Yuri's POV
SHe was quiet, and so was I.
I was still waiting for my order. I had been here for a while. I even arrived before her.
I saw everything. I was just really annoyed at those women. They acted like they were VIPs, as if they had the right to judge others.
But this was also Jay's fault. If she hadn't acted so recklessly, this wouldn't have happened.
"Hey! What's your deal?" she asked me.
"Nothing."
"Are you high?"
High? What does that mean? Where does she even get these things she says? The only "high" I know is when something explodes.
"What is 'high'?" I asked.
"Like taking drugs or weed," he casually replied.
I shot her a glare. "Hell no! Don't ever say that again! If someone hears you, they'll actually think I'm an addict! I could get killed for that!"
He suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahaha... You're so dramatic."
"Tss."
My order arrived—an Americano and three different flavored muffins for us.
"Eat," I said, pushing the plate toward Jay.
Even though she looked confused, she accepted it. Suddenly, the café's background music changed.
But my attention was still on Jay-jay.
🎵 "Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you
I drink too much and that's an issue
But I'm okay..." 🎵
She looked so innocent. A bit boyish, but still cute.
There was no trace of problems on her face. And she was ready to fight for herself and her friends—not all girls can do that. She also wasn't as fussy as others.
🎵 "I know it breaks your heart ,Moved to a city in a broke-down car
And four years, no call, Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I, I, I, I, I can't stop
No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop..." 🎵
"Why?" I asked suddenly.
She looked at me and stopped eating. "Huh?"
"Why did you do that for Ci-N?"
She smiled. A sweet smile.
"It's funny... but Ci-N feels like a little brother to me. And an older sister can't just stand by and watch her sibling suffer."
I smiled back.
She was different. Unlike anyone else. She was ready to sacrifice everything for what she believed was right.
🎵 "So baby, pull me closer, In the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford, Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheet right off the corner, Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder, We ain't ever getting older..." 🎵
"Don't you have a sibling, so you just picked Ci-N?"
She paused and thought for a moment.
"Tita said I have an older brother, but Mom gave him up for adoption. I never got to meet him."
Her voice sounded bitter, like it was painful to talk about her family. But she still managed to smile.
Behind that smile, I knew she was sad. She was crying inside.
I didn't know why, but I could feel it. And I knew she needed someone to listen.
Maybe even a shoulder to cry on.
🎵 "We ain't ever getting older...
We ain't ever getting older..." 🎵
"What about you? No siblings?" she asked, turning the tables on me.
"I have one. In Japan, with my parents. He's younger than me. Maybe by seven or eight years."
She nodded, and silence settled between us.
The music playing wasn't romantic, but Jay-jay seemed to like it. I saw her mouthing the lyrics.
🎵 "You look as good as the day I met you, I forget just why I left you, I was insane
Stay and play that Blink-182 song, That we beat to death in Tucson, okay..." 🎵
I couldn't help but stare.
At her eyes, her nose, her lips...
Every corner of her face.
🎵 "I know it breaks your heart, Moved to a city in a broke-down car
And four years, no call, Now I'm looking pretty in a hotel bar
And I, I, I, I, I can't stop
No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop..." 🎵
The beat of the song was great, and for some reason, my mouth started moving on its own.
Like I actually knew the lyrics.
🎵 "So baby, pull me closer
In the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford..." 🎵
She looked at me and smiled again.
🎵 "...Bite that tattoo on your shoulder, Pull the sheet right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole, From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older..." 🎵
I liked her smile.
It was just an ordinary smile, one she probably gave out every day.
But to me, it was special.
I wanted to see that smile from her every single day.
🎵 "We ain't ever getting older...
We ain't ever getting older..." 🎵
I wasn't supposed to feel this way. I was confused.
All this time, I thought Ella was still the girl I loved.
But f*ck.
I won't deny it anymore.
I'm starting to feel something for Jay.
"Closer," she suddenly said.
"Hm?"
"The song's title. Closer."
I just nodded like I actually cared.
But why her? Why did it have to be her?
She was connected to the person Keifer hated the most. Was this all just a cruel joke?
Keifer was only going to use her. I didn't know how, but I didn't want to see it happen. I couldn't even bear to imagine Jay-jay crying.
But Keifer is my friend.
If I go against him, I might start another fight between us. And this time, he might never forgive me.
"Are you okay?" Jay suddenly asked, pulling me back to reality.
"Y-yeah..."
I pushed the two remaining plates of muffins toward her. I wasn't going to eat them anyway. I don't like muffins.
"Don't you like it?" she asked. I shook my head. "You shouldn't have ordered it then."
She took the muffin and forced herself to finish it. She ate like a child, but she looked like she was really enjoying it. Such an appetite!
"Jay..." I started. "...Have you ever had a boyfriend?"
What the hell? Did I just ask about—
"I have," she answered quickly.
"Really?"
She arched a brow. "Do I look that ugly that I can't get a boyfriend?"
"Sorry... That's not what I meant—"
"I really had! Two, actually!"
"W-what happened? Why did you break up?" I asked, sounding too interested.
Why did our conversation suddenly turn to her love life?
"My first boyfriend... He turned out to be gay. The second one—" she suddenly stopped, like she just realized something. "...H-he's in the hospital. Comatose."
"Why?"
"I-I don't remember anymore. Let's not talk about it," she forced a smile. "...You? Love life? Tell me about it."
Turning the table again.
"I never had a serious past relationship. Although... I fell in love before, but she didn't love me back."
"Was it Ella?" she suddenly asked.
I looked at her, confused. She noticed and quickly covered her mouth. But I wasn't even surprised that she knew. Walls have ears, and news travels fast.
"S-sorry..." she apologized and bit her lower lip.
"It's okay. The past is the past."
Why does it feel like I'm not affected by my issue with Ella anymore?
We talked about many things—most of them about me. I was waiting for Jay to talk about her family on her own, but she never did. Until we both got tired, and Jay decided to go home. I paid the bill, just as I promised.
I'm so dead when I get home.
"You're using a bike?" I asked her while she was getting her bike.
"Yeah... What, do you expect me to walk?"
I liked her bike. I love biking too, but I can't do it. The cars outside our building are just too big and aggressive. They act like the road belongs only to them. It's for our building, stupid!
"Let me take you home," I offered.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jay-jay's POV
This Yuri is such a pain. I thought he was going to take me home in a car, so I kept refusing. He took me home—on a bike.
Now my whole body is cramping up from my position.
"Stop moving so much!" he said.
"I'm cramping up!" I complained.
"I'll go faster so we can get there quickly," he said and sped up even more.
I was sitting on the body of the bike while he sat on the seat. He was slightly hunched forward, so I had to hunch too, which made things even harder.
My back hurt. I tried reaching behind me to rub my back since it was already aching from the strain.
"Hey! Stop moving, I said!" he scolded, and the bike started to wobble.
"W-wait... My back hurts!"
"We're almost at your village... You'll be home soon! Just hold o— AARGHHH!"
"AAAAHHHHH!" I screamed.
We screamed at the same time as we crashed hard. I didn't even see what happened—suddenly, the bike just wobbled and then completely fell over.
I sat on the ground. My knee burned, and it hurt. I looked at it and—shit!
A huge scrape. Blood was already coming out.
Blood!
No! No! Not again! What do I do?!
I grabbed my bag and frantically searched for anything—anything I could use to cover it or wipe it off. I was practically spilling all my stuff onto the road.
"Shit! You're bleeding!" Yuri shouted, just as panicked, and searched his pockets for something. We were both freaking out. Until he finally pulled out a handkerchief and tied it around my knee.
"It's because you kept moving! See what happened?"
Was he seriously blaming me? This guy is insane! He checked the bike and tried to lift it up. It still looked fine. I didn't see any major damage.
"Let's just walk... My house is close," I said and forced myself to stand up.
The problem was, I couldn't walk properly with my injured leg.
Yuri suddenly squatted down in front of me and tapped his arm. "Get on! Hurry!"
What the—does he really think he can carry me?
"No way! I can walk—"
"Just get on! Stop being stubborn!"
Wow. He's offering to carry me, but he sounds so mad about it.
I got on like he wanted. It was obvious I was heavy for him because he struggled to stand up.
"Ugh!" he groaned as he finally managed to get up.
He held the bike with one hand while the other supported my leg. The house wasn't that far from where we crashed, so Yuri didn't have to suffer my weight for too long.
"There! There!" I pointed at the house gate.
I thought he would put me down, but instead, he walked straight inside the gate and parked the bike.
"Put me down!" I demanded, but he only tightened his hold on my legs.
He walked all the way to the front door and stopped right at the entrance. The first person to see us was Kuya Angelo, and his brows immediately furrowed.
"Y-Yuri?" Kuya said.
Right, they knew each other. I just never got the chance to ask how. Then, Lola and Auntie suddenly came out of the kitchen and froze when they saw us.
"Jay! Get down from there! Have some shame!" Lola scolded.
"He won't put me down..." I whined.
"Do you have a first aid kit?" Yuri asked.
Even though they were still shocked, Auntie just nodded and quickly got the first aid kit. Yuri walked straight inside and placed me on the couch.
Wow! He's really making himself at home! Auntie returned and handed him the kit.
"Hey! I can do it myself!" I insisted.
But Yuri ignored me. He untied the handkerchief from my knee.
I looked away as soon as I saw the blood. I needed to be careful—I didn't want that to happen again.
"Jay... Is he your boyfriend?" Lola suddenly asked, making all of us freeze.
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