After their quick rush to meet at the mall, Claudine and Rico decided to explore more shops together. Rico had spotted a music store just across the food court and excitedly pulled Claudine along.
“Let’s check out the records!” Rico grinned, as he gently dragged Claudine by the wrist. He was always like that — so full of energy, always curious.
Claudine, still catching her breath from their rushed morning, laughed softly. “Okay, okay! I’m coming.”
The moment they stepped into the store, a soft melody filled the air. Shelves lined with CDs, vinyl records, and musical instruments surrounded them, creating an intimate and warm atmosphere. Claudine headed straight for the vinyl records, curiously browsing the classic albums while Rico strummed a guitar near the corner of the shop.
“You play?” Claudine asked, smiling at him as she walked over.
“A bit,” Rico shrugged. “I used to play more often when I was younger. But now… I don’t have as much time for it.”
Claudine’s eyes softened. She knew Rico had been dealing with a lot lately, especially after his parents’ separation. Music seemed to calm him, and she was happy to see him find some comfort in the familiar strums of the guitar.
Rico looked up and caught Claudine watching him. He smiled and softly played a few more notes, then set the guitar down. “We should get going,” he said, nodding toward the movie theater across the mall.
---
They picked a movie at random, mostly just wanting to spend time together. The movie was a lighthearted romantic comedy — two characters who met by accident, then slowly grew closer. Claudine didn’t think much of the plot at first. She sat comfortably beside Rico, her eyes focused on the screen, enjoying the simple story.
But as the film went on, Rico’s attention started to drift. One of the scenes caught him off guard. The two main characters, who had been strangers at the start of the movie, bumped into each other in a crowded bar, just like he and Claudine had when they first met.
Rico’s mind wandered back to that night.
---
Flashback: The Night at the Bar
It had been loud, with people laughing and chatting all around. Rico hadn’t been paying much attention to his surroundings until he collided with someone. When he looked down, there was Claudine, looking completely out of place in the busy, chaotic environment.
“Sorry!” she had said, her voice filled with nervousness.
Rico had smiled. “It’s alright,” he had replied, and they exchanged a few words before their lives began to intertwine in unexpected ways.
---
As Rico sat there in the dark theater, watching the fictional couple on the screen mirror their first meeting, his heart began to race. He glanced over at Claudine. She was fully absorbed in the movie, her eyes wide as she watched the characters go through their ups and downs. She didn’t notice the way Rico was staring at her.
For Rico, it was like time had slowed down. He suddenly realized how much had changed between them since that night at the bar. They had gone through so much together — both good times and difficult ones. Claudine had been by his side during his struggles with his parents, and she had always known how to make him smile, even when things were tough.
In that moment, something clicked in his heart. He didn’t just care for Claudine as a friend. There was something deeper there, something that had been growing quietly in the background without him even realizing it.
As the movie continued, Rico’s thoughts became louder and louder in his head. He thought about everything they had shared — their laughter, their late-night talks, the way Claudine always knew how to comfort him when he felt lost.
Looking at her now, sitting so calmly beside him, he knew one thing for sure: he didn’t want to lose her.
Even though he hadn’t fully admitted it to himself until now, Rico realized he had fallen for Claudine. And the thought of losing her, or watching her walk out of his life, felt unbearable.
He swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. "If everyone leaves me... it’s okay," Rico thought. "As long as this girl beside me... I’ll never let her go."
He wasn’t sure if he was brave enough to say those words out loud yet, but he knew it in his heart. Claudine was special to him — more than she knew.
---
Claudine glanced at Rico out of the corner of her eye. “Hey, you’re being quiet,” she said, nudging him with her elbow. “You okay?”
Rico blinked, pulled out of his thoughts. He looked at her and gave a small smile. “Yeah, I’m good. Just… thinking.”
“About the movie?” she asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. “You seem pretty serious for a romantic comedy.”
Rico laughed softly. “Yeah, I guess it just reminded me of something.”
Claudine smiled, satisfied with his answer, and turned her attention back to the screen. But Rico’s eyes lingered on her a little longer before he finally refocused on the movie.
---
After the Movie
As the credits rolled, Claudine stretched her arms above her head. “That was cute,” she said, turning to Rico with a smile. “What’d you think?”
“It was nice,” Rico replied, though he was still a little distracted by his own thoughts.
They left the theater and wandered back into the mall, the noise of the crowd greeting them once more. Claudine pointed to an ice cream stand. “Let’s grab something sweet before we go home!”
Rico nodded, grateful for the chance to just relax with her for a bit longer. As they waited in line for their ice cream, Claudine leaned against the counter, looking through her phone.
“You’re really something, you know that?” Rico suddenly said, his voice soft.
Claudine looked up, confused. “Huh? What do you mean?”
Rico shook his head, smiling slightly. “Just… you’re always here for me. I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you for that.”
Claudine blinked in surprise. “You don’t have to thank me, Rico. We’re friends. That’s what friends do.”
Rico’s smile grew. "Friends." The word echoed in his head. But he knew, deep down, that what he felt for her was more than just friendship.
They grabbed their ice cream and sat on a nearby bench, quietly enjoying the cold treat while the busy mall bustled around them.
As they sat there, Rico found himself staring at Claudine again, wondering when — or if — he’d ever be brave enough to tell her the truth about how he felt.
For now, though, he was happy just being by her side.
---
And that’s how the day ended. They had spent hours together, shopping, watching movies, and just being in each other’s company. For Rico, it was enough for now. He wasn’t sure what the future held, but he knew one thing for sure:
As long as Claudine was by his side, everything would be okay.
YOU ARE READING
10:45
FanfictionClaudine Barretto is heartbroken after the loss of her boyfriend, Rico Yan, who died peacefully in his sleep. Every night at 10:45, she can travel back in time to be with him again. In these moments, they share love and laughter, but Claudine must a...
