Red made sure that he noticed her discomfort. Kahit alam niyang para sa kanya ang mga bulaklak, tinanong nya pa rin si Troy. Vico asked him why he gave her yellow roses.

"Hindi pa ba obvious kung ano'ng favorite color nya?" he asked earlier.

Of course, Vico had no idea. Vince might have, dahil nandun ito noong mga panahong masaya pa siya. Hindi na iyon naabutan ni Vico.

"Yellow reminds me of summer," Troy had answered. "I also want her to be reminded of that."

She purposely left the bouquet in the car nang mag-park sila sa gilid ng isang mamahaling restaurant.

"It's still yours whether you take it or not," Troy told her.

"I know."

Troy already had a reservation, pero nagtaka siya nang biglang bumukod sina Vico.

"I thought we're having lunch together." She made the accusation evident.

"We are," sagot ni Vico. "But we can't talk about you if we're with you. Don't worry, Red, we'll be nearby."

Nearby meaning that they will be situated on the other side of the restaurant. The waiter led them further inside. It made it more uncomfortable na sila lang dalawa ang nandoon sa bahaging iyon ng restaurant. There are many tables, alright, but not as many diners.

"I'll have a salad," she told the waiter, after looking at the menu.

"You won't order the whole menu this time?" nakangiting tanong ni Troy.

"No," she answered curtly. "I'm not hungry."

"Hmm... sayang. Ang dami ko pa namang pina-reserve na table."

Napatingin siya sa mga empty table na nakapaligid sa kanila. So that's why they're empty. It seems like he's expecting for things to happen the way they did yesterday. And it has to stop bago pa siya makumbinsing makisali sa isa na namang exercise nito.

"Mamaya na lang kami oorder," sabi niya sa waiter. Tumango naman ito at umalis.

"You don't need to think this through."

"That's the thing. I have to. Look, whatever happened yesterday, won't happen again today or any day moving forward. Pinagbigyan lang kita kahapon, Troy. It's not an everyday thing."

He closed the menu and put it back on the table. Then he looked at her intently. She didn't shy away. He needs to know that she's serious.

"Then let's make it an everyday thing."

"What?"

She wasn't expecting that. What's gotten into him?

"You know... let's go out on dates," he said casually.

Kuya can be so terribly sweet with his girl, naalala niyang sabi ng kapatid nito just last Sunday. Does this mean that he treats her like that? The thought made her way more uncomfortable that she already was.

"I'm not—I don't date."

"Really?" He looked amused. "Do I need to enumerate the names of guys you've dated since second year high school?"

She frowned. "You went that far back?"

"I told you. I had your background checked."

"That's unfair."

"I'm sure you had me checked too."

"Yes, but not like that." Ano nga ba ang alam niya kay Troy? Aside from his family and business background at pagiging babaero nito, wala na.

He sighed. "What do you want then? A list?"

"I want you to stop doing this."

His jaw tensed. "Why?"

"Because I'm not going to marry you."

Stupid, stupid, stupid! She buried her face in the pillow. Kanina pa siya balisa. Why the hell did she say that? She didn't mean that! Undecided pa rin sya hanggang ngayon, but she need not tell him that she's not going to marry him.

But I can! depensa niya. Bakit ba ako nakukonsensya? Bwisit!

She could clearly picture his disappointed face like it was etched in her consciousness. Naalala pa niya kung paano ito walang imik na umalis ng restaurant. Her conscience ate her up like she was on the menu.

Kahit siya ay nagulat nang ma-realize na gumagana pa pala ang konsensya niya.

Hindi na niya hinintay sina Vico. Nag-taxi na lamang siya pabalik sa office. She did nothing but fidget, pace and worry. Kada tunog ng phone niya, napapabalikwas siya. She wanted to say sorry to him. She feels like it's the right thing to do. But it's not like her to do the right thing, so she did nothing.

Nag-iwan na lamang sya ng note sa cubicle ni Vico at saka siya umuwi.

Kanina pa siya sa bahay pero ni isang tawag mula kay Vico ay wala syang natanggap. Alas syete na ng gabi. He should be home by then, but he wasn't. Gutom na gutom na rin siya dahil hindi siya nakapagtanghalian.

 When she heard a noise outside, agad niyang pinatay ang ilaw sa kwarto at saka siya sumilip mula sa nakasarang kurtina. Pumarada ang kotse ni Troy sa tapat ng bahay niya. Bigla siyang kinabahan. Will he confront her?

Lumabas sina Vico ng sasakyan. May dala sina Ariesa na paper bags. May hawak-hawak ding stuffed toys ang mga ito. She wondered if those are for her.

Sumakay ulit ng kotse si Troy at saka umalis. Mukhang may pupuntahan pa ito. Sina Ariesa naman ay pumasok na sa bahay. She headed downstairs para salubungin ang mga ito.

"May dala kayong food?" bungad niya sa kanila.

"Wala," mataray na sagot ni Vico. "Kung hindi ka umalis bigla kanina, e di sana busog ka pa rin hanggang ngayon."

"Whatever. Ipagluto mo 'ko."

"Ayoko nga. Nag-inarte ka, panindigan mo 'yan."

She glared at her cousin.

"You want to go there?"

"Oh, I'm already there."

"Do you guys need a boxing ring or something?" alangang tanong ni Ela sa kanila.

Tumigil sila sa pagtatalo. Vico headed upstairs, taking Ela and Ariesa with him. Siya naman ay naghanap ng makakain sa ref.

It turned out na hindi para sa kanya ang dalang stuffed toys ng magkapatid.

"Kuya bought them for us, para sa sleepover," Ela told her.

Somehow, gusto niyang magtampo dahil wala syang ganon.

"Uy, inggit," puna ni Vico.

"He bought something for you too, though." Iniabot ni Ariesa sa kanya ang isa sa mga dala nitong paper bags.

She tried not to look excited. Kinuha niya ang paper bag at saka tiningnan ang laman. It was a small yellow, fluffy pillow.

"I didn't know that you like yellow," Vico said.

"It was a long time ago," paliwanag nya.

Ela flopped down the bed. "Kaya naman pala nahihilig na rin sa yellow si kuya. He bought a bunch of yellow stuff yesterday. Para sa 'yo pala lahat yun, ate."

"Bago ka kiligin dyan, magkwento ka muna," sabi ni Vico sa kanya. "The manager walked up to our table and told us na umalis na kayo. Ako tuloy ang nakapagbayad ng kinain namin kanina."

"Ano'ng gusto mong gawin ko, bayaran kita?"

"Yes, but if you'll tell us why, then I'll let it go," he answered.

"Hindi kami gutom kanina so we decided not to eat."

"The manager told us that he was fuming mad."

"Ate, what happened?"

"Nothing." Tinabihan niya si Ela. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"Parang ang dalas nyong mag-away, ate," puna ni Ariesa. "Dapat tapos na ang petty fights stage. Engaged na kayo a."

She exchanged knowing looks with Vico. Hindi naman sila engaged ni Troy. And she practically turned him down already.

"Ate, I know kuya's not the best guy around, and I know na business lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit kayo na-engage..."

"We're not—"

"My dad's already grooming me to be a suitable bride to some guy from a well-off family. Trust me, I know," Ela told her. "But kuya actually likes you. And we can see that you like him too. So why make it harder for the both of you?"

"Ela's right, ate. And you really look cute together."

"Saka boto sa 'yo ang buong pamilya nila, Red," singit ni Vico. "What more can you ask for?"

"It's just business," pag-amin niya. She doesn't want that. Her parents were married because of business. But they also fell in love. Ang masama nga lang, hindi iyon nagtagal dahil nagkasakit ang mommy niya.

"You can make it more than that, Red," Vico said.

Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa may bintana nang makarinig sila ng tunog ng sasakyan. They all peeked out the window. Troy's back.

The three looked back at her and waited. She knows what she needs to do. She's just afraid to do it. She needs to take back what she said during lunch before she can't back away from it anymore.

"Good luck, ate."

She was about to knock nang dagain na naman siya. She took a step back and turned around to walk away. Tapos ay bigla syang nakonsensya, so she went back to the door.

Don't think. Don't think.

Finally, she was able to knock before stopping herself again.

The door opened a few seconds later. She was ready to leave when it did. Mukhang nagulat si Troy nang makita siya.

"I just came by to... uhm..."

Nilakihan nito ang bukas ng pinto, silently telling her to come in. She hesitantly went in, but regretted the move right after he closed the door behind her.

"Yung sinabi ko kanina... I-I didn't mean it."

He crossed his arms against his chest. He still wasn't talking.

"Okay. Good night," paasik niyang sabi nang hindi pa rin ito magsalita makalipas ang ilang segundo. Nagmukha lang tuloy siyang tanga. Pakiramdam niya'y sa pader siya nakipag-usap.

She was about to see herself out nang bigla itong humarang sa pintuan.

"We're not done talking."