"Now I'm speechless, over the edge and just breathless. I never thought that I'd catch this love bug again. Hopeless, head over heels in the moment. I never thought that I'd get hit by this love bug again." –Love Bug, Jonas Brothers

--

Hindi makalimutan ni Jae ang sinabi ni Manang Soling. Alam niyang may punto ang matanda pero alam din niyang iba si Toby sa ibang lalaki. He is not about to take advantage of her. Pero hindi rin siya sigurado. Kung noong dati nga na hindi pa ito nakakaget-over kay Jazz, muntikan nang may mangyari sa kanila, paano pa kaya ngayong siya na ang gusto nito?

They say people do crazy things when in love. They are in love. It's only a matter of time before crazy catches up on them.

When the doorbell rang, she immediately jumped off her seat and headed to the door. Manang gave her a disapproving look. Naiiling itong bumuntong-hininga. Siya naman ay nakangiting binuksan ang pinto. Sumalubong sa kanya ang isang pumpon ng mga bulaklak. Red roses, to be exact.

She finally saw his face when he lowered the flowers.

"Hi," nakangiti nitong bati.

"Hi."

Iniabot nito sa kanya ang mga bulaklak. Tumabi naman sya para papasukin ito.

"Kumusta?" tanong ni Toby.

"Seryosong tanong 'yan?"

"Oo. Bakit?"

"Parang hindi tayo magkasama kahapon a."

Dati-rati, kuntento na ito kung magkikita man sila ng isang beses sa isang linggo. Ngayon, ilang oras pa lang ang lumipas ay miss na sya agad nito. Halos hanggang madaling-araw silang magkatawagan o magka-text, araw-araw. Then, the very next day, early in the morning, he would go by her house to see her before going to work. And then he'd leave early to have dinner with her.

It's crazy. It's like avalanche and though it's sweet, she also finds it scary. Paano kung sa simula lang pala lahat?

"Kumain ka na?" she asked, diverting the topic.

"Hindi pa."

"Halika, nagluluto si manang."

"Hindi na. Dumaan lang ako. Uuwi ako sa 'min."

That's when she recognized the backpack. She was so focused on his face that it's getting harder to notice everything else around them.

"Ah... okay."

Nagpamulsa ito at ngumiti sa kanya. "Gusto mong sumama?"

"Saka na lang siguro. May pupuntahan kasi ako ngayon."

"Saan? Samahan na kita."

She shook her head. "Huwag na. Go see your family. Bihirang-bihira ka na ngang nakakauwi sa inyo e."

"They'll understand."

"Magpapasama na lang ako kay manang," giit niya.

Sumimangot si Toby. "Ayaw mo ba akong kasama?"

"Hindi naman." She sighed. "Ayoko lang isipin ng pamilya mo na kinukuha ko ang lahat ng oras mo," paliwanag niya.

"Okay."

"Labas na lang tayo pagbalik mo ha?"

"Sige." He headed to the door. "Una na 'ko."

"Salamat sa bulaklak."

He nodded. "Good morning, manang!" sigaw nito sa matanda na kanina pa nakabantay sa kanila.

Tumikhim lamang si Manang Soling bilang sagot.

--

"Bakit nagsinungaling ka sa kanya?" tanong ni Manang kay Jae nang makaalis si Toby.

"I didn't lie, Manang."

"Wala ka namang pupuntahan, Eloisa. Nandamay ka pa," naiiling nitong sabi.

"E di lumabas tayo."

"May pera ka ba?"

Napabuntong-hininga siya. All her cards were useless now. Naghihinay-hinay na sya sa pagsa-shopping dahil malapit nang ma-max out ang mga cards niya. Her parents threatened to not pay the bills for her and because she has no job, she can't pay them all by herself.

It's only a matter of time before they come after her. And to think na malapit na syang mag-birthday. Siguro ay hindi na lang sya magsi-celebrate.

"Gagala lang naman tayo. I don't need to buy stuff," she told the old lady.

"Anak, hindi ka tatagal ng ganito. Makipag-usap ka kaya sa mommy at daddy mo?"

"It's no use. Hindi naman sila makikinig sa 'kin. They'll just feed me with crap like they've been there and that I didn't know any better."

"Hindi mo rin naman sila masisisi, Loi. Katulad nyo rin sila dati, hindi mapaghiwalay. Tapos tingnan mo sila ngayon. Ni hindi mo mapagsama sa isang lugar."

"Hindi naman porke't nangyari sa kanila e mangyayari na rin sa 'kin, manang," depensa niya. "I'm not like them."

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Ewan ko lang, Loi. Nagbabago ang tao."

--

Hindi maintindihan ni Jae kung bakit parang palaging negative si Manang Soling. She thought she was the pessimist. Apparently, people do change. Because from what she remember, Manang always has a positive outlook in life.

Pero nang dumating si Toby, naging masyado na itong realistic. But maybe that's just what she needs... a dose of reality. One might get caught up in a fantasy that something beautiful will last forever when they usually don't.

But still, she wishes the old woman would be a little more considerate about her feelings. Alam naman nito kung gaano sya kanegatibo sa buhay. She doesn't need any more negativity around her.

Later that night, Toby called to check on her. Nang magtanong ito kung saan sya nagpunta, she had to make up a convincing story. In reality, hindi naman siya lumabas ng bahay. Nasa loob lamang sya ng kwarto, nanunuod ng TV.

When she thought that she also had to pay the electricity bills, she turned it off right away. Pinatay na rin niya ang aircon.

Having nothing else to do—as she also fought the urge to open her laptop—she just lie on the bed, her arms spread out, staring at the ceiling.

That's when she realized something. She needed a job, pronto, before she runs out of money.

--

He should've brought Jae. Nang dumating siya kanina sa bahay nila, pagkabukas na pagkabukas ng pintuan ay ito agad ang hinanap ng nanay niya.

"Nasa'n ang nobya mo?" tanong ng nanay niya habang sumisilip sa likuran niya.

"May pupuntahan daw po sya kaya hindi sya nakasama."

"Sayang naman. Marami pa naman akong nilutong ulam."

Bahagya siyang napangiti. Gustong-gusto si Jae ng pamilya niya. Well, it might be because they are generally nice to people but still...

"Dadalhan ko na lang sya ng luto nyo pag-uwi ko. Siguradong matutuwa 'yon," he suggested. Natuwa ito sa sinabi niya. When he entered their house, sinalubong siya ng dalawa niyang kapatid. They asked him the same thing.

Pero nalaman niya ang tunay na rason kung bakit nang pumunta sa bahay nila ang tatay ni Jazz para kumustahin siya. Nahuli niya kasing nakatingin sa kanila ang nanay niya. Nakangiti ito. Her smile seemed reminiscent, na para bang may inaalala.

And that's when it hit him. They all like Jae because she helped him move on from Jasmine. For a long time, he had been miserable. More so when Jazz got married. And now, he's finally happy. All thanks to Jae.

The thought of her made him miss her. He's only been away for a few hours but if felt like days already. So he called her up and asked about her day.

"I miss you," he couldn't help but say. Hearing her voice sent him warmth. Gusto na niyang bumalik sa apartment para makita ito. He had been like that with Jazz before. Gusto niyang palagi itong nakikita ng mga mata niya.

And now, it's happening with Jae.

"You'll see me tomorrow, Toby. Don't worry."

He knew his mother wouldn't allow him to leave early. Gawain nilang magsimba ng magkakasama. Naka-ilang skip na siya dahil hindi siya madalas umuwi. Pero kapag nasa bahay siya, he makes it to a point na sisimba siya kasama ang pamilya niya.

So he might be able to go back to Jae right after the mass. He can't help but sigh when he counted the remaining hours before that can happen.

--

Tanghali na nang magising si Jae kinabukasan. Wala si Manang Soling. Hindi na ito pasweldo ng mga magulang niya. Simula nang tanggihan niyang i-set up sya with Chase, pinatigil na rin ng mga magulang niya ang pagpapaalaga ng mga ito sa kanya.

But Manang was kind enough to stay. Hindi na nga lang madalas. Minsan ay pumupunta na lang ito sa bahay niya para dalhan siya ng pagkain. Toby takes care of her during weekdays. He brings her breakfast and buys her meals for lunch dahil alam nitong hindi sya marunong magluto. Then, at night, he will take her out to dinner.

She turned on her laptop and looked for the resume among her files. Bukas, pagkaalis ni Toby, maghahanap na siya ng trabaho. Mabuti na lang at bago sya maka-graduate ng college ay naasikaso na ng parents niya ang mga government IDs niya pati passport.

Akala kasi nila ay sasama siya sa America. But she backed out at the last minute.

Ngayon, kailangan na lang niyang kumuha ng updated NBI clearance. And she needs to get it fast, before she runs out of money.

Pagkatapos niya ay naghilamos na siya. Maya-maya ay darating na si Toby. They might go out later. She hates it when he shoulders all the expenses but for now, she can't complain. Wala syang perang pang-ambag.

She promised to herself that she would help out kapag nagkatrabaho na siya.

--

By 1pm, there came the doorbell. She hurried to the gate. He was standing outside. Ni hindi pa ito nakakapasok sa apartment nito. Nakasukbit pa rin ang bag sa balikat nito. In his left hand, he was holding a paper bag.

Pinapasok niya ito. Dumiretso naman ito sa kusina.

"Ano 'yan?" tanong niya habang nakaturo sa paperbag na dala nito.

"Ulam. Padala ni nanay."

Tuwang-tuwa niyang inilabas ang laman ng paper bag. Bukod sa masaya siyang ipinagluto siya ng nanay nito, masaya rin siyang sa wakas ay makakakain na rin sya.

She didn't have any breakfast so she was starving already. Inaya niya si Toby na bumili ng kanin. Tapos ay sabay silang nananghalian.

Hindi pa man siya nangangalahati sa pagkain ay nag-ring ang phone niya. It was her dad.

"Hey, dad."

"Eloisa, how are you?"

"I'm doing well," she replied, glancing at Toby who was looking back at her.

She heard him sigh. "Anak, I really want you to reconsider our proposal..."

"I did, dad. And it's still a no."

"But—"

"I'm eating my lunch right now and I really don't want to lose my appetite. I'm hanging up. Bye."

She ended the call before he could even retaliate.

"Pinipilit ka pa rin nila?" tanong ni Toby sa kanya.

Tumango siya. "But don't worry. I won't change my mind."

"I don't intend to let you," he replied.