So I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you
Like I'm saying goodbye

--Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor feat. John Legend

--

Cyrus led Lena back to his unit. There's a tingly sensation on her fingers when they were intertwined with his. Hindi naman niya akalaing aabot sa ganoon. She clearly didn't think this through. Now she doesn't know how to handle being this happy. His 'I love you, too' earlier made her melt. And when they kissed, it was like time stood still. Hindi lang niya alam kung may nakakita sa kanila.

"Kumain ka na?" tanong nito kaagad nang makapasok. He led her to the kitchen after placing the popup book she made on the coffee table.

She shook her head, even though she meant to answer yes. Hindi pa yata bumabalik sa ayos ang utak niya. Cyrus immediately looked for something to eat before she could stop him. And to her dismay...

"Gulay pa rin?" nakanguso niyang tanong nang ilabas nito ang isang bowl ng beef broccoli mula sa fridge. She thought he'd be more lenient now that they're 'official'. She thought wrong, apparently.

"May karne naman, o," he told her, pointing at the chunks of beef.

"Why are you so cruel to me?"

Tinawanan lang nito ang pagdadrama niya. Iniinit nito ang pagkain at saka siya ipinagsandok ng kanin. He was even thinking of feeding her until she took the utensils away from his hands. Kinuha nitong muli 'yong ginawa niya at tiningnan iyon habang kumakain siya.

Saka lamang niya napansin na hindi pala pulido ang pagkakagawa niya.

"Can I take that home?" she asked. "Igagawa na lang kita ng mas maganda."

"Ayoko."

"But it doesn't look perfect." Umaandar talaga ang pagka-perfectionist niya when it comes to art. That's why it's hard for her to entrust her designs to someone else. Ayaw kasi niyang hindi nasusunod ang vision niya.

"It is already perfect, Lena," he insisted. Inilayo nito sa kanya ang popup book para hindi niya iyon maagaw. "Kumain ka na lang. I'll just put this somewhere safe."

In translation, away from her OC hands.

--

Lena knew that she won't be able to go home early. Cyrus didn't let her. After her early dinner, he whipped up a dessert which they ate in the living room while watching TV. They settled for Disney Channel because 1) she likes Phineas and Ferb and 2) ayaw niyang makakita ng balita tungkol sa kapatid niya. She hopes that Martin will knock some sense into Lacey already. Sawang-sawa na siya sa bad publicity.

"Hey, about last weekend..."

"Let's just forget about what happened, Lena," he told her.

"Gusto ko lang na maliwanag sa 'yo kung ano talaga 'yong nangyari. Martin and I-"

"Don't mention his name please."

"Cy... I don't want you to hate him. He's our friend."

Bumuntong-hininga ito. He put the dessert down and pulled her close. "All right. Talk."

Now that he's willing to listen, she readily told him everything that she and Martin talked about that night. It was a bit embarrassing to talk to him about her feelings for him. He certainly didn't make it easier. He was staring at her the whole time. She knew she was already red in the face when she finished.

"So that's why you shouldn't be angry with him."

He simply nodded as acknowledgment to her statement, but he was still staring.

"Can you please look away now?"

"Why? Do I make you uncomfortable?" He knew that she gets uncomfortable when being stared at for too long. Halata namang nananadya ito.

Very, she wanted to reply, but she couldn't, knowing all too well that he will just tease her more. Ibinaling na lamang niya ang mukha nito paharap sa TV. But he quickly turned back to her direction, leaned close and kissed her, which made her heady in an instant.

Then he looked away and said in delight, "Himala yata. Hindi ka magtatago?"

"I-I guess I have to get used to it," she stammered.

"You better, because I plan on giving you plenty of kisses from now on." And to prove that, muli siya nitong hinalikan. Phineas and Ferb simply faded into the background. Nothing else mattered, except him and his kisses.

--

Inihatid siya ni Cyrus pauwi bago mag-alas dose. Bailey was already waiting outside. She was glad her dog can't talk. Mukhang gustong-gusto na nitong sabihin kay Cyrus ang mga pinaggagawa niya sa bahay noong mga nakaraang araw.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Cyrus promised when he was about to leave.

"Uhm... I don't have a phone anymore."

He frowned. "Why? What happened?"

Bailey, her ever helpful dog, must have sensed that they're talking about her phone. He quickly went inside and retrieved it from her tool box, where she left it.

"Thanks, Buddy," she said, sounding snarky.

Bailey took it literally. Ngumiti ito nang nakalabas pa ang dila, proud of himself for being helpful. Cyrus patted his head and took the phone.

"I threw it," she explained. "Napalakas kaya nasira."

Kailangan pa niyang sabihin iyon sa mga magulang niya. She'll think of a good excuse later. Baka kasi hindi palitan kapag sinabi niyang naibato niya iyon dahil sa inis.

"Sana inisip mo muna kung may pamalit ka, di ba?"

"I know. But there's nothing we can do about it now." Kinuha niya ang phone mula sa kamay nito at saka iyon ibinulsa. "Kumatok ka na lang bukas pagpunta mo rito. I think I'll just be here all day."

He took out his own phone and gave it to her. "Here. Use it for the meantime."

"Huwag na-"

"Call your parents. Baka nag-aalala na sila sa 'yo."

"Pa'no ka?"

"I have another phone at home."

"Okay."

"I have to go. I need to be early at work tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Para makauwi rin agad," he answered with a smile. Hinalikan siya nito sa pisngi at saka niyakap. "Good night."

"Good night." She didn't really want him to leave. She didn't want the night to end. Magkikita naman sila bukas pero parang nami-miss niya ito kaagad. But she also knew that she shouldn't be too clingy. Baka maumay ito agad sa kanya.

He kissed her again, on the forehead. "I love you," he said.

Taken by surprise yet again, she murmured 'same to you'. She was horrified with her own reply. Could she be any weirder?

Thankfully, he didn't mind. She let out a sigh of relief when he drove off. She will have to practice saying those words. Kailangan niyang masanay.

--

Early morning, the next day, Cyrus called to wake her up. She was still dreaming about him when she heard his voice. She thought that he was really there beside her, only to realize later, nang magising ang diwa niya, that she was just talking to him on the phone.

After the call, she decided to check on her IG again, just to see if the hate she's getting already lessened. It's already been four days anyway. His account was logged in kaya iyon agad ang nakita niya pagkabukas ng app.

He just posted a photo of the popup book she gave him, its last page, with the caption: "You know you already have my heart from the start. I love you, Lena."

She could not help but do an awkward dance on her way to the bathroom, which made Bailey look at her like she just lost her mind. She didn't care. She was too happy to care.