Trisha
I had a good time hanging out with Chris. He listens attentively to what I'm saying. He even asks questions, which proves that he really is paying attention to every detail of the plot of novels that I introduced to him.
I learned he's also into reading novels, but he's more into Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He even owns a set of those series at his house.
Right now, we are only exploring books for children, and right now I'm holding a mathematics book for children.
"Do you want to play a game with me?" I asked him as I flipped a page of the book.
"What kind of game?" He is now leaning towards me. Holding the edges of the table with his hands. With this position of his, I will no longer look up at him. I can see his eyes directly.
"Mental math. Basic operations. The first who can answer gets the point." I smiled at him as I held the book for him to see.
He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Really, mental math? Ain't this a little unfair, I know how smart you are."
"Smart? I'm not good with mental math. We're engineering students not mathematicians." I answered him.
Well, it's true. I only rely on my calculator for calculations but I'm not really good at mental math.
"Okay, let's see about that. So what operation comes first?" Chris asked.
I opened a specific page. Addition.
I pointed to the series of math problems and got my phone to use the calculator for checking.
"Okay. We'll not use a timer since the first one who answer gets the point but if we have different answers, of course the one that's correct gets the point." I explained further.
Chris is now smiling more widely at me. His eyes glinting. As if saying that he's really enjoying this even though it's math.
"Okay, number one." I pointed to number one.
"22 plus 36."
I worked on solving mentally.
"58!" I answered immediately as he was about to answer too.
He laughed. "And you said you're not good with mental math."
"It's still easy. It's got only 2 digits." I shrugged.
We moved on to another number. One problem to another. I can see the gears inside his head working as he solved mentally. He looks cute whenever he looks up at the ceiling as if the answer is there.
I had the upper hand with addition but with subtraction and multiplication he's faster.
We laughed through our simple game. There were times we would look at each other with wide eyes, trying to answer first. I even hit him multiple times due to excitement and wanting to have the correct answer. He didn't mind though, instead he would just laugh and tease me even further.
He would sometimes distract me from solving mentally especially when he just can't or maybe will not solve it. The problems were getting harder and harder as we moved further. 3 digits multiplication is not a joke.
We went on for minutes, or maybe an hour, I could not tell. I was not minding the time we spent answering the problems. All I can think of is that I'm really really having fun with him.
"I won!" Chris exclaimed. He then grinned at me. "I can't believe I won against you, are you taking easy on me?" He asked.
"Of course not! I'm solving as hard and as fast as I could." I answered and laughed.
Chris
I looked at her as she's laughing from our little game. I laughed with her. She's really easy to hang out with. She's fun. She's comfy. She's amazing.
I already know she's amazing ever since before. She's smart, shy around those she doesn't know much about but is very jolly around those she's comfortable with.
Whenever we're doing our lab reports, she's composed. She would smile, laugh a little but this is my first time seeing her being really comfortable around me. With this, I know our friendship - our relationship is really progressing.
"It's already 3:56, do you want to go somewhere else?" I asked her.
"Go where?" She asked.
"It's a secret." I winked at her and smiled.
"Okay then but first let's pay for those." She pointed at the basket I'm holding where the books she picked was placed.
"Okay, let's go!" I offered my arm towards her and this time she grabbed it without hesitation.
Trisha
We paid for the books, well actually, he paid for the books. I told him not to but he insisted on paying it since, as he said "I was the one who asked you out." and other stuff like that.
In the end I only agreed with him with the condition that I'll pay the other half. At first he did not want to, but in the end we came up with a mutual agreement. It's either he lets me pay half of it or I'll pay it all by myself. Of course he chose the former.
We are now driving across the city. I don't know where we are headed since I don't really go out much. I only stay at the dorm whenever there are no classes, only go out to the malls only if it's really necessary.
"Where are we going?" I asked again.
"Secret." He smiled without looking at me. He's focus on the road.
"Can you at least give me a hint?" I pleaded.
"Nope. It won't be a surprise if I'll tell you." He responded.
I saw his phone light up.
"Art: It's all set man. Everything is-"
Before I could read it all, he picked up his phone and put it inside his pocket. He then looked at me and smiled shyly.
Art. The one who texted is Fernandez. I wondered how is he. He came earlier to tell me something but thought otherwise. What was it?
I really wanted to talk to him again. Maybe spend time with him, but we never got the chance to talk. And right now, I'm here spending time with Chris. Having a date with him. And although I had fun with him, I would think of Art- of Fernandez. How would it feel like if it's him I am with and not Chris.
I looked at Chris. Maybe I'm being unfair with him. Or maybe not and I'm just assuming things. Chris is just a friend, right? He only looks at me as a friend. I'm not going to hurt his feelings or anything.
Then, I thought of Harry. Who are you Harry? Why is it that I also can't stop thinking about you? Why is it that I would think about you whenever I look at Fernandez and Chris?
"You okay?" Chris looked at me with worry in his eyes.
I blinked at him and looked around. I did not notice that he already stopped his car in front of a building.
"Oh, yes. I'm okay, I was just thinking of something. Sorry." I smiled apologetically at him.
"It's okay." He brushed my hair out of my face and tugged it inside my left ear. "Let's go?"
"Sure."
We walked inside the building and I only noticed right now, that it's a hotel, and not just any kind of building.
I looked at him questioningly.
"They have a restaurant at the top floor." He said and we went to the receptionist.
"Good evening sir." The lady greeted us.
Chris gave her details and then she called someone to assist and guide us towards the floor that we are heading to.
The staff pressed the last floor and we waited to arrive there.
"Did you have fun today?" Chris asked me.
"Of course! Thank you for today." I smiled at him.
"Anything for you." He smiled sweetly at me.
The elevator door opened up and I was expecting to see a room full of people but instead of a room we are at the rooftop and no one is here besides us.
There's a garden, with orchids hanging down the archway. Flowers can be seen everywhere and at the end of the archway was a table set for two.
The sun is about to set and it can be seen from up here. The sky is colored pink.
Pink skies. It's so beautiful to look at. I felt warm just by looking at the skies.
"Do you want to have your picture taken with the skies as your background?" Chris asked from beside me while smiling.
I looked up at him and smiled.
"I would love to!" I then ran towards the bushes having the skies as my background.
I smiled at his phone as he took pictures of me. The staff then approached us and offered to take our picture together.
We proceeded to have our pictures taken. This time, the two of us are no longer emitting an awkward atmosphere. We posed naturally, as if we're really a couple.
"I will call on the waiter to have your orders taken." The staff bowed down and left the two of us.
"Did you make the whole rooftop exclusive just for us?" I asked him as he assisted me to sit down.
"Yeah." He chuckled shyly and scratched the back of his head. "Do you like it?" He asked.
"Of course I like it. No, I love it. Like is an understatement." I answered and looked around.
I wonder how much he spent to make this happen. I for one, know that it's not cheap. I felt a little guilty that he spent this much for our date.
"You love it but you look worried." He chuckled. "What's the problem?" This time, his expression is filled with worry.
"Nothing. There's no problem." I answered and smiled at him. I don't know how to react. I have never been treated this way. Would it offend him if I'll tell him that I felt guilty that he spent this much?
"Good evening sir, I will be the one taking your orders." A waiter came and we picked up the menu from the table and read it.
Art
Everything is set. Chris asked me last week to help him book a dinner date at this certain hotel. He asked me to help him prepare everything for his date with Trisha because this would be the day that he would ask Trisha that he'll be courting her.
I was about to tell her about it earlier this morning but when I looked at how she dressed herself up just for this date, I thought otherwise. She would never dress up just for a date, but this time she did. She was even so excited when she opened the door, expecting Chris to be on the other side.
I looked at them from a far while their pictures are being taken. They look so happy together. She looks so happy. She's happy with him.
I touched my chest because it feels like something inside it broke into pieces as I saw the smile she gave to Chris.

I should be happy for her, right? Her happiness is my happiness. But why do I almost feel like I can't breath. Like I'm seeing myself drown, again. Only this time she's no longer here to save me.