Usually, kapag wala siyang masyadong tulog nang nakaraang gabi, nakasimangot si Mona pagpasok kinabukasan. Usually.

But last night wasn't a usual night. She spent very little time sleeping, but she would never complain. She wouldn't change anything about last night.

Isa siya sa ilan sa masiswerteng taong natipuhan din ng crush niya. Some don't even get to talk to their crush. She had more than a conversation with hers.

Hindi siya sigurado kung 'yong pagkakaroon niya ng crush kay Felix ang nagbigay ng kakaibang kulay sa nakaraang gabi. But the deed was different with him. It was delicate and yet rough at the same time. They both sated each other's needs, but she didn't feel offended or shamed.

It was just sex, it was not making love. Malinaw naman sa kanya 'yon. Making love requires love between two people, not just flesh against flesh, but soul against soul.

What they did last night has no love, only carnal need. And yet... it didn't feel like it was just that.

She was so insecure with her body at the beginning, but he made sure to make her feel comfortable and at ease. Hindi nito ipinilit nang hindi pa siya handa. He waited until she's mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared. At hindi kalaunan, nakalimutan na niya ang lahat ng takot.

As loud and obnoxious he may seem to some, he was gentle and considerate.

If only he didn't have Andrea...

Bumuntong-hininga siya. He made it perfectly clear that it was just an act with both their consents. Hindi naman siya nito pinilit. Gusto rin naman niya. And yet, deep inside her heart, she wants it to mean something else for him too.

He quickly became her almost, on the brink of something beautiful, but wasn't quite there yet, and may never go there, if the circumstances don't go according to their favor.

Napatigil siya sa madramang pag-iisip nang biglang may kumatok sa bintana ng kotse niya. It was Ralph, smiling.

Kapaparada pa lamang niya ng sasakyan sa tabi ng shop. Kumaway ito.

She lowered the window.

"Morning, Boss!" nakangiti nitong bati.

"Morning."

"Parang ang ganda ng gising mo, Boss. Blooming ka."

Pinaningkitan niya ito. Ralph wasn't usually easy on compliments.

"Mangungutang ka ba?"

Tumawa ito. "Grabe, Boss. Utang agad? Hindi ba pwedeng magpapaalam lang para mag-early out mamaya?"

Lalong naningkit ang mga mata niya. Kinuha niya ang bag saka lumabas ng sasakyan.

"Bakit? Saan ka na naman pupunta?"

Napahimas ito sa batok. "E, Boss kasi... birthday ng girlfriend ko..."

"May girlfriend ka pala?" taas-kilay nyang tanong. "Kelan pa?"

"Last week lang."

"Last week pa pala tapos hindi mo man lang kami in-inform?" tanong niya.

Ralph opened the back door first before answering, "E, kasi wala ka pang love life last week. Nakakahiya naman kung ipangalandakan kong meron na 'ko tapos ikaw, wala."

"Ay wow! Salamat sa consideration ha!"

Natawa ito. "Meron naman na ngayon so I figured na okay nang sabihin."

"Under negotiation pa naman 'yong sa 'kin."

Hindi niya alam kung may patutunguhan sila ni Felix. Masarap mangarap pero mahirap umasa. What they did was just for one night. And who knows? Maybe after what happened, hindi na rin ito magpakita sa kanya. He already got what he wanted, anyway.

--

They began working right after changing into their work clothes. Hinayaan na rin niyang mag-early out si Ralph. Hindi naman siya mahigpit na boss. Ayaw rin niyang maging hadlang sa kaligayahan ng mga empleyado niya. Baka masabihan pa siyang bitter.

But she got slightly concerned when Tess didn't show up for work. May ilang minuto kasing pwedeng ma-late ang mga emplyado niya. Bumabawi naman kasi ang mga ito sa trabaho. But Tess did not call or text her to let her know that she's going to be late.

"Si Tess?" tanong niya sa mga kasama.

"Naka-leave," sagot ni Tatay Ben. "Birthday nya, di ba?"

Something in her just clicked. Nang tingnan niya si Ralph, nakatingin na ito sa kanya. It's as if he's just waiting for her to catch up.

"Kayo?!"

Alanganin itong ngumiti. "Last week pa lang naman."

"Grabe kayo! Naka-one week na kayo, wala man lang akong kamalay-malay!"

They used to tease those two before, no'ng bago lang si Tess. Tapos kalaunan, nagsawa na rin sila. The two became friends. Akala naman niya, hanggang doon lang. This came as a surprise to her since professional naman ang dalawa. Wala siyang na-detect na paglalandian.

"Nahihiya kasi sa 'yo 'yong dalawa. Sila may love life, ikaw wala," ani Tatay Ben.

"Pero meron ka naman na, Boss," sabat ni Ralph. "Dalawa pa nga, e."

Hindi niya alam kung ikatutuwa ba niya iyon. Dalawa nga, pero 'yong isa, mukhang walang planong seryosohin siya at iyong isa pa, hindi niya kilala at parang ayaw na niyang kilalanin.

Iyon na nga siguro ang pambawi ng universe. Never siyang naging swerte sa lalaki.

--

Paspasan si Ralph sa pagtatrabaho. He managed to finish the sculpture that he was working on before lunch. Pagkatapos noon, itinuon naman nito ang atensyon sa pagtulong sa paggawa ng sugar flowers na idi-decorate niya sa wedding cake na idi-deliver kinabukasan.

He was so dedicated with his work that she decided to let him go home after finishing the sugar flowers.

"Pakisabi kay Tess, happy birthday," pahabol niya bago ito umalis.

Ralph smiled and quickly headed to the stairs. Kasalubong nito ang manager ng bakeshop.

"Mona, may bisita ka."

Napakunot ang noo niya. May sinabi ba si Baste na dadalaw ito? Wala kasi siyang maalala.

"Sin—"

"Hi!"

Lumitaw si Felix mula sa likuran ng manager niyang napakamakahulugan ng tingin sa kanya. Kumakaway ito. Not that she's complaining, but what was he doing in the bakeshop? Wala naman itong sinabing dadalaw ito. Baka magpapalibre ng cupcakes?

Agad itong nilapitan ni Tatay Ben para i-welcome sa workroom nila. Ang manager naman ay tumabi sa kanya at pinisil-pisil ang taba niya sa tagiliran.

"Sya ba 'yong naka-date mo kagabi?" pabulong nitong tanong. Impit itong kinilig nang tumango siya. "Ay, may laban! Akala ko Team Baste na ako, e."

Natawa siya nang mahina. "Gwapo ba?"

"Jusko, Girl! Anong shampoo gamit mo?"

"Dove, Beh. Switch to Dove ka na, baka magka-love life ka rin," natatawa niyang sagot.

Tatay Ben introduced Felix to everyone, but she had a feeling that they already knew him. Aliw na aliw ito sa panunuod sa ginagawa nila. At home na at home ito. Nanghihingi pa ng mga ritaso ng cake para kainin!

"Napadalaw ka?" kaswal niyang tanong nang sa wakas ay makalapit ito sa kanya.

"May lakad ka mamaya?" He picked a piece of fondant and ate it.

"Wala naman. Bakit?"

"Sa bahay mo uli ako magdi-dinner."

"Makikikain ka na naman?" Kunwari annoyed pero sa loob-loob niya, tuwang-tuwa siya. May round two!... yung dinner date.

"Ako naman ang gagastos, e."

She rolled her eyes. "Pero ako naman ang magpapakapagod sa pagluluto. Haynako."

Dumikit ito sa kanya, yumuko, at bumulong. "Ayaw mo?"

Kitang-kita niya ang mga matang numakaw ng tingin sa kanilang dalawa. Nagpalitan ng makahulugang tingin ang mga empleyado niya, nagti-tsismisan telepathically.

Siniko niya si Felix para lumayo ito. "Tsk. Oo na," kunwari'y napipilitan niyang sagot.

Ngumiti ito at binigyan siya ng halik sa pisngi. "Good. I'll see you later."

Pagkaalis nito ay saka siya pinaulanan ng tukso. Kahit anong paggagalit-galitan ang gawin niya, hindi pa rin mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi niya. Iba talaga ang dating ni Felix sa kanya. She doesn't know what it is with him, pero para siyang teenager kung kiligin dahil dito.

--

Wala pa mang alas singko ay pinaaalis na siya ng mga empleyado, maya't mayang ipinaaalala 'yong date nila ng 'gwapong hunk na malakas ang boses'.

"Umuwi ka na. Magpapaganda ka pa," tudyo ni Tatay Ben.

"Maganda na 'yang si Boss, 'di na kailangan ng beauty rest," sabat naman ng isa.

"May kailangan ka rin sa 'kin, 'no?"

Tumawa lamang ito.

"Seryoso, 'Nak, umuwi ka na. Kaya na namin dito."

"Tatapusin ko lang po 'yong cake."

"Ayos na." Kinuha nito ang piping bag mula sa kamay niya. "Kaya na naming tapusin 'to. Umuwi ka na."

Well, the cake is almost finished. Ralph finished all the sculpting. Tapos na niya 'yong sugar flowers. 'Yong ibang elements sa cake, kaya nang gawin ng iba. So she really has no excuse. Pwedeng-pwede na siyang umuwi.

Ganoon naman madalas. Maluwag lang talaga ang schedule nya tuwing gabi kaya nag-stay na lang sya sa bakeshop. Mas mabuti na 'yong magtrabaho at magparami ng pera kesa umuwi nang maaga para mag-isa sa bahay niya. It's better that she's tired so when she goes home, matutulog na lamang siya.

But now, someone's eating up all her free time. It's just a bit weird.

Nagpalit na siya ng damit at nagpaalam sa mga kasama. In less than 30 minutes, nakauwi na siya ng bahay. Madalian siyang naglinis ng katawan at ng bahay. Felix didn't tell her what they'll be having for dinner, so it might be a surprise. With him, it could be anything. Hindi naman kasi ito pihikan sa pagkain.

Pasado alas sais ng gabi nang dumating ito, bitbit ang dalawang ecobag ng pinamili nito.

"Are we throwing a party? Bakit ang dami mong binili? Ano'ng lulutuin ko?"

"Gutom kasi ako nang nag-grocery," nakangisi nitong sagot.

They placed all the ingredients on the table. May karneng manok, may cut ng steak, may isda...

"Seryosong tanong, lulutuin ko lahat 'to?"

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "I don't know what I want to eat kaya binili ko na lang lahat. Ikaw na ang bahala kung ano'ng gusto mong lutuin."

Napasapo siya. Good thing she can cook. Mabuti ring lumaki siya sa isang pamilyang mahilig magluto at kumain. At least, na-prepare siya sa mga ganitong sitwasyon.

She took the chicken and the fish and put them in the freezer. Naglabas siya ng butter, garlic, at herbs. Inihanda ang canola oil. She also readied the potatoes for peeling.

Maybe she was preoccupied with the dish kaya hindi niya narinig na magsalita si Felix. His words didn't register, but she heard his voice. Napatigil siya sa ginagawa nang maramdaman ang pagyakap nito.

Okay. So she was game with flirting and everything that it ensues, but this... she wasn't prepared for this. A back hug is something intimate, something only people who feel a certain way about other people do this kind of thing.

"Why?"

"Nothing. I just feel like doing it."

"Ay... pa-fall!" biro niya.

Tumawa naman ito. Hinalikan siyang muli sa pisngi, na nagpakabog naman sa dibdib niya. Why does he do that? Sinasadya ba nito iyon? Does he knowingly cross his boundaries to know how far he can go?

Uminit nang uminit ang mga halik nito. Siya naman ay unti-unting nanlambot ang mga tuhod. His kisses reached her lips and her responses kept the flame alive.

She forgot about the food. He forgot about his hunger. And they sated their other needs.

Matapos ang ilang oras, masyado na silang pagod at gutom para kumilos. So, they just ordered food. Doon pa sana planong makitulog ni Felix, kaso bigla itong tinawagan ni Bullet.

"Sorry, I had to—"

Agad siyang tumango. "Go lang."

Ngumiti ito at masuyo siyang hinalikan. "Thanks for the dinner."

Tumawa siya. "Thank you. You paid for that."

Inihatid niya ito hanggang sa sasakyan.

"Kelan ka uli pwede?"

"Just ask. I-schedule kita," pabiro niyang sagot.

"Wow. Hectic ba?"

"Hindi naman."

Sumakay ito ng kotse at ibinaba ang bintana. "Good night, Mona."

"Good night."

Hinintay niyang mawala sa paningin ang sasakyan bago siya pumasok sa bahay. And she had to remind herself again that this is not what she was hoping for. It just seems like it, but it's not the real thing.

It's not the real thing, Mona, she told herself. Don't you ever forget that.