Celine didn't sleep well last night. She just couldn't get past the idea na sobrang layo ng estado ng buhay ni Kelvin sa kanya. That reality slapped her hard in the face when she brought him home. He just doesn't fit in. And she knew that she wouldn't fit in in his world as well.

"Morning!" he greeted over a cup of coffee. May dalawang brown paper bag ng pandesal sa lamesa at isang malaking jar ng cheese spread. Abala sa pagkain ang mga kapatid niya.

Tinanguan lamang niya ito saka siya nagtimpla ng kape. He's just wearing a simple shirt and a pair of shorts, his hair still in disarray, yet he still looks rich. Even in his simplest getup, he still looks rich. Kahit yata burlap lang ang ipasuot dito, mukha pa rin itong mayaman.

She sat next to Rosalie. Pasyahan ito sa pagpapalaman ng pandesal. Punong-puno ng palaman ang kutsara at halos umawas na iyon sa tinapay ng ilagay nito.

"Tipirin mo naman," saway niya sa kapatid.

"Hayaan mo na. Marami pa naman, e," Kelvin told her.

"Tapos ubos na kaagad kinabukasan?"

"We'll buy some more then," he said casually.

"Hindi naman kasi kami kagaya nyong maraming pambili," she replied curtly.

He was taken aback with the anger in her tone, pero agad din itong nakabawi. "Sabi ko nga. Sorry."

Rosalie got up from her seat. Dinala nito ang pagkain at kape nito sa sala. Sumunod ang dalawa pa niyang kapatid. They were left in the kitchen. Kelvin was looking at her with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Naupo siya sa tapat nito. "Sorry."

"Your eyes are red," he commented, pointing at her face.

"Hindi lang ako nakatulog ng maayos."

"Why?"

She shook her head. "Wala."

He was still looking at her with concern, as if he's trying to figure out the problem. Nag-iwas na lamang siya ng tingin at humigop ng kape. Paano naman niya sasabihin ang problema niya rito? Kelvin would think that it's absurd for her to worry about such things. They're just friends after all.

--

After breakfast, naghanda na sila sa pagsimba. Kelvin joined, of course. Alangan namang iwanan niya ito sa bahay. She didn't like the look that her neighbors are giving them, especially Kelvin. Kulang na lang ay mag-dollar sign ang mga mata ng mga ito.

Alam niya ang iniisip ng mga ito. Kelvin could be her family's goldmine. She hates that. Hindi naman siya gold digger.

She tried to ignore the curious stares pero kahit sa simbahan, may tumitingin. Hindi tuloy niya mapigilang mainis. They grew even more curious when Kelvin pulled out a 500 peso bill from his wallet. Ilalagay sana nito iyon sa basket na iniiikot sa loob ng simbahan during offering.

He was able to drop the money before she could stop him, so pinagsabihan na lamang niya ito paglabas nila ng simbahan.

"Ang laki no'ng hinulog mo. Pwede namang bente lang."

"It's for the church. Saka ngayon lang naman ako nakapagsimba rito," dahilan nito.

"Kahit na. Para kasing masyado mong pinangangalandakan na mayaman ka, e."

"Is that why you're so upset? I'm sorry, okay? It's not as if I chose to be like this."

"Pero sana sinusubukan mo man lang makibagay, di ba?" she retorted.

"Fine." He exhaled sharply. "Let's not fight, Celine. We just got out of church."

She grunted in agreement and walked ahead of them. Alam niyang mali na si Kelvin ang pinagbubuntunan niya ng galit. It's not his fault that he's rich. And it's not her fault that she's not. But the fact that they are the way they are annoys her so much.

It didn't matter to her before because she just likes him as her friend. It wasn't as complicated as it is now. Of course, even if she doesn't say it out loud, there's a part of her that hopes that they'd end up together. But the thought makes her think less of herself more.

Ayaw niyang tanggap lang sya nang tanggap. Ayaw niyang maging abusado. She knows that it'll be that way with Kelvin. Even if she gives him everything, it still wouldn't equal to what he's already given and to what he could still give. Nothing would ever be enough.

--

Dumiretso sila ng talipapa dahil pinapupunta siya ng mga kaibigan niyang nakatambay doon. Apparently, almost everyone in their barangay knows about Kelvin and everyone (almost) is dying to meet her boyfriend. Ipinagkalat kasi ni Tisay sa mga kapitbahay na boyfriend niya ang dinalang bisita.

She has a lot of explaining to do because of that rumor.

Nadatnan nila si Candy at ang mga kaibigan nito sa pwesto nila sa palengke. Katabi iyon ng pwesto ng ninong niya na nagtitinda rin ng isda. Tabi-tabi kasi iyon at halos iisang klase lamang ang itinitinda nila: tilapia. Sa kanila lamang may variety ang tinda. Minsan, may galunggong at bangus. Kapag swerte, may hipon pa, tahong at pusit.

Candy was gaping when he saw them approaching.

"So, totoo pala ang usap-usapan!" bungad nito. "Bakla ka! 'Di ka man lang nagkikwento!"

She rolled her eyes. "Hindi ko sya boyfriend."

Kelvin's eyebrow arched. He must still be unaware of the rumor.

"Ipinagkalat kasi nung kapitbahay namin na boyfriend kita," she told him. "Sorry."

"It's okay. No harm done," he replied with a smile.

Inilagay ni Candy ang hintuturo sa ilalim ng ilong. "Teka, EOP pala. Di ako na-inform!"

Kelvin laughed at the remark. Si Candy naman ay pumay-awang.

"So, are you single?"

"Yep," Kelvin answered.

Candy tucked his ash blond hair behind his ear and then held out his hand. "I'm Candy."

"Kelvin." Inabot ni Kelvin ang kamay ni Candy. Candy let out a giggle. "Is Candy your real name?"

"No. My friends just called me Candy because I'm sweet," answered her gay friend.

"What's your real name then?"

Candy responded in a low and manly voice that made everyone laugh. "Bernardo, p're."

--

Naging maingay sa palengke dahil kay Kelvin. Dumagdag pang dumating ang iba pang kaibigan ni Candy. Salitan ang mga ito sa pakikipag-usap kay Kelvin dahil nauubusan na raw sila ng Ingles. They would yell 'Sub!' kapag wala na silang masabi.

Dumami rin ang customers sa paligid. Her ninong, thought of an idea all of a sudden. Tinanong nito si Kelvin kung gusto nitong matutong magkaliskis ng isda. The latter readily said yes, eager to please. Inutusan siya ng ninong niya na mag-sample. She's a little out of practice but she said okay. Enjoy din kasing magkaliskis ng isda. Gawain niya iyon dati. Kailangan kasing marunong siya para may katulong ang nanay niya, kahit man lang sa paglilinis ng isdang inuulam nila.

With a knife in hand, she showed him how to clean a fish. Pinalo muna niya sa ulo ang isda para mamatay ito. She saw Kelvin wince. She waited for him to recover first before she continued.

It two her a minute and a half to scale the fish and clean the insides.

"Okay lang kung ayaw mong gawin," she told him.

But Kelvin didn't back out. Kinuha nito ang kutsilyo sa kanya. Sakto namang may bumili ng tilapia. Sa pagpalo pa lang sa ulo ng isda, hirap na si Kelvin, pero hindi ito humingi ng tulong.

He managed to kill the fish, but it was only the start. Next, he had to scale it. Dumudulas sa kamay nito ang isda kaya hirap na hirap ito. After more than five minutes of waiting, the buyer crossed her arms against her chest as a sign of her impatience. Her ninong had no choice but to step in.

Binigyan na lamang sila nito ng apat na pirasong isda para iulam pag-uwi.

--

She had to peel Candy away from Kelvin dahil ayaw sila nitong pauwiin. Kailangan na pa naman nilang umalis ng gabing iyon dahil may pasok pa si Kelvin kinabukasan. Hindi naman niya ito pwedeng paunahin pauwi dahil baka kung mapaano pa ito sa daan. Kasalanan pa niya kung sakali.

Kelvin volunteered to clean the fish, given that he wasn't able to do so back at the market. Kaya hinayaan niya itong tumulong sa kanya sa paglilinis. She gave him a small fish to start with.

Patapos na siya sa pangalawa ay kinakaliskisan pa rin nito ang una. And just as she feared, he cut himself while doing it.

Agad niyang itinigil ang ginagawa at hinugasan ang kamay nito.

"Ayan kasi...."

"Hindi naman masakit, e," he told her.

Nagpakuha siya ng gamot sa kapatid. Pagkalagay ng gamot sa sugat ay pinaghintay na lamang niya ito sa isang tabi. She finished what he's doing, kahit gusto nitong makisali. He insisted on helping her cook. Pumayag na rin siya. Pinagsaing niya ito. Muntik pa iyong masunog dahil sanay palang magsaing sa rice cooker si Kelvin.

--

Pagkaluto, hinayaan na lamang nilang isang buong isda ang kunin ni Kelvin. After all, he's not used to sharing his food. Pagkakain, nagpabili ito ng mamatamisin. Bumili ang kapatid niya ng maraming Chocnut. Kelvin found it amusing.

They rested for a while before heading back to the city. Ayaw pa sana itong pauwiin ng mga kapatid niya dahil nagsisipaglaro pa ang mga ito. He promised that he'll come back and looked to her for confirmation.

Um-oo na lamang siya para hindi na mahaba ang diskusyon. But she's not sure if she'll bring him back. Baka masanay ang pamilya niya sa presensya nito. Baka masanay siya. Mahirap na. Baka kapag natigil ang pagbisita nito, hanap-hanapin niya bigla.

--

"I had fun," he told her when they're inside the bus. Alas sais na halos nang makaalis sila sa bahay. When her mother sent her a text saying na malapit na ang mga itong umuwi, nag-aya na agad siyang umalis. Apat na oras din kasi ang byahe. Or three, since it's Sunday. Walang masyadong traffic.

Kelvin bought food again. Samu't sari. He bought water that time though, to her relief and disappointment.

He offered his shoulder when she said that she was sleepy. Nagkunwari siyang walang malisya iyon para sa kanya. Magkaibigan naman sila. Normal na 'yon.

Sumandal siya sa balikat nito habang ito naman ay iniakbay ang braso sa kanya. To the people outside their little bubble, looking in, they might look like a nice couple. She closed her eyes, smiling at that assumption.

Before she could drift to sleep, she felt him kiss her hair. She stayed still, wanting him to think that she's already asleep. She would surely love to get used to it, if only it's that easy...