ROOM 7
Chapter Twelve: The Video Call
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The third day of the trip started with rain.
Not Manila rain— the kind that fell in sheets, flooding streets, stopping traffic. Tagaytay rain. Soft. Steady. The kind that made you want to stay inside with coffee and blankets and nothing to do.
The house was quiet for once. Yuri was still asleep. Lyra was curled up on the couch with a book. Alex was beside her, pretending to read. Mica and Calix were making breakfast. Care and Cole were arguing about something quietly, like they didn't want to wake the house. Freya was editing photos. Erdix was still sleeping. David was making coffee for everyone.
Jay was on the porch, watching the rain.
Keifer found her there, two cups of coffee in his hands.
"You're going to get wet," he said, sitting down beside her.
"The porch is covered."
"The wind is blowing."
"I like the rain."
"You like everything about Tagaytay."
"I like some things about Tagaytay."
"What things?"
She looked at the garden. At the volcano hidden behind clouds. At the rain falling on the flowers.
"The quiet," she said. "The cold. The way everything looks softer in the rain."
"And the company?"
She looked at him. "The company is tolerable."
He smiled. "You're impossible."
"You like it."
"I don't not like it."
She took the coffee from his hand. Their fingers touched. Neither of them pulled away.
---
Part One: The Morning
They sat on the porch for an hour, watching the rain.
The house woke up slowly. Yuri stumbled out of his room, hair everywhere, looking like he'd been dragged through a bush. "What time is it?"
"Nine," Mica said from the kitchen.
"Nine? Why is everyone up so early?"
"It's nine, Yuri. That's not early."
"It's early for vacation."
"Vacation doesn't have rules about sleeping."
"Vacation has one rule: sleep as late as possible."
"You slept until nine. That's late."
"I could have slept until noon."
"You would have missed breakfast."
"There's breakfast?"
"There's always breakfast."
Yuri ran to the kitchen.
Lyra laughed from the couch. "He's like a puppy."
"A very loud puppy," Alex said.
"A very hungry puppy."
"The hungriest puppy."
She looked at him. "You're not reading."
"I'm reading."
"Your book is upside down."
He looked at his book. It was, in fact, upside down.
"I was testing you," he said.
"You were testing me?"
"To see if you were paying attention."
"I'm always paying attention."
"To what?"
She opened her mouth. Closed it. Her face went red.
"To—" She stopped. "To the rain. I'm paying attention to the rain."
"It's raining."
"It's raining a lot."
"It's been raining for an hour."
"I like the rain."
"You like everything about Tagaytay."
"I like some things about Tagaytay."
"What things?"
She looked at the garden. At the rain. At the way the light filtered through the clouds.
"The quiet," she said. "The cold. The way everything looks softer in the rain."
"And the company?"
She looked at Alex. "The company is tolerable."
He smiled. She smiled. They sat on the couch, not touching, not reading, just existing in the same space.
From the kitchen, Mica called out, "Breakfast is ready!"
The house moved toward the kitchen. Yuri got there first. Lyra and Alex followed. Care and Cole came down the stairs, still arguing about something. Freya and Erdix appeared from the garden. David was already at the table, organizing snacks.
Jay and Keifer came in last.
They sat across from each other. The table was long. The food was warm. The rain was still falling.
"This is nice," Lyra said.
"You say that about everything," Yuri said.
"Everything is nice."
"Everything is not nice."
"Everything is nice when you're with people you love."
Yuri opened his mouth. Closed it. His face went red.
"That's—" he started. "That's—"
"Cheesy?" Lyra offered.
"Warm," Yuri said. "That's warm."
Lyra smiled. Yuri looked away.
Mica passed the eggs. Calix passed the rice. David passed the coffee. The table was quiet for a moment, just the sound of rain and forks and breathing.
Then Jay's phone rang.
She looked at the screen. Her stomach dropped.
"It's my mom," she said.
"Answer it," Keifer said.
"She's going to—"
"Answer it, Jay."
She answered.
"JAY! THERE YOU ARE! WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL YOU FOR HOURS!"
"Mom, it's nine in the morning."
"WE'VE BEEN UP SINCE SIX! YOUR FATHER WANTED TO WATCH THE SUNRISE!"
"The sunrise was at five."
"WE WATCHED IT FROM THE BALCONY! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! KEIZER TOOK PHOTOS! HE'S GOING TO SEND THEM TO THE GROUP CHAT!"
Jay closed her eyes. "Mom, why are you calling?"
"I WANTED TO SEE YOU! AND KEIFER! AND EVERYONE! PUT US ON VIDEO!"
"Mom—"
"VIDEO, JAY! I WANT TO SEE FACES!"
Jay put the call on video.
Her mother's face filled the screen. Jeena Mariano, hair perfect, makeup perfect, smile perfect. Behind her, the mountains of Baguio stretched into the distance.
"THERE YOU ARE!" Jeena shouted. "KEIFER! COME HERE! I WANT TO SEE YOU!"
Keifer leaned into the frame. "Good morning, Tita."
"KEIFER! YOU LOOK HANDSOME! ARE YOU EATING WELL? ARE YOU SLEEPING? YOU LOOK THIN!"
"I'm eating fine, Tita."
"YOU'RE LYING! JAY, FEED HIM! HE NEEDS MORE RICE!"
"Mom—"
"AND WHERE IS EVERYONE? I WANT TO SAY HI TO EVERYONE!"
Jay turned the phone. The table came into view. Lyra waved. Alex nodded. Mica smiled. Calix raised his coffee cup. Care and Cole looked up from their argument. Freya held up her camera. Erdix waved. David raised a chip. Yuri was already waving.
"HI, TITA JEENA!" Yuri shouted.
"YURI! YOU'RE SO LOUD! I LOVE IT!"
"I'M ALWAYS LOUD!"
"I KNOW! IT'S WONDERFUL!"
From the background of the video call, another voice joined. "IS THAT THEM? LET ME SEE!"
Serina Watson appeared beside Jeena. Her hair was pulled back. Her smile was wide. Her eyes were bright.
"HI, EVERYONE!" Serina shouted. "KEIFER! WHERE'S MY SON?"
Keifer leaned into the frame. "Hi, Mom."
"KEIFER! YOU LOOK GOOD! ARE YOU SLEEPING? ARE YOU EATING? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE LOST WEIGHT!"
"I haven't lost weight, Mom."
"YOU'RE LYING! JAY, FEED HIM! HE NEEDS MORE FOOD!"
"I will, Tita."
"AND MAKE SURE HE WEARS A JACKET! IT'S COLD IN TAGAYTAY!"
"He's wearing a jacket, Tita."
"IS HE? LET ME SEE!"
Keifer held up his arm. He was wearing a jacket.
"GOOD! AND YOU? ARE YOU WEARING A JACKET?"
Jay held up her arm. She was wearing Keifer's jacket.
The screen went quiet.
Jeena and Serina looked at the jacket. Looked at each other. Looked back at the screen.
"IS THAT KEIFER'S JACKET?" Jeena asked.
"It's cold," Jay said.
"THAT'S KEIFER'S JACKET," Serina said.
"He gave it to me."
"HE GAVE YOU HIS JACKET?"
"I was cold."
"SO HE GAVE YOU HIS JACKET?"
"Yes, Tita."
Serina looked at Jeena. Jeena looked at Serina.
They were both smiling.
"JAY, PUT THE PHONE ON THE TABLE," Jeena said. "I WANT TO SEE EVERYONE."
Jay put the phone on the table, propped against the coffee pot.
The whole room came into view. Twelve people around a long table. Rain falling outside. Food everywhere. Coffee steaming.
"Oh my God," Serina breathed. "Look at them."
"All of them," Jeena said. "Together."
"Alex's grandmother's house?"
"Alex's grandmother's house."
"It's beautiful."
"It's perfect."
From the background of the video call, a man's voice: "ARE THEY ON THE CALL? LET ME SEE!"
Jasper Mariano appeared behind Jeena. His hair was messy. His shirt was untucked. He looked like he'd just woken up.
"JASPER, YOU'RE NOT PRESENTABLE!" Jeena said.
"I DON'T CARE! I WANT TO SEE MY DAUGHTER!"
He leaned into the frame. "JAY! THERE YOU ARE!"
"Hi, Dad."
"ARE YOU EATING? ARE YOU SLEEPING? ARE YOU WEARING A JACKET?"
"Yes, Dad."
"SHE'S WEARING KEIFER'S JACKET," Jeena said.
Jasper's eyebrows went up. "Keifer's jacket?"
"He gave it to her."
Jasper looked at the screen. Looked at Keifer. Looked back at the screen.
"Good jacket," he said.
"Thank you, sir," Keifer said.
"Keep her warm."
"I will, sir."
Jasper nodded. "Good."
Another voice from the background: "LET ME SEE! I WANT TO SEE!"
Keizer Watson appeared beside Serina. He was wearing a robe. His hair was wet. He looked like he'd just showered.
"KEIZER, YOU'RE NOT DRESSED!" Serina said.
"I DON'T CARE! I WANT TO SEE MY SON!"
He leaned into the frame. "KEIFER! THERE YOU ARE!"
"Hi, Dad."
"ARE YOU EATING? ARE YOU SLEEPING? ARE YOU WEARING A JACKET?"
"Yes, Dad."
"HE'S WEARING A JACKET," Serina said. "BUT HE GAVE IT TO JAY."
Keizer's eyebrows went up. "You gave her your jacket?"
"She was cold."
"So you gave her your jacket?"
"Yes, Dad."
Keizer looked at the screen. Looked at Jay. Looked back at the screen.
"Good jacket," he said.
"Thank you, sir," Jay said.
"Keep him warm."
"I will, sir."
Keizer nodded. "Good."
---
Part Two: The Interrogation
The video call lasted an hour.
Jasper and Jeena. Keizer and Serina. Four parents, one screen, twelve kids, one table.
They asked about everything. The house. The food. The weather. Who was sleeping where. Who was cooking. Who was cleaning. Who was arguing.
Care raised her hand. "We're not arguing. We're discussing."
"You're always arguing," Jeena said.
"We're academic rivals."
"That's not a thing."
"It's our thing."
Jeena looked at Care. Looked at Cole. Looked back at Care.
"You two are going to get married someday," she said.
Care choked on her coffee. Cole choked on his rice.
"We're not—" Care started.
"We're not—" Cole started.
"MARRIED," they said together.
"Not married," Care said.
"Not ever," Cole said.
"You're going to get married," Jeena said. "I can see it. The arguing. The tension. The way you look at each other when you think no one's watching."
"We don't look at each other," Care said.
"We observe," Cole said.
"Same thing," Serina said.
Care and Cole looked at each other. Looked away. Their faces were red.
Jeena smiled. "That's what I thought."
She moved on. "YURI! HOW ARE YOU?"
"I'M GREAT, TITA!"
"ARE YOU EATING? ARE YOU SLEEPING?"
"I'M EATING! I'M SLEEPING! I'M LIVING MY BEST LIFE!"
"GOOD! AND FREYA? HOW ARE THE PHOTOS?"
"THE FOLDER IS GROWING, TITA!"
"SHOW ME!"
Freya held up her camera. The screen filled with photos. Jay and Keifer on the rooftop. Lyra and Alex at the falls. Care and Cole arguing. The whole room at dinner. The porch in the rain.
Jeena gasped. "THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL!"
"I DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!"
"GOOD! KEEP DOCUMENTING! THE FAMILY ARCHIVE NEEDS MORE PHOTOS!"
"THERE IS NO FAMILY ARCHIVE!" Jay shouted.
"THERE IS NOW!" Jeena shouted back.
Jasper leaned into the frame. "JAY, STOP YELLING AT YOUR MOTHER."
"SHE STARTED IT!"
"I DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT! STOP IT!"
Jay crossed her arms. Keifer put his hand on her arm. She didn't pull away.
Jasper saw it. Keizer saw it. Jeena and Serina definitely saw it.
No one said anything.
They all smiled.
---
Part Three: The Question
The call was winding down. People were finishing breakfast. Yuri was stacking plates. Mica was washing dishes. Calix was drying. Care and Cole had started arguing again. Freya was taking photos. Erdix was helping David organize snacks.
Jay was still at the table. Keifer was beside her. The phone was still propped against the coffee pot.
"Jay," Jeena said. "Can we talk to you alone?"
Jay looked at the screen. Her mother's face was serious. Her father was beside her. Keizer and Serina had moved closer.
"Everyone," Serina said. "All of you. We want to talk to all of you."
The room went quiet.
Lyra sat down. Alex sat beside her. Mica and Calix stopped washing dishes. Care and Cole stopped arguing. Freya lowered her camera. Erdix put down his phone. David sat down with his chips. Yuri sat down last, looking nervous for the first time all trip.
The twelve of them gathered around the table. The phone was in the center. The parents were on the screen.
"We just want to say," Jeena started, "that we're proud of you."
"All of you," Jasper added.
"This room," Serina said. "This trip. This—" She stopped. "This family you've built. We're proud of you."
Keizer nodded. "The feud between our families— it's old. It's tired. It's over. It ended the day you all walked into Room 7."
"You built something new," Jeena said. "Something better. Something we couldn't have imagined when we were your age."
"You're not enemies," Jasper said. "You're not rivals. You're—"
"Family," Serina said. "You're family. All of you."
The room was silent.
Yuri was crying. Lyra was crying. Mica was holding Calix's hand. Care and Cole were looking at each other. Freya was taking photos through her tears. Erdix was holding her hand. David was smiling.
Jay was holding Keifer's hand.
She didn't remember grabbing it. She didn't remember not letting go.
"We love you," Jeena said. "All of you. Call us if you need anything. Eat well. Sleep well. Take care of each other."
"We will," Jay said.
Her voice was steady. Her hand was steady. Her heart was steady.
"Good," Jasper said. "Now go enjoy your trip. We'll call again tomorrow."
"Same time," Serina said.
"Same place," Keizer added.
"WE LOVE YOU!" Jeena shouted.
The call ended.
The screen went dark.
The room was quiet for a moment. Then Yuri stood up. "I'M NOT CRYING!"
"You're definitely crying," Lyra said.
"I'M NOT CRYING! MY EYES ARE SWEATING!"
"Eyes don't sweat."
"MY EYES ARE SPECIAL!"
"Yuri—"
"I'M FINE! I'M GREAT! I'M—" He stopped. His voice cracked. "I'm really happy."
Lyra stood up. She walked over to him. She hugged him.
He hugged her back.
Alex watched. His face was unreadable.
---
Part Four: The Afternoon
The rain stopped in the afternoon.
The clouds parted. The sun came out. The volcano appeared, gray and quiet, steam rising from its crater.
Yuri ran outside. "THE SUN! THE SUN IS OUT!"
"We can see that, Yuri," Mica said.
"WE CAN GO OUTSIDE! WE CAN EXPLORE! WE CAN—"
"We can sit on the porch and enjoy the view," Mica said.
"That's boring!"
"That's relaxing."
"Relaxing is boring!"
"Yuri."
"FINE!"
He sat on the porch. Lyra sat beside him. Alex sat on her other side. Mica and Calix sat on the steps. Care and Cole sat on the swing, still arguing about something. Freya and Erdix sat in the garden, taking photos of the flowers. David sat in the hammock, eating chips.
Jay and Keifer sat at the edge of the garden, on a stone bench overlooking the lake.
"You're quiet," he said.
"I'm thinking."
"About what?"
She looked at the volcano. At the lake. At the steam rising from the water.
"About what they said. About us being family."
"It's true."
"Is it?"
"Look at them." He pointed at the porch. Yuri was trying to balance a cup on his head. Lyra was laughing. Alex was watching. "They're family. We're family. All of us."
She looked at the house. At the people scattered across the garden. At the way they laughed and argued and took care of each other.
"I've never had this," she said. "Friends. People who—" She stopped.
"Who what?"
"Who see me. Not the Mariano name. Not the shipping empire. Not the feud. Just me."
He looked at her. "I see you."
"I know."
"I've always seen you."
"I know."
"Jay."
"Keifer."
He reached out. His hand touched her face. His palm was warm against her cheek. His fingers were gentle.
"You're not alone," he said. "You've never been alone. You've had Lyra. You've had your brothers. You've had—" He stopped.
"You?"
"You've had me. Since we were fourteen. You've had me."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Keifer."
"Jay."
"Can you—" She stopped. Swallowed. "Can you kiss my forehead again?"
He smiled. "Yeah. I can do that."
He leaned in. His lips touched her forehead. Soft. Gentle. Slow.
She closed her eyes.
He pulled back.
She opened her eyes.
He was looking at her. She was looking at him.
"Someday," she said.
"Someday."
"Maybe."
"Maybe."
From the porch, Yuri shouted, "ARE YOU TWO KISSING AGAIN?"
"IT'S A FOREHEAD KISS!"
"THAT'S STILL A KISS!"
"IT'S DIFFERENT!"
"HOW?"
"BECAUSE—" Jay stopped. Looked at Keifer. Looked back at Yuri. "BECAUSE IT IS!"
"That doesn't make sense!"
"It makes sense to us!"
"NOTHING YOU TWO DO MAKES SENSE!"
"THAT'S THE POINT!"
Yuri threw his hands up. Lyra laughed. Alex smiled. The sun was setting. The volcano was still. The garden was quiet.
Jay was holding Keifer's hand.
She didn't remember grabbing it. She didn't remember not letting go.
She didn't want to let go.
---
Part Five: The Night
That night, they sat on the porch again.
Everyone was inside. Yuri was telling stories. Lyra was laughing. Alex was watching. Mica and Calix were making hot chocolate. Care and Cole were arguing about something. Freya was editing. Erdix was sleeping. David was organizing snacks.
Jay and Keifer were on the porch, watching the stars.
"Your parents called today," she said.
"They did."
"They said we're family."
"They did."
"They said the feud is over."
"It's been over for a long time. We were the only ones still fighting."
She looked at him. "We're not fighting anymore."
"We're not."
"What are we doing?"
He looked at the stars. At the volcano. At the lights on the lake.
"I don't know," he said. "But I like it."
She smiled. "I like it too."
He looked at her. "You said something nice."
"I say nice things."
"You say tolerable things. You said you like something. That's more than tolerable. That's nice."
"Don't get used to it."
"Too late."
She laughed. He smiled. They sat on the porch, watching the stars, not touching but close.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For the forehead kisses. For catching me. For waiting."
"For what?"
She looked at him. "For everything."
He reached out. His hand touched her face. His palm was warm against her cheek. His fingers were gentle.
"I'll always wait," he said. "I'll always catch you. I'll always kiss your forehead when you need me to."
"What if I always need you to?"
"Then I'll always be here."
She closed her eyes. His hand was still on her face. His thumb traced her cheekbone. Her heart was pounding.
"Keifer."
"Jay."
"I'm not ready."
"I know."
"Not yet."
"I know."
"But someday."
"Someday."
"Maybe."
"Maybe."
She opened her eyes. He was looking at her. She was looking at him.
She wasn't ready.
But she was closer than she'd ever been.
---
Part Six: The Group Chat
Later that night, the group chat exploded.
Jeena: Today was a good day
Serina: The best day
Jasper: They're holding hands in the photos
Keizer: My son is holding her hand
Jasper: My daughter is holding his hand
Jeena: THEY'RE HOLDING HANDS
Serina: I SAW
Jeena: IN THE GARDEN
Serina: ON THE BENCH
Jeena: OVERLOOKING THE LAKE
Serina: IT WAS BEAUTIFUL
Jasper: Keifer gave her his jacket
Keizer: She was cold
Jasper: So he gave her his jacket
Keizer: Good jacket
Jasper: Good jacket
Jeena: THEY'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED
Serina: I KNOW
Jeena: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE THEY WERE FIFTEEN
Serina: I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE THEY WERE FOURTEEN
Jeena: MY FOLDER IS READY
Serina: MY FOLDER IS READY
Jasper: What folder
Keizer: What folder
Jeena: NOTHING
Serina: NOTHING
Jasper: Jeena
Keizer: Serina
Jeena: GOODNIGHT
Serina: GOODNIGHT
Jasper: They have a folder
Keizer: They definitely have a folder
Jasper: Should we be worried
Keizer: No
Keizer: Our children are holding hands
Keizer: That's all that matters
Jasper: They're holding hands
Keizer: They're holding hands
Jasper: Goodnight, Keizer
Keizer: Goodnight, Jasper
---
Part Seven: The Morning
Jay woke up to a text from her mother.
Mom: Good morning
Mom: Did you sleep well?
Mom: Is Keifer making you coffee?
Mom: Is he wearing a jacket?
Mom: Are you wearing his jacket?
Mom: Send photos
Mom: Freya sent some but I want more
Mom: The folder is growing
Jay: Good morning, Mom.
Mom: DID YOU SLEEP WELL
Jay: Yes.
Mom: IS KEIFER MAKING YOU COFFEE
Jay looked across the room. Keifer was awake. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, holding two cups of coffee. One for him. One for her. Black, no sugar.
He caught her looking and smiled.
Jay: Yes.
Mom: IS HE WEARING A JACKET
He was wearing a jacket. The same one he'd given her yesterday. The one she'd given back. The one he was wearing now.
Jay: Yes.
Mom: ARE YOU WEARING HIS JACKET
She looked at the chair beside her bed. His jacket was there. He'd left it outside her door. Again.
She didn't remember asking for it. She didn't remember needing it. But it was there. Warm. Waiting.
Jay: Yes.
Mom: GOOD
Mom: SEND PHOTOS
Jay: No.
Mom: JAY
Jay: Goodbye, Mom.
She put her phone down. She got up. She walked across the room.
She took the coffee from Keifer's hand. Their fingers touched. Neither of them pulled away.
"Good morning, Mariano."
"Good morning, Watson."
"You slept?"
"Eventually."
"Me too."
She sat down on his bed.
Everyone was still asleep. Yuri was snoring. Lyra was curled up. Alex was facing her, hand stretched out between their beds. Care and Cole had fallen asleep at their desks. Freya was holding her camera. David was holding a bag of chips.
The house was quiet. The rain had stopped. The sun was rising over the volcano.
Jay sat on Keifer's bed. She drank his coffee. She wore his jacket.
She wasn't ready to say it.
She wasn't ready to kiss him.
But she was ready to stop running.
"One more step," she said quietly.
He looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
He reached for her hand. She let him take it.
Across the room, Freya's camera clicked.
No one told her to delete it.
---
End of Chapter Twelve