"We're here," halos pabulong na anunsyo ni Kelvin. She's still fast asleep on the passenger's seat. He was almost tempted to continue driving, na sana umiba siya ng daan o traffic, but he knew that Janelle will worry kapag matagalan bago niya ito sabihan na naihatid na niya si Celine.

Tinapik niya sa balikat ang katabi. "Celine."

How could she be so drunk after just a few drinks? Sana pala hindi na lang ito uminom kung madali naman itong malasing. Talagang gagawin nito ang lahat para kay Yuan. Does she like him that much?

Do you like her that much? tanong niya sa sarili. It baffles him that he can't stop caring about her. Kahit ilang beses siya nitong i-reject o hindi bigyang-pansin, hindi siya makalayo-layo rito.

"Celine!" He shook her shoulder again, more insistent this time. "Don't make me take you home. Wake up!"

Umungot ito at tinampal ang kamay niya.

"Are you awake?"

She simply glared at him and tried to unbuckle her seatbelt. Hinampas nito ang upuan nang hindi iyon matanggal.

Bumuntong-hininga siya. "Here. Let me."

He leaned over to help her remove the latch. Nagulat siya nang bigla itong bumaling. Eyes half-lidded, lips slightly parted... His breath hitched. There was a rush that came over him, something that he hasn't felt in a long time. Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso niya. It's as if his heart's about to jump out of its ribcage. And the shiver that ran down his spine... akala niya'y sa pelikula o nobela lamang nangyayari.

Celine was also shocked and for a moment, sober. Itinulak siya nito palayo.

"Ano'ng balak mong gawin, ha?!"

"Nothing!" he answered nervously. "I was just unbuckling your seatbelt."

Tiningnan nito ang seatbelt na noon ay nakakabit pa.

"Bakit nakakabit pa?" Hinila-hila nito iyon, hoping that it will detach. "Ayaw matanggal!"

"Huwag mo kasing pwersahin," saway niya. Inalis niya ang kamay nito sa pagkakakapit sa seatbelt saka niya iyon tinanggal. "There."

Celine went ahead and opened the door. Siya naman ay nagmamadaling lumabas ng sasakyan para alalayan ito bago pa ito mapahiga sa sahig.

Iniupo niyang muli si Celine sa passenger's seat. "Where are the keys?" tanong niya.

"Kiss?!" she blurted out, shocked. "Kiskis ko kaya sa pader 'yang mukha mo!"

"I meant your keys! Susi!"

"Ah! Di mo kasi sinabi agad."

"Where are they?"

She gave him a sheepish smile. "Hulaan mo..."

Napakamot siya. "You should never be allowed near any alcohol. Seriously."

Hinanap niya sa paper bag ang susi. Nakasabit iyon as keychain sa coin purse na dala ni Celine. He helped her up, locked his car and opened the gate. Inalalayan niya ito hanggang sa makapasok sa bahay.

"Kaya mo bang umakyat?" tanong niya.

"Sure!" she purred. Pero ilang hakbang pa lamang ay halos malaglag na ito kagegewang. Napilitan tuloy siyang ihatid ito hanggang kwarto nito, which she pointed out. He knocked first so he wouldn't scare the people inside.

Pinagbuksan siya ng isang boarder.

"Pwedeng pumasok? I'll just put her to bed."

The girl had no intention of letting him in. Mabuti na lamang at nasa loob si Dessa, iyong boarder na kakilala niya. Pinapasok siya nito at itinuro kung saan ang kama ni Celine.

Iyon ang pinakamalinis sa apat na higaan, just because it doesn't have much in it. Unan, kumot, 'yong backpack ni Celine at electric fan lang.

Inihiga niya si Celine at saka siya nagpaalam sa mga kasama nito.

--

Celine woke up the next morning with an aching head and a nasty taste in her mouth. Hindi talaga dapat siya umiinom ng alak. Bukod sa mababa ang tolerance niya sa alcohol, puyat pa siya at maghapon kahapong hindi kumain ng kanin.

"Good morning, ate!" bati ni Dessa.

Dahan-dahan siyang bumangon, wincing as the sun's rays hit her eyes.

"Anong oras na?"

"Ala una na," sagot nito, ngiting-ngiti. "Kayo na ba, ate?"

"Huh?"

"Kasi kung makahawak sya sa 'yo kagabi..." Dessa sighed dreamily. "Tapos binuhat ka pa nya. He's so princely."

"Binuhat ako? Nino?"

"Ni Kelvin!" bulalas nito. "Hindi mo maalala?"

"Ewan. Masakit ang ulo ko."

Gusto niyang matulog ulit. Kumukulo ang tiyan niya pero ayaw niyang  kumain. Her head's throbbing and her throat is dry. Tapos ay nanlalagkit pa ang mukha niya dahil sa makeup na hindi niya natanggal kagabi.

"Nag-date ba kayo kagabi? Magkasama kayo maghapon? Mukhang bago 'yang dress mo a. Bili nya?"

She grunted. Kung kailan naman wala siya sa mood na sumagot, saka naman ito tanong nang tanong.

"Sorry, Dessa, ha. Masakit kasi talaga ang ulo ko."

Nagpunta siya sa banyo para maligo. She looked at herself in the mirror and was surprised to see the glow on her face. Nakabawi rin pala siya ng tulog.

But what happened last night? Antok na antok na kasi siya nang makainom siya ng alak. Hindi talaga siya umiinom ng alak. The first time that she tried drinking, back in college, she passed out just after a few drinks.

Since then, naging taga-kanta at taga-kain na lamang siya ng pulutan. Kagabi lamang ulit siya uminom dahil nahihiya siyang tanggihan si Yuan.

Agad niyang tiningnan ang phone pagkatapos maligo. Janelle and Kelvin occupied her inbox and call logs. Halos maubos na ang battery ng phone niya dahil sa dalawa.

She informed the two that she just woke up. Janelle called her right after.

"Okay ka na?"

"Medyo masakit ang ulo ko. Saka hindi pa ako kumakain. Gutom na gutom na 'ko."

"Aba, e di bumili ka ng makakain."

"Mamayang konti. Magsusuklay lang ako. Kaliligo ko kasi."

"Pinag-alala mo 'ko kagabi ha. Huwag mo na ulit gagawin 'yon," pangaral nito. "Alam mo namang hindi ka sanay uminom, tumungga ka pa!"

"Minsan lang naman," dahilan niya.

"Mabuti na lang at nandoon si Kelvin. May nakapaghatid sa 'yo."

"At talagang ipinagkatiwala mo 'ko sa kanya ha."

"Katiwa-tiwala naman kasi 'yong tao. Kesa naman ipahatid kita kay Yuan. Hindi ko sya kilala. Baka kung saan ka dalhin no'n."

"Grabe ka naman. Hindi naman siguro. Mabait kaya 'yon."

"Mabait din naman si Kelvin. Tanga ka lang."

She scowled. "Bakit na naman?"

"Wala! Dapat kasi kusa mong maramdaman kung bakit. O, sige na. Kumain ka na ha."

Tinapos nito ang tawag nang hindi ipinaliliwanag sa kanya ang huli nitong sinabi. Hindi niya alam kung bakit napapadalas yata ang pagtawag nito sa kanyang tanga.

--

Kelvin didn't get enough sleep. Actually, parang hindi nga siya nakatulog kagabi. He couldn't stop thinking about Celine and the thing that almost transpired if he just happened to be closer.

They almost kissed and it bothered him so much. He's torn between relief and disappointment. Relieved, because he knew that things won't be the same kung natuloy iyon at alam niyang kakainin siya ng konsensya dahil lasing si Celine at wala ito sa sarili. And at the same time, he's disappointed because it turns out that he wanted it. He still wants it and he doubts that he can stop wanting it until it actually happens.

"Umagang-umaga, nakakunot ang noo mo," puna ng mommy niya. Nakatayo ito sa granite island na nasa gitna ng kusina at naghihiwa ng prutas.

Yumakap siya sa likuran nito saka humalik sa pisngi. "Good morning, ma."

"Morning. Anong oras ka na umuwi kagabi?"

"Late," he answered.

"Are you okay?"

He sighed. Isinubsob niya ang mukha sa balikat ng ina. "No."

Hinaplos nito ang pisngi niya. "Why not? Did something happen?" alala nitong tanong.

Humiwalay siya rito. "I almost kissed her last night."

Her mouth formed an 'O'. "And?"

"Nothing. It didn't happen. She's drunk. I don't want to take advantage of her."

"Aww... sayang, pero tama ang ginawa mo. And it won't be satisfying kung natuloy man."

"I know. I just wish that she likes me back, para walang guilt, if I ever do kiss her."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, if it's meant to happen, it will happen. And if not, well, siguro may iba pa para sa 'yo."

"Why can't I unlike her, ma? I thought that if I become her friend instead, things will be easy. But it's just gotten worse."

"Kapag kasi mas maraming oras kayong magkasama, mas maa-attach ka sa kanya. As you get to know her more, mas magugustuhan mo sya. If you want to stop things from getting worse, then just leave her alone. That is... if you can."

She knows that he can't. Kita naman sa mukha nitong alam na nito ang sagot niya. Mothers, they seem to know everything.

"Wow! You're early. Considering that you came home late last night!" his dad commented.

"Morning, dad."

Tinanguan siya nito at saka humalik sa mommy niya. His dad arrived last night from London. Kung hindi siya nagsimula ng sariling kumpanya, kasama sana siya sa business trip. His father wants to train him to take over the company someday.

Pero iba ang gusto niyang mangyari and he's glad that his father supports his decisions in life. Medyo nag-aalangan nga lamang ito sa takbo ng love life niya. He's been supportive noong una, syempre. But after 5 girlfriends, tumigil na rin ito at hinayaan na lamang siyang magkamali at matutong mag-isa.

Tuwing weekends lamang sila nagkakasabay-sabay sa agahan. Kaya kahit anong puyat niya ng Biyernes, he makes an effort to get up early the following day. And so do his brothers.

Pagkatapos magkwento ng daddy nila about his trip, kinumusta siya nito. And the inevitable topic was opened.

"I heard na may nililigawan ka raw sa office," bungad nito.

"Dad, huli ka na sa balita," sabat ni Kian. "Basted na si kuya matagal na."

"Really?"

"Naputol na ni ate Celine yung streak nya," Kristoff said.

"Good. Ayoko nang maulit pa 'yong nangyari dati."

His dad gave him this unofficial rule that he can't date anyone from his company. Dati kasi ay may naging girlfriend siya for four months and when he broke up with her, the girl couldn't take it, especially dahil madalas siyang dumalaw sa office. Kaya nag-resign na lamang ito para mapalayo sa kanya.

Celine almost made him break that rule.