Ace of Hearts

Love Lock

Boston was famous for being the city of firsts.

The US' first public school was in Boston, America's first regularly-issued newspaper started there, Boston Public Library became the world's first publicly supported free municipal library, the first underground metro system in North America is the Boston subway, and the list goes on.

Aside from those firsts, however, Boston also became the city of firsts for Leni.

The first time she had ever lived abroad, when her husband studied there for a while, where her eldest daughter first left the house to live so far away from her, where the first doctor in her family, her second daughter, also gained a scholarship.

It was where she first tasted Cannoli — oh, how she loved that food now. It was where she first experienced snow and had what people would call a "White Christmas". Where she first had the chance to teach in front of a huge amount of people. She'd done rallies in the past, one even almost reaching a million attendees, but teaching was different for her. Hence, she recognized teaching in Boston as another first.

And she thought, initially, that she ran out of firsts to have in the city. No more first experiences or adventures since she'd been there for quite a while now.

How wrong she was.

Boston was where she was asked by Risa on a date. For the first time. Even when she had been married to her, or had had some sort of almost-relationship (she still doesn't know what to call it) with her after the elections.

It became the place where she had been scouring through her closet, trying to find something to wear because her date might still be after work hours but she had nothing to wear. She had never been this panicky before a date. Ergo being another first.

Leni arrived at the coffee shop, 10 minutes earlier than 5 PM and she could have sworn that she was having another first.

Risa, with her legs crossed, glasses perched atop her nose, eyes focused on the pocketbook in her hands, sat on one of the booths, clad in a casual pair of jeans and a black overcoat, hair down and looking absolutely stunning.

Ang ganda ganda mo naman.

She'd seen Risa before. Had her breath taken away just by her sheer beauty before. But god, to see Risa like this. Without the nagging feeling or that voice in your head saying this might be wrong or that she shouldn't be looking at her like that. It was another first.

"Hi, Risa," she greeted sheepishly, still taken aback.

"Hi, you're here na pala. Tara?"

"Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Dinner," Risa grinned. "I made reservations."

Leni stared back at the other woman in surprise. But Risa just shrugged it off as if it's the most casual thing in the world. For Leni, though, it was a big deal. As of the moment, it looked like Risa actually had this planned down to the whole detail. "Let's go. I'm excited!"

They exited the cafe and Risa hailed a cab to Tremont. Leni just gazed at her in wonder. "Nag-plano ka talaga para dito?" The professor laughed.

"Syempre. This is our first date. I like making good impressions on the first date."

Like a child in a foreign city, Risa looked out the window, pointing at the things she found both interesting and amazing. Mid-taxi ride, Leni could not stop laughing because of Risa's imperfectly and ridiculously timed jokes and puns. Even the taxi driver was laughing at the two of them.

They arrived at their destination and for god knows how many times it has been tonight, Risa had surprised Leni. "Dito tayo magdidinner?"

"Yep. Nakakain ka na dito?"