“A MORNING OF GOOD CONVERSATION’

Calum let out an amused laugh before gently pinching Lena's cheek. “Of course, it's about you,” he said, sitting down beside her and putting his arm around her.

With Calum's arm around her, Lena suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. She didn't know why she felt so tired, but if there was one thing she was sure of, it was the sudden happiness she felt right now.

"You know, all we need is a good and honest conversation to understand each other," Calum continued, his voice soft yet firm, like a comforting lullaby that reached into the deepest parts of her heart.

Lena couldn't quite understand what Calum was getting at, but suddenly she saw her best friend in him—no one else but Marius. The thought brought fresh tears to her eyes, her vision blurring as memories of Marius flooded her mind.

"Hey! What's wrong now?" Calum asked, chuckling softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Lena couldn't understand why she wasn't annoyed, even though Calum was laughing in such a situation. Maybe if it were another man, she would have been upset. But there was something disarming about Calum, something that made her feel safe and at ease.

She shook her head and quickly wiped away her tears. “I just remembered my best friend when I looked at you,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

Unconsciously, she glanced at Calum. Their eyes met. His green eyes were stunningly beautiful, like emeralds glistening under the morning sun. But aside from their literal beauty, there was a hint of sadness that quickly vanished. In the end, Lena thought she might have just been seeing things.

“Yeah? So, you have a best friend?” he asked, his tone cheerful, a playful glint in his eyes.

Lena smiled, a bittersweet smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

As she had told Celso earlier, it had been almost a month since she met Calum. Since that night in a bar, their relationship had primarily revolved around casual sex. Their encounters were passionate, intense, and fleeting—a temporary escape from their personal pains. Something that had become normal for Lena ever since she lost Marius.

This conversation was, in fact, the first real one Calum had initiated with her. She had never bothered to open up to him about personal matters, and he hadn't either. The truth was, she didn't trust easily.

She had trust issues, and she believed that if she admitted this to Calum, he would understand.

“I think I'd like to know about him,” Calum's words pulled Lena back to the present, his voice a steady anchor in the storm of her thoughts.

“What?” Lena asked, confused, her eyebrows knitting together, a crease forming on her forehead.

“Lena, are you okay? You've seemed distant for a while now. You know what?” he said, pinching the tip of her nose gently, a tender smile on his lips. “It's better if, when you feel scared, you remember what I told you earlier. That I'm with you, and no one can hurt you anymore,” he reassured her, his voice a soothing balm to her wounded heart.

Calum's words touched Lena's heart, capturing her full attention. When he spoke again, she understood, no longer feeling lost in the maze of her emotions.

“Now, tell me about Marius,” Calum prompted her, his voice gentle but insistent.

A bitter smile crossed Lena's lips as she began to tell Calum who Marius was in her life. Her voice wavered at first but then steadied as she delved into the past, the memories both painful and precious.

*****

“Hey! You jerk, why did you make Lena cry?” Marius shouted, his young face contorted with anger, landing a punch on Celso.

“Leave him alone!” Lena pleaded, pulling at Marius's arm in fear, her eyes wide with panic.

“I'll tell my father on you! You're so arrogant!” Celso cried as he got up, his voice breaking. He had fallen when Marius punched him, the dirt from the ground clinging to his clothes.

“Go ahead, tell him! Do you think I'm scared? Even if your father is a councilor, I'm not afraid of you! You're only arrogant because of him!” Marius retorted, his voice rising with each word.

Celso cried even harder at that, tears streaming down his cheeks. Lena seized the opportunity to grab Marius's arm and pull him away from the scene, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Why did you have to hit him? If he tells his father, you might get into trouble with the barangay,” Lena said, her voice filled with worry, her hands shaking slightly.

Marius laughed dryly before responding. “Didn't I tell you? I'm not afraid of him. And aren't you glad I defended you from that pervert?” he asked, a hint of pride in his voice.

Lena didn't respond to that. She couldn't deny the relief she felt, but the fear of the possible consequences still loomed large in her mind.

Her Aunt Lourdes had been a housekeeper for Marius's grandparents for as long as she could remember. They had been playmates since they were little, their bond growing stronger with each passing year. They were the same age, as was Celso. The three of them were in their last year of elementary school, the threshold of adolescence just within reach.

“That idiot has liked you for a long time, which is why he always teases you. I've been watching him because I know you can handle his teasing. But what he did to you earlier, I couldn't let that pass,” Marius said, his voice filled with conviction.

Lena could hear the anger in Marius's voice. As a close friend, she understood what Marius was going through, where he was coming from, and what was driving him.

She had played Laura in their school play of "Florante at Laura." She had wanted Marius to play Florante, but he refused. In the end, the role went to Celso.

It was after school when she told Marius she was going to change. She hadn't expected Celso to follow her to the dressing room to peek at her. She caught him in the act and was crying when Marius found her. By then, Celso had left, and Marius went after him, catching up with him along the way.

“I'm too young for this, Marius. You know all I want is to study hard so Aunt Lourdes and I can have a better life,” Lena replied, her voice breaking slightly.

Marius smiled and ruffled her hair. “I know whatever dreams you have, you'll achieve them. You're smart. But when the time comes that you meet the man you want to be with, introduce him to me. We're friends, right? We're practically siblings, aren't we?” he asked, his voice warm and reassuring.

Lena's young heart fluttered at his words, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Why do you want to meet him?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

The truth was, she had a crush on Marius. But being so young, she didn't pay much attention to it, especially since she had big dreams of becoming wealthy.

“So I can see what kind of person he is. I want to make sure he's a good guy. I need to know you'll be okay,” Marius replied, his eyes sincere and unwavering.

Lena smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes. “You talk like you're not a kid,” she said, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

“Just promise me,” Marius said, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “We're friends, Lena. I don't want to lose you.”

“Me too, I want us to always be together, Marius. And when you meet the girl you want to marry, do the same. So I can make sure she'll be good to you,” Lena replied, her voice filled with determination.