by Carla de Guzman

Image by Valeriia Miller on Pexels. (All photos and videos on Pexels can be downloaded and used for free).

1. INT. SATURDAY MORNING. A CAFE IN LEGAZPI VILLAGE, MAKATI. 

JAIME is sitting alone at one of the tables by the window at the corner of the cafe. It’s relatively early so there are not a lot of people, but there’s the sound of coffee grinding in the background, steam coming off of the espresso machine, and music playing low in the background. This is the kind of cafe that would be labeled a “hidden gem,” even if it is on the streets of Legazpi Village. Not a single bossa nova cover can be heard, and the beans are from A Roaster You’ve Definitely Heard Of. Occasionally, you can hear the muffled sound of a car passing by.

JAIME is in his thirties. Handsome, casual and cool, he exudes a mabango rich boy elegance. Yung tipong maginoo pero medyo fuckboy parin. Definitely wore chino shorts and boat shoes in college, naka Uniqlo pants and Onitzuka Tigers na ngayon. He enters the cafe after parking his car on the street, and takes off his sunglasses.  

Staff is dazzled.

STAFF 
Hi, sir! Table for two? 

JAIME
Yes please, thanks. That one, by the window, is it…?

STAFF
Free? Opo. 

Jaime sits at the table. Staff hands him a menu. Jaime accepts. 

STAFF
Here’s the menu.

JAIME
Thanks. Can I order coffee? 

With the infinite patience of someone who has to answer this question multiple times a day, and will answer it multiple times more, Staff responds. 

STAFF
It’s a cafe, sir. Of course you can.  

JAIME
I’ll have a black coffee. My friend will have an iced Americano in a glass with exactly half the number of ice cubes than what you would put in. Uh, do you guys use fresh milk or UHT?

STAFF
Hala. 

Staff turns to a barista behind the counter and wordlessly asks for help. The barista was clearly eavesdropping and is trying not to laugh but mouths ‘”fresh.”

STAFF
Fresh milk po. 

JAIME
Okay, good. I don’t know how she knows, but she can always tell the difference. So black coffee for me, iced Americano for her, with a splash of cold milk. But the milk should be on the side. A small cup, siguro an espresso cup? Splash lang naman kasi. 

Staff at this point is no longer dazzled, but more bewildered. 

STAFF
Ah, sure po. Serve na po ba?  

JAIME
Ah hindi pa. Pero I’m sure she’s going to walk in any minute. 

The door to the cafe opens. Brief street noise swells, but then muffles again as ROXANNE walks in. 

ROXANNE is also in her thirties, and is put together in a way women her age are expected to be. Her outfit is a matching skirt and top set from a boutique local brand, the kind run by a batchmate of hers that she’s supporting. Her tote bag is by a local artist and is full to the brim with a journal, a planner, a smaller pouch for stationery, makeup, emergencies, and an umbrella, all carefully curated. She’s wearing flip-flops, but it’s the Islander x Carl Jan Cruz collab. The bracelets on her wrists look cheap, but they are frienship bracelets and charms made by her inaanaks so she wears them proudly. Her hair is still wet, and she’s not wearing makeup.

JAIME
(to himself) Fuck, she’s gorgeous. 

He stands up to greet her, moves in close to give her a beso on the cheek. Staff has already walked away from the table. 

ROXANNE
Hey. Did you order na?

JAIME
Yeah—

ROXANNE
Sorry I’m late. Sobrang init sa yoga class kanina, and it wasn’t even bikram!  I needed a shower after. Tapos I was on my way when I got a call from a client. Medyo worried about filing a case against her employer, even if her employer totally screwed her over.

JAIME
Oh, shoot. That sucks. 

ROXANNE
It’ll be fine. I actually prefer cases like this. There has to be a purpose to me being sucked in by corporate law, and apparently it’s getting clients that could actually use my help. Can I put my stuff here? (purses her lips at the empty seat beside Jaime) 

JAIME
Yes. Please place your ginormous tote bag on the empty seat beside you. 

ROXANNE
Remind me again how grateful you were the last time you needed an umbrella? Or the last time you asked to put your shit in my ginormous tote bag because you didn’t have one?

JAIME
My comfort shouldn’t come at the expense of your shoulders. 

ROXANNE
And yet I don’t see you carrying around a tote bag. 

JAIME
That’s what the car is for…? Anyway. Put your stuff down and tell me about last night. 

Roxanne puts the tote bag on the empty seat beside her and makes a noise that sounds both like “ugh” and “huff!” She rolls her eyes. 

ROXANNE
Edi yun. 

JAIME
Yun? You showered and dragged your ginormous tote bag all the way here just to tell me ‘”yun”?

ROXANNE
Eh ano pa ba? The guy insisted on talking to his mom as soon as we finished last night, and that’s fine. I mean, he’s close with his mom, that’s nice. I’ve always liked guys who are close to their moms. 

JAIME
(smug)  I’m close with my mom. 

ROXANNE
I know. Tita Rita is the sweetest. Did I tell you she sent me kiat kiat the other day? She said she was just in the neighborhood. 

JAIME
Yeah, She told me. You know when I asked where my kiat kiat delivery was, she said, “you’ll get kiat kiat when you give me grandchildren.” Like it’s mutually exclusive.  

Roxanne laughs, secure in her position as Jaime’s Mom’s Favorite. He is an only child. 

JAIME
So, wait, you stuck around while the guy talked to his mother? Did he make you something to eat at least? 

ROXANNE
What? No. That would have been awkward, wouldn’t it? 

JAIME
Less awkward than calling my mom after, that’s for sure. “Hi Mom, grandchild secured. Please deliver my kiat kiat anytime.” 

Roxanne laughs again, and Jaime does too. They’re used to stupid tangents like these, it’s fine. 

JAIME
I would have at least offered a girl some food or a drink while making her wait to dismiss me. So you just sat there, waiting for him to finish his phone call? 

ROXANNE
(groans) Oh god. Yes, I did. It was too awkward to just wave and leave. But it was even more awkward to say, “Thanks for the sex, I don’t think it’s going to work out between us, bye.” I don’t know how you do it.

JAIME
Easy. You could always just…lie. 

ROXANNE
You lie? Like how? 

JAIME
Well, I don’t say “thanks for the sex,” for starters. 

ROXANNE
Well my therapist said that “you’re supposed to recognize the efforts of your subordinates,” or whatever. I was being nice!

Jaime laughs. 

JAIME
Okay, Attorney. Casual nga diba? So I say, “that was fun,” then tell them I have an early meeting, an early haircut, or a basketball game. They always believe me when I say I have a basketball game. 

ROXANNE
(huffs) Nice to know those college athlete charms never go away. 

JAIME
They never do. You can build a business from the ground up right out of college and people ask if you can land three pointers from half court. I can, by the way.    

ROXANNE
And an early haircut? Really? 

JAIME
Well…yeah. I mean. Look at my hair.   

He doesn’t even pose or anything, simply expects Roxanne to look. And she does, and laughs. 

ROXANNE
You know, some days I’m kind of glad you friendzoned me in college. I don’t think I could have handled the pressure of dating The Jaime Bautista. 

JAIME
I think you know more than most that The Jaime Bautista wasn’t all he was cracked up to be. I mean, I heard his mother doesn’t even give him kiat kiat. (pause) What do you mean I friendzoned you? 

ROXANNE
In college, diba? We met, I liked you, and you decided na friends lang tayo. 

JAIME
I decided? How? 

ROXANNE
You would cheat off me in every Econ quiz, and you would feel bad about it so you bought me lunch after. Then you called me your best friend. Very loudly, I might add. 

JAIME
Wait, if I friendzoned you, does that mean that at some point in time, you didn’t think we were in the friend zone? 

ROXANNE
(wrinkles her nose) Eh. Maybe. You were very hot ten plus years ago. And you wore those shorts all the time. My eyes kept going to your calves. Hmm.  

JAIME
I still have those same calves, you know. And other areas that have since been defined.

ROXANNE
Oh I know. I can see them. (flirty) Lucky for you, I found a lot of other things about you that I like much more. 

JAIME
I’m the lucky one, Rox. And I see you, too. 

The two of them go quiet as Roxanne is taken aback by what Jaime just said. Jaime looks slightly uncomfortable, as if they have touched on a truth that he has wanted to say to her for quite some time now, but hadn’t been brave enough to admit. 

Staff arrives with their orders. 

STAFF
Brewed coffee and iced Americano, milk on the side? 

Roxanne coughs and clears her throat. Jaime looks up sharply as the moment is broken. He wonders if he’ll ever get another chance, and promises himself he’ll be better. Next time. Next time ulit. 

JAIME
Yes, here, thank you.  

The coffees are placed on the table. Roxanne sees the iced Americano and the espresso cup only half full with fresh milk. 

ROXANNE
(to the STAFF)
Oh! Is the milk—

STAFF
Fresh? Yes, ma’am. Delivered from Laguna this morning. Please let me know if there’s too much splash. 

ROXANNE
And the ice is—

STAFF
Half the amount of ice cubes. Just like sir ordered. 

Staff kind of glares at Jaime like this weird order is his fault. Jaime smiles sheepishly. 

ROXANNE
It’s perfect, thank you. 

Staff nods and walks away. 

ROXANNE
(to Jaime) Alam mo, you’re one of the very few people in the world who knows my coffee order. Even my exes never got it right. Or they complained about it. Arte ko daw.  

JAIME
And that, Rox, is why they are exes. You order this every time we have coffee, and we only ever have coffee. Being maarte isn’t a bad thing. 

Roxanne is looking at Jaime like it’s the first time she’s sat across from him. 

JAIME
Should we order breakfast? 

ROXANNE
(relieved) God yes. Can I see the menu? 

Jaime passes her the menu. After some time, Roxanne looks up. 

ROXANNE
Excuse me, miss?

STAFF
Ready to order, ma’am? 

JAIME
Can I get the longsilog? 

STAFF
Okay, sir. And for you, ma’am? 

ROXANNE
I’ll have the arroz caldo, but only if it isn’t too soupy or rice-y, and if it doesn’t have too many bits of luya floating around. If there are no bits of luya in the arroz caldo, I want the chicken in parts, not shredded. But if there’s a lot of luya, or it’s too soupy or rice-y, or if the chicken is already shredded, I’ll just have the champorado with powdered milk instead of the carabao milk, if you have it, and the danggit on the side. 

STAFF
(their pen has not moved the entire time Roxanne was talking)
Uhm…okay…

ROXANNE
And can we get another glass for the table? (holds up her empty water glass) This one’s still a bit dirty.

STAFF
Sige po.

STAFF walks back to the counter to talk to the barista. You can hear her talk as she walks off.  

STAFF
Bes, grabe tong order ni ma’am o, kaloka…

Roxanne sprays a generous amount of sanitizer into her hands and holds it up to Jaime. 

ROXANNE
Sanitizer? 

JAIME
Yes please.

She sprays sanitizer into his hands and he rubs it and immediately takes a deep sniff.

JAIME
Mmm. Lemon.

ROXANNE
Uh. 

JAIME
So aside from the awkward issue of the exit…how was last night? 

ROXANNE
(winces) Ugh. Last night was…

JAIME
(expectantly)…wild? 

ROXANNE
Weird. I don’t know. I suppose the point of hooking up with somebody is to have sex, and I did that. So in very strict terms, it was…

JAIME
(winces)…good? 

ROXANNE
(shrugs) Meh. 

JAIME
Oof. Poor Fino. It was Fino, right? Rufino Go? 

ROXANNE
(in disbelief) Oh my GOD. See, this is why I should just tell my other friends who I’m hooking up with, because you, for some reason, know every guy I ever get matched with on KiligFinder!

JAIME
Hey, it’s not my fault you accidentally keep swiping right on guys I know. And when push comes to shove, isn’t it better that I show up at some guy’s door when you need an emergency exit? 

ROXANNE
I suppose you do have an…intimidating look about you. In a Daniel Henney kind of way. And luckily, we’ve never had to engage emergency exit protocols yet. Lots of close calls though. On your part. 

JAIME
I swear, if I knew I was allergic to overly friendly dogs I would not have gone to Mandaluyong that night. So thank you again for the rescue. And you seemed to enjoy acting like a jealous girlfriend. I admit I believed it for a little bit. 

ROXANNE
You’re welcome. (huffs) And sometimes a girl just needs to yell and scream and push you around a little bit, deserve mo naman. Ang kulit mo kasi! 

She reaches forward and pinches his cheek, and Jaime is feigning being in pain. She stops pinching him and ends up just kind of…carressing his cheek? And now they’re just looking into each other’s eyes. 

ROXANNE
I’m glad to have you in my corner, though. 

Jaime leans into the touch of her hand. 

JAIME
Me too. 

The moment lingers, and Roxanne spreads her fingers, Jaime brushes a thumb across her wrist. But the moment is broken when the cafe doors open again, the noise swells, and they let go of each other, clearing their throats. 

JAIME
Anyway. You’ve had your fair share of knowledge on my previous hookups too. But I’m surprised you’re so unsatisfied with Fino. He had a bit of a rep back then for his…exploits. 

ROXANNE
Well, I would have been enamored with his “holy staff” in college, but since I turned thirty, it just doesn’t float my boat anymore. 

JAIME
(splutters mid-sip) His what??

ROXANNE
Holy staff. That’s what he called his… 

JAIME
(laughs) Oh bro. Brooooo. Tangina, holy staff! Did you…uhm…at least…you know?

ROXANNE
Orgasm? How could I? He called it. His. Holy. Staff. 

JAIME
(still laughing, he is definitely going to tell someone else about it later) Oh my god. Ang sad. Seriously. On behalf of all men, I’m so sorry, Rox. You deserve better. So much better. And not that this is a brag or anything—

ROXANNE
So it’s definitely a brag…

JAIME
But if it were me I would have taken it seriously, at least, that you wanted to hook up with me. Just because we’re calling it casual doesn’t mean it isn’t important. 

ROXANNE
Are you asking if I want to hook up with you? Or are you telling me that you’re not like other guys? 

JAIME
(with all the confidence of an average Pinoy guy) Oo naman. People always enjoy the Jaime Bautista experience. I’ve been called many names, God included. I’ve made women meow, Rox. Meow. 

ROXANNE
How do you know? 

JAIME
What do you mean, how do I know. They just do it, like a cat. Meeeow. Mrrrrooowww. 

ROXANNE
No, how do you know that the women enjoyed the Jaime Bautista Experience? Completely?

JAIME
I know. (confident) I know. (insistent) 

Roxanne laughs because she’s making fun of him, and because she realized that despite the way she feels, her best friend is, and will always be a guy. And as such he will have guy blinders on. Worse still, he will have Average Pinoy Guy blinders and think he’s God’s gift to women. But that’s mostly because he was also an athlete. 

ROXANNE
You don’t know. 

JAIME
I do! 

ROXANNE
Well, how do you know? Because they—

JAIME
Yes, because they. Every time. 

ROXANNE
And they’re really, honestly, truly…

Audible voices as someone passes by their table. 

ROXANNE
…finishing. Every time? And not faking it?

JAIME
(confused) Faking it? You can’t fake it. Can you?

ROXANNE
(scoffs) You can’t, but we certainly can. How do you think I managed to detangle myself from Holy Staff? He was done, I said I was done, wow baby, that was amazing, he called his mom, and we called it a day. 

JAIME
Why would you fake it? So you lied to a stranger because—?

Roxanne opens her mouth to speak and remind her best friend that feminism exists because women aren’t always safe in the environments that they choose to be in, mostly because of men. 

JAIME
Because you didn’t feel safe around him. Right. (suddenly looks like he’s dizzy) Oh god. Have I ever done that? Has anyone ever faked it with me? 

Roxanne opens her mouth to speak again, but doesn’t get the chance to. 

JAIME
I don’t think so. It’s never happened to me. (pauses, like he’s not too sure of that, almost like…or has it?) I think I would be able to tell the difference if it was fake. 

ROXANNE
Oh, oh, okay. Sure Jan. 

JAIME
What? It’s true! I haven’t had any complaints?

ROXANNE
Jaime, if all women have faked an orgasm, and all men are sure it’s never happened to them, one of them has to be telling the truth, and obviously it’s the one who is actually faking. 

JAIME
I would certainly be able to tell if you were faking. 

Pause. They seem to be sizing each other up. 

ROXANNE
You couldn’t.

JAIME
I could. If it’s about you feeling safe? I could. Or you could tell me. 

ROXANNE
I could. 

JAIME
Could I? 

ROXANNE
Could you what? 

JAIME
Fake an orgasm. It seems like a handy trick. 

ROXANNE
I mean you’re certainly welcome to try. 

They stare each other down, as if waiting for the other to do something. Her cheeks are hot, but she’s trying to ignore it. He lifts his coffee cup to his lips, and takes a deep sip. Jaime moans like it’s the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted. 

JAIME
Oh my god. 

Roxanne’s eyes are wide like she can’t believe he just did that. Jaime puts down his cup and moans again like he can’t hold it in, leaning back against his seat and making more noise. 

JAIME
Fuck, Roxanne, I have to—

He’s stopped by Roxanne sitting beside him and putting her hand over his mouth. He makes a little noise of surprise, but continues to groan. She starts giggling and shaking her head at him. 

ROXANNE
Don’t. You. Dare. 

JAIME
(muffled) Dare what? 

The way Roxanne sits means she’s leaning against Jaime, her elbow on the back of his chair. She lifts her hand, and they really are just staring into each others eyes. Maybe their hearts are beating a little too fast suddenly, because how is it that you see someone so often but never truly see what they could possibly mean to you? 

JAIME
Naniwala ka ba? 

Roxanne shakes her head. 

ROXANNE
(grins) Not for one second. 

Staff approaches them with a tray of food. Honestly it’s a slow morning at the cafe and they have been waiting for their moment to enter since they started talking about Holy Staffs. It’s just that the food is getting cold and the barista refuses to reheat the dishes again. 

STAFF
Your foods, ma’am, sir? 

Jaime laughs. Roxanne disentangles herself from him, but doesn’t leave the seat next to Jaime. 

ROXANNE
(brightly, like nothing happened) Yes, thank you. 

2. INT. MID SATURDAY MORNING. THE SAME CAFE IN LEGAZPI VILLAGE, MAKATI. 

It is now mid-morning, which is just about the time that titas start meeting each other for brunch. The cafe feels fuller now, a little noisier and more crowded. Someone has already asked to take the chair Roxanne had occupied earlier. They are now busily eating their breakfast. 

ROXANNE
(already reaching out with her fork) Can I have some of your—

JAIME
Take them. I hate tomatoes. (offers her his plate) Pa experience naman ng—

ROXANNE
(hands him the extra spoon) Go. 

They swap food. He takes a bite, so does she. 

JAIME
Mmm? <masarap?>

ROXANNE
Mmm! <yes!> Eh yung— (she uses her lips to point at her champorado)

JAIME
Mmhm. (nodding) Mmmmm. Saraaaaap. 

ROXANNE
More? (holds up a spoonful)

JAIME
Mmmm. Please. (he takes a bite from her) You? (offers a fork of longganisa)

ROXANNE
(giggly whisper) Sige. 

JAIME
(exaggeratedly bastos) Do you want my…longganisa? 

ROXANNE
(laughs) Yes, Jaime. Give it to me. 

He lets her have a bite. She also grabs some of his rice. 

JAIME
Sarap?  

ROXANNE
Lagi naman. 

JAIME
Still glad you friendzoned me?  

ROXANNE
Mmm. Still salty about that? Have some more champorado. 

JAIME
Gladly. 

Ambient noise rises and falls, like a lull in conversation. They’re still eating, but they’re almost done. The environment is comfortable and relaxed, like they’ve done this countless times before, and they have. 

ROXANNE
You know, this breakfast may be the most satisfying thing I’ve ever experienced in a while. 

JAIME
Really? Touching the Holy Staff did nothing for you?

ROXANNE
Ack, don’t remind me. 

JAIME
So…we’re not going to talk about it? 

ROXANNE

Talk about what? Faking orgasms? Jaime, it’s fine, it happens to everyone.

JAIME
No. (laughs) About the fact that you still think I put you in the friendzone. I didn’t, by the way. You put yourself there. You didn’t think I could be attracted to you, but I was.  

ROXANNE
You used me to cheat on the quizzes! 

JAIME
I was lazy, and you were the only person in that class I was paying attention to. 

ROXANNE
You bought lunch because you were guilty!

JAIME
I bought you lunch because I liked you, and I liked spending time with you. I still do. 

ROXANNE
I thought I was smart! I felt so guilty every time I made a mistake because it meant you were making a mistake too, and what kind of a friend would I be if I let you—

JAIME
I didn’t say you weren’t smart, I’m saying I didn’t care about anything else!

ROXANNE
You should care, because you’re really good at it! You know how to make me feel cared for, and you let me feel safe even when I’m totally terrified, and a lot of the time I do things because I think, it’s fine! I have someone who cares about me, and he’ll be my emergency contact, because he means a lot to me! 

JAIME
I do?

ROXANNE
Of course you do! 

JAIME
As a friend? 

ROXANNE
Not…always. 

JAIME
Oh. Same. 

Ambient noise. Another lull in conversation. They are both not looking at each other again, and Jaime is wondering why he can’t seem to say anything else. Was that enough? Was that too much? Where do they go from here? 

ROXANNE
You know you never told me what you ended up doing last night. 

JAIME
Eh, the usual. Being a disappointment to my father by staying the hell away from basketball, watching the stock market, checking on my commodities and fixed income equities. 

ROXANNE
So you hooked up with someone too. 

JAIME
Me-ow.

ROXANNE
(flustered) Jaime. 

JAIME
What? 

ROXANNE
I bill my clients $100 an hour. Did you know that? 

JAIME
You do? 

ROXANNE
I do. And you’re wasting my time. 

JAIME
Ah. Feisty, just the way I like her. Don’t be mad, please. I was just teasing.

ROXANNE
(sighs deeply) Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t mean to be…Jaime, this is one of those moments that I need you to tell me the truth.

JAIME
Because I’m your…friend. 

ROXANNE
Because you’re my friend, even with or without being attracted to me, and we’ve been friends for way too long to keep dancing around this. Remember when I had my blue rose, and I had to give it to the person who ‘made my college years “special” and I wanted to give it to Amos Sebastian—

JAIME
And I told you it was a bad idea. Which it was. And you didn’t listen to me. 

ROXANNE
(grumbles) I wasn’t taking advice at that time. 

JAIME
(sweet) We spent the rest of Seniors Night crying into the bushes near the dorms. Me because I didn’t get MVP, and you because…

ROXANNE
Because I thought I was in love with Amos. I remember. God. College flashbacks. I wanted so badly to be in love with him. But I wasn’t. And you still told me the truth that night. About how you were feeling about the future, how the right guy was going to come along for me. 

JAIME
I swear to tell you the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, attorney. But why does it matter if I hooked up with someone last night? 

ROXANNE
Maybe I need to know that this is normal. This feeling of being deeply unsatisfied by this whole “casual hookup” thing. 

JAIME
Aw, Rox…

ROXANNE
So I want to know why you like it. Why it’s worth doing. Because I built it all up in my head, you know? All my life, sex was this forbidden, dirty thing that I shouldn’t know about. And sure, I used the Internet to find out things, but all this time, I thought it was all hushed and taboo because it meant something. Because it was special. 

JAIME
It is, sometimes. 

ROXANNE
Yeah, sometimes. But not all the time. It’s just that I hate that this is a thing for me. This weird hangup. I shouldn’t overthink sex. We’re in a post-capitalism hellscape, and I’m a woman who can do what—whoever she wants. I have all this freedom, all these options, everything within reason is in my grasp. But damn it. I’m still so lonely. So I need you to tell me that you feel this way too, so I don’t feel like an idiot. Going around in circles, sleeping with guys who just…don’t stay after the conversation? That’s not me, that’s not what I want. 

JAIME
You’re not an idiot. And I’m sorry it hasn’t been the greatest experience for you. But maybe it’s because you haven’t found someone who thinks about you enjoying sex just as much as they think about themselves enjoying it. 

ROXANNE
You think I don’t know that? This is me, trying to find that! I’ve been looking, and I’m just so tired of looking. I know it’s only been a few dates, but I’m tired. I’m tired of these guys who can’t even bother to know my coffee order, or tell me how they really feel!

JAIME
I think you want someone to love you. You still want someone to love you. Someone who can hold you close and give you everything you think you deserve. Like really sweet kisses, deep kisses. Kisses that make you feel weak in the knees and make you shake. You want someone to wake up with you in the morning and tell you your breath is awesome when it’s panis as hell. And do you know how I know that? 

ROXANNE
Because we’re friends? 

JAIME
Because I love you.

ROXANNE
What? 

JAIME
I stayed at home last night. Waiting for you to text me that you were okay. And all this time I was stupidly waiting for the right time to tell you how I feel, when I should have told you that first day I cheated off of your quiz in Econ class. I was scared because I love this, you and me in cafes on Saturday talking about everything else. But if there’s the smallest chance that it could be more, that I could be with you? I kind of want the rest of our lives to start as soon as possible. 

Roxanne sighs. It’s a shuddering sigh, like she’d been waiting for so long to hear Jaime tell her that, like she can’t quite believe it. She knows what she told herself all this time to not feel this, way, and how hard it was to deny herself of being happy with him. Roxanne knows what she wants. But sometimes can be afraid to ask for it. And right now, she’s just happy that she’s been given permission. 

They kiss. It’s cute. 

JAIME
(relieved) Finally. 

ROXANNE
Finally. (extremely happy) I’m excited to see how you’re going to make me meow. 

JAIME
I can show you the ways of the Force…

ROXANNE
(laughs) Oh my god. And I thought Holy Staff was bad enough. Come here. 

They kiss again, a little longer, a little…louder this time?  They’re both a little breathless afterward. 

TITA
(scandalized) AHEM! Excuse me, children! Ano yung ulam niyo? Ako rin. 

END

About the Author. Carla de Guzman is a contemporary romance author based in Quezon City. She is the author of 13 titles, including Manila Takes Manhattan and The Last Guy You Kiss published by Harlequin’s Afterglow and Mills and Boon UK, Sweet on You and Match Made in Lipa with Carina Press (same publisher as Heated Rivalry) internationally, and Blooming Love with Vibal Publishing locally. Anvil Publishing is the former publisher of Midnights in Bali, now Some Bali to Love independently. Audiobook editions of If The Dress Fits, The Queen’s Game, and How She Likes It were published by Everand. 

She continues to self publish her books, enjoys being a part of Romanceclass and was a delegate for the Frankfurt Buchmesse in 2024. Her book, Sweet on You, was recently released as a movie retitled to Recipe for Romance and aired on the CW and Crave Canada. 

She also designs book covers, has appeared on talks and panels as a romance writer and reader, creates hand lettering titles, and has written articles for Esquire, Spot.ph, When in Manila, and Philstar Life. She also recently worked on the English translation for the online webcomic Duty Ka Ba? by Tepai Pascual, published by Avenida Press.

She is a Capricorn Sun and a Virgo moon, and runs Magdamag Market Cafe with her siblings. Her usual coffee order is an iced latte, and she’s currently using a Hobonichi A6 as ring planner to keep it all together.