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May 20, 2021 | 7:51 am

rookiemoonster
kuya pawn and i just got home from the hospital
carterrr
i have a request sanaaa 👉👈

Carter
Oh?

rookiemoonster
can i share something to u? 🥺

Carter
Oo, walang problema.

rookiemoonster
kasooo
hehe
kasi tinatamad akong ichat
pwedeng icall ka lang?

Carter
Yeah. If you want, sure.

rookiemoonster
ahahahhahaha kung want lang naman
baka mashookt ka bes

Carter
How so? What do you want?

rookiemoonster
available ka ba sa shopee, miss?

Carter
Hindi.

rookiemoonster
ah, pero dito sa puso ko, avail na avail 😚
ahhsjagskagjsgss
tawag ako carter ha

Carter
Oo nga. Kanina mo pa sinasabi 'yan.
seen • 7:58 am

ㅡ

"Carter..."

"Oh?"

"Anong ginagawa mo?"

"Makikinig sa isi-share mo sana."

"'Di! Maliban diyan?"

"Sasamahan ko sina Kuya sa bagong bukas na beach. Gusto niya daw makita."

Carter frowned when the other end went silent. She checked the call pero ongoing pa naman 'to.

"Hello?"

"Ah... Kasama 'yong ex mo?"

"Yeah, his friends and Nat's coming too."

Tumahimik ulit. Sumimangot si Carter dahil baka naman pala may ginagawa 'tong isa at nang-iistorbo pa siya. Although... hindi naman siya ang tumawag, ah.

"Rook?"

May narinig siyang tahimik na pagsinghap, senyas na nakikinig lang sa kabilang linya ang lalaki.

"You're so noisy in the chat but so quiet here." she chuckled.

"... Sabihin mo nga ulit."

Natigilan siya. With a frown, she repeated, "You're so noisy in the chat but so quiet here."

"Hindi! 'Yong isa!"

"Kuya's friends and Nat's coming too...?"

Bumuntong-hininga ang kabilang linya. "'Di! Carter..." he sounded troubled. "Pakiulit..."

"Ng ano nga?" now she's getting frustrated too.

"'Yong ano... pangalan ko."

"Rook?"

"Yes, miss?"

Hindi mapigilang mapangiti ni Carter sa ginawang pagpapalambing nito sa boses. It's hard to imagine that this boy only had one girlfriend when he's this sweet.

"Bibili po ba kayong ice? Sorry, ubos na. Pero ikaw naman ang candy of my eye."

Ngayon, hindi na talaga mapigilan ni Carter ang matawa. She leaned on the windowsill, her hand touching the cup to feel the briefest heat. Or maybe... to blame her flaming cheeks on something else.

"Corny."

"Tumawa ka naman."

"Kasi nga corny." she thought back to Rook's question. "Right now, I'm having coffee."

"Adik sa kape!" Rook teased. "Ako paborit ko lang, ano, hmm... 'yong medyo sweet na kape. 'Di ko kaya masyadong bitter! Ikaw?"

"Black coffee."

"Ew! Ilang tao ba ang kailangan mong gisingin ha?"

"Ako, 'saka isasabay ko na lang rin ang sweet tooth na si Rook."

Sa muli, narinig na naman ni Carter nag munting hagikhik nito. Mas lalo siyang naaliw. It's unusual to see and hear someone talk like this, lalo na at ang ex-boyfriend niya at Kuya ay hindi nagpapakita ng kilig. While, Rook... every feeling and emotion is honestly placed on the plate.

"'Kala ko weird ang pangalan ko pero maganda rin naman pala..."

"It's unique."

"'Di. Baka gumaganda lang kasi ikaw 'yong nagsabi, Carter."

"Nakakadalawa ka na pero 'di mo pa rin nasisimulan 'yong gusto mong ishare."

"Mm..." she heard rustling then a sigh. "Pero tanong muna."

"Oh?"

"Papabeach kayo, 'di ba?"

"Mm."

"Maliligo ka?"

"Sa tingin mo maglalakad sa tubig?" she heard him chuckle. "Pero... 'di rin naman. Wala ako sa mood maligo ngayon."

"Oo, malamig ngayon eh."

"Wow. Paano mo alam? Nandito ka?"

Rook laughed. "Sana 'di ka na niya kulitin. I mean! Kasi 'di ba, need mo space."

"Mm. I don't know what happened but he seemed to have respected my space now. Tapos..." Carter debated whether to add his brother's loud question about Rook but decided not to.

"Tapos?"

"Tapos na."

"Woah..." she can feel the disbelief in his voice. "Dahil tapos ka na, Carter-" he emphasized 'tapos'. "-magsisimula na akong magkuwento."

"Thank God. Ilang minuto na rin tayo dito."

"What's wrong with that?! I like hearing your voice!"

Once again, Carter was stunned. Not just at his quick defensive statement, but at the abrupt compliment.

"Oo na. Ano na?"

"I'm very happy right now... You see, we visited Reina earlier. Kami ni Kuya Pawn. We stayed there from five in the morning to give Mama some rest, tapos... tapos, Carter, she moved her fingers!"

Carter would have never imagined a situation like this. She wasn't a very emotional person. Madalas, she lets logic and reason guide her decision. Gano'n na rin sa reaction niya sa bagay-bagay. Kaya hindi niya kailanman naisip na maaring maramdaman niya rin ang saya ng ibang tao... kahit na hindi magkaharap at nagtatawagan lang.

She didn't know a piece of technology can send someone's feelings across too, and that the excitement and pure happiness in Rook's voice would bring a smile to her face.

Carter's not new to love and like. She has admired people before, got attracted to handsome seatmates, and even fell in love once. But this is... new. It's not the childish curiosity that desires to experience such feelings, but it's a calm and quiet emotion that blooms inside her heart.

As she listened to Rook, she couldn't help but close her eyes and listen to his delighted voice.

Her normal days usually consist of the repair shop and home, only ruined whenever Natalie or Kuya's home. She doesn't text anyone, blocking the list of guys Natalie gave to give her life some spice. She was fine with getting her clothes dirty and hands oily as she waste hours in their old garage. She was satisfied with having the engines and the tools as her only companion, challenging herself with the ruined parts and admiring them when made anew.

It was standing in the middle of a silent but bright forest. It was floating in this calm sea. It was sitting on the single sofa of a quiet home. It was solitude and peace ㅡ the name of the paint she used to cover her loneliness.

Carter never realized how much she missed the static radio in the home, how she liked the feeling of the waves, and how the birds will sing the loveliest song of all. She was so used to feeling safe in standing still that she forgot how walking was so refreshing.

Alam naman niyang it wasn't Rook who pushed her forward. Handa na siya noon pa. At the beginning of this year, she promised herself to get back up and walk again... but she just can't find the right time to. Bawat pagtangka niya na lumabas ng bahay ay kumakati ang paa niya na bumalik. She stood outside the gates of her previous university, but she couldn't find the courage to step in.

She couldn't afford to give up the stillness and the safety that came with it.

And then... her phone vibrated.

"-kaya... eh?"

Carter bit her lower lip when she accidentally hit the 'video' button. Hindi niya alam kung bakit sinagot din ito ni Rook. Basta nakita na lang nila ang isa't isa na nagtititigan sa screen.

Both of them froze, unable to move, just staring at each other.

With an awkward smile, Carter slowly raised her hand in an attempt to wave 'hello'. Ngunit hindi pa siya nakakapagsalita nang hablutin ni Rook ang phone at namatay ang screen.

Carter watched her reflection on the black screen, still left stunned and speechless. Dahan-dahan niyang tinakpan ang nakaawang na bibig.

She already assumed that Rook's good-looking but she didn't imagine him to be that handsome!

Sa kabilang parte naman ng mundo ay mahigpit na hinahawakan ni Rook ang phone. Kunot-noo siyang sinulyapan ng kakalabas lang sa banyo na si Pawn, nag-aalala sa kalabog na nangyari at bakit ang nakababatang kapatid ay nakasalampa na sa kitchen counter.

"Are you alright?"

Rook nodded without raising his head. He can't! He just can't! Pinatay niya ang tawag kay Carter at nago-overthink na siya doon pero ang mas hindi niya kaya ay... na sobrang pula ng mukha niya at 'di niya mapigilang ngumiti.

"Tangina..."

"Minumura mo ba akong bata ka?"

Hinampas lang ni Rook ang ulo niya sa counter muli, 'di pa rin nawawala sa isip ang mukha ni Carter kanina.

"Tangina. Ganda mo, miss..." he whispered, cursing again at his quick beating heart.