"So, this dormmate has been your constant companion." It was Max, my childhood neighbor. 

"Sort of," I said. I was cleaning the car and almost done when he stopped by. 

"How is she? I mean, what does she look like? Pretty with big boobs and all?" He asked. 

I threw the pail of water at him. He almost slipped when he ran away.

"I was just curious!" He took the towel from the backseat and wiped his face.

"She's a straight girl. I mean, she's the innocent, fragile type any guy would want to take care of. Something like that."

"Ah, she's more like a little sister who'd tag along with her big brother."

"Um, more or less," unsure of what to say.

I never really thought I'd be so close to her. I knew I'd be friends with her but not close enough to feel that there's something different in our friendship. Yes, I felt that there was something that I couldn't explain. And the jeepney incident and the ice cream sure helped us to be closer than ever.

Dinner. We agreed to go to the other dorm. From the back of our dorm, there's a shortcut leading to its canteen. We stayed for a while after eating. Dinner time is the best time for me as it gives us the chance to share what happened during the day. 

Returning to our dorm, the lights suddenly turned off making it too dark to walk on the stairs. She faintly shrieked out of surprise so I held her by the hand and said, "Be careful."

While nearing the dorm, she kept looking at me as if asking. Her hand was so cold and I sensed that she was starting to feel uneasy. Why? Because I didn't let go of her hand till we reached the lobby. 

That was the first time we held hands and not the last time. Holding hands and putting my arms around her happened after the jeep incident. It's not that I'm taking advantage of her. But it's more of being comfortable with each other, physically close at that, without malice. Like I'm being protective of her. Seriously? Seriously.  

When I saw our dormmates looking at us, I gestured that we stay on one of the benches. We were both quiet as I was seated facing her. I noticed that she was avoiding my gaze. She'd look at her right then in front of her but not my way. Yet, her long black hair neatly pulled back with a ribbon made it easy for me to look at her face. I started to stare at her until I realized that I was secretly taking pictures of her. 

And I thought, What's with this girl? I'm drawn to her as if I needed to be with her.

Our dormmates were the very first to notice our closeness. I knew that we were an 'item' of sorts but I didn't dwell on it. I've heard other dorm girls teasing her and she'd always reply with, "We're just friends." Too cliche, huh? 

I didn't bother asking her about it because it didn't matter to me. I also didn't want her to think that I was making a big deal out of it. I didn't want her to feel awkward or stiff around me. I wanted her to be herself when we were together. And that's one thing I liked about her. She's not like other girls who'd put their best foot forward but only for a pretense. And with the way things were going between us, the more that I wanted to be with her.

"Um, where are we going?" It was her first summer class and my last. I planned to take her with me around the campus on my motorcycle.

"We'll paint the town red!" I gave her my jacket while she looked at me with a blank face.

I laughed as I was starting the motor engine. "I thought of taking you around the campus."

"I would love that! I'd like to know if the story about Maria Makiling is true," she said with amusement. Maria Makiling is said to be a forest nymph living in Mount Makiling. Old folks and some students alike attested to her existence either simply walking between the trees in the forest or seated in one of the big roots of old trees.

"Let's see for ourselves. Hop on." I was supposed to get her behind me but I was surprised when she hopped on. I mean, she knew how to back ride. I was more surprised when she put her arms around my waist. 

"I miss the times when I would tag along with my father on his motorcycle. As I got older, the less I get to ride with him," she said out of the blue.

So that explains why, I thought.

We roamed around the lower campus, passed by the library going to CDEM, then to BioSci, Humanities, PhySci, Baker Hall, and Umali Hall. She wanted to go to the Faculty but it was so late already. We returned to Forestry but decided to stop by the basketball court. We stayed there for just about 15 minutes then headed back to the dorm.

It was full of stars that night. And for the first time in my college life, it has been one of the best summers I had.

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Thank you for reading.

Enjoy!