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"You didn't have to do that to him, you know. I'm okay na."

Georgina sat on Dos' motorbike while Dos propped his arms on her sides while standing in front of her. They were still by the cliffside at medyo maliwanag pa naman. Plus, there's a lamp post malapit sa kanila so it was a pretty decent spot for them. Suot na rin niya ang jacket nito because it was a bit chilly na.

"Psh. I didn't do it for you," tanggi naman agad nito. "I just thought my fist looked good on his face."

Hindi niya napigilang matawa. Pano naman kasi, his expression was really contradicting his words. Her heart swelled in delight and she couldn't stop it. Not that she wanted Luke to get hurt or something pero, now knowing Dos would do that for her made her feel important.

She doesn't really need Dos to go out punching people for her or to fight. Just knowing that he would defend her and be there for her was enough to make all the confusion in her head fade.

Right now, his true feelings are really clear na. She just needed time to understand him lang kasi he has a weird way of showing it. And besides, she's new to this din. Marami siyang expectations na hindi naman pala dapat. Kaya ngayon, she won't think into it na lang muna and just trust him.

"You're so cute, 'no?" she said making him roll his eye at her.

"No," he scoffed. "I'm hot."

"No," kontra niya agad as she shook her head. "You're cute. Like a cat."

"Cat? Shouldn't it be dogs?"

"Cat ka 'coz you're suplado. Dogs are warm and friendly," she argued making his brows furrow. "See? Grumpy and suplado. Parang cat."

Dos glared at her. But that didn't seem to work on her na as she continued to chuckle and tease him. Maya-maya ay napangiti na lang ito and tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Fine," he surrendered. "As long as I'm yours, I'm okay with it."

The way he said that while looking straight at her suddenly made her feel self-conscious. Bigla rin niyang naramdaman ang paunti-unting pagiinit ng kanyang mga pisngi. So she slowly looked away to hide her blushing face from him.

Why does he always know the right words to make my heart flutter like this?

"Georgina," he called—his voice low and his fingers on her chin.

Her heart doubled in beat and she felt butterflies flutter rabidly inside her stomach as he walked towards her. The term "like" wasn't even enough to describe the way she feels about him right now.

"H-Hmm?"

"I'm sorry if I lack in so many things," he said. "I promise to be better at this."

His hand cupped her face as his thumb gently caressed her cheeks. Her heart almost flew off her chest when he smiled.

He might be suplado, rude and harsh but... he's also soft, caring and actually really kind. Yes, she does find him annoying 80% of the time but, even if she's close to pushing him off a cliff, one look sends all those ill feelings straight out of the window. It was kinda weird pero, that's what she really feel for the guy.

And wouldn't have it in any other way.

"You're already the best for me," she whispered back. Her eyes looked straight into his confused ones and smiled. "I'm sorry din if I misunderstood you. I shouldn't have acted childish and demanded things that's out of your control. I'll try to be more mature din for you."

Dos' lips curled into that familiar devilish smirk of his and then reached for her hand which he lightly squeezed before planting a chaste kiss on its back.

"Let's be better together, then."

His gesture caught her off-guard and silence started to drown the both of them again. Napatingin siya muli sa view kung saan paonti-onti nang nagsisilabasan ang mga ilaw ng siyudad.

"It's starting to get pretty late na..." she unconsciously whispered.

Mukhang narinig naman agad 'yon ni Dos so he reached for her pink helmet and placed it on top of her head before securing the lock below her chin. What he did next caught her by surprise.

"Dos!" she yelled as soon as he leaned back and stood up straight. He was grinning from ear to ear after stealing a kiss from her.

"What?" He feigned innocence.

"Why'd you do that?!"

"Do what?"

"Kiss me!"

"You mean I can't?" He raised a brow. "It was just on the cheek."

She can't help but roll her eyes at him before pouting.

Exactly. It was just on the cheek. Hmp. But he can't know that. Baka he'll make yabang nanaman.

He chuckled lightly before pinching her cheek gently before putting his own helmet on and mounting the motorcycle. Then he made her wrap her arms around his waist again like before.

Why does it feel so good to hug him like this?

It was dark already when they stopped in front of her house. Dos helped her jump down from the motorcycle and remove her helmet.

"Just on time with a few minutes to spare," he said pertaining to the time.

She can't help but chuckle dahil he's really focused on getting her home on time. It's not like her mom's gonna throw a fit if she came home a bit late naman.

"You can have it," Dos said when she removed his jacket and was about to give it back to him. "It looks better on you anyway."

"But it's yours," she answered.

"I like seeing you wear my clothes—"

Bigla itong natigilan for some reason. She tilted her head to the side confused when he suddenly looked away.

"Dos?"

"U-Um I mean my jacket suits you well," he said suddenly stuttering. Napakunot tuloy ang noo niya. "Just take it. You can wear it. You can burn it. It's up to you."

"Why would I burn it? It's yours kaya. I'll treasure it and maybe put it on my pillow para kuwari I'm hugging you sa bed—"

Dos suddenly started coughing uncontrollably. Kaya she immediately went to his side and rubbed his back.

"Are you okay?" she panicked. "Do you want to drink water muna sa loob? I'm sure mom wouldn't mind."

"I... I'm fine," he said as he cleared his throat. "You should uh... get inside. It's already eight."

"Are you sure? Are you feeling okay na?" Tiningnan niya ito ng maigi as she checked if he really was okay. "You're a bit red, o."

"I'm fine, Georgina. Don't worry about it—"

"Xari."

Agad siyang napatingin sa may gate nila and her eyes automatically grew wide.

"Daddy!"

Nakatayo sa pintuan ng kanilang bahay ang kanyang ama. Behind him was her mom who was smiling widely while waving her hands at us. Napatingin tuloy siya kay Dos who looked as shocked as her. But he looked paler than usual. Hindi niya tuloy mapigilang matawa. The cold, no nonsense guy na parang walang kinakatakutan looked like he was about to pass out while having a staring contest with her dad.

"Why don't you invite your guest for dinner?" It sounded more of a command rather than an invitation. "I'm sure his parents wouldn't mind since he's already out late."

Kitang-kita niya kung pano napalunok si Dos before turning towards her.

"I uh..." Bigla itong napakamot sa batok bago isinabit ang helmet sa hawakan. She was laughing so hard kasi hindi na talaga maipinta ang mukha nito. When he dismounted from the motorcycle ay napabuntong-hininga ito. "Do text my cousins to dig out my body from your backyard later."

She couldn't stop laughing even after reaching the dining room. Dos looked so uncomfortable sitting on her dad's left while her mom sat across him. Siya naman ay naupo sa tabi nito to at least make him relax. Her dad kinda looks intimidating but in reality, he's a like a big huggable teddy bear.

Dinner went on nicely and her mom was really good at setting the mood right. Dos relaxed a bit but she can still sense some tension whenever he answers her mom's questions. Ibang-iba siya ngayon compared to how he answered months ago when he first met her mom.

"You'll go na?" she asked Dos as soon as dinner was over.

"I think so—"

"Isidro. A word, please."

They were all shocked when her father suddenly stood up from his seat and called Dos. The latter immediately followed her dad when he went straight to the backyard. Nagkatinginan tuloy sila ng mommy niya.

"Mom..." she started to panic. What's he gonna say to him? Will he tell him to stop seeing her?

Her mom took a quick peak sa pinuntahan ng dalawa before turning back towards her.

"He'll be fine," her mom assured her with a smile. "Dos is charming boy. Kayang-kaya niya ang daddy mo."

Tumingin muna siya sandali sa kinaroroonan ng dalawa before heaving a sigh. She then ran upstairs to get changed. Maingat na ipinatong ang jacket na binigay ni Dos sa kanya sa kama before running to her walk-in closet to change her clothes. After that ay tumakbo na siya muli pababa to check on Dos and her dad. But when she got back, her mom said kakaalis lang daw nito.

"Dos! Wait!" she called before he could go. Agad naman itong napatingin sa kanya. "You're gonna go without even saying goodbye?"

Dos chuckled before reaching for her cheek and pinching it a bit. "Cute. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow pa? You won't call me later?"

She felt her heart skip a beat when Dos suddenly smirked. "I don't know. Let's see."

After that he patted her head before driving off. Hindi niya napigilan ang sariling mapabusangot sabay takbo pabalik sa kanilang bahay. There she found her dad sitting on the sofa watching the television with her mom.

"Daddy!" tawag niya agad dito. Agad din namang napatingin sa kanya ang kanyang mga magulang. "What did you say to him ba? Why did he leave agad?"

"I told him it's late and that he should go."

"Daddy!"

"What?" natatawang tanong nito. "Why so worked up, princess?"

"I like him!"

"Yes, I saw. And you mom told me about him as well," he answered calmly. Napakunot-noo tuloy siya. "But remember, no boyfriends 'til you reach eighteen."

"He's not my boyfriend pa, dad," she cleared. Well, hindi rin niya pa sure whether they're together na ba or what. But the thing is, they've already come to an understanding. And friends don't kiss each other, right?

"I know. But a deal's a deal," he said firmly. "No boyfriends 'til you're of legal age."

"But that's four years pa!" she whined. "I'm responsible naman, dad. I promise I won't do anything that will ruin my future. I will be very careful."

"Xaris, you're too young. You're just fourteen—"

"Yeah but I'm grown up na! I know how to look out for myself," she insisted.

"You're still a kid," he said. "Wait 'til you're older. When you're mature enough."

"What difference does fourteen to eighteen have? It's just a number! I promise that I won't go beyond the limits. I'll study harder din—"

"Baby..." her mom gave her the look. She sighed.

"But mom, dad. Don't you trust me?" That was her last resort. She was desperate.

Hindi niya actually maintindihan kung bakit bigla na lang ay parang she's ready to fight for the sake of being with Dos. She knows it's wrong to argue with her parents but, it was more like she's convincing them. She's not disrespecting them naman by raising her voice at them. She just wants to explain her side and come to an agreement of some sort. Maybe at least push the age limit from eighteen to sixteen.

"There's nothing you can do to change my mind, Xaris," her dad firmly replied, "Wait 'til you're eighteen. End of discussion."

"Dad..."

"Like what you said, what difference does fourteen and eighteen have? So, just wait." Her dad stood from his seat and walked towards her. Then he gently patted her head. "Don't worry. He told me he'd wait."

She was shocked. "H-He said that?"

"Yes," her dad confirmed. "But don't get your hopes up just yet, Xaris. Boys tend to change especially when they reach college. I heard he's graduating this year."

"He's not like other boys, daddy," she confidently said. Now she suddenly had the urge to laugh at herself for being so worked up about waiting 'til she's eighteen. "Dos is different."

Her dad smiled and looked at her mom. "He better be. I know how to hide a dead body when the need arises."

"Daddy!"

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