"GAGO."

"O?"

"Gusto ko ng sex."

"Putangina." Inggo looks at Migo tiredly. "Ano gagawin ko? Hindi kita type, kingina ka."

"Bobong putangina." Migo smacks the back of his head and sits down across him, looking as frustrated as Inggo feels. "Ang dense mo kasi, nakakagago. Gusto kong umalis ka kasi papunta na dito si Valle, gets mo? Tigang na 'ko, umalis ka. Ngayon na."

Muntik nang sabihin ni Inggo, "same," pero naalala niyang akala ng best friend niya puro hookups ang pinupuntahan niya all month. For all Migo knows, Inggo is still getting his daily dose.

Kaya shut up na lang siya.

Tumayo siya kasi madali siyang kausap at ayaw niya ng additional nightmares. "Paalala ko lang sa 'yo masyado akong bata para maging ninong, Salas."

"Ay, shit."

"Ano?"

"Naisip kong buntis si Valle tapos kinilig ako." He puts his face in his hands and screams. "Hehe."

Natawa si Inggo. Gago talaga 'to, baliw na baliw kay Jiya. "Putangina, boy, med school muna."

"Ang tagal, ampota! Ba't 'di niya pa kasi ako pakasalan!" Nag-tantrum si gago na parang bata.

Inggo rolls his eyes and puts on his shoes, taking a second to glance at the mirror para ayusin buhok niya.

"'Tsaka tingin mo ba gagawin kitang ninong? Hoy, 'pag lumapit ka sa anak ko tapos tinuruan mo ng lifestyle mo, putangina ka sa 'kin."

Inggo knows Migo is teasing. Dati, wala namang pake si Inggo, matatawa pa nga siya 'tsaka mang-aasar na pupuntahan siya ng anak ni Migs para magpaturo pagdating sa mga babae. Siya nga mismo nagsimula.

Pero six months na siyang celibate.

It might not mean much compared sa years na fuckboy siya, pero to Inggo, big deal na 'yon.

Ibig sabihin it's really starting to sink in—ang sinabi ni Rinn.

Hindi lang katawan niya ang worth kilalanin at mahalin.

His opinions and thoughts and ambitions—gustong malaman ni Rinn. She asks him about chemistry and medicine and swimming and comic books—shit those girls who text him don't even care about. Alam ni Rinn na favorite breakfast niya ang French toast, na nakikinig siya minsan kay Taylor Swift at walang mali do'n (nag-karaoke sila two weeks ago ng mga songs niya), na takot siya sa spiders, at na may talent din pala siya for crocheting (gumawa sila ng coasters a week ago at nag-exchange-an).

Alam din ni Migo lahat 'to (except for the crocheting). Hindi naman sinasabi ni Inggo na ang tingin lang ni Migo sa kanya is fuckboy at 'yon lang. Hindi siya gano'n.

Ibig sabihin lang is magiging imposible siyang i-convince kung—kung—Inggo tries this thing with Rinn.

'Thing', kasi hindi niya pa alam kung ano 'to.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit thrice a week na siyang nasa Blue, nanonood ng Marvel 'tsaka mga paboritong romance movies ni Rinn, like Ella Enchanted, Shrek, Tangled, and 50 First Dates. Two nights ago, it was Princess Diaries, 'yong una, tapos tinawanan niya si Rinn when she admitted ginusto niyang mag-'pop' din paa niya during her first kiss.

He didn't mean to laugh. He was just...crazily endeared. "Dapat p-in-op mo pa rin. I wouldn't have minded."

Rinn raised her eyebrow at him. "Bakit, ikaw ba first kiss ko?"

Inggo's smile was gone. "Puta. Hindi?"

Then she laughed at him loudly and shrugged, and Inggo had to tickle the truth out of her.

(Siya nga first niya.)

He can still hear her laugh in his ear.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit tinatanong niya si Rinn kung kumain na ba siya during random times of the day, o kung dadaan siya sa SOM Forest. Kahit nando'n pa rin 'yong flashlights na nilagay niya (pinapalitan niya batteries nila 'pag 'di na gumagana, oo, he checks every week), baka kailangan niya ng kasama pauwi.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit gusto niyang sumigaw sa kamay niya when Rinn texts him things like:

Rinn: kuya inggo
Rinn: look
Rinn: 🦑
Rinn: parang may hat yung squid hehe

O, 'di ba. Tanginang 'yan. Squid na may hat?

She's so cute he wants to eat her out.

**UP.

Up, kase.

Kunyari ka pang nagkamali, sabi ng utak niya.

So, ayun. Hindi niya alam kung bakit nagtataas siya ng shirt para punasan pawis niya mukha 'pag dumadaan si Rinn ng basketball court during PE, hindi niya alam kung bakit kinukuha niya phone ni Rinn habang nag-aaral sila para mag-selfie at kumukuha din siya ng litrato ni Rinn, at hindi niya alam kung bakit ang una niyang naisipan puntahan is si Rinn ngayong pinapalayas siya ni Migo.

Wala siyang alam. Buhay bobo tayo rito.

Tinaas ni Inggo kamay niya, kunyari may baril siya. "Gagawin mo 'kong ninong sa ayaw at sa gusto mo."

"Th-in-reaten ako, ampota?" sabi ni Migo, pushing him.

Pero bago siya makalabas ng pinto, may nag-doorbell.

Migo fucking—lights up. "Valle! 'Tol, pogi ba 'ko?"

"Tangina, boy, importante pa ba 'yan?!" sigaw niya, exasperated, pero akala mo naman hindi siya nagpapapogi kanina no'ng tumingin siya sa salamin at nag-ayos ng buhok bago puntahan si Rinn.

He slaps Migo's cheek and fixes his hair over his forehead. "Ayan, pogi ka na, putangina ka."

"Putangina ka rin. Salamat." With a grin, he throws open the door, pushing him aside. "Baby—"

Inggo blinks. Hindi si Jiya ang nasa labas.

Shit. Sino 'to?

"Gago, para sa 'yo," sungit na sabi ni Migo, turning away from the door and dropping himself on the couch. He takes out his phone, frowning, siguro para tanungin si Jiya kung nasa'n na siya.

"Hi," sabi ng babae with a wide smile. Nakabihis siya 'tsaka makeup. Hindi kilala ni Inggo 'to. "You haven't been answering my texts and calls kaya I stopped by. Are you free?"

Inggo blinks. Tumingin siya kay Migo.

Nakatingin na rin si Migo sa kanya, eyes wide and eyebrows raised, like he's saying, "Bobo, ba't ako tinitingnan mo?! Hindi ko kilala 'yan!"

Natural. Natural. Nandito siya para kay Inggo.

Shit, is she asking for a hookup?

Inggo leans against the doorway and hopes he doesn't look as constipated as he feels, pasting a charming and practiced smile on his face. "Sorry, may plans na akong iba. Bye, ingat ka."

He shuts the door slowly after waving her off.

Migo snorts. "First come, first serve ka pala."

Inggo feels bad. He does. First time siyang may tinalikuran na gustong pumasok sa kwarto niya. Kung may plans man siya na iba dati, gagawin niya muna 'tong isa, tapos 'yong sunod naman.

Pero grabe pala ang pagpunta ng mga babae no'n dito. Sa kanya.

Si Rinn din. Gano'n ang ginawa.

He furrows his eyebrows. Ibig sabihin ba n'on ginamit lang siya ni Rinn before? Pang-experiment? Dahil alam niyang 'di tatanggi si Inggo?

Bakit nga ba siya pinuntahan ni Rinn sa kwarto niya?

"Bro, isn't it weird when girls line up outside your room?" tanong ni Migo, scoffing, scrolling through his phone. "They must be desperate."

"Ano."

Shit. Shit.

Napatingin si Migo sa kanya from his voice. He raises an eyebrow. "Wala namang mali kung trip nila at trip mo rin. Pero hindi mo na nga sinasagot texts and calls niya, pupunta pa dito?"

Ah. Shit. Shit, bakit siya naging defensive? Hindi naman alam ni Migo na pinuntahan siya ni Rinn, e!

Shit. Inggo forces a laugh. "Oo nga e."

Migo's forehead creases. "Okay ka lang? 'Di mo kailangan umalis kung ayaw mo talaga."

"Pare, alam natin pareho hindi n'yo kaya ni Ji maging tahimik."

He grins. "Sorry."

"Hindi ka sorry, tangina ka." He throws a pillow in his face and picks up his keys, mind scrambling. "Enjoy, balik ako mamaya."

"Enjoy ka rin!" sigaw ni Migo bago niya sinara ang pinto.

He texts Rinn papunta sa parking lot.

hi rinn. may plans ka?

She reads that in a second.

Rinn: hello to u too kuya inggo. wala, why?

meron na ngayon. b there in 5

He pockets his phone and shoves the key into the ignition, putting on his helmet.

On the way there, sinabi ni Inggo sa sarili niya na pinuntahan siya ni Rinn hindi para sa katawan niya o sa experience niya o sa reputation niya. Pinuntahan siya kasi she trusts him, and she wanted him to be her first.

She wouldn't have risked his friendship with Migo otherwise. Right? Right.

"Princess Diaries 2 ang agenda," sabi ni Rinn from the couch when Inggo steps inside with a bag of food in between his teeth and two drinks in his hands. He takes off his shoes. "Gwapo dito si Chris Pine kaya 'wag kang maingay."

Inggo can't stop his grin as he settles to his side of the couch next to her.

Wow, pota. May side na siya dito.

Settling his head on her shoulder with his hands in his pockets, he whispers, "Si Chris o ako?"

Rinn presses play on the movie and doesn't answer.

That's fine. Alam na ni Inggo ang sagot.