Alina struggled to balance herself as she stood up on the bed. It was eight o'clock in the morning and somehow her headache was relieved because she slept for a few hours and also took medicine. She immediately looked for Ricky and suspected that he was in the kitchen because she smelled garlic being roasted.
She smiled and went to where he was.
"Good morning," she greeted enthusiastically and Ricky quickly turned to her.
"Sit down first," he invited and turned down the stove before helping Alina to sit down.
"Did you prepare all of these for me?" Alina swallowed repeatedly after she asked.
Embarrassing on her part, because she sounds too much of being what they called "assumera."
The egg tortilla he cooked was delicious and came with corned beef.
Ricky laughed and glared at the girl with messy hair. "No, I'm sorry."
Alina's heart seemed to pound, she shouldn't have asked. She was wow wrong then.
"Here's the one for you." Ricky went back to the kitchen and had something served.
"Porridge with pure ginger. I mean— pure chicken. It's comfort food especially if you're too lazy to chew because you have no taste," Ricky said and he spooned porridge for Alina. It's just a little bit and it's just right to consume it.
"Here, eat," he ordered and sat down on the chair facing Alina's seat. "I hope you don't get annoyed when you're eating and I'm in front of you," he joked.
‘Why should I be bullied? I'm still happy. I wish I was always sick.’
"Hey, let's eat. The porridge doesn't taste good when it's cold." Ricky's voice had a sour stamp.
Alina's mouth was closed, gaping as she stared at Ricky's face. It was as if all her blood cells had risen and she felt like his cheek immediately turned red because of that.
"Okay, I'm going to eat." Alina pulled out the bowl with only food. She slowly swallowed a spoon and almost scratched her tongue.
She smiled afterwards. "Thank you, I always remember mama and papa. Whenever I'm sick, they always cook me porridge."
"Sorry Alina." Ricky nodded. She feels very sad for Alina when she remembers her parents. If only he could hug her, he would have done so recently when they were still in the same room.
"It's okay. Thank you huh?" Alina continued to eat until she finished as well. This was probably one of his happy breakfasts at the mansion. It was also memorable, there was something as thrilling as this breakfast. He just drank a glass of water.
"Ah Ricky, don't you have anything to do? I'm okay. You can leave me now." Even though she wanted the young man to just stay all day, she chose to drive him away.
"Sunday, I'm not going to my job because this is also my day off," Ricky retorted and continued eating. A few minutes later he was finished as well.
He washed the dishes and he checked Alina's body temperature.
He smiled because he knew that Alina's fever had gone down a bit. "You'll be fine, good."
"Because my caretaker is good, thank you." Alina matched her gratitude to Ricky with a sweet smile. She let out a sigh before leaving the kitchen.
Unbeknownst to him, Ricky had followed him and gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Alina, wait. I want to say something ..."
"What's that?" Alina's heartbeat rumbled with excitement. Ricky's baritone voice became serious and she watched him closely. She was staring at the young man's sly eyes and he did not realize that she was holding him in both his arms.
"What is it—"
"Alina, I love you."
***
Alina wasn’t disappointed with Ricky's confession. Her heart secretly celebrated because of that. The smile on her lips was about to curve but Ricky suddenly laughed out loud.
"It's just a joke!"
Ricky suddenly turned his back on her and as he turned away, abundant tears slowly flowed from her eyes.
"Why can't you even play with people's feelings? What's my fault with you huh?" Alina sighed and grabbed Ricky's arm so he turned to her immediately.
"Why would you be affected by my joke? Sir June is your crush, isn't he?" Ricky reflected a slight hope because of Alina's reaction. Is it possible that they feel mutual for each other?
"Because I Love you!" Alina's courageous confession which in turn explained Ricky's face. "Really? It's just an infatuation, Alina. You like Sir June, don't you? And you will never like me because I'm just handsome."
"But, I just liked you! Is that bad? That I've been missing you since you left? That I suddenly appreciated your kindness?" Alina's voice growled and she immediately wiped away the tears with the handkerchief in her pocket.
"Okay, confirmed. You really love me." Ricky grinned confidently.
"Huh?"
"Because if you don't love me, you'll throw away the handkerchief you're holding," he said, referring to the handkerchief that he actually owned and had just lent it to the girl.
He pulled Alina closer to him and hugged her. "It's still illegal," said Nanay Remmy. We may not be sure of each other yet. Let's wait," she said.
"So, you really love me?" Alina whispered.
Very yes, very yes.
"When we first met, I loved you." He kissed her on the forehead.
"But you have a promise to Nanay Remmy, put your education first."
"So, will you wait for me?" Alina hugged Ricky tightly.
"Are you willing to wait for me?"
"Yes," he said and nodded softly.
****
Alina has only been resting for a day and she has also recovered from the flu. She wanted to go to school and go straight to the library first. She smiled because she was alone in that place again. She has two more hours to wait before his mathematics class starts.
"It's okay. It's quiet again," she said softly and traced the shelf she was aiming for. He still has a financial management assignment.
She was about to take notes when the music played again, it's a love song from her favorite singer. Even though the song was playing softly he was still distracted.
He then stood up and searched again for the source of the music. He has experienced several times that someone seems to be tripping over the library to make a trip by playing but he has never seen a librarian. Where does that wear?
That song was familiar to Alina. Sometimes he often heard Randell and Ricky going on a soundtrip at the mansion. And every lyric hit her heart.
He took a deep breath and spoke loudly. "Can I kill the music? Someone is doing research."
And to her surprise, the music didn't stop and it only got loud when the chorus part started.
"Sir or Ma'am, wherever you are, please turn down your music please? Then it's free to play outside the campus," she shouted irritably and went back to her seat.
****
Alina's chest tightened when she saw her hated classmates in the front seat. She smiled at the four friends who were just in the same row before he went straight to the back where he always sat.
"For sure you're happy again Ms. Alina, because you'll see your fave prof again," there was sarcasm in the voice of Ryza, the one who's loudest of their group.
‘Huh? You can have Sir June, I have something new, who loves me too.’
She chose not to hit her friends. She pretended to be busy reading notes and a few moments later their professor June arrived and history was his subject.
Alina bit her lower lip as she watched June from a distance. She was glad to see him but not as much as before as if she could be shivering. She looks at the teacher as if he is a normal person and she can say that the feelings that she has kept for a few years have completely disappeared. Ricky was the only one who ended those feelings she had for the handsome professor.
"Good morning," June formally greeted everyone and immediately looked for Alina. He smiled slightly when the two of them met. She also smiled back at him.
‘No, I just think of him as normal. But Sir June is still really handsome. So handsome.’
"Good morning Sir Ybañez!" back greetings of all before sitting down.
"Today, I'm with my assistant, I mean— my colleague that you also really want to meet. He's the one I asked to check your test last meeting and he'll also draw your index cards for recitation." June cleared his throat after uttering an important announcement.
"Please welcome my friend Ricardo Milagroso," he said as the door opened and Alina's mouth fell open. Her heart jumped with inexplicable joy and shock when she saw June's assistant.
Ricky? Are you Ricardo or Cardo that they are talking about?
***
After the whole day of class, Alina still couldn't believe it because she found out that Ricky also works at the university. She stopped walking when her cellphone rang. She received a message from Ricky. "Be careful when you go home huh? Get some rest so you don't get sick again."
She replied quickly. "What time are you going home? You said you wouldn't be on duty for 2 weeks while Nanay Remmy was away?"
But instead of another reply, her cell phone suddenly rang — it was Ricky who was calling.
"Hello Cardo," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She was a little upset because Ricky didn't even say that he was working at the university even though they met. Seems like he meant not to let her know.
"Go home because it's already night. Don't pressure yourself to do those homeworks and projects. Do it at home," Ricky recalled in a calm voice, still laughing.
"Aren't you going home?"
"No, I have a lot to do. Just be careful."
"Explain it why you didn't say you work here?" She's eager to find out the reason. She couldn’t figure out why Ricky’s secrecy of his job was such a big deal.
"Why should I say that? I'm not your girlfriend."
"Huh—" Alina's words were cut short when she heard that Ricky had ended the phone call.
On the other hand, she was hurt by what he said because it really made her look like she had no right to know everything because they had no relationship.
‘But is that bad? We confess to each other! We even promised to wait until I could graduate. You are so unfair Ricardo, Cardo, Ricky or whatever name you condensed you are!’
Alina's good mood broke and she just went home to the mansion. When she returned home, he had already completed the assignments that had to be done. That's better than thinking about Ricky. She didn’t know what was running through his mind. It seems like he's not serious enough. It hurts to look forward. She better solve math problems instead of solving her complicated relationship status. She will not be able to graduate if she prioritizes the resentment of her heart. Alina also fell asleep when she continued to lose sleep within 3 hours of continuous studying. Her head was already sunk on the table full of notes and books. Unbeknownst to her, Ricky had already entered the mansion. He has a duplicate key because it was entrusted to him by Yayo and Kikay.
Ricky immediately looked for Alina and saw her sleeping in the living room. He was impressed with her efforts to study hard so the love he felt increased even more. He picked it up and placed it temporarily on the sofa, then he peeked at the project he was working on that hadn't been finished because he had just fallen asleep.
‘Maybe I know that.’
Ricky smiled because he knew how to solve the math problems that were written. That's the best thing he could do for Alina, solve those math problems before solving their conflict. He also did it in just half an hour, because he admitted that he was not good at math. He can't match June's intelligence but he can make an effort to help Alina with her studies. She sat on the edge of the sofa where Alina was sleeping. His heart fluttered everytime he looked at her peacefully sleeping. He just shook his head when he remembered the conversation he had with Mother Remmy.
Flashback:
"Nanay Remmy, I like Alina."
Nanay Remmy spilled the juice she was drinking because of Ricky's confession. "Excuse me?"
"I like Alina." His voice was still shaking when she said that.
"Is that why you're always teasing her? And why do you want to be the admin staff at the university she's going to attend?" Nanay Remmy's face gradually brightened.
She never erred in her intuition. Wrong timing just because he forbade Alina to date. But she doesn't mind if the two like each other.
"Yes, I really want her to be close to me but she's always angry. I want to date her." Ricky took a deep breath after he confessed his attitude to the old woman.
Mother Remmy laughed. "Son, you're really no different from your older brother. You're honest when it comes to your feelings, so you have a point for me."
"One point? What do you mean?" Ricky frowned.
"I haven't really allowed Alina to date yet but if you're the lover and you can answer her, there's no problem. But— you just have to wait until she finishes school. Is that clear?"
"Yes. It's very clear. I'm going to date her, huh?"
"Don't! Just catch your feelings. Courtship is old school. If you have the same feelings for each other, you're not. Don't go on the street because you should put effort into love instead of courtship. Relationships will last longer. not to please one's feelings.” Nanay Remmy smiled from ear to ear. Now it's time to test Ricky's patience.
If Ricky can wait for Alina and they stay together, Nanay Remmy has no objection and she herself will set up the wedding as long as Alina finishes college.
In the wedding, everything will end if Alina and Ricky succeed in love, if ever they really like each other.
"What should I do Grandma?" Ricky asked. So Mother Remmy temporarily thought of the condition she would give to the young man.
"Don't tell Alina that you're going to work at the university, if you're hired. As much as possible, don't show up to her. Case, is that okay? The university is small and there are a lot of events, it's impossible for you not to meet."
"I can also find a way for us not to meet right away," Ricky replied determinedly.
"And about that, let's coordinate with June."
That's why when Ricky was hired as the admin staff at the university, what kind of hiding did he do to Alina. He even hides his real nickname. He let everyone call him Ricardo or Cardo. His name is derived from his late grandfather— Ricardo Milagroso III.
Even though he was hiding, he was still simply monitoring Alina because he knew she was often in the library. There he also tripped Alina by playing music to get her out of focus.
He just sighed when the phone in his pocket rang. Mom Remmy is calling at him.
"How's the mission?" The old woman did not cross the street.
Ricky let out a weak laugh. "We've already confessed, Mom, she also likes me. I'm here at the mansion, she's asleep and she's feeling okay. Don't worry because we don't work miracles here."
"You're very good there. Don't break my trust in you huh? We're going home next week," Mother Remmy's voice was happy.
"All right. Be careful there."
"Goodnight to you! Love each other but don't do any forbidden techniques!" Mom Remmy ended the call and left Ricky speechless.
He chuckled a bit.
‘I can't do such bad things to Alina until we're married. And that’s fine with me.’
He leaned his head on the couch and glanced at the sleeping Alina after he covered her with his jacket.
“Goodnight, Alina.”