"Hi Besh!" Den said when she saw Ella sitting on her bed, "wait, I'm late na nga pero wala pa rin si Alyssa?"she asked.
"Surprised ka te? I said 5pm kasi 6pm pa talaga knowing Alyssa, mas mabagal pa ata sa pagong," Ella answered. Natawa naman si Den and nodded in agreement.
She lied beside Ella, "besh, inaantok ako," Den said.
"Sleep, I'll wake you up later na lang when Ly arrives," Ella said.
"Okay," Den answered. She was about to close her eyes when she remembered something, "ay besh, remember when we first met Alyssa?"Den asked.
Napaisip si Ella, "ACET, right?"
Den nodded, "yup, she was behind me and she let you cut off the line, lol," Den said.
Ella chuckled, "I think she got scared when you glared at her."
"Hoy, I didn't! I politely asked kaya."
"You being polite, what a joke," Ella teased.
Den rolled her eyes, but smiled after, "wow, it's been a decade since we became friends, time flies huh?"
"Ang soft," Ella said, "but yeah. Hindi ka pa rin ba naniniwala na bagay kayo ni Ly?" Ella asked then followed with a loud laugh.
"Hay nako, that agenda of yours and our other friends of pairing me with Ly."
"Di nga, Den, never in that 10 years that you thought you might be really in love with Ly pero hindi mo lang marecognize totoo mong feelings?"
"I already thought of that Ells, pero I know what I feel and what I feel for her is purely platonic."
Ella scoffed, "platonic."
"Tatanong tanong tapos ayaw maniwala," Den said. Ella raised both her hands as a sign of surrendering the argument.
They fell silent, almost 6pm na pero wala pa rin si Ly.
Napatitig si Den sa ceiling.
"Alyssa!" Den shouted when she finally saw Alyssa na kanina pa niya hinahanap. They both lost each other sa crowd.
Alyssa quickly went to her and hugged her, "shit, Den! I thought I lost you!" takot na sabi ni Ly.
Den was surprised on how worried Alyssa sounded, she smiled and hugged Ly back, "ano ka ba, you'll not lose me," she answered. She just felt Ly nodded.
Buong gabi niya inasar si Ly because of what happened, at puro pout lang nakukuha niya from Alyssa.
"Anyare dyan?" Ella asked when they arrived at the dorm.
"Napikon na ata sa'kin," natatawang sabi ni Den, we kind of lost each other sa crowd kanina and she was hella worried and then inasar ko."
"Worried na nga inasar mo pa?" Ella asked.
"Mismo, Ells!" pag-agree ni Ly na ikinatawa ni Den.
"She looks cute," Den mouthed to Ella. Ella just shook her head.
They're now ready to sleep, at hindi pa rin namamansin si Alyssa.
"Ly, uy, di mo talaga ako papansinin?" Den asked.
"Bukas na daw, Den," pang-aasar ni Ella, "matulog na tayo. Goodnight girls."
"Good night Ells," Ly answered that made Den whine.
"Ang daya, si Ella pinapansin," Den said, she didn't get a response from Ly kaya pinagpatuloy na lang niya yung skincare ritual niya before going to bed. When she was done, she looked around and yung lamp na lang niya yung naka-on, she turned it of and went to...
Alyssa's bed.
"Tabi tayo," bulong ni Den.
"Den ano ba," bulong ni Ly.
"Dali na kasi, usod," Den said, wala naman nagawa si Ly but to follow.
It's dark but Den can still see Alyssa's face.
"Ly," she whispered, "galit ka pa rin?"
Ly didn't open her eyes at hindi sumagot.
"I'm sorry, I was insensitive for teasing you, I was trying to cheer you up, you looked so worried," Den explained, "but yeah, I guess wrong move."
Ly sighed before opening her eyes and looked at Den.
"Den," she called.
"Hmm?"
"Never in my life I would want to lose you," Alyssa said seriously, "call me OA but the fear I felt earlier was really intense, kaya please," Ly said, and caressed her cheek, "please always stay," Alyssa said, her voice sounded so calm yet pleading.
Den moved closer kay Ly, she leaned her head against Alyssa's, "I always will."
"Besh," Den said when she felt something inside her shifted after remembering that memory, she suddenly felt nervous, and her heart is beating loudly.
"Why?" Ella asked.
Suddenly, all of Alyssa and her memories together flashed back to her, all the laughter and smiles they shared, their fights, and every little thing she thought didn't matter.
And then suddenly, she had a fast forward. Of wanting everything and doing everything with Alyssa.
"Besh," Den called Ella again.
"Ano ba yun, besh?" Ella asked.
The door opened, Alyssa entered with a smile on her face upon seeing Den first.
For Den, it was a slow-mo.
And Den knew what it was.
She's in love.
