If Only You Can Stay (BL/BXB)

XVII

“Why don’t you two stay here for dinner?” Auntie invited.

“Well, I have to text my husband about that tempting invitation.” She smiled at Auntie, pulled out her phone from her pocket and started typing from it.

“Ask him if he could join us too.” Aunt asked.

“He's doing overtime from work.” She told us.

Aunt just nodded in agreement.

“What?” I mouthed at Jace who had all smiles throughout the whole exchange. His smile was slowly turning me crazy.

“You looked like a duckling.”

“And you, you looked like . . . uhm . . . a gorilla with that broad shoulders that resembled one.”

“I think that's a compliment.”

“Then think of it as not.”

“Okay, thanks for the little praise. I’d like to take it like that.” 

“You do you.” I rolled my eyes at him. He was amused.

“Come on in you two. Stop the little banter already. It’s too cold for oldies like us.” Aunt called out as they were nearing the front door. We both jogged our way to catch up to them.

“What did Dad say?” He asked the lady.

“He just told us to buy him something on our way home.” She told him.

“Don't worry hon. I'll just give you some takeaways.” My Aunt gave her a little whisk of her hand.

“Really? That would be amazing. Everyone loved your cooking.” Jace's mother told her.

“Don’t worry I cooked more than enough for all of us.” Jace held the door for all of us and waited until we all got in before he entered the house.

“Such a cute cozy home.” Jace commented. I gave him a look and smiled.

“It is. When I came here just a couple of days ago, I found myself at home.” I smiled at the thought of my own home back in the Philippines. The chaos with my Ate as we played cards with popular cartoon characters printed on every part of the deck, the laughter from the living room whenever we watched comedy shows and screams at horror ones, this house made me feel like I felt those things inside here. Like those memories were somehow engraved here too.

“You, two. Dinner’s ready.” Aunt called out as she placed a large bowl of menudo on the table whose smell quickly filled the entire house. My mouth watered at the scent and I couldn’t contain myself. Without much thought, I found myself in the seats around the table trying to indulge myself at the pleasant aroma it contained.

“Already?” I asked.

“I didn’t know you had already prepared something beforehand.”

“Kinda, yes.” Aunt replied as she put another one of her dishes on the table. This time it was the all-time favorite pancit bihon.

“I thought you were just going to.” Jace’s Mom asked. I was amazed by how the food now in front of us had a very tempting smell like my instinct was telling me to try to indulge myself with them but my body was trying to hold me down like I was some rabid mammal with a rope around its neck.

“The apron didn’t give it away. Huh?”

“Yeah , I noticed it too but wasn’t expecting you to have already done with all of this.” 

“Dig in.” She announced and we all happily gathered around the table as all of us enjoyed the food she served. An hour later, I found myself by the doorframe fidgeting with my fingers and was admiring the boring floor.

“See you tomorrow then.”

“Okay. See you on campus.”

“No. No. I’ll give you a ride. This is just a few minutes away from ours.”

“Yup let him give you a ride.” His mother told me as he patted her son’s back and led the way outside.

“Yeah, so that’s it.”

“Thank you for the food, Auntie.”

“You’re welcome, pretty boy.” Jace chuckled at the compliment making him blush at the lady’s remarks about his face. Well, it’s true and he should take pride in it. If only he wasn’t just trying to steal my bracelet I would have fallen for him though we were just like two poles of a magnet. I didn’t know but something was trying to pull me to him and I needed to push him away before I regret everything.

“You, good?”

“Yeah, just go.” I turned his body towards the door and pushed him away from it.

“Wait, stop.” I didn’t know if he was trying to resist but his words were just the opposite of what his body was doing—went with the flow where I was pushing him. For sure, he could shove me with one swing. His arm was bigger than mine and he could just stand firm, hold his feet onto the ground and I would be just pushing a tree trunk or a cemented pillar or something.

“Okay, just see you tomorrow. I guess?” I told him. His mother quickly pulled him to her side and dragged him to his car.

“Wait, pizza place tomorrow after class. Would that work for you?” He shouted.

“I can’t promise.” I shouted back.

The ladies waved goodbye to each other. Jace did the same. His eyes fixated on mine with a smile on his face.

“Bye. Drive safely.”

I didn’t bother to bid them goodbye. In fact, I was torn on whether I would want to see him again or not. I was torn that if I got used to him being a nuisance, would I be okay if I came back home and everything back to what it was before?

But then, I found myself waiting on the front porch of the house, embracing the cold, standing here all alone for quite awhile now that I was switching on both legs where to put my weight, shoes tapping on the ground and not-so-patiently waiting for him. I was eager to face him again as if I missed him a lot.