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MACKENNA

THERE'S NOT A SINGLE DAY that Scout hasn't come and visited me. Totoo nga 'yung sinabi niya na marami siyang naka-planong date para sa'kin. Every morning, I wake up to Freya's voice yelling "Scout's here!" I no longer bother setting my alarm clock at night because Scout serves as my alarm clock every morning. Hindi ko alam kung papaano niya nagagawang gumising ng gan'on kaaga. Dahil palagi siyang 7 a.m. kung dumating dito sa apartment ko.

Siya na palagi 'yung gumigising sa'kin kada umaga. Actually, nasanay na rin 'yung katawan ko na maaga gumising. Kagaya ngayon, 6:50 a.m. palang pero automatic nang nagmulat 'yung mata ko. Mabuti nalang nawala na 'yung pagsusuka ko sa umaga simula nang inumin ko 'yung vitamins ko regularly.

I didn't get out of bed and instead stared at the ceiling of my bedroom. Wala na rin sa tabi ko si Freya – na isa pang maaga kung gumising.

Naghintay pa ako ng ilang minuto at narinig ko nang sumigaw si Freya.

"Scout's here!"

Hindi ko alam kung maganda lang ba talaga 'yung tulog ko, pero bumangon ako sa kama nang nakangiti.

I did my usual routine. I changed clothes. I went to the bathroom to brush my hair and my teeth. Then proceed to the kitchen, where Scout and Freya are eating the breakfast Scout has bought for us.

Isang linggo nandito si Freya kaya hinayaan ako ni Ryder na magbakasyon ng isang linggo para samahan si Freya. Sabi niya sapat na rin naman 'yung vacation pay na naipon ko simula nang magtrabaho ako sa The Hudson kaya bayad pa rin ako kahit na naka-bakasyon ako, alam din kasi niyang tatanggi ako kapag binayaran niya ako ng hindi naman ako nagtatrabaho.

Ryder is without a doubt one of the nicest people I've ever met, and I don't want to take advantage of his kindness.

Although ever since Scout showed up at my apartment door, I've been spending more time with him than Freya. I feel guilty, but Freya was actually the one who has been pushing me to be with Scout.

"Good morning," I greeted them. Sabay silang tumingin sa'kin.

"Good morning, babe," Freya said.

"Good morning, boss," sabi naman ni Scout. I playfully rolled my eyes at him, which made him and Freya chuckle.

"Sana all boss," Freya commented.

Yes, Freya learned that phrase from Scout. And yes, Scout has been teaching Freya some Filipino words. At siyempre tuwang-tuwa si Freya dahil makakapagsalita na siya kahit papaano ng konting Tagalog.

"Stop it, you two." I crossed my arms against my chest.

"What? Isn't that true? She is your boss, am I right? You even locked it with a holding hand." Freya shifted her gaze to Scout. Agad naman sumang-ayon 'tong si Scout.

"Correct! Mackenna is my boss. I have to follow her every command." Scout said, and he and Frey just started laughing. Napailing nalang ako at saka dumiretso sa fridge para kumuha ng juice at para itago 'yung pamumula ng pisngi ko. Naalala ko na naman 'yung nagyari no'ng gabing 'yun.

It all started when the three of us went into an arcade one night to have fun. Because I was so guilty of not spending time with Freya, I asked—no, begged—her to come with us.

"Please, Freya? You'll be leaving in 2 days, and I want to spend more time with you." I pleaded. Nasa loob kami ng kuwarto ko, nakaupo kaming dalawa sa kama habang naghihintay naman si Scout sa sala.

"But you need to spend more time with your baby daddy so you'll have more courage to tell him about your baby."

"I know, but you're only here for a week," I choked. Sobrang bilis ko talagang umiyak. Hindi kagaya noon na kayang-kaya kong pigilan 'yung mga luha ko sa pagtulo.

Freya sighed. "Are you sure? But this is your date with him."

I'm one hundred percent sure, Frey. You're my best friend." I smiled at her, and I noticed that her eyes lit up because of what I said. Hindi lang naman ako ang kaibigan ni Freya, and I don't care kung hindi best friend ang turing niya sa'kin dahil para sa'kin siya ang best friend ko. She has always been there for me.

"You're my best friend too, Kenna." Para kaming tanga na umiiyak habang nakangiti sa isa't isa.

I pulled her in for a hug. "I'll take that as a yes. You're coming with us, okay?" I said, and she nodded against my shoulder.

After both of us stopped crying and laughing, we freshened up for a little bit before heading outside, where Scout was patiently waiting for us.

"So?" sabi ni Scout na nakangiti. Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuan niya nang makita niya kami ni Freya na lumabas mula sa kuwarto.

I smile at him. "She's coming with us!" I squealed like a fourteen-year-old girl who is excited to go on a field trip with her best friend.

Hindi mawala-wala 'yung ngiti sa mukha ko. I am having so much fun with Freya and Scout. Parang ngayon nalang ulit ako nag-enjoy nang ganito. 'Yung tipong walang iniisip na problema. 'Yung masaya lang akong naglalaro sa arcade. 'Yung pakiramdam na naging bata ulit ako.

It feels so surreal to have this much fun.

I don't want this to be over. But whenever I'm happy, something or someone comes along and takes it away from me.

So, even when I'm happy, I can't help but think that something terrible will happen sooner or later.

Scout nudged my arm, and I snapped back to reality.

"Tulala ka diyan? Ayos ko lang?" tanong niya. Nilingon ko siya at sandali akong nagulat dahil sa lapit ng mukha niya sa mukha ko.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. My heart is beating erratically and I couldn't look him in the eye.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." I chuckled nervously as I moved my head a little farther from him. We are dangerously close to each other right now, and I feel like my heart is going to explode.

"Weh? Di nga? Bakit bigla kang tumahimik diyan?"

Sinuntok ko siya nang mahina sa braso. "I'm fine nga lang. Do'n ka na nga. Maglalaro na ako dito."

"Okay, boss. Ikaw po ang masusunod." He pouted and was about to leave when I held his arm.

"I'm just joking. You can come play with me." My lips pursed in a thin line.

Agad naming umangat 'yung magkabilang side ng labi niya at hinawakan 'yung kamay kong nakahawak sa braso niya. He swiftly intertwined our fingers together.

"Asus 'di mo rin ako matinis no?" pang-asar niya at inirapan ko lang siya. "Sige dito lang ako sa tabi mo kung 'yan ang gusto mo boss. Kahit anong gusto mo susundin ko. Ikaw ang boss ko, e." sabi niya sabay kindat sa'kin.

"Ang dami mong alam." Sabi ko nalang at saka siya tinalikuran dahil naramdaman ko 'yung pag-init ng pisngi ko dahil sa sinabi niya. I want to let go of his hands, but I can't because he is holding my hand firmly, or maybe because I too don't want to let go of his.

Buong gabi magkahawak kami ng kamay ni Scout. Hanggang sa nakita ni Freya at masaya namang ipinagmalaki ni Scout kay Freya na boss daw niya ako at hindi niya puwedeng bitawan 'yung kamay ko dahil susunod daw siya kahit saan ako magpunta.

And as that night grew darker, we both became closer to each other.

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I was still sulking while washing the dishes that I hadn't noticed Scout's presence behind me. Freya excused herself to take a shower after we ate breakfast that's why Scout and I were left alone here in the kitchen.

"Galit na yarn?" sabi niya at marahan siyang tumawa habang pilit na sinisilip 'yung mukha ko kung talagang galit ba ako. Nakatayo siya mula sa likuran ko at amoy na amoy ko 'yung familiar niyang pabango. Sobrang lapit din ng mukha niya sa'kin kaya hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko. I'm certain that one wrong move from me will result in our lips kissing. Gano'n siya kalapit sa mukha ko ngayon.

"Uy, seryoso galit ka nga?" ulit niya. Hindi pa rin ako kumikibo. Para na akong estatwa dito. Pinatay ko muna 'yung tubig. Hindi ko na rin magawang ituloy 'yung paghuhugas ng plato. Masyado na akong distracted dahil sa ginagawa ni Scout.

His breathing sends shivers down my spine. And the closer he gets to me, the more suffocated I become because my heart won't slow down.

"Mackenna," he whispers into my ear while he gently brushes his finger up my arm to my shoulder, causing my knees to turn to jelly. His face grew closer to mine.

"I-I'm not mad," my voice shakes. I tried to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat so that I could speak more clearly, but I couldn't.

"Really?" he asked, pressing his body against my back and resting his chin on my shoulder as his arm naturally wrapped around me.

Nakapatong 'yung dalawang kamay niya sa tiyan ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko. Hanggang ngayon kasi hindi ko pa rin nasasabi sakaniya na buntis ako.

"Uy kausapin mo naman ako,"

"B-bakit nga?"

"Galit ka? Okay lang ba na nakayakap ako sa'yo?"

"Hindi nga ako galit." I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible so he wouldn't notice how much he affects me right now.

"Hindi mo sinagot 'yung isang tanong ko." His nose slightly brushes against my right cheek when he moves. "Okay lang ba na nakayakap ako sa'yo?"

"I-I don't know."

"Do you like me hugging you?" mas lalo pa niyang hinigpitan 'yung pagkakayakap niya sa'kin. I could feel his muscular chest on my back.

"Yes... maybe. I don't know." mahina siyang natawa dahil sa isinagot ko. Pagkatapos ay sandali kaming natahimik na dalawa at tanging paghinga lang namin ang naririnig ko at ang mahinang pagtulo ng tubig sa sink.

I was about to say something when Freya coughed. We immediately distanced ourselves from one another. Freya is looking at us with suspicion. Para ko siyang nanay na nahuli ang anak na may kayakapang lalaki.

"Well, well, what's going on here?" Freya snicker.

"I-I was just washing the dishes," nasabi ko nalang bigla kahit na ang defensive pakinggan ng sinabi ko.

"Really? Washing the dishes, Kenna? I had no idea that someone had to hug us while we were doing the dishes." Freya sarcastically said.

Hindi ko sinagot si Freya dahil tinalikuran ko na siya agad dahil sa kahihiyan habang si Scout naman ay nakatayo sa tabi ko habang nagkakamot ng batok. Mahina ko siyang siniko sa tagiliran at sinamaan ng tingin.

"Ikaw kasi eh," mahinang bulong ko at nginisian lang niya ako.

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Today is Freya's last day here in Brooklyn. Kailangan na niyang bumalik sa Vegas para magtrabaho. Dahil short staff daw sila kaya isang linggo lang ang na-grant sakaniyang bakasyon.

"Promise, I will come back and visit you here again." Freya said, on the verge of crying. I hugged her and caressed her back.

"I'm going to miss you too," naiiyak na sabi ko habang nakayakap kay Frey. "And I promise too that I will spend more time with you when you visit me again."

"Take care of yourself," She hugs me tighter, but not to the point of suffocating me. "And take care of your baby," she whispers. I nodded while still hugging her.

"When are you going to tell Scout about your baby?" she asked when we pulled away from the hug.

I sigh. "I honestly still don't know,"

""Just don't put too much pressure on yourself, okay? If you need to speak with someone, please call me. Know that I will always take your phone call anytime."

"Thank you, Frey. Me, too. You can always call me anytime."

"I will." She nodded before turning her gaze to Ryder and Scout, who were standing off to the side, watching us. There's a huge gap between them, as if they are both strangers to each other. Napailing nalang ako. Parang mga bata. Hindi na talaga sila nagkasundong dalawa.

Unexpectedly, Scout and Ryder are with us to send off Freya. Miski ako hindi ko inaasahan na sumama silang dalawa sa paghatid kay Freya sa airport. Nagulat nalang kami na parehas silang nasa apartment ko dahil sasamahan daw nila ako sa paghatid kay Freya sa airport. We were almost late because Scout and Ryder couldn't stop arguing because Ryder had brought his BMW and offered to drive us, whereas Scout had rented a car for us so he could drive us to the airport.

And in the end, Freya and I just took a taxi to the airport. Kaya hanggang ngayon hindi nag-uusap 'yung dalawa dahil nagsisisihan sila sa nangyari.

"Good luck with those two boys," bulong ni Freya sa'kin bago nilapitan 'yung dalawa para magpaalam.

Freya hugged me one last time before checking in.

"So..." I said, turning to face the two boys, both of whom had their brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Let's go, Kenna."

"Sa'kin ka na sumabay, Mackenna."

Sabay nilang sabi. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako at saka napailing.

"If you two can't get along, I guess I'll just take a taxi back to Brooklyn." Sabi ko sakanilang dalawa at maglalakad na sana ako paalis nang tawagin nila ako.

"Mackenna, wait!" Ryder called.

"Look. We're hugging each other na oh," sigaw naman ni Scout, kaya nilingon ko sila at natawa ako nang malakas dahil totoo nga na magkayakap silang dalawa. Both their arms are around each other's shoulders.

"Are you guys not going to fight anymore?" tanong ko at sabay silang tumango agad.

I chuckled. "Alright. Now let's go and eat. I'm starving."

W H A T Y A S E Y