1

Just a few minutes later, they arrived at Kirsten's house safely. Even inside, Sam walks with Kirsten without letting go of her hand. 

She wanted to stay like this. She wants Sam not to let go of her forever, but the most painful part is she’s the one who will let go. 

She guesses she needs to practice Sam without her. It won't be easy to separate and move on when Sam is still attached to her.

While they were walking, Kirsten tugged her hands on him. Samuel was perplexed and looked straight at her, but she didn’t want this thing to be awkward. She smiled widely. 

“I am just going to get you a drink. Okay? You should check out the living room. I'm sure my mother was there,” Kirsten said, pointing in the direction of their living room. Sam just smiled and forgot about what Kirsten had done. 

On the other hand, Kirsten’s heart was beating rapidly because of it. She doesn’t want that to happen again, but she needs to. 

She should make an excellent plan to take this thing easy. She made her way to the kitchen.

She made a juice with a pineapple flavor. Sam likes the taste of pineapple. 

Kirsten was smiling bitterly and wanted to cry again, but she needed to refuse that feeling for now. She’s home. If her mom found out that she cried a lot—she wouldn’t stop questioning Kirsten why. 

Her mother should also not need to know this: only Kirsten, only herself.

They would know it soon but not now—she’s not ready to tell, and her family, friend, and boyfriend aren’t prepared to learn either. 

Take this slowly, Kirs... 

After she prepared the juice for her boyfriend, she immediately gave it. As she expected, her mother was there, and they were now conversing. 

Kirsten beamed even though there was still a heavy feeling inside her.  

She needs to show him that she’s fine and fucking happy. 

“Kirsten, did you remember when Samuel slept over here and told me how much he loves you? I am telling you, it’s true.” Kirsten's mother, Filipinas, laughed. 

Kirsten also burst out laughing. That is correct. Kirsten is well aware of this. 

She wished that things should stay like this—but she knew that that isn’t life. 

Nobody lasts forever. People come and leave without staying for an extended time. 

That’s how life works. We need to learn how to let go—and move on. 

But moving on was not the easiest way. It’s a simple word, but it’s the hardest thing to do. 

No one could achieve that for just a month. It takes time. 

Kirsten, just thinking of letting go of his boyfriend, feels like she is holding a twig full of thorns. 

They continue talking until quarter of five in the evening. Kirsten also knows why—Samuel needs to bring Charles’ car at six. 

Kirsten even escorted Sam out of their home. Before he went inside his brother’s car, they had a little conversation. 

“I love you, Sam.” 

“See you tomorrow, and please, I will be glad if you’ll ask for my help. I would love to help you. I don’t want to see you struggling and crying ever again. I love you too.” 

Sam pulled her closer then she felt his lips pressed against her forehead. She closed her eyes. She also bit her lower lip.  

She was suffering for various reasons. She was hoping to feel at ease, but that’s impossible. 

The next day,, she planned to go to her cousin’s house, Anita, who was also happy with her boyfriend. Their relationship is longer than Kirsten and Sam, if she wasn't mistaken. 

They both do not have classes, so  Kirsten assumed that she’d see her cousin there. And Kirsten left a text message on her. Even Anita didn’t respond to that; she knew she had read it. Her cousin just has this habit that she won’t text back on her friends if it isn’t an emergency. 

When she arrived at Anita’s house, Kirsten immediately saw her there. Anita looked like she had just woken up because of her eyes. Her hair was still messy, and she was still wearing satin pajamas with a matching shirt. 

Anita just walked lazily towards her. "Good morning," she murmured. Kirsten just laughed and hugged her cousin. She'll admit that she's closer with Anita than her sister, Scarlet. She hated that girl, first of all, her sister has a huge crush on her boyfriend. 

"Good morning too, sweetie pie!" Kirsten received a glare from her. 

"Don’t you ever call me that again. I hate it." 

That endearment really annoys her. Of course, it has a reason why and it obviously happened in the past. 

"I know that you don't like calling that." Kirsten laughed, Anita just mocked her. 

"Keep that thought away from your head, Kirs," she warned her. "Have you eaten your breakfast? Come on, join me." 

"No thanks. I have already eaten. I will just wait for you up outside. I am going to call Sam anyway." It was a lie. Anita doesn't want to see a person that doesn't eat while she is eating so she just really has to wait for her. And the lie was the last sentence she was going to call Sam. She won't. 

After Anita ate his breakfast and already prepared herself they instantly went out of the house. They are going to go shopping now. That's their plan for today. Kirsten was in favor of this one because she just wanted to have a bond with her cousin, and she would want to treasure this day. 

She also made a note of all the things that they need to do and buy. 

“I actually don’t understand why you are acting strange lately.” 

“Am I?” 

Kirsten was the one who’s driving the car. Is she just too obvious? She needed to be more careful. This is just a normal problem for her. This could affect all of the people around her. 

“Yes.” 

They fell silent. She stopped the car as she parked it in the parking area of the mall. She was biting her lip while they were walking inside the mall. 

“So tell me, what are your problems?” 

Like what she had said to Samuel, she also told that reason to her cousin. She couldn‘t just tell them what the situation really was! She needed to think a lot about this. 

“I can give you a hand, you know that. We’re not in the same field but, girl, I try to help,” Anita stated. 

Kirsten smiled, they are all nice, she couldn’t see them broken in just a snap. She knew that this shouldn’t happen. She didn’t want to lie but she had no choice. 

“I know that you wanted to help but I am telling you—I am okay now. You are busy with academics too... I don’t want to disturb you.” 

“We are cousins, Kirs. You aren’t bothering me. I really wanted to help you. Whatever it is, I will try my best.” 

Kirsten just smiled at her. “And I am fine. You don’t have to help me, my dear Anita.” Then, she decided to divert their topic. “You know what, I am hungry, can we get some food first?” 

“Yeah, sure. I guess I am hungry too.” 

“Where do you want to eat?” 

“Anywhere.” 

When Anita said anywhere, then, she would not decide where to eat. So, she just chose to eat in the most famous fast-food chain. Her cousin didn’t refuse. 

While they are eating, Anita starts to talk about her relationship with her current boyfriend, Enrique. That’s good. Kirsten meant that was the good topic that they needed to talk about. She didn’t want to go back to their discussion earlier. 

“I have been feeling something odd about him lately,” Anita said. 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“He’s acting weird... you know that we have been dating for years now. I just thought that I knew him but now? I didn’t know anything about him. He wasn’t the Enrique that I once knew. He changed a lot,” she complained. “Anita sighed. Kirsten could see sadness and confusion in her eyes. 

“Samuel told me that in a relationship, communication is the key and we have proved that. I guess. You two should seriously talk.” She held her hand fast. “Don’t be sad, okay? Let’s enjoy our meals.” 

After eating, they decided to continue shopping then suddenly, Kirsten received a message from Sam’s number. 

She furrowed when she saw what was in the message. She felt weird about it. 

‘Kirsten.’

That was just the message that he sent but it is still weird. Like, this was the first time that he messaged her with just her name.

“What’s wrong?” Anita asked as she noticed that Kirsten looked confused. Kirsten shook her head. 

“There’s nothing important,” she answered. “Excuse me for a while, I will just call my boyfriend. Wait for me, okay?” 

Anita nodded. “Oh, okay.”

Kirsten started to dial his number while she was walking away from Anita. She wanted to ask why since Samuel wasn’t really sending a message... like that. 

Samuel picked up the phone immediately but to her surprise. She hears someone’s voice—it was not Samuel, she knew Sam’s voice even in the phone calls. 

“Hello?” 

“Hello? Who the hell are you?” she asked angrily. Why does someone have to touch others’ things?

“It’s me, Charles. Sam’s brother.” 

Kirsten felt her mouth open and she didn’t know what to say so she remained silent. Seriously? Charles was the one who sent her that message? Why is he holding his brother’s phone? 

Charles continues talking. “Your boyfriend left his phone at home. I need to find him, do you know where he is? I guess you are with him. You are the only person that he was accompanying.” 

Wait? Where’s Sam?”

“I am not with him. He hasn’t called me to this day.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Then, if you saw him. Tell him to go home.” Before she could answer it. The call ended. 

“What was that?” she whispered to herself. She felt really weird about it. Kirsten has been dating Sam for years and Sammy told her that he and brother didn’t get along well. They have their own issues that until now... it wasn’t solved. 

It was like they were studying in the same university but only a few students know that Charles and Sam are siblings. Charles was a bit popular in school.

She just made a mental note that she’ll talk to Sam after they go home. 

Also, she can’t stop wondering where her boyfriend went. 

When she goes back to her cousin, they continue having a conversation. She told herself that she will think about that problem later. For now, she needed to have a bond with her closest cousin. No joke. She missed Anita alot.

When they finished eating. Anita and Kirsten went to the place they wanted to go. They need to enjoy the day. 

They play in the arcade, watch movies, drink their favorite milk teas and they do skating. 

They had fun. She was happy and forgot about all of her problems that she was facing.

It was late at night when they went home.

“Thank you for the time you spent with me today,” Kirsten said. 

Anita smiled. “I am the one who should thank you. But yes, you are very welcome, my dear cousin. By the way, why don’t you stay here tonight?” 

This isn’t the first time that she slept here. She just laughed and nodded. Kirsten knew that Anita missed her too.

Kiirsten texted her mother that she was going to spend her night in Anita’s house. She agreed but later on, her mom called her and received bad news.