The following days had gotten me. I became more and more busier with school. Today, I woke up knowing that there was a long and tiring busy day waiting ahead of me. In the morning, I hustled over to Starbucks in the 1920s commons to grab a venti coffee and a piece of glazed pound cake. I had slept in, and I had no time to make my own breakfast at the loft.

"Good morning, Paris."

I turned to Wendell when he took the space beside me as we walked past the corridor. "Morning,"

"You ready for the exams this afternoon?"

"Yep," I answered, popping the p before sipping my coffee. I had to finish before we reached the class.

"Good that you are," he chuckled.

I silently smiled; Wendell seemed to be better than he had been in the previous weeks. He was silent after his mother's death. We didn't talk much about it, and I assumed that it was for his own coping. I tried to be the friend that he needed. Most of the time we eat lunch together, or do library together. I set aside the idea of avoiding him. Wendell has become a friend to me and making sure that he's okay after everything that happened is the least that I can do.

During the nights, Aidan will call me and ask about how my day went. I will tell him everything, but I missed the part where I was hanging out with Wendell.

It will do him no good; he'll just be bothered by it, so I intend to keep it from him. For now.

"Paris, you free for dinner?" Wendell asked while we were both walking down the carpark.

I frowned at him.

"You've been so kind and so thoughtful these past weeks, and I guess you deserve a dinner. That is if you'll allow me to take you out." His lips curved in a small smile, I have to give him that, he looks good smiling.

"Turkey?" I arched him a brow, and his smile turned sheepishly. "That's it! Guess your sad days were over!"

"Nah," he shook his head. "Sadness will forever be deep inside me, but I just realized that I can't let it kill me, I have siblings who depends their life in me."

I let Wendell take me to a restaurant where we dined for his birthday. We had turkey and other great dinner meals that the restaurant offered, and I went home full.

The next days went almost the same. On Sunday, I have more time for myself. The first thing I did when I woke up was call Aidan, but he was not picking up. I believe that these past few weeks have been tight for him, too, since we spend less time on calls than usual.

Much as I wanted him to stay on the other line, when he asked me to sleep and take my rest, I didn't argue. On the back of my mind I was thinking that he may have loads of things to do.

I miss him. So much that I can't put it into words.

I went on a jog that morning of Sunday. Spreading sunshine, pinkish glow, clouds tinted, colors spread across the sky announcing the new day, oranges and reds painted across the clouds as if by a celestial hand.

Taking in shallow breaths from the jog I did, I went inside a coffee shop near the block. The cafe lies ahead, its royal blue paint glistening in the first golden rays of the day.

I went inside and ordered a cup of no-sugar coffee. After getting my cup, I roamed my eyes inside the place, looking for a vacant seat; I saw one on the corner near the glass window.

I was about to walk past the nearest table from where I chose to have my morning coffee when a magazine caught my attention.

It was held by a gentleman, up and enough to cover his face from my view. My lips curved a smile when I saw that it was Romee and Lance who starred in the cover of a Consumer Magazine.

Lance and Romee are said to be taking my mother's line. Why they starred almost all the famous magazines in the world. I heard Uncle Zanti complain about it but decided to shut it out when Lolo Rigo sided with Lance with whatever she wanted to do. If Romee is the princess, I must say that Lance is the darling.

I was about to continue my steps when the gentleman put down the magazine, and I was shocked to see who he was.

His eyes were the green of fresh asparagus tips, flecked with the color of nutmeg.

"Zander?"

I could say that he's equally surprised as I am.

"Didn't expect to see you here," I said, roaming my eyes around before I looked down at the magazine on the table; it was open for my vision.

My lips curved up when I saw the article that he's been busy with. It was all open to the side by side pages telling about Romee's daily life that some people, like Zander obviously, took so much interest.

"Uh, yeah" he hesitantly closed the magazine and set that aside. He gave me a defensive smile. "The kind of magazines they have here. Have a seat."

"Oh," I gave him a knowing smile and took the chair before him. "You alone?"

He nodded his head and sipped on his cup before answering. "I have to rush some things couple of hours ago, I had to take my breakfast here. You?"

"I went on a jog,"

I studied Zander. Zander was the first man, without blood relation, whom I find attractive. He got me crushing on him with those green eyes looking like a forest pooled. He had that kind of face that stopped you in your tracks. If I was attracted to him, then I couldn't blame my sister if she got smitten by this charmer.

"How're you doing, Zander? Haven't seen you in awhile,"

"Work got me," he shrugged. "You? How's life? Though I can see you're doing good."

Seeing Zander reminds me of how broken Romee was the last time I saw her. Makes me wanna hate him, but I think I knew him better than that. He may have his own reasons for doing what he's doing, and I don't think I have the right to question him. I have known Zander since the beginning of everything. One thing that made me attracted to him when I was younger was how he treated my sister. I knew by just watching him make her breakfast, do stuff for her, and all that, I knew he loved Romee. Who wouldn't love her anyway?

"I'm good," muli kong sinulyapan ang magazine na kaniyang itinabi. "Didn't know you're an admirer,"

"They have all these magazines placed over their coffee tables," kibit-balikat niyang sabi bago tumikhim at ibahin ang usapan. "Anyway, how's Aidan doing?"

Kumunot ang aking noo, I know they're not friends, but they have plenty of common friends cause we all like growing up in the same huge circle. "He's fine, quite busy, I guess."

"It must've been so hard for him," he surprised me with his sympathy. "We had a hard time keeping up with Summer and Spring's crying nights until they're both able to fly back home. The boys even accompanied them. Kaya nga, I was left alone doing some jobs we have to finish."

Now, he got me puzzled. What is he saying? Nakita niya marahil ang pagkunot ng aking noo, I was answered back by a frown.

"Don't tell me you didn't know," he looked at me like I was some kind of case hard to solve. "Antonio Castañeda passed away weeks ago."