It's dark, the lamppost and the light of the moon give light to the ground. Lucy is sitting alongside her longtime friend Kricia at the waiting shed outside the Subdivision.
"End it, Cia! What if you got busted by Philip?" Lucy was full of concerns.
"Easy Lu, I did this to find the best out of the best!" She twirled her tongue inside her mouth. "Surely if you expose me, then it will be hard for me to control my mouth about that boy where your heart goes Tumb-Tumb!" She teased.
"What? Are you crazy!" Lucy, paranoid, looked around the area. "I-I t-told you, I j-just felt a little nervous alright!"
Lucy's stuttering caused her friend to laugh even more. She continued teasing her. "I'm sure if that Instructor didn't come, then MORE HOT MOMENTS will happen, Lu!"
"Shhh, please stop this, Cia! You know my neighbors love gossiping!" Lucy's body trembled.
Kricia's expression changed remembering how Howard influenced Lucy to befriend one of their friends for being a bad angel. "Alright I'll stop but seriously Lu, stay as yourself and make sure that you're taking your relationship at your own pace, okay?"
"Why? It's me okay, and I will always be me." She gawked.
"I know that you like Howard because he is stable and has a clear plan for the future, but twenty-four years old is still young Lu. You should enjoy life and smile more." While holding her hands.
#Seasons they change
Gone away then back again
Every sign I see is you
I am tired of hiding how I feel
Every sign is telling me it's real
'Spring Rain' by Oscar Dunbar.
"Hays, he's checking on you again, right!" she uttered upon seeing the caller's name.
Lucy tried assuring her but failed. Like having an allergic reaction, Kricia stood up then pecked Lucy.
"Alright, take care! Text me when you get home and thanks for the donuts!" she happily waved then answered the phone call.
"Howy, I'm sorry I didn't respond to your call right away. I'm still outside sending Kricia."
"But it's late, go home now okay. Let's have breakfast outside tomorrow, I'll pick you up early." He then hung up without hearing her opinion.
While Lucy walks home she's still thinking about what Kricia had said.
Yes, maybe she's right. I was afraid to become like mama, so I got obsessed with having a stable and permanent life!
A woman who still looks beautiful even at her age opened the wooden door. "Oh your early Howard, are you going to take Lu to work?"
"Yes Mama, I have something to tell her, so we decided to eat outside. Here, I bought pizza and your vitamins!" he said as he went inside the bungalow.
"Oh my, here you go again! Lucy can buy me this stuff too and this store of mine earns money as well." Referring to the extension of their house in front that was turned into a small store.
"You're still not done?" Howard walked inside the room where Lucy and her younger sister slept, he sat in the corner of the bed.
"Howy, why did you decide to eat outside anyway? Have something important to tell me?" curiously asked Lucy while putting on her makeup.
He didn't answer and just looked around. "Are these red sandals what you're going to wear, Lu?" while holding it.
"Yup! hmm… will it look good in this dress, Howy?" speaking playfully like a child while watching Howard busy, putting her sandals onto her.
"Hmm, are you a kid?" He spoke seriously, altering Lucy's mood. "Did you forget that I liked you because you're always pretty and sexy whatever you wear!" He smirked.
He sounded weird, right? It's not sweet but it's kind of cheesy, a melting cheese perhaps! Howard is not so sweet like many boyfriends in the world, but he is so caring and considerate when it comes to Lucy's needs, even to her family that often makes her feel a little uncomfortable.
They met online while Lucy was feeling heartbroken after breaking up with her first boyfriend who cheated on her.
The first time they met in person, Howard couldn't forget her, causing him to leave his work in the town where he grew up. Choose to work at the capital Manila then rented a place in Quezon City which is one ride away from his work and to Lucy's place.
Howard became Lucy's Lighthouse. An unbreakable Lighthouse that always guides her to stay on the right path or maybe to a path that he already made for her!
She caresses Howard's tan face, looking into his striking dark eyes…
Lucy walks near her mother holding her off-shoulder floral dress. "Ma I picked this from our hang dry, I washed it days ago but it smelled awful." Giving it to her mother.
"Ahh, sorry I thought this is Laira's, she wore it yesterday. Hays, her and her habits!"
Lucy got infuriated because the dress is the only material gift she received from Howard other than vitamins, food, or mostly cash for her to buy what she likes.
She still can't get over the early event, she eats her favorite Carbonara even faster than the Soldiers do without savoring it.
"Laira never changes! Look how her boyfriend has a lot of tattoos, your sister didn't think most of the time!"
For others, it's heartwarming to know that their boyfriends are always on their side, but instead, it annoys Lucy.
"You know that Laira is intelligent, right? I can't even match her when we were still at school. But sometimes she thinks and decides differently than others do!" You'll see the frustrations in her.
"Sure, you're always like this anyway whenever I talk about your family's traits and issues!" Howard faced her. "You know that I will always be on your side, right?" He stopped eating and held Lucy's hand.
"I know and remember that I'm always thankful to you Howy, hmm..." her smile was short but full of honesty.
"Sorry, I am quite moody. I guess it's my headache. Anyway, what do you want to tell me?"
"Oh that, I have a short leave next month. I'm thinking of our first anniversary, I want to take you to my hometown in Vigan to meet my mother! Maybe for five days?"
Lucy suddenly felt dizzy.
Here he goes again, deciding without asking Lucy's opinions. Like always their conversations ended peacefully with Lucy's Magic Words…
"Alright, I'll try asking my Operation Manager."
Lucy's body starts feeling weird, she rests her head at the table, it's obvious that she's sick. She sensed someone's presence but before she found out who it was, she felt a hand touching her head. "Hmm, what is it? Please stop holding me!" she weakly looked up.
A young man bearing the face and voice of an angel registered in her sight!