"Long time, no see, cousin." Romeo said when Jessica turned to face him. "Still hiding beneath that mask?"

Jessica glared and went to his bed.
"Wala kang alam kaya wag kang madaldal!"

"Really? Don't you think na up until this moment I will put up with all your shits kung wala akong alam?" Romeo yelled and slammed his hand on Jessica's cabinet. It wobbled for a little and Jessica almost jumped in his reaction. "Grow up, cousin! Move on with your life, already! Your parents passed away years ago and you still clung to them as if you're a seven-year old kid who just lost his candy!"

Jessica's eyes brimmed with tears and she wiped it away.

"I know, how much you wanted to find your old friends and now, that I had told you where she is, you won't believe me?" Romeo asked Jessica in disbelief. "Now, I presume you found it out yourself, quit acting like a sick closet gay and just get the girl already!"

"We can own the Y & G Holdings with the sources and connections that we have yet you still believe in that goal shit you have since time immemorial!" Romeo groaned and sat at the loveseat across Jessica's bed. His hand pressing on the bridge of his nose as if to melt the frustration away.

"Get out, Buenconsejo. " Jessica said in a tight voice and closed his eyes.
"Get out of my room, right now. "

"Just let me sleep. I'm freaking tired." Romeo said in a sleepy and exhausted voice.

Jessica opened his eyes and stared at the guy sitting across from him.

He hated the guy so much but he couldn't found it in him to abandon him. He's all that he's got.

Jessica is torn on what to do. Should he go back to being Toniboy, the firm yet carefree guy whom Amy used to  know too well or stay as Jessica, the lovesick and outgoing closet gay Amanda learned to embrace later on?

Sighing in desperation, Jessica decided to take a dreamless sleep on his bed and hoping against hope he will soon find the answers to his confused spirit.

Jesstoni, also called as Toniboy, with the sisters inside the orphanage stares at the group of four girls playing chinese garter at the playground inside the establishment.

He sat there watching how the girl called as Amy or Amay gracefully jumped over the garter as it was gradually held higher by their opponents, whom Toniboy got to know recently, Ayah and Ivy.

Amy was paired with Lala and they seem to be getting the attention of everyone as the garter was held higher than earlier.

Toniboy held his breath when the garter reached as high as his waist. He's a little taller by two inches than the girls who were playing and instantly felt nervous as to how Amy will jump over each garter.

Amy expertly lifted her right leg preparing to reach the left side of the garter as their playmates counted.

"Ten!" Ayah and Leni nodded as they counted upon Amy successfully hopped on it. "Twenty!" Amy did the same to the other side.

Toniboy drew out a deep breath and continued watching. He's just a year older than the ladies but he already feels comfortable around them considering it's just his second year at the orphanage.

Toniboy's eyes widened when he realized that they will soon be counting to fifty when Amy has to hop and step in between the garter. That will take double the effort.

"Kaya mo pa, Amay?" Lala teased as she watch her friend looking a little longer at the garter as if thinking how to do it. "Tawagin mo lang ako, ako gagawa."

Amy shook her head and her eyes shone as if she thought of an idea.
"Kaya ko to! Ako pa ba?" Amy winked at her and took a long, deep breath. She also traced the sides beneath her before attempting to jump over it.

Toniboy noticed that some kids also stopped to take a look at the group of girls playing in front of him.

Toniboy frowned when he heard the kids clapping when Amanda succeeded to finish the game.

He mentally scolded himself because he failed to watch her do it. He was too busy scanning the crowd that his attention was diverted.

Amanda was grinning and her friend, Lala jumped along with her with happiness. Obviously, they won their friendly game.

Ayah and Ivy congratulated them and even invited them to play jumping rope this time.

Toniboy wanted to protest since he noticed that his friends are already soaking in their sweat and the nuns may scold them about it.

Luckily, Sister Mimi called them out to change into clean clothes before they proceed to the dining area to eat their lunch.

"Lika na, Toniboy!" Ayah said, her cheeks red probably because of the heat.

"Una ka na. Sunod ako." Toniboy nodded and smiled. He watched Ayah and Ivy ran inside to their rooms to change.

Toniboy raised an eyebrow, wondering why Amy didn't follow them inside.
He saw Amy rubbing off one of the kids' knees and concluded that the little  boy, maybe around six to seven years old, tripped and hurt his knees.

"Ito panyo." Toniboy can't help but blurt out seeing as how worried Amy was for the kid.

Amy looked up and gave him a smile. Toniboy felt his heart racing when she did that.

Everything felt like a slow motion when Amy took his handkerchied and gently placed it on the kid's knees as if hoping the bleeding will stop.

"Salamat." Amy said and helped the boy stood up. "Pwede mo ba ako tulungang samahan siya kay Sister Arlene?"

Toniboy could only nod at her, still stunned to realize that Amy was actually talking to her. He gently pulled the kid's left arm over his shoulder and held the kid's waist to balance as Amy did the same to the other.

As they went inside the orphanage, Sister Arlene was thankfully outside the clinic and decorating the bulletin board.

"Sister Arlene!" Amy said as they got near her. Sister Arlene immediately put down the scissors and art materials before facing them.

"Anong nangyare sa kanya?" Sister Arlene asked as they escorted the kid to the bed inside the clinic. Amy narrated what happened and Sister Arlene listened intently. "Salamat, Amy and Toniboy sa paghatid sa kanya. Ako na bahala. Magpalit na kayo ng malinis na damit at pumunta na sa hapag para makapagtanghalian."

"Sige po!" Amy said cheerfully. She then, grabbed Toniboy's hand as they started to walk out the clinic.

"Ate Amy!" the kid called out when they were at the door. Amy turned her head to face the kid. "Salamat po."

Amy smiled. "Pagaling ka ha. Sige, una na po kami, Sister!" Toniboy can't help not to smile while being dragged out of the clinic.

Clearly, Amy has occupied the space in his heart.

But, out of the blue, another vision interrupted his beautiful dream and replaced it with the moments when he waited for Amy to visit them at the orphanage but no Amy showed up.

Toniboy was left hanging in the air. His would-be mini-bouquet of santan flowers was left to dry on his dresser beside his bed in his room at the orphanage waiting to be in Amy's hands.