Chasing Hope [HIATUS]

CHAPTER 20

It was wonderful to have a man like him in my life.

It's almost unbelievable that he is actually my boyfriend.

I didn't think there was still a man like him.

Ah, I love being his first girlfriend.

The following days and weeks were new for me but I just trained myself to enter the new chapter of my life.

"Nads!" I was holding my iPad and talking with my friends when I heard my name, I looked back and saw Kiro running towards me. We just finished class and it's four o'clock in the afternoon. Kiro was sweating when he got close to me, he turned around to wipe the sweat from his face and caught his breath. After that, he faced me again. "Let's eat meryenda?"

That question is already expected. The friends I meet here on campus invite me to eat but I refuse. "I am not free-"

Kiro didn't let me to continue. "You're always not free, where have you been the last few days? You're not like that before," the tone of his voice and his face were confused when he said that.

I shrugged. "I'm just busy with my personal life. Just invite Ary instead. I'll go now, Ki- uh, Kiro, I mean. Bye!" My upper and lower teeth touched when I smiled at Kiro, I also took my phone out of my bag because someone was calling. I didn't mean to say Kiel's name in front of him, they just have the same 'ki'. I rarely see Kiro on campus because when Kiel's class ends earlier than me, he immediately comes to campus to pick me up.

So, hatid and sundo niya lang ako. He only takes me to campus once when he sleeps at my condo but he always picks me up because that's what he wants. I can drive but he insists on picking me up all the time. May magagawa pa ba ako? He's my only boyfriend who doesn't give up when we fight. Oh, why do I say 'we' pala? He doesn't fight me back when we're talking about nothing, ako lang naman 'yung umaaway sa kaniya kahit walang reason.

I didn't answer Kiel's call when I saw him leaning against his car, just looking at his phone, waiting for me to answer his call. Nagmamadali akong pumunta sa kaniya, I even called his name. When our eyes met, he smiled and hugged me tightly. He was still wearing his uniform so I'm sure he didn't stop by his condo to change his clothes. He held my head and kissed my forehead.

"Thank you for waiting, love. I'm sorry, I'm late. Ang traffic," sabi niya nang maghiwalay na kami sa pagkakayakap. "Saan mo gusto kumain?" he took my stuff and grabbed my back to open the door for me, when I sat in the car he locked my seatbelt again.

I cupped his face when he was close to me and kissed him. "Anywhere as long as I'm with you,"

We ended up eating at Gino's because we couldn't think of anything else to eat. I just ordered pasta for me and ice cream, cookies n' cream, for my desert. I remember when I ate ice cream at Rita's, I didn't think that the person I gave a bad look to would be my boyfriend! Expect the unexpected talaga, 'no?

"Gusto mo sumama? Ihahatid ko si Mama sa airport sa Saturday,"

"Time moves so fast, she's leaving na kaagad. But of course, yeah, i'll sama. What about Ate Raia and Tito? Sasama rin ba sila?" I asked as I stirred the pasta.

"Hindi nga, eh. Papa can't cancel his duty that day, si Ate Raia may duty rin sa clinic." Kiel answered me. I tried the food he ordered and he also tasted mine, he even asked if I wanted to switch meals. Because he got used to me tasting his food when I didn't like what I was eating, he would change our food immediately without thinking about it. Pero iba naman ngayon, I like the pasta naman, gusto ko lang tikman 'yung inorder niya.

Ralpkiel and I also studied together in the living room when we got to my condo. Of course, we first took a half bath in different bathrooms. We were both leaning on the couch, sitting on the floor. Kiel was sitting in the indian seat position while looking at his laptop on the coffee table seriously, there was also a piece of paper on the side of his laptop. Taking notes, I guess? While I have my knees up and my iPad rests on my thigh near the knee, there are also papers and notebooks lying next to me.