After sharing another round of laughter, we all position ourselves near the roof's edge, letting our legs dangle. Samuel reaches into his backpack, retrieving the Jim Beam bottle along with some snacks we purchased at a local grocery store. This store, conveniently situated at the corner of mine and Avery's street, is the only one we know of that remains open year-round. For the remainder of the train journey, we engage in discussions about current events in our lives, reminiscing about old memories while creating new ones. We capture pictures and record videos, laugh, and sing together, all while polishing off the bottle before reaching our final destination.
And no, there were no more threats of us plunging to our demise that night, in case any of you were concerned.
"Goodnight, bro."
Avery and I are currently waiting at baggage claim for our luggage to come out, so I've taken the time to post the birthday photos of William and Henry from last night on Instagram. The celebration was quite wild, to say the least.We engaged in bar hopping downtown and became so intoxicated that we ended up staying at the nearest hotel, with all seven of us sharing a single room. Needless to say, we didn't fall asleep until eight in the morning. I'm quite certain I had a tipsy conversation with Max at some point, though I can't recall many details.You know he's never going to let you live that down, right?Yeah, what else is new?Speaking of Max...Subjec
The 'honeymoon phase' in Max and my relationship didn't last very long. Instead, we swiftly transitioned into the 'you annoy the heck out of me, but I'm not going anywhere because you're still the only one willing to date my quirky self' phase. The first two weeks were filled with affectionate moments, but it soon became apparent that it was merely us adjusting to each other in a new way.But did I mind? Absolutely not! In fact, I cherished every moment because it added authenticity and depth to our connection. I'd give anything to have things back to how they were with Max, to have what we shared back then, before fate decided to intervene.What Max and I had was genuine in every sense of the word, but it just wasn't meant to be....
Max releases our intertwined fingers for the first time since we re-entered the club and guides my hands to encircle his neck. With a hand on my waist, he pulls me close to his chest. A brief kiss lands on my lips before he positions himself between my legs, and we start moving in sync, grinding against each other. Laughter escapes me when Max playfully mouths the lyrics of Nelly's "Hot in Herre" to me, moving sensually to the rhythm of the 2002 hit. He eventually stops, synchronized with the song's end, adjusting our rhythm to the next track.A few songs later, I notice Max occasionally getting distracted, trying to discreetly focus on something behind me. The last time he exudes this mischievous vibe, he hits me with his signature smirk-and-wink combo, signaling he's about to do something.However, before I can inquire further, his
"Why bother having an open-book final when it's almost impossible to write three decent five-page essays in just an hour and twenty minutes?" Avery sighs, frustrated. She asks to see the lecture notes I took on 'Shakespeare's Sonnets and Sexuality,' the same ones she missed during a mandatory rehearsal. I hand over the notes to her, annoyed that Professor Wright scheduled the final exam on the last day before winter break."You've got a point there," I reply. "I bet he's doing it so that if we all fail, he can still justify it by saying he allowed us to use our notes." Avery nods as she flips through the notes to jot down the essential details in her own notebook.Avery and I, like all the other students at UP, have back-to-back final exams throughout the week, and it's only Tuesday. I had my Media Criticism final yesterday and submi
After our meal at the Courtyard Café, Avery went to her rehearsal, and Kalix and I returned to the Learning Commons to continue studying. Avery has been working hard on the winter showcase, which is only three nights away, right before our month-long winter break. I'm really excited for her."I'll be here studying either way," I tell Kalix, my eyes fixed on my Shakespeare notes. "So, whether he shows up or responds to my text after four hours, I'll be here for a while."Kalix leans against the nearby table and says something to me, but I'm so immersed in studying Shakespeare's history and sonnets that I don't hear him clearly this time.Kalix raises his voice, calling my name, "Isabella.""Hm?" I mumble, stil
"You've got this, Avery. I mean, it's a music composition course, and you've been preparing for the showcase all semester," I encourage my best friend over the phone as I enter the building for my Philosophy final."Oh, it's not the music part I'm worried about. It's Wright's final. Music, I can handle. But Shakespeare? I'd rather dig my own grave," she replies, and I chuckle as I join the line of students outside the lecture hall I've been attending for the past three months."We still have a whole night before his exam, Avery. We won't let it get to us, right? We've been studying all week, on top of our other classes. So, after your final, meet me in our reserved study room at the Learning Commons. Tonight, we'll tackle interpreting Shakespeare's sonnets in our own words."
My hand instinctively reaches for the messy bun that has miraculously stayed on my head since this morning. I silently congratulate myself when I find a bobby pin and carefully insert it into the lock. Five seconds later, I hear the satisfying click of the lock turning, and I open the door to find Max sitting on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. I step inside, close the door, and lock it again to prevent any interruptions during our conversation.Only then does Max look up to see me."Isabella, what are you doing here?" he asks, his gaze shifting between the bobby pin in my hand, the door, and then back to me. "And did you just pick the lock on my door?""Well, hello to you too, Captain Obvious," I reply, placing the bobby pin back in my hair. "And before you unleash your brilliant retorts, you didn't leave me much of a choice, did you?""Isabella," he sighs, bringing his fingers to his temple, indicating that my words are beginning to irritate him, much like his recent beha
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Professor Tiboni, the Vice Chair of the Music department here at the University of the Philippines, and I extend a warm welcome to the university's forty-first annual winter showcase." Applause fills the room as the audience acknowledges the turnout. "Before we dive into the main events, I'd like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all the crucial contributors who have made this wonderful program possible throughout the years, starting with..." I zone out during Professor Tiboni's lengthy introduction, recalling the shorter version that Avery had informed me about not long ago.According to Avery, this year's winter program features twenty talented performers, all carefully selected by the top professors in the music department. Each student is required to present an original piece in front of the live audience, which includes the attendees currently seated or standing in front of Campbell Hall's winter-themed stage—Kalix and me inclu