I've been keepin' busy all the time
Just to try to keep you off my mind

--Jet Lag by Simple Plan feat. Natasha Bedingfield

--

Cyrus and Lena became okay again after Cadence intervened. They talk regularly from that day on. He has so many stories to tell. Pakiramdam ni Lena ay wala siyang maiambag sa usapan dahil wala siyang ginagawa maghapon kundi manuod ng TV at matulog.

So one day, she decided to do something that she swore she would never do: ask her dad to allow her to go back to school. It's been four years since she stopped schooling and it was sort of iffy to go back. Baka ma-culture shock siya. She might not be able to cope up with the stress.

But, it's one thing to keep herself busy. If she's busy, then she won't miss him so much. Hindi na siya masyadong malulungkot.

Her father readily agreed. She'll be retaking her first semester for third year. May mga subjects siyang kailangang kunin sa bago niyang school na wala sa curriculum ng dati niyang eskwelahan.

Tuwang-tuwa si Cyrus nang ibalita niya iyon.

"At least you'll have something to do."

"Natatakot nga ako, e," pag-amin niya. "I feel so rusty. Baka hindi ako makasagot kapag recitation. Nakakahiya. Ang tanda ko na pa naman."

"You'll do just fine. You're smarter than you think you are," he assured her.

Nagpangalumbaba siya sa harap ng MacBook. "Did you know that I didn't have any friends back when I was studying? Baka maging loner ulit ako."

"Huwag ka kasing mahihiyang mag-approach ng ibang tao. And don't forget to smile. Wala ka talagang magiging kaibigan kapag palagi kang nakasimangot."

"What if no one liked me?"

"Someone will, for sure. You're an awesome person, Lena. You just need to let other people see that."

She smiled at his remark. "Thank you."

"Just don't smile at guys. They might get the wrong idea."

Natatawa siyang umiling. Even when he's not around, bantay-sarado pa rin siya.

--

Unfortunately for Cyrus, Lena's first friend turned out to be a guy. Unang araw kasi ng pasukan noon, hidni niya alam ang pasikot-sikot sa bago niyang school. She approached the first guy she saw who turned out to be an irregular student, just like her. Working student kasi ito kaya medyo napabayaan ang ilang subject last school year dahil palaging puyat at pagod sa trabaho. So he had to take the back subjects again along with a few new subjects.

"His name's Alex," she told Cyrus when they got to talk that night.

"Really? Of all the names?"

She gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"Remember Alexa? Now, there's Alex. I don't know if the universe is toying with us."

"I don't follow."

Cyrus sighed. "Just forget it," he said dismissively. "Anyway, how's your first day?"

"Okay naman. Nagpakilala lang kami sa klase. I was out of place because they already know one another."

"Ayos lang 'yan. You're only new on your first day. Classmate mo ba 'yong Alex na 'yon?"

"No. Second year lang sya."

"Ah. Good."

"Pero mabuti na rin na may kaibigan ako kahit isa. He said he'll tour me around the school tomorrow."

Cyrus made a sour face. "Seriously, are you trying to make me jealous?"

"What? I was just telling you para alam mo. Don't make it a big deal."

"Give me his Facebook account. Mamaya sama ka nang sama, hindi naman pala safe." He readied his phone and waited for her to give Alex's account. "What's his surname?"

"Please don't."

"Just for my peace of mind, Lena, please."

"No."

"Lena..."

"Magagalit ako sa 'yo kapag nagpumilit ka."

Cyrus sighed exasperatedly. "Fine. Bukas na lang ulit tayo mag-usap."

"Fine."

--

The school wasn't enough to keep her busy. Dalawang buong araw siyang nakatunganga sa bahay. The other three were not even fully booked for her studies. Kaya mas madalas pa rin siyang nakatunganga. It makes her wish that Cyrus would call her three times a day instead, but she knew that she'd be asking for too much. Isa pa, baka inis pa rin ito sa kanya dahil sa pag-uusap nila noong nakaraang araw.

She needs another distraction, something that could fill her day.

Alex had a great idea.

"Nagtatrabaho kasi ako sa isang cafe slash patisserie kapag free time ko. Kung gusto mo, iri-recommend kita. Naghahanap kasi sila ngayon ng additional staff," sabi nito sa kanya nang maikwento niya ang pagka-bore sa bahay.

"Talaga? Madali lang ba? Wala kasi akong alam sa ganyan."

"Yeah. Iti-train ka naman kapag natanggap ka," sagot nito. "If you want, we can go there tomorrow after school. Tingnan mo kung magugustuhan mo."

"All right," she agreed.

Nang sumunod na araw, kagaya ng napagkasunduan ay tinungo nila ang cafe na sinasabi nito. To her surprise, it was the main branch of Moira's, their family-owned cafe. Alex was more surprised, though. Hindi nito akalain na anak siya ng may-ari. He was even embarrassed that he suggested that she work there, when she clearly didn't need to work.

"Last year lang kasi ako nag-start dito kasi kinapos ako sa pang-tuition. Hindi naman kita nakikitang nagpupunta rito," paliwanag nito sa kanya.

"That's okay. I rarely come here."

She then explained her situation, how she's living independently (though not at the moment) and that she needed something to do anyway.

"I guess you're already hired, then?"

"I don't know what I can do, though. I don't like manning the cash register."

Her mother, who was standing at the cash register, smiled.

"I think the feeling is mutual, Anak. But you can do something else."

"What?" she asked, excited at her prospective job.

Her mother led them to the back. She made Alex brew two cups of coffee. And then, she told him to make a milk art on top of each.

"People like taking pictures of their food, at tingin ko, mas magiging mabenta ang mga pagkain dito kapag nilagyan natin ng art. The staffs know the basic coffee art, like what Alex did with these coffees. What I need you to do, Anak, is to make better-looking arts. That's your job."

"'Yon lang, Mom?"

"It's not as easy as it sounds, lalo na kapag naging in-demand ang ginagawa mo. You also have to teach the staff para kahit wala ka, magagawa pa rin nila ang trabaho mo. I'll have them buy stencils for the design template. Just sketch something and we'll have the stencils cut out."

"Any design will do?"

Her mother nodded. "Make cat designs. Most of our customers love cats."

Lena wrinkled her nose. "But I don't like cats."

Her mother smiled. "Anak, hindi naman ikaw ang bibili. Do it for the customers."

"Can I do dogs as well? We might have some customers that like dogs."

"Fine. Make some dogs, too. Can you do something for the cheesecakes as well?"

"Sure! When will I start?"

--

Lena spent the whole afternoon and early evening at the shop. Umuwi lamang sila nang malapit ng maghapunan. She wanted to tell Cyrus about the experience, but she's still annoyed with him because of their conversation the last time. Ni hindi nga ito tumawag sa kanya noong umaga.

He must be angry. Well, so is she.

Why can't she be allowed to make guy friends? It's not as if she's going to replace him with anyone. Doesn't he trust her?

Sa kaiisip niya ay hindi tuloy niya mapigilang sumimangot habang kumakain.

"Delivery daw para kay Lena," entra ng kasambahay nila.

She got up before her dad had the chance to scold her for scowling at the food. Pagdating niya sa labas ay naghihintay ang isang delivery guy. May hawak-hawak itong mga bulaklak.

"Ma'am Lena?" Nang tumango siya ay iniabot nito iyong pipirmahan. "Pa-sign na lang po."

She signed the paper and thanked the delivery guy. Nang umalis ito ay tiningnan niya ang bulaklak. It has a note inside. It was definitely typewritten, but what's important is whom it came from.

Lena,

I know you said that you don't like flowers, but I hope you'll like this combination of lavender and baby's breath. They kinda look like branches with scattered leaves, don't they?

Anyway, I'm sorry for yesterday. Bati na tayo, ha?

I love you.

-Cyrus