Our Late Night Story (Ours Series #1) (Epistolary)

All Those Late Nights (Part Four)

August 2019

A few more days to go, birthday na ni Jes ulit. It will be his 20th birthday on the 20th as well. Only a few people know his birthday at tinanggal niya rin ito sa Facebook account niya. Gusto niya kasing ang mga makakaalala lang ng birthday niya ang babati sa kanya.

Halos magkasunod lang ang birthday nila ng kapatid niyang si CJ kaya palaging isa lang ang celebration. And they always celebrate together on CJ's birthday kaya naman Jes always goes out on his birthdays alone.

But it seems like it will be different this year.

"Jes! Bumaba ka na dito!" He heard his Mama shouting. "Nandito si Avery, anak. Aalis daw kayo."

Jes shrugged off Avery's message a while ago because aside from the fact that he doesn't know his birthday, he thought that Avery is just bluffing a while ago.

But damn, he forgot that Avery does the unthinkable sometimes.

"Good morning, Jes," Avery greeted with a naughty smile when he finally went down to their living room. "Ang cute mo 'pag bagong gising. And you looked smaller dahil sa suot mo."

Jes's hair is a mess right now but he tried hard to fix it bago siya lumabas ng kwarto kanina. He's also wearing the old shirt he has nung mga panahong mataba pa siya. Sa sobrang luwag nga nito ay halos hindi makita ang hubog ng katawan niya so he looked like a baby in loose clothes in Avery's eyes.

Jes groaned. "Avery, seryoso ba 'to?"

"Kanina ka pa tanong nang tanong. Seryoso nga. Bilisan mo na para makapag-date na tayo."

Nagulat si Jes sa sinabi ni Avery. Yes, he might have joked about them having dates sometimes but he doesn't want his Mama hearing it. Baka kasi kung anong isipin nito. Not that he's not out sa bahay nila, it's just that... well it feels weird if you're being mushy with a guy in front of your parents, right?

But when Jes took a peek to see his Mama's reaction, nakita niya pang nakangiti ito.

Avery joined them for breakfast. Naka-kwentuhan pa nito ang Mama at kapatid niyang si CJ. They seem to like him at napapangiti rin naman sila ni Avery dahil sa mga kwento nito.

"Gift ko nga pala sa'yo, Jes." Avery handed a box to Jes na kinuha niya naman agad.

The box was designed by fan arts of Jes's favorite characters from books and series. He hasn't seen this art style before kaya hindi siya familiar sa artist but it's just so gorgeous. He wanted to ask Avery where he got it but it seemed inappropriate.

Jes wanted to admire it more, to take in the beauty that he's seeing right now. But his arms felt like they're going to detach from his body.

"Ang bigat naman nito!"

"You can put it down already, you know?" And Jes did. He was about to open up the box when Avery stopped him. "'Wag mo munang buksan habang nandito ako. Mahihiya ako niyan, e."

He just laughed at Avery's silliness as he put down the box Avery gave him. Both of them bade goodbyes at Jes's family bago sila umalis.

Jes has planned so many things before this day but it's like everything became a mess dahil sa kasama niya si Avery. Not that nakasagabal ito but he's just so nervous to spend the whole day with Avery.

He's scared that he might bore him with his plans. Ito ang mahirap 'pag may kasama ka, e. Buti pang mag-isa siya he's sure na walang ma-bo-bore sa trip niya.

Pero nandito na lang din si Avery kaya kesa mag-overthink, he'll try his best to have a great day with him.

They first went to a mall in Alabang, where one of Jes's favorite bookstores are located. Medyo maaga pa but he knows na sasakto naman sila sa opening ng mall. Araw-araw ba naman kasing traffic papunta do'n, e.