who am i to you?

25.5

"You know why." Vy met her eyes for a second before standing up. "Can Saint stay over?"

Vlad blinked and was the first to answer. "Ah, yeah. Sure. This is your house."

Sumunod ako kay Vy papunta sa kwarto niya, leaving his cousins watching us, still processing what Vy has told them.

"Are you alright?" nag-aalangang tanong ko.

"No." He opened the door to his room, letting me inside.

"Sorry."

Finally, he faced me, our eyes meeting. "Can we not talk about it?"

"Yes."

"Thank you."

I would've messed his hair if I didn't remember that his injuries reached even his head. Ngiti lang dahil wala na naman akong magawa.

Vy lied down on his bed. As he did so, I saw his face grimaced in pain.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" I asked, taking the space beside him on his bed.

"Everywhere." He closed his eyes.

"Should I kiss it?"

He opened his eyes, looking at me but he didn't say anything. Slowly, he laughed and I did too. "No. I'm fine." He shook his head, still chuckling. "Just stay. Please."

"Yeah. I'll stay."

"Stay for the whole night," he said while staring at my eyes.

"Okay. I'm just gonna call my parents to tell them their favorite son is staying over at his boyfriend's house. Baka ma-miss ako eh."

I stayed watching him laugh before taking my phone to call my parents. I called while I sat beside him, playing with the fingers of his hand.

["Hello, Saint?"]

"Hey, Mom." Vy is now on his side, watching me talk to my mother.

["Why did you call? Pauwi ka na ba?"]

"About that..." I trailed. "Vy asked me to stay over. Is that okay?"

["Oh, yeah. Sure. That's fine,"] she answered almost immediately. ["But you have school tomorrow."]

"Uwi ka nalang kamo maaga," Vy said. "Hatid ka namin."

He really wants me to stay. I held his ring finger tighter. "You heard him, Mom."

["Okay sure,"] she replied, taking no time to think. ["Take care,"] was Mom's only reminder.