Until the End | SB19 Sejun [SB19 Series Prequel]

6

September 2017

Gab's POV

September came and every time I wake up, I get more and more anxious.

Time seemed to move faster when you're dreading something. In my case, it was my board exams. I have labored and toiled every single day for this moment and yet, I was still not ready.

Paulo's birthday came two days before my second weekend of examinations. As much as Paulo wanted me to stay in my apartment and urged me to focus on the board exam, I wanted to celebrate it with him and his family. It would be the first time we get to celebrate it as a couple.

Paulo had begged me to stay at home. I had begged him to allow me to go out and enjoy his birthday. In the end, I wore him down.

Paulo told me that his guests would just be friends and family. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and their house was filled with guests- too many guests.

"Oy, eto na ba yung gerlpren mo, Pau?" an elderly lady asked him.

I stood there, not sure what to do. What should be the etiquette during these types of gatherings? I should have Googled it before we arrived. I was clueless. I was never introduced to my exes' families before so I never knew how to behave.

Paulo chuckled and did Mano po. "Hello, Tita Baby. Opo, girlfriend ko po. Tita, si Gab. Gab, si Tita Baby, eldest nila mama," Paulo explained.

I did mano po as well. "Hello po, Tita Baby," I greeted.

"Ay naku. Ang gandang bata," she gushed. I blushed. Thanks, Tita Baby.

"Of course," Paulo whispered in my ear. I elbowed him. He was making me blush even more.

"Gab! Come here, meet the family," Tita Grace called out to me.

Tita Grace introduced me to a lot of people that I had a hard time remembering all their names. It was a rather long night but I was not worried. I would get to know all of them soon.

Char. Confident.

Paulo's birthday was one of the happiest days of my life. It was nice to be accepted by your boyfriend's family. It somehow gave me the right to fantasize about our future- a wedding, kids- the works.

After Paulo's birthday, I was back to reviewing for my exams. Before I knew it, my exams were over and I was anxiously waiting for the results. Five days after my examinations, word spread that the results would be posted tonight.

Cue in suspenseful music. Dum dum dum dum dum.

Tonight is the night!

I paced back and forth in my tiny apartment as Paulo sat in front of my laptop, anxiously waiting for the results of my board exams.

"Is it posted?" I kept on asking him every five minutes.

His answer was the same every single time. "Not yet."

I sat down on my bed. The anxiety was eating me alive, churning my internal organs inside out. I wanted to vomit. I could feel the nausea building, threatening to spill my dinner out.

Paulo handed me a mug of warm milk. "This should keep you calm," he said.

"Thanks," I accepted the mug, my fingers trembling. I sipped a tiny bit of the liquid. It was a good thing I did not drop the mug. I tried to control my thoughts. I would pass, right? I did everything that I could to pass. I mean, I studied hard, like a madman. Errrr, madwoman.

I set the mug on the bedside table. My hands were shaking so bad.

"Hey," Paulo sat down beside me, taking my shaking hands and squeezed. "I'm confident you'll pass."