Beatriz was feeling a throbbing pain in her head that's why she decided to have break from her laptop. She looked at the clock then silently cursed herself when she realized that it was already a quarter after midnight. She hurriedly reached for her bag and searched for her phone.
She dialed a number she had memorized by heart and sighed as she let it ring, waiting for her to answer. She must have been sleeping by now.
On the sixth ring, she picked it up and said, “Bakit ngayon ka lang tumawag?” As a way of saying hello to her.
She bit her lip as she answered. “Sorry po, nawala lang sa isip ko. Ang dami kong ginagawa kanina eh.”
She heard her heave a sigh then asked sleepily. “What are you doing?” She could hear the tiredness in her voice. She was right, she interrupted her sleep.
“I’m finishing a paper then I’m going to study. I have three exams tomorrow,” she answered.
“Di ka na naman matutulog niyan?” She could swear that she was creasing her forehead as she spoke at that moment.
She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned on her elbow, starting to feel the heaviness of her eyelids. “Hindi na. Baka pag natulog ako, wala akong matapos.”
“Get some sleep, please? Kahit isang oras lang.”
“Inaantok na nga ako. Ang sakit na din ng ulo ko kaso hindi talaga pwede,” she said as she pouted to herself. She could now feel all the pressure and stress brought to her by her hellweek. It was just making her head pound more with pain. And it was all she could do not to panic.
“Kawawa naman ang baby ko,” she said like she was talking to a one year old child.
Then she heard a sound from the other line like she was shifting her position on the bed. “Ikaw, matulog ka na kaya? Kanina ka pa inaantok ‘no,” Beatriz said. Then she didn’t answer.
“Hello? Jhow?” She momentarily pulled her phone back from her ear and looked at the screen. The call was still on going. “Nandyan ka pa ba?” She waited for a few seconds but Jhoana didn’t speak anymore.
“Hay nako. Tinulugan na ata ako ni sungit.” she said to herself as she shook her head. She ended the call.
She went back to finishing her paper. Not later than twenty minutes, her doorbell rang. She frowned and wondered who it might be knocking on her door at this ungodly hour. Then she remembered that her bestfriend advised her earlier that she might sleep over her condo tonight or tomorrow.
“Maki talaga. Kala ko ba bukas na ‘to makiki-overnight dito,” she mumbled as she went for the door to open it. “Oh, Maki -- Jhoana?”
She was wearing a plain white shirt, jogger shorts and sneakers with a bag on her back. She also noticed that she had a box of pizza and a bottle of soda in her hands.
She grinned at her and leaned in closer, kissing her on her chin. “Hi, babe.”
“Anong ginagawa mo dito?” She asked with her eyebrows creased. She actually thought she went back to sleeping already.
“Makiki-overnight!” She exclaimed as Jho held her hand and went inside her pad.
She just shook her head again and followed her. She went back to her study table in her living room while Jho put her things on her sofa.
She then set a plate on her table with a slice of pizza and a glass of soda. “Kain ka muna, baby. Di ka pa ata kumakain. Tapos may binili akong Advil, inumin mo para mawala sakit ng ulo mo,” she said while caressing her hair.
Beatriz could feel her heart swelling from her thoughfulness. She never failed to take care of her and little acts she did like these really gets to her heart.
She pulled her down to plant a quick kiss on her lips and said, “Thank you, baby.”
Jhoana just smiled at her then pulled a chair to her side. She sat down and pulled her book from her bag and opened it.
“Oh, may exam ka din bukas?” She asked, confused.
“Next week pa,” Jho said then looked at her and smiled. “Pero sasabayan nalang kita mag-aral para may karamay ka.”
“Aw. Sigurado ka?”
“Oo naman. And I miss you, gusto kitang makita.” She pulled her gently by the neck and kissed her temple.
“I missed you too, baby,” Beatriz answered softly.
They went back to studying over night. At times, Jhoana would reach for her hand as they read their own lessons then she would play with her fingers. Probably trying to keep herself awake. When she finished studying for her own exam the following week, she even volunteered to help her finish her two pending paper works then helped her to answer the problem sets and guide questions for her exams tomorrow.
Jhoana somehow made everything easier and lighter for her. She knew that she wouldn’t survive the whole night staying awake if Jhoana had not come over to study with her. Her headache was gone and her stomach was filled with food and it was all because of her. She was just so thankful to have her by her side. Jho was someone who would take care of her and would always be there to keep her safe and warm. Someone who would always make her feel that everything’s going to be okay.
It was almost four in the morning and she was halfway studying into her third subject when she noticed Jhoana’s hand holding hers. She looked at her and saw that her head was resting on the table already, facing her and her eyes closed.
Beatriz smiled at the sight of her angelic face. She looked adorable with her lips slightly puckered and she couldn’t help but to lean down and kissed her lightly.
Beatriz looked at her again. “Thank you for staying with me tonight,” she muttered. Then she whispered to her ear, “Everything’s just fine when you’re around, baby. I love you.”
