Note: I know! Three years walang update. Haha. Sorry guys! Alam niyo namang busy ako. Lol. Inedit ko din pala yung Chapters 1 to 23. Inayos lang naman. So go re-read kung bet nyo!

CHAPTER 24

Pagkapasok ko sa condo mismo tumunog agad yung phone ko.

Ang daming notifs! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram at kung anu-ano pa. Home is where the wifi connects automatically kasi, ika nga nila. I scrolled through all notifs. Sobrang tempted ako na mag clear all kaso lang baka may mamiss akong importante.

And voila! May Viber text galing kay Reeve.

Reeve: Text me when you're home safe, Drei.

Reading that sentence made me smile. Ang cute niya talaga. Binalewala ko muna yung ibang notifs at nagtype ng reply.

Drei: I'm home.

Hawak ko lang yung phone ko at hinintay siyang magreply. Parang ewan na nakatunganga at naghihintay. Kaso hindi na siya online. I checked my watch and noticed that it was almost 3 PM. Sobrang aga pa sa London. He must still be asleep.

I dragged my suitcases to my room and started unpacking things. Yung mga maruruming damit, hiniwalay ko na. My new shoes, I quickly placed them on my shoe rack. Yung bags naman, nilagay ko agad sa glass case which housed all my bags.

Nang matapos na akong magligpit, my phone rang. It was MC.

"Hello?"

"Andreia!" she screamed. Inilayo ko ulit yung phone. "Nasa condo ka na?" she asked.

"Yep."

"Good! On the way na kami."

I laughed. "Namiss nyo ko?"

"Hindi naman. Gusto lang naming makuha yung pasalubong," sagot ni MC. Then, I heard Aubrey and Ellie's laughter in the background.

"Mga bruha!"

"See you soon!" MC said and then hung up.

- ☎ -

"So anong bago?" Aubrey asked after I gave them their gifts and we had some snacks.

"Wala naman," sagot ko. Naikwento ko na din naman sa kanila yung tungkol kay Reeve habang nasa airport ako at naghihintay ng flight. Napatigil ako. Speaking of flight...

"Ay meron pala," bawi ko. Nanlaki yung mata ni Aubrey. "Ano yun? Spill!"

"Mike was at the airport."

"OMG!" Aubrey shouted.

"What did that asshole want?" Ellie asked.

"He wanted to talk to me. But Ryan was there. Sinabi ng mama ko sa mama niya yung sched ko. He was there to pick me up," sagot ko.

Sobrang haba nanaman ng tili ni Aubrey ang narinig ko. Naikwento ko na din sa kanila ang tungkol kay Ryan. They actually knew him kahit na taga-ibang school siya. He was that famous.

"And then?" MC asked.

"They got into a fistfight."

"Whoah! Haba ng buhok mo, girl!" Ellie shouted.

"Oo nga! Parang teleserye, pinag-aawayan ka!" MC added.

I rolled my eyes. "Hindi ganon yon, guys. Kaibigan ko lang si Ryan. Kami na nga ni Reeve, di ba?"

"May Reeve ka na nga, may Ryan pa na naghihintay," Aubrey pointed out.

"Ikaw na!" MC added.

I shook my head. Hindi naman ganon 'yon. Napag-usapan na din naman namin ni Ryan to kanina. I've made it clear that we're just friends and he accepted that.

"We're really just friends. Nasuntok niya si Mike kasi mukha naman talagang naghahanap ng gulo eh. Mabuti nga nandoon si Ryan. Kung wala, eh di napilitan pa akong sumama kay Mike and that would have been super awkward."

"True," Aubrey agreed.

"Hay nako, wag na nga nating pag-usapan yang si Mike. He's such an ass."

"True," Aubrey repeated.

"So ano nang gagawin natin?" I asked.

"Pagod ka ba? Want to watch a movie?" Ellie asked.

"Nope! Tara!" I needed to fast forward time hanggang makausap ko na ulit si Reeve.

- ☎ -

After the movie, I found out that I had three missed calls and two text messages from Reeve.

Reeve: Babe, I'm here. How was your day?

Reeve: Busy?

Bago ko pa isinara ang pinto ay nagtype na agad ako ng reply.

Andreia: Nope. Just got home. Watched a movie with the girls.

Imbis na magreply si Reeve ay bigla nang nagring ang cellphone ko. Isinara ko yung pinto, kinuha agad ang earphones ko at pinindot yung 'Accept Call.' Video call pala. Biglang bumungad sakin yung pagod na pagod na mukha ni Reeve.

"Hey," bati ko. Seeing him again released butterflies inside my tummy.

"Hey, beautiful," he replied in a teasing tone. Pero kahit pa parang light ung tono niya, rinig pa rin sa boses nya yung sobrang pagod.

"You look tired," sabi ko.

He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it up even further. Napangiti ako. He looked so adorable kahit pagod. Ganito ba kapag kinikilig? Wala ng logic?

"Yeah. I worked all night," tugon niya.

Kaya pala hindi siya nakasagot sa messages. He was busy. My heart went out to him. I wished I was there to hug him.

"How about you? How was your day?" tanong niya.

"Good. Flight was delayed a bit. And then I unpacked and spent time with the girls. We hung out and watched a movie."

"Sounds great! No plans to go out tonight?" he asked.

Umiling ako.

"Good. By the way, is that 'Ryan' guy still hanging around?" Uh-oh. Biglang on-the-spot naman oh!

"He was waiting for me at the airport," pag-amin ko.

I saw him grit his teeth. His fingers combed through his hair again.

"You asked him to pick you up?" tanong niya.

"No. My mom told his mom about my schedule."

He scoffed. "Your mom likes him?"

I just shrugged. Ayoko nang palalain to. Baka pagsimulan pa ng away.

"I think your mom is trying to match you two."

Again, I shrugged.

"Stay away from him, Drei. I still haven't changed my opinions about him. He's bad news."

"Okay."

"Sounds like I have to chat with your mom too and update her on things. If I tell her we're together, I'm sure she'll like me more."

Ano daw? "Wait! Reeve, don't. Not yet. Let me tell her first."

Sa tingin ko, mali 'yong iniisip niya tungkol kay mama. Hindi siya magugustuhan nito. Papangaralan lang ako ulit kung gaano magkaiba ang mundo namin ni Reeve at hindi kami bagay sa isa't isa. Mom might also think that this is nothing serious and she'll just push me towards Ryan more.

Reeve sighed and leaned forward. Matagal kaming tahimik pareho. Walang nagsasalita.

"Fine then. I won't talk to your mom just yet. But please listen to me about Ryan."

"Okay," sagot ko.

"I don't want him anywhere near my girl." This time, I couldn't help it. I smiled. Siyempre kilig. I liked it when he called me his girl. I liked it when he said I'm his. Yung feeling eh yung tipong nakakapanlambot ng tuhod.

Sasagot sana ako but then he yawned.

"Sorry, babe. So tired."

"But you'll sleep now?" tanong ko.

Umiling siya. "I have to board a plane and go to Italy. I'm meeting my parents there," sagot niya.

"Oh." Iyon lamang ang tanging naisagot ko.

Hindi ko naman pwedeng idemand na magpahinga siya kasi napakarami niyang kailangang gawin. Again, this was Reeve's life. It was his world which was so different from mine.

"Please try and sleep on the flight," pakiusap ko.

He looked into the screen and it was as if he stared right at me. "I will. Don't worry, babe." He winked and I swear I just melted right then and there.

"Sorry I have to cut this short. I don't want to be late for that flight. But I'll text you when I can."

"Alright, talk to you again soon," sagot ko. Then, I blew him a kiss. Lumaki lalo yung ngiti niya and for a few seconds, parang nawala 'yong pagod sa mukha niya.

He coughed. When he spoke again, he sounded serious. "You're graduation is coming up soon, yeah?" he asked. I nodded. "I'll fly you here. And then we can be together. So it's see you soon, Drei."

I opened my lips to reply but her waved his hand and with one last smile, cut the call. Ibinaba ko na yung cellphone ko at tumingin sa labas ng bintana.

Malapit na nga yung graduation. Sana nga payagan ako ng parents ko na pumunta sa London. Maybe if I tell them na magiintern ako sa company nila Reeve, they'll allow me to go? Actually, good idea yung pagiintern. I can go to London with a purpose. I won't just be going there to see my boyfriend.

With that plan in mind, I opened my laptop and checked my calendar. Two months pa bago ang graduation. Two or three more months before I can see Reeve again.

That time can't come soon enough.

For now, balik long-distance.

And this time, it's official. We weren't best friends just trying to call each other anymore. Now, we're officially a couple.

And this is already officially a long-distance relationship. LDR for short.

**************************

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