Nagpatong lang si Iya ng cardigan over her Hello Kitty shirt saka nya pinaltan ng pantalon ang suot na shorts. Pinadaanan niya ang sarili sa salamin. Hinagod niya ang buhok gamit ang mga daliri at saka dali-daling lumabas ng kwarto.

Kumatok muna siya sa kwarto ni Ken bago tuluyang bumaba.

"Lalabas lang ako saglit," paalam niya nang buksan nito ang pinto.

"San ka pupunta?"

"Dyan lang sa malapit."

"Hatid na kita."

She shook her head vigoroulsy. "No! No need."

"Kailangan mo ng sundo?"

"Hindi."

"What time are you going home?"

"Ken."

"Para may isasagot ako kay papa kapag nagtanong sya."

Shit! Eight nga pala sila uuwi! Napatingin siya sa suot na wrist watch. It's ten minutes before eight.

"Sabihin mo may kailangan lang akong bilhin. I'll be home before ten."

"Okay."

She ran downstairs.

"Be safe!" narinig niyang pahabol nito. Hanggang sa makalabas siya ng bahay ay umaalingawngaw pa rin sa tenga niya ang word na safe. She's with Hanson, for chrissake! Tapos gabi pa! Tapos sila lang dalawa ang magkasama!

Kung si Jeremy pa siguro ang kasama niya, kahit hanggang umaga siguro, wala siyang mararamdamang takot. Kaso iba si Hanson. She tried to shake away the memory of him and Aubrey making out inside the girl's bathroom.

Kinilabutan siya bigla.

She pulled the cardigan tighter around her when she got out of the house. Wala na ito sa tapat ng bahay nila.

"I'm here!" narinig nyang sigaw nito. Lumingon siya sa kaliwa niya. His car is parked two houses away. Kumaway ito sa kanya.

Padabog naman siyang lumapit.

"Nasa'n na yung stuffed toy ko?" nakanguso niyang tanong.

"Nasa backseat. I'll give it to you later." Binuksan nito ang kotse. "Get in."

"Sandali lang." Kinuha niya ang phone mula sa bulsa at saka kinuhaan ng picture ang lisensya nito. Then she sent it to Ahn.

To: Baby Sister

Ahn, if I didn't get home by ten, send this picture to Ken. Tell him that a certain Charles Hanson Madrigal took me out on a date. I'll send you a text message later kapag nakauwi ako. Just in case lang naman 'to. Wala lang akong tiwala sa kasama ko.

Please don't tell Ken. Mamaya na lang 11pm, kapag wala kang narinig sa 'kin. Okay? Thank you! :*

"What was that for?" kunot-noong tanong ni Hanson.

"Safety precaution lang."

"Ano naman ang tingin mo sa 'kin?"

"Think of all the bad adjectives for a guy. Add them all up and you'll get your answer."

Mukhang nasaktan ito sa sinabi niya. But it's fleeting. Nang makabawi ito ay pinasakay ulit siya nito sa kotse. Sumunod naman sya. Pagkalagay nila ng seatbelt ay pinaharurot na nito ang sasakyan.

"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong niya.

"Just some place."

That 'some place' turned out to be Makati City. He parked his car inside a building. Saka sila sumakay ng elevator dala ang Hello Kitty niya at ang isang basket ng kung anu-anong pagkain.

"We own this building," sabi nito maya-maya.

"Hindi ko tinatanong," pambabara niya.

"Alam ko. Sinasabi ko lang."

Galing silang 6th floor ng parking lot. They went down to the GF. Nang makarating sila doon ay nagtungo ito sa isang hanay ng mga elevators. She looked at the numbers indicating the floors. From 40th to 60th. They boarded a car. Hanson pushed the button with a letter P on it.

"Penthouse," sabi nito.

"Again, I didn't ask."

Pero sa loob-loob niya, kanina pa siya nagtataka. Hindi naman hotel ang building pero bakit may penthouse? Sabagay, hindi naman siya sigurado kung hotels lang ang may penthouse.

"My mom crashes here whenever she's too tired to go home. Natutulog din ako rito minsan."

"Hindi ko—"

"Alam ko. Sinasabi ko lang."

She clamped her mouth shut.

Well-polished ang loob ng 'penthouse'. Parang bahay na kung tutuusin. May malaking LED screen TV sa sala, na kasalukuyang nakabukas.

"May tao yata," bulong niya rito.

As if on cue, his mom came out of the room. Posturang-postura ito. She's wearing a halter dress na kulay pula. Hapit na hapit iyon sa katawan. His mom looked so young for her age. No wonder, parang magkabarkada lang ang mag-ina.

"Ma!"

"Charlie!" Yumakap ito kay Hanson saka nito hinalikan ang anak sa pisngi. Then, her gaze lingered at her.

"Ma, you remember Iya?"

Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "Of course. How can I forget such a face?"

"G-Good evening po," bati niya rito.

"Ma, bakit nandito ka?"

"I took a nap to freshen up. Pero uuwi na rin ako. I just received a text message from your dad. We'll be having dinner first. Have you eaten?"

To answer, Hanson lifted the food basket. "I got it covered. Is it okay for us to have our date here?"

Pinaningkitan niya ito ng mata. Kailangan pa bang i-announce sa mommy nito na may date sila?!

"Oo naman!" sagot ng mommy nito. "But make sure that it's a clean date, Charlie," paalala pa nito.

"Yes, ma. I have to get her home by ten."

"Okay. I'll be going now." Hinawakan sya ng mommy nito sa tigabilang balikat at saka siya bineso. "Hija, don't let my son get to second base ha!"

She blushed.

"Ma!"

"Alright! I'm going!" Kinuha nito ang kulay itim na fur coat at saka isinuot. "Have fun, guys!" paalam nito bago ito tuluyang umalis.

Hanson turned off the TV. Pinatay din nito ang mga ilaw, saving the dim lights. He sprawled on the carpeted floor near the coffee table. Naupo rin siya doon.

"Why did you bring me here?" tanong niya.

Kinuha muna nito ang isang can ng Pringles bago ito sumagot. "I used to bring Athena here."

"Parang ang layo naman ng tanong ko sa sagot mo."

He smirked. "Ngayon lang ulit ako bumalik dito. I loved her so much. Lahat ng bagay o lugar na may kaugnayan sa kanya, minahal ko rin. And when she broke up with me, ang mga bagay at lugar na iyon din ang nakadagdag ng sakit sa 'kin."

He looked so solemn, that she couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt. Sabi ng dad niya, nagbabago ang tao kapag nasasaktan. And maybe Hanson was a nice guy, who unfortunately got hurt and he's trying to get even by inflicting others with that hurt.

Maybe deep down, he's really caring and sweet, but he choose to not show them, in fear of getting hurt again.

She found herself listening and hanging on to his every word. And when he finished the whole backstory of his life, muntik na siyang maiyak. Ni hindi na sya nagsalita. Hinayaan na lang niya itong magkwento nang magkwento.

When he's not being conceited and obnoxious, he's actually very likable. Maybe this is why girls dig him.

"Stop staring or I swear I'll kiss you again."

Parang may kung anong kuryenteng gumapang sa katawan niya nang sabihin nito iyon. She looked away immediately. Inalala niya yung first kiss nilang dalawa. She tried to remember every detail. Alam niyang amoy at lasang sigarilyo ito noon, but she couldn't grasp that idea.

All she could remember is the softness of his lips and how she wanted to feel them again.

She got pulled back in reality when she heard the shrill ringing of her phone. Tumatawag ang daddy niya.

"Yes, pa?"

"Anak, where are you? It's almost ten."

"P-Pauwi na po."

"Susunduin na kita."

"Huwag na, pa! I'll commute na lang."

"Are you sure? Gabi na, anak."

She sighed. "Pa, I'm used to it. I'll be there before ten. Promise."

"Okay. Be safe."

Agad niyang nilingon si Hanson nang matapos ang tawag.

"Uuwi na 'ko."

"Agad? Nine-thirty pa lang e!"

"Halos twenty minute drive din pabalik sa 'min. My dad will expect me to be there before ten."

Hanson scowled, pero wala itong nagawa kundi tumayo at ihatid na siya pauwi.

Yakap-yakap na niya si Hello Kitty sa sasakyan. Hindi nya na iyon binitiwan dahil baka bawiin pa nito iyon sa kanya. Nagpatuloy ang pag-uusap nila sa kotse nito. He asked her a lot of things. Favorites, hobbies, ideals... dreams.

And he was actually listening! And for the first time since they met, ngayon lang niya ito nagustuhan. Not intensely, but enough to give him a little chance. Maybe he just needs the benefit of doubt, after all.

"I had a great time tonight," sabi nito nang pumasok ito sa subdivision nila.

"That's good to know." She actually had a great time as well. Ayaw lang niyang aminin dito.

"Did you have fun?" nakangiti nitong tanong sa kanya.

She just shrugged in response. Tinanggal niya ang seatbelt para bumaba. But he looked the door just as she was about to open it. Bigla siyang kinabahan.

"Iya..."

"Open the door, Hans!"

"Relax. I just have to ask you something."

Nilingon niya ito. "What? Bilisan mo!"

"Anong gusto mong panuoring movie?"

"Ha?"

"Bukas. Ang dami kasing showing e. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magugustuhan mo."

"Akala ko ba one date lang?!" paghuhuramentado niya.

"I lied," he replied with a smirk.

"Then ayoko. Now, could you please open the door?"

Narinig niya itong bumuntong-hininga.

"Just how many times do I need to repeat myself, Iya?"

Right. Hindi nga pala ito tumatanggap ng hindi.

"You're a jerk!"

"Tell me something I don't know."

She stomped her foot. "Open the damn door!"

"Answer me first."

"Kahit ano, basta rom-com!" napipilitan niyang sagot.

Ngumiti naman ito. "Got it! What time will I pick you up?"

"Huwag na. Magkita na lang tayo dun!"

Hanson shook his head. "That won't do. Baka hindi ka sumipot."

"Sisipot ako!"

"I'll just pick you up—"

"No!" mariin niyang tanggi. "I said I'll be there."

"Do I have your word?"

"Yes! Now open the door!"

Mukhang na-satisfy naman ito sa pangungulit sa kanya, kaya binuksan na rin nito sa wakas ang pintuan ng kotse. Pabalibag niya iyong isinarado, not caring kung mabasag man ang salamin noon.

One moment, he's very ideal. And then he's very annoying! Napalitan tuloy ng pagkainis ang nararamdaman niyang tuwa rito kanina.

"Iya!" he called out.

"What?!"

"Call me Hans from now on!"