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Stacey was sitting alone in her seat inside the library, a yellow hoodie embracing her body and keeping her warm from the coldness.
She was just reading the notes she had peacefully—memorizing the terms that were written on it, when all of the sudden, she felt someone from behind held her shoulders.
Startled, she turned around to see Jhoanna standing there with a smile on her face.
"Hi, Miss," Jhoanna greeted. "Taken?" She followed with a question, turning her gaze at the chair that was beside Stacey.
"I don't know if you're talking about the chair or me, but pareho kaming single." Stacey replied.
Jhoanna laughed at the girl's answer as she settled into the chair beside Stacey, her bag hitting the ground with a thud.
"Familiar 'yang suot mo ah," Saad ni Jhoanna. Her eyes were drawn to the bright yellow hoodie that enveloped Stacey's frame.
Of course it was. It's hers.
"Talaga ba, Jhoanna Christine?" Stacey threw the girl beside her a look as she couldn't help but smile.
Whatever they had going on—Stacey loved it. And so did Jhoanna.
"It smells like you. I like it." Stacey followed. Her voice was low but it was enough for the other to hear.
Jhoanna looked at Stacey immediately before speaking.
"And I like you, too."
And that was enough for Stacey to take.
She blushed immediately upon hearing what Jhoanna had just said, causing for the other one to smile in victory when she noticed how Stacey's face turned red like a tomato.
Stacey had her head low, but every changes were enough for Jhoanna to notice. She knew her too well to know that Stacey was fighting the urge to smile at that moment.
"Kinikilig ka na naman. Ganito ba talaga ang epekto ko sa'yo, Sevilleja?" Jhoanna continued to tease as she moved closer to Stacey, gently tucking a hair behind her ear that was covering her face.
Finally, Stacey looked up to meet Jhoanna's eyes, "You're such a flirt, you know?"
"Sa'yo lang naman." Jhoanna wiggled her brows, smiling like an idiot that made the butterflies in Stacey's stomach dance around like crazy.
"Whatever," Stacey rolled her eyes when she realized how an idiot she was as well for letting Jhoanna know that she's the reason why she's smiling so hard right now.
Now she has another reason para asarin ako! She thought to herself.
"Eh sino ba 'tong palaging nakakalimutan magdala ng jacket kaya sa'kin 'yung hinihiram? Ha?" Jhoanna complained jokingly.
"Binabalik ko naman kaagad!" Stacey protested, playfully hitting Jhoanna on the arm.
Nonetheless, Jhoanna loved it whenever she would let Stacey borrow her hoodie or sweaters, even better if she'd forget to bring it back because Stacey would end up using it over and over again, and when she gives it back to Jhoanna, it would smell like her.
"Itatago ko na talaga lahat ng gamit ko sa'yo,"
"Meanie." Stacey responded, crossing her arms while pouting which made Jhoanna smile secretly.
Without Stacey realizing, the tone of her voice is now starting to change. It was now softer unlike earlier. And this exact thing only happens when she's with Jhoanna, and the same way goes for the other girl.
"Joke lang, e." Jhoanna said, holding herself back from laughing.
Stacey whined, "Ang lamig naman kasi!" She complained, earning a chuckle from Jhoanna.
"Edi worth it 'yung tuition!" Jhoanna joked as the both of them laughed.
They were just laughing all throughout, but they still tried to keep themselves from laughing loudly because they are in the library. As the silence starts to develop between the two of them, Jhoanna brought up a question.
"Kanina ka pa ba rito?"
"Yup, nagrereview lang." Stacey shortly answered as she looked at her notes that were placed on table in front of her. "Bakit?"
"Kanina pa kitang hinahanap eh," Jhoanna replied. "You weren't anywhere to be found, so I thought you'd be here. This is your favorite place in the school after all." Jhoanna added, looking around the library with a smile.
"And why were looking for me?" Stacey asked, her eyebrow raising ever so lightly.
Jhoanna smiled shyly, "May ibibigay kasi ako..." She replied while Stacey's eyes widened; it was obvious that she was shocked and excited.
"Really?! What is it?" Tanong nito kay Jhoanna.
Jhoanna's heart fluttered nervously as she reached into her bag, her fingers closing around the small box that she had been carrying with her all day.
She gave it to Stacey as the latter looked at Jhoanna with her eyebrows furrowed, obviously confused of what was inside it, before taking it from her.
"Ano 'to?" Stacey asked, her gaze flickering up to meet Jhoanna's before returning to the box in her hand.
Jhoanna shrugged as she replied, "Hindi mo malalaman kung hindi mo bubuksan."
Stacey looked around the library only to find that there weren't anyone but them. "Should I open it right now or when I get home?"
Jhoanna chuckled before replying. That was Stacey being Stacey; being indecisive with her decisions as ever. "It's yours, Staks. Do as you please."
With that, Stacey opened the box, and saw a necklace—the pendent being Jhoanna's initial.
Stacey looked at it, smiling in awe. Lumingon ito to see Jhoanna looking back at her with a smile.
"Well..." Jhoanna said, stretching the word she had just said. "Nagustuhan mo ba?"
Not answering Jhoanna's question, Stacey moved closer to her, engulfing her into a hug.
Startled, Jhoanna put her hands on Stacey's back, gently patting her while Stacey's were on Jhoanna's nape.
When they broke the hug, looking at each other's eyes, Stacey spoke, looking back at the necklace she had on her hand. "I love it."
"Want me to help you wear it?" Jhoanna asked while she looked at Stacey who nodded as a response.
With a deep breath, she turned around and gently placed the necklace in Jhoanna's outstretched hand.
Stacey took a moment to compose herself before reaching up to her hair which was down and cascading around her shoulders. With a tug, she pulled it all to one side, letting it rest on her left shoulder.
Stacey's heart was beating rapidly as she felt Jhoanna's warm hands on her back.
She indeed felt like melting.
As Jhoanna fastened the clasp, Stacey turned around to face her with a smile spreading across her face.
I want to wear her initial
On a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck
Not because she owns me
But 'cause she really knows me
That specific verse from Taylor Swift's song, Call It What You Want , played in Stacey's head over and over again as Jhoanna put the necklace around her neck.
"How is it?" Stacey asked while she fidgeted with the delicate chain of the necklace as she looked down at it.
Without any doubts, Jhoanna immediately answered the girl's question. "It suits you, pretty."
With those four words, Stacey felt her face heating up, feeling her heart bursting.
"Bagay sa'yo." Jhoanna added.
"J for Jhoanna talaga?" Stacey asked teasingly, talking about the pendant.
"Naman!" Jhoanna immediately replied. "Para kapag may pumoporma sa'yo, alam nila kung sino ang makakalaban nila."
"Sira!" Stacey burst out into laughter after hearing what she said, hitting the latter's arm.
"Aba, bakit?!" Tanong naman nung isa. "Kung puwede lang, Jhoanna Christine Burgos Robles na pina-customize ko diyan eh!"
Using her right hand, Stacey covered her mouth to prevent making any noise as she laughed harder.
Only Jhoanna could make her laugh this way.
"Tuwang tuwa ka na naman, kiss kita diyan eh," Jhoanna blurted out, making Stacey widen her eyes.
"Huy!" Stacey, once again, hit her arm. "Kapag may nakarinig sa'yo!"
"Eh ano nama—"
"Miss Sevilleja and Miss Robles?" Jhoanna's words were cut off when they heard a voice from behind.
They turned around to see Mr. Echavez, crossing his arms as he looked at the two of them.
"This is a library, hindi ba?" He asked.
"Yes po, sir..." The two answered, looking at each other and turning their eyes back at the guy in front of them.
"Then please tone down your voice." Saad ng guro. "Kung gusto nyong mag bebe time, you two can go outside. Maganda naman ang view roon."
Stacey widened her eyes before speaking, "Sir, hindi kami nagbe—"
"Shh, anong sabi ko?" Mr. Echavez asked while Jhoanna tried her best not to laugh.
Not realizing how loud her voice was, all Stacey could reply was, "Sorry po..."
After Mr. Echavez left them, she glared at Jhoanna who was fixing her things for her. It was almost time for their dismissal anyway.
"Tuwang tuwa ka naman na napagkamalan na nag b-bebe time tayo!"
"Sinong hindi matutuwa, ikaw na 'yan?" Jhoanna asked, a smile creeping up on her face.
After a while, Jhoanna took Stacey's bag with her as they made their way out of the library.
"Jho, thank you for this pala. I appreciate it so, so much." Said Stacey, holding the necklace Jhoanna had given her with her free hand while the other is holding Jhoanna's.
"Anything for you, princess." Jhoanna replied, smiling genuinely at the girl who's walking beside her.
"Bebe time na tayo?"