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NNM: Final? Are you sure?

"And why are you smiling like that?" Mika asked shyly to the girl in front of her.

With hands on her jacket's pocket, Rachel could only help herself from forming a bigger smile. "Sorry, hindi pa nagsink in. Hindi ba dapat ako yung mahiya?"

"I'm not good with this, Rachel." Mika averted her eyes away, tapping her foot nervously on the ground.

Rachel took Mika's hand and intertwined it with hers. "We'll figure it out, babe"

Mika wanted to melt right on the spot.

She's all flirty but this— this is something she didn't really expect.

She's all talk, but now that their feelings is actually mutual— she just can't seem to function accordingly.

"May gusto ka ba today? Aside coffee?" Sinusubukan ni Rachel makipag-usap, even if she was out of words dahil sa sayang nararamdaman.

"Pizza?"

"Okay"

Hindi mabura ang ngiti sa labi ng dalawa. They were lovestruck.

Annoyingly lovestruck.

Umorder na sila ng solo pizza dahil magkaiba sila ng trip today plus the chicken wings and a smoothie for each.

"Mika"

"Hmm?"

"Sure ka? You like me too?" Rachel had to laugh. "Wala lang. Baka kasi namalik mata lang ako ng basa kahit ilang beses ko na binasa"

Mika had to chuckle too. She was so shy that she could only nod.

Chel poked her cheeks. "Kausapin mo naman ako. Parang ako dapat yung kinikilig ngayon pero ikaw yung hindi nagsasalita"

Tiningnan naman siya ni Mika, and now Rachel's melting because of those stares. She ended up hiding in Mika's arm.

"Shet, para akong teenager kung kiligin"

"I'm sorry" yan lang ang tanging nasabi ni Mika.

"This reminds me, pizza or you?" Kinuha naman ni Rachel ang phone niya at sinearch iyon sa inbox niya. "Pizza on you"

Umiling si Mika "Uyy sira ka!"

"Hindi ko sinabing iyon, I choose Pizza back then."

"Ako na pipiliin mo ngayon?" Tanong ni Mika na malapad ang ngiti.

"Feeling ko nasusuka na sila satin"

"Hala, ngayon lang nga tayo nag-usap" reklamo ni Mika. "Anyway, please choose me. It's my time to shine"

"Gaga" sabay tawa ni Rachel. "From here on, I will always choose you."

"Weh? Banana milk or ako?"

"Ikaw may gusto nun, hindi ako kaya you"

"Coffee or me?"

"Coffee with you"

Natawa nalang silang dalawa.

"I deleted my dating app na pala."

"Pano naman friends mo dun like Peter and Jovs?"

"I don't mind. Si Vic din, I don't mind. Di naman ako selosa"

"We should actually thank her. If not because of her. Hindi kita makikilala"

"Agree. You're actually talking na. Okay ka na? Comfy ka na?"

Mika pouted saka umiling. "I can't bring myself yet to get used to this."

"You don't have to para I can still tease you tapos mahihiya ka bigla. Makahiya yan?"

"Tse. Let's buy mom cake? Tapos uwi na tayo"

Tumayo naman si Mika at kinuha ang wallet nilang dalawa.

Back in her car after buying pastry for her mom, Rachel took her attention by saying words she wasn't ready to hear yet. In a sense that her heart might explode because of too much happiness. 

"Mika, I love you."

Mika planted her head on the steering wheel, hiding her smile and rosy cheeks from Rachel.

"Hihinga lang ako, wait" she breathe in and breathe out.

Rachel could only laugh and fall more for the woman in front of her.

"I hope you love me too kahit hindi mo kayang sabihin"

How can she if she was dying dahil sa kilig.

"I do. No doubt." Mika had the courage to say but— her heart was beating erratically.

Too much happiness if one may say.

She ended up having a fever.

"Hindi ako makapaniwalang nilagnat ka bigla" pabirong sambit ni Rachel habang pinipiga ang towel sa tabi ng kama ni Mika.

"Nakakalagnat pala kapag in love. Di ako nainform" nakuha pang magbiro ni Mika.

"I can't with you. Super weird mo"

"Mahal mo naman so okay na yun"

"Hmmm, I won't deny it coz I do. Kaya lang, you can't hug me in your sleep tonight. Mahuhulog yang bimpo mo"

Mika pouted. "Bakit kasi nilagnat" she whine.

"Cute mo. Magpahinga ka na. I would still be here tomorrow. Still yours tomorrow"

"Goodnight. I—"

"You— you what?" Rachel teased. "Wag mo na pilitin. Mamaya mag 40 pa temp mo."

Hinawakan naman ni Mika ang kamay ni Rachel.

Dumb as it may sound, but both felt content with that simple gesture.

*** End ***