Of (Heart)Beats and Bylines [Completed]

Chapter 23- The Present and the Past

Our kiss only lasted for a few seconds, five at most. It was a good thing because we broke off just in time before my hotel room door swung open.

"Samantha!" I exclaimed in surprise and a bit of embarrassment.

"Um... I thought I heard noises." Sam is looking a bit embarrassed too.

"It's okay. We are wrapping-up here," I said hurriedly. I can feel the blush rising up in my face.

"May kumagat ba sa yo? Or are you having an allergic reaction to something?" Sam asked RJ, moving her head forward to examine his face.

"Huh?" RJ asked in astonishment.

"Ang pula ng tenga mo. Pareho. As in."

RJ reached up to his left ear and rubbed it. "Ah, wala yan. But yeah, I was just about to leave. Goodnight ladies."

He moved his upper body towards me and was obviously having an internal argument on what move to do next. But he still ended up leaning forward to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"See you both tomorrow."

"Goodnight." Sam and I said in unison.

The two of us remained on the spot where we stood to see RJ out the elevator. It pinged and with one final look and wave, he stepped inside and disappeared from our view.

Samantha looked at me like she was suppressing a giggle. She moved aside to let me in and I stepped into the room and locked the door.

"Aiieeeeee!" Sam screamed, looking all giddy. In the two years I've known her, I never seen Sam like this. Not even when she told me stories before about her now ex-boyfriend.

"Nagkiss kayo?! You both looked guilty when I opened the door."

"Oo."

"Aiieeeeee!" Now the scream came from us both.

"Kayo na ba?"

I paused. I looked at her and became lost in thought.

"Hindi pa naman? I guess...?" Oh my God. It was our first official date and already, we kissed. Kung sa bagay yung iba nga they end up doing more. But I know for sure that a no-commitment arrangement is not for me-- too many repercussions.

"Bakit hindi ka sigurado?"

"Well... we admitted our feelings to each other but that was it. We are not official... not yet anyway."

Sam was quiet for a few minutes. "I agree. In a relationship, you have to be on the same page. You have to talk about it... your relationship status, I mean. Para klaro from both sides. So anung plano?"

"I need to get to know him just a liiiiiittle bit more." I said to Sam, gesturing with my thumb and forefinger with what looks like a tiny bit of space. "Remember what happened to John?" I reminded her.

"Si mayabang?"

"Exactly." I rest my case.

"Haaay." We both sighed.

"RJ doesn't strike me as arrogant. A bit of a klutz, yeah. But he's still an all-around nice guy."

We both chuckled remembering the times RJ tripped or hit something... or someone by accident.

"I'm happy for you," Sam said.

"Thank you, Sam." But more thoughts were streaming in my head. "Do you think it will be a problem in our offices?"