21

11:30

11:30PM Wednesday, March 02

"I'm on my way up, leave the front door unlocked na lang."

"It already is. See you in a bit, Shokoy."

Maine hangs up and tosses her phone onto the couch, then wanders out onto the balcony of her condo unit to catch her breath. Her not-quite-boyfriend is coming over for the first time to celebrate her birthday in a few minutes, and it feels like more than a couple butterflies are floating around in her stomach. Moments later, she hears the front door open and a deep, male voice call out,

"Meng? San ka?"

"Out here on the balcony!" she calls back. "Ang sarap ng hangin."

He pokes his head out from behind the sliding door. "Hey you," he greets her, flashing his famous dimpled smile. "Tamang tama. Look what I brought."

"O ano yan?"

"Snuggling essentials," he proudly declares. "I want to kiss you under the stars right as the clock strikes midnight. So we're staying out here sa balcony."

She smiles, impressed. "You always think of everything." And he really does, too. He never seems to run out of surprises, which is a surprise in itself since she had always pegged him as the predictable type. She was glad to be proven wrong.

"Only when it comes to you," he shrugs. "Anong oras na?"

"11:45." She kneels on the thick picnic blanket he spread out and helps unpack the box he brought. "Uy, may dala ka ring pagkain? Okay, now you're spoiling me."

"Not nearly enough, Maine." His light, casual tone suddenly turns serious. "You deserve so much more. I hope one of these days you finally believe that."

She rests back on her heels and tilts his face up to look into his eyes so he knows she means what she says. "I'm getting there. You make it hard not to believe." He smiles again, satisfied, and she basks in the warmth of his gaze.

"11:55. Alright birthday girl, dito ka sa tabi ko. I want to usher in your 21st with you in my arms, your heart against mine and my lips on yours."

She grimaces ever so slightly, still not used to his sometimes overwhelming earnestness. "I see you didn't forget the cheese."

"Ako pa ba, Meng?" he laughs, not offended at all. He pulls her close—planting his feet on either side of her—wrapping his arms around her—and she leans against his chest, the heat from his body seeping into her back. They fit together perfectly.

"I could get used to this, Tisoy." She wishes they could stay like this forever.

"Hmmm? Get used to what?" He rests his chin on her shoulder and breathes deeply, inhaling the clean scent of her hair.

"Feeling this special, this important..." she hesitates, then adds, "Loved, like I really matter."

"Because you are and I do." They sit together in contented silence until the alarm on his phone goes off, shattering the peacefulness of the night.

"12 na," she says. She is 21.

"Happy birthday, Nicomaine," his voice is low and husky. "I love you." Then he lowers his face to hers and kisses her sweetly.