Sam hasn't realized how much she loathed Nop as much until now. Sure, she did have some kind of hatred for him as he was really annoying—some sort of parasite that continues to linger around Mon no matter how many times, she’s aware, Mon pushed him away. Her hatred wasn’t justified as she and Mon aren’t anything, and it wasn't that kind of personal, up until now.
She lets her wrist swing the glass of wine in her hands before getting a swig of it, eyebrows up as she stares at the man putting a coat around the woman beside her. She feels something creep inside of her throat from the bottom of her stomach watching the scene unfold in front of her. Her food stays untouched as she watches Nop acting all disgustingly sweet.
She tries to distract herself from this unnerving feeling by acting all in-love with Kirk, who's idly sitting beside her. But with every contact she initiated, she realized that she doesn't like this man. Not one bit of her would want to be with this damned man, and she doesn't even know why she would let herself think she's in love with him.
Her eyes catch the unsettling look Mon gave her the moment her shoulder landed on Kirk’s, making her feel all sorts of things. A hand on his arm pushes Mon. Mon stood up from her seat, the furniture making a scratching sound against the tiles of the restaurant before announcing that she'd like to leave.
"I’ll bring you back, Mon." Kirk gleefully offers, which makes Sam bubble up again in… jealousy? But who was she jealous of?
"Ay, ako na! Hatid na kita." Nop then says.
"'Wag na." she removes the coat from her shoulders before giving it back to Nop. She leans down slightly to give Nop a peck on his cheek, not sparing the other couple a look before leaving the said establishment. "Thank you."
"Anytime, Mon."
Sam grabs Kirk’s glass of wine before drinking it all in one gulp, eyebrows furrowed as her eyes stay in the direction of the door of the restaurant. Kirk gives her a look, a confused one, but then realization starts to sink in. He feels his heart do a little happy dance, but he still feels unsettled in his seat.
"I'll go as well." Kirk stands up to go with Sam, but Sam stops him with a hand. "No, I'll go by myself. Finish your dinner with Nop." a snap on her tone glues Kirk to his seat, and as Sam walks away—to go catch Mon, the men erupt in glee—Kirk lifts his own glass of wine in the air with a small tilt of his lips.
"That was good, huh?" Kirk asks, taking a sip. Nop nods, "I guess our job here is done." he starts, "Sam looks pretty pissed."
"Mon does as well. It's funny looking at them." Nop agrees, "Grabe, ang hirap nilang tingnan dalawa! Kulang nalang mag laplapan na sila, eh."
"Kalat." Kirk smirks against his glass of wine, “Pero true.”
“Sa tingin mo, pre,” Nop takes one last bite of his own food, chewing slowly before he swallows. He drops his fork and leans his body forward, putting his hands together as he rests his head against the backs of his palm. Kirk just hums, his eyebrows dancing suggestively. “Magkakadevelopan na kaya?”
Kirk hums as he thinks, an eyebrow raised as his lower lip protrudes forward. He huffs, crossing his arms against his chest. “I don’t know, pre.” he pinches the bridge of his nose, “Pero I hope so? I mean, I don’t know Mon as well as you do, so wala naman akong masasabi about sa kaniya. Pero kay Sam? Talo na, bro. Torpe yun.”
Nop chuckles, “Alam mo, 10 years nang hinihintay ni Mon yun.” he snorts, “‘Di na yun mapapakali. If hindi gagalaw si Lady Sam, I’m sure Mon would do something.”
“Well,” Kirk lifts his glass up in cheers, “Cheers to that.”
“Mon!” Sam runs in her heels, following the sight of the back of Mon’s body. She huffs as she runs on a rocky terrain, the floor not smooth and rocky pebbles spread across the asphalt. “Wait, Mon!”
“What do you want, Lady Sam?” Mon turns around, her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. The grip she has on her handbag is strong, and Sam gulps—she could see the younger woman’s knuckles turn white.
“Mon, let me explain.”
“Ano pa bang kailangan i-explain?” she asks, voice harsh. Sam closes her eyes shut in desperation and in an attempt to calm her nerves down, taking a deep breath as the younger woman is staring at her wordlessly.
“Hindi ko gusto si Kirk. I realized I never did and I would never, ever like him.” Sam explains.
“Oh?” Mon’s eyebrows raise in mock surprise, “Ano gagawin ko ngayon? How does this concern me?” Sam looks at her with eyes trying to pass on her feelings, not quite trusting her mouth to say what she truly wants to say. Mon grows annoyed at the silence she’s been given and turns back around.
“Goodbye, Lady Sam.”
Sam’s eyes flicker wider as she realizes that Mon’s about to walk away, and she leans forward, glad that Mon’s only an arm-reach away. She holds at her bicep, gripping on it tightly which made Mon turn back around.
“Ano bang gusto mong gawin ko?! Sa mga panahon na nandiyan ako, you push me away. Kapag aalis ako, pinipigilan mo ako. Nakakalito, Sam. Litong-lito na ako—“
“Mon,” Sam takes a deep breath. “Hindi ko gusto si Kirk because I like you!” she confesses, her grip on her arm loosening as she stumbles backwards.
Mon gasps, eyes blinking slowly.
“I like you, Mon. I like you! I like you so much, and I’m angry that you went to the dinner with Nop. Alam kong wala akong karapatan na magalit, especially since kasama ko rin naman si Kirk, but damn! Mon, I like you so much that it hurts.”
Nop and Kirk watch the commotion happening at the end of the parking lot in Kirk’s car, Kirk smirking as Nop’s eyebrows are raised in anticipation.
“Kita mo yon?” Nop says, “Hindi naman pala torpe yang babae mo, pre.”
“Unexpected, pre.” Kirk laughs, “Grabe.”
“I like you! I fucking like you. Gustong-gusto kita, Mon. Hell, I think I’m falling madly in love with you.” Sam expresses, exasperated and in tears at the silence she’s been receiving from the woman before her. Her heart is getting ripped with every passing second that Mon is only looking at her with wide eyes and mouth agape, and she’s getting ready for rejection when—
“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”
“Yes—ano…?” Sam blinks at the sudden question and her sudden answer, still trying to process Mon’s response when Mon chokes out a smile.
“Did you just ask me to be your girlfriend?” Sam asks with wide eyes, her lips threatening to turn up into a smile. Mon nods passionately.
“Pero… wala akong good points, Mon.”
“Hindi ‘yan totoo.” Mon shakes her head, her eyebrows furrowed. “You’re everything and more.”
“Mon,” Sam reaches out for Mon’s slender hands when her mind has processed Mon’s question and when she’s finally sure with her answer, “I’d love to, pero are you sure? Ang dami kong pagkukulang, Mon. I hurt you before and I’m not sure if I would not do that again. Tingnan mo ngayon, sinasaktan kita.”
“I’ve always been sure with you, Sam. Siguradong-sigurado ako.”
“Mon,” Sam feels tears falling down her cheeks, and she makes no effort in wiping them away in exchange for holding Mon’s hands. “I didn’t expect for someone to like me like this. I’d love to be your girlfriend, but promise me that you’ll not take it back.”
Mon giggles at her response, and she pulls her hands away from Sam’s hold. Her eyes form into crescents at Sam’s antics, finding it amusing how she’s treating this confession and life-altering moment like a business agreement. She can’t blame her though; Sam only knew work before this, and everything she liked or loved would always be taken away from her. Before Sam could react and whine about the loss of contact, she engulfs Sam in a bear-crushing hug.
Nop fist-bumps Kirk in pride.
“I will never take it back.”
She lets her hands travel down to the small of Sam’s back as Sam’s strong arms wrap around her shoulders, holding her tightly as if she’ll vanish if she lets go. Her arms stay there as Sam’s eyes close tightly as she relishes in the feeling of being in Mon’s arms, feeling her body and the warmth radiating off her. She smiles as she feels Mon’s body fit perfectly against hers, as if they were molded into each other.
“Tinatangi kita, Mon.”