Niko rushed back to his apartment just as the final siren of the curfew sounded. He immediately took a shower and went online to check if Riki was online. She wasn't.
Riki was sitting her dark apartment watching Niko. She was happy to have finally met him in person but she was also a little unsure because it was the first time she's ever done something like this.
The smile on Niko's face slowly faded as he closed his laptop and shut off the lamp on his desk. "Was it too soon?" He thought as he huffed, glanced at the dark window, and walked into his bedroom.
---
"Sino yung kasama mo pauwi?" Ina messaged Riki. Riki was now in bed.
"Huh?" She pretended not to know what Ina was asking about.
"Yung kasama mo pauwi. Sabi ni Jake, may kasama ka daw pauwi kanina galing sa facility."
"Nagkasabay lang siguro kami"
"Ah."
"Nakauwi ka naman before the curfew?"
"Dito na muna ako matutulog kay Jake"
"Ina!"
"Naabutan ako ng curfew e. Mas malapit yung bahay ni Jake sa facility kesa sa bahay ko." Ina explained. "Jake will be sleeping in the living room. Bago yung sheets nya dito sa bed nya."
"Sigurado ka?"
"Actually..."
---
"H...hello?"
"MARIA KATRINA GISELLA SAN VICTORES!"
"Di mo naman sinama yung Atendido para buong-buo na. Para ka naman si Sister Eva e nung high school tayo e"
"Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo dyan sa bahay ni Jake? Akala ko ba sabi mo hindi pa kayo."
"Hindi nga. Pero papunta na kami dun. Diba nga sabi ko sa yo, pagnatapos tong quarantine, sasagutin ko na sya?"
"Ay ewan ko sa yo. Pag ikaw nagkasakit dyan."
"Healthy kami pareho"
"I just want to warn you. Mahirap na magkasakit lalo na ngayon. Delikado"
"I know. I know. Thank you sa concern. Eh ikaw?"
"Anong ako? Andito ako sa apartment ko." Riki said as she flipped her camera to show Ina her bedroom.
"Teka..."
"Ano?"
"Bakit parang ang gulo ng desk mo?" Ina noticed the materials on Riki's desk. She knew her friend was a stickler for order and cleanliness. This time, there was an assortment of things on her table.
"Bakit?"
"Anong bakit? DI naman ganyan ichura ng desk mo dati ah"
"Ah. Diba sabi ko sa yo tina-try ko gawin yung mga crafts na nasa mga pinboards ko sa Pinterest?"
"Sinabi mo ba yun?"
"Nakalimutan mo na?" Riki said although she never mentioned anything of the sort to Ina. She only told her friend that she had shared her pinboards with Teacher Nyx. Everything else that happened between them since they "met" and spoke to each other was a secret.
"Hmmm"
"Pagod lang yan." Riki reasoned.
"Siguro nga. O sige, good night na. Maaga pa ako gigising bukas para makabalik sa apartment ko"
"Okay. Call me kapag nakabalik ka na sa bahay mo."
"Yes Mother Superior."
"Sira! Pero seriously, hindi kita isusumbong sa pamilya mo now pero pag naulit yan, lagot ka sa akin!"
"Opo."
"Bye!"
"Goodnight, bye!"
---
Riki got up from bed and went to the kitchen to get a class of water. She got her laptop to check her emails. She went back to her bedroom and turned on her computer.
It was a good thing it was Sunday the next day so there wasn't really any rush to accomplish anything. Niko got up from bed and got ready to tune in to mass on his computer. He ran a 'list' of what he wanted to do for that day – do laundry, clean house, prepare for his work week. He stepped out of his bedroom and glanced at the window like he always did. Riki's window had some of the art work that she 'copied' from his classes; however, there was a 'new' piece that he didn't really notice before.
Niko went straight to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast then sat down on the sofa facing the window. Only then did he notice that it was a 'note' that was stuck on Riki's window.
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