Chapter 52
"So, what's my result? Movie date secured na ba?" tanong ko habang nakaupo ako sa malambot na sofa sa office niya. She was at her desk, facing her laptop, mukhang seryoso.
"Don't be that confident. I'm still checking it," sagot niya, hindi man lang ako tiningnan.
"Kahit 'wag mo na i-check. Alam ko namang perfect 'yan. Siyempre, ako 'yan eh," sagot ko habang nakangisi, trying to provoke a reaction from her.
Pero wala pa rin. Tahimik siya, sobrang focused sa screen ng laptop niya. Ako naman, nai-inip na. Ilang minutes na rin akong walang ginagawa kundi manood sa likod ng ulo niya.
"What's taking you so loooongggg," reklamo ko na may kasamang buntong-hininga. Sa inip ko, tuluyan na akong nahiga sa sofa, parang bata.
"Okay. The result is out," sabi niya finally, kaya agad akong napatayo. Lumapit ako agad sa desk niya, parang batang excited makakita ng regalo.
She started scrolling through the list of names, slowly. Tinitigan ko siya habang ginagawa niya 'yon, trying to read her expression.
"Ayan na, ayan na! Nakita mo na ba name ko?" tanong ko, halos idikit ko na yung mukha ko sa screen ng laptop niya.
Then she stopped scrolling. Napahinto rin ako sa paghinga for a second.
"There," sabi niya habang tinuturo ang pangalan ko.
I leaned in closer. Ayun nga. I got a perfect score.
"YES! Told you!" sabi ko sabay taas ng kamay ko na parang nanalo sa isang game show. "So what's the plan? Mamaya ba? Anong movie ang gusto mong panoorin? Ako na bahala sa popcorn," sunod-sunod kong sabi, sobrang excited.
Cynthia stared at the screen for a moment longer, eyes scanning the list like she was trying to triple-check if what she was seeing was real. Then she looked up at me, deadpan as ever—but I caught the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.
“You’re so annoying,” she said, voice laced with quiet amusement.
“I know. But I was right, wasn’t I?” I said, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet. “Perfect score. All answers correct. No erasures. You might want to frame my paper.”
“Don’t tempt me. I just might. I’ll hang it right here next to my stress management chart.” She gestured vaguely toward the whiteboard behind her, where someone had scribbled 'deep breaths, not death threats.’
I flopped back down on her sofa dramatically. “I feel like this calls for a celebration. Something low-key. Like a movie date. With me. Tonight.”
She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, still pretending to think about it. “You’re so confident.”
“Wouldn’t you be, if you just aced the exam you proctored?”
“That doesn’t sound legal.”
“I call it romantic,” I said, fluttering my eyelashes. “Forbidden academic love story.”
She groaned softly. “You're unbelievable.”
“I’m perfect. As you just saw. So—what time do I pick you up?” I looked at her with a grin.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she stood up and slowly walked toward me, each step deliberate, hanggang sa tumigil siya sa harap ko. Ako naman, nakahilata pa rin nang pabida sa sofa, parang artista sa teleserye.
Then she leaned down slightly, both of her hands resting on either side of the sofa cushion—one on the armrest and the other on the backrest just above my shoulder, effectively trapping me in place. I was cornered. Walang lusot.
Her face was close. Too close.
“Fine,” she said softly, eyes locking with mine. “Movie date. After work.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
“Unless you’d prefer to reschedule for next week?”
“NO. No. Absolutely not. Today. Tonight. I already have a dress in mind. I already have snacks in mind. I already know I’m gonna cry even if it’s a comedy.”
She smirked. “You’re not picking another movie with talking animals, right?” she said, walking back to her desk.
"Hey, cute naman 'yon ah." sabi ko.
"Whatever."
"Where's my kiss? Are you not proud of your girlfriend?" I asked, half-teasing, half-serious, eyes shining with the full force of my charm.
Cynthia tilted her head, amused but trying not to show it too much. “You want a kiss just because you got a perfect score?”
“Yes,” I said, standing up and walking toward her, slow and smug. “Because I got a perfect score and I’m adorable. You literally have no defense.”
She looked at me like she was trying very hard not to smile, which meant she was already smiling inside. “You're so full of yourself.”
“I’m full of love,” I corrected. “And I require immediate affirmation. Physical. Preferably on the mouth.”
She shook her head like she was about to scold me, but her eyes softened as I got closer, and closer, until I was right in front of her.
No more teasing.
Just.
.
.
waiting.
I saw her hesitate—just for a second—then she lifted a hand and placed it gently on the side of my face, thumb brushing over my cheek like I was made of glass.
"You really did well," she said softly.
I nodded, suddenly quiet. Her hand was warm. Her voice was softer than I was used to.
“And I am proud of you,” she added.
That was it. I broke. Whatever held my grin in place melted off my face completely.
Then she leaned in.
She kissed me first on the forehead, slow and careful, like she was grounding herself. I closed my eyes and exhaled. It was one of those rare forehead kisses that said more than five paragraphs ever could. Like I see you. I’m here. You’re safe.
And then—finally—she leaned down and kissed me on the lips. No teasing. No half-jokes. Just her and me and the quiet, still air in her office. Her lips were soft and warm, and it wasn’t rushed or shy—it was sure. She kissed me like she’d been waiting to do that all day but needed the right moment.
I felt it in my knees. I felt it in my lungs. Time stopped. I think I forgot my name.
When she pulled away, barely an inch, she stayed close. Her eyes searched mine, checking, reading, memorizing.
My voice came out so soft it almost wasn’t mine. “That was... very good performance feedback.”
She laughed under her breath and rested her forehead against mine. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But lovable.”
“Unfortunately,” she whispered.
I leaned forward and kissed her again, just once, and just as slow. This time, she smiled into it. And I could feel it—how much she was holding back, how much she didn’t say with words but gave away anyway. I felt her relax in that kiss. Felt her trust me with her softness, just a little more.
We stayed like that for another minute. No rush. Just hands brushing, hearts steady, breaths shared.
“I’m really proud of you,” she repeated, quieter this time, like it was just for me.
I leaned my head against her shoulder, grinning like a fool. “You’re gonna make me cry. You know I’m emotionally fragile.”
She chuckled. “You’re emotionally dramatic.”
“Same thing.”
Then she wrapped her arms around me. Fully. Tight. One of those slow, warm hugs that feel like home. I melted. Just melted. I would live in that hug if I could. I buried my face into the curve of her neck, inhaled the faint scent of her perfume—something clean and soft and steady. Just like her.
“You smell like a woman with a full inbox and no patience.”
“Shut up.”
“I love you,” I said without thinking.
She froze for just half a second—but not in a bad way. Just surprised. Then I felt her smile against my hair.
“I know,” she whispered.
I pulled back, eyes wide. “Wait, why didn’t you say it back?”
She smirked. “Because I’m going to say it later. When it’ll hit you harder.”
“Manipulative,” I whispered. “I respect it.”
She rolled her eyes and finally nudged me away. “Go. If you want this date, I need to finish my work.”
“Fine. But tonight, I want popcorn, your hand in mine, and you whispering sweet nothings into my ear while we pretend to pay attention to the plot.”
She smirked. “You’re so clingy.”
“I know. That’s why you like me.”
Pero hindi ako lumabas.
"Can I just stay? Wala naman kaming gagawin. Please? Hindi ako mangugulo, promise," I said, giving her the most pitiful puppy eyes I could summon. The kind that should be illegal in most states.
Cynthia looked at me, already tired, already defeated. “You are the disturbance.”
“I’m a cute disturbance.”
She sighed. That resigned kind of sigh that actually meant fine, stay, but I’m not admitting I like having you here. Then she gave the tiniest nod.
I lit up instantly. “Yay.”
I flopped back onto her sofa like I owned the place, hugging a pillow to my chest. She sat back down at her desk, trying very hard to act like she didn’t just agree to something against her better judgment.
But I wasn’t done.
“Cynthiaaaaaa,” I said again, voice sweet and sickening. “Can you sit with me? Just for five minutes?”
“You said you wouldn’t bother me,” she said without looking up.
“I lied. Please? Just five minutes. I need girlfriend energy to recharge. I’m emotionally starved.”
She paused. Then, without a word, she pushed her chair back, stood up, and walked over to the sofa with that usual calm, quiet energy that always made my heart do tiny little flips.
She sat beside me.
And that was it. I immediately curled into her side like a sleepy cat, head resting against her shoulder. She tensed at first—she always did, like she never quite got used to being held—but then her arm lifted and wrapped around me slowly, her hand resting on my waist, grounding, warm.
“You’re heavy,” she mumbled.
“I’m light as a feather and full of love,” I said into her shoulder.
She didn’t answer. But she didn’t push me off either. In fact, after a few minutes, I felt her fingers start tracing gentle circles on my arm. Absentminded. Soothing.
We sat there in comfortable silence, her office dim except for the glow of her laptop screen and the soft hum of the AC. My eyes were half-closed, basking in the warmth of her beside me, the quiet rhythm of her breathing, the rise and fall of her chest.
“Do you want to nap?” she asked softly, her lips brushing the top of my head.
“No,” I whispered. “I just want this. You.”
Her grip on me tightened slightly, just for a moment.
Then she spoke, even softer than before. “I like having you here.”
My heart exploded in seventeen directions.
I pulled back just enough to look at her. “You do?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me regret saying it.”
I beamed. “You love me.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“You do. You’re obsessed with me.”
She smirked. “I tolerate you.”
“That’s lesbian for ‘deeply in love.’”
She didn’t argue.
I leaned in and kissed her cheek, slow and lingering, then snuggled right back into her. “You’re stuck with me now.”
“I know.”
And with that, we stayed wrapped up in each other. She rested her cheek against my head. I closed my eyes and smiled.
No words. No teasing. Just the steady rhythm of hearts that knew exactly where they wanted to be.
I didn't even realize I fell asleep.
Pagmulat ng mata ko, ang unang nakita ko ay si Cynthia.
She was still seated on the couch, her laptop open beside her, fingers running through my hair in slow, soothing motions.
Her eyes were fixed on the screen, but there was a gentleness in her demeanor.
She always had this way of making everything feel.
.
.
safe.
“You’re awake now,” she said, her voice soft, like she wasn’t sure if she should disturb me just yet.
“Barely,” I mumbled, stretching out my arms, and then immediately curling back into her lap. I couldn't help it. Her warmth was just too much to resist. “What time is it?”
“Past five,” she replied, sounding a bit distracted but not in a rush to send me away.
I let out a dramatic sigh. “Ang tagal ko bang tulog?”
“About an hour and a half.”
“Ano?! Hindi ba dapat ako ginising mo?” I was already half-panicking, convinced I’d ruined everything by sleeping so long.
She chuckled softly, her fingers never stopping their gentle motions through my hair. “You looked peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.”
I blinked up at her, my face still buried in her lap. “You let me nap on you for that long?”
She nodded. “You weren’t a disturbance.”
“Aww, you like me, don’t you?” I teased, voice muffled by her thigh.
“I tolerate you,” she replied, no hesitation, no change in tone.
I snorted, then lifted my head just enough to peek up at her. “Okay, but really—how much do you like me?”
“I’m stuck with you, so I guess I’m gonna have to deal with it.”
“Deal with it? This?” I shot her a look, pretending to be offended. “Do you know what you’re missing out on? I’m perfect.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re so full of yourself.”
“Only because you love it,” I shot back, trying to maintain my smug grin, but she was right, her little teasing smile had already started cracking through my over-the-top confidence.
Suddenly, her lips twitched. She looked down at me, her fingers still slowly combing through my hair. “By the way, you drooled on me.”
My eyes went wide. “What?! Where?!” My panic shot through the roof as I immediately pushed myself up from her lap, ready to inspect my so-called crime.
“Right here.” She tapped the spot on her thigh where I’d been lying. “All soaked.”
I froze. “I—No! Cynthia! Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?!”
She chuckled, still completely calm. “I’m joking.”
“HUH?!” I stared at her, utterly betrayed. “Are you serious right now?! You let me think I drooled all over you?!”
She didn’t even flinch. “You didn’t drool. I just wanted to see your reaction.”
I huffed, thoroughly exasperated, but also… kind of relieved? “You’re evil.”
“And you’re dramatic.”
I gave her a deadpan look, making sure my dramatic flair was fully on display. “You’re killing me, Cynthia.”
She just looked down at me, now with that teasing smile playing at the corner of her lips. “I’m kidding, Sylvia. I swear, you’re impossible.”
But I couldn’t help but grin. “You can’t just mess with my heart like that! I’m emotionally fragile!”
She leaned back into the couch, exhaling softly, finally letting go of her amused facade. “Fine. You didn’t drool on me. Happy now?”
“Ecstatic,” I said, flopping back into her lap again, taking full advantage of the situation. “So, about that date tonight—still on?”
She glanced down at me, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not even dressed yet. How do you plan on being on time?”
I grinned up at her. “I’ll just wear my perfect self, and I’ll be good to go.”
“You really are full of yourself,” she said, but the fondness in her voice made me melt a little more.
I tilted my head to look at her, a hint of teasing still in my tone. “Come on, Cynthia. Don’t pretend you don’t love me.”
She smiled, the kind of smile that made her eyes soften.
"Do you love me?" I asked, nagpapababy. But she didn't answer.
I dramatically threw my hand over my heart, acting like her words had struck me down. “Ouch. Ang sakit mo. You don’t love me naba? Ganyan ka na ba talaga kasakit mag mahal?” I said, pretending to be on the verge of tears.
She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Stop being so dramatic. You know I love you.”
My heart skipped. “Really?”
She hesitated for just a second, clearly caught in the rare vulnerability I knew she didn’t like showing. But then she sighed, and the expression on her face softened, her eyes searching mine like she was considering whether she should say it out loud.
“I do. I love you,” she whispered, almost as if it was a secret she couldn’t keep anymore. She didn’t even wait for me to respond before she gently cupped my face, her thumb brushing over my cheek in that slow, soothing way she always did.
I felt my breath catch in my throat. That was all it took. The moment I’d been waiting for, the moment I didn’t know I needed until she said it.
I smiled so wide, I thought my face would crack. “I love you, too, Cynthia. I’m perfectly in love with you.”
“Perfectly, huh?” She raised an eyebrow, still teasing, but I could hear the warmth in her voice. She wasn’t holding back anymore.
“Perfectly,” I said, leaning forward, planting a soft kiss on her lips. It was slow and deliberate, the kind that made everything around us feel like it faded away—just her and me, our hearts tangled in this quiet, sweet moment.
When I pulled back, I smiled, soft and content, and rested my head on her shoulder. “I think I’m gonna have a hard time living without you.”
Cynthia didn’t say anything right away. She just wrapped her arms around me, pulling me closer as if my words unlocked something inside her. My head stayed on her shoulder, and I could feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, calm and steady, like the quiet between waves.
“You’re really annoying,” Cynthia said softly, her chin resting on top of my head.
Napatawa ako. “Grabe. Sweet moment na, tapos ganon agad?”
“But…” she added, her voice gentler now, “I think I’m getting used to you being here.”
My heart did a little flip. I lifted my head and looked at her. “Used to me, huh? That’s your version of a love confession?”
She chuckled. “It means I want you here. Always.”
I stared at her, letting her words sink in. Ramdam ko sa puso ko na totoo ‘yon. I reached for her hand, intertwining our fingers, resting them on her lap.
“I like this,” I said softly. “Yung ganito lang. Wala tayong kailangan patunayan. Just us.”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “Just us.”
"Wait, I have to see something outside the university. Can you wait for me here?" sabi niya habang kinukuha ang phone niya sa desk.
I nodded, kahit medyo bitin. “Sige, I’ll wait. Pero…”
I tilted my head at her, eyes playful. “Where’s my kiss before you go down?”
Napailing siya, pero hindi na ako pinatagal. She leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. The moment her lips touched my skin, napangiti ako agad, parang automatic response ng puso ko.
“Do you want me to come with you?” tanong ko, kahit alam kong ayaw niyang may kasama. I just didn’t want her to go alone.
She shook her head gently. “No need. I’ll be heading out now. Wait for me here, okay?”
I nodded again, this time softer. “Okay, ingat ka.”
She gave me one last glance, a small smile on her lips, then turned and walked toward the door. I watched her leave, the sound of her heels clicking softly against the floor echoing as she exited.
I was left alone in her office, the soft hum of her laptop the only sound filling the quiet space.
I stretched my legs out across the couch and fiddled with the corner of her throw pillow, my thoughts wandering.
I’d never really gotten a chance to look around here before.
It was cozy, in its own efficient, no-nonsense way.
Her desk was organized—too organized for someone who spent as much time at it as she did.
A neat stack of papers, a couple of pens and highlighters arranged in perfect symmetry.
There was a single picture frame on the corner, a shot of her with some friends, all smiles, looking far less serious than she appeared when she was in work mode.
I couldn't help but smile at how different she looked outside of her professional zone.
I turned my gaze to the bookshelf next to her desk, filled with an array of books—mostly academic texts, but there were a few novels mixed in.
I squinted at the titles, trying to make out some of the words.
Knowing Cynthia, she'd be the type to have something with dry humor or a plot twist that made you think. I reached out to pull one out, skimming the spine. The Catcher in the Rye.
I didn’t even have a chance to open it before I heard the faintest tap against the window, soft at first, then more insistent. I glanced up, confused for a moment. Then, the tapping grew louder and more distinct.
Rain.
I stood up from the couch, moving toward the window, my eyes narrowing as I saw the sheets of rain pouring down outside. I tapped my fingers against the glass, biting my lip.
Cynthia doesn’t have an umbrella.
I rushed to the door, throwing it open just as I grabbed my bag. My shoes were still halfway untied, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t let her get caught in this downpour. I took a few quick steps down the hallway and swung the door open, already scanning the area.
I rushed out of the office, eyes scanning the area for Cynthia. I had to make sure she didn’t get caught in the rain. As I stepped out, the cool breeze hit me, but there was something else in the air—a faint hint of rain, the kind that signals an impending downpour.
Sure enough, as soon as I turned the corner, I saw her.
But it wasn’t just her.
There she was, standing just outside the entrance, Theo beside her, holding an umbrella over her head.
My feet froze in place. Everything around me felt like it stopped moving. The world, the crowd, even the rain—it all blurred for just a second. My heart squeezed in my chest, that inexplicable knot forming in the pit of my stomach.
I stood there, staring at them for what felt like an eternity.
Theo—who, despite everything, had always been…
well, Theo.
Charming, funny, the kind of guy everyone always liked.
But right now, with his hand holding the umbrella over Cynthia’s head, something inside me twisted.
The image of them together, so casual, so close, made my chest tighten.
And there I was, standing at a distance, feeling like an outsider, like I wasn’t meant to be there.
I blinked and took a step forward, but my feet felt glued to the ground.
Why does this feel wrong? I whispered under my breath, but the words barely reached my own ears.
I had to remind myself: She’s with me now. That’s what mattered, right? But for some reason, seeing Theo there with her like that… it still didn’t sit well. It made something churn in my stomach, something deep and unsettling.
I didn’t call out to her.
I didn’t walk towards them.
Instead, I turned around quickly, my feet moving faster than my thoughts.
I had to get out of there, away from the scene I had just seen, away from that unexpected image of Cynthia with Theo.
I couldn't stand there, just watching them. It felt too much.
Think positive, Sylvia. The words repeated in my head, but they felt empty. Maybe she was just talking to him about something important. Maybe it was nothing. It could’ve been a random conversation, right? I tried to convince myself, but it was hard. Everything about that moment had felt wrong.
I didn’t even realize how quickly I made my way back to her office. One minute, I was standing outside, lost in my thoughts, and the next, I was already inside. I had walked in without even thinking, like my body had moved on its own while my mind stayed behind, stuck in that moment outside.
I sat down at her desk, my hands gripping the edge of it. I tried to steady my breathing, but it wasn’t working. I felt… off. Unsettled. It had only been a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.
I stared at the clock on her wall for what felt like forever, the seconds ticking by in slow motion.
Ten minutes.
Ten minutes of just sitting there, trying to calm down, trying to ignore the way my heart felt like it was in a vice.
I didn’t want to admit it, but the jealousy was gnawing at me.
And it hurt.
More than I wanted it to.
Then, the door opened.
I looked up, forcing a smile onto my face as Cynthia stepped inside, looking as calm and composed as ever. She closed the door behind her and gave me a quick glance, her eyes lighting up when she saw me.
“Where were you?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light, pretending like everything was fine. “Do you have an umbrella? It’s really coming down out there.”
She didn’t seem to notice the hint of something off in my voice. “Oh, I just had to pick up some important documents. And I borrowed an umbrella from the guard—don’t worry, I’m fine,” she replied, her smile bright, her eyes glistening as usual.
'I borrowed an umbrella from the guard'
Her words were simple, but they stung in a way I didn’t expect. I nodded, my mind racing. “That’s good,” I said, though it felt like a lie as it left my mouth. I tried to smile back, but it felt forced. It felt wrong.
Why does she have to lie like this? I couldn’t stop the thought from creeping into my mind. Why did she feel the need to say that? Why not just tell me the truth?
My chest tightened again. It was like the cracks in my heart were deepening, little by little, each time something didn’t add up. I could feel the weight of it all pressing down on me, suffocating me.
I fought to keep my composure, but the words got stuck in my throat.
I wanted to ask her why, ask her why she didn’t just tell me what was going on with Theo.
But instead, I just sat there, pretending everything was okay, pretending that I was fine with whatever was happening, even if deep down, it was tearing me apart.