again for the second outfit.

"Oh, no," I whispered when the new model slipped a bit while walking. It didn't
look that bad, but of course, she felt miserable. At least she didn't fall!

When she went back, I walked towards her and held her hand. She looked at me with
confusion and regret. She was beating herself up with that mistake.

"Just do better for the finale. It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes like those,"
I consoled her and gave her a genuine smile.

"Vera, let's go," a staff member said.

I did another walk and finally, I changed to my final outfit for the finale. I was
glad no one made the same mistake for the final walk. I also got more comfortable
and managed to do a flying kiss at the camera before walking back.

The event was successful. I received a lot of flowers from different people after,
which flattered me. The models had to prepare for the celebration after the show so
we parted ways.
"Why are you here?" My brows furrowed when I saw a familiar man backstage.

Haze turned to me for a moment. He was in a conversation with a designer. "Oh, hey
there, gorgeous." The side of his lips rose up to form a teasing smile.

"This is definitely not your thing. How did you end up here?" I raised a brow. I
was holding the flowers and he glanced at them, still smiling.

He turned to the designer to excuse himself before walking towards me. "Well, I
got invited by a friend. Who am I to turn it down, right?"

"I didn't expect to see you here. Why are you backstage? Why are you allowed here?"
I raised a brow. My eyes widened when I saw a flash of a camera from the backstage
photographer. "Excuse me! Hey!" I tried to catch his attention but he already
walked away.

"You really have cameras around you, huh?" He arched a brow, licking his lower lip.
"In just one day, I suddenly became a 'mysterious non-showbiz boyfriend'." He
laughed a bit.

"Ahuh? You like that?" I gave him a sweet smile and playfully fixed the collar of
his polo. He looked down on me and smirked. "Asshole." I rolled my eyes.
"I don't like it but I don't hate it either. I just don't care." He was still
smiling. He stepped forward and gave me the bouquet of roses he was holding
earlier. "You did well back there."

"Thank you." I accepted the flowers. It had my name on it so he really bought it

for me, huh. "You even bought me flowers. What a nice gesture. It makes me wonder
if you're already falling for me."

He stared at me for a moment before chuckling like I said something funny. It was
obviously a joke so I wasn't expecting him to take it seriously.

He stepped closer to me and playfully put some strands of my hair behind my ear.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't fall for people who are busy falling for
someone else," he whispered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

31 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"You were gorgeous, Vera. I can't deny that."

Haze attended the celebration after the event. Apparently, he was friends with the
owner of the brand and also with some designers. I knew he had connections since he
was a businessman. Mas malawak pa ata ang circle niya kaysa kay Hiro.
"I kind of messed up my walk a bit," I told Haze before sipping on my vodka. The
girls were already dancing while I was here, stuck with this man. Well, it was also
entertaining to have a conversation with Haze. He had a sense of humor and he was a
smooth-talker.

"I didn't even notice." He shrugged and took a shot of tequila. He was wearing a
suit earlier but he already removed the coat and loosened the necktie, leaving him
with a white dress shirt and gray slacks. "When are you going back to the
Philippines?"

"Tomorrow night," I told him just because he asked. I had to go back early because
of another schedule. This job was already killing me, huh. Okay lang dahil next
week, clear na ang schedule ko except for the gym days. Arah wanted to me to rest
because I overworked myself again last time.

"What a coincidence! Maybe we booked the same flight." The side of his lips rose up
but he hid it under the glass. He was obviously teasing me again to get a reaction.
He was just that kind of guy.

"Hi, do you want to have a drink?" An American model walked towards Haze and
offered him a glass.

He glanced at the lady and gave her a smile before getting the glass. "I prefer the
lady offering the drink," he said in a low tone.

The model blushed immediately and stared at him with so much hunger in her eyes.
Geez. Kanina pa nilalapitan ng mga model si Haze at kanina pa rin siya pumapatol sa
lahat. He was just that smooth, but he was extra flirty with this one. Maybe she
was his type. He even put his hands on her waist to pull her closer to him.

"Are you having fun?" The model asked, holding on to Haze's necktie.

"Why? Do you find the party boring? If so, would you like to spice it up a bit?"
Haze asked in a seductive tone, raising his brows.

Oh god. I covered my ears and just walked away so I wouldn't hear their
conversation anymore. I went to Monica and the other models so we could dance
together. Kanina pa natapos 'yung program so we were just having fun with alcohol.
I couldn't drink too much because I still had to wake up early to pack my things.
Baka sabihin rin ni Haze na palagi akong lasing tuwing nagkikita kami!

I had five more glasses before I decided to sit down. I already talked to so many
people, especially designers who admired me. Francine and Arah were both waiting
outside the venue, probably eating out. I sat on the chair and opened my Instagram
to take a picture of the view before adding it to my story.

I was tagged on so many posts and they were all related to the show. I didn't know
how but I just found myself checking Clyden's profile to see if he added something
to his story. It was fine for me to view them, right?

He added one and it was a photo of him with a patient. He was smiling and doing a
peace sign and the kid was hugging him on the neck. It looked so adorable. Duty pa
rin siguro siya hanggang ngayon.
I opened our messages and saw our old chats. I couldn't find myself reading them
again because I was cringing so hard. They were too sweet but reading them again
would just make me awkward or uncomfortable. A part of me kind of expected him to
send a congratulatory message so I was a bit disappointed when I found nothing.

"How hard is it to say 'You did good', huh?" I whispered to myself.

Why couldn't he send me a message? He can post a photo but he couldn't send those
three words? But then... Why would he even bother? Ex lang naman ako. Why would he
even pay attention to me? Hindi nga siguro niya pinanood, e.

"He was even so excited back then about my modeling," I continued whispering.

I looked at my phone again. I was about to exit Instagram when I suddenly saw him
typing something! My eyes widened and I immediately panicked. Hindi ko alam ang
gagawin ko! I was just staring at it for so long until the typing stopped and...
nothing came.

"What the hell," I whispered, turning my phone off. He just got my hopes up! What
was he typing?! Or did he just make a mistake? Hindi naman pala dapat para sa 'kin
'yon at napindot niya lang? Or maybe Ridge was teasing him again? Baka kinuha ang
phone niya.

I stood up, ready to ditch the party. I felt bad to leave without saying goodbye so
nagpaalam muna ako sa mga kakilala ko. I looked around to find Haze so I could say
goodbye to him, too. My brows furrowed when I saw him walking out of the men's
restroom, fixing his hair and his necktie. When he saw me looking at him, he smiled
and walked towards me.

"Why are you staring like I did a crime?" He asked, raising a brow.

"Seriously? Did you really 'spice it up' with Dana?" I referred to the model he was
talking to earlier.

"What?" He suddenly let out a laugh. "I don't do women inside the restroom. That's
against my rules." He held his chest and acted like he was offended by my words.

"Whatever you say. Anyway, I'm heading out now," I told him and walked away. I
thought I could finally leave peacefully but he even followed me out of the venue.
Good thing the exit was at the back so there were no photographers. "Why are you
following me?"

"I'm just making sure you can go home safely because I'm a gentleman," he said,
hanging his coat on his shoulder.

I already saw Francine and Arah waiting for me at the parking lot so I waved at
them. Both of them glanced at my direction but their eyes eventually went to the
man beside me and got stuck there. Haze followed me until we were already in front
of the two ladies.
"Hello. Haze Juarez," he introduced himself and offered a hand.

"Y-yes, we know. Arah!" Arah introduced herself too and shook Haze's hand. She was
trembling a bit like she saw a celebrity! Kapag nga mga artista kong kaibigan ang
nakikita niya, parang normal lang sa kaniya pero ito, hindi? Kinakabahan pa siya.

"You know?" Haze arched a brow, confused. "So I'm quite famous now, am I?" He held
his chin and looked up.

"Mysterious non-showbiz boyfriend. We know everything. I'm Francine," my assistant

introduced herself too. She was smiling like crazy! Both of them were treating Haze
like a Greek god or something. Well, he was attractive. I can't deny that.

"Right." Haze nodded before turning to me. "Guess I'll just see you around, baby."
He tapped my shoulder before walking back to the venue.

"Gosh, he's so dreamy!" Arah started thirsting over him. Haze just really had that
impact because he talked so smoothly. Of course, he was a businessman! Every word
would sound different coming from his mouth.

I finally got to rest when we got back to the hotel by taking a cab. I did my night
care routine before drifting off to sleep. Sa sobrang pagod ko, nakatulog ako
kaagad. Hindi ko na nga namalayan ang oras. Pagkagising ko, maliwanag na sa room.
I stood up and stretched before packing my things. I also called for room service
so I can have my breakfast. Arah and Francine were staying in the other room. They
just left me alone here because I had always wanted some privacy.

I checked my social media accounts and I saw a message from the new model. I opened
it and it said 'Sorry and thank you for last time'. It was enough to make my day! I
was so happy to reply 'No problem!'. I knew we would eventually come to good terms.

I did a last-minute shopping before we went to the airport. Noong nasa boarding
area na kami, napasapo ako sa noo ko dahil nakita ko na naman si Haze. He was
wearing a black turtleneck sweater tucked inside his grey slacks partnered with a
black trench coat. He was talking to someone over the phone.

We really booked the same flight, huh. Well, it made sense because my flight was in
Fly Asia and technically, sa kanila 'yung airline! I didn't want him to see me
because he would just tease me again but it was already too late.

"Wow, we see each other every day," he exaggerated after putting his phone down. He
was seated with his other leg lifted up to step on his black carry-on luggage. He
was wearing a pair of black leather boots.

"Don't talk to me," I told him while putting on my shades so other people wouldn't
recognize me.

"Come on. Take a seat. The flight will be delayed for a bit because my brother
overslept." He smirked and tapped the space beside him. I looked at Arah and
Francine but they were gone, probably buying food.
"Delayed?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. I didn't hear an announcement.

"I'm kidding. He's already there," he pointed at the plane seen through the glass
wall. Brother? What? Si Hiro ang piloto? Small world, huh. Kaya siguro ito ang
binook niyang flight.

I refused to sit beside him and just stood up while waiting for the announcement to
board. Pagkarating ni Arah and Francine, boarding na rin kami kaya naglakad na kami
papasok ng plane. Haze was in front of us. The flight attendants bowed down to him
and greeted him with so much respect. Kinuha pa nila ang bag na dala at hinatid
siya sa business class seat niya.

"Si Hiro?" He asked the flight attendant. I knew Yanna wouldn't be on this flight
because she was taking care of Avrielle.

I wanted to say hi to Hiro but I knew he was busy in the pit so I just went to my
seat. Of all the times I would pick to be in the business class, dito pa sa flight
na 'to, huh. I never knew my seat would be beside Haze's seat. Katabi ko si Arah sa
kabila at sa tabi naman ni Arah ay si Francine. Mabuti na lang at medyo magkakalayo
ang upuan for space.

Haze didn't sit down and went straight in front to go to the cockpit, probably
going to check on Hiro. I just remembered that he was a pilot, too. A captain.
Hindi na siya nagpapalipad ng eroplano ngayon? I guess mas nag focus na siya sa
business nila. Like what he said, Hiro 'replaced' him already.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Sally Ramos and I'm your chief flight attendant. On
behalf of Captain Akihiro Leonel Juarez, our first officer, Caleb Santos, and the
entire crew, welcome aboard."

Haze went back already and sat on his seat. He was even surprised to see me beside
him but he didn't bother talking. Pinagkaabalahan ko na lang 'yung freebies sa
plane like a blanket, toothbrush, pillow, and other stuff needed for the long
flight.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Welcome on board. This is Captain Juarez
speaking and I have some information about our flight..." I heard Hiro's voice.

I was just on my phone the whole time until they asked to turn the gadgets off to
prepare for take-off. Pagkaangat ng eroplano, natulog na 'ko kaagad. Nagigising
lang ako occassionally kapag magbibigay ng food.

The long flight was like a rest day for me. I just watched movies, ate, and slept
the whole flight. Pagka-land ng plane sa Philippines, gabi na ulit. I put on my
denim jacket and shades before walking out of the airport with Francine and Arah
behind me. Haze was in front of me unintentionally.

When I went outside the airport, I already expected the flashes of cameras. I
looked down so it wouldn't hurt my eyes as the security tried to keep them away
from me.

"Samantha Vera, how's the fashion show?"

"Samantha Vera, who's the mysterious man from the photos? Is he your boyfriend?"

"Samantha Vera, is he the father of your child?"

There were so many questions! Mabuti na lang at dumating na ang van. I was about to
go inside but someone from the media accidentally bumped against me, causing me to
lose balance. I thought I would fall down but someone held my arm to keep me
standing.

I looked at Haze and moved my arm away immediately. "Thanks," I told him before
going inside the van. He walked away right after that to pretend that we didn't
actually know each other. Why was he there anyway?

"Ano sa tingin mo? Gagawan ba nila ng issue 'yon?" Arah asked Francine about Haze
holding my arm earlier.

"Tumulong lang naman siya, unless may rumor na before na siya nga 'yung lalaki sa
photos. It's easy to deny this issue since hindi naman sila nagkaroon ng mahabang
conversation. He just helped her! I would do the same!" Francine said.

"You'll never know..." Arah massaged her head. "People are crazy."
I just closed my eyes until the van stopped in front of my unit. Nagpaalam na 'ko
kaagad kila Arah para makapagpahinga na 'ko sa kama ko. Finally, my bed. I had a
good time sleeping on my bed kaya 10 AM na 'ko nagising. I slept for almost 11
hours! So that was possible! I tried not to sleep on the plane for the last few
hours so my body would go back to normal. It worked.

Kumain muna ako ng breakfast bago pumunta sa gym para mag-workout. I had Clyden's
clothes with me already. Napa-laundry ko na siya kasama 'yung mga damit ko and I
was planning to give them back today.

To: Doctor Ramirez

When are you available to meet? I have your clothes.

I left my phone inside my bag to go back to my workout session. Tinignan ko na lang

ulit kung nag-reply na ba siya pagkatapos kong mag-shower, pero wala. Maybe he was
still busy. Nagpalit na lang ako ng damit at nag-suot ng simple blue shirt and a
pair of black Adidas pants. I didn't want to catch people's attention with my
clothes.

I went to the hospital after that, wearing a cap. Magsusuot pa sana ako ng shades
kaso baka mas lalo akong tignan ng mga tao. It was already lunchtime so I went to a
restaurant inside the hospital to eat. Pinili ko 'yung wala masyadong tao.

While I was trying to choose from the menu, I received a text from Clyden.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Now. Where are you?

I replied the name of the restaurant and brought out my mirror to see my face.
Kinabahan ako kaagad dahil anytime, nandito na siya. I didn't wear any makeup today
but I had to put some lip and cheek tint so I would look fresh after the workout.
Inayos ko ang buhok ko at cap bago tinago ulit ang salamin. I just waited for him
before ordering something.

I knew he was already there when I heard the bell from the restaurant's door and
noticed the ladies turning their heads in the other direction. Napatingin din tuloy
ako at tama nga ako. Clyden walked inside the restaurant with his coat on his arm.
He removed it before going here so he was left in his maroon dress shirt.

I thought he wouldn't see me but our eyes met immediately. Nagulat pa 'ko sa sudden
eye contact kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. Damn, I tried my best to avoid attention
today but his presence alone was making people look. Bahagya ko tuloy tinakpan ang
mukha ko at tumingin na lang sa labas.

From my peripheral vision, I saw him putting the white coat on the table before
sitting down in front of me. He pulled the chair closer and leaned his elbow on the
table, staring at me.

"Anong tinitignan mo?" Tanong niya sabay tingin din sa labas.

"Oh, it's nothing!" I turned to him immediately. "Uh, kumain ka na ba ng lunch? I

haven't ordered anything. Just tell me what you want."
"Hindi pa 'ko kumakain," sabi niya sabay kuha rin ng menu.

Actually, late na nga 'yung lunch time pero hindi pa rin siya kumakain. Well, it
was the same with me. I just ordered a salad and a fruit shake for my lunch. Clyden
looked pissed when I said that to the waiter, pero hindi na lang siya nagsalita. He
ordered a rice meal for him and a can of soda.

"Kakauwi mo lang?" He suddenly asked when the waiter left.

My lips parted out of shock when I realized what he was talking about. "How did you
know that I was in New York?"

"Are you seriously asking me that when you're always on the news?" He arched a
brow.

Well, I was kind of hoping that he saw my Instagram story. Articles pala ang nabasa
niya. Probably tungkol sa fashion show.

"Nakauwi na 'ko kagabi," I answered his question. "I came from the gym. Uhm... I
went to New York for a fashion show."
Samantha! Stop talking! Why would you tell him that?! He didn't even ask! But... I
wanted to open the topic to see if he knew. If he did, then may possibility na
napanood niya... Pero alam ko ring masyado siyang busy para manood pa noon.

"Yeah, I know." He leaned his chin against his palm while staring at me.

"R-really? Did you see it?" I sounded excited. Nakakahiya.

He didn't answer right away and just stared at me until the waiter interrupted to
serve our food. Tinuon ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa salad habang nagsasalin siya
ng coke sa baso. I couldn't look at him now because I could feel his intense stare.

"I did. Nice lingerie, by the way," he casually said, putting the can down on the
table.

I suddenly stopped eating. My face heated upon realizing what the fashion show was
all about. It was a lingerie brand. I was wearing lingerie and he saw it. I mean,
it wasn't a big deal pero kapag siya na ang nakanood, hindi ko alam kung bakit iba
ang nararamdaman ko.

"You did..." I repeated in a whisper. It wouldn't sink in! Ni-recall ko kaagad kung
ano ba ang sinuot ko roon. My mind suddenly became a mess. At least he complimented
my outfit, right?
"I did," he repeated too, more seriously this time.

Hindi na 'ko nagsalita pagkatapos noon at hindi na rin siya nagsalita dahil busy
kumain. As for me, well, I couldn't eat properly. Salad na nga lang ang kinakain
ko, mas nauna pa siyang natapos kumain kaysa sa 'kin.

"The fashion show's over. Why are you still on a diet?" He asked, sounding a little
mad.

I looked at him after putting a slice of potato inside my mouth. Kumunot ang noo
niya at kumuha ng tissue. My eyes widened when he leaned over and wiped my mouth
carefully. Then, he went back to his seat and folded the tissue, placing it on the
side.

I couldn't move! I couldn't even chew! Nanatili lang 'yung potato sa cheeks ko and
he was staring at me with his brows up.

"Mukha kang hamster," he suddenly said.

I was immediately offended! Binilisan ko tuloy ang nguya ko para malunok ko na.
Ubos na ang salad kaya 'yung fruit shake na lang 'yung sinunod ko. He was just
watching me so I felt awkward. Why was he looking at me like that? Like he still...
Ugh, nevermind. Don't get your hopes up, Samantha.
"I can't skip on my diet. My manager's pretty strict in keeping my body fit," I
answered his question earlier. "I don't always eat salad. I can eat other food,
too, okay? And there's a cheat day. Mabilis lang talaga akong mabusog."

"Inuubos mo naman palagi 'yung luto ko. Paanong mabilis kang mabusog?" Nagtatakang
tanong niya.

Oh my, why the hell was he bringing up the past? Inuubos ko 'yon dahil luto niya.
Kahit gaano ako kabusog, sinusubukan ko pa ring ubusin lahat ng pinapabaon niya sa
'kin. Memories suddenly flashed back inside my brain.

"My appetite is now smaller than before." Iyon na lang ang sinabi ko. "Uhm, did you
sleep?" I asked because his eyes looked tired.

"Hindi pa," he said. "Bukas pa 'ko matutulog."

He looked at the time, and then his phone. He was probably checking if someone was
calling him. Seriously, how long can he stay up? I was starting to worry about his
health.

"Isn't that affecting your health?" I asked so I wouldn't sound like I was prying
too much.
He shrugged. "Like I have a choice."

"You should rest more. Rest when you have the time," I advised. How ironic because
I just got sick from overworking myself last time.

"Why? Are you worried about me?" He raised a brow and tilted his head a bit to the
side.

I panicked and put my hands in front of me to make denying gestures. "A-ah, well!
It's not... It's not like that! I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. I'm also worried about you. I think of you a lot," he cut me off.

I think my heart just went out of my ribcage. I held my chest, hoping that my heart
would stop beating so fast. I wanted to talk but no words came out of my mouth.
What did he just say? Did he really mean that? He was giving me false hopes again!

"Samantha Vera?! Omg, ikaw po ba 'yan?!"

Oh, shoot. I looked at the girl who was probably still in college. She went to me
excitedly while holding her phone. She was fangirling together with her friend.
Dalawa sila. Because she said my name, some of the customers also looked at our
table.

"P-pwede po bang magpa-picture?" Her friend asked.

"Yeah, sure!" I still smiled at them kahit kinakabahan ako dahil baka makarating
ulit sa media. Both of them wanted to be in the photo so the girl nervously
approached Clyden who was texting on the table.

"H-hello po, Kuya, pwede pong magpa-picture?" The girl asked.

"Kuya," I whispered, laughing a little.

"Ah, sige." Clyden hid his phone and stood up to take a picture.

Pumwesto 'yung dalawa sa magkabilang gilid ko at ngumiti ako sa camera. He took one
photo but the girl asked for another one. Clyden silently obliged and after that,
umalis na 'yung dalawang babae. I didn't take a seat and just remained standing
because I knew I had to leave already. People started recognizing me.

Clyden got the hint so kinuha na niya ang coat niya at humarap sa 'kin. He suddenly
lowered my cap down and gave my head a pat before walking away.
I blinked twice, a bit shocked about what he did, but it wasn't the time to
treasure that moment since I really needed to leave... But.. The bill! Lumingon
kaagad ako sa waiter para sumenyas ng bill.

"Ah, bayad na po, Ma'am. Kakabayad lang," the waiter said, holding the black tray
with money.

What? Clyden paid for it before we left? I didn't even notice! Napatakbo tuloy ako
palabas ng restaurant. Akala ko nakalayo na siya pero nasa tabi lang siya ng pinto,
naghihintay. I handed him the paper bag with his clothes on it. Ito nga pala ang
pinunta ko rito.

"You can keep it," he said while putting on his white coat.

"What? Then why did you even agree to meet?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tinaasan niya 'ko ng kilay. "I wanted to see you."

Napaawang ang labi ko. Muntik ko nang mabitawan 'yung paper bag dahil sa panghihina
ng kamay ko. He fixed his white coat and wore his specs before looking at me again.
"I have time tomorrow. Do you want to meet again?" He asked.

Hindi ako nakasagot kaagad! I just gave him a nod, which made him chuckle before
walking away. I was left there standing for a few more minutes before I finally
decided to leave. What the hell was that?! That was so sudden!

I had no schedule that day so I just went straight home. Binuksan ko ang paper bag
at kinuha ang sweater niya. It was large for me but it looked comfortable so sinuot
ko 'yon bago humiga sa kama. I scrolled through my social media and I saw the photo
earlier.

'I saw Ate Sam! Omg! Anw, thank you sa Kuyang pogi na nanguha ng pic. Sana makita
kita ulit. Mahal na ata kita char!' That was the caption.

There was also a stolen picture from another table! Likod lang ni Clyden ang kita
at ako na nakayuko. Natatakpan ng cap ang mukha ko but the caption had my name on
it! 'I saw Samantha Vera at the hospital!'. I didn't know what to feel. I was just
glad Clyden's face wasn't on it. I didn't want the media to bother him too.

I looked at the replies.

'Sino 'yung guy?'

'I don't know pero ang gwapo! Bahagya ko lang nakita, e!'

'Boyfriend niya kaya?'

'Doctor ata? May coat sa table, oh.'

'Baka naman kaibigan lang. Marami naman siyang kaibigan.'

Everyone was making their own conclusions! Well, for me, it wasn't a big deal, pero
nag-aalala lang ako kay Clyden dahil baka magulo rin ang buhay niya kapag nalamang
siya 'yon. He was the person who always had a low profile. He was so private.
Nakilala lang siya ng mga tao noong nag-top siya sa boards.

I was scrolling when I received a message from Ridgen on Instagram. In-open ko

kaagad dahil nakita kong photo 'yon.

It was a picture of Clyden sleeping on the desk while still holding his phone. When
I looked at the screen, I noticed what it was... The show. He was watching it! But
he fell asleep!

'Naka-logtu si Doc! Huwag mo sabihing sinend ko 'to, ah! Hahaha! #eluh'

I laughed and zoomed it on Clyden's face. Hindi masyadong kita dahil natatakpan ng
braso niya 'yung half ng face niya but he still looked cute. Poor him. He looked
tired.

I bit my lower lip and hugged my pillow tightly. I missed him. I missed him. I
wanted to be in his warm arms again, but I was thinking that it wasn't the best
time. He was still too busy. Wala pa rin siyang oras. Can we still work it out?
But... I was planning to move to New York.

Nevermind. I shouldn't get ahead of myself. Wala namang sinabi si Clyden na gusto
niyang makipagbalikan sa 'kin. Neither of us gave hints about having a relationship
again. It was always just a casual thing.

But what if he wanted me back? What would I do then?

I just decided not to think about it. Iisipin ko na lang kapag nangyari na. Sayang
lang ang pago-overthink ko kung wala naman palang ganoong mangyayari. I was just
keeping my hopes up. I didn't want to get disappointed again.

I opened our Instagram inbox and thought of something to type. I wondered what was
the message that he was about to send last time... Or was that an accident? I
started typing too.

'Sigh. I miss y...'

I wasn't planning to send it. I was about to erase it again but he suddenly sent a
message and I panicked so I accidentally clicked send too!
"Oh my god," I whispered, holding my head.

c.jaile: What are you typing?

itsamantha: Sigh. I miss y

"Oh my," I whispered again after reading my message. It was cut off! Good thing it
was! I typed again just to try saving my face. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko!

itsamantha: yoga

c.jaile: Hahahaha

Oh shit. He laughed at it! He just laughed at it! I just made it worse, didn't I?
Napasabunot ako sa buhok ko at sumigaw sa unan bago ako nag-type ulit.

itsamantha: I miss yoga. Sorry. I was about to send that to a friend.

 c.jaile: We're not friends.

itsamantha: Right. I said I'm sorry. Don't mind that.

I was panicking! My hands were trembling but I was trying to play it cool. He
didn't notice, right? Did it sound convincing? My heart started beating even faster
when he messaged me again.

c.jaile: Yeah, don't worry. I miss yoga too.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

32 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

[Samantha, who were you with? I saw the photos of you in the hospital!]

Wow, would I wake up every morning to hear Arah talking about another issue? I
sipped on my tea before placing my iPad on the breakfast table so I could sit down
first. She was facetiming me so early in the morning. I wanted to have some sleep
pa naman since rest day ko today. Wala akong workout session.

"I was with a... friend." I didn't know what to say. For sure, she was referring to
the photos I saw yesterday on Twitter.
[Really? Your friend's wiping your mouth and patting your head? You're that close
to your friends, huh?]

I almost choked on my tea! "What?!" Gulat na tanong ko. "How did you know?!"

Kinuha ko kaagad ang iPad at nag-search ng articles about me. My eyes widened when
I saw photos of me and Clyden, pero likod lang ang kita sa kaniya. The camera was
more focused on my face, of course. It was the time when he wiped my mouth, and
also noong binaba niya 'yung cap ko. I didn't see these yesterday!

Oh my! I scrolled on Twitter again and saw people tweeting about how they witnessed
what happened in the restaurant.

'Nasa Ramirez Med si Samantha Vera, may kasama siyang poging guy. Noong una, akala
ko doctor niya lang pero mukhang may something sa kanila, eh?'

'True ba? May boyfriend na si Sam? Tapos doctor? Big time!'

'Hindi ko lang sure pero pinunasan pa ng guy 'yung lips niya tapos 'yung guy din
'yung nagbayad nakita ko!'

'Anong itsura? Gwapo?'

'Gwapo nga! Matangkad! Hindi ko gaanong nakita dahil nakayuko pero parang familiar
siya. Ewan ko! Feeling ko may boyfriend na talaga si Sam.'
Oh my gosh, they were talking about me. Napamasahe ako ng sentido ko habang
pinapakinggan ang sermon ni Arah. She gave up on asking me who it was when I told
her that he was just a friend and nothing more.

"Can't I meet with my friends? Geez," I complained. Today, Clyden and I will see
each other again. Hindi ko pa alam kung saan dahil hindi pa niya 'ko tinetext.

[Well, actually, the reason why I'm not going to deny this one is to make people
even more confused and curious. The more they get curious, the more they will talk
about you. It's not like dating is a taboo. Maganda 'to for your publicity. Keep it
going but be careful! Kapag nakita nila ang face, baka madamay 'yung mga tao sa
paligid mo.]

"Yeah, okay. Thanks," I said before ending the call.

I had a quick breakfast before doing some simple exercises just to gain some energy
for today, and also to waste time while waiting for Clyden to text me. I assumed
that his duty will end at morning kaya hindi pa siya nagme-message. I can't believe
I was really waiting for it!

Nakita na kaya niya 'yung news? I should ask for his opinion about it later. I was
a little worried that he might be mad so I prepared myself for that too.

I took a cold shower and put on a robe while choosing an outfit. Hindi ko pa alam
kung saan kami pupunta kaya kinuha ko muna ang phone ko para tignan kung nag-text
na siya. My brows furrowed when I received a text from Arah again. She sent me a
link to a photo. When I checked it, it was a photo of me and Haze talking
backstage! He was smiling at me and I was holding flowers.
The headlines gave me a headache!

'Haze Limuel Juarez, C.E.O of Fly Asia Airlines, seen backstage with the model,
Samantha Vera.'

'Haze Limuel Juarez, the mysterious man behind the dating articles of Samantha
Vera'

'Samantha Vera, rumored dating businessman and pilot, Haze Limuel Juarez'

Napaupo ako sa couch at napaisip na baka mas okay na lang din na si Haze kaysa
guluhin ng media si Clyden kapag nalaman nila. They immediately forgot about my
photos with Clyden because everyone already assumed that I was dating Haze so
naniniwala silang friend ko si Clyden. Oh, how chaotic it was to be in this
industry.

To: Arah

Just let them think that.

I wanted to protect Clyden, too. After sending that message, I received two texts
from two different men.

From: Haze
And the cat's out of the bag...

From: Doctor Ramirez

I'm on my way to your condo.

Napatayo kaagad ako at nag-panic! I started cleaning my stuff while still wearing
my robe! Basa pa ang buhok ko. Malapit lang ang Ramirez Medical so he can knock
anytime! Oh, wait... Hindi niya pala alam ang unit ko. He also didn't ask so I
guess he was going to text me to pick him up at the lobby. But that will just make
things worse!

To: Doctor Ramirez

Just go straight up through the parking lot. I'll call the guard.

I texted him my floor and unit number after cleaning my stuff. Hindi naman gaanon
karumi pero dahil kakauwi ko lang sa New York, naka-kalat ang mga pinamili ko at
'yung mga gamit ko. Naka-maleta pa nga ang iba. However, my appearance was more
important so inuna ko munang mag-ayos ng sarili.

I changed my clothes into a pink oversized sweater and a pair of white sweatshorts.
I lowered the temperature of the AC para hindi siya mainitan pagkapasok niya. I
also blow-dried my hair while waiting dahil may kaunting oras pa naman. I just
estimated his time of arrival inside my head.
To: Haze

Don't talk about it. Avoid the media.

Nag-send na 'ko ng reply bago ko pa makalimutan. Kung hindi ko sasabihin 'yon,

pakiramdam ko gagawin ni Haze ang gusto niya. He would probably play around with
the media because that was his personality.

From: Haze

Are you using me as your cover-up?

My eyes widened after receiving that reply. He was too quick to catch on! He knew I
was using this issue so people won't dig on Clyden anymore. I felt guilty so I
didn't know how to reply. Should I admit it? Or not? Magagalit ba siya?

I was about to type a reply but he already sent another message.

From: Haze

Then I'll also use you ;)

What?! Use me for what?!

To: Haze

What do you need me for?

From: Haze

My desires.

Mas lalong nanlaki ang mata ko. My blood boiled! Ang bilis kong nag-type ng rant
message pero bago ko pa ma-send, nag-text na ulit siya. This guy, really!

From: Haze

I'm kidding. This issue can make my mom shut up about me getting married so let's
use each other wisely, Samantha Vera.

I rolled my eyes and placed the phone on the table, refusing to send another reply.
At least he was aware that I was using him as a cover-up. I wouldn't feel so guilty
anymore. I was just glad that Haze was a cool guy. He was always so casual like he
knew what he was doing. He never hesitated. His actions were all precise.

I brushed my hair and just let it down before spraying perfume in the unit so it
would smell better. Habang nag-iispray ako, bigla ko na lang narinig ang doorbell
kaya tumakbo ako pabalik sa kwarto para ilagay 'yung perfume. I waved my hands in
the air so the smell wouldn't be concentrated in one area only.
I heard the doorbell again so I walked towards the door and opened it for Clyden.
He was wearing a sky blue sweater with a white collared shirt underneath and a pair
of grey shorts. He was wearing his specs and he had a bag with him. I assumed that
he really came here straight from the hospital since he was carrying his white coat
on his arm.

"Can I go inside already?" He asked in a tired voice.

He smelled good like he just showered. I didn't want to embarrass myself so I

stopped smelling him and just took a step aside so he could go inside my unit. I
closed the door behind and watched him look around, making me conscious.

"Y-you can place your things there." I pointed at the coffee table on the sofa. He
took a seat, placing his bag on the floor and his coat on the table. I didn't know
we would be so awkward! Walang nagsasalita sa aming dalawa.

Samantha, say something! Anything! No, not anything! Don't embarrass yourself
again! Think of something to say!

"I didn't expect us to meet here... in my unit," I told him.

"I saw the news. I figured out that you would want to avoid meeting me in public so
I came here instead," he answered casually, removing his specs and putting it
inside the case.
"You saw the news?" My heart doubled in beat. "H-how much did you see?" Hindi ko
alam kung nakita na rin niya 'yung kay Haze. I prayed that he wouldn't.

He looked at me and raised a brow, reading my expression. The side of his lips rose
up when he saw me being nervous. Mas kinabahan lang ako dahil doon. His smirk
looked sarcastic.

"Everything," he clearly said, not taking his eyes off me.

Everything. Nakita niya rin
couldn't say it out loud so
about it! Kahit anong gawin
asking about it so I didn't
magpaliwanag?
'yung kay Haze. That was what he wanted to say but he
he made me think instead. Ugh! I should stop thinking
ko, makikita at makikita niya rin naman. He wasn't
know what to explain... Or kailangan ko pa bang

"Have you eaten breakfast? Do you want anything? Coffee?" I changed the topic. I
looked at the time and saw that it was still too early for lunch.

"Honestly, I want to sleep," he told me, massaging the bridge of his nose and
closing his eyes.

"Oh! You can sleep in the guest room!" I played with my hands and took a step to
the hallways before looking back again to see if he was following me. He picked his
bag up and walked behind me.
I opened the guest room that was actually meant for Yanna but since hindi na siya
pumupunta rito, empty na siya ulit. Or that was what I thought.

"Oh, sorry." I picked up the doll Avrielle left on the floor. Hindi ko pala 'to
nasama sa mga gamit niya. Clyden looked at it before placing his bag beside the bed
again, looking around.

"Avi's not here?" He asked upon seeing the doll.

"Oh, she's with her dad," I answered.

He turned to me and stared at my face for a moment with a serious expression before
looking away, taking a seat on the bed. Hindi na siya nagsalita pagkatapos noon
kaya hindi ko na rin alam ang sasabihin ko. Should I leave now and let him sleep?

"Feel at home!" I awkwardly said. "I'll go out now and... clean my unit again. Have
a good sleep."

He just gave me a nod so I turned the lights off before leaving the room. Pagkasara
ko ng pinto, nakahinga ako nang maluwag. So he came here to sleep? I mean, hindi
naman ako nagrereklamo. It was better for him to rest because he looked really
tired.
While he was sleeping, I started cleaning my unit again and then thought of cooking
for lunch. Magigising kaya siya ngayong lunch? Nevertheless, I cooked adobo for two
people. I also prepared a vegetable dish for me and cooked rice for him. I noticed
that he liked eating rice meals. I was avoiding rice because of my diet. I can
still eat them from time-to-time, though.

While waiting for the meal to get cooked, I got a call from Yanna. Sinagot ko
kaagad 'yon. "Hey, is there a problem?" Bungad ko.

[May flight kami ni Hiro mamaya! Na-assign lang ako bigla to fill up the position
kasi nagkasakit si Bri, so pwedeng diyan muna matulog si Avrielle? Nasa business
trip kasi 'yung Mommy ni Hiro.] Yanna was obviously panicking. It sounded like she
was getting her things and walking around the room.

"Yeah, sure. I don't have any schedule for this week," I told her.

[Thank you! Bawi ako! Hahatid na lang diyan si Avi mamaya!] She said before ending
the call.

Hindi ko alam kung kailan na ang 'mamaya' so I prepared myself for the sudden
appearance of Avrielle. Tumayo ako at hinain na 'yung pagkain pagkatapos magluto. I
knocked on the guest room before opening it to see if Clyden was already awake, but
I saw him sleeping peacefully, hugging a pillow. I didn't bother waking him up
anymore and just ate alone.
Tinabi ko na lang 'yung pagkain na niluto ko para sa kaniya at naghugas na ng
plato. After that, I got bored again so I watched a movie. Natapos ko na 'yung
movie, tulog pa rin si Clyden kaya pumunta ulit ako sa guest room. May liwanag na
nanggagaling sa may bintana kaya nakikita ko pa rin siya.

I sat on the side of the bed and stared at his sleeping face. It was unfair to be
this handsome even when sleeping. I moved my hand to fix his hair a bit but also
stopped myself midway. I sighed and was about to leave when he suddenly held on to
my wrist.

When I looked back, he was still closing his eyes. I assumed that he was still
sleeping so I sat on the bed again and placed my hand on his cheek. I missed him so
much that I wanted to cry but I was afraid that he would suddenly wake up and find
me crying.

"You should take care of yourself," I whispered, brushing my knuckles softly

against his cheek. "You're getting me worried."

My eyes widened when he held on my hand again and moved it away from his face. What
the heck! He was awake! He heard what I said!

"I could say the same to you," he said, opening his eyes to adjust his position on
the bed. Umupo siya at sinandal ang likod sa headboard.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to watch you sleep! I was just about to wake you up to
eat!" I lied again. Tapos na 'ko kumain!
"It's fine. I watched you sleep in the ward, too." Tinanggal niya ang kumot at
umalis na ng kama para maglakad palabas ng guest room.

He watched me sleep in the ward?! What?! Was he talking about last time? So he
really did wait for me to wake up to give me my card holder, huh? Napatayo kaagad
ako sa kama at hinabol siya palabas. He was walking around like he owned the unit!

"Here's your food." Hinain ko sa lamesa 'yung tinabi kong pagkain para sa kaniya,
pati 'yung rice. He sat down and stared at it before looking at me again. "I cooked
that but it's been so long since I last cooked so I don't know if it will taste
good for you."

"Did you eat without me?" He raised a brow.

"Oh, right! Sorry! I thought mamaya ka pa magigising!" I reasoned out. Hindi siya
nagsalita kaya tumalikod na lang ako para kuhanan siya ng tubig. What the hell,
anong ginagawa ko? I was starting to do things for him! I was serving him? Really?!
He can get his own water!

"I can get my own water," he said like he just read my mind!

How amazing. I placed the glass in front of him and he stood up to get water from
the fridge. Umupo na lang ulit ako sa tapat niya at tumingin sa paligid. I was
looking at every corner just to avoid his eyes. Ang dami ko nang napansin bigla sa
condo. Masisira na pala 'yung hold ng cabinet. May basag na pala sa countertop.
Kailangan ko na pala palitan 'yung rug.
"Ano na namang tinitignan mo?" He asked, sounding a bit pissed.

"Oh, I was just-" I suddenly stopped talking when he leaned and held on my chin,
forcing me to look at him. My lips parted as I stared at him with a surprised look.

"There. I'd prefer it if you would look at me instead." He said before letting me
go.

I swallowed hard while staring at him. I could feel my heart racing. Sa sobrang
tahimik, pakiramdam ko naririnig na niya 'yung tibok ng puso ko. I couldn't take my
eyes off him while he was eating and he didn't even feel awkward about it. He was
so confident, huh?

I thought he was going to kiss me for a second when he held my chin. I just
disappointed myself... Oh my! Samantha, anong iniisip mo?! Why was I starting to
have those thoughts?! Clyden was just in front of me! I felt guilty for thinking
about it!

"Why are you blushing?" He asked again.

I blinked twice and looked away. I was staring at him for too long and I didn't
even notice my face heating as I thought about kissing. I got lost for a moment.
Sam, get a grip!

"Nothing. It's just hot out here." Pinaypayan ko kunwari ang sarili ko gamit ang
kamay ko. He leaned his chin on his palm while looking at me so I felt conscious
again.

Sanay akong binibigyan ako ng atensyon ng mga tao. I was used to people staring at
me as I walked on the runway but Clyden's stare was just too much for me to handle.
He was too intimidating and I could never figure out what he was thinking. He was
unpredictable sometimes.

"Why do you feel hot?" He arched a brow while sipping on his water.

"I think the AC's broken." I looked at the air conditioner. I was well aware that
it was new and working well. I just didn't know what to say.

"Yeah? I think it's working just fine," he casually said.

"Really? Uh, I think I'm sick." I put my hand on my forehead, lying about my
temperature. He finished eating and placed the plates on the sink. "I can wash the
dishes!" Tumayo kaagad ako at naglakad papunta sa sink.

He rolled his sleeves up before facing me. "Really? That's too bad. You're sick,
right? Just take a seat."
He was enjoying it! What the heck! He was obviously just teasing me! Was I that bad
at lying? Alam niya kaagad kapag nagsisinungaling ako! Dahil alam niya, inaasar
niya 'ko ngayon at kahit hindi halata, napipikon pa rin ako.

Padabog akong umupo sa couch at nanood na lang ng TV habang naghuhugas siya. I

wasn't even watching the show. Masyado lang talagang tahimik at awkward kaya nagpe-
play na lang ako ng random shows. I would look at Clyden's direction from time to
time, admiring his looks while he was washing the dishes. He looked even more
mature now, and I guess taller... with broader shoulders and chest. He probably
worked on his body, too.

"Damn, what am I thinking?" I whispered to myself. Samantha Vera, how could you do
this to him? Stop thinking about his body. You're not this kind of person!

Okay, first of all, bakit narito ang ex ko sa condo ko? Second, why am I enjoying
it? Third, why is my heart beating so fast when he's not even doing anything! Those
were the thoughts running inside my head!

When I looked at his direction again, he was already gone! Tapos na siyang
maghugas! He probably went to the guest room again. Nagulat pa 'ko nang lumabas
siya galing sa hallway kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. He washed his face and probably
brushed his teeth after lunch.

"Uh, do you want to take a seat?" Umusog ako sa couch para mabigyan siya ng
malaking space.
He nodded and walked towards me, taking a seat beside me. I gave him a large space
but he still chose to sit just inches away from me! Our knees almost touched each
other! Napausog ako ulit at binigay sa kaniya ang remote.

"Do you want to watch something?" I asked just for the sake of striking a
conversation. I didn't want an awkward atmosphere again. I was trying hard not to
think about dirty things while he was in front of me.

"How do you date when you're a model?" He asked, facing me. He looked genuinely
curious about it.

"Well, my friends do it normally. There's nothing to be ashamed of when you're

dating. It's just hard to date non-showbiz guys since the media will start
bothering them, too. My friends date high-profile guys to avoid getting worried
about their partners," I answered. Usually, models would date other celebrities or
high-profile businessmen.

"I'm not asking about your friends. I'm asking about you. How do you date?" He
asked with a serious expression.

"Uh..." I didn't know how to answer that. Wala naman akong dine-date! I just
imagined how I would date if I were really dating someone! "Well, if I want to date
in public, I would go overseas to avoid cameras. Preferably, not in the U.S.A and
the Philippines. I also want to date normally. Go shopping, bring them to my shoots
and shows, go to cinemas, picnic dates. Anything normal."
"All of those require a lot of time," he whispered, shaking his head.

"Yes, my schedule doesn't permit it but maybe someday, when I retire from the
industry, I could do the things I want. I want to do business as a fall-back
career, you know? I'm not always going to be relevant so it's important to have
something outside modeling." I didn't notice that I was starting to tell him about
my plans.

"You can finally plan your future now." He gave me a small smile. "That's better."

"I want to have my own club since I'm good at drinking," I joked. I just thought
about it now and I wasn't even serious about it but he looked... thrilled.

"You should." He pursed his lips and nodded. "That would be great."

"You think so?" My brows furrowed. How could he say that? Hindi naman niya alam ang
magiging outcome.

He leaned on the sofa and put his hands behind his head. "Everything you do is
beautiful," he said while staring at the ceiling.

I could feel the heat on my face! I felt like passing out because my heart was
beating so fast. Clyden's words were too smooth! How could he say it so casually
like he knew he would get this kind of reaction from me?! Inaasar niya ba 'ko?
"How about you? What's your plan?" I asked again.

"Finish residency, take the exam, proceed to fellowship," he simply said. "I'm
thinking of Pediatric Cardiology. I'm not sure yet." He laughed a bit.

I thought he wanted to get married before fellowship but he didn't mention anything
about marriage. He was still probably looking for a girlfriend. The nearest
candidate would be Eva. Single naman ata sila pareho.

Hindi na 'ko nagsalita at nag-kunwari na lang na nanonood ng TV kahit wala naman

talaga akong maintindihan. When I looked at him, he already had his eyes closed.
Hindi ko alam kung natutulog siya o nag-iisip lang siya. He really looked tired.

"I can feel your stare," he suddenly said while his eyes were still closed.

"H-hey! Ang sabi mo kanina, mas gusto mong sa 'yo ako nakatingin, 'di ba?" I fired
back his own words to him.

"I only said I can feel your stare. Hindi ko sinabing ayaw ko," he whispered,
opening his eyes again.
Umayos siya ng upo at tumingin sa 'kin. Dahil nagulat ako sa biglang tingin niya,
napaiwas ako at kinuha ang phone ko. I pretended that I was texting or scrolling
through my social media just to avoid his gaze. I didn't know meeting him would be
this awkward! Well, nasa condo kami! Of course, it was awkward!

"Aren't we going to do yoga today?" He asked, making me stop scrolling on my phone.

"W-what?" Gulat akong napatingin sa kaniya. "What do you mean? Yoga?"

"Akala ko miss nating dalawa 'yung yoga?" He arched a brow. "I thought you're going
to ask me to do a yoga session with you today."

"Oh, haha!" I faked a laugh and stood up. That could be a nice save! I can save a
face by pretending that I meant it that way! "Of course! Yes! Let me get my mat!"

Did I just see him smirk or was I imagining things?

Napailing na lang ako at pumunta sa kwarto para kuhanin ang yoga mat ko. Good thing
I had two in different colors. Pagkabalik ko, I saw him removing his sweater,
leaving him in a collared shirt instead. I looked away and placed the mat on the
floor. I opened YouTube on the television to watch a guide that we could follow.
"I'll just change," I told him before going back to my room again.

I took off my oversized sweater and changed into a white sports bra. I also changed
into a pair of leggings and tied my hair before going back to the living room.
Clyden was already standing on the mat while looking at the video, tilting his head
a bit to the side. Ginagawa niya 'yon kapag nacu-curious siya about something. He
looked cute and innocent.

"Okay, so we're just going to follow the video," I told him. My mat was placed in
front of him, but not directly. Mas pushed to the left side 'yung akin at sa right
naman siya because wala nang space.

"Yeah, okay," he said. "This can help me relax, right?"

"I guess."

I saw him looking at my outfit before looking away. I played the video and we
followed it. We sat and did some breathing exercises first, and then stretching on
the neck. Hindi ko alam kung sinusunod niya dahil hindi ko naman nakikita. I was
too conscious to look at him.

Just... Just how the hell did we end up like this? Suddenly doing yoga?!
After that, I did a child's pose. I kneeled and made sure that my tummy would touch
my knees and then put my hands in front to stretch, and then I was in all-fours
again, then the child's pose. After that, I did a downward-facing dog pose, where
you put your hands and feet on the mat and bring your body up. Nakatuwad lang with
my hands on the mat. I suddenly felt awkward!

I stretched my knees while I was in that position. When I looked at Clyden, he was
just drinking water!

"Hey! You should do it, too!" Reklamo ko habang naka-pose pa rin.

"I am doing it! I just took a break," he defended himself.

"A break? Wala pa ngang 10 minutes! This is not even a workout," reklamo ko sa
kaniya ulit.

"You know, I can't take you seriously when you're talking in that position." His
gaze went down to my body before looking away and drinking water again.

I blinked twice as my face heated. Napaayos tuloy ako ng tayo at pinause 'yung
video para hintayin siyang matapos sa 'break' niya. I placed my hands on my waist
and glared at him.

"Ano?" Masungit na tanong niya sa 'kin.

"You wanted to do yoga so you should cooperate!" I crossed my arms over my chest.
He glanced at me for a moment before chuckling. "Why? Something's funny?"

"No, maybe you felt hot earlier because you're hot," he casually said, placing the
glass down on the coffee table.

Napakunot ang noo ko. "I'm what?"

"You look hot," he repeated, more serious this time.

Oh my gosh. Pakiramdam ko nanghina 'yung tuhod ko sa sinabi niya. Napaiwas kaagad

ako ng tingin para hindi niya makita ang mukha ko. I was blushing. I tried to stop
the dirty thoughts inside my mind but he wasn't really helping!

"L-let's continue with our yoga," I stuttered!

"Are you sure you still want to continue? You look like you're going to pass out."
He pointed at my face and bit his lower lip to stop a smile.
I had enough!

He took a step back in surprise when I suddenly walked towards him and only stopped
inches away from him. I pulled on his collar and stared at his amused eyes before
looking down on his lips. His face was so close to me, I could feel him breathing.

"You better stop," I whispered.

"Or what?" He arched a brow.

I yelped when he suddenly placed his hands around my waist and pulled me closer to
him until our bodies were already touching. "Anong gagawin mo?" He asked again.

"I will-" I suddenly stopped talking when I heard the doorbell!

He immediately let go of me and gestured for me to go open the door. I totally

forgot about Avrielle! Ihahatid nga pala siya ni Yanna! I looked at my outfit and
thought that my best friend would probably tease me so I asked Clyden to open the
door for me while I got changed.

"It's probably Yanna! My friend!" I yelled.

I put my sweater on and walked out of the room again. Clyden was already opening
the door. I suddenly stopped walking in the hallway when I realized that it wasn't
Yanna... Oh my god.

Haze was at the door, carrying Avrielle with him. Avi was hugging him on the neck
and probably sleeping. He also looked surprised and amused at the same time when he
saw Clyden in my unit.

Clyden, on the other hand, was just staring at him with no expression on his face.

"Am I in the right unit?" Haze playfully asked, looking at the door again.

"Lim," Clyden greeted him in an impolite tone. He didn't even look surprised to see
him.

I could sense the intensity of the atmosphere between them. Hindi ko alam na
magkakilala pala sila. Well, Clyden knew Kalix, too... And Haze had connections
everywhere. Ramirez Medical was also on the business side. But they didn't really
look close.

"Wow, you're the guy I've heard about." Haze held Avrielle tighter with a smirk
plastered on his face. "Long time no see, Cy."

_______________________________________________________________________________
:)

33 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Let me get Avrielle so I can take her to my room."

I went to Haze and carried Avrielle with me instead. The poor baby looked sleepy.
Nagising siya nang kaunti pero nang makita ako, sinandal niya ulit ang ulo niya sa
balikat ko. Clyden looked at us with a serious expression while Haze fixed the
towel on Avrielle's back.

I went inside my room and placed Avrielle on my bed, covering half of her body with
the blanket and putting pillows on both sides. When I went back to the living room,
Haze was already looking around my unit. Akala ko aalis na siya pero narito pa rin
siya. I didn't want to be rude so I asked him if he wanted anything.

"Do you want water? Coffee?" I asked, fixing the living room. Naroon pa 'yung yoga
mat ko at nakapause pa rin sa TV 'yung yoga video.

"What are you guys doing?" Haze looked like he wanted to laugh when he looked at
the television.

"Oh, we're... We're doing yoga." It sounded so awkward when I said it! Napakamot
ako sa ulo ko.
Clyden was standing beside the television with his arms crossed over his chest. He
surely wasn't pleased with Haze's presence in my unit but the latter was enjoying
it so much. He was smiling playfully while taking his coat off.

"Wow, I love yoga. Why don't you continue with me?" Haze was obviously trying to
tease the both of us!

He started loosening up his tie, taking it off his white dress shirt. He even
rolled the sleeves up to his elbow and opened two buttons so he would feel more
comfortable. Clyden looked at him before muttering something. Probably a curse.

"I'm sorry, but it's so weird to do yoga with both of you." I crossed my arms over
my chest and looked at them. These grown-ass men wanted to do yoga with me?
Something was wrong right there.

The fact that I even asked Clyden to do yoga was already awkward for me! I just
wanted to save a face because of the message I sent last time! Hindi ko naman
inexpect na ganito ang magiging outcome ng araw ko ngayon.

"Aren't you busy, Doctor?" Haze raised a brow and turned to Clyden. "If not, then
continue with your session. I really want to see Clyden doing some yoga poses
here."

"What now? Do you like me?" Clyden raised his brows. His facial expression looked
bored. He was probably sick and tired of Haze's little games.
"Bro..." Haze suddenly laughed, holding his stomach with one hand. Ang saya niya
tuwing nakikita niyang napipikon si Clyden. "You didn't change at all, Cy."

"How do you guys know each other?" Pinabalik-balik ko ang tingin ko sa kanila.

"We went to the same high school," Clyden answered, rolling his eyes a bit.
"Fucking asshole," he whispered but I completely heard it.

"Yeah, he was a year younger than me." Haze casually leaned his elbow on my
shoulders while looking at Clyden. "I think I made fun of him a lot because he was
a quiet kid."

"You were just fucking noisy," Clyden whispered again. Kahit anong bulong niya,
sigurado akong naririnig pa rin ni Haze dahil tahimik sa unit.

"Oh, Kalix went to the same high school but I already graduated when it happened.
You were his senior, right?" He asked Clyden again but Clyden didn't answer. "See?
What a quiet kid, right?" Haze turned to me, laughing.

"I'll get juice for the both of you." Inalis ko ang siko ni Haze sa balikat ko at
naglakad na papuntang kusina, leaving the both of them there.
I saw Clyden rolling the yoga mat and placing it on the side of the sofa while Haze
took a seat on the couch, leaning his elbow on the armrest while holding his head.
He was looking at the television before saying something to Clyden. Hindi ko
marinig ang pinag-uusapan nila but Clyden looked even more pissed.

Nagtimpla lang ako at bumalik na 'ko sa living room. Nilapag ko ang dalawang baso
and 'yung pitcher sa coffee table bago ako umupo sa couch. I sat beside Clyden
because he held my wrist and pulled me with him. Haze looked at his hold and
smirked before looking away.

"Since we're already here, why don't we have a drink instead? Do you have a beer?"
Haze asked again.

"God," Clyden whispered, massaging his head.

"What? You can't handle liquor?" Haze raised a brow, obviously provoking Clyden.

Clyden looked at his watch before checking his phone. "I'll just take a call." He
stood up and went to the kitchen so he can still see what was happening in the
living room.

I looked at Haze and furrowed my brows. "You're being playful again. Stop teasing
him. What are you, a kid?" Hininaan ko ang boses ko.
"You didn't tell me that you were referring to him last time," Haze whispered, too.
He looked betrayed for not knowing a secret.

"It's because you didn't ask and I thought you didn't know him so ano pang sense?
What a small world. Anyway, stop teasing him. He's really tired from his shift!" I
scolded him. Clyden was staring at us while talking to someone on the phone.

"You're being overprotective. He's an adult. I'm not even saying something
offensive." Haze sipped on his glass of orange juice, hiding an evil smirk. "I'm
actually helping you right here."

"He needs to go back to the hospital tomorrow so don't ask him to drink-"

"I can drink," Clyden cut me off.

Nagulat ako at napalingon sa kaniya. Hindi ko namalayan na umupo na pala ulit siya
sa tabi ko. I looked at Haze and gave him a glare before standing up to get some
bottles of liquor. I had some stored in the cabinet and cans of beer inside the
ref.

I placed a bottle of tequila on the table and 8 cans of beer in a bucket of ice.
Hindi masarap kapag hindi na malamig. I turned the yoga video off and just played a
chill playlist so the silence wouldn't be too awkward.
"I invited someone to join," Clyden said while opening a can of beer.

I asked who it was but he didn't answer. Instead, he looked at Haze who opened a
can for me. I didn't even ask him to! Clyden rolled his eyes and looked away,
sipping on his beer. Uminom saglit si Haze ng beer at nag-salin na kaagad ng
tequila shot sa tatlong baso.

"We're warming up here," I complained.

All of us sat on the floor instead with me on
of them in front of me. It was better because
Clyden was extra quiet today. Alam kong hindi
pa rin siya makapagreklamo. Haze was the only
feeling awkward.
the other side of the table and both
we could see each other fairly.
niya gusto ang nangyayari pero hindi
one casual about it! He wasn't even

"So what was he like in high school?" I asked Haze while pointing at Clyden with my
thumb. I asked him before about his college days but now that I heard it, I got
more curious during his high school days.

"Oh, him. Top of the class. He doesn't communicate with other people. I told you,
he was a quiet kid. He became an officer of mine in the student council as a batch
representative so we worked with each other." Haze shrugged.

"Your position is?" I asked.

"Oh, we're talking about positions now." The side of his lips rose up when he
glanced at me. "Position in?"

"President," Clyden answered me instead.

"You probably won only because of your good looks," I insulted... but Haze
obviously took it the wrong way.

"So you think I have good looks, huh?" Haze raised his brows, smiling.
"Flattering."

I panicked and looked at Clyden again to see his reaction but he was just looking
away, leaning his elbow on his knee while drinking beer. I suddenly felt bad that
he was quiet again so I tried so hard to involve him in the conversation but his
responses were all short like he didn't want to talk to us.

I quickly stood up when I heard the doorbell again. I thought it was a delivery but
when I opened the door, I saw Kalix in his working attire. It looked like he came
here straight from work. He was wearing a black button-down dress shirt tucked
inside his pair of grey slacks. May dala pa siyang black leather briefcase.

"Clyden invited you?" Gulat na tanong ko.

"Unfortunately." Kalix sighed heavily. He looked like he was just forced to come
here. I wondered what Clyden said to make this guy come to our little drinking
party. He wasn't the type to drink after a day of work.

"Come in. Take a seat." I closed the door behind us and pointed at the floor.

Kalix sat at the left side of the table, adjacent to Clyden. Siya ang mag-isa sa
side na 'yon ng table habang magkaharap kami nila Haze. He rolled his sleeves up
until his elbow and got himself a can of beer. How did we... end up drinking here?
I thought Clyden and I will spend some alone time together! May dumagdag pang isang
bisita!

"Can I read while drinking?" Kalix asked.

"Oh, come on. Loosen up, KJ." Haze gave him a shot glass, still smiling. He really
liked calling people with their nicknames, huh. "We're here to drink, not to
study."

"So much free time for a C.E.O," Kalix said, taking the shot glass.

"So have you found a girlfriend yet, Cy?" Haze suddenly opened up the topic then
glanced at me in a meaningful manner.
"I'm not trying to find one," maikling sagot ni Clyden at uminom ulit ng beer.
Pangalawang can niya na. I was worried for him since his alcohol tolerance was low.

"Sucks to be single, huh," Haze teased, smirking.

"Watch your words," Kalix said, shaking his head a bit.

"Oh, you're single, too?" Haze laughed again, teasing Kalix. "I thought you were
with Giselle."

"We're over." Kalix shrugged. "It wasn't anything serious for us."

"Getting together with your friend's exes. So it's a thing?" Haze curiously asked.
I glared at him so he could stop. It was because Giselle was Hiro's ex.

"Yeah, you should know," Kalix replied before glancing at me.

"W-what? Why?" I suddenly panicked when all of them looked at me!

Narinig ko ulit ang tawa ni Haze, wala man lang sinabi tungkol doon. Oh, right. I
told him not to say anything... But I was referring to the media! Hindi ko alam
kung nagbibiruan ba sila o totoong nagkakapikunan na. Ang sigurado ko lang, hindi
natutuwa si Clyden.

"What time are you going to leave?" Clyden suddenly asked Haze.

"Oh, me? I'm sleeping here with Avrielle," Haze joked but Clyden obviously took it
seriously!

"No, I'm sleeping here," mariing sabi ni Clyden.

"Geez, why the fuck am I here?" Kalix whispered, shaking his head a bit before
taking another shot. "Leave me out of your triangle."

Haze suddenly leaned over the table and gestured for me to lean too so he could
whisper something. Clyden was staring at us the whole time. "Did you hear that?
He's sleeping here."

"And so?" Bulong ko rin, nakakunot na ang noo.

"What? You can't even thank me? I told you I'd help you out." Umayos na ulit siya
ng upo at hinawakan ang dibdib, umaarteng nasaktan. He unbuttoned his dress shirt
again when he suddenly felt hot because of the alcohol, exposing his chest a bit.

"Can't you hide your damn hickey?" Kalix raised a brow.

"Stop being jealous." Haze gave him a playful smirk before looking at his chest
again. There was a faded hickey there. Mukhang pawala na.

Everything was in chaos! After finishing one bottle of tequila and a bucket of
beer, naglabas pa 'ko ng Johnnie Walker and Mule. They couldn't get enough. I can
feel that they were already getting a bit tipsy. Naiinitan na sila kahit binabaan
ko na ang temperature ng aircon.

"Are you sure you're still okay?" I asked when Clyden stood up and sat beside me
instead.

"It's hot," Clyden whispered back, opening the buttons of his dress shirt one by
one. Nanlaki ang mata ko at hinawakan ang kamay niya para pigilan siya. "What?"

"Aren't you driving?" Haze asked Kalix.

"No. I live in the same building," Kalix answered. "Your brother used to crash in
my unit with his friends and-" He suddenly stopped talking when he saw someone in
the hallway. "There's a kid..."

Avrielle was standing there, holding a toy on her hand. "Mommy?" Her eyes were
still a bit closed, adjusting to the light. She just woke up and was already
looking for Yanna.

"Baby!" Napatayo kaagad ako at lumapit sa kaniya para buhatin siya. "Let's go. You
need to eat na." I went straight to the kitchen and left the boys in the living
room. Clyden looked at me, and then at Avrielle, before looking away.

Avrielle sat down on the chair while I prepared her food for her. Nag-timpla na rin
ako ng gatas para sa kaniya. "Mommy's not here but she will come back, okay?" I
whispered while feeding her.

"Daddy?" She asked, still a little sleepy.

"Daddy's with Mommy," I told her.

After feeding her real food, I gave her a bottle of milk and doon na siya uminom.
She was staring at the guys in the living room, getting curious, but I couldn't let
her walk near them since may alcohol doon.

"You can go back. I'll take care of her and put her to sleep again." Haze suddenly
appeared in the kitchen.
"Oh, okay. Thank you." I kissed Avrielle's forehead.

Haze carried Avrielle with him while the kid was drinking milk through the bottle.
Avi leaned her cheek against her uncle's shoulder habang hinahaplos ni Haze ang
likod niya para makatulog ulit. Clyden was staring at them for a long time.

"Drink more," Kalix urged Clyden, pouring more liquor in his glass.

"You're getting me drunk," Clyden said but he still drank the liquor in one shot.
Ang dami noon kaya nagulat ako!

"I think that's enough." I tried to stop him but he shook his head. Binigay pa niya
ang baso kay Kalix para salinan ulit.

"It's never enough," he meaningfully said, glancing at me.

"It was never fucking enough," Kalix replied, sharing the same sentiment. Sabay
silang uminom at nilapag ang baso sa lamesa. I was starting to get worried for both
of them!
Si Haze, mukhang nag-volunteer lang kay Avi para tumakas sa inom, ah! That was a
nice strategy! Ako tuloy ang nakipag-sabayan sa dalawa. They wanted to get drunk so
bad! Kalix reminded me of Luna now. Pareho lang silang nagpapakalunod sa alak.

"I tried so hard. I worked my ass off, distracted myself, but I keep coming back to
the start," Kalix suddenly started talking. Hindi na 'ko makasunod sa usapan nilang
dalawa. Sila lang ang nagkakaintindihan.

"I'm doing the same." Clyden sighed and looked at me. "I always end up making a
fool of myself. Fuck."

"Is this how boys drink?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ba ang
pinag-uusapan. Hindi ako makasali.

After a few more shots, they started talking about more serious stuff like
academics, theories, news, and napunta na sa social justice. I was already getting
confused! How did we arrive at that topic? I didn't even notice the transition.

"The justice system is really fucked," Clyden said. "It's survival out here."

"It's so hard to work in this field. It's like asking the dirt to come in your
hands willingly. The future of people depends on you. It's the same with your job.
One mistake and the person is either dead or ruined," Kalix replied.
"What hurts me the most is when they can't do anything because they don't have
money. The rich are the only ones with choices, both in healthcare and the justice
system. I offered a lot of sponsorships to help, but it's really not enough."

"What are you guys talking about?" Haze already came back and sat on the other side
of the table. Nakatulog na siguro ulit si Avrielle o kaya pinapanood niya ng kid's
show sa kwarto.

"I think they're both drunk already," I told him. "Kalix has become... talkative.
It's a rare sight."

"Clyden too." Haze observed both of them before laughing.

Patuloy pa ring nag-uusap 'yung dalawa at hindi kami makasali sa usapan. I just
waited for Clyden to pass out. Sila na ang umubos ng Johnnie Walker at Mule na lang
ang ininom namin ni Haze.

"Bring out another bottle," Kalix told me.

"Wow, are you paying for it or what?" I laughed. His drunk state looked
interesting. He was treating me as a bartender or something!
"I think that's enough." Haze stopped both of them from drinking. "Party's over."

Haze stood up and helped Kalix up. Damn, he was wasted! What a rare sight! His
alcohol tolerance was high and to think that Clyden tried to keep up with him...
What a disaster. Muntik pa siyang matumba kaya inalalayan ulit ni Haze.

"Ah, these kids. Fuck." Haze massaged his head.

"Make sure to take him home safely. Here's his key." Inabot ko sa kaniya ang susi
ng condo ni Kalix na nahulog kanina kasabay ng car keys niya. "You're not drunk,
right? You can drive home."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll just take this kid to his unit and go straight home. You can
take care of that one?" He pointed at Clyden who was already leaning on the table.
Nakayuko na at nakadikit na lang ang noo sa lamesa.

"Yes." I put my hand on Clyden's back before waving at Haze and Kalix. I told him
Kalix's unit number just in case Kalix couldn't talk anymore. Naiwan na tuloy ako
kay Clyden. Hindi ko alam kung tulog siya or nag-iisip lang. "Hey, are you up?"

Nagulat ako nang bigla siyang umayos ng upo at sinandal ang likod sa sofa. We were
still seated on the floor. Namumula na ang pisngi niya at inaantok na ang mga mata.
Lasing na talaga siya.
"Sam," he suddenly called.

"Yes?" Lumapit ako para marinig ko siya nang maayos.

He looked at me for a moment before talking. "Tanga ba 'ko sa 'yo?"

My lips parted in shock. I wasn't expecting to hear that one. He looked... lonely
when he asked that like I just broke something in him. Hindi ko alam ang isasagot
ko dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinutukoy niya.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Hah..." He scoffed and looked away. Napahawak siya sa ulo niya, raising his knees
up and leaning his elbow against it. "You probably think I'm a fool, huh? Is it
fun? Are you having fun?"

"Hey, I don't understand." For some reason, I wanted to cry. I didn't like his tone
and the fact that he looked... broken. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, I am willing to accept everything that comes with you but I can't chase
you anymore. Everything is so complicated. No matter how hard I try to be enough
for you, I know that you would still prefer someone who can spend time with you..."
He looked down and wiped his tears with the back of his hand.
"Hey, it's not... It's not like that." My heart hurt from his words.

"It must be tiring. Maybe you broke up with me back then because you wanted someone
else that could give you time. I'm sorry for everything, Maureen. I became too busy
with my dream that I already forgot to do things for you, to celebrate your
achievements with you, to help you build your career. You were with me the whole
time but you probably didn't feel my presence."

"No, I needed to focus on myself and you needed to focus on your dream." I held
both of his hands and tried to catch his gaze. "We were both busy that time and I
understood-"

"You always did," he whispered, looking away again. "You... always did. You were
probably keeping all of it inside because you didn't want to trouble me. When
she... died... you didn't even reach out to me. You kept it inside. Why?"

"I thought you were on duty-"

"But I could drop everything to be with you that day!" He cut me off. He looked at
me with tears in his eyes. It hurt.

"And that's why I couldn't call you!" I started thinking about the past again. His
words opened up closed wounds inside me. My heart was breaking again. "But I
already told you! I understood! There's no need to blame it all on yourself!"
"The relationship felt one-sided, Sam!" He fired back. Napaawang ang labi ko at
hindi na nakapagsalita. "You were adjusting yourself for me but you just wouldn't
let me do the same to you. Palagi mong sinasabi na naiintindihan mo 'ko! Why can't
you just say what's really on your mind?!"

"Fine!" I yelled and stood up. "Fine..." Tears started streaming down my face. It
was hard for me again to breathe. "Fuck you! Fuck all of you! I felt so alone! I
felt so left out! I'm always there for people but I'm always alone when I'm at my
lowest! And yes! The truth is I also like pushing people away so I can't blame them
for not being there! So yes, I always understand! I understand because the blame is
on me!"

He pursed his lips and watched me cry in front of him. He still looked drunk but I
knew he still understood where I was coming from. I told him everything... The
things I was trying to keep inside me for years. I had grudges, too. I can't always
be nice.

"Ubos na ubos na 'ko..." I cried more, covering my face.

He stood up and gave me a warm embrace. Nakatakip pa rin ako sa mukha ko, refusing
to look at him out of embarrassment. I can't even remember the last time I cried
like this. I was doing just fine in controlling my emotions. He just wouldn't let
me!

"I'm sorry," he whispered, caressing my hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry
I had to let you go. I should have held onto you... I promised that I won't leave
you alone but I did you wrong."
"I helped everyone because I knew so well the feeling of being helpless." I sobbed,
trying to wipe the tears on my face. "And now, I feel so alone again."

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you time. I still can't. Not yet." He hugged me tighter,
kissing the top of my head.

"I don't know where this is going. Stop talking," I said.

He let me go and held on my wrists to move my hands away from my face. I looked at
him, basang basa ang mukha dahil sa luha. He gave me a small smile before using the
sleeves of his dress shirt to wipe on my tears.

"Do you feel a little better now?" He asked.

I did feel a little better, but I knew that there was still something deep inside
me that I couldn't say yet... The wound that I couldn't open. Not yet... And he
knew what it was so he already stopped provoking me. I wasn't ready to talk about
it yet. My family... My sister.

"I'm leaving," I told him after crying. "For New York."

He didn't even look surprised. He just continued wiping my face and moving hair
strands away from my eyes so it wouldn't block my view. Mukhang walang epekto sa
kaniya ang sinabi ko.

"It's fine," he whispered. "Let's enjoy the time while you're here."

"Aren't you going to stop me?" I asked again. I wasn't really hoping for him to
stop me. My decision was already final.

"How could I? You promised that you will finally live for yourself. You promised
that years ago but honestly, up until now, you were still living for other people."
He held my chin and forced me to look at him.

I knew he was right. I managed to become independent or to live without my parents

but I dedicated the past years taking care of Avrielle and Yanna. I was living for
them. My decisions were all based on what could be better for Avi. I wanted to
leave for New York because it was already tiring to go back and forth but I
couldn't because of those two.

This was the only time that I felt free... But Clyden came into the picture again.
I had a reason to stay again but he refused to let me stay.

"Do things for yourself this time. The only person you should be considerate of is
yourself." He held my cheeks in his palm. It was warm. His skin was warm.
I looked away from him when I felt butterflies in my stomach again. I started
cleaning the table, putting all the bottles and cans in the trash bag. May natira
pang Mule kaya ininom ko 'yung isang bote bago itapon. I felt warmer now, not
because I was crying a while ago but because of the liquor.

"But I really hope that you're happy," he suddenly said. Nabitawan ko tuloy ang
trash bag at napatingin sa kaniya. "Don't worry about me anymore. You can give him
a chance if that's what you want."

"What?" My brows furrowed. Sino ang tinutukoy niya? "I don't know what you're
talking about."

"Haze," he said clearly. "He likes you."

"Huh?" Tuluyan na 'kong napalingon sa kaniya. "No, he doesn't. He just likes

messing around with people."

He scoffed. "That's bullshit, Sam. He clearly likes you."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

34 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"There's more inside the fridge."

I placed two more cans of beer on the table when Clyden asked to drink more liquor,
quietly this time like he was thinking deeply about something. I already finished
cleaning the table so I left them there to take a shower. I checked Avrielle and
saw her sleeping while holding a tablet. Nakatulugan na pala niya 'yung panonood.

I kissed her forehead before leaving the lamp on. I was now wearing a pair of
shorts and an oversized shirt. I was about to go out of the room when Clyden
suddenly appeared at the door. Napaatras ako at naglakad siya papasok sa loob,
taking a seat on the bed while staring at Avrielle. He looked even drunker now.

"You know, I thought she was yours." He laughed a bit. "When I first saw you with
her... And because her name was similar to the name you wanted for your future
daughter."

"What?" Nanlaki ang mata ko sa gulat. Hindi ko alam na ganoon pala ang iniisip
niya! For someone who was born intelligent, he sure believed in rumors a lot. "How
could you say that? She's already five! We were still together when she was born."

"I thought you cheated behind my back." He scoffed, touching Avrielle's cheek. "I
was so confused because she looked like Haze a bit... but her surname's Fernandez.
I thought to myself that it didn't make any sense at all so I set the idea aside."

"Oh, damn," I whispered, realizing the issue here. "Fernandez is my best friend's
surname, Yanna. The father of the child is Hiro, Haze's brother. I didn't know you
were doubting me. I'm sorry for only explaining this now. You didn't ask either."
"Because I was scared that it might be true." He looked at the ceiling and sighed,
placing his hands on his sides to support his weight. "I was watching you with her
for a long time, and then Haze came into the picture. I thought that you would make
a great family... He has time for you and you won't worry about anything else.
Actually, I felt jealous. I wanted to spend time with you too."

"So that's why you're staring a lot?" We were whispering so we won't wake up the
kid. "But you're still getting the wrong idea here. Haze doesn't like me and not
because you're telling me to give him a chance, I suddenly will. I can make my own
decisions. I only act on what I want."

"What do you want, then?" He looked at me.

I looked at Avrielle and opened the door so we can leave the room. If we were
talking about this, I didn't want to disturb the innocent sleeping child. Clyden
stood up and went out of the room with me before going back to the living room to
drink another can of beer. Nakakaamaze na hindi pa siya nagpapass out, knowing that
his alcohol tolerance was low.

"That's mine." Kinuha ko ang beer sa kaniya at ininuman 'yon. We were seated at the
floor again, just in front of the coffee table. Nakatingin lang kaming dalawa sa
malayo habang nag-iisip. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iniisip niya pero tahimik lang
siya. "Can you still go to the hospital tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I have to go back. I just asked someone to cover me for a few hours," he
said, still looking away. "Don't you like him?" He changed the topic again. That
was still bothering him, huh.
"We're just friends," I told him. "Sure, we tease each other a lot. Haze has
something in him that makes me comfortable. I'm not like this with other people and
you know that, but we're really just good friends. That man has been going around
with other women too."

"Gustong gusto kita ipagdamot," he whispered, looking down on the floor.

"Then please do so. I don't want to feel like you're giving me away." I felt a bit
hurt when he told me to give Haze a chance and not worry about him anymore. It was
like he was giving me up. I didn't want that at all.

"I'm not giving you away. You were never mine in the first place." He sighed
heavily, holding his head. "You are yours. The decision is still on you."

"And my decision is not to let you give up. Cy, when will you ever fight for me?"
My heart was hurting. I sounded so desperate.

He scoffed and looked away. He was trying to stop his tears from falling again.
"Did you even fight for us, Sam?"

I pursed my lips, not saying anything. Alam ko na simula pa lang, ako 'yung nang-
iwan sa kaniya. He tried to fight for it. He tried to stop me from leaving back
then but I was so determined to do so that he already gave up. We ended in good
terms but during the relationship, it felt too good... too smooth, like it wasn't
normal anymore.
Wala kaming reklamo o malalang away habang nasa relasyon dahil siya, masyado siyang
busy para sabihin ang nararamdaman niya and I was also too considerate to the point
that I was already keeping it all inside me. We didn't even have the chance to talk
about it.

"Ni minsan ba, nagawa mong magalit sa 'kin?" He asked again, leaning his elbow on
his knee.

I tried to recall the times I felt mad at him. Real anger and not just simple
annoyance. I couldn't recall anything. Minsan, nagseselos ako pero kinikimkim ko
lang din naman lahat. For the whole relationship, I was the most considerate with
him and his dream. I didn't want to bother him because I thought being mad at him
was a selfish thing to do so.

"No," I answered. "You had a lot on your plate, but you hurt me a lot. Despite
that, I still couldn't bring myself to hate you or be mad at you even when I felt
like you were slowly slipping away from me. Even when you didn't sound interested
in my achievements anymore, even when you wouldn't sleep beside me anymore, even
when you ignored my messages a lot of times because you were busy, even if you
weren't there when I was at my lowest. I understood everything."

"Pero 'yun na nga ang problema, Sam. You always understand. You can't say what's
really on your mind. If you keep on thinking about other people, everything will
pile up inside and it's like a flame that will burn you slowly. This has always
been your problem. You can't say the things inside your mind."

"How is it wrong to not bother other people with my own problems?" I asked because
I really didn't get it. "The only person to blame is me. It's not like I'm blaming
and hurting other people when I'm like this-"

"You're hurting me," he cut me off. His eyes looked so lonely when he looked at me.
"Because I felt useless. I was your fiancé but you couldn't even lean on me."

"You had a lot on your plate-"

"And you're always on top of it, Maureen!" He raised his voice, getting a little
mad now.

I pursed my lips and looked away. I couldn't say anything anymore. He looked like
he was really hurt. Was it that bad? Tinatago ko na nga lahat para hindi siya
masaktan, pero pati ba naman 'yon nakakasakit pa rin sa kaniya? What should I do
then?

"I will open up to you..." I placed the can of beer on the table before leaning
against the couch. I was staring nowhere while gathering my thoughts. "I'm so
lonely. For the past years, I have been living in the dark. You know what? Until
now, I'm still so mad at my parents." I inhaled a large amount of breath to stop
the tears from falling.

I wasn't ready to open up that wound yet, but maybe scratching the top a bit won't
hurt. I will try to slowly open it until the surface gets healed.
"And I miss Naomi so much," my voice broke. Tears started falling with the mention
of her name and I had to cover my face so he won't see.

"I know," he whispered, not moving.

"Sometimes, during shoots, I would randomly imagine her around. I'm so mad because
she didn't deserve all of it. I don't even know if my parents apologized to her. I
couldn't even go to the mansion because that was where she... she passed away." I
cried more. "And knowing that I could have done better..."

"She doesn't want you to think like that." He held my hand and brushed his thumb
slowly on me to calm me down. "You've done enough for her and I know that. I saw
everything."

"I don't know what to do..." I sobbed. "I'm still mad. I've never felt this mad
about something. I am mad at my parents, the people she spent time with, and the
media. But look at me. I ended up working in the same industry that destroyed her."

"She will support you no matter what," he told me again. "There's no need to feel
guilty for chasing your dream. She even helped you achieve that so don't let it go
to waste because of guilt."

"You're right..." I wiped the tears on my face. "You're right but it's not easy...
I just wish I could lean on someone, I could hold onto someone, so I could feel
secured. Maybe it will make me feel that I can get through everything."
"You can hold onto me." He tightened his hold on my hand. "Kahit bitawan mo ulit
ako sa dulo. Kumapit ka lang sa 'kin ngayon, wala na 'kong pakialam sa mangyayari."

I moved closer and leaned my head on his shoulder. We just stayed like that for a
long time without talking. His warmth was transferred to me and I immediately felt
comforted. I felt... home.

"You can do what you want with me," he suddenly whispered. "And I won't complain."

"That's a selfless thing to do." I looked up to him for a minute, nakasandal pa rin
ang ulo sa balikat niya.

He swallowed hard and looked back at me. "You should know, right?"

I let out a small laugh before moving closer to him again. He let go of my hand and
just wrapped his arms around my shoulder instead. Sinandal ko ulit ang ulo ko sa
balikat niya habang tinatapik niya ang balikat ko. I wasn't crying anymore. I felt
refreshed.

"Spend your next free day with me," I told him. "I want to see the dogs."
"Sure," he said, pulling me closer to him. "They miss their mom too."

He smelled like liquor. Nagtataka tuloy ako kung bakit ang ayos niya pa ring
kausap. Ganito ba siya malasing? Wala talagang kakaiba sa kaniya? He was still
composed. I drank the remaining beer but when I looked at him again, he wasn't
moving anymore. I looked closer and saw him... sleeping.

"Wow, he passed out." I massaged my head and stood up. Nakatulog na talaga siya
habang nakaupo. "Hey, wake up." I kicked his leg softly.

Oh my gosh! Tulog na talaga siya! Lumuhod ako at sinubukang ilagay ang braso niya
sa balikat ko para itayo siya but I ended up falling on the floor. Ang bigat niya!
Napakamot ako sa ulo ko at sinubukan ulit siyang gisingin. Kinuha ko na rin ako ng
moisturizing mist and sprayed it on his face but he didn't even budge.

"Why do you have to pass out here?!" Reklamo ko. "We were talking just fine!"

I gave up! I couldn't even carry him and put him on the couch so I just went to the
guest room to get a pillow and a blanket before going back to the living room,
placing the pillow below his head. Kinumutan ko siya habang nakahiga siya sa sahig
ng living room. Poor him. His back will hurt tomorrow.

I giggled and did my night care routine, ready to sleep, but I still went back to
him and sat beside him, holding a cotton pad and cleanser. I started cleaning his
face just so he wouldn't wake up tomorrow with little dirt on his face. Ang kinis
pa naman niya.
"Lagi kang puyat pero ang kinis mo. What's your secret?" I was like talking to a
corpse.

I fixed his hair before going back to my room. Humiga na 'ko sa tabi ni Avrielle at
natulog. Parang kakapikit ko lang, nagising na ulit ako dahil sa doorbell! I looked
at the time. 6 AM pa lang! Because of the sound, nagising din si Avrielle. She
looked around, still half-asleep, magulo pa ang buhok.

"Mommy?" She looked for Yanna again after waking up. She was that attached to her.

I was forced to stand up and go to the door. I jumped in surprise when I saw Clyden
still sleeping on the floor! I felt bad and was about to wake him up but the
doorbell rang again. Inis kong binuksan 'yon, inaantok pa.

"What now-"

"Bakit ang tagal mong sagutin? Nagtatago ka siguro ng lalaki rito!" I was surprised
to see Yanna in front of me, still in her uniform. Kaka-land lang siguro niya. She
went inside my unit but suddenly stopped when she saw a man on the floor. "Pucha,
ano 'yan?! May patay!" She pointed at him, getting scared.

"Stupid, he's not dead! He's just sleeping! Ah, my head hurts." I held my head
because of a hangover.
"Mommy?" Avrielle was in the hallway again, holding a toy. She still looked so
sleepy.

"Baby!" Yanna already forgot about Clyden and carried her daughter, kissing her on
the cheek. "We're going home. Daddy's waiting in the parking."

"Daddy," Avrielle whispered, hugging Yanna on the neck so she could sleep again.
Her cheek squished against Yanna's shoulder as she slept.

Inabot ko ang bag ni Avrielle sa kaniya pati 'yung laruan. Yanna looked at Clyden
again and walked towards him to get a closer look. She tilted his head a bit to the
side while admiring his looks. I completely saw through her!

"Ang gwapo, ah," she told me, smirking.

"Hiro's waiting," I reminded her, smiling back.

"Madaling madali mapaalis ako? May gagawin? Huwag mong sabihing gumawa ka ng
milagro habang narito ang anak ko, ha!" She glared at me. "Malanding 'to!"
"We didn't even kiss or anything!" I defended myself.

"Uy, tunog disappointed. Na-dismaya ka, mars?" She teased more. "Ang bagal mo
naman. Galingan mo kasi."

"I'm not as seductive as you, Yanna." I rolled my eyes.

Everything was so easy for her because she was sexy and irresistible! No wonder why
Hiro couldn't get enough of her. Yanna would pass as a cover for adult magazines.

"Diligan mo, oh... Basain mo pa ako..." She sang before leaving my unit. Sinara ko
kaagad ang pinto para hindi na marinig ang kasunod na lyrics.

I looked at Clyden and woke him up because he needed to go back to the hospital.
Tinapik-tapik ko ang pisngi niya hanggang sa mapakunot ang noo niya at dumilat. He
looked around, looking so confused.

"Ah..." Napahawak siya sa likod niya pagkaupo. He stretched his neck too. I
suddenly felt bad for letting him sleep on the floor. "Ang sakit ng likod ko, ah."

"I'm so sorry. You suddenly passed out here and you're too heavy so I couldn't
carry you," I explained.
He reached for his phone and his eyes widened when he saw the time. Dali-dali
siyang napatakbo sa guest room para kuhanin ang mga gamit niya. He was really in a
panic. Kinuha niya rin ang specs niya sa coffee table pagkatapos niya maghilamos sa
C.R.

"Uh, coffee." I gave him a bottle of cold coffee before he left.

Kinuha niya 'yon sa kamay ko at sinuot ang bag niya. "Sorry, male-late na 'ko.
Shit." He couldn't even say goodbye properly. He just ran out of my unit and left.
Nakita ko pang napahawak siya sa likod niya sa sobrang sakit.

I laughed at how epic his reaction was. He would probably just shower there.
Nakakaawa naman siya at mukhang masakit pa ulo niya dahil sa alak. I hoped for him
to get through the day. As for me, I just spent my time cleaning the condo and
cooking breakfast for myself. I had to go to the gym after so I showered after
washing the dishes.

"Oh." I picked up the necklace on the floor. My eyes widened when I saw the ring
attached to it. Napatingin tuloy ako sa drawer ko para i-check kung akin 'yon but I
had mine there... It was Clyden's.

He still had it with him and dala niya so suot niya? Hindi ko napansin 'yon. I
wasn't really paying attention. I didn't text him just to see if he will look for
it. Kung hindi niya mapansin, malalaman kong hindi importante sa kaniya. It was a
petty thing to do but I just wanted to see his reaction.
I went to the gym and did some workout. After that, I showered and changed into
casual clothes. I just wore a dark green bralette with a white jacket and a pair of
high-waisted ripped jeans. I left my gym clothes inside the car when I went to the
mall to have lunch.

"Hello? Are you available today? Let's plan for Yanna's bachelorette party!" I
called someone while walking inside the mall with my shades on.

[Bachelorette? Totoo ba?] Luna asked on the other line.

"Of course! It's a must! Malapit na ang wedding day and we need to prepare for this
in secret! I want it to be a surprise! I think Hiro's also going to have a bachelor
party according to my sources." I smirked. Hindi pwedeng si Hiro lang ang may
party!

[May boys? Tara, sige! Kierra! Lunch tayo sa labas!] Luna yelled. She was probably
in the office. May work siya, e.

"I'm going to call Via too," I said before ending the call. I made our own group
chat without Yanna and texted them my location. Good thing Via was still available.
She will stay until Yanna's wedding before leaving for Spain.

I reserved a table for us at our favorite Italian restaurant and just waited there,
avoiding the eyes of people. No one would suspect that it was me. Kaunti lang din
ang tao rito at sa pinakalikod at pinakadulo ako nakaupo.
I ordered ahead of time so they could prepare for our meal. Tahimik lang akong
nagce-cellphone habang naghihintay. Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto na ang lumipas
kaya nagulat ako nang may lumapit sa 'kin.

"Samantha Vera?! Oh my gosh, ikaw po ba 'yan?!" I jumped in surprise when I heard a

woman.

I was about to deny it when I saw Luna in front of me, smirking. Tinanggal ko ang
shades ko nang umupo sila ni Kierra sa harapan ko. They were both wearing formal
attire but Kierra had a laptop with her.

"Hangover ka? Bakit ganiyan itsura mo?" Kierra asked me.

"Yeah. I was drinking last night." I sipped on my water again, hoping that my
headache will get better. Nakapag-burn naman na 'ko kanina sa gym.

"Oh? Sinong kasama mo?" Luna curiously asked before sipping on her water too. Hindi
pa kasi dumadating ang inorder niyang shake.

I looked at her and gave her a teasing smile. "Oh, your ex," I honestly answered.
My eyes widened when she suddenly choked on her water. Inabot ko kaagad ang tissue
sa kaniya dahil nadura niya nang kaunti. Kierra was looking at her in disgust,
lumayo pa nang kaunti dahil sa pandidiri.

"Dalawa lang kayo?" Nagtatakang tanong niya nang makaget-over kakaubo.

"Why? You're curious about him now?" I smiled more. Because I was with Kalix last
night, and then Luna today, I found both of them cute.

"Hindi." Luna shook her head and changed the topic. "Okay, so nakapag-isip na 'ko
ng plano sa bachelorette! Nag-search ako kanina tsaka nanood ng videos habang
papunta rito kaya si Ke 'yung nag-drive. Maganda kapag may macho dancers-"

"Yeah, okay." I watched videos too and ganoon din ang nakita ko. Kierra typed it on
her laptop. Para siyang secretary sa meeting.

Kasabay dumating ng pagkain si Via. She was wearing an off-shoulder dress which
made her look like an angel. She sat beside me and tried to catch up on the meeting
by reading what was on Kierra's laptop.

"Puro lalaki ang nakikita ko rito. Boys, boys, boys," Via read them all out loud.
"Sure kayo? Hindi ba magagalit si Hiro diyan?"

"Bachelorette party nga, e!" Luna argued. "Tsaka wala naman tayong jowa! Ayaw n'yo
'yon? Masaya kaya! Lalo na pag masusurprise si Yanna! Nae-excite na 'ko! Ako na
bahala pumili ng costume natin!"

"Ha? May costume?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Via.

"Bawal KJ! Dapat matchy matchy tayo para maganda sa picture!" Luna sounded excited.
Nag-search na siya kaagad ng mga dress at pinakita sa amin.

"KJ?" Kierra repeated, smirking at Luna. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa at binigyan

siya ni Luna ng nakakatakot na ngiti.

"Shan ulit 'yung venue? Nacu-curious kasi ako!" Luna smirked at her too.

"Uh, I will book a hotel," I still answered. Via was trying to change some things
in our chaotic party. Hinayaan na lang namin siya dahil siya ang matino mag-isip.

"Samantha Vera? P-pwede po magpa-picture?" A lady suddenly went to our table while
we were discussing the party.

My eyes widened and closed the laptop because Luna was searching for lingerie! All
of us looked at the lady so she immediately felt awkward.
"Y-yeah, sure!" Via stood up so she could let me out. Sa dulo kasi ako nakaupo.

"Sa akin hindi ka magpapa-picture?" Luna suddenly asked, looking so serious.

"P-po?" Naguluhan bigla 'yung babae. "S-sino po..." She couldn't even say it
because she didn't want to sound offensive.

"Hala, hindi niya 'ko kilala," Luna continued teasing. "Eh, eto? Kilala mo?" She
suddenly pointed at Via.

"Bibigwasan kita, Luna," Via threatened.

"Char lang! Char char!" Luna laughed and made a peace sign. Kierra laughed with her
after nudging her cousin. They had to stop or else Via would throw a glass of water
at their faces.

I stood up and took a photo with the lady. Selfie 'yon so Luna offered to take a
picture of us. The lady felt glad but I had trust issues with Luna.

"Okay, one, two, three, smile!" Luna smiled too kaya napakunot ang noo ko. "Okay na
ba 'to?" She walked towards us and showed us the photo.
"Luna!" I scolded her when I saw her selfie instead.

"Eto na! Seryoso na! Ang init ng ulo ni Miss Samantha Vera!" Luna laughed and went
back to her position, serious na this time because I glared at her. She was in a
good mood today, huh. Good thing the photo turned out good so the lady already left
after thanking us.

"Ugali talaga nito, oh." Kierra shook her head at Luna.

We ate while still discussing the party. Nakita kong medyo naiilang na sila Via
dahil may mga lumalapit sa table namin para magpa-picture sa 'kin so after eating,
I suggested na lumipat kami ng place. We went to a coffee shop instead.

I received a text while we were eating. I was surprised to see Clyden's name.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Did you eat?

I bit my lower lip to stifle a smile before replying.

To: Doctor Ramirez

Yes. How about you? Take care of yourself and also take a shower lol

"Huy, anong nginingiti mo diyan? Pa-share naman!" Luna suddenly interrupted me.

"Kayo ba talaga nung Haze?" Kierra asked me now.

I shook my head immediately. "No, we're just friends."

"Then why aren't you denying it?" Via asked me too. Wala pala silang alam dahil kay
Yanna ko lang sinasabi.

"Because..." I was using him as a cover-up for Clyden. "It's good for my
publicity." I didn't lie. It was still true. I just hid the deeper reason for it.

"Paano 'yung issue kay Avrielle?" Kierra asked now.

"Oh, Hiro and Yanna will announce their marriage in public soon as requested by
Hiro's mom. I'm sure Avrielle will come up so it's fine." I shrugged. I wasn't
really paying attention to it. That issue already died down and just got brought up
because of Haze.

From: Doctor Ramirez

I already showered lol what are you doing now?

To: Doctor Ramirez

Oh, I'm with my girl friends.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Are you available on Sunday?

To: Doctor Ramirez

I'll make myself available.

After sending that, I couldn't stop smiling anymore. Days went by slowly and I also
went back to work. I flew to Paris to attend a show. Invited lang ako at hindi ako
'yung nag-model. I met with other designers too and had lunch with them.

"Giselle!" I kissed her cheek when she walked inside the restaurant. "Long time no
see!"

"Hello, gorgeous." She pinched my cheek before greeting the other designers, too.
Bumeso siya sa kanila bago umupo sa tabi ko. "How are you? I heard you're doing so
great!"

"Yeah, kind of." I smiled. "How about you? Anything interesting going on? I heard
about what happened between you and Kalix. Are you okay?"

"Oh, that." She let out a laugh. "Don't worry about it! It's really nothing
serious. We just played around a bit."

"That's also what he said." I shrugged. Maybe they weren't really serious. Pareho
naman sila ng sinabi. I thought Giselle would be hurt but she looked really fine.
Well, she was gorgeous. There was no need to sulk over men.

"How about you? I heard about Haze! What's going on?" She teased me. "Oh, Excusez-
moi? La carte, s'il vous plaît?" She talked to the waiter, asking for the menu.

"Oh, we're not together," I answered her question. "We're just friends. Oh, can you
also order tea for me?"

"Okay. Let me see what's in here." Giselle looked over the menu.
I spent two more days in Paris with Francine. Arah was left in the Philippines to
work with other brands. I shopped a lot and bought a souvenir for Clyden. Tinetext
niya na ako palagi kapag may oras siya. I can say that we had gotten closer.

I just bought a designer sweater for him and a watch. The next day, I flew back to
the Philippines. Sunday midnight na kami nakapag-land. Francine made sure that the
media didn't catch on my flight.

I was walking out of the arrival area, pulling my luggage with me. I was wearing a
white turtleneck sweater tucked inside my black ripped jeans and a pair of black
leather boots na may heels. I wore my shades because my eyes looked sleepy and
tired because of the flight.

I stopped walking when I received a text from Clyden.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Welcome back.

I replied 'thanks' and walked again. The van was already waiting for us outside the
airport. Good thing it was midnight and walang media sa labas.

I was waiting for the van outside with Francine beside me until I saw a familiar
car. It stopped right in front of me so I stared at it with confusion. It was a
white SUV.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Get in.

My mouth formed an 'o'. Napalingon kaagad ako kay Francine. "Go alone! The van's on
its way already! I booked Grab! Here it is!" I pointed at the car in front of me.

"H-huh?!" Naguluhan kaagad siya. "Ma'am!"

"Bye!" Kumaway ako sa kaniya at binuksan ang likod ng sasakyan para ilagay ang
maleta ko roon.

I had a hard time so Clyden had to go down the car and carry my luggage. He was
wearing a black hoodie and a cap, hiding his face too. He probably knew I wouldn't
want the people to catch on. He smelled so good. Francine was staring at him the
whole time.

Sumakay kaagad ako sa shotgun seat pagkatapos at sinuot ang seatbelt ko. Clyden
also went back, removing his hood and cap.
"You didn't say that you will pick me up!" I told him, sounding so excited.

"How's Paris?" He asked, pushing his hair back. Nagulo kasi dahil sa cap. He looked
like a non-showbiz boyfriend. I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"It's fun! I bought you a gift but later na! Where are we going now?" I removed my
shades. "Did you miss me?"

"Don't ask two questions at the same time," he said, driving away since marami nang
car sa likod.

"Did you miss me?" I asked first.

He refused to answer and just gave me a smirk. Napasimangot ako at umayos na lang
ng upo. I already forgot about the other question. I was actually looking forward
to our destination. Were we on our way to see the dogs? I felt excited.

I felt sleepy so I tried to fight it by eating the lollipop I saw in his car.
Tumingin na lang ako sa labas habang umaandar ang sasakyan. He was driving fast
because it was already midnight. Wala nang masyadong sasakyan sa daan.

Naubos ko na ang lollipop at nilagay na lang sa bag ko ang stick at wrapper so I

could throw them later. I looked outside the window when the car slowed down and it
went inside a garage.
"Oh, this is..." I blinked twice when I saw our house.

He stopped the engine and went down. Tinanggal ko ang seatbelt ko at bubuksan na
sana ang pinto pero naunahan niya 'ko. He opened the door and went closer to me
while his hand was holding on to the top of the car. His other hand was placed on
the seat, just beside my hips caging me.

My lips parted in shock. I wanted to say something but he moved closer so I pursed
my lips again. He was so close to me. I looked down on his lips that were already
inches away from mine.

He held my chin and planted a soft kiss on my lips. I automatically closed my eyes
as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. He moved his lips
and pushed his tongue inside me, tasting me. I probably tasted sweet because of the
candy.

I was already panting when he stopped. The side of his lips rose up and formed a
smirk as he stared at me.

"Did that answer your question earlier?" He asked.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)
 35 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Maple! Hail! Hello, Solar!"

My smile widened when the dogs came running to me as soon as I entered the house.
Lumuhod ako sa sahig para mayakap ko sila. They went into my arms willingly but
Solar was too small so I carried her with me. I kissed Hail and Maple's heads. Hail
looked bigger now! Like a wolf! His mask also made him look scary but he was
actually the contrary of it. He was so sweet.

"Alis na 'ko." I looked up to see Colin. Magkausap sila ni Clyden sa pinto habang
dala-dala ni Cy 'yung maleta ko. So he was staying here while Clyden was out.

"You can stay," Clyden told him, stopping by the door.

"No, thanks." Colin glanced at me so Clyden followed his gaze. I immediately stood
up and gave him an awkward smile. I wasn't close with Clyden's younger brother and
I can't remember having a conversation with him before. He was so quiet.

"Uh, take care," I told him before he could leave.

He looked at me and gave me a small smile. "Thank you," he said before leaving the
house, tapping Clyden's shoulder.
I played with the dogs again while Clyden carried my luggage upstairs. Pagkababa
niya, dumiretso na siya sa dirty kitchen at isang tawag niya lang, nagsitakbuhan na
'yung dogs papunta sa kaniya. He opened the door for them so I followed to see what
they will do.

"Aso ka rin?" Clyden asked when he saw me peeking through the screen of the door.

He placed water bowls on the floor and let the dogs drink bago naglapag ng beds sa
floor where the dogs sleep. It was already midnight so the dogs should be sleeping
already. Inayos niya 'yon bago pumasok ulit sa loob, pushing me a little to the
side.

"Let them sleep," he told me before going to the kitchen. "Are you hungry? How's
the flight?"

Hungry? I suddenly remembered what happened earlier in the garage. My face heated
as I looked away from him. I unconsciously touched my lower lip with my fingers
while the kiss replayed inside my head over and over again. I wasn't expecting
that! Not at all!

Ang tagal na since I last felt that kind of sensation inside me. The butterflies
brought by a kiss. The pleasure and the thirst of wanting more, but of course I
couldn't say that to Clyden. He would probably think of me as a perv or whatever.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked, a little concerned about my facial
expression.

Napatingin kaagad ako sa kaniya at umiling. I didn't want him to think that I was
thirsting over that one kiss he gave me! No, not at all! Actually, yes! Yes, but I
didn't want him to know because it was embarrassing.

How could he kiss me and act as if nothing happened?! He even tasted me! Good thing
I ate a lollipop so I probably tasted sweet! Look at him in front of me, acting so
normal while I was flustered about what happened. It was just one kiss... Ano bang
nangyayari sa 'kin? We kissed a lot before!

"I'll cook something," he told me when he didn't receive a single word from me.

He checked the fridge and brought out a pan from the cabinet. He told me that he
was going to cook fries for me as a midnight snack so I excused myself first and
walked upstairs to take a shower. It was a long flight and I felt sleepy earlier
but because of that kiss, I became wide awake.

Good thing I had spare clothes with me inside my luggage. I also opened my skincare
bag so my wallet fell along with that. When I picked it up, I saw the necklace that
fell from the inside. Kinuha ko 'yon at tinitigan. Right... His ring was with me
and he didn't even look for it even after days. Napansin na ba niya? Kung napansin
niya, hinayaan niya na lang na nawawala? I felt a little lonely.

I showered inside the master bedroom because that was where he placed my luggage,
and then I changed into my satin nightdress with a pair of satin shorts of the same
color. I brushed my hair and brought the necklace with me downstairs.
I sat on the high breakfast table with my feet hanging on the edge while he was
preparing the food. I looked around the house and saw some changes with the pieces
of furniture. He added some paintings, changed the sala set and the television. He
even added a leather reclining chair in the living room.

"I thought of selling the house because our parents bought it for us, but I didn't
want the memories to go away," he said, placing the bowl of fries on the table.

He stood in front of me. Since I was seated on the table, we were on the same eye
level. He placed both of his hands on my sides, caging me again. I looked away and
tried to get some fries but it was so hot so nabitawan ko kaagad.

"Ouch," I whispered, licking my finger a bit to ease the slight burn. He stared at
me with longing eyes while I did that.

"It's hot. Wait for it to cool down," he said in a low voice, giving the bowl of
fries a glance before looking at me again.

But I was impatient and I felt awkward with his stare so I tried to get one again
and cooled it down by blowing on it before taking a bite.

"Ouch!" Binalik ko kaagad nang mapaso ang dila ko. My brows furrowed as I stuck my
tongue out. It was hot! Did I burn it? Clyden raised a brow while watching me,
biting his lower lip to stop himself from smiling.
"I told you to wait, right?" He asked, holding my wrists and putting it down on my
sides. "That's too bad. Let's cool it down."

"Huh?"

My eyes widened when he suddenly went closer to me, standing in between my legs. He
placed his other hand on my side, holding on to the table while his other hand went
to the side of my neck. I parted my lips when he went in for a kiss.

I understood what he meant by 'cooling it down' when he suddenly pushed his tongue
inside my mouth, tightening his hold on my neck to pull me even closer to him. I
automatically closed my eyes and moved my lips along with his. I whimpered when he
sucked on my tongue before letting me go.

"How was that? Does it still hurt?" He arched a brow.

Hindi ako makapagsalita. My eyes were trying to communicate with him so he could
give me more. He stared at me before his lips formed a playful smile. Kumuha siya
ng fries at kinagatan 'yon bago lumayo sa 'kin. What the heck! He just left me like
this after making out with me!

"You're so unfair," I whispered, getting off the table. Kumain na lang ako ng fries
habang kumukuha siya ng tubig sa ref.
"Here." He placed a glass of water in front of me. I looked at him in confusion.
"You looked thirsty."

"What?!" I exclaimed, about to hit him but he took a step backward because he had
it coming. Napasimangot na lang ako at kumagat na lang ulit sa fries. "So... Do you
still have the ring?" I asked him just to check.

"What ring?" He was now in front of me, just on the other side of the table.

"Our engagement ring," I honestly answered. I didn't have time to play around and
embarrass myself from blabbering.

"Yeah, which one?" His head tilted a bit to the side.

Oh, right... I just remembered that we had two rings. The one was given by our
parents and the other one was from him. When he gave me the other ring, he bought
another for himself too.

I brought the necklace out of my pocket to see which ring was attached to it. He
looked surprised to see me holding it on my palm. So he really didn't think that I
would have it. I looked carefully and saw our first engagement ring.
"Oh, I thought I lost it..." Clyden said, looking away in guilt. "Fuck, I was so
drunk," I heard him whisper, facing to the side.

"You gave up trying to find it? You didn't think that you left it in my unit?" I
raised a brow. I was like interrogating a suspect.

"I mean, I was so drunk I couldn't even remember that I wore the necklace that
day." He scratched the back of his head a bit, feeling awkward now.

"Don't you remember what happened that night?" Mas lalo akong nagtaka. He just left
without saying anything and I just assumed that he remembered everything that
happened. Was I wrong?

"W-what happened that night?" He looked even more guilty now... and scared. He
looked like a lost kitten.

"Seriously?" Napakunot ang noo ko. We had a long conversation that day! How could
he not remember that?! Nagagalit na tuloy ako!

"I've been thinking about it for days now... I remember a little pero putol-putol.
Did I do something weird?" He asked, pushing his tongue against his cheek while
thinking. "Anyway, can I have my necklace back, please?"
"No." Nilayo ko ang necklace sa kaniya. "You can't have this if you can't remember
what happened between us that night!" Our conversation was so wholesome! How could
he forget?! He even looked sober before he suddenly passed out!

"What happened between us that night?" He repeated, getting more confused now.
"What? Nag-sex ba tayo?" He even lowered his voice like he didn't want anyone to
hear.

"So if we did, makakalimutan mo pa rin? What the hell!" I felt so betrayed! I

poured my heart out that night! Well, it was also my fault for letting him drink so
much. No, actually... It was Kalix's fault! He wanted him drunk!

"Sorry. I'm not much of a drinker." He held his head with both of his hands. His
face looked so regretful. "I won't drink anymore."

"Yeah, you shouldn't." I rolled my eyes. I still felt annoyed that he forgot what
we talked about. Well, he mentioned that he remembered some of it. Alin kaya roon?
"So what do you remember?"

"I remember Avrielle sleeping..." He looked up, thinking. "And you saying that
she's your friend's daughter. Yeah, I know that... And then I don't know how we
ended up in the living room again. You were crying for some reason." He really
looked so confused.

"For some reason, huh?!" I bit on my fries like a beast. I was so mad at him but I
couldn't blame him because he was drunk.
He stared at me for a moment and then he started laughing. Mas lalo ko siyang
sinamaan ng tingin. What was funny?! Mukha ba 'kong katawa-tawa?

"I'm kidding, babe." He gave me a playful smile.

"What?!" Inis kong hinampas ang kamay ko sa lamesa. I threw the necklace at him and
he swiftly caught it with his hand while still laughing at me. How could he fool me
like that?! Wait, alin sa mga sinabi niya ang joke?

Wait... Babe? Did he just call me... Oh no! Anger suddenly faded inside me and it
was replaced by butterflies!

"I remember everything except the conversation with Kalix. I also can't remember
Haze going home. They were all blurry in my memories but my moments with you were
as clear as the sky. Don't worry about it." He shrugged.

"I thought you already forgot what we talked about. I would be so mad at you." I
sighed.

"You? Getting mad at me? That's new." He looked pleased with what I said. "You're
slowly changing... for the better."
Inubos na namin 'yung fries bago ako umakyat habang naiwan siyang naghuhugas sa
baba. I did my night care routine and went back to the master's bedroom. Hindi ko
alam kung saan ako matutulog. I walked out of it again and slowly opened the door
inside my bedroom.

One look and I immediately closed it again. I held on the doorknob tightly, closing
my eyes. All I could remember was Naomi. Huminga ako nang malalim bago naglakad
ulit papasok. Her camera was still placed on my side table.

Humiga ako sa kama, hoping that her scent was still there but the helpers probably
washed the sheets already. I covered my eyes with my arm while imagining her beside
me. I remembered that one time when she spent the holidays here in the house. It
was already midnight and she was still on the balcony.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Aren't you sleepy?" I went out of the balcony,
removing my cardigan to place it on Naomi's shoulders.

"I don't want to sleep," she answered, laughing a little.

"Why not? It's not healthy for you to stay up and it's cold out here." Malakas ang
hangin sa labas at tinatangay ang buhok niya. I leaned on the railings beside her
and caught her looking up at the sky again.

"I want to maximize my time here and sleeping feels like I'm wasting it." She
shrugged. "This is the only time I feel so free. When I'm with you, I feel secured
like no one could ever hurt me."
"It's because I wouldn't let anyone hurt you." I smiled to myself and looked at the
sky too.

She leaned her elbow against the railings, placing her chin on her palm. She looked
relieved. We stayed silent for a couple of minutes before she talked again.

"Your mom... Did she ever lay her hands on you?" She curiously asked.

"I don't remember. She's pretty calm when she's with me. That's her mask. She's
hiding a monster inside her and I know that already." I sighed, remembering the
times when I found her smiles creepy because they were so fake. "Why? What
happened? Did she... hurt you?" I suddenly felt worried.

"Just once... Or twice," she said like it wasn't a big deal. "Because I broke the
most expensive vase in the living room. The second time was when she caught me
yelling at you. Honestly, she scared me and I also felt bad for her so I couldn't
fight back."

"Why do you feel bad for her?" Napakunot ang noo ko.

"Because I exist."
I stared at her while she was looking at the stars. Her lips formed a smile as she
tried to reach for it again. I held her wrist and moved her hand down to give her a
tight hug. She stiffened for a moment before wrapping her arms around my waist to
hug me back.

"Are you okay?" She asked me when I should be the one asking her that.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Your mere existence changed my life. That's how
important you are."

I heard her laugh. She wasn't taking me seriously. "I wish everyone could think the
same way."

I removed the arm on my face and opened my eyes to see the ceiling of my bedroom. I
looked at my side and imagined her with me. My heart hurt. I swallowed the lump on
my throat as I wiped my tears away. Umayos ako ng upo at kinuha ang camera para
tignan ulit lahat ng litrato naming dalawa, when we were still so happy.

I checked the memory card but I saw it placed inside the drawer so I used that to
transfer our favorite photo on my phone and decided to print it so I could still
bring her with me to New York. I sighed and stood up to leave the room, only to
bump against Clyden's chest.

"Oh, sorry!" Napaatras kaagad ako at napayuko para hindi niya mapansing umiyak ako.
But of course, he would notice. He held my chin and forced me to look at him as he
stared at my eyes. Without saying anything, he embraced me in his arms. Sinandal ko
ang ulo ko sa dibdib niya at huminga nang malalim. His scent alone could calm me
down. He was my comfort.

"Do you want to sleep with me?" He asked.

"Can I sleep in your room?" I looked at him. Kapag natutulog kaming magkasama noon,
palagi kaming nasa master's bedroom. I had never tried sleeping inside his room.

"What? Why?" Kumunot ang noo niya at binitawan ako. "The bed's smaller."

"Just because," I answered. The main reason was that his scent was probably all
over his room and I couldn't get enough of him.

When he nodded, I opened the door to his room and opened the lights. Wow, it was so
clean. Halatang hindi na siya natutulog dito. His old books were still placed on
his study table. My mouth formed an 'o' when I saw a small picture of us. Dali-dali
niyang kinuha 'yon at tinago sa may cabinet.

"I saw it already," I told him.

"I haven't used this room for a long time," he tried to explain.

Binagsak ko kaagad ang sarili ko sa kama niya. As expected, it was so soft and it
smelled like him. He closed the door and just stood there, refusing to walk closer
to me. Tinanggal ko ang comforter at yumakap ng unan para matulog na. Bumalik na
'yung pagod ko dahil sa flight.

"You can sleep here. I'll sleep in the other bedroom." He turned the lights off and
left a lamp. He was about to leave but I suddenly called him.

"Cy, wait!" Umayos ako ng upo. "Can you stay with me tonight?" I sounded desperate
but I felt... lonely and I needed someone beside me.

He nodded and went to the other side of the bed. He already showered and he smelled
so good. Dahan-dahan siyang humiga sa tabi ko. Because the bed was smaller than the
one in the master's bedroom, our arms touched each other. Umusog kaagad siya para
bigyan ako ng space.

"Can you cuddle with me?" I asked.

"Yeah... Sure." He faked a cough and went closer to me. I yelped when he suddenly
wrapped his arm on my waist and pulled me closer to him until our bodies were
already touching. I blinked twice. He was like... spooning me from behind.
Samantha, do not think of erotic things right now! You need to sleep!

"Is this okay?" He whispered in my ear. I can feel his breath on my neck, sending
shivers down my spine.

"I... I guess." I couldn't even talk. Nawala na ulit ang antok ko at napatitig na
lang sa pader. My focus was on him. I was trying to feel if something was going to
poke me from behind or what.

I tried to adjust my position so it would be more comfortable for me. Hindi ako
mapakali. I tried to fix the pillow again. He tightened his grip on my waist.

"Stop moving, please," he said in a low voice.

"Oh, sorry." I suddenly felt bad. Did I wake him up?

"Your behind is brushing on my... front."

He didn't know how to say it. My face heated as I stiffened, being extra careful
now. Hindi na tuloy ako makagalaw dahil sa sinabi niya. I closed my eyes again and
forced myself to sleep. Good thing it worked.

I woke up early in the morning and saw Clyden gone beside me. Napaupo ako at inayos
ang kama bago pumuntang C.R para maghilamos. When I went downstairs, Clyden was
already cooking breakfast. I really missed his dishes. He used to cook for me every
day at school. Nasanay na 'ko roon.

"Good morning!" I greeted him. When he looked at me, I suddenly noticed the bags
under his eyes. "Did you even sleep?"

"I couldn't sleep." He sighed heavily, placing the pancakes on the table. He also
cooked eggs and bacon. He put slices of bread in the toaster before looking at me
again. "I only slept for about 4 hours."

"Why? Are you okay? Are you sick?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ko. I was so worried about
him.

"It's your fault." He sighed again, getting a handful of his hair in frustration.

What did I do to him? I just slept! I can't remember doing anything. Did I sleep
talk? Did I say something offensive before we went to sleep? I tried to think but
there was really nothing. Hindi na nga ako gumalaw kagabi, e!

"Eat up. We're going to walk the dogs," he told me.

Binilisan ko ang kain ko so we can go already. I just changed my clothes and
planned to take a shower after the walk because I knew I would sweat. I changed
into a pair of leggings and a black sports bra while he changed into a simple shirt
and a pair of athletic shorts. He had Maple and Hail with him and I got Solar.

"Why did Summer pass away?" I asked him while walking.

"She was already too old. She became weak after giving birth to Solar. May kapatid
pa si Solar but it died, too." He sighed heavily. "Summer... During her last
breath, she was waiting for you."

"What?" Napatingin ako sa kaniya. My chest suddenly felt so heavy.

"I had to show her your photo so she could finally rest." He pursed his lips. He
was telling a painful story for him.

"She's now running free." I reached for his hand and held it. Napatingin tuloy siya
roon. "I should have been there. I'm sorry I was away."

"It's fine. Summer died happily. Our good girl." He kneeled one knee on the ground
to caress Solar's head. The puppy stuck her tongue out and wagged her tail. "And
she left another angel here."
We took another lap around the village before we went back to the house. I was
planning to spend the whole day with Clyden so we thought of something to do. We
agreed on taking Solar to the vet together for her check-up. He said the clinic was
open on Sunday pero half-day lang so binilisan ko ang pagligo ko.

I just wore a grey shirt tucked inside my white pair of shorts. Nag-suot na rin ako
ng white cap and facemask just to be safe. Pagtingin ko sa maleta ko, nakita ko
'yung gift ko kay Clyden. Kinuha ko kaagad 'yon at kumatok sa kwarto niya so I can
give it to him.

"Hey-" I suddenly stopped talking when he opened the door wearing nothing but a
pair of black shorts. I blinked twice when I saw his body. He looked even more...
fit now.

"Yeah?" He arched a brow, still holding on the door.

"A gift." I gave him a paper bag. "From Paris. I... washed it already. The sweater,
I mean." I had it washed along with my dirty clothes before I left.

"You didn't have to but thanks. You thought of me, huh." Binuksan niya 'yon sa
harapan ko at kinuha 'yung sweater.

Without saying anything, he put it on along with the watch I bought for him. Kinuha
niya ang specs niya at sinuot. He also pushed his hair back and sprayed perfume
before going out of his room, closing the door. I looked away and bit my lower lip.
He looked so good!

I was carrying Solar in the car while we were on our way to the clinic. There was a
vet clinic in their hospital but in a different building and doon siya lagi
nagpapa-check up ng aso. After getting out of the car, I was just walking with my
head down. Clyden was holding Solar's leash with him beside me.

Good thing there were only a few people in the waiting room. We sat on the couch
and I looked around, admiring the dogs. Solar whimpered so Clyden carried her with
him, caressing her head.

"She's scared of the vet," he told me.

"My poor baby." I removed my mask to give the puppy a kiss on the top of her head.
"It will be alright. Don't worry."

"Doc, ikaw na!" The secretary called for Clyden. He was already a regular so kilala
na siya rito. He stood up and went inside the clinic, dragging me with him by
holding my hand.

Solar had to get shots so Clyden tried to comfort her while she cried. I also felt
bad for her but it was a need so I couldn't do anything but caress her head.
Solar's doctor kept on staring at me like she was trying to figure out who I was.
"May girlfriend ka na pala, Doc," the vet told Clyden. "Akala ko pa naman pwede
tayo," she joked.

"Oh, her?" Clyden looked at me. "Girlfriend?"

"She looks familiar. Are you a model?" Nagtatakang tanong ng vet sa 'kin. I didn't
know how to answer that! Clyden lowered my cap and changed the topic so the vet
would completely forget about it. She looked head over heels for Clyden. I noticed
by the way she looked at him.

I carried Solar with me on our way back to the parking lot. I was frowning because
Clyden and the vet were talking for so long while I played with Solar. They
wouldn't even involve me in the conversation. Sila lang ang nagkakaintindihan!

Sumakay ako sa shotgun seat at nag-suot na ng seatbelt habang nasa binti ko si

Solar. Clyden started the engine and looked at me, trying to read my expression.

"Why? What's wrong?" He sounded worried.

"The vet's young pala." Iyon na lang ang sinabi ko. I didn't want to sound so
unreasonable. How embarrassing of me to even think like this. "She looks pretty."

Napakunot ang noo niya at tumingin sa 'kin, nagtataka na. I pursed my lips and
looked out the window, stopping myself from talking. Samantha, come on! You're
better than this! How petty!

"I wouldn't know. I didn't notice," he said.

I just nodded. I refused to say another word because I might say the wrong thing
again. I wasn't jealous! I shouldn't be jealous! It was stupid!

"Come here."

Napalingon ako sa kaniya nang magsalita siya. He covered Solar's eyes before he
leaned and gave me a soft kiss. It was just a quick one. After that, he went back
to his seat and wore his seatbelt.

"No need to feel jealous. Ikaw lang tinitignan ko," he casually said before driving
away.

I was so flustered because of that kiss so I became silent the whole ride! I
touched my lips again with my fingers, remembering his touch. Oh no, anong
nangyayari sa 'yo, Sam? It was all wholesome!

We just ordered food through a drive-thru and ate lunch inside the car while we
were on our way home. I spent half of the day playing with the dogs again until it
was already time for me to go home.
"I'm so excited for Yanna's bachelorette party," I told him while he was driving.
"It will surely surprise her! The girls and I are working hard for this!"

"Bachelorette?" Kumunot ang noo ni Clyden.

"Yeah, you know those parties before someone gets married! It's like saying goodbye
to your single life! You're going to do everything you can't do once you're
married!" I was so excited about it.

"Can't I come?" He asked like a kid.

"What? Of course not! It's for girls only! Hiro will have his own bachelor's party.
They will probably invite girls so I'm doing the same! It's unfair for Yanna!" I
crossed my arms over my chest.

"Invite me if you're going to invite men," he suddenly told me. He completely

didn't understand how bachelorette parties work! Oh my!

"No way!" Tanggi ko kaagad. "You don't understand. We will have fun with-"
"You can't have fun with me?" He was so persistent!

"No way. It's not the right job for you! Gosh." I massaged my head. "You should
watch bachelorette parties so you would have an idea. You clearly don't know how it
works."

He stopped the car at the parking lot of my unit. Tinanggal ko na ang seatbelt ko
at magpapaalam na sana pero tinanggal niya rin ang sa kaniya.

"Okay, then. Have fun at that party."

He shrugged and leaned closer to hold my chin. My lips parted when he moved my chin
up so I was forced to look at him in the eyes.

"Just behave yourself and be a good girl for me, hmm?" He whispered.

I blinked twice. "Or else what?" I provoked him.

"Or else..." He brushed his thumb against my lower lip. "You're going to have fun
with me too."
________________________________________________________________________________

:)

36 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

This chapter is R18.

"Everyone, get ready! I'm going to pick up Yanna in the lobby!"

The girls did a final touch on the design of the suite I booked for tonight's
bachelorette party. There were buckets of liquor, some gifts, crowns as party hats,
and other adult things. We were all wearing a black fitted dress and there was a
pair of lingerie for Yanna to wear along with a see-through cover-up.

Luna organized the program for today, Via handled the cake, and Kierra was the one
who contacted people for this event. I looked at the design again before going to
the lobby. I saw Yanna waiting in the lobby, wearing a casual dress. Wala siyang
alam sa mangyayari ngayon. Akala niya magdi-dinner lang kami with the girls.

"Let's go." Kinalabit ko siya at napalingon siya sa 'kin. I gave her a playful
smirk. It was just funny how innocent her face looked. Wala siyang alam sa
mangyayari sa kaniya pagkaakyat.

"Bakit ganiyan suot mo? Nasaan sila?" She asked, looking behind me to check if I
were with the girls. She probably left Avrielle with Hiro's mom since Hiro will
also be having his bachelor's party tonight. Tinapat ko talaga para pareho silang
masaya ngayong gabi.
"They're upstairs. We're ordering room service. Tara na."

She followed me from behind until we reached the elevator. I was so excited while
looking at the floor number. Yanna was just asking me about Clyden while waiting
but I gave her short answers so the topic wouldn't be focused on me. This was her
night!

Pagkalabas ng elevator, lumingon ulit ako sa kaniya at nilabas ang itim na

blindfold. Napakunot ang noo niya at umatras.

"Ano 'to, gago, kidnap?" She sounded so scared.

I didn't say anything and just stepped forward so I can reach her eyes. I was
wearing a creepy smile on my face so she took a step backward too. Gulong gulo na
siya sa nangyayari at ayaw pang magpatali sa mata!

"Come on! It's not like you're not used to being blindfolded!" I told her.

"Bakit, si Hiro ka ba?!" Lumayo ulit siya. Para kaming tanga na naghahabulan sa
labas ng elevator. "Ano munang mayroon?!"
"Can't you see? It's a surprise so you need to be blindfolded!" Inis na sabi ko.
She stared at me for a moment to see if she was going to trust me or not. In the
end, pumayag na rin siyang takpan ko ang mata niya.

I giggled and held her arm to drag her with me until we reached the suite. I opened
the door and lightly pushed Yanna inside before closing the door behind me. The
girls were panicking and Luna was setting up the camera.

"Seryoso, nasaan ako? Wala akong pera, ha!" Yanna yelled again. "Kung gusto n'yo ng
ransom, si Hiro contactin n'yo!"

"Ang ingay naman ni mars," Luna whispered.

Sumenyas siyang okay na 'yung camera kaya tinanggal ko na ang blindfold ni Yanna.
Via and Kierra blew the party poppers at the same time, making Yanna jump because
of the sound. Gulat siyang napalingon sa paligid, nagtataka pa rin.

"Happy bachelorette party!" We yelled.

"Gago!" Yanna yelled at us back.

I gave her the lingerie so she could change her clothes. Pumasok naman siya sa
restroom kaagad dahil na-excite din siya sa mangyayari. All of us sat down and wore
our crowns while waiting for Yanna. Prinepare na rin ni Luna 'yung mini-program
niya.

"Seryoso ba 'to?" Yanna went out of the restroom, wearing lingerie and a black see-
through cardigan. Naka-stockings pa siya na may leather harness. She looked so
sexy! Her wavy brown hair was even let down and she was wearing makeup. I retouched
her lipstick and gave her a red one.

"Hala, laki ng hinaharap," Via said, scratching her head.

"Alagang alaga! Hahaha!" Luna laughed hysterically.

"Ako lang 'to, Via." Yanna smirked and sat on the chair we prepared for her. There
was a seatbelt attached to it so sinuot ko 'yon sa bewang niya para hindi siya
makaalis. She looked excited and thrilled about what was about to come. "Ayusin
n'yo, ah!"

"Okay, boys, pasok!" Luna yelled at the other door.

All of us yelled when the men Luna hired went inside the suite wearing nothing but
boxers. Hawak ng isa 'yung cake and some were holding bottles of champagne. Yanna's
mouth formed an 'o' when they stopped in front of her.
"Blow the candle!" I yelled.

"Blow it! Blow it! Blow it!" Kantyaw ng girls. The cake was shaped like a dick so
those words had a double meaning. Hindi na makahinga si Luna kakatawa sa itsura ni
Yanna. "Blow mo na! Oy!"

"Napakababastos n'yo talaga." Yanna shook her head and leaned to blow on the
candle. After that, they popped the champagne and started dancing in front of her.
"Hala ka," Yanna whispered.

"Walang subtitle sa baba kaya huwag ka roon tumingin!" Kierra yelled, laughing.

"Jusko." Via massaged her head. Kulang na lang ay takpan niya ang mata niya para
hindi makita ang nangyayari.

The men even started dancing on Yanna's lap. Yanna just had her hands on her back
to avoid touching them but she was laughing so hard. Siguro nagdadasal na siya kay
Hiro ngayon. Well, news flash, Yanna, your husband was having fun tonight too!

The other man started pouring liquor on Yanna's mouth and she willingly drank it.
Kumuha rin ako ng bottle para naman sa girls. We started drinking with her while
she was busy watching the men dance. Napatingin ako sa phone ko at chineck kung
nag-text si Clyden but I got a text from Haze instead.
From: Haze

The party's starting here. I invited your ex. It's a little unfair for him to just
let you have fun on your own, don't you think?

Napaawang ang labi ko at dali-daling nag-type! My nails were even making sounds
against the screen! I thought Clyden was busy with his shift! What the hell did
they do to him?! Did Haze pull some strings again?! Wait, Clyden can do that by
himself! Ugh!

To: Haze

What?! YOU BETTER MAKE SURE HE WILL GO HOME SAFELY! DO NOT LET HIM DRINK TOO MUCH!

From: Haze

Hmm, he could say the same to you. We're just on the other side of the hallway but
follow the rules. You can't go here and they can't go there.

Inis kong tinago ulit ang cellphone ko at hindi na nag-reply. Haze was the one
updating me about Hiro's bachelor party since he was also the one who organized it.
They invited Kalix, Shan, Neil, Rey, Arman, who were all Hiro's friends. I didn't
expect Haze to actually invite Clyden! What the hell! Just when I thought that he
was safe!

We were all on the same floor pero nasa kabilang side sila ng hallway. Magkalayo
'yung dalawang suite. Haze and I organized it just in case the party will go out of
control. It was easier for the both of us to help each other that way.
"Sam, ano?! Phone na lang nang phone! Inom ka!" Kierra went to me and poured liquor
on my mouth. I had to accept it since I kind of left them earlier to text Haze.

They already finished a bucket and Yanna was already out of the chair to dance with
the girls and the men. Nagpunasan pa sila ng icing ng cake at nadamay pa 'ko. Via
put the cake away so they wouldn't make a mess.

Luna wanted Yanna to do some body shots at pumayag lang siya kung pati si Luna ay
gagawin din. After taking a shot, they licked the salt out of the men's chest,
neck, or shoulder. They were wilding out there. Hinatak na rin ako ni Luna para
gawin 'yon. I didn't want to be a killjoy so I also did it.

We took some pictures until we were already wasted. We kept on dancing on top of
the table. Via was cleaning the bottles while the party was ongoing! I felt bad for
her! She was trying to watch us.

"Ke, bumaba ka diyan. Baka mahulog ka," Via told Kierra who was standing on the
chair and dancing.

Luna was dancing with the man now while Yanna was taking shots. I knew we were
already close to a disaster so I slowed down my drinking a bit. I was still sober
but the girls were obviously weaker than me so I had to remain sober to control
them. Via had low alcohol tolerance too so she won't last until midnight.

"Luna, no! No kissing!" I pulled her away from the man. She was already drunk! Pati
si Kierra! "Yanna, that's not Hiro, okay?!" I pointed at her too.

"Duh!" Yanna rolled her eyes. "Ahhh, miss ko na si Hiro! Hindi naman ganito katawan
n'on, e!" She pushed the man away from her. "Mas masarap!"

"Oh god." I massaged my head. Nauubos na nila 'yung alak kaka-chug nila. They
weren't even using shot glasses anymore and just straight up drank from the bottle.
That was so dangerous! They were like wild animals out of the cage!

"Via, are you okay?" I asked when I saw her sitting on the couch and just staring
at the ceiling.

"Inaantok na 'ko." She closed her eyes.

"Hoy, Via! Hindi pwedeng matulog! Anak ng!" Kierra forced her up by pulling both of
her hands. She started dancing with her but Via already looked like a zombie. Ang
ingay na ni Luna at sinisigaw na 'yung lyrics ng song.

They danced with the men again and I joined them just to have fun. We were like
that for 3 more hours until all of them were already out of their minds. I was the
only one sober now. I checked my phone again to see some updates from Haze.

From: Haze
Kalix's wasted. Clyden only had three shots and refused to drink more. Hiro and his
friends were all still sober. Fucking high alcohol tolerance. I don't think I can
get them drunk.

To: Haze

Everyone's wasted here except me. Luna's already sitting on the man's lap and
Yanna's feeding our hired men some cherries. Via's already sleeping and Kierra's on
the floor, singing.

After clicking send, I heard a loud noise from the living room! Napabalik kaagad
ako at nakitang nabasag 'yung plato! Dali-dali kong hinatak paalis doon si Kierra
at Luna para linisin. They started dancing again like worms! Ang gulo nila at
nabubunggo pa 'ko habang nagpupulot ng bubog.

"Hey, careful!" I yelled at Kierra.

"Ouch!" She suddenly fell on the floor when she accidentally stepped on broken
glass. Nanlaki ang mata ko at pumunta sa kaniya para tignan 'yung dumudugo niyang
paa. "Hala... Sam... Sam, dumudugo!" She closed her eyes in pain.

"Oh my gosh, wait! Wait!" I didn't know what to do! Nilinis ko na kaagad 'yung
bubog at tinapon sa basurahan bago ako naghanap ng medicine kit. The suite was a
mess! Nilabas ko ang phone ko habang naghahalungkat pa rin ng first-aid kit.

To: Doctor Ramirez

Do you have a first-aid kit or something

He replied so fast.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Yeah, I have one inside my bag.

I texted Haze next. Siya ang nakakaalam ng daan papunta sa suite namin and he also
had a card with him.

To: Haze

Can you send Clyden here please there's a minor accident

From: Haze

What the fuck are you girls doing lol

I went back to Kierra and helped her sit on the couch. I locked Yanna and Luna
inside the bedroom so they wouldn't get out. May naiwang isang lalaki sa sofa at
pinapanood niya lang kami habang umiinom. He was enjoying some free drinks, huh.
"Don't move, okay?" I told Kierra. Her face was already blushing because of alcohol
and she was also sweating.

I ran towards the door when I heard it open. I immediately took a step backward
when I saw Clyden holding a kit with him. He was wearing a black dress shirt and a
pair of black slacks. Nakabukas ang apat na butones at pinagpapawisan din siya.
Just what the hell happened back there? Did he have fun with the girls too?

Mas lalo akong nagulat nang mapansing hindi lang siya ang naroon! Haze, Hiro, and
Shan suddenly went inside the suite looking around, admiring the party design. Shan
laughed when he saw the cake.

"They ordered a better cake," he told Hiro.

"Get out! You're not allowed here!" I tried to push them out of the room but they
were too strong.

Haze scratched his head and shrugged. "I tried to stop them."

"Where's Yanna?" Hiro straight up asked that. I glanced at the bedroom and he
glanced at it too. In just a second, he was already gone in front of me.
"Uh, come here." I grabbed Clyden's arm and pulled him with me until we reached the
living room. He raised a brow when he saw Kierra with her feet up. Lumuhod kaagad
siya roon at tinignan 'yung sahig kung may natira pang bubog.

"I told you to behave, didn't I?" He asked when he saw my finger. I also got a
scratch from picking up the broken pieces but it wasn't that serious.

"Uh, bakit nandito 'yan?" Kierra whispered. I thought he was referring to Clyden
but I saw Shan standing behind me with his arms crossed over his chest, watching
carefully.

Clyden opened the kit and held Kierra's ankle. He applied alcohol on his hands
before wearing sterile gloves. He got a cloth with him and applied pressure on
Kierra's feet until the bleeding stopped.

"Hey!" I yelled when I saw Hiro going out of the bedroom with Yanna's arms around
his shoulder. "You're taking her home already?"

"Yeah, she wants to go home." Hiro gave me an apologetic smile before carrying
Yanna in his arms. "You can continue the party," he said before leaving.

"Ah, that prick." Haze chuckled and pushed his hair back. "Hey, you can go leave
now." He talked to our hired men. Siya na ang nag-asikaso noon hanggang sa mawala
na sila sa suite. Haze told me that he will go back to his suite to take care of
Kalix and the other guys.
"Just what in the world were you doing to end up like this?" Shan arched a brow at
Kierra.

"Paki mo," Kierra whispered too. She was already drunk.

Clyden looked at the wound again when it stopped bleeding, and then he got a bowl
and bottled water to wash it. Kierra winced because of that. Clyden also got a pair
of tweezers and started taking out the remaining pieces on the surface of Kierra's
feet. Napapikit si Kierra sa sakit.

"You need to go to the hospital after this just to make sure," Clyden told her in a
monotone. He checked it again before washing it and applying ointment from a swab.

"I'll take her," Shan said.

"Thank you," I told him right after Clyden finished treating it. He closed the kit
and stood up, holding Kierra's hand to make her stand up on one foot. Shan went to
her and carried her instead. Nagulat ako at napaatras kasabay ng sigaw ni Ke.

"Put me down!" She yelled, kicking her other foot on the air.
"We'll go now," Shan told us before walking out of the suite.

I was left with Clyden in the living room... and Via who was sleeping. I called for
room service to clean the living room so I asked Clyden to carry Via to the
bedroom. Binuhat niya naman at nilapag sa kama kung saan nakahiga na rin si Luna at
natutulog.

Clyden sighed heavily and stared at me, raising a brow like I did something bad.
Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay ko kaya hinawakan niya ang palapulsuhan ko saka
hinatak ako papasok ng restroom. He washed my finger on running water before
wrapping it with the cloth to wipe the blood.

"It's just a small cut," I told him.

Kinuha niya ang ointment at nilagyan ang daliri ko bago binalutan ng band-aid. We
were still inside the restroom with the door opened.

"So did you have fun with the guys?" He raised his brows, crossing his arms over
his chest.

I licked my lower lip before looking away. "Well... We just danced," I told him the
truth. "And... did some body shots. It's not a big deal. You had fun with the girls
too."
"Yeah? Who told you that?" He tilted his head a bit to the side.

"Well, I just k-know..." I couldn't talk because he was already so close to me.
Napatingin ako sa labas nang may kumatok nang room service. Dali-dali kong binuksan
ang pinto at pinapasok 'yung dalawang maglilinis. "I'm sorry, it's a bit messy."

"Okay lang po, Ma'am."

They started cleaning the living room while I stood there, waiting. Napagpasyahan
kong kuhanin na rin 'yung bag ko at ayusin 'yung mga gifts for Yanna. She forgot to
bring them with her so ako na lang ang magdadala.

"Are you going to sleep here?" Clyden asked me while leaning against the wall.

"I have my own hotel room but... I have to take care of the girls." I glanced at
the bedroom again. Baka magising bigla si Luna at kung anong gawin habang lasing. I
had to stay here.

"Just call someone to take care of them and let's go to your room. I can't drive
home," Clyden casually said. I stared at him and he stared at me back. I quickly
understood what was about to come so I got my phone and dialed a number
immediately.

[Aba, Samantha, anong oras na!] Sevi scolded me when I called him in the middle of
the night.

"Hey, this is urgent. Can you come here and take care of Via and Luna?" I asked
him, biting my finger a bit. Clyden's stare was so intense. I saw him surveying my
clothes too. The girls decided to wear lingerie underneath our black dress.
Magpipicture sana kami but they passed out.

[Ano ako, babysitter?!] Reklamo kaagad niya. [Bakit ba? Anong nangyari diyan?]

"Well, they passed out drunk and I can't look after them so..." I glanced nervously
at Clyden again.

[Ampucha.] He sounded so frustrated. [Anak ng pating naman kasi 'yang si Luna.

Hala, sige, inom! Inom nang inom hanggang sa mahimatay! Kay St. Peter na 'yan
ipabantay sa susunod!] I heard him walking so he was probably getting ready to
leave.

"Thanks, Sev!" I smiled and ended the call.

I sat quietly on the couch while the two ladies were still cleaning the room.

"I'll just get my bag," he told me before leaving. Babalik siguro siya sa suite
nila. I wondered if the party was still ongoing there even without Hiro and Shan.
Did the girls leave already?
Clyden took so long! I couldn't leave because I was waiting for Sevi so as soon as
he arrived, kinuha ko na rin ang gamit ko. I opened the door for him and he
looked... tired! Was he sleeping when I called?

"Nasaan na 'yung dalawang gunggong?" He asked me. He was wearing a grey hoodie and
a pair of shorts. Naka-cap pa dahil magulo raw ang buhok niya.

"Inside the bedroom," I told him.

"Saan ka ba pupunta? Inabandona mo mga tropa mo, ah!" He accused me immediately. I

suddenly felt guilty for leaving but I... really wanted to spend time with Clyden.

Huling nakasama ko siya noong pumunta ako sa bahay namin noon. After that, weeks
passed by without spending even a moment with him. We just talked through text and
sometimes, he would call in between his shift. I hadn't seen him for so long
already so I wanted to spend the night with him.

It was fine, right?! Okay lang naman kila Luna? Oh my, I felt like I was betraying
them for a man.

"Invited din sila sa bachelorette?" He asked, pointing at the two room cleaners.
"Hindi ko sila kilala, ah. Kaibigan ni Yanna?"
"Stupid! That's room service!" I told him. "Anyway, I really need to go now. Call
me if you need me."

"Nagmamadali ka, girl?" He raised a brow.

"I'm sleepy na," I lied.

"Sige. May natira pa bang alak dito? Tawagan ko si Arkin para may kasama ako.
Inuman kami." He smirked and looked around for some bottles. Kumaway ulit ako sa
kaniya bago lumabas ng suite.

I had to check why Clyden was taking so long so I went to their suite and swiped
the card before going inside. My brows furrowed when I saw Clyden and Haze, trying
to make Kalix stand up by putting his arms around their shoulders.

"Oh..." Clyden looked surprised to see me. "Were you waiting? I'm sorry."

"I won't invite this kid next time. He's stressing me the fuck out." Haze sighed
and put Kalix on the couch.
"Damn, is he okay?" I asked, worried about him. "You should call someone to take
him home. I can call Adonis, his friend."

"I'll take care of it." Haze sat on the couch and got himself a glass of whiskey.
"Just go." The side of his lips rose up when he looked at me and then at Clyden
like he knew we were leaving together!

"Let's go." Clyden put his hands around my waist, dragging me with him out of the
suite. Hindi na 'ko nakapagpaalam kay Haze dahil doon!

We went inside the elevator silently. There was already tension around us so I
couldn't bear to talk. We arrived at my hotel room and I opened it using the card.
I went inside and put my bag on the couch. Clyden also put his bag beside it before
taking a seat. I also took off my heels and he took off his shoes.

"Was it fun?" He suddenly asked me, leaning his arm on the couch. His legs were
apart and his other hand was on his thigh. He looked so good tonight. He smelled
good too. Hindi ko naaamoy ang alak sa kaniya maybe because he didn't drink that
much.

"Yeah, but it was chaotic. I feel bad for Yanna. I don't know if she had fun or
not." My party turned out to be a disaster! I was expecting that already but I
still felt guilty for letting it happen.

"Did you have fun with those men?" He raised a brow. "Body shots, huh? Did they
taste good, hmm?"
"Uhm..." I played with my fingers. I was standing in front of him while he was
staring through my soul. I didn't know how to answer that! He didn't even look mad!
"I just did that because Luna asked me to."

"I don't mind." He shrugged and moved his fingers over his lips. "As long as you
had fun with them. Did you?"

"Y-yes." I nodded. I didn't understand why I was so nervous! He wasn't even mad but
my heart was racing so fast. It was crazy.

"Do you mind extending the fun with me?" He asked, reaching for my wrist.

I yelped when he suddenly pulled me and I ended up straddling his hips. He spread
his legs wider so I was pushed closer to him. I looked at him in surprise,
anticipating his next move. We were staring at each other for so long until I felt
his hand brushing on my thigh. He moved closer and buried his face on my neck.

I bit my lower lip so I wouldn't make a sound. His hand started moving upwards,
pushing the hem of my dress until it revealed my pair of lingerie underneath. He
looked at it before moving his hands to my neck. My eyes automatically closed when
my mouth came in contact with his.

I could hear my heart beating! The room was so quiet and the only thing I was
hearing was the sound of our kisses. He held a handful of my hair and pulled me
closer to him, burying his tongue inside my mouth while his other hand went on my
back to unzip my dress.

He made me stand up so I can remove my dress in front of him. I was embarrassed

because he was watching me intently but I still did it, leaving me on my lingerie.
The side of his lips rose up as he stood up to push me against the wall, his hand
on the back of my head. He kissed me again and sucked on my tongue to distract me
from his hand on my chest.

"I saw your magazines," he whispered while kissing me on my neck. He traced it with
his tongue before biting and sucking a little, careful not to leave marks.

"Yeah? D-did you like it?" I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"It wasn't helping." He looked at me again before removing the hook of my lingerie.
My eyes widened when he pulled it down and removed it, piling them up on my feet.
In just a second, I was already completely naked in front of him! "You look sexy,"
he told me.

"Ah..." I bit my lower lip to stop a moan when he went down and started sucking on
my mound while massaging the other one. He played with it with his tongue and
fingers, tugging and biting them softly. Just... Just how did he learn this?

"Do you want to shower with me?" He asked.

I had no choice but to nod! He opened the restroom and pulled me inside, pushing me
lightly inside the shower room while he stayed out to remove his clothes. I had to
look away so I wouldn't thirst too much! Binuksan ko ang shower at nagulat pa 'ko
kaya napaatras.

Oh my gosh, I felt so awkward. I was naked! I covered my chest while letting the
water travel through my body. I yelped when Clyden suddenly wrapped his arms around
me, pulling me to him. Our bodies touched and I felt his... shaft poking on my
behind.

He got the showerhead and washed his body too. The water was traveling down until
we were already both wet. He pushed his hair back before moving the showerhead
down. I let out a moan when he put it near my legs. My knees suddenly became weak
so his hold on my waist tightened to support my weight.

"Move it away," I told him.

"Hmm? Why?" He whispered, kissing my neck from behind.

I was so sensitive down there! I felt relieved when he put the showerhead back but
that relief suddenly faded when his hand moved in between my legs. I covered my
mouth when he inserted a finger inside, feeling how wet I was inside.

"You can moan," he told me while his finger was slowly thrusting inside me.
I couldn't move! His arm was wrapped on my waist and our bodies were touching. I
moaned louder when he inserted two fingers inside. He was like spreading me! He
even pushed my other feet to the side so I would spread my legs wider while
standing.

"Cy, please," I begged.

"Is this fun?" He asked me.

When I didn't answer, he started thrusting his fingers deeper and faster inside me.
If he wasn't holding me, I would have already fallen on the floor! I had to put my
hand against the wall to support my weight. I arched my back when his hand went up
from my waist to my neck. He made me face him while choking me a bit so he can kiss
my lips.

His thumb started massaging my clit before pushing his fingers inside again. I was
moaning against his mouth until I felt my release. He let go of me while I was
panting, holding on to the wall. He did me so well and he looked satisfied with it.

"We aren't finished yet."

He moved closer and caged me against the wall. He kissed me again, holding my jaw
to make me open my mouth. I pushed my tongue inside him while my hands traveled
from his chest down to his abdomen, feeling his muscles right there. He looked down
while kissing me when I held on his shaft.
I touched the tip so he had to stop kissing me. He put his hand on the side of my
head while looking down on my hand. I stroked his large shaft repeatedly.

"Fuck," he whispered, burying his face on my neck.

I moved my hands faster until he was already moaning my name. I knew he was already
close when he pulled my wrist away from him. I pouted and glared at him.

"Do you take pills?" He asked now.

"Yeah..." I told him.

As soon as I answered, he suddenly hooked his arms around my legs to carry me. I
was forced to wrap my arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall. My back was against
the wall, supporting my weight too. I bit my lower lip when I felt his tip in
between my legs. He was careful not to hurt me but I felt impatient.

"Please, just... Go..." I begged. "Ah!" I yelled in pain when he really pushed
himself inside me. When I looked down, I saw that it wasn't all of him yet.
He slowly took it out before pushing more inside me. I closed my eyes in pain as he
tried to distract me from kissing me. I moaned against his mouth when I felt him
moving slowly while I was adjusting.

"Is this okay?" He asked.

I looked down on his lips and kissed him deeper. I bit his lower lip and sucked it
while he was thrusting slowly inside me. The pain was already gone and all I felt
was pleasure. It was so good. Finally... After years... I almost forgot what it
felt like.

"It feels so good," I moaned in his ear.

His eyes darkened as he stared at me. My lips parted when he let go of my other leg
so I just stood on one foot before he entered me deeply. I arched my neck and
looked up, closing my eyes.

"Just looking at your face right now could already make me come," he said.

"Oh!" My fingers scratched on his back when he started thrusting deeper and faster
inside me. My body was already being pushed up against the wall. We were both wet
from the shower so I could hear the sound of him going in and out of me.

He turned me around and placed my hands against the shower's glass wall before
entering me from behind. His other hand traveled to my chest to massage my mound
while he was thrusting inside me. I closed my eyes when I felt my stomach turning.

"I'm... I'm close... Ah..." I warned him.

He started massaging my clit with his thumb while pushing behind. I felt so full of
him! He didn't have any mercy and just straight up destroyed me. I wasn't even
complaining. It felt good.

"Can I come inside?" His voice sounded so hot.

"Yes, please." I cursed myself for sounding like a different woman!

I covered my mouth when I felt my release. His thrusts also became sloppy so I
figured out that he was already near. One deep thrust and I already felt something
hot inside me. It traveled down to my legs until he pulled it out.

When I looked at him, his chest was heaving. He pushed his wet hair back while
panting. There were also droplets of water traveling down his body. I bit my lower
lip and looked away, feeling embarrassed now. Was I loud? Oh my gosh.

"Come on. Let's wash up." He pulled me with him.

It was really embarrassing but I had to shower with him before going back to the
bedroom in my robe. I sat down on the bed and tried to stop my legs from shaking.
Oh gosh. The pleasure was too much.

"Come here. I'll dry your hair." He gestured for me to sit down in front of the
mirror.

He was just wearing a pair of sweatpants and nothing on top. Medyo basa pa ang
buhok niya kaya may towel sa leeg. I just stayed silent while he was blow-drying my
hair. I stared at him through the mirror and he caught me.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yeah. It just hurts a little." I was so flustered. I couldn't be left with him
without thinking about what happened! Oh my gosh, my face heated again. The
sensation was still fresh inside me. I could still feel him.

"Maureen."

He stopped blow-drying my hair and held my chin to make me look up at him. He gave
me a soft kiss from behind.
"I love you," he whispered. "I still do."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

37 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Is she around?"

I rang the doorbell again. I was in front of Hiro's condo to look for Yanna after
checking out from the hotel, 'yung room tsaka 'yung suite. Sevi took the girls home
pala yesterday. I wasn't sure if Arkin came with him or not. Anyway, when I woke
up, Clyden already left since he had to go back to the hospital. He left a message
to say goodbye since he didn't want to wake me up. I also made sure to take a pill.

I had to get our gifts for Yanna and deliver them to her but she wasn't answering.
Wala ba sila ni Hiro? I rang the doorbell for the last time. Finally, narinig ko na
'yung steps sa loob. I smiled when the door opened but it immediately faded when I
saw Yanna with messy hair, only wearing Hiro's dress shirt. Mukhang inaantok pa.

"Nasa langit na ba 'ko?" She asked when she saw me, still half-asleep.

"Uh, you won't go there."

I laughed and pushed the door wider so I could bring the gifts inside. I wasn't
planning to stay since I felt like I was disturbing her beauty sleep. Maybe she
also had fun last night. A hickey was still visible on her collarbone.

"Kaya nga ako nagtataka, e. Sam, gumawa ka na ng kasalanan para kapag namatay tayo,
magkasama pa rin tayo," Yanna said, taking her seat on the sofa. Mukhang
nahimasmasan na siya.

"Here are your gifts. You should open them by yourself. Some are... inappropriate."
I scratched the tip of my nose. The girls already told each other what they bought
for her. All of them were adult things.

"Walang inappropriate kay Hiro. Okay lang 'yon." She closed her eyes again, trying
to go back to sleep.

"I was talking about Avi," I corrected her. I didn't see Avi around so I assumed
that she was still with Hiro's mom.

"Ano ba 'yan? Sex toy?" She whispered like someone would hear her. I just gave her
an awkward smile since I couldn't answer that one. Dapat ma-surprise siya
pagkabukas kaya hindi ko sasabihin kung ano ang laman. "Hay, nag-abala pa kayo."

"I need to go now. I have a shoot," I told her.

"Ah, kaya pala mukhang blooming ka kahit kakainom mo lang kagabi. Akala ko naman
nadiligan ka o ano." She sighed heavily.

I suddenly stopped walking when I heard what she said. I turned to her with my eyes
wide in surprise. How did she know? Was it that obvious? Napalingon din siya sa
'kin at nang marealize ang reaction ko, napatayo kaagad siya.

"Hindi nga?!" She yelled at me. "Totoo?! No joke?! Gagang 'to, nauna pang
nakarating ng langit kaysa sa 'kin!" She pointed at me and scowled.

"It just happened. I need to go now." Tumalikod na kaagad ako sa kaniya para
makatakas.

"Details!" She yelled but I already closed the door.

I drove to the studio and I immediately saw Francine waiting for me outside. Dali-
dali siyang pumasok sa loob kasama ako para maayusan. I greeted all the staff and
bumeso na rin sa director. There were other Filipino models there and some
celebrities. All of them looked at me when I walked inside so I felt awkward.

"Ang ganda niya," I heard another model whispering.

"Ngayon ko lang siya nakita in person. Pa-picture tayo mamaya."

It was so awkward to hear them talking about me so I already went inside the
dressing room to get my makeup done. Arah was busy taking some calls for me at the
back but she gave me a nod as a greeting. I sat and faced the mirror with Francine
beside me.

I was just browsing through social media when the door opened and two female
celebrities went inside. I glanced at them and they looked away. They were even
pushing each other. I looked at my phone again and scrolled.

"Uhm... Hello, Sam!" The other one stumbled beside me so I held her arm to keep her
on her feet.

"Oh my, are you okay?" I asked worriedly. Umayos kaagad siya ng tayo at hinatak
'yung kaibigan niya. They were familiar to me maybe because Arkin already worked
with these two on one of his movies.

"Can we take a pic?" The other celebrity asked. "It's my first time meeting you!
Nagta-tagalog ba siya?" She asked her friend. Pabulong 'yon pero narinig ko pa rin.

"Oo ata," her friend answered before turning to me. "I heard you're also friends
with Ate Clea and Kuya Arkin! I worked with them sa isa po nilang movie!"
Oh, I was right. "Sorry, hindi pa tapos ang makeup. You can wait outside," Arah
told them.

"Hey, it's fine." I waved my hands in front of me and stood up to take a picture.
It was just one take because Arah scared both of them. Pagkaalis nila ng dressing
room, napatingin ako kay Arah. "You're so mean!"

"I said it nicely," she defended herself. "See how famous you are right now? Nakita
kong mas marami nang nagse-search ng pangalan mo ngayon sa internet. It was
affected by your recent issue with Haze. Netizens like gossiping about other
people's love life."

"I hate being talked about." I sighed. "Have you already taken care of my New York
apartment?"

"Yes. I'm going there this weekend. Are you sure you want to leave? Final na?" She
asked again.

I touched the necklace hanging on my chest with the ring attached to it. It took me
a long time to answer but I still nodded. Clyden would understand. I will do this
for myself. I really wanted to do something for myself.

The shoot went well but I felt a little awkward because some people kept on staring
at me. Why? Did I look different today? I was conscious of my appearance. Normal
naman ako pag tinitignan ko sarili ko sa mirror. I remembered Yanna telling me that
I looked blooming. Was it the glow after... doing it?
My face heated while driving. I was on my way to the gym. I skipped two sessions so
my trainer went hard on me! It was still bearable. Thank goodness. After my time at
the gym, I went with Yanna for her wedding dress fitting.

"You look heavenly!" I complimented her when she went out of the dressing room.
Tinignan niya ang sarili niya sa salamin. It was an elegant wedding dress that
hugged her body. Medium length lang siya and it had lace sleeves too. I tied her
hair in a bun to see what she would look like.

"Okay lang ba 'to? Bakit ako kinakabahan? Hindi ko pa naman kasal!" She really
looked nervous.

"Yanna, ayusin mo itsura mo. Mukhang natatae ka tapos hindi mo malabas." We looked
at the man seated on the couch.

Oh, I forgot to say... Sevi came with us too just to have his opinion about it.
Wala rin naman daw siyang gagawin ngayon dahil meeting lang naka-schedule sa
kaniya.

"Sevi, ikaw mukha ka pa ring tae kahit sa normal mong pagmumukha." Yanna raised her
middle finger.

"Sabi pa naman nila magkamukha tayo." Sevi held his chin and looked up. "Alam mo
bang iyon na ang pinakamalalang insulto na narinig ko?"
"Oh, shut up you two. You kissed each other in high school." I stopped both of them
from arguing. Good thing Luna wasn't with us.

"Yuck!" Sevi made a disgusted face. "Sam, ano ba 'yang lumalabas sa bibig mo?
Nakaka-offend!"

I laughed and just helped Yanna take the wedding dress off. After that, we checked
the dresses made for the bridesmaids. We put it in boxes and I assigned Sevi to
deliver them to Kierra, Luna, and Via. Yanna will deliver the other boxes by
herself for her other friends from college and from the airline.

"Sinong best man ni Hiro? Si Shan o si Haze?" I asked Yanna.

"Si Shan. Ayaw ni Haze. Ang sabi niya ayaw niya raw tumayo sa harapan. Baka raw sa
kaniya mapunta 'yung atensyon." Yanna shrugged. I laughed at that because it was
something Haze would probably say.

"Ano ba ako rito? Taga-buhat?!" Reklamo ni Sevi sa likod namin. He was holding the
boxes in his arms. "Porket macho ako, ah..."

"He will talk about his biceps next," I whispered to Yanna.

"Tsaka porket ang angas ng biceps ko, gagantuhin n'yo ako!" Sevi continued.

"Sevi, ilang beses ko nang narinig 'yan sa 'yo. Hindi ka titigil?" Yanna threatened
him. "Reklamador ka! Pasalamat ka inimbita kita sa kasal ko!"

"Kaya lang naman ako pupunta para tignan kung mahihimatay ka kapag nabasbasan ka,"
Sevi fired back. Hindi talaga nagpapatalo.

"Bobo. Sana maiputan ka ng kalapati."

I just covered my ears and walked faster so I wouldn't hear them arguing anymore.
We arrived at a restaurant to meet the wedding planner. I participated and
suggested some changes for Yanna to have her ideal wedding. Malapit na ang kasal
kaya fina-finalize na lahat ngayon.

Yanna will have a beach wedding in Palawan where she and Hiro traveled years ago so
we had to clear our schedules for her. Because we will stay there for days, I knew
Clyden couldn't go. Tinanong ko pa rin siya while eating dinner at the restaurant.

From: Doctor Ramirez

I'm sorry. I really want to but I can't go.

To: Doctor Ramirez

It's okay. I knew that already but I still wanted to ask you. Have you eaten your
dinner na? I hope you're eating well.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Not yet.

To: Doctor Ramirez

I'll bring you food!

I wanted to do that for him too! I ordered a take-out from the restaurant while
Yanna was talking to the wedding planner. Sevi was just silently eating his food.
He ordered na parang may fiesta because Yanna said she would pay for it.

Sevi suddenly choked on his food when he saw a man entering the restaurant. Naubo-
ubo na siya at muntik pang madura mula sa bunganga niya 'yung pagkain. I looked at
him in worry before giving him a glass of water. So... Hiro just arrived.

He looked around and went to our table as soon as he saw Yanna. He sat beside her
and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I had to look away! They were too sweet! I felt
jealous!
"C.R lang ako," paalam ni Sevi bago tumayo at umalis. I laughed and sipped on my
shake.

The wedding planner already went home after the meeting so I was left with the two
lovebirds. Pagkabalik ni Sevi, hindi na siya makakain nang maayos. He ordered too
much to tease Yanna without knowing that it was actually Hiro who will pay for our
food. I had to laugh at that.

"You should eat more," Hiro told him, his hand on Yanna's waist.

"Ah, okay na 'ko. Busog na 'ko." Sevi looked away in embarrassment.

"Diba may order ka pang dessert?" Yanna arched a brow. "Pa-serve mo na."

"Huh? Hindi, ah! Hindi ako nag-order ng dessert! Si Sam 'yon!" He suddenly accused
me!

I looked at him in confusion but I still saved him from his misery. I nodded and
claimed that it was mine. I just asked him to share the dessert with me kahit sa
kaniya naman 'yon. Hiro didn't care. Sevi was just scared of him kaya ganoon.

"How's your boyfriend?" Hiro asked me. "Did he enjoy my bachelor's party? He didn't
even drink that much."
"Well, he's not much of a drinker." Boyfriend? Oh... Clyden told me that he still
loved me last night but I fell asleep without answering him back. He didn't even
wait for it. He wasn't expecting me to say it back. "Did he have fun with the
girls?"

"No, he completely ignored them." Hiro laughed. "He looked innocent."

I suddenly remembered what happened last night! Innocent?! No way! He just looked
like it but he really improved his performance! Saan niya natutunan 'yon? Was he
having sex with other women while I was away?

"Innocent pa nga," Yanna whispered, glancing at me.

I looked at my phone to check the time before standing up, taking the paper bags
with me. Sevi looked at me with wide eyes like I just betrayed him.

"I have to go now. He's waiting for me," paalam ko sa kanila.

"Ako rin! Hinihintay na rin ako!" Sevi stood up too.

"Nino, mars? Multo?" Yanna raised a brow.

I just laughed and waved before walking away. Sevi followed me from behind until we
reached the parking. Kumaway na rin ako sa kaniya bago sumakay sa sasakyan ko.
Medyo natagalan ako because I was stuck in the traffic. Before getting off the car,
I wore a cap and a facemask just to be safe.

Clyden texted me to go to their office so roon ako dumiretso. I stayed outside the
room he gave me and was too shy to knock. I was just about to text him when the
door opened and he came out wearing his white coat and specs. He looked surprised
to see me there.

"Were you waiting here?" He asked, leaving the door open. I looked past him and saw
other doctors there, probably residents like him too. I saw a younger one so
probably intern naman. May dalawang doctor na natutulog sa couch at sa desk.

"I'm sorry. It's already late. I was stuck in traffic," I apologized. "Uh, I
brought enough food for you... and your colleagues."

"Thank you. Come inside for a moment." He took the paper bags from my arms before
holding my hand, pulling me with him.

Was I even allowed there? I felt like I was stepping inside a restricted area.
Being surrounded by doctors was intimidating! Clyden placed the paper bag on the
table so the other doctor woke up. He looked around and yawned.
"Uy, may pagkain! Thanks, Doc!" Nagising kaagad siya.

"Eat up, everyone," he told them. "It's from her." He pointed at me too.

My eyes widened when they started thanking me, gathering around the table. I just
nodded since they wouldn't see my smile under my mask. Clyden took a call so he
walked away from me for a moment.

"Girlfriend ka po ni Doc?" The younger one asked me. "Akala ko single siya sa
sobrang busy niya! Na-wow mali ako roon, ah!"

"Oh, I... I guess." I didn't know how to answer that. We didn't talk about it. I
wasn't even expecting to have a label since aalis din naman ako. We were just
enjoying our time together. "Is he doing good?"

"Kulang sa tulog pero lahat naman po kami!" The younger lady laughed. "Siya po
pinakamasipag dito kahit..." She leaned closer to whisper. "...anak siya ng may-
ari!"

Oh, like I didn't know that. I just laughed because she looked so thrilled by
knowing that. Was it a secret? He was literally carrying the surname with him.
"I'll step out for a bit and do my rounds," Clyden told them before pulling me with
him outside.

"Weh!" The man shouted.

I gave them a wave before getting dragged by Clyden. He wore his stethoscope around
his neck and held a folder on his other hand.

"I bought the food for you tapos hindi ka rin kakain?" I pouted.

"I'll eat it later. I saved one for myself. Don't worry," he assured me.

I thought we were going to the ward but he bought popsicles for us instead. We sat
on the metal bench in an empty hallway while eating. Isa iyon sa mga hindi busy na
lugar sa hospital. It was just beside the sliding door to the hospital's garden.

"I never dated anyone in the hospital. So this is a thing now?" I took off my mask
and gave him a smile.

"Well, we're going to meet here a lot." He leaned his head on the wall while eating
a popsicle. I just stared at him and admired him in his white coat. He had his name
on the side too. I couldn't help but feel proud of him.
"It's already late but congratulations on topping the boards." It hit different
because I was there when he was struggling with his studies in med school. Nakita
ko kung paano niya pinaghirapan lahat ng 'yon.

"I was actually expecting you to leave a message that day." He let out a small
laugh. "How stupid, right?"

"No." I shook my head. "I was also planning to congratulate you but I felt
embarrassed because you might think that I'm weird or something."

"Were you proud of me?" He looked at me and arched a brow.

"Of course!"

He nodded and looked away. "As long as you are proud of me... My sacrifices are all
worth it."

I didn't get what he said. I just leaned my head on his shoulder and he played with
my hand. We stayed silent for a few more minutes before he received a call and had
to go back to his job. I stood up and reminded him to eat and sleep before I left.
"Hey." He held my wrist when I was about to walk away.

I was about to talk when he pulled me with him and gave me a soft kiss. I was so
shocked I had to step back when he let go of me. I touched my lips with my fingers,
blinking twice to go back to my senses.

"Take care, love," he said, kissing my forehead.

I already went home after that and had my good night's sleep because he called me
'love' after so many years. It was like a lullaby. Music to my ears.

Weeks passed by until the day before Yanna's wedding came. We had to fly to Palawan
in just one flight together with the visitors. Nauna na roon si Hiro and 'yung
friends niya to see the venue. Haze was also there to help him.

"Tita-Ninang, clouds," Avrielle told me, pointing outside the plane's window.

"Do you like clouds, Avi?" I asked her, putting the magazine down. Yanna was
napping beside her. Nasa gitna naming dalawa si Avrielle.

"Yes. I want to be a pilot! Like Daddy!" Avrielle giggled.

Akala ko gusto niya maging model? Nag-iiba ang gusto niya depende sa kung sino ang
nakakasama niya. That was what Yanna said. We weren't pressuring the child to know
what she wanted for her future. We will still support her no matter what.

Everyone went to their own rooms after arriving in Palawan. Kierra and Via stayed
together, and then Sevi tsaka Luna. I stayed with Yanna in one large room. I heard
Kalix couldn't come because may important siyang aattendan sa court.

"Are you nervous?" I asked Yanna the night before her wedding.

"Sinong hindi kakabahan?" She looked at me. "Sayang. Akala ko ikaw 'yung una kong
makikitang ikakasal sa atin. Hindi sana ako kakabahan nang ganito kapag na-
experience mo na."

"Well, shit happens." I shrugged.

I was about to sleep when I heard Luna's voice outside. I opened the door and saw
her walking back to their room just beside ours. Nasa likod niya si Sevi na dala-
dala 'yung tsinelas niya. Basa silang dalawa at mukhang naligo pa sa beach.

"I told you guys to sleep. Early tayo tomorrow!" I warned them.
"E, pucha, hinatak ako, e!" Sevi complained. "Sabi ko hindi ako maliligo, tinulak
ba naman ako! Kung hindi ka ba naman isa't kalahating hayop, Natasha."

"Ayos mo, Vincent." Luna emphasized Sevi's second name too. "Tunog pangalan ng 7
years old na kalbo."

"I shouldn't have put you together." I massaged my head. "Sleep na kaagad ha," I
reminded them before closing the door again.

"Ikaw kasi, e!" Narinig ko pang sisi ni Sevi sa labas ng pinto.

We woke up early in the morning to prepare for the wedding. Inaayusan na si Yanna
sa loob ng room pagkabalik ko galing sa may beach side. Chineck ko lang kung okay
na lahat. Last week, Hiro's mom announced the wedding so rumors about Avrielle and
I got cleared. Because of that wedding announcement, they wanted me to marry Haze
too!

I did my own makeup already and wore my dress before helping Yanna with her wedding
dress. She looked so fabulous. We took some photos along with the girls and Sevi.
Arkin couldn't come because of his busy schedule... Not like it was anything new.
Dahil ba talaga roon or he had other reasons?

"Galingan mo, ah," Kierra told Yanna.

"Magkaka-asawa ka na..." Via touched Yanna's shoulders. "Tumatanda ka na, ah. Bakit
ganoon?"

"Yanna, sa you may kiss the bride, easy-han mo lang, ha. May mga bata. Keep it PG,"
Luna reminded her.

Yanna just rolled her eyes. She was busy reading her vows over and over again. In
just a few more minutes, we already went to the venue and lined up to walk on the
carpet. I looked at Haze in front of me.

"Hello, princess," he greeted me, smirking.

He was wearing a black tux that was personally tailored for him because it hugged
his body well. Shan went beside me and offered his arm while waiting for our
entrance.

"So are you back together?" Haze asked me again.

"Not completely," I honestly answered. "Why? Are you waiting for us to get back
together or something? Are you playing cupid now?"
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "That's not my thing at all."

Soon after he was gone, I walked with Shan and went to our seats. Before Yanna came
in, Avrielle walked first, throwing flowers while smiling. She looked excited. When
Yanna walked in with her mom, I felt like crying my eyes out. Her grandma already
passed away years ago so wala rito.

"Sam, hindi pa nagsisimula, naiiyak ka na." Via handed me a handkerchief. I just

laughed and took it to wipe my tears. Pakiramdam ko ako 'yung kinakasal, ah!

Hiro smiled and looked away because he had the urge to cry too. Yanna stopped in
front and held on Hiro's arm. Shortly after, the ceremony already started and I did
what we practiced. Pumupunta ako sa harapan kapag kailangan. I cried during Yanna's
vow because it was one of the moments when I saw her being emotional. She poured
her heart out in words.

"I choose you always, and in all ways. I, Ashianna Kim Fernandez, take you, Akihiro
Leonel Juarez, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for
better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and
to cherish, from this day forward until death do us part."

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. I had to look down to wipe my tears
too. Because Yanna cried, Avrielle cried with her too. She thought Yanna was hurt
or something. Sevi had to go to Avrielle to carry her with him, pinapatahan.

I felt so emotional the whole wedding and I couldn't help but think that if I
didn't break up with Clyden, we would be in front of the altar too. Mas mauuna pa
kami kay Yanna. I wanted to spend my whole life with him too but we still couldn't
right now. Both of us needed to be stable first. It wasn't the right time.

They had their first kiss as husband and wife. I felt so happy for them. After
that, I went back to the hotel room to help Yanna change into a casual dress while
everyone went to the reception. I suddenly gave her a hug before leaving and she
hugged me back.

"I love you always," I whispered.

"Mas pinapaiyak mo 'ko kaysa kay Hiro, Sam." Yanna laughed. "I love you too! Huwag
mo 'ko iiwan kahit kailan, ah."

"Of course." I nodded and let her go. "Now let's go. Our makeup will be ruined."

We went to the reception and started the program by doing a dance dedicated to
Yanna. It was just a simple dance from the bridesmaids, and then 'yung boys naman.
Later in the program, I was called to send a message to both of them as Yanna's
best friend. I already prepared for it but I still felt nervous.

"Well, hey to both of you," sabi ko habang hawak ang microphone. "So... I don't
know how to start. I just want to tell you, Hiro, that I am Avrielle's first Dad."
The audience laughed with me. Hiro gave me a smile.

I had so much to say but I couldn't put them into words. I just said what was on my
mind.

"I actually hated you back then because I saw how Yanna cried her eyes out every
night because of you. Ever since you started that little 'deal' between the two of
you, I already knew that she would fall for you because who wouldn't?" I shrugged.
"But she wanted to prove that she was strong. Ayun, tanga siya, e." They laughed
again.

"Atake ba 'to?" Yanna raised a brow.

"But kahit tanga siya, she loves you so much. Hiro, please take care of my best
friend. Not that you need me to remind you but she's very special to me. She may
look so strong on the outside but she's really fragile so please stop making her
cry because of pain. You can make her cry for other reasons..." I winked playfully.
"Kidding aside, I wish genuine happiness for both of you. Raise Avrielle well. I
will always be here if you need any help. Cheers."

I raised my glass before going back to the table. Next up was Shan's turn. He
looked like he also didn't know what to say. Haze definitely displayed the same
facial expression when it was his turn to speak. All he did was tease Hiro about
twisting Yanna's schedule in the airline.

We ate and then finished the program. It was already time to drink. It wasn't a
very private wedding since Hiro's mom also invited some of their friends and
relatives. There were also some business partners invited. May mga kaibigan din
siguro ni Haze. Kami-kami na lang magkakasing-age ang natira. Avrielle already went
back to the room with Hiro's mom.

To: Doctor Ramirez

Are you done with your shift?

I was just standing there at the corner, watching the girls have fun while waiting
for Clyden's text.

"Champagne?" Haze suddenly appeared beside me, handing me a glass.

I took it and just held it while staring at the visitors. "Thank you. What are you
doing here? Go have fun with them."

"I'm trying to find my type." He shrugged and looked around. "Can you recommend
someone for me?"

I also looked around for some women that would suit his type. I definitely skipped
the girls, of course! Hindi sila pwedeng maging target ni Haze! Never! I would
smack his face with my fist!

"How about that one?" He pointed at the man in tux holding a bottle of whiskey. I
wasn't familiar with him but he looked really attractive.

"For me?" I asked, confused.

"For me, dummy." He chuckled and took a sip on his champagne.

"What?" Napakunot ang noo ko. "I thought you liked women." Was I wrong? But I saw
him flirting a lot of times.

The side of his lips rose up, forming a smirk but he hid it underneath his glass.
After taking a sip, he looked at me again and leaned closer, holding my chin.

"Yeah, I can do both." He whispered in my ear and gave me a wink before walking
away to walk towards the man he was pointing to earlier.

Did he just out himself to me? That was so smooth I didn't even notice. I just
smiled at myself and went to the girls. They were socializing with the other guys
now so I joined their table.

They were already playing truth or dare like teenagers. Sumali pa si Hiro at Yanna
and all of their dares were so wild and dirty. I chose truth earlier when the
bottle landed in my direction. They just asked if Haze and I were in a relationship
and I said no.

"Truth," Yanna answered. "Para maiba naman."

"Sinong first kiss mo?" Luna asked and laughed hysterically because she already
knew the answer.

Yanna nervously glanced at Hiro before taking a shot, refusing to answer the
question. I saw Hiro whispering. Tinatanong siguro niya kay Yanna but she just
shook her head. I looked at Sevi and saw him pinching Luna's waist.

"Aray ko, gagong 'to!" Luna hit him on his arm.

They spun the bottle again until it landed on me. "Truth," I told them.

"Nag truth ka na kanina. Dare na ngayon," Shan said. What? May ganoon bang rule?
Were they trying to fool me?

"Okay." I sighed heavily. It was Kierra giving the dare so it should be okay. "Dare
na. Geez, we're not teenagers anymore."

Luna leaned and whispered something to Kierra. Via also joined and I saw her
shaking her head. What? Was it that bad?! Kinabahan kaagad ako!

"Okay!" Kierra went back to her seat. "Send an extreme confession to the last
person you texted! Something you haven't told anyone yet! Kahit si Yanna!"

What the heck. I checked my phone again and the last person I texted was Clyden. I
didn't know if I would be glad or not! What kind of message should I send?! Damn! I
started typing... pero hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.

Bahala na.

To: Doctor Ramirez

I still want to marry you and have kids with you.

I closed my phone and put it above the table before covering my face in
embarrassment. They all laughed at me after checking the message that I sent.

"Napaka wholesome naman," reklamo ni Yanna.

"It's an extreme confession!" I defended myself.

I stood up to get some more wine. While drinking one, my phone beeped. I almost
choked on it, making me cough.
From: Doctor Ramirez

Are you drunk?

Oh my gosh. That was a better excuse but I didn't want to lie.

To: Doctor Ramirez

It's a confession.

I was so nervous when I sent the message. He replied so fast! My eyes widened after
reading his reply.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Do you love me?

I stared at my phone for a long time, typing 'Yes' but after remembering that I
will leave for New York, I deleted it again.

From: Doctor Ramirez

Nevermind. Don't say it. It's better this way.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

38 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"What are you doing out here?"

I looked back and saw Haze walking towards my direction, holding an unfinished
bottle of wine. It was already midnight and I still couldn't sleep so I took a
stroll around the beach. Nakaupo ako sa buhanginan, suot pa 'yung dress ko kanina.

He took off his coat and placed it on my shoulders before sitting beside me. He
pushed back his hair and gave me a playful smile before sipping the wine through
the bottle. He looked a little messy. His dress shirt was crumpled a bit and there
were too many buttons opened. I could see his chest.

"You had a rough night or something?" I raised a brow.

"Well, it was kind of rough." He looked up, pretending that he was thinking before
laughing.

So... He got his hot guy earlier, huh. I wondered how he did it. I mean, he could
get both men and women on their knees with just the way he talked. He was too
smooth and he looked really confident in himself. It was just that settling for
good wasn't really his thing.

"Thank you for... trusting me." I gave him a smile. I was referring to the moment
when he outed himself. For sure it was not easy for him.

"Only my friends and family know I'm bisexual. You should feel honored." He
playfully winked and then laughed again.

"Clyden doesn't?" I asked again.

"No, he doesn't. But I'm not necessarily hiding it from other people. It's just
what it is." He shrugged. "If they asked, I would have answered honestly. I am seen
with other men a lot."

"You're right." I nodded and looked in front again.

"Why did you ask? Are you jealous of me?" He teased, laughing. "I know I'm hot and
a flirt sometimes but I do not like your guy. Dude, I have a type. I don't like
messing with those damn fucking kids."

"I'm not jealous." I hit him lightly on his arm.

He chuckled and drank on his wine bottle again. We were just silently watching the
waves come and go like we were in some movie. I was thinking of the message Clyden
sent. I didn't know how to reply to that. I was well aware that I was bound to
leave but it still hurt me to think that he would be left here again.

"What's your type?" I asked him. I just want to distract myself from my own
thoughts.

"In women or in men?" He raised a brow. I shrugged and said both. "Well, it's
pretty simple in women. You."

Napakunot ang noo ko at lumingon sa kaniya. Was that a question or was he really
referring to me? His tone did not go up so it was probably not a question, right?

"I liked you at first glance." He stared at me back and flashed a sexy smile. "But
I don't like getting caught in some love life tragedy. It's a hassle."

"Did you really like me or you just wanted a one night stand?" I raised a brow.
Whenever I saw him flirting with other people, they always ended up in bed. That
was his definition of 'like'.

"Well..." He clicked his tongue against his teeth, thinking. "I genuinely liked
you. You were really adorable."
"Honestly, I would have fallen for you too if I didn't meet Clyden but I was glad I
met him before you. You would probably just hurt me or leave me in tears." He would
break my heart if that happened. I knew that already. He just couldn't settle.

"You're right. I am not up for long relationships." He placed the empty bottle
beside him and supported his weight using both of his hands on his side. He looked
at the waves again while his hair was being blown away by the wind. "Something
bothering you?"

"Well, I'm leaving for New York in a few weeks. I want to settle there. Mas maganda
ang bayad at hindi na rin ako mapapagod magpabalik-balik. I was already planning to
live there before but I had to consider Avrielle so I stayed here. I'm just worried
about Clyden," I opened up to him. We were already that comfortable with each
other.

"I'm sure he can manage. I heard he's also busy with his residency. Even if you
stay here, your relationship with him will still be temporary. That guy is
passionate about his dreams and you should be too."

"I am. It's the first time I'm doing something good for myself but it just pains me
to leave him again. Sana hindi ko na lang binalikan kung iiwan ko lang din, 'di ba?
But he said I should still hold on to him even if I will leave him in the end."

"He already knows you're leaving beforehand?" He asked and I nodded. "Then if he's
aware, he should already be prepared for it. You're a woman of your own. If you
want to settle somewhere else, then do it. It's your life. You control it the way
you want it to be."
"You're right." I sighed heavily and hugged my knees. "It's selfish to actually
make him wait for me, right? I should just let him go if I do not have plans on
coming back."

"Well, I don't know. I'm not him but if I were really in love with you, I won't
need you to ask me to wait. I would wait without you telling me because I'm fucking
dumb. He'll move on if he wants to," he casually said. Everything was so easy for
him. I felt jealous. It must be nice to not have any lingering feelings, huh?

"You're a genius," I joked. "It must be how you got your guy earlier."

"Damn right." He smirked and traced his lower lip with his finger. "Good thing he's
not straight."

After a few more moments, I yawned, feeling sleepy so I already stood up and gave
back his coat to him. He also stood up and walked with me back to my room. He had
his own suite in another building.

"I must go now. That guy might already wake up." He stopped in front of my door.

"Oh, he's still there?" I raised a brow.

"Uh, yeah. I guess he got tired and fell asleep so I stepped out for a moment.
Anyway, bye. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave me a short wave before leaving with
his hands inside his pockets. His walk alone screamed dominance. Haze was really
something.

I went inside the room and took a shower. I wasn't with Yanna anymore since she
moved in with Hiro in another room. Their honeymoon should be in Europe but I was
guessing that they already got excited and spent the night together. Well, it was
their first night of being a married couple.

The next morning, I woke up early because I heard loud banging on the door.
Napatayo kaagad ako, panicking. Hindi pa 'ko nakakapaghilamos, binuksan ko na
kaagad ang pinto. Sevi and Luna were in front of the door, smiling like kids. They
were wearing their swimming attire.

"What?" I asked, still half-asleep.

"Sam, kapag ba nilinis ko ang vacuum isa na rin akong vacuum cleaner?" Sevi
suddenly asked.

I was still half-asleep so I really didn't understand what he was saying. I only
heard gibberish stuff so I just gave him a nod and closed my eyes again. Minsan,
hindi ko na rin maintindihan 'yung dalawa.

I heard Luna's loud laugh before banging on the door again just to wake me up. I
opened my eyes again and glared at both of them. I slept late last night! Ano bang
trip nila ngayong umaga?
"Narito kami para humiram ng sunblock!" Luna announced. "At para ayain kang mag-
swimming! Nandoon na silang lahat! Come on, Sam! You should join!"

"Okay, I will. Give me a minute." I closed the door again.

I had to go take a shower again and change into a two-piece bikini before going out
to the beach with a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Nilapag ko ang towel at sunblock
sa may white lounge chair at pinagpyestahan naman 'yon nila Luna. They ran out of
sunblock, huh. Even Via?

"Ayaw kami pahiramin ni Via! Damot!" Luna pouted.

"Paano, ginagawa n'yong sabon," Via fired back. "Pagbalik sa 'kin, kalahati na
lang."

"Shinashampoo pa ata ng dalawa," Kierra said. Nakahiga lang siya sa may lounge
chair under a big umbrella. She was also wearing a pair of bikini.

I looked around and saw Yanna playing with Avrielle on the beach. Avi was running
on the sand and Yanna was chasing her. Hiro was with Shan and their other friends,
nag-iihaw ng barbecue sa tabi. So all of them were really here. Ako na lang pala
ang late nagising... pati si Haze. I didn't see him around.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Avrielle sounded like she was about to cry when she ran towards
Hiro. Yanna still chased her, laughing. She was probably teasing her daughter
again. "Waaa! Daddy!"

Avrielle hugged Hiro's leg and hid behind him. Hiro gave the barbecue stick to Shan
and carried Avrielle with him, asking what happened. I looked away and just put
sunblock on my body. I felt jealous again. They were so happy... But at least I
wasn't the only one who felt jealous!

"Sana everyone," Sevi whispered.

"Hope langis," Luna whispered too.

"Kayo na lang kaya?" Kierra asked both of them and then laughed in a teasing
manner. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling too. Via just grinned and
hid it with the back of her hand.

"Past is past." Sevi put his hand on his chest and closed his eyes, acting like he
was hurt. Luna lightly punched him on his arm and they laughed.

"Hindi mo sure. Baka may bumalik sa 'yo, Sevirous." Luna smirked.

"Baka sa 'yo rin," Via said.

"E, sa 'yo?" I asked her too.

She just looked at me and shook her head, laughing a bit. After that, I went to
Yanna and pulled her with me to the beach along with the other girls. Sevi was
dragged out by Neil, Hiro's friend so he was forced to join the guys.

We took group pictures together with Avrielle and also supported each other by
taking each other's solo photos. They all teased me and pushed me away when it was
my turn.

"Ganda, Sam. Parang bagay sa 'yo mag-model," Sevi joked.

"Really?" I raised a brow. "You think so?"

"Pansin ko rin," Luna joined him too.

I went back to the lounge chair after that to check my phone. I opened the
notification when I saw Clyden's new message. Right, I forgot to text him this
morning. Huli niyang text 'yung kagabi na hindi ko rin nireplyan. Was he waiting
for my message? I felt bad.
From: Doctor Ramirez

Can you visit me tomorrow?

Tomorrow was our flight back in Manila. I quickly typed 'Sure!' and sent it to him.
I also changed his contact name to 'Clyden' so it wouldn't be too formal already. I
actually typed 'Love' first but I deleted it immediately.

"Grabe si Avrielle! Daddy's girl na!" Reklamo ni Yanna sa 'kin pagkaupo sa chair. I
looked around and saw Avrielle with Hiro. Her dad was feeding her barbecue.

"Are you jealous because of Avi or are you jealous because of Hiro?" I laughed.

"Oo nga 'no!" She looked at me with wide eyes. "'Di, joke lang. Anyway, Sam, thank
you nga pala dahil pumayag kang alagaan muna si Avi habang wala kami ni Hiro. Kapag
may schedule ka, pwede mo namang iwan sa Mommy ni Hiro kung hindi siya busy! Sorry
talaga!"

"Hey, it's fine. I really missed spending time with Avrielle." Yanna and Hiro will
be gone for a week and a half so I volunteered to take care of Avi while they were
away. I just wanted to spend time with the kid too before I leave for New York. She
will probably miss me.
The next day, we were all back to Manila. I drove to Yanna and Hiro's condo to get
Avi's things. I just sat on the couch while Yanna was packing her daughter's
clothes. They will immediately leave tonight. They just couldn't waste their time,
huh.

"You will go with Tita-Ninang muna, ha," Yanna told Avrielle.

"Yay! Tita-Ninang!" Avrielle went to me and sat on my lap. "I love Tita-Ninang!"

Yanna rolled Avi's little pink luggage with Rapunzel's face on it. Tumayo ako at
bumaba naman si Avrielle para kuhanin 'yung luggage niya. She looked happy to see
it. Nag-bilin kaagad si Yanna bago kami umalis.

"Huwag mong hayaang mapuyat kakanood ng cartoons, ha!" She reminded me. "Tsaka sabi
ni Hiro, i-regulate mo na raw sweets niya! Siraulo ka, pinakain mo last time ng
maraming chocolates! Hindi nakatulog!"

"I told you I didn't mean to do that! Nagulat na lang ako na kinuha niya 'yun sa
ref!" I defended myself.

"Avi, you won't say goodbye to Daddy?" Hiro appeared at the hallway. Avrielle
quickly ran to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She did the same to Yanna
before we left their unit.
Maaga pa naman and malapit pa lang mag lunchtime so I just ordered in a drive-thru
for Avi, Me, and Clyden dahil dadaan na 'ko roon pagkapalit ko ng damit sa condo.
Avrielle was eating ice cream at the backseat so she was quiet.

I just placed all our things in my condo and then changed into a simple sleeveless
top and a pair of comfortable linen wide pants partnered with white flats. I wore a
cap and a facemask before I drove to the hospital again with Avi. Hindi ko pa
kinakain 'yung dala ko para sabayan si Clyden. I also texted him that I was on my
way.

I also said that I was with Avrielle since I couldn't leave her anywhere. He said
it would be fine but children were allowed on certain floors only.

"Let's go, Avi."

I held her hand and walked inside the hospital. She was curiously looking around
and watching the people go into different directions. Everyone seemed so busy in
the hospital. I walked slower because Avi's legs were shorter than mine and she was
having a hard time catching up.

The sliding door to the reception of the new pediatric ward opened because Clyden
said he would just finish something there. I couldn't bring Avrielle inside but I
also couldn't leave her outside so I was planning to leave her in the reception
desk.

"Yes po?" The nurse in the reception asked when we entered.

"Oh, she's my patient. Hello, Avrielle." I felt relieved when I saw Doctor Lana who
was writing something on the reception counter. "How are you?"

"Dr. Lana!" Avi ran and hugged Dr. Lana's leg, hiding on her back.

"I'll just talk to Doctor Ramirez. It will be short. Avi, stay here with Dr. Lana,"
I told her, removing my mask.

"Doctor Ramirez?" The nurse whispered to the other nurse. "Si Samantha Vera 'yan
'di ba? Kamukha..."

"It will be short," I repeated but they looked really starstruck.

I took the opportunity to go to Clyden. He was on the nearest bed so the nurse
could still see me. It was a new ward so wala rin masyadong tao kaya pinayagan ako.
Siguro 3-5 lang ang occupied. Clyden just drew blood from a patient. I walked
closer to make sure that it was him but I stopped from a distance so I wouldn't
disturb him.

"Hey." I almost jumped in place when he suddenly greeted me without looking. How
could he notice my presence immediately? I was steps away from him!
"Hey. I'll just wait outside," I told him.

I told the nurse that I will be short so I wanted to leave already but Clyden
insisted that we should leave together.

"No need. I'm done." He stood up and took off his gloves before giving the kid a
smile and a pat on the head. "Good job, princess," he complimented. "I'll come back
later. You should eat your food."

"Hindi po masarap." The kid pouted. "Gusto ko na po umuwi." She started crying,
wiping her tears using the back of her hand.

"Hey..." Clyden sat down and wiped the kid's tears. "Uuwi ka na kapag magaling ka
na kaya kumain ka para lumakas ka. Sabi mo sa 'kin kahapon kakainin mo na 'yung
gulay sa pagkain, 'di ba?"

"Tita-Ninang," Avrielle said, suddenly appearing on my side. I looked back at Dr.

Lana and the nurses but they were busy discussing something. We would probably get
kicked out in a moment.

I looked at Avrielle who was watching the kid cry. She furrowed her brows in
concern before walking towards the kid, handing her the lollipop she was eating. I
laughed and moved her hand away.
"Avi, if you're going to give candy, it should be a new one," I told her. Nasa
bibig niya na tapos binibigay niya pa. I really loved this kid's innocence.

"Why are you crying?" Avrielle asked in her small voice. "Do you want a hug?"

The kid that was years older than Avrielle suddenly stopped crying to smile. She
gave Avi a pat on the head and asked her about her name and age. I turned to Clyden
who was watching us intently.

"Let's eat?" I asked Clyden.

He nodded and walked to the counter, talking to the nurses. I followed him, holding
Avrielle's hand. The nurses didn't take off their eyes on us until we left. We rode
the elevator and entered a fastfood restaurant. He got us a table and I placed our
food there. Clyden went to the cashier to buy drinks for us.

"Are you hungry again?" I asked Avrielle. Kumain na siya ng lunch kanina.

"Tita-Ninang, all of them wear Doctor Lana's clothes." She looked around and
pointed at people with a white coat. "I want that too."

"So you want to be a doctor now?" I raised a brow, laughing. This kid will explore
all careers, huh. It was fine since she was still young.

"They heal people?" She asked, looking at me with innocent eyes. "Like magic?"

"No, it's not really magic. They're just skilled," I told her. "You will study
years and years to master it."

I looked up when Clyden placed two bottles of water on the table and an apple juice
for Avrielle. She happily held it and tried to open the straw but she was
struggling so Clyden got it out of Avi's hands. Tinusok niya ang straw sa juice
bago binalik sa bata.

"Drink slowly," Clyden calmly said.

"Avi, this is Doctor Ramirez," I introduced him.

"Hello, Doctor!" Avi giggled and leaned over the table, putting her hands in front
of her to support her weight. "I will become like you!"

Clyden's lips formed a smile. "You want to become a doctor?" His hand automatically
went to Avi's side so she wouldn't fall. "Careful. You might hurt yourself."
"Her parents are out for their honeymoon so she'll stay with me for days," I
explained. "When are you free? Avi and I will go to an amusement park. Do you want
to come?"

"I'll see what I can do," Clyden said, opening the paper bags so we can already
start eating.

We ate while talking about work. Kinwento ko rin sa kaniya 'yung mga nangyari sa
kasal ni Yanna. He was listening intently, looking so interested. He looked tired
again today. Did he even sleep? Normal na siguro sa kaniya ang ganoong itsura.

"Doctor! Are you sick?!" Avrielle leaned on the table again and held Clyden's cheek
with her hand.

Clyden laughed and held Avrielle's wrist softly. "No, I'm not sick, Avi. How about
you? Are you feeling well?"

"Yes, Doctor!" Umayos ng upo si Avi at sumipsip ulit sa apple juice niya. "I am
fine, thank you," she said like na automated message. I taught her that. "Doctor
looks sick."

"He's just sleep-deprived, Avrielle. He couldn't sleep," I explained again.

"If you don't sleep, you won't get tall!" Avrielle pouted. "You should sleep so you
will grow like my Daddy!" Oh, damn. That was probably what Hiro said to her.

"Really? Thank you for that advice." Clyden smiled. "I will get lots of sleep."

Of course, that was a lie. I just shook my head and finished my food before
throwing them into the trash bin. When I went back, Avrielle was talking to Clyden
about her favorite characters in Frozen.

Clyden had to go back to work after lunch so he walked me out until we reached the
lobby. I gave him a smile and a wave. He looked at Avrielle with hesitant eyes
before leaning and giving me a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Call me," he whispered in my ear before letting me go.

"Daddy said you only kiss people you like." Avrielle looked at us with curiosity in
her eyes. "Do you like Tita-Ninang?"

Clyden bent down to be on the same level as Avi before giving her a pat on the
head. "Yes, I like your Tita-Ninang. Is that okay?"

"It's okay!" Avrielle smiled and even scrunched her nose.

We already left after saying goodbye to Clyden. The next day, I had a commercial
shoot so I brought Avrielle with me again. I dressed her up in a cute pink dress
and tied her hair in a pigtail. She was wearing her cute little backpack when the
van picked us up.

"Avi!" Francine looked so happy to see her. "You're here again, baby!"

"Hello po!" Avi greeted everyone.

She could easily get people's attention, especially in the studio. All of them
adored her and the staff even gave her food while I was preparing. Arah was the one
watching her so the kid wouldn't get lost.

"Avrielle, you kind of look like your Daddy!" A staff member complimented her.

"But Daddy said I look like Mommy." Right. Avrielle was a beautiful mixture of
those two. I stared at her for too long, imagining myself with a kid that looks
like Clyden. That would be so nice but I shouldn't get ahead of myself.

It was just a commercial for a skincare brand and it finished earlier than expected
since they were satisfied with the first three shots. Tumagal lang dahil inuulit-
ulit ang ibang scenes for different angles and style.
I already got permission from Arah to visit an amusement park with Avrielle but she
wanted me to go during a weekday to avoid the crowd. That morning, I picked up
Clyden straight from the hospital. He was wearing an oversized white shirt tucked
inside his navy blue smart pants. He opened the door to the shotgun seat and wore
his specs.

"Hey," he greeted me before looking at the backseat to see Avrielle. "Hello!"

"Hello, Doctor!" Avrielle greeted him back. Avrielle was really excited about
today.

I drove away and just listened to music on our way. Clyden took a nap during the
ride. Kulang na naman siguro ang tulog niya. He immediately woke up when I stopped
the car in the parking lot. We were just in time for the opening. I wore my cap and
shades before getting out of the car.

Avrielle held Clyden's hand while I was busy getting the tickets. Wala pang
masyadong tao pero may mga nakapila na. Sa dami naman ng tao, hindi na nila ako
mapapansin. No one would look at other people's faces one by one in crowded places.
I just had to blend in so I wore a simple white shirt and a pair of maong shorts. I
chose the most comfortable outfit.

"Bubbles!" Avrielle ran to the man selling balloons and bubbles when we went inside
the park, dragging Clyden with him.
Clyden bought her one so she smiled like crazy. Niluhod ni Cy 'yung isa niyang
tuhod para turuan si Avrielle kung paano gamitin. Avi only made small bubbles and
Cy made a big one so the kid was amazed and jealous.

Pumila na kaagad kami sa pinakasikat na ride for kids habang wala pang masyadong
tao. The waiting time is 25 minutes so we just lined up calmly. I leaned my elbows
on the railings while Clyden was in front of me, holding Avi's hand. I looked away
and lowered my cap when I saw the woman in front of us, staring.

"Girlfriend niya kaya?" I heard someone whispering.

"Baka asawa. May anak na sila, oh," the other girl said.

"Baka naman kapatid lang. Try mo tanungin. Ang gwapo, oh."

Okay, I thought they were staring because they were familiar with me but it was
just because of Clyden's looks. Why did he even fix his hair like that? It made him
look hotter. He was smiling a lot too because he was with a kid so that made him
approachable. Ano ako rito? Invisible?

"Oops! Sorry po!" The girl purposely threw her headband near us so she could get
the chance to move closer.
Clyden being Clyden picked it up for her and returned it. "Here," he said.

"Ah, thank you po! Anong year ka na, Kuya?" The girl asked smoothly. I let out a
small laugh and looked away. Did he look like a student? Well, he really looked
young.

"I'm a doctor," Clyden politely said.

"Ah..." The girl looked at me next. I had to turn my back slightly away from her,
scared that she would recognize me. "Asawa n'yo po?"

"Uh, yeah," Clyden casually answered.

The two girls looked disappointed. They thanked him again before going back to
their place, leaving us alone. Avrielle was distracted with Clyden's phone while we
were waiting for our turn. She was just watching cartoons.

The ride was just short and simple. It was for kids so Avrielle looked so happy and
amazed. I took pictures of her and Clyden because they looked cute. Clyden was
holding Avi's shirt because the kid was leaning over to touch the moving objects.
Para niyang hawak sa leash 'yung aso niya. It was funny.

"Avrielle, careful," I reminded her.

After two more rides, we decided to eat lunch in a princess-themed restaurant
because it was what Avi wanted. Clyden stood up to order food for us. Siya na rin
ang nagbayad kahit sabi kong babayaran ko pabalik.

"Let's leave early so you can rest," I told Clyden while we were eating.

"I'm fine," he said. "Don't worry about me. As long as the kid's enjoying it."

"She'll get tired and will take a nap around 4 PM so we can leave at that time."

Hindi pa kami pwedeng sumakay sa rides dahil kakakain pa lang kaya nag-punta na
lang kami sa shops at bumili ng headband. We took a picture and a selfie photo with
him carrying Avrielle para masama 'yung bata sa picture. He also took a picture of
Avrielle and I. I was kissing her on the cheek while the kid scrunched her nose,
giggling.

"You look adorable with kids," he said, bringing the phone down. "Aren't you
planning to have one?"

"Are you going to give me one?" I raised a brow and laughed. It was a joke.
"I can give you kids whenever you want to," he whispered in my ear, putting his
hands around my waist.

I shivered and pushed him lightly away from me because Avrielle was watching. We
left the shop after paying for our headbands and then just walked around the park
with Avi holding a balloon. We also played some games for a free stuff toy.

"Nakailang try ka tapos ito lang pala." I laughed and showed him the unicorn
keychain we got.

"I'm bad at holding guns." He shrugged.

"Really? You don't look like the type." Clyden was competitive. I assumed he was
going to do well with amusement park games.

"I used to be so good at it but I eventually lost it-"

"Samantha Vera?!"

We suddenly stopped walking when a woman recognized me. My eyes widened and looked
at Clyden. He carried Avrielle with him and put his hand behind my back to push me
so we could walk faster.
"Samantha!" The woman ran and stopped in front of us. Napatigil ulit ako sa
paglalakad at tumingin sa kaniya. "Oh my gosh, it's you! Can I take a picture?!"
Her voice was so loud she caught other people's attention.

"Sorry, it's not me." I looked down and walked towards the other direction but I
was stopped by two men who recognized me too. "I'm sorry, excuse me."

"Samantha Vera! Hala, siya nga!" The two men elbowed each other. "Pwede pong magpa-
picture?!"

They started crowding the place. I was just looking down and trying to watch my
steps, escaping. I was panicking and my heart was already beating so fast. I
suddenly stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me with him away from
the crowd.

"Si Clyden Ramirez 'yun, 'di ba? 'Yung doctor?" Someone whispered.

"Let's go," Clyden said, walking through the crowd. Wala na siyang pakialam kung
may mabubunggo kami. Avrielle held on his neck as we walked faster to get away from
the people.

We stopped at the parking lot and saw media personnel waiting there. Clyden
immediately put Avrielle at the backseat before opening the shotgun seat for me.
"Paano kayo nagkakilala? Are you together?!"

"Are you the son of Cristopher Ramirez, the owner of Ramirez Medical?! You topped
the boards, right?!"

"Samantha Vera, are you cheating on Haze Juarez?!"

Sunod-sunod ang tanong ng tatlong taong 'yon. I massaged my head and looked at
them. I could never accept cheating assumptions. Clyden didn't deserve that too.

"No, Haze and I are just friends," I said, opening the door again to get inside the
car.

"What is your relationship with Clyden Ramirez? Are you guys together?!" The lady
asked again.

I sighed heavily and looked at them. "Yes, we are. You can stop asking now."

________________________________________________________________________________
:)

39 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

tw: mention of death, suicide

"Just what were you thinking, Samantha?!"

I covered one ear using my finger and closed my eyes while listening to Arah's rant
in front of me. Francine had to take Avrielle to my room so she wouldn't hear our
conversation. We were all inside my unit, having an emergency meeting in the middle
of the night right after the news about my relationship with Clyden broke out.

"You continue to surprise me! I am your manager! I should know beforehand but I
happen to find out that you have a boyfriend through articles?!" She massaged her
head, getting mad now.

"I know. I should have told you but we weren't sure of our relationship yet so-"

"I don't care if you're official or not! The fact that you are seeing a high-
profile man is a big scoop for the media. Didn't we agree not to act on anything
without talking about it like this? That guy... That guy is the son of the owner of
Ramirez Medical and he's famous in social media for being the hot doctor who topped
the boards! Just how did you even end up with him?" Nagtatakang tanong niya ngayon
sa 'kin.
I sighed heavily and sipped on my tea. I just needed something to calm me down
while she was like this in front of me. Arah was really a good manager and she knew
how to do her job well. It was me who failed to inform her and who acted on my
emotions. I felt bad for her!

"He's my ex," I quickly answered before closing my eyes again, ready for her shout.

"What?!" She raised her voice. May ilalakas pa pala ang sigaw niya. We might
already receive a complaint from the other unit. "You mean... Your ex... The one
you talked about was him all along?! And to think that you didn't even bother
telling me?! Seriously, ano pa ang hindi mo sinasabi sa 'kin?"

"Uh..." I fumbled with my necklace using my fingers. I had to look away from her
because I was so guilty. "We were engaged. He was my fiancé."

"Ano?!" Mas lumakas pa ang boses niya. Iyon din ang naabutan ni Francine
pagkabalik. Nabitawan niya bigla ang hawak niyang unan at tumigil sa paglalakad. I
looked away from both of them, covering the side of my face. "Just... Just what the
hell really happened to you?"

"Our parents arranged our marriage but they also broke it when the issue about my
father broke out so we separated too," I summarized it, leaving the part where
Naomi passed away. I didn't see the reason why I should bring that up. I wasn't
ready to tell anyone. Not even my friends.

"Okay, I will try to control this issue but I'm sure given the history, it will
become bigger and bigger. They might dig up everything in your past so be prepared
for it. Is that all? Are you sure?" Arah asked again.

I bit my lower lip and nodded. I felt so sorry for not telling her about my
sister's death. The public didn't know about it so it wouldn't be brought up,
right? No one will bring that up... Right? My heart started beating so fast just by
thinking about it.

"Have you tried visiting your parents?" Arah asked before leaving. "Before you go
to New York?"

"There's no reason to," mariing sabi ko. "I already cut them off from my life."

I sipped on my tea again and looked away. Arah just nodded and dragged Francine,
who was still shocked by the news, with her out of my unit. When the door closed, I
sighed heavily and lightly hit my forehead against the wooden table, getting
stressed now. Saying that in front of the media... Was it the right thing to do?

I was so careful and even used Haze as a cover-up because I wanted to protect
Clyden's privacy and our history but I ruined all of it by acting on my emotions.
Clyden didn't even say anything about it earlier before he went back to the
hospital. I was silent too because I felt scared. Did he get mad at me?

"Tita-Ninang, are you okay?" Avrielle suddenly appeared in the hallway, hugging a
toy.
I gave her a smile and gestured for her to walk closer to me. She suddenly offered
me the toy to comfort me so I hugged it in front of her too just to make her feel
at ease. She could read my emotions clearly. I hugged her next and sighed on her
shoulder, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth of being in her arms.

"I love you, Tita-Ninang," Avrielle said, wrapping her arms around my neck. I
smiled and kissed her forehead.

I forced myself to sleep that night and Arah cleared all my schedule for the week
to avoid being seen in public while the issue was still fresh because the media
would be all around looking for me. Pagkakaguluhan ulit nila ako at pipiliting
magsalita.

I checked the news again while cooking breakfast. Not that I wasn't expecting it
but I was still surprised to see another news.

Samantha Vera and Clyden Ramirez almost got married! READ HERE.

Iba-ibang headlines, iba-ibang take sa issue. I sat down and screamed just to get
my frustrations out before covering my face again. I kicked my legs in the air,
releasing my anger. I did this! I did this to Clyden! I dragged his family's name
with me again even when I tried so hard to avoid it the last time! What will his
mom say about it now?!

The media started interviewing our close relatives and acquaintances but all of
them stayed silent. They tried to ask Haze about it too but he just laughed it off
and went inside the car saying 'I have more important business to attend to'.
Good thing Yanna and Hiro were both out of the country or else they would get
interviewed too. Kalat na rin ang pictures namin sa amusement park with Avrielle.
Netizens took it well because it had some 'kilig factor' for them but I was really
worried about the past being brought up again. My relationship with Clyden wasn't
anything wrong but what happened to us might be taken wrong by a lot of people
including his family.

I can't fight his family. I couldn't. That was the reason why I chose to let him go
because his family was important to him too. Their reputation was important. A
family in the medical field getting involved with me, the daughter of two
criminals, would destroy their name.

"Ah, I want to cry." I pressed my palms on my eyes to avoid tearing up.

I was so frustrated because I brought this upon him. Hindi ko nga siya makausap o
matext man lang dahil sa guilt na nararamdaman ko. By now, he was probably being
haunted by the media. It would distract him at work.

I sighed heavily and calmed myself before eating breakfast. Avrielle also got up so
I fed her too before helping her take a bath. I changed her into some comfortable
clothes and made her watch a princess movie while I was busy staring at my phone. I
wanted to type something but I didn't know what to say to Clyden.

I jumped on my seat when I received a text from him instead.

From: Clyden

Are you okay?

I muttered a curse before typing. He was worried about me, huh? Not about himself?
Alam niya ba kung ano ang nangyayari sa labas?

To: Clyden

I am. Are you? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make a mess. Be careful with the
media. I hope you're not being disturbed right now.

From: Clyden

Well, some of them are waiting outside the hospital but the security is tight.
Don't worry about me. I can handle myself.

I didn't know what to reply anymore. What will his coworkers say to him now?
Pinagtatatanong din kaya siya ng kung ano-ano? It was probably a surprise to
everyone especially when we had been seeing each other in secret.

I can't do it. I can't just stay here and convince myself that he was doing fine. I
was distracted the whole day. I felt bad for Avrielle because she wanted to play
with me but I looked tired so she didn't bother asking me anymore. Maybe it was
better to bring her back to Hiro's mom? She would be safe there.
"Avrielle, Tita-Ninang is having a... crisis right now. You know those strangers
who ran after us at the park?" I asked and she nodded. "It might happen again. I'm
sure you got scared so I will bring you to your grandma first. Is that alright?"

"Okay, Tita-Ninang," she whispered in her small voice.

I gave her a smile and got all of her things. She was pretty obedient today. Did I
bore her too much? I had no choice. I also wanted to be alone and I was distracted
so I couldn't pay attention to her. She would get lots of love there. Haze was also
there to take care of her.

I wore a large black hoodie and a cap before going to the parking lot with
Avrielle. I looked around and saw two men waiting in front of a van. I had to run
and open the backseat to get Avrielle inside before closing the door again.

"Samantha Vera?! Ayun, oh! Lumabas na! Sabi sa 'yo, e!" They started walking to me.

"Samantha Vera, anong masasabi mo sa nangyari sa magulang mo? Kaya ka ba nawala

nang matagal at pumuntang New York panandalian para takasan ang isyu?"

I opened the driver's seat and went inside, driving away so they wouldn't chase me
anymore. They started talking about my parents now. They were trying to figure out
the reason behind our arranged marriage and my family's connection to Clyden's
family... or maybe the reason why the engagement got canceled.
I tried to focus my attention on the road because Avrielle was still with me. We
managed to arrive at the Juarez mansion safely. The helpers quickly opened the door
for us so we went inside.

"Oh, look who we have right here," Haze said, going down the stairs while loosening
his tie. "Going inside the lion's den, aren't we?"

"I'm leaving Avrielle in your care. All eyes are on me right now and it could
stress the kid," I explained. I looked around to find his mom but I didn't see her
around.

"Mom went to Singapore and will be back tomorrow." He walked closer to Avrielle and
gave her a pat on the head. "Hello, love."

"Tito!" Avrielle smiled and looked at me. "Tita-Ninang, Tito Haze buys me a lot of
toys and food!"

"You're spoiling her," I told Haze, shaking my head a bit.

"You're the one to talk, huh." He raised his brows and smirked, crossing his arms
over his broad chest.
I bent down to say goodbye to Avrielle before standing up again. Nag-bilin kaagad
ako kay Haze ng mga binilin sa 'kin ni Yanna pero mukhang alam naman na niya 'yon.
I just added 'don't bring her to your dates' because it will corrupt the kid's
innocence.

"Haze and I are just friends," Haze imitated what I said in the interview. "Ouch,
that hurt me a little. I thought we had something special, hmm?" He held my chin
and looked down on me, leaning closer.

"You just can't be serious." I rolled my eyes and pushed his chest lightly. "I'll
go now."

"Okay, then. Take care. If you're going to run from the media, wear heels." He gave
me a genuine smile.

I just gave him a short wave before leaving the mansion again. I knew that the
media will still be there in the parking lot waiting for me so I called Kalix for
help.

[Yeah.] He answered the call in a bored tone. Maybe he was reading something and I
interrupted him.

"Can I take your parking space on the 3rd floor? You're not using that one, right?
It will just be for a night!"
[Okay. It's at 304. Feel free.] He said and then ended the call immediately.

That was what I did to escape from the media. Arah told me not to engage in
anything for the whole week unless sinabi niya. I had to follow her because she
knew what was best for me. She was also taking care of my contracts with some local
brands and everything I will leave behind once I move to New York. She was busy.

From: Clyden

Please eat.

I just stared at it, refusing to reply. I was eaten by guilt.

From: Clyden

I love you.

I still wasn't expecting the issue to die down the next day. It just got worse and
worse. Each day, may bago silang nalalaman tungkol sa akin at kay Clyden. Some
already speculated that his family might be involved with my parents' issue.

I started reading comments on social media which just made my head hurt.
'Oo nga 'no? Baka kaya cinancel 'yung kasal para matago na involved 'yung mga
Ramirez.'

'Nakalikom din ata ng pera ah kaya pala lumalaki ang hospital.'

'Baka binayaran ng mga Ramirez kaya naging top-notcher anak sa boards'

'Pera pera nga naman...'

Oh my god. Tears started falling from my eyes while reading all the assumptions
about Clyden's family. I could accept it if they were badmouthing me and my family
instead but because of my relationship with them, they started shitting on his
family too and his... his capabilities as a doctor. It hurt me instead.

'Akala ko pareho lang ng surname... Anak pala talaga si Samantha Vera ng kriminal'

'May baho naman pala. Akala mo ang bait hahaha'

'Diba may anak sa labas 'yung tatay niya? Baka namana niya pagiging cheater kaya
pinagsasabay niya si Haze tsaka Clyden.'

I stopped reading when Naomi was already mentioned. My vision got blurry because of
all the tears as I held my chest in pain. Hindi na 'ko makahinga kakapigil umiyak.
I shouldn't be crying right now. I brought this upon us. I made this mess. I knew
it would come into this but I didn't expect it to hurt this much.

I cried myself to sleep that night. Clyden was trying to call me but I didn't
answer his calls and just decided to turn my phone off. The next day, I woke up
with swollen eyes. I only ate an apple for breakfast and just sat down on the
couch, worried about what would happen next... What will they talk about next?

It got worse and worse. When I opened the news, I was shocked to see a statement
from Clyden's mother. Napaupo kaagad ako sa sofa at plinay ang video ng interview.

"The allegations made me sick. My family and I have already cut ties with the Veras
ever since that incident. You have no proof to say that we are related to the scam.
Not that we are desperate to acquire large sums of money stolen from the public to
survive. We are all in the medical field and we value the people so being involved
with that kind of politician could be a big blow to us. We canceled the engagement
because of that so do not involve our family anymore."

"May rason ba kung bakit hindi na siya ang tagapag-mana ng Ramirez Medical?"

"Are you aware that your son is dating Samantha Vera again?"

"You haven't heard anything from my son, right? And please, I would like to keep
our family's personal business private," she said before getting inside the car.

Because of that, everyone was thinking that it was one-sided... That I forced
Clyden to have a relationship with me. Some called me desperate and a liar like I
cornered Clyden in a situation he didn't want. Maybe I did... because I was the
only one who assumed that we were dating. We didn't really talk about it.
I turned on my phone for a second and was shocked to see a call from an unknown
number. The person left a message instead.

From: Unknown Number

Hello, Sam. This is Clyden's mom. Can we talk? It will be fast.

I quickly texted her my address and got ready to face her. I was already expecting
her to shout at me or slap me. I prepared myself for the worst-case scenario. I
already felt tired. When I heard the doorbell, I nervously walked and opened the
door.

"Good morning po," I greeted her. "Do you want to come inside?"

"No need. This will be fast," she said. She was a kind person and she valued her
son a lot so I understood the tone she used. "Please clear this out, Samantha."

I looked down and played with my hands. "I will, Ma'am. I am just waiting for my
manager's call." I tried to sound normal but I was really nervous.

"I don't know if you and my son are really dating but please do not tarnish his
relationship more with his father. They already stopped talking ever since Clyden
rejected another marriage and lost the inheritance. You probably know the reason by
now."
"W-what?" I parted my lips. "I don't... I don't understand."

"Oh, he refused to take or use our money ever since you broke up with him."

She took her phone out to check a message before looking at her watch. I was just
standing there, unable to talk.

'I don't want you anymore. You're nothing without your family's money.'

That... That was what I said...

"I'm in a hurry. I hope you don't take this in a bad way. I really admire you
but... It's not really the right time to drag Clyden into this mess. He's still
struggling with his dreams without our support. I hope you understand." She still
gave me a small smile before leaving.

I went back inside the unit and sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling again. My
phone kept on ringing so I turned it off and only used my tablet. Arah was also
contacting me through iMessage but she didn't have anything to say today. She just
told me to keep low and we will clear everything before I leave for New York.
The inheritance... He lost it. He really lost it and they gave it to Charles
instead. Was I part of the reason why it happened? What should I do? I didn't know
anything about his relationship with his father. He didn't mention it.

But why would he? That just made me feel even more guilty.

I fell asleep when I closed my eyes to think. I already forgot to eat lunch. Wala
akong gana buong araw hanggang sa dumilim na sa labas. I was just forced to stand
up when I heard the doorbell. My eyes widened when I opened the door and saw Yanna
in front of me, holding a basket of beer.

"Why-" I was cut off when she suddenly went inside and gave me a tight hug. In just
one embrace, my tears started to fall. I wrapped my arms around her and cried on
her shoulders until there was nothing left.

She helped me sit down on the couch, placing the beer on the coffee table. She
looked like she came here straight from the airport... But she was supposed to be
back a week later. Anong ginagawa niya rito?

"Hindi ka sumasagot sa messages ko, sa mga tawag ko. Akala ko kung ano na nangyari
sa 'yo kaya sabi ko kay Hiro bumalik na kami," she explained, sitting down on the
floor to open a can of beer.

"No way. I ruined your honeymoon!" I suddenly felt really guilty. "Go back! Don't
worry about me! I'll be fine!"
"Paano ko maeenjoy 'yon kung alam kong narito ka at ganiyan ang itsura mo?" She
raised a brow and handed me a can of beer. "Kung kaya mong iwan lahat kapag
malungkot ako, kaya ko rin iwan lahat, kahit si Hiro, para pumunta sa 'yo."

"He would probably be mad at me..." I looked down.

"Siya pa nga ang nag-book ng flight." She shrugged casually. "Don't worry. Marami
pa kaming araw na pwedeng magkasama. Huwag ka nang ma-guilty diyan. Hindi ako
pumunta rito para dumagdag sa bigat ng nararamdaman mo."

I remained silent and just drank half of the beer in one shot. I sighed heavily and
stared at the ceiling, thinking about so many things. I was afraid of what can
happen tomorrow. Hindi na 'ko makatulog.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" I asked her, holding back my tears again.
"Because... Honestly, I am so scared right now."

Yanna sat beside me and leaned my head on her shoulder. "Shush... Dito lang ako,"
she whispered.

She just accompanied me the whole night and I drank beer to force myself to sleep.
It worked. Yanna slept beside me the whole night, comforting me. The next day,
nauna akong magising sa kaniya kaya ako na ang nag-handa ng breakfast. I just
toasted bread and prepared cereal. I had no appetite but I still forced myself to
eat.
'Samantha Vera already cut ties with her parents, according to her dad's lawyer'

'No visit from Samantha Vera ever since her parents were found guilty'

'Samantha Vera, no comment sa issue ng magulang'

I stared at my tablet for so long. My hands were trembling when I opened it and
read some more comments about my family. My eyes widened when I saw the name I was
trying so hard to avoid... to protect.

'May isa pang issue 'yang tatay niya 'di ba? 'Yung pinatay daw niya 'yung kabit
niya tapos pinalabas lang na ibang rason para matago'

'Hindi ba may anak sila? 'Yung Naomi?'

'Wala nang balita. Ang usapan, patay na rin daw.'

'Maybe he got rid of her too.'

'Sabi ng ate ko na nagtatrabaho sa isang hospital, patay na nga raw. Confirmed.

Pero tinago ng pamilya. Baka sila may gawa kaya tinatago.'

'Weh? Grabe naman pala. Pati si Samantha? Hindi ko akalain na ganoon siya.'

I covered my mouth as my vision got blurry. All of it made me sick. I stood up but
my knees were so weak I fell on the floor and just cried there. I held my chest and
fisted on my shirt to stop it from throbbing.
I tried so hard to keep quiet so I wouldn't wake up Yanna. When I heard the bedroom
door open, I quickly stood up and ran towards the bathroom so she wouldn't see me
devastated.

"Maliligo ka na?" Yanna asked outside.

"Y-yes!" I yelled and covered my mouth again to stop my sobs. I calmed myself
before talking again. "Yanna, you can leave now! Arah will come for a meeting so I
can't have you here anymore!"

"Huh? Sure ka?" She sounded so confused. "Confidential ba? Pwede naman ako sa
kwarto."

"Avi's probably looking for you already!" I kneeled on the floor and cried again,
covering my mouth with both of my hands.

"Sige, babalik na lang ako pagkatapos ng meeting... Sagutin mo tawag ko, ah," she
said before the sound of her footsteps faded.

I sat on the corner of the bathroom, hugging my knees. 'Baka sila may gawa kaya
tinatago'. The statement repeated on my head over and over again. It was the guilt
I had been trying to hide. I felt it again. It was the reason why I couldn't visit
her grave. I still felt bad.
"Sam... Alis na 'ko, ah. Babalik ako." Yanna knocked on the door again.

"Take care!" I shouted.

I opened the door when I heard her leave. I went inside my bedroom and just covered
myself in a blanket while crying. I couldn't breathe anymore. Everything was too
much from me. The guilt of bringing this mess to Clyden's family... To Naomi. It
was all my fault.

"Arah?" I called her. "Can you book my flight as soon as possible?"

[Alright. I'll just clear things up. Give me two days. Are you available for a one-
on-one interview with the person I trust? It'll be fast.]

"Just... Just don't schedule it tomorrow," I said. I didn't want to show up looking
devastated in the camera. "And we can just have it here in my unit. I don't want to
go out."

[Okay, got it. Take care of yourself, Sam. All of this will end soon. I promise.]

She didn't ask anything about my sister. There were also no articles about it. Just
rumors. I had no plans of mentioning it because they didn't deserve to know. They
didn't need to dig that deep in my life. Naomi didn't deserve to be involved here.
I didn't want to expose her to the world. I will only talk about the important
things to leave Clyden's family out of it.

I fell asleep crying. I just woke up when I heard the doorbell. Yanna said she will
be back so I assumed that it was her but when I opened the door, I was surprised.

"Cy..." I parted my lips in shock.

He stared at me with dark eyes. He came here straight from the hospital. His coat
was still hanging on his arms. I couldn't read what he was thinking but he had a
light bruise on the side of his face, close to his jaw.

"Why aren't you answering my calls?" He asked in a low voice. "And my messages..."

"What happened to your face?" I tried to touch it but he caught my wrist and pushed
me inside, closing the door behind us.

"Why?!" He suddenly raised his voice. My lips parted when I saw tears streaming
down his face. "Just... Why..." He looked at me with so much pain.

I stepped back when he suddenly fell on his knees, crying. I wanted so bad to
comfort him and ask him what was wrong but I ended up crying too. Ang sakit na
makita siyang ganito. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, crying. "I'm sorry... Sam, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

He kept on apologizing when I should be the one asking for his forgiveness. I just
messed up. It was all my fault that this was happening to me.

"I'm sorry... If only I didn't come to see you again... None of this would have
happened. If only I didn't say that I still love you..." He cried more. "I'm
sorry... This is my fault. Forgive me, please..."

________________________________________________________________________________

40 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Do not apologize to me! I don't need it, please."

I bent down and held both of his wrists, trying to pull him up on his feet but he
didn't budge. He just kneeled there and cried, apologizing over and over on
something he didn't do. It wasn't his fault. It was mine. This was happening
because of me.

"Please stop saying sorry. It's my fault. You have nothing to do with this." I
started begging in front of him so he could stop because it was already too painful
for me. His cries, sobs, every word he muttered.
"Maybe it was wrong to make you hold on to me..." He sat on the floor and covered
his eyes with one hand. "I didn't know that it would hurt like this... I don't want
to see you in pain again, Samantha."

"We are both in pain! Please think about yourself too. It's my fault that your
family is being dragged into this mess, that the people are starting to doubt you
and your profession, that you are being disturbed by the media-"

"I don't care!" He suddenly raised his voice, looking up at me. "I don't care about
that. Why... Why aren't you answering my calls? I tried so hard to reach you but
you... pushed me away too. Do you hate me now?"

Was that it? Was he saying sorry because he thought I hated him? That he ended up
blaming himself for this? Just... What was running on his mind?

"I'm sorry." He tried to wipe his tears using the back of his hand. "I just love
you so much and I was praying and hoping that we could be together again ever since
the night you broke up with me... Sam, I know I was the one who let you go but that
decision destroyed me so fucking bad."

I sat down in front of him and tried to hold his wrists again but he moved them
away from me. I bit my lower lip and looked down on the floor. Simula noong umalis
ako noong gabing 'yon, wala akong narinig sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam kung okay ba
siya dahil okay naman siya noong umalis ako.

"I promised you that I will never... never let go of your hand but you forced me
to. How could I... Tell me... How could I stop when the look on your eyes was
already desperate to leave?" He looked down too, trying to hide his tears from me.
"And I was mad after you left because how could you just put everything away in one
night? Was it my fault? Because I failed to give you enough time? You didn't give
me an explanation. You just said that you didn't want me. How could I understand
that?"

"No..." I cried too, shaking my head. "No, it wasn't like that... Everything was
too much for me that night. Naomi... My parents... Modeling... And I didn't want to
drag your family name with me when the issue broke out. Part of the reason was that
I wanted to save you and your family's reputation-"

"That time... I didn't need a savior, Samantha." He looked at me with so much pain
in his eyes. "I needed you to stay with me... to lean on me... to hold my hand and
promise me that we will get through it together but you chose to leave." His voice
broke. I felt my chest throbbing.

"I know I said so many things to you and I didn't mean all of them. I'm sorry,
especially when I said that you are nothing without your family's money. I didn't
mean all of them and I just said that so you could be mad at me and force me to
leave."

"Was it really that easy to leave me?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"No... The real reason was that your mom saw me years ago... asking me to cancel
the engagement because marrying at that time when my parents were facing a trial
was enough to bring all of you down. Your inheritance might also become affected
and I didn't know what to do. It was just that... I didn't want to bring more guilt
to myself for bringing everyone down with me."
I cried, remembering everything that happened. How much I suffered alone. How many
times I dealt with everything running inside my mind. Those times when I felt so
burned out. I felt so tired. Wala na 'kong maramdaman dahil ubos na ubos na 'ko.

"Because of what happened with Naomi... I channeled my emotions to something else.

I needed to blame someone else so I wouldn't blame myself alone. I was mad at my
parents for so long because they made us suffer for so many years and we didn't
even receive a single apology. Hanggang ngayon, Cy, pagod ako. Hanggang ngayon,
masakit lahat sa 'kin. Tuwing gabi at mag-isa, walang tigil ang takbo ng utak ko.
All of those what if's kept coming back to me. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko..." My
voice broke too. I couldn't talk anymore, feeling a big lump on my throat.

"You can't change it anymore, Samantha..." He whispered, looking away from me so he

wouldn't see me crying. "We can't change it anymore. Sooner or later, we would have
to face everything we left behind and I know that you are not ready for it. We can
never be prepared to face the things we fear the most. I'm sorry that it's already
here... Right in front of us."

I swallowed hard and tried to calm myself but I just couldn't stop crying. I knew
that already. That someday, I may have to face everything I was trying to run away
from but I never expected it to hurt like this... And to hurt him like this.

"Alam ko naman 'yun, eh..." I sobbed and hugged my knees, looking down. "But I
failed to protect you again... Just like how I failed to protect her..."

"You do not have to protect and save everyone!" He raised his voice again. "I know
because I've been trying to! I am! But it's impossible! You told me that! We can
try... and try... and try until we end up dying inside too! It's exhausting!"
Was I really living all these years? I knew I had this mindset that I wanted to
save everyone so I always try my best to help, pushing myself to my limits. Had I
ever felt exhausted? I felt nothing. Maybe I was already dead inside.

"As much as we want everyone to live... It's not possible. Handling death is never
easy for me too, especially when I'm working with children. I could just imagine
how you felt with Naomi. It was probably worse. I know. I understand so I wanted to
be with you. I was willing to get you through it, through everything. Kung pwede ko
lang saluhin lahat ng nararamdaman mo noon, Samantha, ginawa ko na pero kahit isang
araw hindi mo pinalagpas. Hindi mo 'ko hinayaang makalapit sa 'yo kahit alam kong
nanghihingi ka na ng tulong dahil hindi mo na kaya." The pain was also evident in
his voice. He was tearing up again.

Was I screaming for help without actually saying anything? Was it what Naomi also
felt all those years? And the only one who heard them were the ones who loved us
the most.

"Handang handa akong mahalin ka pero lumalayo ka sa 'kin." He cried again, leaning
his back against the wall while seated on the floor. "And you are still doing the
same now. Ano pa bang gagawin ko, Maui? I feel useless again. I told you to hold
onto me but you're still suffering alone."

"Your mom came here the other day," I admitted, biting my lower lip. I sighed
heavily and held my head. "The same reason. She told me that you stopped getting
money from them and that your relationship with your father can get worse because
of me."

"It's not because of you. Bad things do not happen because of you. Bad things
happen because I let them happen," he corrected me, making a fist out of anger.
"The hell with the inheritance. I didn't take it because I didn't want it in the
first place. It's not because of you. I wanted to focus more on treating children
than handling the business. It was meant for Charles all along."
"And he was engaged to another person too. If you were to have the inheritance,
would you marry another woman?" I asked, getting hurt just by imagining him with
another person.

"If it's not you, then I don't have plans for marriage." He looked at me with
serious eyes. His words were genuine.

"Cy, I'm sorry," I told him, letting out a small smile. "I am truly sorry for
everything I did... For not fighting for us then and now. For making you feel
useless, and for making you blame yourself, for making you think that I hate you.
Those aren't true. I love you... I could never love anyone else like how much I
love you."

His eyes widened a bit when he heard those three words from me. He parted his lips
like he wanted to say something but couldn't form it into words. He closed it again
and looked away, waiting for me to talk.

"So please, if I'm going to stop myself from apologizing for things I didn't do,
you should try too."

He stared at me for a moment before giving me a slight nod. We stayed silent for a
long time, still seated on the floor. My back was leaning against the side table
and he was in front of me, his back against the wall. I hugged my knees and wiped
my tears away. I just let everything out.
"Maui," he called me. I looked up to him and waited for him to say more. "It's not
your fault. You know what Naomi said to me before she went to the sky?"

"She talked to you?" My eyes widened.

He nodded and sighed heavily. "Be with my sister through her ups and downs. Wipe
her tears when I'm gone. Keep the smile on her face when she's with you. She is the
happiest... when she's free."

Upon hearing that, I burst out into tears again. I held my chest and cried Naomi's
name over and over, hoping that she was here beside me, even in spirit. Even during
her last hours, she thought of me and my happiness. Both of us wanted each other to
be happy and free. She knew I would feel like this.

"You're the happiest when you're free, Sam... So let everything go, even me... And
do something for yourself this time," he told me.

I cried more so he scooted over and sat beside me, leaning my head on his shoulder
and wrapping his arms around me. I felt him kiss the side of my head while I was
crying. We just stayed like that until I finally calmed down.

"Okay," I whispered, closing my eyes.

"I want to take the pain away from you, my love... I'm sorry." He kissed my hair
and held my hand, tracing it with his thumb.

When I opened my eyes, I was already on my bed and it was already nighttime. Did I
fall asleep? My eyes hurt from sleeping after crying so hard. I got off the bed and
walked outside the room, looking around for Clyden. Did he go back to the hospital
already?

"Oh..." I stopped walking when I saw him cooking in the kitchen. "You're still
here." I sat on the high chair, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes, I am still here," he answered before turning his back against me again. "You
need to eat. I'll take care of you starting today until the day you leave."

"Don't you have a job?" I raised a brow.

"I can always drive here when I'm free," he said. "So while I'm away, please
promise me to take care of yourself, and please, start checking your phone. Your
friends probably left a lot of comforting messages for you."

"I guess they did..." I turned on my phone and saw a lot of messages pop up on the
notifications bar. Luna and the other girls started flooding my inbox. Luna sent a
lot of memes, Via with her encouraging words, Kierra with so many 'i love you's.
Sevi and Arkin sent messages too. Puro mura lang si Yanna dahil hindi ko sinasagot
ang tawag niya. I laughed a little.
"You're laughing," he said, placing the food on the table. "That's good. Do not
check social media for the meantime and just lean on your friends during these hard
times. They will never leave you. I know that."

"They never did. I was the one pushing them away and hiding things from them. They
probably already heard about Naomi but none of them bothered asking because they
were considerate of my feelings."

I smiled to myself. I just felt so lucky to have true friends like them. I felt bad
for not telling them everything but true friends will understand. Friends don't
need to know everything to share the pain with you.

"Eat a lot. You should stay healthy." He sat in front of me.

Siya na ang kumuha ng maraming kanin at nilagay sa plato ko. I glared at him
because I was on a no-rice diet but he knew I couldn't say no to his food! Nilagyan
niya na rin ng ulam at sinabing ubusin ko. He started eating too para sabayan ako.

"I saw cans of beer when I cleaned your unit. Uminom ka mag-isa?" He asked, raising
a brow.

Mas kumunot ang noo ko sa parteng nag-linis siya. "You cleaned my unit?" I looked
around to confirm. He certainly did! "Aren't you tired from your shift?" I looked
at him again while chewing.
"I asked first," he said in a cold voice.

"Oh, I had a drink with Yanna yesterday. She said she will be back today. Did she
come?" I asked in curiosity. I fell asleep so I wouldn't know.

"Yeah, she did but she didn't bother staying when she saw me. She left this
instead." He placed boxes of vitamins on the table. Yanna bought them for me, huh.
She was worried about my health too. "Take them. You look pale."

I just gave him a nod like I was ready to obey everything he would say. After we
finished eating, he insisted on washing the dishes for me so I could take a bath
before I go to sleep again. Knowing that he was out there made me feel at ease. I
changed into my pajamas and went to the living room where he was seated, talking to
someone on the phone.

"Yes, Doc. Malapit lang ako," I heard him say. "Before 7 AM tomorrow. Opo."

I noticed the light bruise on his jaw again so I moved my hands and tried to touch
it. He winced so I put my hand away. When he ended the call, he looked at me and
held my wrist, raising a brow.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I had a fight with my brother. It's nothing. I gave him a good punch too. You
could say that I won," he joked around and put his arms on the back of his head,
leaning on the backrest.

"Was it because of me?" I asked.

"I told you it was never because of you." He looked at me and flicked his finger
against my forehead. Napalayo kaagad ako at napahawak sa noo ko. "It was because he
was forcing me to apologize to Dad. It's nothing, really. Don't worry about it."

"I feel like you're also hiding a lot of things from me," I said, staring at his
jaw. He had that back then too. He was always in a fight with his brother and he
never told me the reasons behind it.

He caressed my face and stared at my eyes. "Because it's not worth saying. It will
just stress us out."

"You can tell me," I urged.

He laughed it off. "Next time... When we finally have enough time to waste."

Time was one of our greatest enemies too. I understood his mother. Clyden was
really busy trying to prove himself without his family's support so he was extra
hardworking. He was just trying to make time for me but how long can he go? Well,
there was no need to adjust since I will be leaving too.

"I'm leaving in 3 days," I told him.

He stayed silent for a long time and just gave me a nod. I stared at him and he
stared at me back when he caught my eyes. He gave me a small assuring smile. He was
like telling me that it was fine. He will be fine.

We watched a movie until late at night until I fell asleep again. When I woke up
the next day, he was gone. He said he was back in the hospital since his senior
called him. I ate well that day and also took vitamins to look healthy the next
day. I took his advice and didn't check social media. I couldn't control what
people would think.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Arah asked the next day while there was staff
preparing the equipment for the interview.

"I'm fine." I drank on my bottle of water and placed it on the side. The director
for the interview called me so I sat on the sofa inside my unit and prepared
myself.

"Looking good, Ma'am," Francine assured me when she looked at my face behind the
camera.
The interviewer was one of the people Arah trusted. She was familiar with me too.
Maybe she also interviewed me years ago. For some reason, I felt comfortable with
her presence. She didn't have those judgmental eyes as others do. She already gave
me the list of questions she will ask so I was already prepared for it.

It started with just introducing myself and then she smoothly went to the hot issue
going around. I said I was aware of them so she asked me what I felt.

"Honestly, it hurt." I smiled and laughed a bit. "It hurt me to see a lot of people
accusing me and the people close to me for bad things that we didn't do. The issue
with my parents will remain theirs. Like what my dad's lawyer said, I already cut
ties with them and I am not ready to face them again because of personal reasons. I
will never justify or condone what they did. They were wrong and I stand with the
people. I went to New York not to escape but to continue pursuing my dream.
Modeling."

"It must be hard," she said. "Didn't your parents arrange your marriage with the
son of Cristopher Ramirez, the owner of Ramirez Medical? How did you feel about
it?"

"Well, I'm confirming now that I was once engaged to Clyden Ramirez. The person I
admitted dating days ago. At first, the marriage was just forced upon us and both
of us didn't like it but we... fell in love."

It was embarrassing to admit that out loud. The interviewer smiled at me and urged
me to continue so I did.
"Clyden wasn't really the guy I was expecting. He kind of left a bad impression
when I first met him but somehow, we clicked. We grew together and helped each
other during hard times. We were always there for each other. We also lived
together for a long time," I admitted that too. "And we were parents to three dogs.
Summer, Maple, and Hail."

I felt so happy reminiscing those times. Those were great memories that will live
inside me forever. It just made me realize that my past didn't just consist of
pain. I was happy too. I was happy with him.

"We had to cancel the engagement to avoid issues like these. Despite that, Clyden
and I found comfort in each other that no one could ever fill in. That's why when
we saw each other again, we just kept coming back to each other's arms. We were
really happy. We let each other go back then to chase our own dreams and we are
doing the same now. It's still not the right time. I want to focus on my modeling,"
I told them that too.

"Do you have anything else to say to your family?" She asked.

"I have something to say to my sister. I'm sure she's listening right now... in the
sky." I faced the camera and smiled genuinely. "I love you the most, Naomi. You
were such a good sister, a good daughter, a good person. No one could tell you
otherwise."

I will continue reaching for the stars... and maybe someday I could hold your hand
again.
I clarified the issue with Haze too and made sure that there will be nothing left.
Nasa sa kanila na 'yon kung paano nila tatanggapin lahat ng sinabi ko but finally,
I felt free from the cage... From the things I was running away from.

"Thank you so much," I thanked everyone who worked hard for the interview to
happen. I went to Arah and also gave her a tight hug. "You worked really hard this
time. I owe you a shopping day on our first day in New York."

"It's my job, Sam. I'm just doing my best. No need for that." She hugged me back
and tapped my back.

"Can I join?" Francine walked closer so she could hug us. "Ah, the three of us will
stick together! Hello, New York!"

The two of them also left with the staff so they could start packing their things.
I also started yesterday but I still had so many things left. Clyden said he will
come tonight to help me. He probably liked torturing himself.

"Hey." Clyden went inside my bedroom and leaned against the door frame. "I have a
spare key now."

"Did you just steal that from me the other day?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.
"I was worried that you would lock yourself up again. You can have it back." He
placed the key on the side table before sitting down on the bed to help me fold my
clothes. "Ang dami mo pang hindi nalalagay sa maleta mo."

"Yeah, you offered to help me, right? Do your job." I laughed and put more clothes
on the bed.

It felt like a deja vu. He helped me pack my things too when I left back then. He
just liked seeing me leave, huh? Parang nasanay na ata siya roon. He knew he could
never do something to stop me.

"I won't see you tomorrow. I can't watch you leave," he said in a soft voice. It
was almost a whisper.

"It's fine. I don't want to cry at the airport too," I told him.

We finished packing after hours so we weighed the luggage and made sure that there
will be no excess. I still left a lot of clothes, bags, and shoes behind that I was
just planning to sell and donate the money to the charities I was supporting.
Clyden said he will take care of it once I leave.

After changing into my pajamas, I already went to bed and stared at the ceiling.
Pwedeng ito na 'yung huling tulog ko sa kamang 'to. Everything still felt so
surreal.
Clyden promised to stay with me tonight until I fall asleep and then he will leave
again around midnight. Humiga siya sa tabi ko at tumingin din sa kisame, nag-iisip.

"Kumain ka nang maayos, ah," he suddenly said. "Alagaan mo sarili mo. Huwag kang
tanggap nang tanggap ng trabaho. Know your limits too. Treat yourself from time to
time. Self-care is important."

"You too. Always take care of yourself. Get lots of sleep and know when to rest. Do
not push yourself too hard. You have already proven yourself. You will achieve
greater things but to do that, you have to stay healthy first."

"I will."

We stayed silent again until the tears started to fall. I tried to wipe my tears
away but he held my wrists and wiped it instead using his thumb. I closed my eyes
when he leaned and gave me a long kiss. It was deep and genuine. Our emotions were
evident. We would miss each other.

"If you find someone else, I hope that she will make you happy," I whispered,
trying so hard to sound normal but my sobs failed me. "And that she won't make you
suffer like this. I hope that she won't leave you... ever."

"If you find someone else..." He sighed heavily and looked away. "I hope that he
won't make you cry like this." He let out a small laugh.
"I'm serious right here." I lightly hit him on his chest. "Choose a good woman,
alright?"

He stared at me for a long time. "Alright. I will," he said meaningfully.

"Do you promise me?" I looked at him with hopeful eyes. All I wanted was for him to
be happy.

"Yeah, I promise," he whispered. "So will you please stop crying?"

I scooted over and hugged him on the side, leaning my head on his chest. He wrapped
his arms around me and started playing with my hair, making me feel sleepy. I could
feel his heart beating so fast. It was the same as mine but it soon calmed down
along with the silence surrounding us.

"I will miss you," he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"See me when you do," I whispered too before I dozed off to sleep.

I woke up early to spend half of the day with the people who were important to me.
My flight was at 10 PM so I had enough time to say goodbye. I arrived at Luna's
condo before lunchtime. They surprised me with a Despedida party. Double daw para
kay Via rin. I had to laugh at that.

"So ilan na lang kaming matitira rito, ha?!" Luna cried and hugged me tightly. She
started to get clingy, huh. "Babalik ka, ha! Please?!"

"I will visit," I told her. "Or visit me."

"Tutal favorite mo naman ang New York, 'di ba, mars?" Kierra teased, letting out a
laugh.

"Shan ka ba titira roon, Sam? Para alam ko kapag pupuntahan kita. Send mo sa akin
address, ha." Luna smugly smiled at her cousin.

"Mauuna ba 'ko sa 'yo?" I asked Via.

"Halos sabay lang." She shrugged and sipped on her orange juice. She was thinking
deeply about it too. Both of us would miss our friends. "Sevi, sabi mo hindi mo
sinabihan, ha. Sure?"

"Oo nga! May trust issues ba kayo sa 'kin?!" Reklamo ni Sevi. "Wala nang naniniwala
sa sinasabi ko, ah!"
"Buti naman," Yanna fired back. "Sa mukhang 'yan, may maniniwala pa ba diyan?
Parang nakasulat na sa mukha mo 'yung sinungaling."

"Hindi ako makapaniwalang nahalikan kita, pare." Sevi shook his head, looking
disgusted. "Ganyang bunganga? Nako po! Jusmiyo!" He exaggerated, holding his chest.

"Why are you leaving, Tita-Ninang?" Avrielle pouted and went to me. "Will I see you
again?"

"You will." I gave her a pat on the head. "I will miss you so bad. Be a good girl,
okay? Do not stress your mom and dad out. We will talk through a video call."

"Don't leave, Tita-Ninang." Avrielle started crying so I panicked.

I just gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. The Despedida party started to get
emotional. I tried hard to stop myself from tearing up because it would hurt them
even more. Before I left, hinatid ako ni Yanna sa may parking lot. She was quiet
the whole time.

"Hindi ako sanay nang wala ka..." She said, looking down on the floor.
"Are you crying?" My brows furrowed and went closer, holding her chin up. My lips
parted when I saw tears streaming down her face. "Hey, shush... You can always call
me."

"Mas gusto kong nandito ka..." She wiped her tears away, trying so hard to appear
strong in front of me. "Mag-iingat ka, ha. Tumawag ka palagi sa 'kin kung may
problema ka... O kahit wala. Basta, tawagan mo lang ako. Promise?"

"I can't believe you still believe promises." I laughed and showed her my pinky
finger. "Okay, then. Pinky promise."

We did a pinky promise and sealed it with our thumbs before she pulled me for a
hug. Ang sabi ko huwag na nila 'kong ihatid sa airport dahil ayokong umiyak kaya
ngayon na kami magpapaalam sa isa't isa.

"Mamimiss kita," she whispered.

"I will miss you so much too." I hugged her tighter for the last time before
letting her go. "Love you always."

"Love you. Sige na. Baka pigilan pa kita." She lightly pushed me away and took a
step back, giving me a smile.
I gave her a short wave before getting inside the van waiting for me there. Naroon
na lahat ng gamit ko at diretso na kami sa airport nila Arah. We had to line up
since maraming tao sa labas. We had to show a copy of our tickets and they scanned
our luggage before we went inside the airport, waiting for the baggage check-in to
open. Inasikaso ni Arah 'yung tax kaya umupo na lang ako roon at naghintay.

Arah came back just in time for the baggage check-in. Pagkatapos namin magcheck-in,
papasok na dapat kami sa immigration but I stopped when someone tapped my shoulder.

I turned around and took a step back out of surprise when I saw Clyden right in
front of me. He didn't waste a second and just straight up gave me a tight embrace.

"How did you..." He cut me off by letting me go and showing me a paper. He booked a
flight so he could enter the airport, huh? I saw that it was going to Australia.

"I'm attending a conference in 2 days but I booked the flight now so I could see
you." He had a small carry-on suitcase with him too. Some were already staring at
us, probably recognizing our faces from the news.

"You said you didn't want to watch me leave," I told him.

"But I want to spend more time with you. Kahit isang minuto lang o isang oras... So
let's go?" He held my hand and started walking to immigration. Arah and Francine
stayed silent and followed us from behind.
We went through immigration and he followed me until we reached the boarding area
for my flight. He was still too early for his flight so he had time to spare. He
even bought us sandwiches and coffee. Francine and Arah couldn't stop staring at
him like he was a celebrity.

He didn't let go of my hand the whole time. He stayed beside me, cherishing our
remaining time together. When they announced that we could finally board, everyone
already lined up. I also stood up and faced Clyden, holding both of his hands.

"I guess it's time to say goodbye," I told him.

He stared at me for a moment before holding my face and giving me a soft kiss. I
closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck, letting the tears fall down.
When he let me go, his eyes were bloodshot too. He was trying to stop his tears
from falling.

"Kumain ka, ha," he reminded me again. "If you have a problem, reach out to
someone. Do not keep it all inside you, alright?"

I nodded, crying in front of him. "I'm sorry. I told you I don't want to cry at the
airport."

"Then stop crying..." He wiped my tears with his thumb and gave me a kiss on the
forehead. "Time to go, Maui."
I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face on his chest. "1 minute," I
whispered. He wrapped his arms around me too and we stayed like that for a whole
minute before I let him go.

"You're finally free," he whispered, giving me a painful smile.

"Goodbye," I said.

I turned my back against him and started lining up, preparing my boarding pass. I
didn't want to look back. I didn't want to look back and see him gone... But I
still wanted to see his face for the last time.

I muttered a curse and looked back, only to see him still waiting for me and
watching me leave. He gave me a smile but it faded when he saw me running back to
him again. I tiptoed and gave him another kiss.

"I love you so much," I whispered.

He smiled and caressed my face. "I love you, Maui."

I hugged him again before running to Arah and Francine. Clyden watched me leave.
Bago siya mawala sa paningin ko, tinaas ko ang kamay ko at kumaway sa kaniya. He
laughed and gave me a short wave too.

I forced myself to smile before turning away from him, finally walking inside the
plane... And just like that, we parted ways.

________________________________________________________________________________

(not the last chapter)

41 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Congrats, Cy! Mister cum laude!"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang bigla akong tinalunan ni Ridgen at umakbay,

tumatawa pa. I removed his arm and gave him a light punch on the jaw before walking
faster so I could escape from that asshole. Hindi ko magawang maging masaya dahil
balita ko imbitado sa graduation party ko 'yung ipapakasal sa 'kin.

"Excited ka na bang ma-meet si Miss fiancée?!" Malakas siyang tumawa nang mahabol
niya 'ko. "Yiee, magsusuot ka na ng singsing, pare. Baka hindi na kita makilala
niyan, ah? Asawa life na pala!"
"Tangina mo," maikling sabi ko habang naglalakad pa rin, hindi siya pinapansin.

Tinanggal ko ang sablay ko pagkapasok sa kotse. My parents rode a separate car to

the mansion. My mother was trying to get back in time so she can check the venue.
Wala naman akong pakialam at sa totoo lang, ayokong magkaroon ng graduation party.
Para saan pa, e hindi pa naman ako tapos mag-aral.

Ridgen followed my car from behind until we reached the mansion. Umakyat kaagad ako
sa kwarto ko para mag-shower. I was just wearing a towel on my waist when Ridgen
entered my room, nakangisi at may pinapakitang picture ng babae. I rolled my eyes
and sat on the edge of the bed while staring at the suit prepared by my mom.

"Samantha Maureen Vera. Anak ni Mister Corrupt Politician. Kumusta ka naman?"

Malakas siyang tumawa ulit. "Pagkatapos mong gaguhin sa mga paper mo tsaka sa
Twitter, papakasalan mo 'yung anak! Awit ka, pare."

"Hindi ko 'yun papakasalan," inis na sabi ko.

"Masama kaya ugali non? Nagmana sa tatay? O baka naman feeling entitled? Ano sa
tingin mo?" Ridgen continued asking questions. "What do you think? Hmm?"

"I don't think about it," sagot ko bago pumasok ng C.R para magpalit na ng damit.
Pagkalabas ko, iniistalk na ni Ridgen sa Instagram 'yung babae. Matagal ko nang
nagawa 'yon pero nakakalimutan ko 'yung itsura niya dahil wala naman talaga akong
pakialam sa kaniya. She was just one of those people. Anak ng mga taong tinatapakan
ang karapatan ng mamamayan. Minsan napapaisip ako kung alam niya kaya ang
nangyayari sa labas ng mansyon nila, e. Parang ang sarap ng buhay niya. Puro inom,
labas, gala. Ateneo pa nga.

"Ateneo De Manila University. Big time ka, bro?" Tumawa na naman si gago para mang-
asar.

"Tigilan mo 'ko, tangina ka," pikon na sabi ko.

"Pikunin naman nito! E, bakit kasi nagpaka-savior kunwari ka at sinalo mo 'yung

para sa Kuya mo? Nainlove ka na ata talaga noong nakita mo mukha, e! Umamin ka na!
Mukhang model, 'no?" Pinakita niya ulit 'yung picture ni Samantha Vera sa Instagram
niya.

I glanced at it for a second before shaking my head, disappointed. I must admit

that she was... fine. Short hair, matangkad, maganda at maamo 'yung mukha. Bukod
doon, wala na 'kong pakialam sa kung ano siyang tao. Panigurado masama ugali niyan.
Mukhang sa loob ang kulo.

"Cy, get over here!"

It was tiring to get along with people, maintain a fake smile, and act like I'm
interested in their lives when all I wanted was to end the party early so I can
rest. My parents just had to show me off around their friends because I was the
'favorite'. Alam ko na 'yon. Matagal ko na ring napapansing mas pinagtutuonan nila
ako ng pansin kaysa sa mga kapatid ko dahil sa aming tatlo, ako 'yung masasabi
mong... successful sa pag-aaral.

Paanong hindi? Nasa akin lahat ng pressure. Cy, ikaw ang aasahan namin. Cy, ikaw
ang magmamana ng medical. Cy, wala na kaming pag-asa sa mga kapatid mo. Cy, you
need to do better. Cy, you need to become the next Cristopher Ramirez. Cy, you need
to become a successful doctor.

Fuck it. I never wanted to be the 'favorite' son.

"This is Clyden, my son," my dad proudly introduced me to the girl I was about to
marry.

Yeah, here we fucking go. "Senator," I greeted her dad, shaking his hand before
turning to the woman beside him. My brows furrowed as I looked at her from head to
toe. "Samantha, right?" I asked like I didn't know.

"Yes. How shall I call you?" Her voice sounded soft... Like she could never get mad
at someone.

I couldn't help but laugh at her question. "I don't know. Babe? Since we're getting
married, right? Would you excuse me, please." I turned away from them when I saw my
friends entering the mansion.
I finally felt a little free. I relaxed a bit and had a normal conversation with my
friends but something caught my eyes. I sipped on my wine while staring at Samantha
Vera who was walking around, talking to a lot of people. Lahat ata ng nadadaanan
niya, kinakausap niya. She had that smile on her face that was... obviously fake. O
baka sa akin lang halata dahil ganoon din ako?

Tama nga ako. Nasa loob ang kulo niyan. Bait-baitan. Nakakairita.

"Anak ng corrupt na politician." Iyon ang bati ko sa kaniya dahil doon ko siya
kilala.

Sinabi ko na kaagad sa kaniya kung anong nararamdaman ko sa engagement na 'to. I

didn't want it in the first place but I was just forced to do so or else she will
end up with Charles. That asshole can't get his hands to himself. At least she
should be thankful that it was me.

"I am not my dad." She said under her gritted teeth. "And don't worry. Ayaw ko rin
sa 'yo. You're an asshole who is so full of himself. Why? Because you graduated as
a cum laude in UP?"

I scoffed. "Paano mo nasabing mayabang ako? Kilala mo ba 'ko?"

"Paano mo nasabing hindi tayo magkakasundo? Kilala mo ba 'ko?"

Aba, lumalaban pa nga.

"Bakit? Kailangan ba kitang kilalanin?" Hindi ako nagpatalo. Bakit ako magpapatalo?
Kasali ako sa debate team.

"Same with you, asshole."

Sakit sa ulo nito. Napatitig tuloy ako sa pool, iniisip kung itutulak ko ba siya
roon pero hindi naman ganoon kasama ugali ko para gawin 'yon.

"Let's just act like we're on good terms," I suggested. "Let's pretend that we will
develop real feelings, fall in love, get attached, so we could fool them that we
have a deep connection until someone makes a mistake. Appeal to their emotions.
Let's say you cheated on me?"

"Me?!" Reklamo niya. "I could never cheat!"

Ah, basta. That was really my plan. I could never think of something else. My mom
was someone sensitive to emotions and so if I will act like I got cheated on, she
will stand by my side whatever happens. She will end the engagement for me. She
loved me that much because I was her 'favorite' son.
I told her that she was free to date other people since we won't really end up with
each other. That wasn't part of my plan. I entered med school and became busier
than ever. Mas busy ako kaysa noong college pa 'ko. Noong college, kaya ko pang
magpahinga at gumala pero sa med school, halos wala na 'kong tulog.

"Likot mo naman. Nakakapikon ka," sabi ko pagkakuha ko ng dugo kay Ridgen. Pinag-
practice-an ko lang siya dahil nag volunteer siya.

He smirked when he looked at my hand. I was still wearing that fucking engagement
ring. Hindi ko na tinatanggal dahil baka mawala ko pero nagpapaulan naman ng pang-
aasar 'tong lalaking 'to.

"Crush mo? Aminin mo na. Miss mo na 'no? Hindi mo na nakikita." Sinimulan niya na
naman ako. Kupal talaga.

"Gusto mong hindi na makakita?" I asked, holding the needle, threatening to poke
his eyes with it.

When I was on 3rd year, we saw each other again at their mansion. Nakakaruming
isiping papasok ako sa bahay na 'yon pero wala akong magagawa.

"Why do I have to marry that woman again?" I asked my dad.

"They're rich. They have a lot of money and her dad is my closest friend. It's also
good to involve the business in politics but don't tell your mom I said this." My
dad laughed and tapped my shoulder.

Just when I thought that everything was going smoothly according to my plan... They
fucking suggested living together. Naisip ko kaagad ang pag-aaral ko. The reason
why I lived alone was because I couldn't focus with other people around.

I stared at my phone for so long after typing her number. I just quickly memorized
it. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko. This is Cy, save my contact? That honestly
sounded too formal. I wanted to make fun of her a bit.

To: Samantha

mam lazada po i2 nag order p ba kau

She would never guess that it was me. I didn't talk like that. Yeah, that was what
I thought. Nahulaan niya rin naman kaagad. Nag-sayang lang ako ng effort.

"Clyden, are you doing well in med school?" My dad asked while we were eating
dinner. It was such a rare event for my two brothers to join.

"I think so," I answered shortly.

That was their only concern... If I was doing well with my studies, not as a
person. Ilang taon na kaya nasanay na lang din akong wala talaga silang pakialam sa
akin, kung nagpapahinga ba 'ko o tuloy-tuloy lang ako nag-aaral so I lost interest
in maintaining good health. The only thing important was my studies. It became like
that for me too.

"Of course. You're good. You never disappoint." My dad nodded in approval.

I looked at my brothers and saw them looking at me too. My hands tightened on the
utensils. Binilisan ko na ang pag-kain ko dahil alam ko nang sa away na naman
mauuwi 'to. Kapag pinagsasama kami, hindi pwedeng hindi kami nagtatalo, lalo na
kapag inheritance ang usapan.

"Pakitang tao," Charles said when he followed me out of the dining after eating.
"Kapag ikaw nakita kong pumaparty-party at hindi nag-aaral, tignan natin kung anong
sasabihin ni Dad."

"I don't drink," I said and ignored him after.

"Tuwang tuwa ka siguro, 'no? You just got a good woman... She was mine first but
you just had to butt in, huh? Fucking asshole." Charles scoffed.

Tuloy-tuloy lang akong umaakyat sa hagdan habang sinusundan niya 'ko. Daig niya pa
'yung mga aso ko.
"She's not an object," I told him in a monotone. "You can't 'own' her."

"Kaya mo siguro inagaw kasi ang ganda ng katawan, 'no? Why? Are you scared that I
can make her feel so good? Speaking of, aren't you just going to disappoint her?
You have no experience," Charles continued teasing. "Sarap siguro ni Sam."

I stopped walking, turning my hands into a fist. I counted to three while calming
myself before facing him, plastering a smirk on my face.

"Are you sexually-deprived?" I raised a brow. "All you talk about is sex. What am I
expecting from garbage, anyway?" I shrugged and walked away.

I planned on ignoring Samantha Vera and acted like she didn't exist when we moved
in together in the house that I personally picked... But she was talkative like she
wasn't used to silence. Palagi niya 'kong kinakausap kahit sinusungitan ko siya
para hindi na niya 'ko kausapin. I wasn't really interested in her.

Really... But that changed for some reason.

"I'm going now," she told me.

"Should I act rude or act nice today?"

"What will you say if I choose the latter?"

"Ingat ka," I simply said.

"The other option?"

"Ingat ka." I shrugged. That was the only option.

Everything changed. I started noticing the little things she did. Her habits, her
clothes, her favorite things, colors. I started to read through everything. The way
she was hiding her emotions was also evident to me. She was really kind, but it was
too much. She couldn't speak up not because she didn't want to but because she
didn't know how to.

"You are more pathetic than my family."

"How so? I do not steal people's taxes." I looked at her, raising a brow.
She stepped closer to me. "Can't you see how pathetic you are? You are trying so
hard to impress your father maybe because you badly want recognition from your
parents. It was the only thing you could do best, right? It's the only thing that
can give you validation!"

Whoa, that was the first time she showed anger in front of me. Real anger. That was
the first time I felt that she was really getting mad. Her emotions were taking
over.

"Go on," I urged her to talk more.

"You can't even say no to your father because you want to play the 'best son'. No
wonder why your brothers are so mad at you. It's because you are a jerk. You don't
care about other people's feelings at all. Even your own brothers!"

But that was wrong. That part was wrong. All I cared about was other people's
feelings, not mine. I was working hard so my parents won't get disappointed in me.
I cared about my brothers but I also knew how to fight for myself. I couldn't just
let people step on me. Hindi ako ganoon ka-tanga.

We ignored each other after having a small argument about it. Her mom visited to
give some food but Samantha wasn't around. Gabi na pero hindi pa rin siya umuuwi.
Hindi ko rin alam kung nasaan siya. Nag-aaral ako nang makarinig ng tao sa labas ng
pinto.
"Hay nako!" I heard a guy's voice. When the doorbell rang, I stood up and went to
the door.

"You guys can go na! I can-" Samantha suddenly stopped talking when I opened the
door and saw her drunk. "Oh, hi!"

I was really irritated because the guy was touching her but when I turned to the
other guy on her back, the irritation faded. Magkaibigan pala sila ni Kalix. He was
my schoolmate in high school and we met in events a lot because his mom was a
doctor too. Magkaibigan sila ng nanay ko.

"Who are you?" I looked at the other guy. The unfamiliar one.

"Oh, he's my friend! Ex-crush, actually!" Samantha laughed.

Tumawa pa nga. May nakakatawa ba roon? Parang hindi naman ako natawa. Sana sinasabi
niya kung saang parte ang nakakatawa para nakitawa rin ako. Mukhang masaya siya, e.

"Friend! Friend lang!" The guy defended himself. "We're just friends, bro!"

"You can go now. Thanks," I dismissed them immediately. Samantha went inside the
house and sat on the couch, pouting. I made sure that she could still walk before
turning to the two guys again. "What happened to her?"
"Well, she's obviously drunk." Kalix shrugged. "Why the hell are you guys living
together?"

"Oh, we're going to get married." I stared at the other guy. He had to look away in
fear.

"Alright. We're going." Kalix nodded and dragged his friend with him.

Was I worried? She asked me that. I also asked myself that. Maybe. Maybe I was
really worried. I started worrying about the woman I didn't even care about in the
first place. It was an annoying feeling. An unnecessary emotion that I didn't want
to entertain.

"Where the hell is your mom again?" I asked Summer. The other two were already
sleeping so well after eating. I looked at the time. It was already late.

Dati wala naman akong pakialam kahit hindi siya umuwi. Mas gusto ko nga 'yon dahil
nakakapag-aral ako nang maayos pero ngayon, wala akong maintindihan sa binabasa ko
dahil siya lang iniisip ko. I even searched for road accident news. Iyon ang
ginagawa ko kapag hindi siya umuuwi nang maaga.

"Do I like your mom?" I asked the dog again, patting her head. "I don't, right?
Maybe it's just my first time living with a woman so I'm confused. It's all in the
brain, right?" I denied it again.

No way. There was fucking no way I would like the daughter of that ugly politician.
Just... No way. This wasn't even part of my plan. I shouldn't fall for her.

I was staring at the window in my room where I can see the garage. Napatayo kaagad
ako at sinara ang libro nang makita ang kotse niya. I fell on the floor when I
tried to run. Napahawak tuloy ako sa tuhod ko at hinimas 'yon. Ang sakit, puta.
Bakit ba ako nagmamadali?

Naunahan na tuloy ako ni Summer tumakbo pababa. I stood up again and tried to walk
normally downstairs.

"Uminom ka ulit?" I asked when I saw her.

"Oh, hindi ka pa tulog?" She asked back.

"Mukha ba 'kong tulog?" Mukha ba 'kong makakatulog? Alam niya ba ginagawa niya sa
'kin? Hindi siya nakakatuwa.

I didn't sleep at all that night to make up for the time I wasted while waiting for
her. Nag-aral ako buong gabi at naisipan ko pang mag-luto ng pancakes noong umaga.
Those were for her but she woke up late so I just gave it to the dogs before
walking upstairs to sleep.
Every dinner with her and my family was a disaster. Charles would often hit on her
which made me feel so fucking infuriated. Wala akong planong sagut-sagutin siya
kaharap ng magulang namin but it was his fault for pissing me off like that.
Samantha just had to calm me down by calling me 'love'.

"Cy, are you okay? Mahirap ba 'yung exam kaya nakatulala ka diyan?" Eva asked after
the long exam. Nasa coffee shop kami, nag-aaral ulit.

"Sino ba iniisip mo, pare? Huwag kang mag-alala. Mahal ka rin noon," pang-aasar na
naman ni Ridge.

Right. I was thinking of her. Was she doing well in school? Marami rin ba siyang
kaibigan doon? Minsan, nararamdaman kong ang dami niyang sinasariling problema.
Hindi ko alam kung tungkol saan kay napapaisip ako.

"What if I become a model?" Tumawa pa siya nang tinanong 'yon.

I stared at her for a few seconds, crossing my arms over my chest. I tilted my head
to the side, thinking of her as a cover of a magazine. Honestly, when I first saw
her, she gave off that vibe. Ngayon niya lang ba naisipan 'yon?

Was that the one bothering her? Her dream career? Hindi niya ba alam ang gagawin
niya pagka-graduate?
"What?" She looked nervous. "Was that a no? Don't worry. I was just kidding-"

"That sounds good." I nodded and gave her a smile. "Bagay sa 'yo."

Lahat naman bagay sa kaniya. Kahit anong sabihin niyang career, sasabihin kong
magandang ideya 'yon... because it was the first time she was talking about
something she wanted to do. I noticed every detail. The way she talked about other
people, the way she was considerate of everyone other than herself. She always
talked about what her parents would like, what her parents would approve of. I was
probably overthinking it but her problems... suddenly became my problems as well.

I wanted to share everything with her and I wanted her to do the same but Samantha
still had this thick wall built up that was hard to penetrate just by kicking on
the bricks. I had to barge my way in.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"For?" I raised a brow.

"For saying that it sounds good. I know you don't like it but your words boost my
confidence." She laughed again. "So thanks. I just hope it's an honest opinion."
"When did I ever lie to you?" I stared at her for a long time.

I could never lie to her because there was no way to lie. Samantha was every good
thing compiled into one human being. She was too kind for the harsh world outside
so as much as possible, I wanted her to share her pain with me. Kahit ano pa 'yon,
kahit gaano kabigat, sasaluhin ko.

When did I start thinking like this? Fuck it. Malala na 'ko.

"Why do you keep on staring at me? Don't tell me you like me." She laughed.

Oh, shit. How long was I staring at her back?

"Hindi naman. Iniisip ko lang kung saan ka natuto magluto. 'Di ba senyorita ka sa
bahay n'yo?" I had to say that instead and act like I was genuinely curious.

The little things... The smallest details... I started memorizing them all without
me knowing.

"Wala kang headband ngayon," I pointed out... which I shouldn't have.

"I didn't know you like paying attention to my school outfit."

Yeah, she was slowly starting to notice everything. Kinabahan tuloy ako. I had to
hide my feelings from her. Take it easy, Clyden. You were starting to creep her
out.

Feelings, huh?

"I guess I like her?" Tanong ko kay Maple habang nakahiga sa damuhan at nakapikit.
Dumapa si Summer sa tabi ko at tumatakbo naman si Hail. My hand was on top of
Maple's head while thinking. "I mean... I like her."

Summer suddenly licked my face so I had to open my eyes and take a seat. My heart
was beating so fast right after giving in and admitting my own feelings.

"Why? Do you like me now?" She stepped closer to me and raised a brow.

"Do you?" I stepped forward too, pushing the door to her room. I went inside, still
staring at her and waiting for her answer.
"No, I don't like you," she answered confidently.

Ouch.

"Then the feeling is mutual." I smiled and pinched her cheek before leaving her
room.

Pagkasara ko ng kwarto ko, sinandal ko kaagad ang noo ko sa pinto. I hit my

forehead lightly against the door over and over, cursing myself.

"Bobo," I whispered, hitting the door again.

Days went by quick. I tried to focus more on studying than grieving for my hopeless
feelings over that woman. Just when I thought that I was already over her, I saw
her crying. My chest also throbbed from seeing her in pain.

"Do you need a hug?" I asked. I didn't know what to do.

"Can you give me a hug?"

I wrapped arms on her and rested her head on my chest. I held her for a long time
but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, her heart started beating so fast.
Naramdaman ko 'yon. Normal pa ba 'yon? Hindi ko alam kung mag-aalala ako sa kaniya.

"I can feel your heartbeat but I'll just pretend that I can't," I said so she won't
feel embarrassed about it.

Because mine was also beating so fast. Nararamdaman niya kaya? Siya may gawa noon.

"Hindi ka uuwi? Hindi ba magagalit misis mo?" Ridgen started again. We were
studying in my unit. Kasama ko rin sila Eva.

"She doesn't care about me," maikling sagot ko habang naghi-highlight.

"Ouch!" Ridgen laughed hard. "Parang may kasamang sakit? Shit, okay ka lang, pare?
Brokenhearted ka pala. Hindi ka nagsasabi."

I wanted to get everything over with because Samantha invited me to a party. I

stayed up all night kahit lahat sila ay natulog na. I really wanted to attend her
party. I thought it was okay to stay out without saying anything.
"Do you want bread?" I asked when I went home the next day. She just gave me a
single glance before turning to the dogs.

"Hi, babies!" She went to the dogs, completely ignoring me. She kissed the top of
their heads before going upstairs.

"Samantha?" I called her but she ignored me again.

Napakurap ako at napatitig sa kawalan. Napaisip ako. Hindi ba niya 'ko pinapansin?
Sinasadya niya ba 'yon? Pagkababa niya ulit, nakabihis na siya. Aalis ata.

"Galit ka ba?" Tanong ko bago siya umalis.

"No." Ang lamig, ah.

Tinanong ko kung bakit siya galit sa 'kin pero hindi niya talaga ako pinapansin.
Inis kong sinara ang libro at umakyat ng kwarto para magbihis. Tinawagan ko pa si
Ridge at sinabing iinom kami ngayong gabi. Tuwang tuwa naman siya dahil hindi naman
ako nag-aaya.

Pero nang dumating ako, may kasayawan siyang ibang lalaki.

"This is fun." I scoffed and walked away.

Just what the fuck was I thinking? Bakit pa 'ko pumunta rito? Dahil hindi niya 'ko
pinapansin? Kaya naman pala, e. Ang tanga ko naman, puta.

I sat on the couch with my friends and poured whiskey on my glass. Tanong nang
tanong si Ridge kung anong nangyari pero hindi ko siya pinapansin. Sumunod pa si
Samantha pero nakatayo lang siya sa tapat ng table namin. Ang awkward niyang
tignan.

"Cy," siniko ako ni Ridge.

"Ano ba?" Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Kita na nga niyang hindi ko pinapansin kasi
ayokong kausapin tapos tatawagin pa 'ko.

Ewan ko pero bigla na lang silang nawala lahat.

"I'm your type, right?" I looked away from her when she wrapped her arms around me,
pulling me closer. I felt awkward.
"Don't do this here. Umuwi na tayo." Sinubukan kong tanggalin ang hawak niya. Baka
mahalikan ko 'to kapag hindi pa 'to tumigil.

I did, but it happened during another party. I couldn't help it when she was
looking so adorable, being jealous and all. I was starting to think that she liked
me too. She was showing signs.

Bad timing. She moved out and I was left alone in the house. It was never the same
when she wasn't around. Was it because of the kiss? Did I do it wrong? Hindi ko
maintindihan.

"Ah, I can't focus," I whispered. I had been reading the same paragraph over and
over again. Wala talagang pumapasok sa utak ko. I was so frustrated. Samantha Vera,
what did you do to me?

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and called her mom so she could tell me
Sam's unit number. Tinawagan ko pa si Kalix para makapasok ako sa building.

"What now? You had a fight?" He asked, raising a brow.

"You can say that." I shrugged.

"The two of you just can't stop bothering me, huh." He scratched his head out of
frustration. I felt sorry for him.

We kissed again... and again... and again. Each kiss just made me realize how deep
my feelings were going. I had no idea if it was a bad thing or a good thing.

"Now you wouldn't let go of my hand." She showed me our hands. "Really, Clyden? You
really won't let go?"

"No, I won't," I seriously answered.

I won't. I promised her that. I won't ever let her go. I already loved her before I
knew how it was to fall in love.

I started doing things I wouldn't normally do. I started practicing cooking because
I wanted to do something for her. I wanted to be the 'ideal' husband. I wanted to
take care of her. Kahit gaano ako ka-busy, hindi ko nakakalimutang ipagbaon siya ng
pagkain kasi iyon na lang ang paraan ko para makabawi sa kaniya.

I loved her. It took her too long to realize but she loved me too. Relationships
can't just go smoothly. Both of us had to take the rough road. I promised myself to
hold her hand and never let go but honestly, I was just so scared for us.
Oras ang matinding kalaban ko pero siya, ang dami niyang pinoproblema. Kahit
napapansin ko 'yon, wala siyang sinasabi sa akin. Ang hirap kumapa. Hindi ko alam
kung gusto niyang pag-usapan o hindi. Kahit tanungin ko, hindi niya sinasagot.

"So we're not breaking the engagement anymore?"

"We're not breaking the engagement. Whatever happens. I promise you that."

And how I wished she promised me the same thing too.

We did a lot of things together. We made love a couple of times. The first time was
embarrassing for me. That was my first and I felt so inexperienced so I asked
Ridgen for advice and he also made me watch a lot of fucking videos. Napapailing na
lang ako.

"What if something big happens that will force us to be apart from each other?"

"Even if the world forces me to leave you, I wouldn't," I seriously answered. "I
will stay by your side whatever happens so do the same for me."

"I also want to stay with you," she said. "You will always be there for me, right?"
"Of course, love."

Always. Always. Whatever happens, I will fight for us. I will always be there for
her. I wanted her to realize that but when I started my clerkship, I felt her
drifting away from me. She focused on her modeling.

Things weren't the same anymore. She started hiding little things from me.
Sinasarili na niya lahat ng nararating niya, kahit gaano kaliit. Wala na rin akong
tulog. Hindi ko na siya nakakausap kahit gustong gusto ko. Ilang beses kong
nilalabanan ang antok.

"Pagod na 'ko, tangina," sabi ko kay Ridgen habang kumakain.

I wasn't ignoring her texts purposely. Kapag may free time ako, nakakatulog ako.
Minsan kahit kumakain pa. Things were starting to get busy especially when my
clerkship was in a public hospital.

"Kaya pa?" Ridgen asked.

"Kakayanin," I said with my eyes closed. I almost fell asleep again.

I wondered if Samantha already knew about what her parents did. I didn't have the
time to ask her about it. Hindi na kami nagkikita. Tuwing uuwi ako, wala siya.
Tuwing aalis ako, tulog siya. Tuwing tulog ako, dumadating siya. Nagkakasalisihan
na kami. We were both busy chasing our dreams and convincing ourselves that our
relationship was still strong, though we already lost our greatest foundation.
Time.

"Cancel the engagement with Samantha. We no longer want to be associated with the
Veras," my dad said.

I was tired of my clerkship. Receiving that news just made me feel worse. "No, I
won't cancel the engagement. We will get married," I told them.

"Clyden!" My mom yelled. "You know what this can do to our business! We're in the
medical field! How will people trust us? Getting involved with Samantha is not good
during this time!"

I never did anything to defy my parents. I always went with how they wanted things
to go because I was the 'ideal' son. I was the 'favorite' son... But when they
started involving Samantha, I couldn't go with their orders anymore.

"Then you shouldn't have arranged our marriage in the first place!" I yelled too.

Pagkatapos nila akong pilitin sa kasal na 'yon, babawiin nila? Ano ba kaming mga
anak nila? Laruan nila?
"Do not talk to mom like that!" Charles suddenly gave me a punch.

I held my jaw and looked at him, trying to calm myself. I scoffed sarcastically
before gripping on his collar, pushing him out of my way so I could leave the
mansion. My family didn't take it well. Pinuntahan pa nila 'ko sa hospital
kinabukasan.

"If you don't break up with Samantha, you're not worth inheriting the medical. You
don't care about the future of our business. You are so disappointing, Clyden," my
dad said.

Disappointing, huh? He was disappointed in me for the first time. After all those
years of following him like a fucking dog, trying so hard to remain validated with
my efforts, working hard because I didn't want to disappoint him ever, it will
just... end like this.

"Disappointing because for once, I'm starting to say no to you, right?" I chuckled.
"Not really an ideal son. Oh, right... I'm not your son. I'm just one of your
movable objects. I am existing so you can have someone to show off."

"What did that woman do to you? I can't recognize you anymore as my son!" My dad
shouted. "You are not getting any money from me!"
"I do not need your money," I told him.

I worked extra hard for myself. I studied hard. Halos hindi na 'ko umuuwi. Tambay
na 'ko sa coffee shop. Lahat na ng paraan para magising, nagawa ko na. I lost
weight. I lost sleep. I even fell sick but I didn't want to worry Maui while she
was busy with her modeling so I didn't tell her. Hindi ako umuuwi kapag may sakit
ako para hindi niya makita. Sa unit na lang ako nananatili.

"Hindi ka mukhang doctor. Mukha kang pasyente," Ridgen insulted when he saw my
face.

I just laughed. I had a free time that afternoon so I wanted to see Samantha.
Nabalita ko sa kaniya 'yung tungkol sa magulang niya kaya umalis siya kaagad. Hindi
niya pala alam? Tumayo kaagad ako para sumunod sa kaniya.

"Let's go, Maui." I pulled her out of the mansion. "It's not good to act on your
emotions."

She stared at me with disbelief. "Are you hearing yourself?! You can say that
because you are not in my position! You are not having a hard time with your
parents!"

I stopped for a moment when I heard what she said. I closed the door and faced her
with so much anger inside me. I just stopped myself from saying the things going on
inside my mind. I couldn't manage to have a fight at this moment.
"I am not having a hard time?" I tried to sound calm. "You do not know a thing."

Yes, she didn't know a thing because as we drifted apart, we started hiding our
problems from each other. We dealt with them alone. We weren't holding each other's
hands anymore.

"Cy," she called. "When are you available to talk?"

I knew where it was going. It really hurt me to see our relationship getting broken
into pieces. That reality... I was never ready to face it. She was slipping away
from me. If I could never stop it from happening, then I might at least delay it.

"Are you okay?" I stopped walking when I heard Naomi's voice in the garden.
Kakarating ko lang ng bahay at nakita ko siyang nakikipaglaro sa mga aso.

"Why are you there? It's hot. You should go inside," I told her.

"No need. It's relaxing out here." She smiled and covered the top of her eyes with
her hand, blocking the sunlight. "Ah, fresh air."

"Are you okay?" I asked her back.

"Of course!" She laughed and hugged Summer who was beside her. "I have Summer with
me."

She immediately sneezed after that so I let out a small laugh. She looked back at
me and covered her nose, scrunching it a bit. She was smiling but I felt like she
was hiding something from me that I knew I couldn't force out of her.

"If you need someone to talk to, you can send me a message," I told her before
going inside. I needed to go back to the hospital after taking a quick shower.

"Kuya!" I stopped walking when she called me again.

"Hmm?" I looked at her and raised my brows. I was just trying so hard to stay
awake. My body was already giving up.

"Be with my sister through her ups and downs. Wipe her tears when I'm gone." She
gave me a small smile.

"That's..." Alam niya ba kung anong nangyayari sa amin ng Ate niya? I couldn't even
say yes. My relationship with her sister wasn't the same anymore.
"Keep the smile on her face when she's with you. She is the happiest... when she's
free." Her smile looked genuine. She even gave me a thumbs up.

"Alright." I gave her a small smile too before going inside.

Ang dami ko nang iniisip. I saw another person die in front of me when I went back
to the hospital. I didn't take it well. I had to stay in the office for a long
time. Nakatulala lang ako sa lamesa... But my brother just had to make me feel
worse.

"Break up with that woman. If you want to go down with her, do not bring the family
with you!" Charles gripped my shirt.

I didn't say anything and just moved his hands away from me. I was tired from my
duty. Wala akong oras para makipag-away. Nasa hospital pa kami.

"Ano? Wala kang sasabihin?! You are making mom cry! Do you want me to do it
myself?" Charles asked.

I suddenly stopped walking to look at him. He raised a brow, a smirk was plastered
on his face.
"It could be better to go to Samantha and threaten her instead-" I cut him off by
giving him a hard punch.

His eyes went bloodshot and gripped my shirt, punching me on the face too. Ridgen
ran when he saw us, going in between so we would stop. I touched the small cut on
my cheek. It was bleeding.

"Do not fucking involve her in this... Or I will take everything away from you," I
told Charles before walking away.

I went home that night, not expecting Samantha to be there.

"Did you have a fight with someone?" She asked.

"Just a small brother fight," I answered. "Huwag mo nang gamutin. Maliit lang 'to."

I couldn't talk to her properly anymore. I felt like at any time, she would lash
out, yell at me, break up with me, leave me. I wasn't ready for it yet.

"Why are you still fighting for it?" She asked. She sounded desperate.
"Because I love you."

That was the only answer. Mali ba 'yon para sa kaniya? Hindi niya ba maintindihan
kung bakit? Hindi na ba niya 'ko mahal kaya hindi niya 'ko kayang ipaglaban?

"I was using you."

When I learned what happened with Naomi, I immediately went to Sam. She wasn't
taking my texts nor my calls. She was locking herself up. The news was a surprise
to me too, because I was just talking to her the other day.

"Use me, then," I said without any hesitation.

"You're so desperate." She was so harsh. "Can't you see yourself? Why are you still
forcing yourself on me? I already told you. I don't want you anymore. If you can't
accept that, then it's not my fault anymore."

She was crying in front of me. It must hurt a lot, huh? Staying with me must hurt a
lot... So I said okay.
Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit pero pumayag ako. Hindi ko maintindihan dahil wala
siyang binigay na explanation pero... pumayag pa rin ako dahil mukhang masakit sa
kaniya ang manatili sa tabi ko.

I knew it would come into this. All I wanted was for her to be happy... So I hoped
that she would be.

"Can you keep the ring for me?"

She nodded. "I will."

When she fell asleep, I had to cover my mouth so I wouldn't wake her up with my
cries. I cried the whole night while I was hugging her in my arms. I couldn't help
but break down. Hindi ko alam kung mahahawakan ko ba siya ulit nang ganoon sa
susunod. Bukas, iiwan na niya 'ko.

Hindi ko maintindihan. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan.

"Sabi mo mahal mo 'ko..." I whispered. My voice broke.

I kissed her forehead. I didn't sleep the whole night because I was cherishing our
last moments together. Before the sun could rise, I stood up, took a shower, and
left after leaving a note. I could never watch her leave.

Maybe someday,

I'll make your head turn again with my walk.

Take care of yourself, Doc.

- Maureen

I cried after reading the note she left. I kneeled on the floor as the dogs came
running to me. I covered my face and just cried on the floor.

"I'll wait for that 'someday'," I whispered, holding the note.

I will never get tired of waiting... Because I love her. Someday... Maybe
someday... She will come back to my arms again.

________________________________________________________________________________

42 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Samantha Vera, a pose for us, please!"

I stopped walking and displayed the Dior dress I was wearing after attending its
fashion show. I wasn't the one walking on the runway but I got invited by the
designer. It was Paris Fashion Week so it was again another busy week for me and
for my stylists. There were so many cameras around me. I could even hear the
shutters.

"Sam, let's go! We're going to be late!" Arah yelled so I waved at the reporters
before going inside the van to change into another outfit.

Francine quickly retouched my makeup and changed my hairstyle. The fashion week was
my favorite week but it was also unhealthy for me since wala na 'kong oras
magpahinga. I was invited to a lot of shows and I also supported my co-models. It
has been what? 3 years since I left the Philippines and focused more on modeling.
Eventually, I got tired of it.

I retired from runway modeling and just accepted offers from shoots and
commercials. Audience na lang ako ngayon but I still felt happier than ever because
I was free. My schedule wasn't that hectic anymore except during fashion weeks.

"Samantha Vera, gorgeous as ever!" Giselle went to me and gave me a hug after going
inside the venue. Magkatabi kami para sa show. I kissed her cheek and also greeted
other celebrities before taking my seat. Hindi pa nagsisimula 'yung show kaya may
oras pa 'ko. "I heard you're dating the famous Hollywood actor, ah?!"

"What?" My brows furrowed before laughing. "No, no. I don't have a boyfriend!" I
denied it.
For the past years, I was being paired up with my friends from Hollywood after I
got introduced by a model friend who landed herself with one of the famous actors.
My circle just started to get bigger. I got invited to American shows. I had been
traveling around the U.S.A, especially in Los Angeles. Ang dami kong nakakasama
kaya ang dami ko ring dating rumors.

I was once offered to star in a movie too but it just wasn't my thing. I wasn't
that much of a great actress so I just stayed with modeling. Ang tunog na ng
pangalan ko internationally lalo na tuwing nakakasama ko 'yung mga sikat na actors
and actresses, like in the yacht party that happened the other day. Hindi ko alam
kung masaya o galit 'yung fans nila sa 'kin. I couldn't care less. Wala naman akong
special relationship with them.

"You're more famous than ever now! Ang hirap mo nang hagilapin, ah! You were always
in LA!" Giselle laughed gracefully. "Celebrity life, huh?"

"Not really." I gave her a smile. "I don't really like the attention I'm getting. I
might move back to the Philippines for good. I had enough of the spotlight."

"Really?!" Giselle parted her lips. "For good? Are you planning to retire?"

"I can still take offers but I'm actually going to focus on business."

Hindi na nadugtungan ang usapan namin dahil nagsimula na ang show. It was amusing
to see new designs. It was refreshing to the eyes. After the show, Giselle and I
went to the designer to have a small chat. The backstage models were staring at us,
probably recognizing us.
I wasn't that famous in the Philippines anymore since I didn't take any bookings
there. Hindi ko lang alam kung may pakialam pa sila since I actually became an
international celebrity. I come home during important events but I also leave
immediately. I didn't want to stay that long in the country.

Clyden was once in New York to attend a conference. I guess it was about 2 years
ago, but we didn't get a chance to meet since I was in LA and he had to go back the
next day. We were... casual. We stopped talking to each other but he still sent
messages during important occasions like birthday, Christmas, New Year and I also
sent messages during those times but... Hanggang doon na lang ang usapan.

Simple 'Happy birthday', 'Merry Christmas' messages were enough for us to say that
we still care about each other, but we were already too busy with our own lives so
we stopped ourselves from going too deep. Friends? Maybe I can call us that... But
we really can't be friends. There was too much history for us to be 'just friends'.

Gabi na nang makauwi ako sa hotel room dahil nagkaroon pa 'ko ng mini photoshoot so
I can have something to post on Instagram and I was also paid to model the clothes
sent to me. It was really fun but tiring. Ito na 'yung last day so I was finally
allowed to cheat on my diet.

I changed my clothes and went down to the hotel restaurant alone while Arah and
Francine were both resting in their hotel rooms. Pagod din siguro sila dahil ang
dami naming pinuntahan ngayong araw. I was planning to eat alone but I saw a
familiar face in the lobby.

"Gosh, what is he doing here?" I covered my face with the menu when I saw Haze
talking to two businessmen.
They were all wearing their formal attires. I was busy staring at them so I didn't
notice the waiter beside me, waiting for my order. "Oh, wait. Let me just..." I
stopped staring to choose what I want.

I told the waiter what I wanted before giving him the menu. Halos mapatalon ako sa
inuupuan ko nang makita ko ang lalaki sa harapan ko, hawak na ang sandalan ng
upuan.

"Save the dessert for later," I told the waiter.

"Oh, and can you please add one salmon en papillote? Merci." I muttered a curse
when Haze sat in front of me, smirking. "Wow, long time no see, Miss
International."

"Please." I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Why are you here in Paris?"

"Oh, I had a meeting." He took his coat off and put it on the backrest before
loosening his tie in front of me. "Paris Fashion Week, huh? Were you on the
runway?"

"No. I just got invitations," I told him. "Any news about the thing I asked?" I
raised my brow. The waiter came back to fill our glasses with wine before leaving
again.
"Hmm..." Haze took a sip on his wine glass before looking up, thinking. "Well,
since I'm the one helping you, you don't have to worry about it. The location is
secured, it's almost finished, and I already hired employees. In no time, it could
start operating. I'm the best, right? Tell me I'm a good boy," he teased, smiling.

"What are you, a dog?" I laughed.

"Aren't you going to reward me, hmm?" He tried to hide his smirk underneath his
wine glass. He leaned on the table and touched my lower lip with his thumb, making
my brows furrow. "I've been so good... Right?" He said in his sexiest tone.

"Shut up." I moved his hand away and rolled my eyes, making him laugh. Umayos siya
ng upo at sumandal, natatawa sa reaction ko. "This is probably how you tease your
sex partners. Sorry, I don't have any plans to be on the same bed as you." I gave
him a sweet smile.

"Bathroom?" He tried again to tease. "Or fire exit?" He looked at my back where the
fire exit was located. "Rooftop? How about that, hmm?"

"Whatever." He was just teasing to get a reaction from me. We were good friends.
Sanay na 'ko sa pangse-seduce niya sa 'kin tuwing nagkakasalubong kami. This guy
never really changed.

"Ah, Samantha Vera. So cold." He shook his head. "Is it final? Your club's name is
Epitome?"

"Yeah, I can't think of anything else." I shrugged. "I can change it when I want
to. I'm still starting."

I wanted to own and build a club just to try new things and have a fall-back plan.
It was the thing I had enough knowledge of and Haze helped me a lot. He managed
everything while I was in New York. He was really helpful to me, especially when he
was so business-minded and not to mention, smart.

"Epi tayo," Haze said. "That's how people will refer to your club. Tara, Epi. Let's
go to Epi. Shortcuts. It's still good." He laughed.

"Whatever they want to call it."

Our food was served and we just talked about the club while eating. Hinatid niya
'ko sa hotel room ko pagkatapos kumain bago siya umalis. He even teased me and said
that he will stay in my room for the night. He received a call after that so he
immediately left. Maybe it was one of his flings.

The next day, we had a flight back to New York. I just stayed in my apartment the
whole day after arriving so I could rest again. Moving to New York 3 years ago
wasn't really easy but it wasn't hard either since I had been going to New York a
lot before so I already knew the environment. Hindi lang ako sanay na wala 'yung
mga kaibigan ko at wala... siya.
I had the urge to send him a message right after moving in but I wanted to stop
giving him false hopes. I wanted to help him move on especially when I didn't have
plans on coming back. I wanted him to already forget about me so I refused to
contact him but he sent a message on my birthday and so it became like that ever
since.

He probably forgot about me already. Malapit na ang birthday niya at pauwi na rin
ako. Hindi ko alam kung kikitain ko ba siya o hindi. Wala naman siyang idea na uuwi
ako and his last message was during New Year. A simple 'Happy New Year' lang ang
sinabi niya and sineen na niya 'ko.

Hindi ko alam kung gusto kong naka move on na siya o hindi. I wanted that in the
first place because I wasn't planning to come back anymore but I decided that I
wanted to have a stable life in the Philippines, not in New York. I wanted to be
close to my friends and be there for them. Besides, it wasn't easy for me to stay
out here anymore. Paparazzi started following me around wherever I went. It was
worse than before.

I was staring at Clyden's new post on Instagram. He was wearing a different white
coat, a dark blue stethoscope around his neck, a cute ballpen on his pockets
probably for the children, and a new pair of specs. Those were new. He had a
different hairstyle now. Longer and pushed back, which made him more mature.

He was smiling in the photo and he was with three other doctors who looked younger
than him. I heard he was already taking his fellowship program. Pediatrics
Emergency Medicine.

At this point, I wasn't hoping to have a relationship with anyone anymore. I didn't
have plans on marriage or plans to have kids. I was just focusing on myself. I
learned a lot and grew a lot when I started paying attention to myself. I went out
of my comfort zone, released every grudge I had inside me, and also let go of the
burden from the past.
"Are you happy for me?" I asked, holding the photo of Naomi. It was placed on the
side table. She became my inspiration to move forward. "You're not here but you're
bringing out the best in me."

Inasikaso ko lang lahat ng papeles before moving out of my apartment and also
before leaving New York for good. Arah had been handling other models as well
beside me so she planned on staying here in New York with Francine but she can
still look out for me kahit long-distance kami. I was actually nervous because I
will start doing things alone now. I should learn how to since I was opening a
business.

"Yeah, I already booked my flight," I told Yanna while packing my things. Ang dami
kong gamit at hindi ko alam kung ano ang iiwan ko at ang i-uuwi ko. I was just
planning to sell some of my clothes to avoid baggage excess.

[Susunduin ba kita? Ipapasundo kita kay Sevi.] Yanna said on the other line.

"Yes, please. Thank you!"

I ended the call and continued packing my things kahit next week pa naman talaga
ang flight ko. I spent the whole week selling my things and also shopping so I can
bring something to my friends. After weighing my baggage, I sat at the edge of the
bed and touched the ring attached to my necklace.
"Are you waiting?" I whispered.

Kinuha ko ang phone ko at tinitigan 'yon. I wanted to send a message to him but I
didn't know what to say. He seemed so far away from me. Ganoon din ba kapag nagkita
kami ulit?

itsamantha: How are you?

After sending that, I closed my eyes and covered my face with the pillow,
screaming. I was panicking so bad. Hindi ko alam kung magrereply ba siya o hindi.

"Oh my gosh!" I threw the pillow when my phone beeped.

c.jaile: Hi. I'm good. How are you?

That sounded so formal! Was he still the same as before? Ano nang irereply ko?! Why
did I send that message in the first place? Sasabihin ko bang pauwi na 'ko? But for
what? Baka sabihin niya 'And so?' or something like that.

After leaving him, sasabihin ko 'yun sa kaniya? He would probably think that I was
playing with his feelings. I sighed heavily and just replied with a short message.
itsamantha: I'm fine. Talk to you soon.

And then I turned off my phone and slept! Hindi na rin naman siya nag-send ng
message after that. Hindi nga niya sineen the next day. Maybe he was busy.

I woke up early to catch my flight. Hinatid lang ako ni Arah and Francine.
Nagpaalam na 'ko sa kanilang dalawa and thanked them for staying by my side for
years. We were going to be apart now but we will still keep in touch. I checked in
my baggage and went through immigration before going to the boarding area. It was
still early so I had breakfast and also shopped around designer stores.

The saleslady kept on staring at me while I was looking at Chanel bags... Probably
because I endorsed Chanel before. I wore my shades so people won't recognize me
anymore. Kanina, may mga nagpa-picture pa.

"Passengers of the flight..." I looked up when I heard my flight number from the
speakers. Umalis na kaagad ako ng store at pumunta sa boarding area para pumila. I
booked a business class seat so we were the first ones to enter.

"Welcome on board, Ma'am."

I stopped walking when I heard a familiar voice. My brows furrowed as I turned to

my side, seeing Yanna in her flight attendant attire. I was holding up the line so
I just gave her 'the look' before I went to my seat. What the hell... She didn't
tell me that!
But having her around me made me less nervous about going back. Hindi ko alam kung
ano ang naghihintay sa 'kin sa Pilipinas kaya kinakabahan ako. When the passengers
started settling down, Yanna performed the emergency procedures in front. I had to
look away so she won't laugh.

"Cabin crew, please take your seats for take-off." I looked up, mas lalo lang
naguluhan dahil narinig ko ang boses ni Hiro. That was him! I even saw how Yanna
smiled when she heard that. Halatang kinilig. I had to roll my eyes. Gosh, these
two.

After the take-off, the fasten seat belt sign was turned off and the flight
attendants started going around to offer some snacks and drinks. I checked the menu
and pushed the flight attendant call button. Yanna immediately went to my seat and
gave me a fake smile.

"Good day, Ma'am. Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked, trying to
sound normal.

I couldn't stop myself from letting out a laugh. "Why are you on my flight?"

"Last minute changes," she answered shortly. "Bakit? Ayaw mo ba, ha? Ikaw na nga
sinasamahan, e."
It wasn't a surprise to see Yanna anymore. Kapag may flight siya sa New York at may
layover, palagi naman kaming nagkikita. I was thinking that she was purposely
taking New York flights just to see me. Palagi siyang narito, e!

"You even brought your husband with you." Napailing ako.

"Hindi na 'ko makapaghintay matapos shift ko at mag-break siya," she whispered on

my ear, smirking. My facial expression suddenly changed, giving her a disgusted
look. "Joke lang."

"Go do your job." I pushed her away playfully. She laughed and went to another seat
when she was called. I smiled by myself and just watched movies before I fell
asleep.

"Huy, gising. Kakain na," Yanna woke me up.

Parang ginigising niya lang ako sa bahay. I opened my eyes and ate the food served
in front of me. Yanna was going around already. After that, nawala na siya. Tapos
na ata shift niya. The flight was long but I was comfortable since I had a friend
around. I stayed awake until we landed so I could beat the jet lag.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. I would like to welcome you
to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Our local time is 2:21 PM and the
temperature is 32 degrees celsius. On behalf of Fly Asia Airlines and the entire
crew, I'd like to thank you for joining us on this trip. Have a nice stay in the
Philippines." I thought it would end there but he talked again. "And welcome home,
Sam."
My eyes widened while getting my carry-on suitcase. Muntik na tuloy mahulog sa
mukha ko. Hiro, what the hell! That surprised me!

"See you," I told Yanna before going out of the plane.

"Call me," she mouthed with a hand gesture.

I connected to the internet so I could call Sevi. He said that he was already near
so I waited outside the airport. Nanibago ako dahil walang paparazzi but it was so
much better than before. They didn't get my flight details this time!

I blinked twice when a Porsche Macan stopped in front of me. Sevi went out of the
driver's seat, wearing a navy blue dress shirt tucked inside his black slacks.
Mukhang galing sa trabaho. He gave me a smile before giving me a hug. He smelled
good too!

"Wow, you changed a lot," I told him.

"Ang sabihin mo, mas lumaki muscles ko," he said, flexing his biceps again.
Napailing na lang ako at hindi siya pinansin. He laughed and opened the back of his
car so we can put my things inside. Ang sabi niya siya na raw bahala roon kaya
pumasok na raw ako ng sasakyan dahil mukhang pagod ako. He was still caring as
ever. Na-meet niya na kaya 'yung ex niya? I saw her in LA just last month. Mukhang
malapit na pala siya umuwi, according to Haze.

"Doon ka sa dating condo mo?" Sevi asked while driving.

"Yes, please." I really wanted to sleep already but I had to fight it so I could
adjust my body clock. "How are you? Have you been well?"

"Oo naman! Ikaw ba? Kumusta ka na? Sikat na sikat ka na roon, ah! Kakilala mo 'yung
favorite kong actor. Sabi ko bigyan mo ako ng fansign, e," reklamo pa niya.

"Uso pa ba 'yon?" Tumawa ako at umiling. "I have his number. I can just text him."

"Hoy, joke lang! Nakakahiya naman 'to. Ah, oo nga pala, kailan opening ng club mo?
Na-excitement na 'ko, e," he joked.

Oh right. I told him that it would be a few weeks from now since iche-check ko pa
kung okay na lahat and then I'll organize stuff for the opening. It will be an
exclusive party so I'll be sending out invitations to the people I know... which
were also a lot. It could also serve as a welcome home party for me.
"Okay ka na rito? Pwede kitang tulungan mag-ayos ng gamit," Sevi offered.

"Actually, yes, please. I want to buy new pieces of furniture," I told him. I
didn't really sell my unit. I just paid for the maintenance fee in advance so it
was still there. Haze already had it cleaned yesterday so ang gagawin ko na lang,
bibili ng mga bagong gamit.

"Tama. You chose the right man, pare," Sevi proudly said.

We went up to my unit and it was really clean. I
bedroom while I told Sevi about what to replace.
set, adding a new TV, removing the painting, and
also wanted to change the bed. Sevi also checked
working.
placed my suitcases inside the
I planned on changing the sala
adding some new portraits, and I
the electronics if they were still

"Saan? Dito ipepwesto?" Sevi asked, holding his metric tape measure. He rolled his
sleeves up and measured the painting on the wall, biting a pencil. He marked it
before typing the measurement on his phone.

I felt so bad for him! Sinundo na nga niya 'ko, pinapagawa ko pa siya ng extra
work. Para naman makabawi sa kaniya, I took him to the mall after so we could eat.
He also helped me choose some pieces of furniture. He was the one talking to the
salesperson. He was very specific with the sizes and stuff while I was just
following him.

"Sam, sinasabi ko sa 'yo, hindi ako architect kaya huwag mo 'kong pagkatiwalaan sa
design masyado." Sevi laughed.
"I'll call Luna or Kierra," I told him. We were in a restaurant, eating now. Hindi
pa naman gabi kaya palabas pa lang siguro sila sa trabaho.

When I sent a text, they replied 'okay' immediately. I asked them to meet in my
unit so they could take a look. Busog na si Sevi kaya bumalik na kami sa condo.
Malapit lang din naman.

"Samantha!" That was so loud! Nanlaki ang mata ko nang biglang yumakap sa 'kin si
Luna habang binubuksan ko ang pinto ng unit ko.

"Luna, kalma." Kierra had to pull her back so we wouldn't fall.

"Ang ingay mo, tol. May pang-umaga," Sevi told her.

"Hala, namiss kita super!" Yumakap ulit sa 'kin si Luna, ayaw ako pakawalan. "Ang
bango bango mo naman! Ano ba 'yan! Amoy mamahalin!"

"Ako, hindi mo pupuriin?" Sevi asked.

"Amoy semento ka, bobo," Luna fired back.

"Napaka-kapal naman ng mukha mo." Sevi scoffed.

I thought their fight would end there but then when they went inside and took a
look at my unit, they started fighting again over the designs.

"Hindi nga kasya! E 'di wala nang space dito kung sasagarin mo. Kita mo 'to, ha?
Minarkahan ko na 'to." Sevi even stood up and pointed at the wall. "Mula rito...
Hanggang dito..." He moved and pointed again. "Kung lalagyan mo pa ng desk dito,
hindi posible. Masyadong malapit na sa pinto."

"E 'di i-adjust mo!" Luna stood up, crossing her arms. "Maganda nga naisip ko! May
glass shelf dito tapos nandito 'yung mga portraits tsaka mga award ni Sam. Lintik,
akin na nga ang panukat!"

"Jusko naman," Kierra whispered, massaging her head. "Bukas pa 'yan matatapos, Sam.
Usap na lang tayo rito. Kumusta New York?"

"Too much spotlight. I already got tired of it so I went home. I'm staying here for
good already. How about you? How are you holding up?"

We just talked to catch up while the two were busy arguing. Luna really made an
effort to show me a sketch, even though I didn't ask for it. I just trusted both of
them. They were in too deep when I just wanted to change the furniture! Gosh! Pwede
namang kahit ano na lang sa 'kin but they were so precise with it!

"Ako na naman mag a-adjust, huh?!" Sevi flicked his finger on Luna's forehead.
"Pinipikon mo talaga ako, e!"

"Galit ka na niyan?" Luna raised a brow. "Make it happen! Don't deny it. Maganda
ang naisip ko." Luna showed him the quick sketch she made.

"Pasalamat ka crush kita noon."

I laughed at that. Pinakain ko na lang silang dalawa ng pizza para hindi na sila
mag-away. Just when I thought that everything was finally going to be peaceful,
humabol si Yanna before dinner, may dalang mga pagkain. She said Hiro cooked for
her so she wanted to share it with us.

"O, e 'di ikaw na may asawa," Luna bitterly said.

"Ikaw walang jowa," Yanna fired back.

"Aray, ha!" Sevi held his chest. "Nakakasakit ka na! Hindi na tama 'to!"
"Marami kami rito, mars. Huwag kami," Kierra told her, glaring. "Ay, Sam, 'di ba
rito rin nakatira si Kalix?"

"Mahabagin!" Sevi said in fear.

Luna just glared at her cousin before rolling her eyes, getting pissed now. After
eating dinner, they helped me unpack my things. Mabuti 'yon para kaunti na lang ang
gagawin ko dahil inaantok na talaga ako. Catching up with them was so fun. I was so
glad it happened tonight kahit pagod ako sa flight.

"Tara na, pagod na si Sam," Yanna told them.

They all said goodbye before leaving my unit. Silence surrounded the whole place
and it was too peaceful so I fell asleep immediately. The next day, Luna and Sevi
helped me with the furniture again. Kaunti lang naman ang papalitan ko kaya kaunti
lang din ang binili namin. It will be delivered next week. Inayos din ni Sevi 'yung
mga sira sa unit ko.

"It looks good, right?" Haze asked me while I was looking around the empty club.
Gawa na lahat from the tables, chairs, shelves, dance floor, etc. Haze already took
care of it while I was away. I was thankful to him.

"Now, we just have to order a lot of alcohol, right?" I told him. "Have you
contacted an event organizer for the opening?"
"Yes, I already did. Didn't I tell you? I'm such a good boy." He smirked again,
crossing his arms over his chest. "I already ordered supplies so it should arrive
this week."

"Ah, what would I do without you?!" I exaggerated, laughing.

"Damn, that sounded so fake." He laughed too. "Welcome home, Sam."

Welcome home, indeed!

"Should I invite him?" I asked Haze. He already knew who I was referring to. The
side of his lips rose up, firming a playful smirk. "Come on! What do you think?"

"Still in love with him, huh? The two of you just can't get over each other." He
shook his head in disappointment.

"What do you mean?" I raised a brow. The two of us? Clyden too? Anong alam niya?

"Nothing. Invite him if you want. The invitations will be sent to your unit
tomorrow. I know you're just making it as an excuse to see him but go for it." He
shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he's waiting for you too."
"You are getting my hopes up. Stop it." I gave him a light push.

He was right! I was just making it an excuse to see him. The next day, I went to
the gym to renew my membership, taking my new car with me. After a workout session,
I showered and changed my clothes. I was planning to meet Avi today at the mall.

"Yanna?" I answered the call when I went inside the car.

[Sam, si Avi...] She suddenly cried.

"What?! Why?! What's wrong?!" Nanlaki ang mata ko at nagmamadaling pumasok sa

kotse. "Where are you?! I'll go there!"

"Nahulog siya sa hagdan, eh! Tumalikod lang ako tapos pag harap ko wala na siyang
malay! Papunta na kaming R.M. Wala si Hiro... Hindi ko alam gagawin ko..." She was
crying over the phone. Mas lalo akong kinabahan.

"I'm on my way." I stepped on the gas and drove as fast as I could to catch up. I
waited outside the hospital. My heart was beating so fast. When I saw an ambulance
approaching, I suddenly walked closer to see. "Avrielle!"
I ran when I saw Avi on the bed with a bleeding head. Her knee and elbow also had
scratches on them. Yanna looked at me and cried more before going inside the
hospital with Avrielle. I followed them there.

"Doc! Head injury!" The other doctor yelled while rolling the bed.

"Vital signs?"

My eyes widened when I saw Clyden walking with them in his white coat. They
transferred Avi to one of the beds while we stayed meters away from them.

"100 over 70, pulse 130."

"Call Doctor Sarrosa and Doctor Ong immediately and set up IV lines. Full drop."
Clyden was walking so fast, holding a small penlight. "Take a CT scan as well."

Another doctor came to Yanna and asked her questions. I held Yanna's hand tightly
while she cried on my shoulder. I didn't know how or where to focus anymore. The
fact that Clyden was here or that Avrielle was in a critical condition. Hindi ko
alam kung anong gagawin ko.
We couldn't see what was happening anymore. They transferred Avrielle and talked to
Yanna inside while I waited on the benches. Hiro also came running so I told him
that Yanna was inside. They should be okay... She should be okay now. Hiro was
already with her.

I walked away to calm my nerves with coffee from the vending machine. I sat down on
the metal chair and just drank it slowly while still thinking deeply. I saw him...
After three years... Did he see me? Probably not. He was focused on the patient.

I went home after that because a delivery guy was waiting in my condo so I just
came back the next morning. Avrielle was transferred to ICU so I couldn't see her.
I just waited outside because Yanna went home to change clothes.

I blinked twice and stood up when I saw Clyden walking out of the sliding door in
the ICU. He suddenly stopped walking when he saw me on the side. Napatayo kaagad
ako para batiin siya pero hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko.

He stared at me for a moment, licking his lower lip before looking away. He put his
hands inside the pockets of his coat, feeling awkward. He had his specs and
stethoscope with him. He looked more intimidating now.

"How is she?" That was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

"We're still monitoring her," he answered shortly. "She might wake up later. If she
becomes stable, we're transferring her again."
I pursed my lips and gave him a slight nod. Hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko. I
didn't want the conversation to end yet but I didn't want to embarrass myself so I
just turned my back against him and started walking away, cursing myself.

"Maui."

I suddenly stopped walking when he called me again. Napaharap ulit ako sa kaniya,
gulat dahil sa tawag niya. He lightly scratched his nose, looking away from me and
slightly blushing.

"Do you want to have breakfast with me?" He offered.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

Hello, I'm not sure if they have it here in the PH but since it's fiction anyway, I
will add Pediatrics Emergency Med fellowship program offered in Ramirez Medical. I
hope this is alright with you.

43 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Uhm... So... How are you?"

I had been sitting in front of him for like 5 minutes now and none of us wanted to
talk! It was so awkward so I had to say something for us to move forward. Narinig
ko lang ang boses niya kanina nang mag-order siya para sa aming dalawa at
pagkatapos non, nakapahalumbaba na lang siya sa harapan ko at nakatingin sa 'kin,
hindi nagsasalita.

"Sinagot ko na 'yan sa Instagram," he said, still staring at me. Hindi ko alam kung
bakit. Baka akala niya multo ako or what. He was observing me and it was so
obvious! I didn't know what to do. Na-conscious tuloy ako.

"I didn't expect us to see each other again in this situation. It's the worst." I
was probably just blabbering. Hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko sa kaniya. It had
been three years since we last saw each other! We were apart for years again! I
didn't know how to act in front of him anymore.

"Avrielle is in good hands. There are experts taking care of her. Let's just hope
for the best," he said, looking away from me to fix his hair. He was surveying our
surroundings, wary now of paparazzi.

"Aren't you needed in the emergency room?" I asked again because I heard he was
taking Pediatrics Emergency Medicine. He was probably living in the E.R for years
now.

"My interns are there. They will call me if something happens." He placed his phone
on top of the table so both of us can see it clearly, kung may tatawag ba o wala.
He looked healthier now. Hindi na siya mukhang walang tulog.

I just nodded, naubusan na ng sasabihin. Good thing the waiter already served our
breakfast. Clyden ordered too many food at halos lahat 'yon para sa akin! Pancake
lang at coffee ang sa kaniya. Sa akin may french toast, may pancakes, may cake, may
tea, at may cinnamon roll pa. I glared at him and crossed my arms over my chest.
This jerk.

"I don't know what you want," he reasoned out when he noticed my death glare. "I
can help you if you can't eat those."

I pouted before putting syrup and butter on the pancakes. Susubukan kong kainin
lahat 'to dahil order niya. He knew I can't resist him, especially when it comes to
the food he cooked or picked. I will always eat what he will prepare.

"I went to one of your shows."

I choked on my food. He parted his lips in shock and got me a glass of water.
Inabot niya kaagad sa akin 'yon at ininuman ko para makahinga ako nang maluwag.
What the hell! Why would he say that while I was eating?!

Him?! Going to one of my fashion shows?! Oh gosh. Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't
he text me? I would have gone out to see him! Sayang. Nasasayangan ako. If we saw
each other back then, it wouldn't be this awkward.

"That lingerie fashion show. I watched it in person," he said. "You looked

amazing."
"Did I make your head turn with my walk?" I raised my brow, waiting for his answer.
Was it his first time coming to one of my shows?

"You always do," he said before sipping on his coffee, not taking his eyes off me.

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. Yumuko na lang ako at pinagpatuloy
ang pag-kain ko para hindi halatang natuwa ako sa sinabi niya. Clyden still knew
how to flirt! Wait... May girlfriend na ba siya ngayon? It was so ill of me to
assume that he was flirting with me. Maybe he found another woman.

"Where did you get tickets?" Nagtatakang tanong ko nang maalala ko.

He shrugged. "Haze."

For some reason, I already knew who was the culprit even before he could say it. It
wasn't a surprise to me anymore! That man didn't even tell me that Clyden was
going! Siguro okay na rin 'yon dahil mas kakabahan ako kapag nalaman kong nanonood
siya sa mismong crowd. My outfits suddenly flashed back inside my head. He saw me
wearing those sexy pieces of lingerie?! My face heated just by thinking about it.

"I just mentioned Haze and you're blushing already," he said sarcastically.

My eyes widened, immediately shaking my head to deny it. Damn, I wasn't thinking of
Haze! I was thinking of you! Of course, I couldn't say that!
"Good morning, Doc," one of the doctors who walked past our table greeted him.
Sabay tuloy kaming napatingin sa kaniya. I saw how the lady parted her lips when
she saw me. She immediately looked away like she was intimidated. "Sorry po!"

Why was she sorry? "Good morning. Are you done with your shift?" Clyden asked her
back.

"Papunta pa lang, Doc. Bumili lang ng coffee," the doctor replied.

She looked younger than him and she was with another person who also greeted
Clyden. Pareho silang mukhang bata pa. Tumatanda na pala kaming dalawa.

"Nakaistorbo po ata ako. Alis na po kami, Doc. Ingat po kayo ng girlfriend mo.
Hello po, Ate Sam!" She greeted me so fast before pulling her friend away with her,
embarrassed for saying it out loud.

Clyden raised his brows, raising the side of his lips to form a playful smile when
he heard the word 'girlfriend'. I looked away from him and started eating the cake.
Busog na 'ko sa pancakes pa lang tapos may chocolate cake pa!

"Do you want help?" Clyden asked again.

"Yes," I answered while taking a small slice from the cake.

"Feed me, then."

The fork almost fell from my hands. I blinked twice and looked up at him, confused.
Did I hear that right? What was he being so brave about?! Parang hindi kami
nagkalayo, ah! I cleared my throat and took another slice from the cake and moved
the fork until it was in front of his mouth. He let out a small laugh before taking
it into his mouth. Binalik ko na kaagad ang fork sa plato, nahihiya na ngayon sa
ginawa ko.

"Why didn't you call me when you attended my show?" I changed the topic, taking
another slice in my mouth after another one. I wanted to finish the cake quickly so
I wouldn't have to feed him again like that pero lumobo lang 'yung pisngi ko. He
stared at me before biting his lower lip and looking away, trying to stop himself
from smiling.

"You should slow down," he said, getting the small plate from me so he can help me
with the cake. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me... It's alright. Just seeing
you from afar was already enough for me," he answered my question earlier.

"Why wouldn't I want to see you?" My brows furrowed, confused on how he arrived at
that thought.

"You never contacted me," he whispered but I still heard it.

I was surprised that he said that. Memories of me staring at my phone numerous
times, thinking if I should send him a message came back flashing on my mind. I
hesitated a lot of times. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na halos lahat ng pag-uusap
namin, siya ang nauunang mag-message, except during his birthday. Maybe he already
got tired of it. I was just... not expecting him to wait.

"I wanted to... a lot of times," I admitted. "But I didn't want to give you false
hopes. Baka hintayin mo 'ko kahit wala akong planong bumalik."

"Kahit naman walang pag-asa, naghintay pa rin ako," seryosong sabi niya.

"What?" Napatingin ako sa kaniya. "Were you... waiting for me to come back? I told
you to find another woman."

"You told me to find a good woman, not another woman. Here she is, in front of me.
What more do you want, huh?" He raised his brow, getting pissed now because of what
I said.

But hearing that from him just made me happy. He was waiting for me all along! Good
for him that I decided to come back or else he will wait until he turned into a
skeleton. If I didn't come back, would he... follow me to New York? I was too shy
to ask that.
"Anyway, you're here now. Aalis ka ba ulit?" He sounded mad when he asked that.

"No... I'll stay here for good," I proudly said. "Oh, speaking of settling... I'm
opening a club." Kinuha ko ang bag ko para kuhanin ang invitation. It was delivered
yesterday.

I just hoped that Avrielle would be stable before next week or else hindi ako
makakapag-focus sa party. That kid just kept on getting into accidents. Last time,
sinugod din siya sa hospital dahil nakatapak ng metal na may rust. She was clumsy.
Kanino ba nagmana 'yon?

"If you have time... You can attend the grand opening. It's an exclusive party and
there won't be a lot of people. Just people I know," I tried to soften the blow by
saying that. Iniisip ko kasi na baka hindi siya pumunta kapag nalaman niyang
maraming tao. He was a private person.

"There won't be a lot of people, just people you know... That sounds contradictory,
Sam." He got the invitation out of my hand and checked what was inside. He read the
details before nodding and putting it in his pocket. "I'll see if I can go."

"Thank you," I told him. "I think you need to go back now. I'll also stop by
tomorrow for Avrielle. I hope she'll get transferred to a normal room in no time."

"Possible," he said, standing up. "Hatid na kita."

I also stood up and got my things. "Oh, you don't need to-" I stopped talking when
he suddenly put his arm on my back, pushing me lightly so I could start walking.
Napaayos ako ng tayo at naglakad habang katabi siya.

He smelled so good. I could smell his perfume from where I was standing. He kept on
getting more and more handsome as he got older. How was that even possible? He even
had a busy schedule. How could he maintain his looks? How could he have the time?

"Huwag mong titigan mukha ko."

I quickly looked away when he said that! Napabalik ako bigla sa katinuan. Was I
staring at him while walking? I almost bumped into someone so he put his hand
around my shoulder to pull me closer to him. He even said sorry to the old man.

"Si Samantha Vera 'yun, 'di ba?" I heard a whisper from someone who walked past by
my side.

Napalingon kaagad ako kay Clyden at lumingon din siya sa 'kin. He probably heard it
too. He looked back again to see the lady before turning to me, giving me a shrug.
He was like telling me that it was alright and the lady was gone already.

"Is it okay for you to be seen with me?" I asked him.

Napatigil siya sa paglalakad para tignan ako, naguguluhan. "Hindi ba dapat ako
'yung nagsasabi niyan?"

It was not a big deal for me anymore. I had been rumored with a lot of men before
so I just got used to it. However, with Clyden, it made me worry about his family
again. I was well aware that his mom didn't like me... Maybe she did but was this
the right time now? Will she approve of this?

"We already went through the worst. I think it's fine now," he assured me.

That was the only thing he said but it made my worries go away in an instant. Just
a simple assurance from him was already enough to make me feel at ease. He never
failed to bring comfort to me.

Hinatid niya 'ko hanggang sa elevator papunta sa parking. He was being greeted by a
lot of doctors while we were walking so napapahinto kami minsan. He was even more
famous than me! He was a celebrity in an hospital setting.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said when we stopped in front of the elevator.

"See you," I told him before going inside.

Ang tagal kong napatulala habang nasa sasakyan. What was that? Why was he so
casual?! Parang walang nangyari! He looked so relaxed while talking to me habang
ako, halos mahimatay na 'ko sa kaba. There was something in him that made me feel
so intimidated! I never felt this way before with other people, kahit Hollywood
actors, kahit gaano sila kasikat. Clyden had some heavy air released around him
when he moved. Actually, kahit nga wala siyang ginagawa.

Damn, seeing him again just made me realize how much I loved him. Was he feeling
the same? The other doctor assumed that I was his girlfriend so... he was probably
single, right? Or was I being mistaken with another woman? Ah! I was going crazy! I
should confirm tomorrow.

I went back home and fixed my unit. May dadating na furniture tomorrow so uuwi rin
ako kaagad pagkakita kay Avrielle. Hopefully, makita ko siya. I wasn't sure if I
should contact Sevi tomorrow for the furniture or I will just ask the guys who will
deliver to move it. 'Yung pangalawa na lang dahil baka busy si Sev. Hindi pa rin
pala ako nakakapag grocery so I just ordered food again.

The next day, I went to the hospital early. Yanna told me that Avrielle was
transferred to a private room so I went there instead, but she was still sleeping.
I sat on her side and just watched over her, holding her hand. Marami pang naka-
kabit sa kaniya. I felt bad for the kid. It probably hurt. Ni hindi pa niya alam na
nakabalik na 'ko.

"Will you wake up to see Tita-Ninang, baby?" I whispered. She had a bandage on her
head, too. Good thing she didn't fall too high. Tumama lang siya sa may mga vase
kaya nasugat din 'yung siko tsaka tuhod. Poor baby.

Avrielle was adventurous so she often got into accidents like this. Both of her
parents liked exploring new things so she probably got it from them. Just what the
hell was she doing at the stairs? Nag-iislide? Or did she think she would fly?
Because her parents used to refer to themselves as people who could fly?
I could think of so many ridiculous situations. She was just so unpredictable. I
remembered what happened at the gym when she hit her face. She was curious about a
lot of things and she was brave enough to try all of it just to get an answer.

"You're here."

Napatayo kaagad ako nang pumasok si Clyden sa kwarto, together with two doctors
that looked younger than him. I moved my chair away because he walked to my side to
check the bag of fluid attached to Avrielle. I just remained silent while Clyden
was talking to the two. I tried listening to their conversation but I couldn't
understand the terms.

I stood up to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Yumuko pa 'ko dahil sa
gitna nila ako dumaan. Clyden gave me a single glance before turning to the younger
doctors again. I thought he would just pretend that he didn't know me but he
suddenly got the bottle of water out of my hand when he noticed that I was having
trouble opening it.

"T-thanks," I said when he gave it back. The two doctors looked surprised but they
had to go back to their focus when Clyden called them again.

"Did she wake up?" Clyden asked me when the two doctors walked out of the room.

"I just arrived," I told him. "But no, she didn't. Yanna was out for a moment to
buy coffee. You can ask her when she comes back."
I sat on the couch and sipped on my water. I noticed him staring at me so I offered
him the bottle of water too. He suddenly got it out of my hand and drank on it!
That was mine! I was offering him another bottle!

"Fine. Have it," sabi ko na lang. I opened another bottle so I could take another
sip. How dare he steal my water!

"Hello! Good morning, Doc. May iche-check lang," a nurse came in and smiled at
Clyden so I turned silent again. It was scary to talk while there were people
around. I knew they wouldn't pry since they were professionals but it was still
uncomfortable to be around strangers.

"Kumain ka ba?" Clyden asked shamelessly. I saw the nurse glancing at us in shock
before looking away.

"I ate bread before going here," I answered before looking at the nurse again. She
was busy with her back turned against us. Hindi ko alam kung nakikinig ba siya sa
usapan namin. "Aren't you on your job? Why are you still here?" I whispered.

"Because you're here," he simply answered. Hindi man lang hininaan ang boses!

The nurse giggled before turning to us, holding a chart. "Una na 'ko, Doc," paalam
niya bago sinara ang pinto. She was obviously listening to our conversation. Her
smile was so wide.
"Go!" I pushed Clyden lightly so he would finally leave. I was distracting him from
his job!

"I'm leaving work before lunch. Wait for me," he told me before going out of the
room. He didn't even wait for my answer and just left! Parang wala akong choice
doon, ah!

Well, I would still wait for him. Minutes later, Yanna came back and updated me
about Avrielle's condition. I just talked to her about random things and random
people while waiting for lunch. I had a lot of time today. It was such a nice
decision to retire. Wala na 'kong hinahabol na oras.

Just before the clock turned to 12, Clyden knocked on the door before entering. He
was now in his casual attire. Navy blue dress shirt that was rolled up to his
sleeves, black slacks, and specs. He showed me the time on his digital watch to
prove that he wasn't 'late'. He even fixed his hair. I think he just finished
showering. I could smell him.

"Wow," Yanna whispered, her mouth forming an 'o'. "Ang harot. Kakarating lang,
nakabingwit na ulit," pagpaparinig niya pa sa 'kin.

"Shut up," I whispered, standing up to get my things. Avrielle didn't wake up while
I was here so I just promised to come back tomorrow.
Just when we were about to leave, another medical personnel came inside the room to
deliver food. "Hello, Doc." He stopped to greet Clyden before putting the food on
the table. Nakita kong tumagal pa ang titig niya sa 'kin. He looked starstruck.
"Hello, Ma'am."

"Let's go." Clyden didn't even wait for me to respond to the man! He just pulled me
out of the room. Nagpaalam naman siya kay Yanna bago kami umalis.

"You're unbelievable," I told him. "Where are we going now? There's a delivery
waiting for me in my unit. I have to go home."

"Then I'll go with you," he simply said.

I didn't have time to argue anymore since the delivery guy just called. He didn't
take his car with him and just let me drive. He was just closing his eyes the whole
ride. I thought he was sleeping but when the car stopped, he quickly opened his
eyes to get off. Did he get some sleep last night? Probably not.

"Hello po! Sorry, natagalan! Let's take the service elevator!" I told the two
delivery men when we arrived at the parking lot.

Clyden just followed me from behind until we reached my unit. New sala set ang
dumating so they had a hard time going back and forth. I started moving my old sala
set while waiting for them but it was too heavy so Clyden helped me with it, even
though he was already looking sleepy.
They placed the new sala set in the living room and I gave them a tip before they
left. Umupo kaagad si Clyden doon kahit may plastic pa 'yung sofa. Hinampas ko
kaagad ang binti niya para tumayo siya.

"I'll take out the cover! Stand up!" I told him.

"Fine. I'm taking your bed." He stood up and left. I was about to shout at him but
he was already gone! Mabuti na lang pala at naglinis ako kanina bago umalis!

I took the covers out and placed the old pillows on the sofa before cleaning the
living room. Wala pa pala kaming lunch. I went to my room to ask Clyden if he would
prefer ordering food since I didn't have stock yet for me to cook. I saw him
sitting at the edge of my bed, looking around my room.

"Are you tired? You can sleep in the guest room. Maybe I'll just buy groceries
while you're resting," I told him.

"Sama ako," he said, standing up again.

I didn't understand why he just wouldn't rest because he was looking tired. Parang
isang segundo na lang, makakatulog na siya but he still insisted to go. Mabuti na
lang at nasa baba lang ng condo 'yung groceries so hindi na hassle magdala pa ng
sasakyan. I wore a cap and went down with him.
"I'll cook," he told me while pushing the cart. He stopped to get some vegetables,
checking before putting them inside the cart.

"What?" Hindi ako makapaniwala sa kaniya. He was obviously tired. "Honestly, when
was the last time you slept? Just sleep. Do not tire yourself out."

"I slept last night for 3 hours. It's fine. I want to cook for you." He pushed the
cart again, leaving me behind. Wala na siyang plano makipag negotiate.

I saw two men taking photos of me in secret so I walked faster and stayed closer to
Clyden. He looked at me when he noticed my expression before looking around to see
what happened. He put his arm around my shoulders, leaving his hand hanging on my
side in a relaxed manner. We looked like a couple!

"You're too beautiful." He sighed heavily, looking stressed now.

I can't help but smile at that. His lips also formed a small smile when he looked
at my face again. He pushed the cart and I followed him again like a kid. I was
smaller than him so it looked like that. Kumukuha lang ako ng mga kailangan ko at
nilalagay sa cart habang busy siya naghahanap ng ingredients. I bought essentials
and laundry things. I also bought some new kitchen equipment.

"Your birthday's getting near. Do you have something planned?" I asked while we
were lined up at the cashier. He was leaning against the railings with his arms
crossed over his chest. He was closing his eyes for a moment but opened them again
when I talked.
Was he aware of the people staring at us o wala lang talaga siyang pakialam? At
this point, hindi ko na alam kung tumitingin sila dahil sa 'kin o dahil kay Clyden.
He could easily get people's attention just by standing there... and sleeping.

"Just clear your schedule on that day," he said in a lazy tone.

What? Was he planning to celebrate it with me? "Okay, then. Where are you holding
your party? You can have it in my club!"

He stared at me for a moment before letting out a laugh. "Nag-endorse pa nga."

"Hey! It's a genuine suggestion!" I defended myself. "But, you know, I can organize
the party for you! Do you want that?"

"No." He shook his head. "I don't like parties. I want to spend the day with you.
Ikaw lang."

My face heated, making my cheeks blush. Good thing the cashier already called us so
I pushed the cart, leaving him behind. He wanted to pay for it but I already gave
the cashier my card. Why the hell would he pay for it? Those were for me! My
groceries!
When we came back to my unit, he started preparing the ingredients while I arranged
the things we bought on the shelves. Hinayaan ko na siya magluto dahil hindi siya
magpapatalo. I just changed my clothes into a casual one. A plain shirt and a pair
of sweatshorts. I also tied my hair in a bun before going back to the kitchen to
help.

"What is it? Tempura?" I asked.

"Yes. Just sit down. You're distracting me," he said, refusing to look at me.

What? In what way was I distracting him when I was just standing there? I pouted
and just sat down on the high chair near the table, watching his back while he was
cooking. I still can't believe that he was right here in front of me. Just a few
days ago, I was hesitating to message him because I thought he didn't want me
anymore. Oh, wait... I promised to confirm something.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked shamelessly. There was no other way to ask
that. Being straightforward was the key to a straightforward answer.

He looked back at me before laughing. Napakunot ang noo ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano
ba ang nakakatawa roon sa tanong ko.

"Yes, she just came back from New York," he answered.

"Really?" I asked, not getting it at first. My eyes widened when I realized what he
said. Was he pertaining to me? Or baka naman may iba pang babae? Damn, it wasn't
safe to assume anymore. "K-kailan pa siya nakabalik?" I asked carefully.

"I don't know. She didn't tell me." He glared at me before turning his back against
me again. He was even wearing an apron. How adorable.

"Am I... your girlfriend?" I asked just to make sure.

I heard him laugh again, refusing to answer. He just left me thinking like that
until he finished cooking. Hinanda na niya 'yung pagkain sa harapan ko, pati 'yung
sinaing niyang rice. He removed his apron and sat in front of me, waiting for me to
take a bite.

I took a bite and gave him a thumbs up. It was really delicious. He was such a
great cook. Cinareer na niya siguro 'yon. Funny because years ago, he only knew how
to cook one or two dishes. Ngayon, ang dami na niyang alam.

"Did you miss me?" I asked while eating.

He suddenly stopped to look at me. He stared at me for a moment, tilting his head
to the side, judging my question. I bit my lower lip and gave him a small awkward
smile while waiting for his answer. Was my question ridiculous to him?
"What do you think?" He asked me back.

I didn't know how to answer. "Uh... A little bit?"

He ended up laughing at me again. He reached for my head and ruffled my hair before
leaning back to his seat. With one simple gesture, my heart was already beating so
fast.

"If you didn't go home, I would have followed you there next year," he said. "Was
that enough to answer your question?"

_______________________________________________________________________________

:)

44 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Just sleep. I can wash the dishes."

After eating, I offered to wash the dishes for him because he was already looking
tired. He gave me a slight nod and walked into my room again! I told him to stay in
the guest room! I just sighed heavily before taking the plates from the table.
Hindi na siya tumanggi ngayon, ah. Inaantok na siguro talaga siya.
I washed the dishes and everything he used when he cooked earlier before opening my
room to check on him. My mouth formed an 'o' when I noticed that he changed his
clothes into a more casual one. Iyon pala ang laman ng backpack niya. He was
already wearing a pair of sweatpants and a white shirt, peacefully sleeping on my
bed, even hugging my pillow.

I smiled by myself before sitting beside him on the bed. Humiga ako sa available
space but I kept a distance from him so I wouldn't wake him up. I just stared at
his features and admired his face the whole time. I even moved my hand and lightly
traced his eyebrows down to the tip of his nose. My eyes widened when he suddenly
held my hand and moved it down. When I checked, he was still sleeping.

When I tried to leave the bed, his grip on my hand tightened so I just went back
and fixed my position on the bed. It was fine. There was a pillow in between us so
we wouldn't be that close right? Minutes later, I also dozed off to sleep.

I immediately woke up when I felt someone move beside me. When I opened my eyes, I
saw Clyden's collarbone... Wait, what?

Muntik na 'kong mauntog sa baba niya nang tumingala ako bigla para makita ang mukha
niya, nagtataka. How the hell did we end up cuddling?! When I tried to look at his
face, he was still sleeping with his arm below my head. My hand was on his waist
and the pillow between us was already on the floor! I moved my leg away from him
carefully so I wouldn't wake him up.

The view was so familiar. I used to wake up to this every morning when we were
still living together. Tuwing gigising ako, yakap niya 'ko. My favorite parts of
the day were waking up with him and going home to him.
His breathing was so calm and
stayed in that position for a
widened when he moved his arm
neck! Napatakip kaagad ako sa
niya sa 'kin.
he smelled so good! His perfume was addicting so I
few more minutes, cherishing the moment. My eyes
and pulled me closer to him, my lips touching his
bibig ko at sinubukang lumayo pero mahigpit ang hawak

"Oh my gosh, did I just kiss his neck?" I whispered to myself.

I looked at the digital alarm clock on my side table to check the time. It was
already 8 PM! We slept for 6 hours already! Dinner! I needed to prepare dinner
before he could wake up! Dahan-dahan kong tinanggal ang yakap niya sa 'kin at
bumaba ng kama. Good thing he didn't wake up from it. Pinalitan ko na lang ng
pillow para hindi niya maramdamang nawala ako.

Nagluto na lang ako ng nilagang baka. Until I finished cooking, Clyden was still
sleeping. He was really tired, huh? While waiting for the rice, I just sat on the
high chair and checked my social media.

My photos with Clyden in the grocery and in the hospital were already all over the
internet but it didn't bother me anymore. We were still normal people. We can go on
dates too! We can like each other too! That shouldn't be considered as something
controversial. We already had enough of the public judging both of us. This time,
we will live for ourselves.

"You cooked dinner? Dapat ginising mo 'ko." I was surprised when I saw Clyden
walking towards the table, kakagising lang. He fixed his hair and sat down in front
of me, looking so refreshed.

"I'll get the rice. It should be ready by now!" I stood up and went to the kitchen
again to check the rice. Okay na kaya hinain ko na rin sa table. I waited for him
to get food first before I got a portion for myself. Dinagdagan niya pa 'yung rice
sa plate ko! Hindi naman ako makapagreklamo because it was him. I could never get
mad at him.

"Are you still on a diet?" He asked curiously while eating.

"Yes, but it's just to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's not focused on my body
anymore. I used to eat so little when I was still a runway model because I needed
to deliver myself properly. It was really the worst. One time, I even cried because
I couldn't eat pizza," I told him, laughing. "It was already served right in front
of me but I couldn't even eat it because there was a show the next day. How
frustrating."

"You went through so much. It must have been hard, huh?" He arched a brow. "Mabuti
pa ang pizza iniiyakan mo."

"What?" I glared at him while chewing. "I cried over you a lot of times. When we
broke up, when I left, and during the times when I just miss you so bad but I
couldn't see you. You know, when I'm frustrated, I just cry, even for the smallest
reason-"

"I know," he said, not looking at me. "I know that."

Oh, right. He just knew everything about me, huh? Because he used to notice every
little detail and memorize it. He was that kind of genius. How could his brain take
so much information? Imagine studying so many terms for several years. People like
him never failed to amaze me.
"You also went through a lot while studying," I told him. "Have you ever thought of
giving up? Have you also cried because you were just... so tired of it?"

"Cried? I remember shedding tears thrice. First, during my clerkship. Second,

during my internship. Third, during my residency. I suffered a lot under some
seniors. Now, I'm one of them." He shrugged and laughed.

"You're almost done with your fellowship, right?" I asked. "Are you still having a
hard time?"

"Well, I have young doctors under me now that are all passionate about their
dreams. Interns, residents. When I look at them, I remember myself so I try to be
less strict... But honestly, you can't just let them loose so I understood my
seniors back then. We just can't play around. We're handling the lives of people...
of children. You need to be strict in the medical field. One mistake and you're
already capable of ruining someone else's future." He talked so smoothly.

"I'm proud of you," I unconsciously said. He parted his lips and looked at me in
shock. He probably wasn't expecting me to say that. "You achieved all of that
without your parent's help. Give yourself some credit this time. You have proven a
lot to yourself and to other people. You have done enough. Just continue reaching
for your dreams. It's a continuous process."

He looked away from me, getting shy now. "Thanks..." It was almost a whisper. "You
helped me a lot too... Even when you weren't present. You asked me earlier if there
was a time when I felt like giving up? Of course. A lot of times. Hindi ko na rin
mabilang... But you kept me going so thank you."
"Oh, no. Do not credit me. That's all you!" I shook my head. "Although I'm glad to
be that person. I'm sorry if I kept on leaving. This time, I'll stay here now for
good. I've changed now."

"You're still you," he said. "But braver."

That made me so happy! He noticed that I changed, not for the worse, but I became
someone better. Someone braver to face challenges that will get thrown to me. For
three years, I just focused on myself and achieved greater things. When I learned
to love myself, it was like a new world opening right in front of my eyes. It was
so bright but it made me feel at peace.

It was a good decision for him to let me go. I never regretted leaving. I should
never be guilty of doing things for myself. For the past years, I had been doing
things for other people... living for other people... being considerate of everyone
but myself. I would always go with the things that made other people happy but was
I happy during those times?

Clyden saw through it. He was one of the few people who knew what I was thinking
even before I could blurt it out. He knew what was good for me and so he decided to
let me leave and have time for myself. Our love for each other wasn't shallow. We
separated but we lived. Right now, I could say that I already had enough time,
thanks to him.

"Ako na maghuhugas," he offered. I just nodded and let him do that so I can shower.
Hindi ko alam kung anong oras siya uuwi o kung may balak pa siyang umuwi. He had a
backpack with him full of his clothes and other essentials.
I showered and did my skincare before changing into matching silk pajamas. When I
went outside, Clyden was already on my bed with his laptop, typing something while
on the phone with someone. When I looked at the screen, I saw that he was doing
research again like last time.

"Have you contacted Doctor Dela Cruz? I heard he scheduled a 15-hour operation. He
should be finished in an hour. I won't be back until tomorrow." He glanced at me
when he saw me entering the room. I sat beside him on the bed, leaning my back
against the headboard before taking my phone out to check my mails.

I also contacted the brand manager who sent me a message. "Hello? Yes, Miss Andy? I
already checked your mail. Can you send the project brief before tomorrow so I can
forward it to Arah?"

There were already a lot of offers ever since an article was written about me going
home to the Philippines. The brands I endorsed before started contacting me again
for a shoot but I still wanted to keep my schedule manageable. Gaya ng sabi ko,
kaunting shoots na lang ang tatanggapin ko.

I ended the call and checked my mails again to reply. Arah used to do all these
things for me. Nakakapanibago na wala siya sa tabi ko. I looked at Clyden and he
was still busy with his research. Wala na siyang kausap ngayon. I felt sleepy
already after answering mails so humiga na 'ko at pinatay ang ilaw, only leaving
the lamp on.

"Matutulog ka na?" Clyden asked while lowering the brightness of his laptop screen
so it won't distract me.
"I need to visit Avrielle tomorrow morning," I told him. Kakatulog lang namin
kanina tapos inaantok na naman ako. It was because being with him was calming. He
made me feel so at ease. "What time are you going home?"

"Oh, I'm home now," he answered seriously.

I closed my eyes and just flashed a small smile before sleeping. I felt him kissing
the top of my head and whispering good night right before I dozed off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up with him hugging me from behind! Lumayo kaagad ako at
ginising siya dahil baka ma-late siya sa trabaho niya. He showered while I cooked
breakfast for us. I just fried eggs and toasted bread dahil mukhang nagmamadali na
siya.

I showered in the guestroom after eating. I just changed into a simple black
sleeveless turtle-neck top and a pair of high-waisted ripped jeans. Clyden was in
his dress shirt and slacks. He was biting a piece of bread while looking for
bottled coffee inside my refrigerator. He bought one from the grocery yesterday.

"Yes, I'm on my way. The estimated time would be 30 minutes. What? A school bus?
How many are injured?" He was walking so fast. Nagmamadali na rin tuloy ako papunta
sa parking.

He didn't bring his car so it was all up to me. He was pressuring me so bad even
without him telling me to drive faster! I stepped on the gas. Ilan na ang ino-
overtake-an ko. Pakiramdam ko tuloy ambulansya ako dahil nagmamadali ako. Clyden
was busy with his phone. He looked so bothered.
I dropped him off in front of the hospital. He immediately went out of the car.
"I'll see you later!" He yelled before running inside.

I just let out a small laugh before parking my car. How adorable. Napailing na lang
ako at umakyat na sa room ni Avrielle. My eyes widened when I saw her watching TV,
nakataas na ang half ng bed para makaupo siya. Her eyes went to me, looking so
shocked.

"Avrielle!" I put my bag down and ran towards her. I was about to give her a hug
but I was afraid that it would hurt her so I just held her hand. Tumabi si Yanna
para hayaan akong makalapit. "How are you? Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"Tita-Ninang," she whispered, still surprised. "Is that you?"

"It's me! I'm back! Did you miss me?" I smiled widely, tightening the hold on her
hand. I missed her so bad. "We didn't get to see each other when I came home. I
wanted to surprise you but you surprised me instead!"

She giggled when she saw my reaction. Nawala ang ngiti ko at napakunot ang noo.
What was she laughing about, huh? This girl grew up silly!

"I'm okay, Tita-Ninang," she said in her small voice. "I was playing at the stairs
in grandma's house when Mommy got a call. I was reaching for the small bird, Tita-
Ninang!" She even sounded proud.

"May pumasok na maliit na ibon sa bahay tapos pinapalapit niya sa kaniya. Sumagot
lang ako ng tawag saglit kasi ang alam ko tulog pa siya. As in ilang segundo pa
lang, nasa sahig na siya! Jusko! 'Yung kaba ko! Parang mahihimatay talaga ako!"
Yanna held her chest, remembering the moment. "Huwag mo nang gagawin 'yun, ha!
Please naman, anak. Ikakamatay ko 'to, eh..."

"I'm sorry, Mommy." Avrielle pouted. "But... the bird was injured and it was having
a hard time flying so I wanted to help," she even tried to reason out.

"That's very dangerous, Avrielle. When you're at a great height like the stairs or
the second floor, you should be careful. Do not do that again," I scolded her too.

"I'm sorry." She pouted again. She was just too cute I couldn't resist pinching her
cheek. Napatawad ko na siya kaagad. I couldn't get mad at this kid too. She was too
adorable. "Tita-Ninang, are you leaving again?"

"No, baby. Tita-Ninang is staying here for good." I gave her a smile. She looked
genuinely happy to hear it.

Clyden seemed busy the whole day so I just texted him that I'll be going home early
because of furniture delivery. Side table lang naman 'yun so madali lang nabuhat.
The next day, I went to the club and met with the event organizer. Malapit na ang
opening so I became busy again.
"The smoking area is good. V.I.P room is good. Everything's perfect. You did so
well, Haze!" I praised him while looking around again. Nilagay na nila 'yung mga
kulang na couch and tables, pati 'yung stocks ng alcohol sa bartender table. The
design was almost complete.

"Still not going to reward me?" He teased again in his seductive tone.

I rolled my eyes and playfully pushed his face away from me before walking away to
check the tables on the second floor. There were railings but I was afraid that
some people could fall while drunk so there was a clear glass wall to secure them.
It will be safer and the people on the second floor can still see what was going on
on the first floor. There were also private rooms on the same floor.

I also hired people to manage my club kapag wala ako. The employees were chosen by
Haze since siya may kilala sa kanila. They used to work under him too so he trusted
those people already. My office was at the same building pero different floor.
Hindi pa masyadong kompleto ang gamit pero malapit na. We were also working on
building two more branches that would be smaller than this if maganda ang takbo ng
club this month. Hindi ko pa alam dahil sumusubok pa lang naman kami.

Time flew so fast. It felt like it was just yesterday when I was giving out
invitations and the next day, it was already the opening of the club. Nakikita ko
si Clyden tuwing binibisita ko si Avrielle pero busy siya sa work niya. Hindi ko na
rin siya natanong kung pupunta ba siya ngayon. I became busy with the event so I
was distracted.

"Hello, welcome back, Sam!" Another friend came and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I
was at the reception, welcoming my visitors. Halos lahat sila may pa-welcome gift
sa 'kin at sa club! Unti-unti nang napupuno 'yung loob. I invited a lot of people
because I wasn't sure if everyone would attend but I also made sure that I wouldn't
go over the maximum capacity of the club. It wouldn't be fun to be like sardines in
a can.
"Sam! Wow, ang exclusive tignan ng club! Nakakapanibago!" Luna also came with
Kierra. Via was still in Spain so she couldn't go but she still sent a present. I
heard she was going home this year! Siguro in 5 to 6 months, uuwi na siya. I
couldn't wait for her to visit my club!

"Congratulations, Sam!" Kierra gave me a kiss on the cheek. Both of them looked
like they just came straight from work. Naka two-piece suit pa si Kierra at naka
long sleeves at pencil skirt si Luna.

"Samantha! Anak ng tupa! Laki nito, ah!" Sevi came inside, looking around the
place. "Nakakalula naman pala rito! Marami ring chicks?!"

"Why? Are you looking for a girlfriend?" I asked, smiling.

"Pass," Sevi said, smirking. "Hard pass muna ako diyan, pare! Work is life!"

"Work is life mo mukha mo," Luna fired back. "May kasalanan ka pa sa 'kin, oy."

I already asked them to go inside before they could even argue at the entrance.
Hinatid ko sila sa table nila bago ako bumalik sa reception para mag-welcome pa ng
ibang bisita. It was around 11 PM when I went inside the club to see if everyone
was already settled and having fun. The music was so loud and there were already
bottles of alcohol on each table. Everyone was communicating with each other. I was
glad because they looked like they were enjoying themselves.

"Are you guys okay na? If you need more bottles, just go to that table or ask the
waiters, okay?" I tapped another friend's shoulder. I was walking around, talking
to people. "Looking good, Janica! Hey, Lim, I saw your new car on your finsta! It
looks cool! Oh my gosh, Sena, you haven't changed a bit! In a good way, of course!"

I just walked around before walking back to my original friends. I sat beside
Kierra and poured alcohol for myself before taking a shot. Kumuha na rin ako ng
bottle bago pumunta sa may station ng DJ para mag-announce.

"Everyone!" I called. Hininaan ang music at napatingin silang lahat sa 'kin. "Thank
you for coming to my opening. Don't forget to post about it and tag me! Also, put
the location so people would know. Spread the word!" I laughed. "Anyway, let's all
raise our glasses and take a shot for a new start!"

Everyone raised their glass with me before drinking. Naghiyawan sila at lumakas ang
music. They were back with a higher party spirit this time! Bumaba ako at umikot
ulit, taking shots from different tables. I tried so hard to communicate and take
pictures with everyone.

"Giselle! Oh my gosh, you came home!" I gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was at a
table with other models and celebrities. I grouped all of them together.

"Of course. How could I miss your opening? This is a fresh start for you. I also
invited my friends over for more publicity," she whispered the last word, laughing.
"Thank you so much!" I smiled and looked at the woman on her back. "Clea! You're
here too! Thank you for coming!" I gave her a kiss on the cheek. She was one of the
great actresses in the industry.

"I just received your invitation yesterday so I didn't have the chance to send a
reply! I'm so sorry!" She was soft-spoken and elegant as always. "I was also a bit
late because I had to pick up Giselle over here."

"It's okay! Don't worry about it!" I looked around to see if she was with someone
but I didn't see him. I just gave them a smile before going to another table.

Bumalik na 'ko sa table namin nila Luna nang mapagod na kakaikot dahil sa heels ko.
I was wearing a short dark red dress that hugged my body perfectly with a cut over
my chest. Nakaka-tatlong bottles na pala ang mga 'to at wala pang nalalasing.

"You guys drink too fast," I told them. When I looked at Luna, I remembered Kalix
again. I actually sent him an invitation but he said they were busy at their firm
so they couldn't go. Overtime ata sila ngayon. At least he still sent a present.
Two boxes ata 'yun ng mamahaling shot glass. Mababasag lang naman ng mga lasing!

"Hoy, bakit nagsisimula kayo nang wala ako?!"

I stood up when I saw Yanna in front of our table. I gave her a hug as a greeting
before she sat down, opening a bottle by herself. She was wearing a black dress and
her hair was curled. Hiro was probably at the hospital for Avrielle so mag-isa siya
ngayon. She said she'll leave early so she could go to Avrielle again dahil nagi-
guilty siya. She said she just came here for me, not to have fun.

"Nasaan jowa mo? Wala pa?" Yanna asked me.

"Well..." Jowa, huh? I checked my phone to see if Clyden sent a message. Nanlaki
ang mata ko nang makita ang text niya just an hour ago.

From: Clyden

On my way.

Kinabahan kaagad ako! My heart started beating so fast just by the thought of him
being around. I stood up and looked around for him but I guess he wasn't here yet.
Uminom ulit ako ng shot para mawala ang kaba at umikot ulit para makipag-usap sa
ibang tao. I was just distracting myself.

"You're even more beautiful now, Sam!" Raylee praised. "When was the last time I
saw you, huh?"

"The great Samantha Vera! Do you have a boyfriend now?" My friend, Nicole, asked.
"Boyfriend?" I gave it a thought. "Well, I-" I was cut off when I felt a hand on my
waist.

I was about to hit the man until I smelled the familiar perfume. I looked at Clyden
in shock. He was wearing a designer polo shirt that hugged his arms tucked inside
his black slacks with a leather belt. Suot niya rin ang specs niya at digital
watch. He looked like a professional.

"Well..." I looked at my friends again. I couldn't answer properly now! I was about
to say no! "I guess I... have..."

"Damn, you're together again?" Raylee pointed at the two of us. "Your relationship
is stronger than this damn alcohol." She raised the tequila bottle.

"Pogi," Nicole whispered in my ear.

"Hi," Clyden greeted me when I faced him. I waved at my friends before pulling
Clyden away with me so I could introduce him to Luna and the gang again. "Saan tayo
pupunta?" Nagtatakang tanong niya.

"Guys!" Huminto ako sa tapat ng table namin nila Luna. "This is Clyden! You
remember him, right?"

Sevi almost choked on his drink. Luna looked at him in disgust before standing up
to offer her hand.

"Architect Valeria," Luna introduced herself.

"Architect Ynares," Kierra introduced herself too.

"Uh... Engineer Camero." Sevi awkwardly offered a hand too. He was even looking
away in fear! What was he being so scared about?! "Sevi na lang... dude." He even
sounded hesitant.

"So you're all in the same field," Clyden said, shaking their hands. He looked at
Yanna this time who was just surveying him from head to toe. He probably felt
awkward! Yanna was always like that!

"Hello, Doc." Yanna placed the glass on the table before crossing her legs, looking
intimidating.

"Ashianna Juarez," Clyden greeted formally. "Uh, just call me Cy," he told
everyone.

Luna whispered something to Kierra before smiling at me playfully. Pinanlakihan ko

siya ng mata para sabihing umayos siya sa mga iniisip niya ngayon. Kilala ko na
siya. Sevi became quiet, especially when Clyden sat beside him. There was no more
space so I just sat on Sevi's other side and poured drinks for both of them.
"Civil engineer?" I heard Clyden asking Sevi. It was a good thing that they were
having a normal conversation.

"Secret. Sasabihin ko sa 'yo kapag nalasing mo ako," matapang na sabi ni Sevi.

"Black Label?" Clyden offered.

"Oh, no. He doesn't like Black Label that much," I told him.

Clyden suddenly stared at me, changing his expression before looking at Sevi again.
Sevi glared at me meaningfully before flashing out an awkward smile. Clyden looked
so challenged. He ordered two bottles just for both of them. I was worried for him
because his tolerance was probably lower than Sevi's. Hindi masyadong umiinom si
Sev pero at least nakakasabay siya sa amin nila Yanna.

"Five seconds walang malisya naman diyan," Yanna teased me and Clyden.

She meant kissing each other for five seconds. I glared at her. I told her to not
tease me tonight! "We're not college students anymore!" I told her.
Damn, I just realized that he was still the last person I kissed on the lips. My
face heated, thinking about it again. How could I forget those lips? Ah, I was
going crazy!

"Kaya pa ba?" Sevi asked Clyden.

"Take it easy on him," I told Sevi.

"No. Don't," Clyden was really competitive.

I just drank with the girls and let him have fun with Sevi. Dumating pa si Haze
kaya mas lalo siyang naipit! Poor him! He was already planning to stop but Haze
challenged him again for another bottle.

"It's okay. If you can't drink, then don't drink," Haze told him. "Don't make me
fucking take care of you and your friend again."

"Kalix is not here... and I can hold my drinks," Clyden told him.

"Hey, that's enough." I went in between them so he would stop now. He was already
tipsy! Ako rin naman tipsy na pero hindi lang halata. "Let's dance!" Aya ko sa
kaniya para makatakas siya roon.
Clyden stood up and went with me to the dance floor. Okay, it was a bad idea to
pull him here with me. I wasn't in the mood to dance. I just felt uncomfortable!
Lumiko tuloy ako at inaya na lang si Cy na magpalamig sa may lounge ng club. I
opened the sliding door and saw no one inside. Wow, people were really having fun
back there, huh.

I put this area where people can take a break from the loud music. Dito rin sila
pwedeng magpalamig or mag sober up. I sat on the big couch and Clyden sat beside
me, leaning against the headrest and closing his eyes.

"Are you dizzy now?" I asked, worried about him. "Here's water." I got bottled
water from the mini-refrigerator so he could sober up. I got one for myself too.

We were both silent until we finished our bottles. I played with the empty bottle
while looking around, avoiding his eyes. I heard him sigh heavily before ruffling
his hair in frustration.

"What? Why? Is there something wrong?" I glanced at him, worried. Why did he sound
stressed out? I brought him here to have fun.

"Nothing." He looked away from me. He looked tipsy but his eyes were still focused.
Wow, hindi pa siya lasing, huh. Even after drinking with those guys. He improved!
I went closer to him and held his cheek, forcing him to look at me. He looked at me
in surprise and stared at my eyes before his gaze went down to my lips. I pursed my
lips and moved my hand away from his face, feeling awkward now. Oh my gosh, why was
he staring at me like that? He was getting my hopes up.

"Let's go back now," I told him, moving away.

I was about to stand up when he suddenly put his hand on the side of my neck and
leaned to give me a deep kiss.

I automatically closed my eyes and parted my lips to welcome him. My heart was
beating so fast like it would come out of my ribcage in no time! He pulled me
closer to him, putting his hand on the back of my head. I scooted closer to him and
put my hand on his shoulder for support.

He bit my lower lip and pushed his tongue inside my mouth, tasting me. Both of us
tasted like alcohol and lemon. I was like being hypnotized by his kisses,
completely forgetting about the muffled music coming from the party.

How the hell did I end up making out on the couch?

He moved his lips again and kissed me deeper, welcoming my tongue in his mouth. He
sucked on it before putting his hand on my waist. We were just making out for about
five minutes until he stopped, leaving me panting.
I bit my lower lip and looked away. I could feel my face heating! What the hell was
that?! Were both of us drunk?! What the hell did I just do?!

Both of us suddenly went back to our senses. Umayos ako ng upo at umayos din siya,
nakalingon sa ibang direksyon. An awkward silence filled the room again. Hindi ko
alam ang sasabihin ko. I can't even move because my knees suddenly became weak
because of the kiss.

"Let's go back." He stood up after a few seconds.

I nodded, standing up too. I almost fell on my knees but I managed to hold onto the
wall for support. He looked back at me again, worried. Gosh, that was so
embarrassing! It was just a kiss! Why was I getting weak?!

"Uhm, wait..." I went to him and opened my purse to get a tissue. Nagtataka siyang
tumingin sa 'kin. "Uh... I was wearing lipstick... There was a smudge. Let me
remove it."

That was so embarrassing to say! I tiptoed and wiped the side of his lips. Hindi
naman masyadong halata pero alam kong mapapansin ni Yanna! I didn't want my friends
to tease me about it!

I gave him a smile after folding the tissue. "There. Done. All clea-"
"Be my girlfriend."

I blinked twice, not really processing what he said. Did I hear that right? "P-
pardon?" I asked just to make sure. Was the music too loud? Did it affect my ears?

"Let's be together again..." He said, more seriously this time.

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

45 [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Oh my gosh, my head hurts."

I sat down on the bed and held my head, closing my eyes again. When I tried to move
again, I felt my body aching all over. My eyes widened when I looked down at my
chest, only using the blanket as a cover.

"Fuck," I whispered when I looked at my side and saw Clyden with his naked back,
sleeping. Nakadapa siya sa kama at nakayakap ang isang braso sa unan.

I panicked again and held my head with both of my hands, remembering how did we end
up in bed again! I covered my mouth dramatically when I looked down on the floor
and saw our clothes scattered around! I even saw a lot of condom packets! They were
all opened!
"Shit, I'm so... I'm so..." I couldn't even put it into words! The Samantha last
night was so... wild?!

I remembered kissing him again when he asked me to be his girlfriend which he

concluded to be a 'yes'. And then, after that, I texted Haze to take care of the
visitors because there was an 'emergency'! I just left my opening party to have...
se... Oh my god! What the hell, Samantha!

Everything suddenly flashed back in my head. I wasn't that drunk to not remember
anything that happened! We were not that drunk! I remembered us kissing in the
hallway while I was trying to open my unit with the keys. And then as soon as we
walked inside, he made me lean against the back of the door, kissing my neck.

"What's with the rush?" I asked while he was kissing me. His other hand was already
unzipping my dress. I also fumbled with the buttons of his polo and took the hem
out of his pants.

"I missed you," he whispered, devouring my mouth again.

I hit my forehead lightly with my palm before going off the bed, completely
remembering everything now. I dragged the blanket with me as I tried to pick up my
underwear on the floor. This guy didn't even bother dressing me up! Did I pass out
while we were making love or what? I couldn't remember how it ended! Did I just
suddenly fall asleep?!
I wore my underwear before putting the blanket back on the bed. My eyes widened
when I realized that when I took it with me, Clyden was left on the bed, only
wearing his boxers. I covered him with the blanket again before going inside the
shower. My legs still felt so weak! Just how many times did we do it?!

I took a hot shower before brushing my teeth. I muttered a curse when I looked at
my collarbone and saw marks there. I put on my robe before going out and sitting at
the edge of the bed again, checking my phone.

My eyes widened when I saw a lot of messages from my friends asking where I went!
Hindi na nga pala ako nakabalik noong sinabi kong pupunta lang kami sa dance floor!
Damn, even Haze was mad at me!

From: Haze

Seriously, you need to give me a reward now for my act of service. Damn you
lovebirds making me do all the work here!

To: Haze

Oh my gosh, I'm so so so so sorry. I'll treat you to a meal! Or I can buy you what
you want! Just name it! I'm so sorry!

Instead of getting a message, he wanted to video call! Sinagot ko kaagad at lumabas

ng kwarto para hindi magising si Clyden. My hair was still wet and I was trying to
dry it with a towel. I was still wearing a robe. I sat on the sofa and looked at
the screen.
"Hey, I'm really really sorry!" I felt so apologetic to him! He took care of it
again! I felt so guilty. He did a lot of things for me and I made him suffer like
that last night, leaving him to take care of the people! "I'm sorry. You probably
didn't have fun because of me. Let me make it up to you-"

[Ah, don't be too noisy.] He said on the other line, standing up. My eyes widened
when I saw a clear view of him because he went out to the balcony, wearing nothing
on top and holding a cigarette between his fingers.

"You... Where the hell are you?" My brows furrowed. I just knew that it wasn't his
place! "Hah, just when I said that you didn't have a lot of fun..."

[Shush. That guy might wake up.] He rolled his eyes and puffed a cigarette. So it
was a guy this time. He sure had a lot of fun. [But, hey, you think it's over just
because I still ended up having a good night? You're wrong. Do something else for
me.]

"Okay, fine. What is it?" I raised a brow. "Just don't ask for sex again, please.
I'll end this call immediately!"

[Ah, you got me.] He playfully smirked before laughing because of my reaction.
[Kidding aside, just set me up with someone. I'm thinking of having a serious
relationship.]

"What?" I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Is this really Haze talking? Are you
serious? Are you sure you're not saying this because you're drunk? And hey, it's
not that easy to find serious relationships these days! You have to like the
person, spend time with them aside from having sex, and fall in love!"

[Aside from having sex, huh?] Haze raised a brow, smoke coming out of his mouth
again. He fixed his hair and looked away, thinking. [Like what we have?]

"Stupid! It's not the same. We're friends and you're not in love with me. Sure, you
liked me but we can't be in that kind of relationship. It's not the same." I felt
like an adult teaching a kid!

[How sure are you that I am not in love with you?] He playfully raised his brows
again.

The smile on my face faded, overthinking now. Did he really... fall in love with
me?! Oh my gosh. "Hey, uh, I know I already rejected you so I'll feel bad if I do
it again but... Uh, I have a boyfriend now so..."

He stared at me for a moment before laughing hard. He almost choked on his smoke
because of laughing, making him cough. My brows furrowed as I watched and listened
to him through my phone. He couldn't get over it! Now, I felt embarrassed!

[Love, huh?] He finally stopped laughing but the playful smile on his face
remained. [I completely forgot how it feels like so I'm trying to remember it again
by going out with people. It's not you. I'm not in love with you, dude.] He let out
a small laugh again.
"Fine! You just made it sound that way! Stop laughing at me-"

"Sino'ng kausap mo?"

Clyden suddenly appeared in the hallway. Panicking, I moved my phone down, the
camera covered with the sofa's pillow. Shit, I forgot to end the call. Wait, why
should I?! It was just Haze! I wasn't even cheating on him!

"You looked happy." Clyden walked to me and picked up my phone from the sofa. He
raised his brows when he saw Haze on the screen. "You fucking bastard," he said,
walking away.

[I could say the same to you, fucking asshole. Did you have a good night?] Haze
teased, laughing.

"Hey, give me back my phone!" I stood up and ran so I could catch up.

Clyden was wearing nothing on top but he was now wearing a pair of sweatpants. He
went inside my room again so I opened the door.

"Hey!" I tried to get my phone from the back but he pulled my wrist with his other
hand, making me bump against his bare back. He draped his arm on my neck so I
looked like a kid with my head in between his arm and body. Haze looked pleased
when he saw me.

[At least put some clothes on so it wouldn't be too obvious that you two had a good
night.] Haze shook his head.

"I'm ending the call now," Clyden told him. "Don't call so early in the morning."

[It's almost noon, gentleman.] Haze smirked. [Jealous now, are we?]

"Shut up." Clyden covered the camera and ended the call before tossing my phone on
the bed. I scowled and tried to catch it before it could hit the mattress. He
looked at me and scoffed before going out of the room again.

What now? Did he get mad?!

I changed into more comfortable clothes before following him out of my room. He was
now cooking breakfast for me. I just stayed silent until he finished and served
breakfast on the table with only one plate. When I asked if he wasn't going to eat,
he just pointed at the clock and went inside the bedroom again, probably to shower.

I just pouted and started eating bacon and egg together with the toasted bread he
prepared. I ate slowly because I was answering messages from my friends last night.
The girls were looking for me too in the group chat.

Luna: @Sam, saan ka na

Kierra: uuwi na kami

Yanna: tignan n'yo sa cr baka gumagawa ng bata

I rolled my eyes. Yanna probably already went home at that time because she sent me
a message saying Hiro was already outside to pick her up. I just apologized to the
group before taking another bite on my bread.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling well?" Clyden asked while buckling his belt in front
of the table. Oh, he already showered.

He was wearing a polo and a pair of slacks now. Those were the only clothes left in
his backpack the last time he stayed here. His hair was still wet. There were
droplets of water falling from his hair down to the bridge of his nose.

"I'm okay. Why shouldn't I be?" I asked with my mouth full.

He stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. "It might hurt down there,
isn't it?"
I choked on my food. Dali-dali kong kinuha ang baso at ininuman 'yon para makahinga
ako nang maayos. My face heated when I noticed his dark stare on me. His gaze even
went down to my collarbone revealed through my sleeveless shirt.

"Don't talk about it anymore!" I yelled, getting embarrassed now.

"Why not?" He arched a brow, buttoning his polo so it wouldn't reveal his chest too
much. "Don't you want to talk about how you begged me to get insi-"

"Ah, I think you're already late! Wow, look at the time!" I let out an exaggerated
laugh and pointed at the clock. "You need to go now, right?! Go! Work and earn some
money! Take care of the children!" I stood up and pushed him to the door.

"Wait, my things!" He complained when I almost pushed him out of the door. "Let me
get my things."

I rolled my eyes and stepped aside so
and went out with his backpack in his
suddenly held the back of my head and
kissing my mouth again. He tasted and
weak.
he could walk away. He went inside my room
hand. I thought he would finally leave but he
pushed me against the back of the door,
smelled like mint. My knees suddenly became

"I still have time. Do you want to go for it? Let's be quick," he whispered,
teasing.
"W-what?" I blinked twice. My brain suddenly shut down. I felt like I would do
anything he asked. "Okay..." I nodded.

He looked at me and raised a brow. "Wow, you're really something. I have to go now.
I will work, earn money, and take care of children. Goodbye." He used my words
against me! He kissed the top of my head before leaving my unit.

He left me panting and wanting for more! Napasabunot ako sa buhok ko at napapadyak
sa inis. That was so humiliating! Oh my gosh! Did I just say okay?! Okay for a
quick... I was probably crazy! Why did I say that?!

I just spent the whole day resting because of hangover and body pain. The week went
by so fast and Clyden became too busy to even see me! I attended shoots and got
invited to some shows. I also became a judge for some pageants. It was also a busy
week for me. Not to mention that I had to go to the club every day to see if the
operation was going well since the opening.

The publicity really gave a big advantage. Bawat gabi, parami nang parami ang
customers namin. We were always booked! All rooms, tables, and couches were always
reserved. Some were just going there, hoping to see me which was still good for me
as long as they were availing our services. Everything was going so well.

When I had free time during the weekend, I went to the mall and looked for a
birthday present. Next week would be Clyden's birthday so I cleared my schedule for
the week. Baka mamaya hindi siya available sa mismong birthday niya because of his
schedule so I wanted to be safe.
I didn't know what to get him. May stethoscope na siya na mukhang mamahalin pa so I
just decided to get him something that he would probably love. A black temperature-
control mug for his coffee and an... espresso machine. I wasn't sure if he already
had one in his home but he could put it in his office or anywhere! Or he can
replace his old one because what I bought was brand new. He can just sell it if
ayaw niya.

I had it gift-wrapped and added a 'Best Doctor' card in front. It should be enough,
right? I was so nervous. I just hoped that he would like it. I was thinking of
getting him a pen but he probably already had a lot of them just like how he had a
lot of highlighters back then. He must be collecting every color.

"May boyfriend ka na siguro, Sam! You are so famous now! Not to mention that you
can get all the guys with your looks! Sobrang blooming mo pa!" The make-up artist
complimented me.

"Ay, for sure may boyfriend na siya! Who is it? Hollywood actor siguro? Pak!" The
one working on my hair asked too. I was preparing for another photoshoot. Ang
daming staff sa dressing room na nakikinig din sa usapan namin.

"Yes, I already have a boyfriend." I can't help but smile when I said that. Sakto,
nag-text si Clyden. I immediately checked it, biting my lower lip.

From: Lover

Are you done with your shoot?

To: Lover

Preparing pa lang love.

"So who is it?! Siya siguro ang nag-text! Todo ngiti ka, oh! Sino 'yun? Actor?
Model?" The make-up artist asked again.

I put my phone back on the table, smiling. "A doctor."

"A doc- Oh my gosh! Doctor?!" The stylist dramatically covered her mouth. "Wait,
don't tell me 'yung doctor last time?! Doctor... Ramirez?! 'Yung gwapo, 'di ba? 'Di
ba, sis, chinika mo sa akin 'yun. 'Yung top sa boards?"

"Kaloka! Totoo palang kayo?! Late na 'ko sa chika! Kaya naman pala. Rejected lahat
ng mga papables sa showbiz, oh. Non-showbiz boyfriend pala ang bet." The make-up
artist laughed. I couldn't help but smile. "Pogi n'on, ah! May picture kayo?"

Oh. That suddenly hit me. When I scrolled through my Instagram, I noticed that I
hadn't posted any pictures of us. Except for stolen pictures all over the internet,
I never posted anything to confirm our relationship. When I checked Clyden's
account, there was nothing too. Was he being considerate of me?

After the shoot, I went to the gym to do some workout before going to the hospital
to see Avrielle. She was completely fine now pero natagalan dahil minomonitor pa
siya. She will get discharged today so I wanted to go see her. She will still come
back here for a check-up or if she starts feeling unwell again.
"Tita-Ninang!" Avrielle smiled when I entered the room. Oh, Yanna wasn't around. Si
Hiro ang nasa loob, kumukuha ng tubig sa ref.

"Sam," Hiro greeted me, standing up and opening the bottle.

"Hi!" I gave him a smile before going to Avrielle and sitting down on her side.
"Hello, my love! How are you? Are you excited to go home?"

"Yes, Tita-Ninang! I'm so excited to play again!" Avrielle giggled.

"Ah, you're making me nervous whenever you say 'play'." Hiro held his chest and
shook his head. "Don't forget. You promised me not to do that again, love," he
calmly said.

"Yes, Daddy." Avrielle pouted cutely. "I promise! So let me play again! I'm going
to behave now!"

"Of course, you should. I'm keeping my eyes on you now," Hiro said, laughing a
little. "You fly by riding a plane, Avrielle... Not by jumping off the stairs."
"I told you, Daddy, I didn't jump!" Avrielle wanted to cry now, defending herself.
"There was a bird, okay? I accidentally slipped!"

"Sure." Hiro shrugged. "Just don't do that again. It almost killed me." He looked
really hurt. It probably worried him to death too.

While I was watching them, the idea of having a child with Clyden went to me again.
We were still not ready for it but maybe someday when we are finally settled, we
could... have a child too? Will it be easy? Probably not. Having a child meant
getting worried every second.

Kahit wala pa 'kong anak, I completely understood where Clyden's mom was coming
from back then because I stood up as a parent to Avrielle too so I never got mad at
her. I could also not get mad at his dad because I didn't have enough knowledge
about him. I just wished that they would start being more... accepting. Did Clyden
make up with his parents now? He never mentioned anything about it.

I had another schedule so nagpaalam muna ako kay Avrielle. When the elevator
opened, I walked inside, looking at the floor. I stood near the corner, pressing
the parking floor.

"Hey. Got something on your mind?"

My head shot up to look at the guy standing beside me. My face heated immediately
when I saw Clyden in his white coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He wasn't
wearing his specs this time. He gave me a small smile when he noticed my stare.
"Ano?" He asked again when I zoned out. "Uuwi ka na?"

"I have to attend a show. I'll see you tomorrow... on your birthday." I lowered
down my voice because there were other people inside the elevator too.

"Bye, Doc. Dito na kami," the nurse interrupted us when the elevator opened. Two
doctors said goodbye to him too and he gave them a slight nod and a smile before
looking at me again.

"Hatid na kita," he said, putting his hand on the railing beside me.

"Sana all."

Nagulat ako at napalingon kaagad sa lalaki sa likod. It was Ridgen in his coat too.
He was with Eva and they were both laughing. Clyden raised a brow at them and
blocked my view with his arm. Tinulak ko ang braso niya paalis.

"Balik ka na munang E.R., Doc," Eva teased. She looked even more mature now. Her
hair was in a bun and she also had a stethoscope around her neck. She was wearing
scrubs underneath her white coat.
"May operation ka pa 'di ba? Focus on that instead." Clyden rolled his eyes.

"Wew, sungit ni Doc," Ridgen commented, laughing again. "Balita ko hinahanap ka na

sa E.R., eh. Ang dami palang time nito, e."

"Liar," Clyden said. When the elevator opened again, Ridgen and Eva walked out,
waving at us. "Umalis ka na nga," Clyden give Ridgen a light kick on the leg.

Hinatid nga niya 'ko hanggang tumigil ang elevator sa parking. He gave me a kiss on
the cheek before I went out. He also told me that he will go to my unit tomorrow
after work, maybe to pick me up.

Late na 'kong nakauwi because of the show. Good thing served na ang dinner doon so
I didn't have to cook anymore after going home. I was tired because I had to
communicate with a lot of people so I fell asleep early.

I woke up around midnight when I felt a weight on the side of the bed. "Sleep some
more..." Clyden caressed my hair and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

I closed my eyes again, thinking that it was a dream. When I opened my eyes the
next day, I realized that it wasn't because I felt an arm on my waist! I looked
back and saw Clyden sleeping while hugging me from behind. Wow, paano siya
nakapasok dito? The spare key again? Or maybe I left the door open because I was
tired last night.
I removed his arm and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before going out. I made
coffee for him too and just ate breakfast while waiting for him to wake up. Right,
it was his birthday!

"Morning," he greeted when he went out of the room, still sleepy. He walked past by
my side, biting the bread while getting milk and cereal.

"Happy birthday!" I greeted him, smiling.

The smile faded when he suddenly held my chin and gave me a light kiss before
walking again to get a bowl for his cereal. That was his way of thanking me, huh?!
I bit my lower lip and looked down on my plate, blushing now. That caught me off-
guard.

"Where are we going today?" I asked him.

"Visit our children," he simply answered.

"Oh my gosh! We're going to our old house?" I asked.

"Ah, no. I sold that house already. I'm planning to buy a new one. The dogs are in
my parent's house," he explained. "So a lot of people are taking care of them."
"Y-your... parent's house..." My heart started beating so fast. I didn't expect to
meet his parents again?! Naroon ba sila mamaya? Probably! It was his birthday! He
would choose to have a meal with his family! "Oh, so you already made up with your
Dad?"

"Sort of." He shrugged. "It's because he helped me process the papers for my
transfer in the U.S... because I was planning to follow you, right? Ah, he
apologized to me too but let me tell you that some other time-"

"You promised to tell me about your problems when we finally have enough time to
waste. You can tell me now..." I still remembered what he said last time.

"Over breakfast?" He laughed, sitting in front of me with his cereal. "Okay, then.
If that's what you want. Ah, I don't know where to start. You know my relationship
with my parents was almost the same as yours... They expected a lot from me. I was
their favorite son and they were willing to give everything to me, causing the
jealousy of my brothers. Among the two, Charles was the worst."

"What did he do?" I asked.

"Ah, when we were kids, he used to hit me... So I was scared that he might do it to
the woman he was going to marry which was supposed to be you. Ah, by the way, he's
married now, and ever since he got married to his wife, he suddenly changed. It's
ridiculous." He laughed. "Anyway, I don't know how to sum this up..."
"You don't have to sum it up. Tell me everything." I put my chin on my palm.

This was probably the first time that he talked about him... his personal problems.
Ito na ata ang pinakamahabang kwento niya. I realized that all those years, he kept
those hidden from me. Hindi ko pa mapapansin kung hindi ko napapanood kung paano
sila mag-away tuwing family dinner. Nagkulang ako roon... sa pagtatanong kung okay
lang siya. He was worried about me all the time. I couldn't help but feel bad.

"Well... Pareho lang tayo, e. Sinusunod ko lahat ng gusto nila. Mas maraming demand
tatay ko. He was the one controlling me and my decisions and I never did anything
to disappoint him until... until he tried to force me to break off the engagement
with you. You were modeling that time and I was having a hard time with my
clerkship..." He looked away, guilty for not telling me about it.

"Did you not tell me because you didn't want to bother me?" I raised a brow.

"I didn't tell you so you won't have the same idea as him. I was afraid that you
will break up with me if you knew. Well, because of that, he threatened me about
the inheritance. I didn't budge so he got disappointed in me. That was what he
said... Disappointed in me." He looked down to avoid my eyes. The pain was evident
in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"No, you don't have to say sorry. It was my choice after all. It just... Maybe it
hurt back then." He looked at me and smiled. "Kasi lahat ginawa ko para sa kanila,
sa kaniya. Lahat ng pinaghirapan ko parang napunta lang sa wala. Lahat ng
pinagpuyatan ko, parang naging walang kwenta lahat. It was like that. I made my mom
cry too because I was stubborn so Charles got even angrier at me. I understood
him."

"Did he pick a fight with you again?"

"Yes, but it doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done. My father and I grew
apart. I refused to talk to him... and also refused to take his money. He probably
felt bad because he kept on chasing me but I was stubborn. I realized that my
efforts didn't really go to waste. I just felt like it because I was doing it for
other people, not for myself. When I also started doing things on my own, I felt
happier... And I wanted you to feel that kind of happiness too so I let you go..."
He nodded like he was satisfied. "And look at where you are now. You're happy,
aren't you?"

"Of course." I gave him a smile too. "I'm sorry for... not paying attention to your
feelings back then. I was probably just thinking of me, especially when I told you
that you weren't having a hard time with your family."

"Okay lang. Naintindihan ko naman na galit ka kaya mo nasabi 'yon." He shrugged. He

just... He understood everything without me explaining. How could he be so calm
about it? I would get mad at myself.

"I love you," I suddenly told him.

He just smiled and ruffled my hair, telling me to finish my breakfast because his
family was already waiting for us. I was so nervous when we arrived at their
mansion but I calmed down when the dogs came running to me in the living room.
"Maple! Hail! Solar! Ah, I missed you!" I hugged all of them and gave them kisses.
Clyden also caressed their heads. "Are they taking good care of you, love?" I asked
like they would answer.

Solar was as big as Summer now. She licked my cheek so I giggled. Clyden went
upstairs to call his parents so I spent time with the dogs while waiting. It was
good to know that the dogs were healthy and being taken care of by a lot of people
in this house. They had helpers and Colin was also here.

"Hello." I suddenly stood up when I heard Clyden's mom. "Let's go to the dining
room while they're preparing the food."

We just ate breakfast and we will eat again. I walked closer to Clyden and he put
his hand on my waist, kissing the side of my head to ease my nervousness. I sat in
front of his mom and he sat beside me. Later on, his dad joined, together with his
two brothers. Charles really looked a lot different from before.

"Hello, Sam." Charles gave me a small smile before sitting down next to his mom. "I
want to apologize for the things I've said about you before. You may not be aware
of it but... I have said a lot behind your back."

"Oh..." I was shocked. That was a different way to start the conversation. "I guess
it's okay. It's all in the past now."

"Are you together now?" Clyden's dad asked. I was so nervous I couldn't talk.
"Yes," Clyden answered for me. I looked at his mom to see her reaction but she just
nodded and looked at the kitchen to see if the helpers were done cooking. "I am not
here to ask for permission, Dad... and Mom. I hope it's clear," he still tried to
say it with respect.

"Yes, it is, son," Mom said. "I'm... glad that things worked out between the two of
you." She gave me a smile so I returned it.

"Thank you, Doc..." I formally said.

"Just call me Mom if you're comfortable with it," she casually said. "Colin, aren't
you going to say anything?"

"No," Colin simply answered before sipping on his glass of water.

"Right..." Clyden's mom gave me an apologetic smile. "He's a quiet kid. I

apologize."

The atmosphere with Clyden's family really changed. Was it the first time I
attended their family dinner without the siblings fighting? They were all so calm
now and it made me a bit... jealous. So after dinner, while Clyden was driving, I
asked him for a favor.
"Can I see my parents?" I asked.

He almost stepped on the break because of shock. He looked at me with his parted
lips like he was confirming. I gave him a small smile and he nodded. I was just
looking at the window the whole time, nervous. I didn't have so much to say. I just
wanted to completely let go of the feelings I was keeping inside me.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Clyden asked.

"No need. I can handle it." I told him before going inside.

I waited for both of them inside a small room. I requested to be in one. Nang
makita ko sila, napaayos ako ng upo. My hands were shaking so I hid it under the
table. They sat in front of me and we were all silent for the first few minutes.

"How are you?" My mom suddenly asked.

"I'm good..." I answered without looking at her. "How are you?"

"We're okay, I guess," my dad answered this time. I became silent again. I didn't
know what to say. "Maureen, I..."

"You treated us badly," I started, looking down at my hands. "And I was so mad at
you. I blamed you for everything that happened. You didn't just destroy her but you
destroyed me too. You expected a lot from me... You demanded a lot from me and I
lived my life trying to reach your expectations. I went to the extent that I had
already forgotten who I really was because I spent too much time faking it." Tears
suddenly streamed down my face.

"Maureen, I'm sorry..." My mom's voice broke. "I just... wanted to protect you
and... I really love you..."

"But your love suffocated me..." I cried more. "I would have already crumpled down
if it wasn't for my friends. For once, I just wanted to feel free... How could you
do that to me? To us? Did you ever apologize to Naomi too like what you are doing
right now?"

"I did..." Mom cried with me. "I regretted it every night... I apologized to the
sky over and over again..."

"You hurt me a lot..." I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. "If only you knew
how many times I cried because you belittled me, forced me into things I didn't
want and was even willing to arrange my marriage with other people. If it didn't
turn out to be Clyden, I would have suffered worse. How could you do that?"

"We were just worried about you... And we were looking out for you if something
happened to us," Dad tried to explain.
"But you made it look like I needed him! That I used him! Why? Couldn't you trust
me to get over it alone? Why? Because I'm a woman? Is that the reason why you don't
trust me enough to pick up the broken pieces you left? I do not need a husband to
save me from despair, Mom... Dad... It's because of that mindset that I felt even
more suffocated... Until my marriage, you still didn't give me the chance to
decide."

"I'm sorry," my dad whispered too. "To you... and to your sister. I didn't become
the father you expected me to be and I'm sorry about that. You've done enough...
and I'm really proud of you, Maureen."

"I just wanted to be free... to make decisions for myself because I am my own
person! You do not own your children. We have feelings too. We can control our
lives too. You wanted to guide me, I know, but it was too much. You were too much.
You didn't even realize that? Naomi was even forced to take a program she didn't
want just to satisfy you. You were so obsessed with politics, with money, with
everything but your children that you already forgot how to become a decent
parent..."

"I know... I'm sorry. I hope someday, Maureen, you can finally give us your
forgiveness. And I can't say anything now but hope for your peace. You are so
strong... and you've done everything by yourself. That is enough to make me feel at
ease too as your mother..."

"Everything happened already and anything you say now won't change the past." I
fixed my things and stood up. "I have already forgiven you for what you did to
me... I just came here to let go of the pain I felt with you."

"Wait! Maureen..." My mom called when I was about to walk away. "Will you visit
again?"

I clenched my fist and sighed heavily before looking back at them. "Maybe..." I
said before leaving.

"How was it?" Clyden asked as soon as I entered the car. When he noticed that I was
zoning out and crying, he embraced me in his arms. "Shush... You did well, love."

"Can we... visit Naomi?" I asked while crying. "I'm sorry. It's your birthday and
I'm making you do all these things for me."

"Hey, don't say that." He wiped my tears with his thumb. "Of course. That's
actually where I'm planning to go." He pointed at the backseat so I looked over and
saw flowers. My heart suddenly felt soft.

I stayed quiet until we reached the cemetery. Clyden followed me from behind,
putting two bouquets of flowers. One for Naomi and one for Naomi's mom. I sat on
the grass and lit up a candle, hugging my knees. Clyden sat beside me too and just
stared at Naomi's grave.

Naomi Celestine Vera.

"You didn't see me for a long time, huh... I'm sorry I didn't visit." I removed
some leaves covering her name. "But I brought you with me wherever I went. That
should be okay, right? Did you miss me?"

"She probably did," Clyden answered for me. "She was a sweet kid."

"I'm not even saying anything yet and I'm crying already." I looked up and tried to
stop my tears from falling. "As you can see, I am now with the person you trusted
to be with me through my ups and downs. You must be happy and relieved..."

I imagined her smiling at me and telling me 'I told you so' so I let out a laugh.
She would probably feel proud that she chose the right man for me.

"Ah, I miss you a lot... Every day, I was hoping that you didn't leave..." I
started crying again. "But I couldn't do anything now but hope that no one would
try to leave with you. Naomi, I want to be there for other people... and give them
a choice to live."

For the past years, I had been supporting a lot of organizations that focused on
mental health awareness. It was something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Along
with that, I still continued doing charity works for children too because I wanted
to give hope for those people... hope that there was still a bright future waiting
for them. I wanted them to believe.

Because at some point, my sister was also willing to heal. At some point... She
believed in herself... I wanted everyone to have that kind of hope. The hope to
keep going... to be strong... to get through it with the help of people who they
could lean on during the hard times.
"I miss you every day..." I told her. "And you probably know this already but I
love you and you will always be with me, in my heart. You are now engraved in me."
I laughed.

"We miss you, Celestine," Clyden said. "You were also one of the reasons why I kept
going. I wanted to work with children and try to save them whenever I can... I hope
you're also proud of me and don't worry, I will always take care of your sister and
will never leave her side whatever happens. I really mean it this time."

I opened my bag and wiped my tears with the handkerchief she lent me back then. Her
name was still there. I smiled to myself. It felt like she was the one wiping my
tears.

"Naomi... I am now free."

Those were my last words before Clyden and I went back to the car. The day was
still long to celebrate his birthday so I asked him where he wanted to go and he
told me to visit our old house once more. It was now empty and had a 'for sale'
sign outside.

He leaned against his car, looking at the house. I leaned beside him too, crossing
my arms over my chest. It was almost sunset.

"What do you think about having a third ring after my fellowship?" He suddenly
asked, glancing at me.
"Huh?" My hands unconsciously went to my necklace. I also put our first engagement
ring there when I found it.

He laughed and took out his necklace too. Both of us still had it. Those two rings.

"For now, is it okay with you to wear our old rings?" He took off his necklace and
removed the rings, lending his palm in front of me so I could put them on his
finger.

I wanted to cry, remembering everything that happened between us and how we

remained strong... How we came back to each other's arms every time we saw each
other.

Clyden and I were so sure of each other from the start so no one could ever break
us apart.

"Sure..." I also took off my necklace. He held my hand and slid the rings on my
finger and I did the same to him.

I took out my phone and intertwined our hands together with the ring, moving it up
to the sky to catch the sunset before taking a photo.
I posted it on my Instagram. It was the first time that I posted something about
him after everything that happened. It also served as a confirmation for our
relationship.

"You posted it?" Clyden looked surprised. I gave him a smile and a nod. "What did
you put as the caption?"

I tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the lips. "My final walk will be on the aisle with
you."

________________________________________________________________________________

:)

Thank you for walking with us until the last chapter.

EPILOGUE [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

"Nag-delete ka na ng photos n'yo? Wala na sa Instagram mo, e! Ang bilis, ah! Parang
wala lang!"

It had only been months since Samantha broke up with me. I can't say that I was
taking it so well even though I looked okay on the outside. Hindi na 'ko umiiyak sa
kaniya dahil wala na rin naman akong oras para umiyak. Hindi ko rin naman
maintindihan kung bakit kailangan kong umiyak dahil kahit anong gawin ko, hindi
naman na siya babalik sa 'kin.
"Archive lang," sagot ko kay Ridge habang nagbabasa ng notes. Pahinga ngayon sa
duty pero mas pinili ko na lang na manatili rito sa hospital at mag-aral dahil saan
pa ba 'ko pupunta?

"Miss mo na?" Ridge asked again. Hindi talaga matatahimik 'tong lalaking 'to kahit
anong gawin ko. Dahil tuloy sa ingay niya, nananatili akong gising kahit wala pa
'kong tulog simula kahapon.

"Shut up," I said, reading my notes again. Because he was asking so many questions
about Samantha, my mind was flying somewhere else again. Kanina ko pa binabasa ang
same paragraph pero hindi pumapasok sa utak ko. Ah, fuck. It made me so frustrated.

My next duty was 7 AM to 7 AM the next day. It was tiring, especially when I
couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. There were just too many thoughts running
inside my mind so to distract them, I always resort to studying all night. That was
how my clerkship went by, barely even getting sleep, tiring myself out. To be
honest, I just felt dead... A dead person with senses. A dead person who could
still move with a blank mind.

I really wasn't taking the breakup well and the problem with my parents. I actually
never hated my parents and I really loved my mom. I knew she just wanted the best
for me but I wanted to prove that I could still live without hanging onto their
connections... because I wanted to build a name for myself. Live for me, and not
desperately keep up to their expectations.

"I'm applying for Track B. Are you coming with me?" I asked Ridgen before taking a
seat on the gutter. We were both inside the campus, eating a popsicle.
Some people will take the regular internship but I chose to have an elective.
However, applying still didn't mean that I would actually get in since the maximum
people who could get in was only 20. I was eligible since I belonged to the top of
the class as well as Ridgen but then, if I didn't get in, I would just end up in a
regular one.

"Oo naman! Sama ako! Si Eva ata, nag Track A na lang," sabi niya habang nakatayo sa
harapan ko. "Sana makapasok, 'no? Ipagdadasal ko!"

At hindi ko akalaing malakas manalangin si Ridgen dahil pareho nga kaming

natanggap. Lakas sa langit, ah.

Iiyak na sana siya dahil akala niya hindi siya kasali kasi maraming may mas mataas
na grade sa kaniya pero nakasabit naman siya kaya ayos na. Hindi mababa ang grades
niya. Marami lang talagang matatalino at sobrang masipag mag-aral. Mga palaging
nakaka-uno.

Magkaiba kami ng rotation sa departments kaya kinailangan kong makisalamuha sa

ibang tao. Talking to other people wasn't really hard for me but I wasn't just
feeling it. I still had to if I wanted to survive in this field. Hindi ko kayang
mag-isa lang.

I was assigned to the Obstetrics and Gynecology department for weeks. I just got
used to seeing women's sensitive parts. It wasn't really a big deal to me anymore.
Iyon na ang hinaharap at pinagkakaabalahan ko nang ilang linggo. My seniors guided
me well pero minsan tuwing pagod sila, sa akin nabubunto. Okay lang naman sa 'kin.
Naiintindihan ko.
"What do you think?" The senior resident asked me.

"There are abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix..." I looked at the
illustration carefully. "The patient has a history of mild cervical dysplasia. A
recurrence?" I asked.

"Right. It's getting severe and might become cancerous..."

I wasn't always accurate in the discussion but there was always space to learn. I
was faced with different patients with different illnesses, personalities, and
attitudes. I was shouted at a lot of times but I endured everything just to get by.
I wanted to finish it already but I still got a long way to go. It was impossible
to learn everything in one night.

When I got assigned to the Surgery department, I just became more tired. I sat on
the bench for the first time today, taking off my mask. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa
pader at napabuntong-hininga. I closed my eyes, still wearing my maroon scrub suit
with my intern I.D pinned on the left side.

I just witnessed another death. I covered my face and sighed again. There was no
choice but to keep going. There was no other choice. I stood up and started walking
away. I changed into new clothes before stepping out to get some coffee.

The scene I couldn't face was family members crying after losing a loved one
because it was too familiar. It reminded me of her and her sister... But it was
also what kept me going. I didn't want that to happen again. As much as possible, I
wanted people to continue living. To help them fight until their last breath.

That was how my internship went by. I was rotating to different departments and I
would often run into Ridgen and Eva at the hospital. We would get coffee whenever
we had breaks in between our shifts.

"Latte," I told the lady at the counter. Ridgen was paying for our orders today.
First time atang nanglibre nitong kumag na 'to. "Si Doctor Dela Riva maayos naman,"
sabi ko kay Eva nang makaupo sa table namin.

"Hassle kaya, sobra! Ilang beses akong naiyak pero dapat matibay ako!" Eva
complained. We were both waiting for our drinks while Ridgen was paying.

She was talking more about her experience when someone caught my attention. My head
turned, parting my lips in surprise when I saw Samantha Vera walking inside the
coffee shop, scrolling on her phone.

Nakaupo na si Ridgen sa table nang pumunta siya sa counter para mag-order. I had to
look away so she wouldn't notice that I was staring too much. Anong ginagawa niya
rito? Akala ko nasa ibang bansa siya? Bakit siya narito? Malayo 'to sa kung saan
man siya nakatira ngayon.

"Nakikinig ka ba?" Eva asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Ah, oo," I answered to whatever she was saying. I didn't catch up. I just hoped my
response fit the context.

"Ang sabi ko, anong oras matatapos shift mo bukas. Anong oo ka diyan?" Napakunot
ang noo ni Eva. I laughed and shook my head, feeling apologetic towards her. Hindi
ako nakikinig kaya si Ridgen na lang ang kinausap niya.

I glanced at Samantha again and saw her alone on the table. May kikitain ba siya
rito? Mukhang may hinihintay siya pero hindi ko na dapat problema 'yon. Ilang buwan
na noong huli ko siyang nakita sa personal. Palagi ko lang siyang napapanood sa mga
commercial niya at minsan nakikita pictures niya na naka-display sa mga
advertisement. Hanggang doon na lang.

She changed so much. Her hair was wavy long now and she dyed it brown. She really
looked out of reach. She stood out so much in the crowd, kahit sa coffee shop lang.
Ah, hell, I felt so helpless. Everything wasn't the same anymore.

"One latte for Clyden!"

I stood up and went to the counter to get it. I froze when I heard the lady calling
for Samantha too, sliding the cup over the table near mine. She was taking too long
so the lady called her again. I was busy adding sugar to my drink. Hindi naman
dapat marami pero na-distract ako kaya hindi ko napansing ang dami ko nang
nilalagay.

I was about to walk away when she suddenly bumped into me, my latte spilling on my
white coat. "Oh, fuck! I'm sorry!" She was obviously panicking.
I looked down on my coat. Napaso rin 'yung kamay ko dahil natapunan din 'yon pero
tiniis ko na lang. I didn't want her to feel more guilty. I tried to wipe the stain
using a tissue but of course, it wouldn't come off.

"It's fine," I whispered before getting another tissue to wipe my hand. It was a
bit red now because of the heat.

"Cy! Tara na!" I glanced at Eva who was already holding her drink, prepared to
leave.

I nodded and walked towards her, holding the door so she could exit the coffee shop
first. When I looked back, she was already talking to Ridgen. I bit my lower lip
and just started walking away. She seemed... so far away from me. Ang lapit niya
kanina pero pakiramdam ko hindi ko pa rin siya mahahawakan.

I kept on achieving more just to stand on the same level as her. I was recognized
as one of the top ten outstanding interns with exemplary performance. I also
graduated as a magna cum laude at UP College of Medicine. All of these, without the
support of my family. Lahat ng 'to, dahil sa 'kin. I could finally give myself a
credit.

"Congratulations, anak. You have proven a lot." My mom gave me a hug after the
ceremony. "I am so proud of you!"
"Will you apply at Ramirez Med after taking the boards?" My dad tried to get me
back again. I appreciated his efforts on making it work again between us. I wasn't
really mad at him for tormenting me for years, but I just couldn't forget it and
act as if nothing happened.

"I will," I told him. I will work there not because of them but because it was one
of the top-performing hospitals in the country and I wanted to explore more. I
wanted to learn more. Ang dami ko pang hindi alam at alam kong makakatulong ang mga
tao roon sa 'kin.

It still didn't end there. I attended a review center with Ridge to prepare for the
boards. I read a lot of books for supplementary information. I just liked reading a
lot. Masaya ako tuwing may nalalaman akong bago. Hindi naman ako masipag mag-aral
noon. Natutunan ko lang talagang mahalin 'yung ginagawa ko dahil kailangan. Kung
ayaw ko nito, matagal ko nang sinukuan.

It wasn't easy to continue with my chosen career... Pero pinili ko 'to kaya kahit
gaano kahaba, lalakarin ko. Hindi ko naman kailangan magmadali. Hindi pwedeng
magmadali rito kasi kapag tinakbo mo, baka makalimutan mo kung saan ka talaga
papunta. I walked at my own pace, focusing on the present goal. I didn't want to
think about how long it would take me. I just kept going.

"Badtrip ka, ang talino mo na! Hindi na 'ko magugulat pag nag-top ka sa boards!"
Reklamo ni Ridgen sabay higa sa sofa.

I was seated on the floor with three thick books on the coffee table beside my
laptop, a big iPad for my notes, and handouts from the review center. My
highlighters were all over the place too, as well as sticky notes. I could study
better when organized. I had been studying for 8 hours now. I would only take
breaks to have a snack.
"Hindi pa ba napapagod utak mo? Kanina ka pa nagbabasa diyan," Ridgen asked again.

"Ikaw ba? Hindi ba napapagod bibig mo? Kanina ka pa tumatalak diyan, e," I fired
back.

"Kaya ako narito para sabay tayong mag-review! Hindi ko naman akalain na ang dami
mong binabasa! Tinitignan ko pa lang, tinatamad na 'ko." Dumapa siya sa sofa at
kinuha ang isang libro. May mga colored bookmarks pa 'ko roon sa mga page. I just
finished reading it last night.

I had been friends with Ridgen ever since high school and he was always the
carefree type. He didn't care for his studies and would often review using my
notes. Mas madali niya raw naiintindihan. Matalino siya dahil kahit hindi siya nag-
aaral, nakakapasa pa. Hindi lang halata.

Matagal na rin niyang gusto maging doktor kaya noong nalaman niya na magdodoktor
ako, hindi na niya 'ko nilubayan. Sinundan ako ng kumag mula college, med school,
at review center. Si Eva rin, sinusundan ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ba nila 'ko
sinusundan. Kung nasaan ako, naroon sila. Parang tanga.

"Uy, si Sam ba 'to?!" Bumaba ng sofa si Ridgen para kuhanin 'yung magazine sa
ilalim ng coffee table. Nabitawan ko kaagad ang hawak kong highlighter para pigilan
siya. "Aba, gago ka, ah! Huli ka, tsong!"

"Ano ba? Tanginang 'to!" Sinubukan kong kuhanin pabalik sa kaniya pero tumayo siya
at tumakbo, tuwang tuwa. Napasapo ako sa noo ko nang iharap niya sa 'kin ang cover
ng magazine at tinuro ang mukha ni Sam.
"Ito ba ang naka move on na?!" Malakas siyang tumawa at bumalik sa coffee table
para kuhanin pa 'yung tatlong magazine. "Grabe, lakas ng amats mo! Creepy ka!"

"Anong creepy diyan? Hindi ko naman 'yan tinitignan gabi-gabi," pagtatanggol ko sa

sarili ko. Maayos naman ang magazine, ah. Binili ko lang 'yon para suportahan siya.
Hanggang doon na lang ang magagawa ko ngayon.

"Weh? Baka ginawa mong pampatulog 'to, ah!" Malakas siyang tumawa.

"Pwede bang manahimik ka? Nag-aaral ako." Napailing na lang ako sa kaniya. Wala na
'kong magagawa sa kupal na 'yan.

"Sige! Pagdasal kong maka-top ka sa boards!" Pabirong sabi niya ulit.

Anak ng. Lahat ng pinagdadasal ni kumag nagkakatotoo. I topped the boards with a
rating of 91.33%. I wasn't actually expecting that. The exams were really hard. I
was expecting to be around 85% or less.

"Congratulations, Cy!"
"Ang galing mo, hayop!"

"Halimaw ka talaga, Cy! Lahat na kinuha mo!"

I received a lot of compliments and congratulatory messages but the only one I was
actually waiting for didn't come. I stared at my phone for a long time, hoping for
Samantha to send a message. Even a simple 'Congrats' would do but nothing came.

I sighed heavily and looked at Summer beside the bed. While I was reviewing, she
got pregnant by a random dog. Hindi ko na rin alam kung sino. She just gave birth
last week and I saw that she was having a hard time.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, caressing her head. She only gave birth to three
puppies but only one survived because she was really having a hard time even during
her labor. I felt so bad for her. "I topped the boards, Summer..." I told her.

Solar was drinking milk from her. Nakahiga lang si Summer sa sahig at hindi na siya
masyadong gumagalaw. The next day, I brought her to the vet to check her condition.
She was having complications in her lungs. They tried to operate on her and I
thought it would be okay after that but she was really getting old already.

It was one of my fears. My dogs were aging... I couldn't face the fact that they
wouldn't be by my side forever.
"Are you tired now?" I asked Summer while seated at the garden. Nasa bahay ako.
Bahay namin ni Sam. Nakasandal ang ulo ni Summer sa binti ko habang tulog si Solar
sa tabi niya.

I bit my lower lip and caressed her fur again. I gave her a kiss on the top of her
head. She was already having a hard time breathing and it hurt. Napahawak ako sa
dibdib ko dahil naramdaman ko ang sakit doon.

"Do you want to rest now?" I asked, trying to stop the tears from falling.

I knew she wanted to rest already but for the past days, she was always at the door
like she was waiting for someone. Doon siya humihiga o kaya minsan dito sa garden,
nakaharap sa garahe. I already had a feeling that she was just stalling.

"Are you waiting for your mom?" I asked again. She looked at me with her tired
eyes.

I looked for my phone inside my pocket and played a video of Sam playing with
Summer. I showed it to her and she stared at it until it finished. I even showed
her some more close-up photos.

"Mom can't go, Summer... I'm sorry..." I told her.

She looked at me again before licking my hand. I waited for a few more minutes
until she wasn't responding anymore. I just cried and carried her to my car so I
could bury her in the mansion's yard. I didn't want to bury her in my house since I
was planning to sell it, but I was still hesitant because I wanted to hold on to my
memories with Samantha... I could only sell it once we can finally create new
ones... Kung posible pa ba 'yon.

"Rest in peace, Summer," Colin said, holding the shovel.

He helped me with it. I also brought the other dogs with me, including Solar. They
were probably wondering why Summer wasn't around anymore. I didn't know how to
explain it to them. Hindi rin naman nila maiintindihan. Masasanay na lang sila na
kulang sila. May kapalit naman. Si Solar. Magiging kamukha niya si Summer kapag
lumaki na siya.

My original plan was to become a pediatric surgeon but I didn't go with surgery for
my residency. I figured out that it was going to take longer for me to become a
doctor and I... couldn't deal with a lot of deaths in the operation room. I took
pedia instead and as expected, I really enjoyed it.

"Totoo kayang may anak na si Sam? 'Yung kasama niyang bata palagi?" Tanong ni Ridge
sa 'kin habang busy ako sa rounds ko.

Hindi ako sumagot dahil hindi ko rin naman alam kung anong isasagot ko sa kaniya.
Matagal ko nang narinig 'yon at tinanggap ko na rin kung mayroon man. Mukhang 3 o 4
years old 'yung bata. Posibleng nabuntis siya pagkahiwalay namin... Pero nagmo-
model na siya noon, ah? Hindi rin siya tumigil. Wala akong balitang nanganak siya.
Naguguluhan na 'ko.
"I'll leave Avi to you, Cy. Maui, I'm sorry. I need to go to the ward."

I stared at Samantha for a long time. She was the last person I expected to be
here... in front of me. It had been years since I last saw her and I still felt the
same way. My heart was racing so fast while taking in her appearance in front of
me. She looked even more mature now. Ibang iba siya sa pictures at sa videos ng
shows.

I was watching them for a long time and they didn't look alike... but the kid had
Sam's attitude and aura. She took after her. Avrielle Haven Fernandez, huh...
Fernandez was the surname of the father?

Inisip ko na kung sino ang mga Fernandez na kilala niya pero masyadong marami.
Sinearch ko pa sa Instagram following niya pero ang dami ring lumabas. Sino rito?!
Hindi ko na alam! Wala akong oras para isa-isahing tignan lahat ng profile na 'yon.
Napakarami noon!

"Nang... Blood..." The kid removed the handkerchief on her nose. It was full of
blood. Her voice was so soft and small I could barely understand what she said.

For some reason, it annoyed me. The kid was hurt. Hindi ba niya inaalagaan nang
maayos? Where was the kid's dad in the first place? Bakit kailangan niyang dalhin
sa gym? It was so fucking annoying. They were careless. Hindi ko rin alam kung
bakit masyado akong nagagalit kahit hindi ko naman anak 'yon.

I had to give Solar to her when another resident called me over the phone to say
that the kid who used to admire me was in a critical condition so I had to run to
see for myself what will happen. Good thing he was saved... But his condition still
didn't get any better.

"I hope we won't see each other so often," I told her after getting Solar. "Because
it would mean that the kid's unhealthy. Take care of the child."

Mainit ata talaga ang mata kay Samantha dahil pagkatapos ng isang rumor, mayroon na
naman. Napatawa ako nang sarkastiko nang marinig na may boyfriend na siya at
nagkita pa sila sa Japan.

"Ulol," I whispered while scrolling through my feed. It was my break time so I had
time to spare. "Non-showbiz boyfriend pa nga..."

She ignored all of the rumors and didn't even bother talking about them so I
assumed that they were true. Boyfriend? Masasaktan ba 'ko roon? Pumasok na sa isip
ko 'yun noon. Imposibleng hindi siya magkaroon ng ibang boyfriend pagkatapos namin
mag-break. She was too gorgeous and kind. Men would line up over her and beg her to
pick them.

And honestly, I wanted to line up too... But I already did and got kicked out.
Hindi na ba pwedeng umulit? Hindi na 'ko mapakali.

"Do not cause a ruckus in our hospital. There are patients around," I told the
reporters. "You shouldn't be allowed here."

Samantha ran away so fast, leaving her card holder behind. I picked it up from the
floor and looked at it, shaking my head in disappointment. How careless. Kung
masama akong tao, pwede ko nang gamitin card niya pambili ng mga luho ko.

I just kept it with me but eventually forgot about it because of my schedule. I

just got reminded of it when she called. Wow, she really called... At ngayon lang
niya napansin na may nawawala sa kaniya? Bukod sa 'kin?

"Hello. Kumusta? May masakit ba?" I asked Bryan, one of the kids who admired me. He
was around nine years old and he told me that he wanted to become a doctor like me
someday.

He just finished an operation because of his lung complications. Naaawa ako dahil
ang dami pa ring nakakabit sa katawan niya.

"Hindi pa po ba tatanggalin 'to, Doc? Masakit po..." He pointed at the IV attached

to his hand.

"Kapag magaling at malakas ka na, tatanggalin ko na 'yan, okay?" Marahan kong

hinaplos ang buhok niya. I gave him an assuring smile. "Hindi ka ba nahihirapan
huminga? Okay ka lang?"

"Masakit po rito, Doc..." He pointed just above his stomach. I felt even worse.
"Magpapalakas po ako tapos kapag nakalabas na 'ko ng hospital, bibisitahin kita!"

I laughed and nodded in approval. At least he was looking forward to something...

But what hurt me the most was the fact that his condition didn't get any better
after the operation.

"Doctor Ramirez, papunta ka na sa bagong ward? May naghihintay sayo roon," sabi ni
Doctor Lana nang makasalubong ko siya.

"Yes, Doc. Sino?" Tanong ko pero ngumiti lang siya sa 'kin at hindi na sumagot. New
ward? Wala masyadong pasyente roon at wala pang laman 'yung kalahati ng room.
Ginagamit lang 'yon kapag sobra ang pasyente at hindi kasya roon sa dati.

I walked inside and talked to the nurse at the counter before checking on the
patients. After that, I went to the farthest bed at the corner of the room where
the empty boxes were placed. Inalis ko ang kurtina at tumayo sa tabi ng kama.

"She fell asleep," I whispered to myself while staring at her.

I put my hands inside my pockets and sat at the other bed in front of her,
watching. I was debating if I should wake her up or not but she looked tired. I
stood up again and placed my hand over her forehead.

"You're sick," I whispered again. "You should take care of yourself. What are you
doing?" I sighed heavily.

Wasn't her boyfriend taking care of her? I saw the photos last night. Inaalalayan
siya ng lalaki. Ang paliwanag nila, masama raw ang pakiramdam niya kaya hinatid
siya sa condo. I wasn't planning to know everything about it and I was never
interested in showbiz news but she dragged me into this.

In the end, I just brought her to my office. My dad gave this room to me so I could
focus on my research and also get more sleep, lessening the burden of driving home.
Hanggang ngayon, sinusuyo niya pa rin ako. I left Samantha there to get some food
for her but when I walked past Bryan's room, I thought of checking his condition
again.

"Hello-"

"Doc! Doc! Hindi siya makahinga!" Her mom cried in front of me, panicking.

Nilagay ko kaagad ang paper bag sa lamesa bago tumakbo papalapit sa kama. I pressed
on the emergency button before checking his vitals. I couldn't move around when the
kid suddenly held on my coat tightly and coughed, whispering something.

My hand trembled when I saw bloodstains on my coat. I couldn't think straight but I
had to go back to my senses to save him. The nurses came inside the room in no
time, running.

"Stay with me," I said while putting on gloves. "Call Doctor Carena! Now!" I told
the nurses. "Bry, stay with me, okay?"
But it was too late. I stayed outside the room while the doctors were inside.
Sumandal ako sa pader at napatakip sa mukha ko nang marinig ang iyak ng nanay niya
sa loob. Nakatulala lang ako nang matagal, hindi pumapasok sa isip ang nangyari. It
wasn't my first time witnessing something like that... But I just couldn't get used
to it like other doctors.

"Did something happen?" Sam asked when I went back to my room.

"It's... It's fine. Here's your food." I handed her the paper bag, refusing to talk
about it.

I was so distracted the whole time. Naisip ko kung maaga ba 'kong bumaba para
bumili ng pagkain, masasalba ko kaya siya? Kung binilisan ko, pwede pa kaya? There
was always guilt after seeing someone pass away in front of me... And it worried me
because it was exactly how Samantha felt years ago... That was the reason why I
couldn't tell her. I thought she would be sad about it.

"Cy," she called me. "You can't save everyone."

You, too. Say that to yourself too.

Hindi man niya napapansin pero alam kong hanggang ngayon, kahit pinangako niya sa
sarili niyang mabubuhay siya para sa sarili niya, nakakulong pa rin siya sa
nakaraan niya, sa mga problema niya, sa mga tao sa paligid niya. She was still too
considerate of others that she already seemed to forget about herself.
"Anong pinapanood mo?" Ridgen asked while I was eating noodles.

"Huwag ka mangialam." Tinulak ko ang mukha niya palayo.

I had been awake for 29 hours now. I should be sleeping at this time but I chose to
watch her fashion show. Ang tagal ko siyang hinihintay na maglakad doon habang
pinapalamig 'yung noodles.

My lips parted when it was her turn to walk. She looked... amazing. She smiled at
the camera and even winked before turning around. When I looked down, I saw her
wearing the pair of heels that I gave her. It made me happy like crazy. I couldn't
help but smile.

"Kinilig, amp!" Ridgen pointed at my face.

"Tigilan mo 'ko." Nawala tuloy ang ngiti ko. Panira 'tong gagong 'to, e.

Hindi ko napansin na habang hinihintay ko ulit siya, nakatulog na 'ko sa lamesa.

Nagising lang ako nang tumunog ang phone ko dahil hinahanap na 'ko. Binatukan ko
kaagad si Ridge dahil hindi ako ginising! Hindi na tuloy ako nakakain! Humigop na
lang ako ng sabaw at binigay kay Ridge 'yon bago umalis.
I thought of sending her a message to congratulate her on a job well done but I
didn't know how to say it. Nakailang bura na 'ko ng type.

'Ang galing m...'

Delete.

'Congrats...'

Masyadong maikli.

'Congratulations. You did well...'

"Doc! Kanina pa kita tinatawag!" The nurse suddenly interrupted me. I just deleted
the message and hid the phone inside my pocket.

Ah, nevermind. She wouldn't care anyway.

itsamantha: Sigh. I miss y

itsamantha: yoga

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing when I read the message. Did she
accidentally send that and tried to cover it up? Yoga, huh? Since when did she
become into yoga? Anyway, I just played along with it... But I guess I took it too
far.

"Aren't we going to do yoga today?" I asked.

Fuck. I really took it that far? What the hell. Wala nga akong alam tungkol doon!
Sa buong buhay ko, hindi pa 'ko nakapag-yoga. Bakit ko sinabi 'yon? Bobo.

But of course, someone had to interrupt when we were just about to fucking kiss.
"Am I in the right unit?" This familiar man asked playfully.

"Lim," I greeted him. This bastard. I knew it was him in the rumors but I chose to
ignore them. Kailan pa sila nagkakilala? Hindi ko na rin alam kung kailangan ko
pang itanong 'yon. Lahat ata kilala ni Sam.

We weren't exactly on bad terms but his presence just pissed me off ever since
highschool. His playful personality clashed with mine. He was friendly but because
I was a quiet kid back then, he tried so hard to get me talking which just annoyed
me to the core.
"Wow, I love yoga. Why don't you continue with me?" And up until now, he had the
same personality.

After taking a call from my senior, I decided to invite someone else so Haze
wouldn't target me alone. Ayokong uminom at hindi naman talaga ako umiinom dahil
busy pero ayokong sila lang dalawa ang magsasaya.

To: Atty. Kalix Martinez

Punta ka condo ni Sam. Let's grab a drink.

From: Atty. Kalix Martinez

No.

To: Atty. Kalix Martinez

Sabi ni Sam may bago nang boyfriend 'yung ex mo.

From: Atty. Kalix Martinez

Bullshit.
I thought because of that, he wouldn't come anymore so I was surprised that he
really did. Ang dali lang palang paikutin 'tong isang 'to, e.

I was staring at Avrielle, Haze, and Sam a lot. Naisip ko kung hindi ba ako 'yung
na-engage sa kaniya, may pamilya na rin siya ngayon katulad niyan? Haze could give
her a lot of time. He could give everything I couldn't. He could be with her. They
could get married and have kids without any problem. It wasn't the same with me. I
felt envious.

"You can hold onto me." I held her hand tighter. "Kahit bitawan mo ulit ako sa
dulo. Kumapit ka lang sa 'kin ngayon, wala na 'kong pakialam sa mangyayari."

Iyon na naman. Nagpapakatanga na naman. Para sa 'kin, kahit makasama ko lang siya
nang ilang araw o ilang minuto, okay na. It was the least I could do at the moment.
We were both not ready for a relationship yet. We were too busy for it. Hindi pa
oras para magkabalikan kami at alam ko 'yon. Alam niya rin 'yon... pero sumubok pa
rin kami.

Samantha Vera and Clyden Ramirez almost got married! READ HERE.

I felt that it was my fault that she was having a hard time again. Those articles.
It felt like deja vu. I was worried that she would collapse... close down her doors
again... and she really did. Not once did she try to reach out to me during her
worst times and I had always felt useless because of it.
Kahit sinabi kong kumapit siya sa 'kin, bumitaw din kaagad siya dahil akala niya
mahahatak niya 'ko pababa but the actual reason why I wanted her to hold onto me
was that I couldn't let her fall into her own darkness again. I can't save everyone
but at least I could try. I can't repeat what happened last time. I knew she was
already close to giving up.

"Are you and Samantha in a relationship?"

"Doctor Ramirez, isang sagot lang! Nagkabalikan na ba kayo?"

"Anong masasabi mo tungkol sa isyu ng mga Vera?"

I just went out to buy coffee but I got bombarded with questions at the entrance of
the hospital. I walked to the office without saying anything. I was aware that my
colleagues wanted to ask me about my relationship with the famous Samantha Vera but
they couldn't utter a word. They were scared of my facial expression.

It just went worse and worse. "Doc, nasa labas po Mommy mo..."

I nodded and stood up to go outside the office but my mom went inside instead. All
the doctors went out of the room when they noticed the heavy atmosphere. I put my
hands inside the pockets of my coat and leaned against the table, waiting for her
to say something. She was wearing her coat too and her hair was in a bun.
"Your dad... is furious about this," she started.

"He was the first one to involve us in this." I scoffed sarcastically. Wasn't he
the one who arranged my marriage with Samantha? The daughter of his 'close' friend?
At ngayon, bakit ako ang sinisisi niya dahil nadadawit ang pangalan namin? Ano bang
ginawa ko? "He should reflect on himself."

"Clyden, you're making it hard for me..." My mom suddenly cried. I felt a pain in
my chest so I had to look away. "It's happening again... I tried hard to save you
from getting involved in this... Why did you have to see her again?"

"My answer is still the same as the last time. I won't let you stop me from seeing
her," I clearly said. "Tell Dad that I am not his possession. He just can't control
my decisions. I am not a kid anymore. I can live without him and his judgment."

"I know you love her but this is really not the right time, Cy..." She held my
cheek. "I understand... But this should be fixed. Try to stay away from her...
Kahit ilang araw lang, anak."

"This is the time when she needs me the most so I won't stay away from her. I
can't. If it bothers you, then it's not my problem anymore," I told her before
walking away.

But because I made my mom cry again, I received another punch from Charles. He was
really waiting for me in the house just to pick a damn fight.
"Again! You're doing it again!" Charles yelled at me. "Apologize to Mom and Dad!
Stop being stubborn!"

"Stop it," Colin tried to stop both of us, leaning against the door frame. He
wasn't really trying hard. "You're waking up the dogs."

"Whatever you say, I won't budge," I told Charles, stretching my jaw. When he tried
to go for it again, I grabbed his collar and gave him a punch too. He just wouldn't
stop.

He fell on the floor with a bleeding nose. Colin sighed heavily and rolled his
eyes, walking towards us to stand in between.

"Stop acting like fucking kids. Cut it out," he said, getting pissed off now.

"Dad forgives you over and over again. You should be ashamed of yourself for
bringing problems to the family," Charles said under his gritted teeth.

"Enough of it already." Colin pushed him lightly. "Go home."

Charles glared at me for the last time before driving away. I also left to check on
Samantha because she wasn't answering my calls. I blamed myself for getting her
into this. If I didn't approach her again... this wouldn't have happened. I felt
guilty about it. I took all the blame so she wouldn't blame herself.

I was ready to take the blow, but she chose to face them alone.

"I want to take the pain away from you, my love... I'm sorry." I kissed her hair
and held her hand tightly until she fell asleep.

She cried a lot and it hurt me. I carried her and placed her on the bed, kissing
her forehead. She had been through a lot. Sa bawat problema niya, palagi na lang
niyang sinisisi sarili niya at kapag kaharap ang ibang tao, ngingiti na parang
walang nangyari. Nakakapagod nang panoorin siyang ganoon. I wanted her to live
happily. I wanted her to be free.

I went out of the room and cleaned her unit. Hindi na siya lumabas dito simula
noong lumabas ang articles tungkol sa kaniya. Nakita ko rin ang cans ng beer sa
lamesa. Nag-inom din pala siya. Mukhang may kasama siya. Nang marinig ko ang
doorbell, binuksan ko kaagad ang pinto.

The woman's eyes widened when she saw me on the door like she wasn't expecting me
to be there. She was tall and familiar. She was... Yanna, if I remembered it
correctly. The mother of Avrielle.

"Si Sam?" Tanong niya kaagad, may hawak na maliit na paper bag.
"Tulog," I simply answered. "Do you want to step inside?"

"Ah, hindi na. Nandiyan ka na pala kaya okay na. Paki-abot na lang 'to!" She handed
me the paper bag. I checked and saw vitamins. "Hindi na siya kumakain. Iyak na lang
siya nang iyak."

"Sorry..." I felt the need to apologize. If it wasn't for me, Sam wouldn't suffer
like this.

But I was surprised when she laughed. Napabalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya at
napakunot ang noo. Bakit siya tumatawa?

"Bagay kayo 'no?" She raised a brow. "Sorry nang sorry kahit walang kasalanan.
Huwag nga kayong ganiyan."

"Ah, sor-" I stopped when I had the urge to apologize again. "Nevermind."

"Okay lang. Ingatan mo best friend ko. Kung hindi, gagawin kitang pasyente, hindi
doktor." She threatened me with a smile. "Sige na... Bye." She tapped my shoulder
before walking away.

I liked tormenting myself too much. I even helped her pack her clothes before her
flight to New York. Parehong pareho sa nangyari noon. Iiwan niya 'ko ulit... Pero
matagal ko nang pinaghandaan 'to. I thought that if I prepare for it, it would hurt
less... but it didn't.

"If you find someone else, I hope that she will make you happy." She cried again.
"And that she won't make you suffer like this. I hope that she won't leave you...
ever."

Someone else? I could never find someone else other than her. She was already
engraved in my soul. If she wanted me to find someone else, then she shouldn't have
made me fall in love with her in the first place.

"Choose a good woman, alright?"

A good woman. I stared at her for a long time. I already chose her a long time ago.
"Alright. I will."

"Time to go, Maui."

Seeing her leave just brought nothing but more pain. I told myself not to run after
her but I still can't just let her leave when I could see her for the last time.
Kahit isang minuto lang... Kahit ilang segundo lang. Those were already enough for
me.
"I love you so much," she whispered before walking away.

At 'yun na ang pinanghawakan ko. Sapat na 'yon para hintayin siya. Mahal na mahal
ko siya na kahit walang pag-asa, nag-hintay pa rin ako. Kung hindi siya babalik,
ako ang pupunta sa kaniya.

"Want to see a show?" Haze asked, holding tickets.

"I'll check my schedule," I told him without looking at it.

"Sam would be walking on the runway."

I immediately turned to him and took the ticket out of his hand. "Count me in."

It was so surreal to watch her walk on the runway in person. Palagi ko lang siyang
pinapanood sa screen. She looked so happy and free... It was enough for me. I
didn't want to bother her any longer. I was afraid that I could make it worse.

She looked so beautiful. Her smile... I wanted to protect that for the rest of my
life.
Because of my fellowship, I spent so much time in the emergency room. Halos doon na
nga ako nakatira but because I had interns and residents under me, it made my job
better. I could take breaks in between.

"Oxygen saturation has dropped to 85."

"Prepare for intubation," I told them.

It was always a rough day in the E.R. It was chaotic. I was already used to seeing
blood, but I still hated it to see people suffering.

Because I became so busy with my fellowship, time passed by so quickly. I went to

my dad and told him about me transferring to New York with the hope of getting back
together with Samantha again.

"I'm sorry for... everything, Cy," Dad told me before I left the mansion. "You have
proven yourself a lot of times."

I looked back at him and gave him a smile. "It's alright." I didn't have anything
to say. I didn't want an ill relationship with him. I knew he loved me after all.
Ever since I refused to accept his help, he became more supportive and proud. He
did a lot of things to make it up to me and helped me a lot of times.
"She's going home," Haze told me while we were out for drinks with Kalix.

I parted my lips and looked at him in shock. "Really?"

"Yeah, she's planning to build a club here. Don't tell her that I said this." Haze
laughed, puffing a cigarette. We were at a rooftop bar this time. "You want a
smoke?" He asked Kalix.

"No..." Kalix looked away before sipping on his beer. "I already stopped."

"Dang... Okay." Haze shrugged.

She was going home. Damn... I could finally see her again. At that moment, I swore
to myself that I would never let her go again. We can finally... be together. It
was the right time. Nothing could stop us anymore.

itsamantha: My final walk will be on the aisle with you.

That one single post made it into the news but we didn't care anymore. Positive
feedback or not, wala na 'kong pakialam. We weren't living for other people this
time. We were living for ourselves and for each other.
"Love, come on, please... This party's important to me! We're going to be
complete!" Samantha kept on begging me to come to her get-together party with her
friends. It had been months since we confirmed our relationship.

"Hahabol ako," I told her. I had duty until midnight since the other doctor was
out.

"You better come, okay?!" She threatened me again.

Yeah, right. I was so tired that night but I still went home, took a shower, and
changed into casual clothes. I wore a black long-sleeved turtle neck tucked inside
a pair of black pants. I added a grey blazer and a black leather belt to complete
the look. I heard the 'boyfriends' would be there. That was what Sam said.

When I arrived, I saw the guys gathered on the couch. Some were seated and some
were standing. Sevi was seated on the armrest of the couch and Arkin was standing
in front of him. Hiro, Yanna's husband, was beside Arkin. Kalix was seated on the
couch. Beside him were Adonis and another unfamiliar man.

"Hey," I greeted Kalix as soon as I arrived. I walked past by Sevi and tapped him
on the shoulder. Napahawak pa siya roon sa tinapik ko na parang nasaktan. I laughed
and greeted the others too.

"A drink?" Hiro poured a glass of whiskey for me and I accepted it.
"Hello, Doc!" Adonis greeted me. "Ah, si Leo nga pala!" He introduced the other guy
too.

"Hi. Clyden," I introduced myself. I turned to Arkin and gave him a small smile
too. "I know you now."

"Hay, sa wakas." He held his chest, laughing. "Ah, naroon si Sam, pre! Nanglalasing
ng mahihina!" Turo niya sa kabilang couch.

Samantha seemed to notice my presence since she looked our way. Her eyes brightened
as she ran towards me, hugging me on the neck. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and
told her to have fun with the girls.

"Thanks for coming, love!" She said before going back.

I was busy talking with the guys. Their topic was their girlfriends, which was
funny. They were complaining about them being grumpy and I didn't know what to say
because Samantha was just so... nice.

"I don't know about being grumpy. How I wish Luna would just be grumpy instead of
being too loud every day..." Kalix shook his head. "She never went silent."
"Mahal mo naman," Arkin added.

"Yanna's also too loud..." Hiro said but it just sounded sexual.

"Ibang usapan na ata 'yan," sabi ko. He just smirked and sipped on his drink.

"Hah, kung pasungitan at kamalditahan ang usapan, panalo na pambato ko!" Sevi
proudly said.

I couldn't say anything about Samantha. She was always so understanding.

Magsusungit lang siya kapag nagseselos pero maikling panahon lang 'yon at babalik
na siya sa dati. Masyado siyang mabait sa 'kin.

"Worry about your partner, Engineer Camero," Kalix laughed. They had been watching
the girls on the dance floor for a long time now. "Go pick her up. She looks like
she'll faint in a second."

"Hindi pa 'yan." Sevi shook his head. "Kaya niya pa 'yan."

I glanced at his girlfriend who really looked like she was going to faint. "She
needs to go to the hospital," I told him. Kalix and Hiro laughed.

"Doc naman! Tiwala lang! Kaya niya 'yan!" Sevi prayed for it.

I stepped out for a bit when I received a call from the hospital. When I went back,
Sevi's girlfriend was already making a ruckus. "I love you guys! I love you all! I
love you, my friends! I had so much fun today!"

I stepped aside so Sevi could walk through. He was already pulling his girlfriend
with him.

"Doc, alis na kami!" Sevi said when he saw me. After that, he was gone.

I went back to the couch and sat beside Kalix. Samantha immediately went to me and
sat on my lap, hugging my neck. She was already getting tipsy.

"He went home too early," I said, talking about Sevi.

"Well, Elyse is not much of a drinker. Like you!" Sam pointed at my face.
The party ended with us, taking home our drunk girlfriends, except for Kalix. I
couldn't drink because I was looking out for Samantha. Pare-pareho lang kaming may
buhat sa parking lot.

"We're going now. Drive safely," Hiro said, putting Yanna on the shotgun seat.

Samantha fell asleep early that night. I just helped wash her up and change her
clothes. The next day, I woke up early to prepare breakfast for her. I wanted to
tell her about something.

"Get dressed. I'm taking you somewhere," I told her when she woke up.

"Ah, I have a hangover," she complained.

"Not my problem, love." Ayan, inom pa. Inom lang nang inom. Pagsisisihan din pala
kinabukasan.

Instead of getting dressed, she fell asleep again after eating and just woke up
late afternoon. Nasira na tuloy ang plano ko but I really wanted to take her out
today so I asked her to get dressed. We still left just before the sun could set.

"Where are we?" She asked when I stopped the car in front of a house.
"Home," I told her before getting out of the car.

She curiously followed me from behind until we reached the gate. I opened the door
and the dogs came running to us, wagging their tails. Samantha smiled sweetly and
kissed the top of their heads.

"Hello, love!" She greeted using her baby voice.

She suddenly stopped when she saw something on Solar. She bent down and took the
ring out of the small chain hanging on the collar, looking at me with confused
eyes.

"Seriously, where are we? What is this?" She asked again, looking around. It was a
new house. Different from where we lived last time.

"I sold the old house because our parents bought it for us. We promised to live for
ourselves now, didn't we?" I raised my brows.

"Yes, but... This... Is this..." She looked at the house. It wasn't that big and it
wasn't that small either. It was just enough for the two of us. I saved a lot for
this. "Is this ours now? Are you serious?!" She couldn't help but smile.
"Mukha ba 'kong nagbibiro?"

"Love!" She suddenly jumped and hugged me on the neck, pulling me down with her.
Halos masakal na 'ko sa higpit ng hawak niya. "Why would you surprise me like
this?! And the ring?!" She let me go and showed me the ring.

"Let's marry," diretsong sabi ko. "For real... You can't break the engagement this
time."

"Marry?" She repeated, getting teary-eyed. I panicked when she started crying in
front of me again. "Oh my god, are you sure?"

Kailangan pa ba niyang itanong 'yon? Simula pa lang, sigurado na 'ko sa kaniya.

Siya ang pinili kong pakasalan and even if I were faced with the same situation
over and over again, I would still choose to be engaged with her.

I was certain that it was her... The woman I would spend the rest of my life with.

Instead of giving her a solid answer, I just held her face and kissed her deeply,
hoping that she would understand what it meant for me. I poured my feelings and
made it known with that kiss. She might have understood when she encircled her arms
on my neck and kissed me back.
"Our kids are watching," she said when she let go.

I laughed and slid the ring on her finger. I stared at it for a long time. "It's
going to be four now," I told her.

"You didn't have to give me another one. To me, we are already engaged even without
rings. We're already tied to each other. Don't you know that?" She raised a brow.
"I love you so much."

Our love allowed us to be free while still holding each other's hands. Wherever she
went, I knew that she would always come back into my arms and I will always come
home to her.

"I know..." I whispered, staring at her. "I love you. I have always loved you."

Her final walk... will always be with me.

Dr. Clyden Jaile Ramirez,

Now off-duty.
- END -

Author's Note [Avenues of the Diamond (Unive...]

AOTD has officially ended.

Thank you for being with me all throughout the show. It has been a great walk with
all of you. I hope you learned a lesson or two in this story and I hope that lesson
will stay with you until you grow up.

It's okay not to be okay. It's okay to need help and ask for help. I will always be
with you. We will always be with you.

It's okay to reach for the stars but do not get taken away by its brightness, my
love. I know you can shine on your own... like Samantha Vera.

I love you. Keep going.

You shine the brightest when you're happy.

***

I already posted University Series #5, Via's story. You can see it in my profile
entitled "Golden Scenery of Tomorrow"

To be more updated, you can follow my twitter account: @4reuminct

I also want to take this opportunity to say: Stop the stigma. Mental health
matters. Mental health is as important as physical health. People who are suffering
just can't "snap out of it." Let us all show care and compassion, and bring hope to
others.

Again, thank you for walking with me.

Give love

And love well

The love that will make you free.

Sincerely,

Gwy.
ayt kitakits sa #5. wiwaw!