ROOM 7
Chapter Fourteen: The Extension
---
The fourth day of the trip started with an email.
Jay woke up to her phone buzzing. Then Keifer's phone. Then Lyra's. Then everyone's. A chorus of notifications that pulled the house from sleep into chaos in seconds.
Dear Students,
Due to continued maintenance and unforeseen circumstances, the university closure has been extended. Classes will resume in one week. Dorms remain open. We encourage students to use this additional time to rest and recharge.
Enjoy your extended holiday.
The room went silent.
Then Yuri screamed.
"ANOTHER WEEK! ANOTHER WEEK! WE HAVE ANOTHER WEEK!"
"Yuri, it's seven in the morning," Mica said from somewhere in the house.
"ANOTHER WEEK IN TAGAYTAY! ANOTHER WEEK WITH NO CLASSES! ANOTHER WEEK OF—"
"Yuri. Breathe."
"I CAN'T BREATHE! I'M TOO HAPPY!"
"You can be happy and breathe at the same time."
"I'M PROVING THAT WRONG!"
Calix appeared in the doorway. "What's happening?"
"ANOTHER WEEK!"
"We have another week?"
"ANOTHER WEEK!"
Calix looked at his phone. Read the email. Smiled. "Another week."
"ANOTHER WEEK!"
"We heard you, Yuri."
"ANOTHER WEEK OF THIS!" Yuri ran around the house, jumping on furniture, shouting at the top of his lungs. "ANOTHER WEEK! ANOTHER WEEK! ANOTHER WEEK!"
Lyra laughed from the couch. "He's going to wake up the whole neighborhood."
"He's going to wake up the whole province."
"He's going to wake up the volcano."
"He's going to wake up the dead."
Alex was sitting beside her, reading his phone. His face was calm. His eyes were reading. His jaw was tight.
Lyra noticed. "Alex? You okay?"
He looked up. "Fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I'm fine."
"Your face is doing the thing."
"What thing?"
"The thing where you say you're fine but you're not fine."
He was quiet for a moment. Then: "I'm fine, Lyra. It's good news. Another week."
"It is good news."
"It's good news."
They looked at each other. Neither of them smiled.
---
Part One: The Morning
The house was electric with excitement.
Yuri was planning activities. Mica was planning meals. Calix was planning grilling. Freya was planning photo shoots. Erdix was planning content. David was planning snack rotations. Care and Cole were planning— arguing, probably. They were always arguing now. But different. Softer. The kind of arguing that happened when two people knew they loved each other.
Jay was in the kitchen, making coffee.
Keifer found her there. "You're up early."
"I couldn't sleep."
"Too excited?"
She looked at him. "Too something."
He leaned against the counter. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Your face is doing the thing."
"What thing?"
"The thing where you say nothing's wrong but something's wrong."
She handed him a cup of coffee. "Lyra's quiet."
He took the cup. "She's excited. Everyone's excited."
"She's not excited. She's been on the couch for an hour. She hasn't moved. She hasn't laughed at Yuri. She hasn't—" She stopped. "Something's wrong."
Keifer looked toward the living room. Lyra was on the couch, phone in her hand, staring at the screen. Alex was beside her, not touching, not talking, just there.
"Maybe she's tired," he said.
"Lyra's never tired. Lyra's always the loudest person in the room. When Lyra's quiet, something's wrong."
He looked at her. "You're worried about her."
"She's my best friend."
"She's your best friend."
Jay looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Just—" He stopped. "You're a good friend, Jay."
"I'm a terrible friend. I've been so caught up in—" She stopped.
"In what?"
She looked away. "In everything."
He reached out. His hand touched her arm. "You're a good friend. You noticed she was quiet. You noticed something was wrong. That's what good friends do."
She looked at his hand. At his fingers on her arm. At the way he touched her like she was something precious.
"Keifer."
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad we have another week."
He smiled. "Me too."
From the living room, Yuri shouted, "ARE YOU TWO MAKING COFFEE OR MAKING OUT?"
"MAKING COFFEE!"
"YOUR FACES SAY MAKING OUT!"
"OUR FACES ARE NEUTRAL!"
"YOUR FACES ARE NEVER NEUTRAL!"
"YURI!"
"JAY!"
Keifer laughed. Jay tried not to smile. She failed.
But she was still watching Lyra.
---
Part Two: The Quiet
By noon, the house was in full celebration mode.
Yuri had organized a volleyball game in the garden. Mica and Calix were grilling. Freya was taking photos. Erdix was live streaming. Care and Cole were on the porch, arguing about the rules of volleyball. David was refereeing.
Jay was sitting on the steps, watching the game.
Lyra was still on the couch.
Jay went inside. The house was quiet. The game was outside. The noise was distant. Lyra was sitting in the same spot she'd been in all morning, phone in her hand, staring at nothing.
"Lyra?"
She looked up. Her eyes were red. "Hey."
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
"I'm fine, Jay."
Jay sat down beside her. "Lyra."
Lyra looked at her. Her face crumbled. "I miss my parents."
Jay's heart broke. "Oh, Lyra."
"I know it's stupid. I'm twenty years old. I'm on a trip with my best friends. We have another week of vacation. I should be happy. I should be excited. I should be—" Her voice cracked. "I just miss my mom. I miss my dad. I miss my little brother. I miss our house. I miss Sunday dinners. I miss—"
She stopped. The tears came.
Jay pulled her into a hug. Lyra cried into her shoulder. Jay held her and didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. She just held her and let her cry.
"I'm sorry," Lyra whispered. "I'm ruining the trip."
"You're not ruining anything."
"I'm crying on the couch while everyone's outside having fun."
"Everyone outside is having fun because they know you're inside being taken care of."
Lyra pulled back. Her face was tear-streaked. Her eyes were red. Her nose was running. "You're a good friend."
"You're my best friend. You'd do the same for me."
"I would. I'd hold you while you cried about your parents."
"Then let me hold you."
Lyra laughed through her tears. "You're making it worse."
"I'm making it better."
"You're making me cry more."
"Crying more is better. It means you're getting it out."
"That's not how crying works."
"That's how crying works for best friends."
Lyra laughed again. Jay held her. The house was quiet. The game was outside. The noise was distant.
And then Alex walked in.
---
Part Three: The Confrontation
He stopped in the doorway. His face went from calm to concerned in a second. His eyes went from Lyra to Jay to Lyra again.
"What's wrong?"
Lyra wiped her face. "Nothing. I'm fine."
"You're crying."
"I'm not crying."
"Your face is wet."
"It's— water. From the bathroom."
"The bathroom is down the hall."
"I was— washing my face."
"With your eyes red?"
"I have allergies."
"It's December."
"Winter allergies."
"Lyra."
"Alex."
He walked to the couch. He sat down on her other side. He looked at her. Really looked. The way he'd been looking at her for fifteen years.
"What's wrong?" he asked again.
Her face crumpled. "I miss my parents."
He was quiet for a moment. Then: "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay. You miss your parents. That's okay."
"You're not going to tell me it's stupid?"
"It's not stupid."
"It's stupid. I'm twenty years old. I'm on a trip. I have another week of vacation. I should be happy."
"You can be happy and miss your parents at the same time."
"That's what Jay said."
"Jay's smart."
"Jay's annoying."
"I'm right here," Jay said.
Neither of them looked at her.
Lyra was looking at Alex. Alex was looking at Lyra. The house was quiet. The game was outside. The noise was distant.
"Tell me about them," Alex said.
"What?"
"Your parents. Tell me about them. What do you miss?"
Lyra was quiet for a moment. Then: "I miss my mom's cooking. She makes this adobo that's— it's the best. No one makes it like her. I've tried to copy it a hundred times. It's never the same."
"What else?"
"I miss my dad's stories. He tells the worst jokes. The kind that aren't funny. The kind that make you groan. He's been telling the same jokes since I was a kid. They're still not funny."
"What else?"
"I miss my brother. He's twelve now. He thinks he's so grown up. He tried to teach me how to play video games last time I was home. He was so patient. He's always been patient. He's nothing like me."
"What else?"
She looked at him. "I miss Sunday dinners. My whole family. Around the table. Laughing. Arguing. Eating too much. My mom yelling at my dad for telling bad jokes. My brother showing off his new video game skills. Me—" She stopped.
"You?"
"Me being there. With them. All of us together."
She was crying again. Quiet tears. The kind that came from somewhere deep.
Alex reached out. His hand touched her face. His palm was warm against her cheek. His fingers were gentle.
"You'll see them soon," he said. "One more week. Then you go home. You eat your mom's adobo. You laugh at your dad's jokes. You let your brother teach you video games. You have Sunday dinner with your whole family."
She covered his hand with hers. "What if I don't want to wait a week?"
"Then call them. Right now. Video call. They'll be so happy to see you."
"My mom will cry."
"Let her cry."
"My dad will tell bad jokes."
"Let him tell bad jokes."
"My brother will show off."
"Let him show off."
She laughed through her tears. "You're making it worse."
"I'm making it better."
"You're making me cry more."
"Crying more is better. It means you're getting it out."
She stared at him. "That's what Jay said."
"Jay's smart."
"Jay's annoying."
"I'm right here," Jay said.
Neither of them looked at her.
Lyra was still holding Alex's hand against her face. Alex was still touching her cheek. The house was quiet. The game was outside. The noise was distant.
And then the door opened.
---
Part Four: The Explosion
Yuri burst through the door. "LYRA! WE NEED YOU FOR—"
He stopped. His mouth fell open. His eyes went from Lyra's face to Alex's hand to Lyra's hand to their faces.
"OH MY GOD."
"Yuri—" Lyra started.
"HE'S TOUCHING YOUR FACE!"
"He was—"
"YOUR HAND IS ON HIS HAND!"
"We were—"
"YOU'RE CRYING!"
"I was—"
"AND HE'S COMFORTING YOU!"
"Yuri—"
"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"
"YURI!"
He ran back outside. They heard him screaming: "EVERYONE GET INSIDE! LYRA AND ALEX ARE HAVING A MOMENT!"
"What?" Lyra stood up. "YURI! NO! WE'RE NOT—"
Too late.
The whole house poured in. Mica and Calix from the grill. Freya and Erdix from the garden. Care and Cole from the porch. David from— somewhere. He was always somewhere. He was holding chips.
They all stopped. They all stared.
Lyra's face was red. Alex's ears were red. Jay was still sitting on the couch, watching.
"Oh my God," Mica said.
"What happened?" Calix asked.
"She was crying," Alex said.
"Crying?" Freya raised her camera.
"She misses her parents," Alex said.
"Her parents?" Care asked.
"She misses her mom's adobo," Alex said.
"Her dad's jokes," Lyra added.
"Her brother's video games," Alex said.
"Sunday dinners," Lyra said.
They looked at each other.
The room was silent.
Yuri broke it. "THAT'S THE MOST ROMANTIC THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"
"It's not romantic!" Lyra shouted. "I was crying! He was comforting me!"
"HE WAS TOUCHING YOUR FACE!"
"BECAUSE I WAS CRYING!"
"BEST FRIENDS DON'T TOUCH FACES!"
"BEST FRIENDS DO WHEN THEIR BEST FRIENDS ARE CRYING!"
"BEST FRIENDS DON'T HOLD HANDS!"
"We weren't holding hands!"
"YOUR HAND WAS ON HIS HAND!"
"ON HIS FACE! MY HAND WAS ON HIS HAND ON MY FACE!"
"THAT'S EVEN MORE ROMANTIC!"
"YURI!"
"LYRA!"
Mica stepped forward. "Okay. Everyone calm down."
"I'M CALM!" Lyra shouted.
"You're not calm."
"I'M CALM!"
"Your voice is very loud for someone who's calm."
"THIS IS MY CALM VOICE!"
Mica looked at Alex. "Is she okay?"
Alex looked at Lyra. "She misses her parents."
"We heard."
"She misses her mom's adobo."
"We heard."
"Her dad's jokes."
"We heard."
"Sunday dinners."
"We heard."
Alex looked at Mica. "She's okay. She just needed to cry."
Mica looked at Lyra. Lyra's face was red. Her eyes were red. Her nose was running. She was the most beautiful thing Alex had ever seen.
"Okay," Mica said. "Everyone back outside. Lyra needs a minute."
"I don't need a minute—"
"Lyra. Take a minute."
Lyra looked at Mica. Mica's face was calm. Her eyes were steady. Her voice was soft.
"Okay," Lyra said.
The room cleared. Yuri went last, dragged by Calix. Freya went with her camera. Erdix went with his phone. Care and Cole went arguing. David went with his chips.
Jay stood up. She looked at Lyra. She looked at Alex. She walked out.
The door closed.
The house was quiet.
---
Part Five: The Moment
They were alone.
Lyra sat on the couch. Alex sat beside her. Not touching. Not talking. Just there.
"You didn't have to do that," she said.
"Do what?"
"Tell everyone. Why I was crying. You could have said anything. You could have said I was tired. You could have said I had allergies. You could have—"
"I could have lied."
"You should have lied."
"Why?"
She looked at him. "Because now everyone thinks—"
"Thinks what?"
"That there's something between us. That you were comforting me because— because—"
"Because why?"
She didn't answer.
He looked at her. "I was comforting you because you were crying. Because your best friend was crying and you wanted to help. That's what best friends do."
She stared at him. "That's what best friends do."
"That's what best friends do."
She was quiet for a moment. Then: "You touched my face."
"You were crying."
"You held my hand against your face."
"You were crying."
"You looked at me like—" She stopped.
"Like what?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
"Lyra."
"Alex."
He reached out. His hand touched her face again. Her cheek was wet. Her skin was warm. Her eyes were bright.
"You miss your parents," he said.
"I miss my parents."
"You miss your mom's adobo."
"I miss my mom's adobo."
"You miss your dad's jokes."
"I miss my dad's jokes."
"You miss Sunday dinners."
"I miss Sunday dinners."
"You're going to see them soon."
"I'm going to see them soon."
"And until then—" He stopped.
"Until then what?"
He looked at her. "Until then, you have us. You have me. You have Jay. You have Yuri and Mica and Calix and everyone. You have a house full of people who love you."
Her eyes filled with tears again. "Alex."
"Lyra."
"You're going to make me cry again."
"Then cry."
"I've already cried enough."
"Then don't cry."
"That's not how crying works."
"That's how crying works for best friends."
She laughed through her tears. He smiled. She smiled. They sat on the couch, not touching but close.
"Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying. For being here. For—" She stopped. "For always being here."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he pulled her into a hug.
She went willingly. Her face was against his chest. His arms were around her back. His chin was on her head. Her heart was pounding. His heart was pounding. The house was quiet. The world was quiet.
"I'll always be here," he said. "I've been here since we were five. I'm not going anywhere."
She closed her eyes. She listened to his heartbeat. She felt his arms around her. She let herself be held.
She didn't know what it meant.
She didn't know what she wanted it to mean.
But for now, it was enough.
---
Part Six: The Garden
After Lyra fell asleep on the couch, Jay found Keifer in the garden.
He was sitting on the stone bench, looking at the volcano. She sat down beside him.
"Is she okay?" he asked.
"She's sleeping. Alex is with her."
"Alex is always with her."
"I know."
They sat in silence for a moment.
"You were right," she said. "Something was wrong."
"I'm always right."
"You're not always right."
"I'm right about you."
She looked at him. "Are you?"
He looked at her. "I'm right about you."
She didn't answer. She didn't look away.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you going to ask me what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. Lyra was crying about her parents. And Alex—" She stopped. "Alex looked at her like—"
"Like what?"
She shook her head. "Like she's the only thing in the room worth seeing."
"That's how he looks at her."
"I know."
"You look at me like that."
She stared at him. "I do not."
"You do. When you think I'm not looking."
She looked away. Her face was red. Her heart was pounding. Her hands were shaking.
"You look at me like I'm the only thing in the world worth seeing," he said. "And I look at you the same way. And everyone knows it. The whole room knows it. The whole family knows it. The only people who don't know are us."
She looked at him. "I know."
He went still. "What?"
"I know. I know how I look at you. I know how you look at me. I know what everyone thinks. I know what—" She stopped. "I know."
He stared at her. "Then why—"
"Because I'm scared. Because I don't know what it means. Because I don't know what I want it to mean. Because—" She stopped. "Because Lyra doesn't know what she wants Alex to mean. And I don't know what I want you to mean. And I'm tired of pretending I don't feel anything. But I don't know what to do with what I feel."
He reached out. His hand touched her face. His palm was warm against her cheek. His fingers were gentle.
"You don't have to know," he said. "You don't have to know what it means. You don't have to know what you want it to mean. You just have to stop pretending."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Keifer."
"Jay."
"I'm not ready."
"I know."
"Not yet."
"I know."
"But I'm—" She stopped. "I'm getting there."
He smiled. "I know."
She closed her eyes. His hand was still on her face. His thumb traced her cheekbone. Her heart was pounding.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For waiting."
"I'll always wait."
She opened her eyes. He was looking at her. She was looking at him. The volcano was still. The garden was quiet. The world was waiting.
She wasn't ready.
But she was closer than she'd ever been.
---
Part Seven: The Conversation
Later that night, Keifer found Alex on the porch.
He was sitting alone, looking at the stars. The house was quiet. Everyone was inside. Lyra was still sleeping on the couch.
"Can I sit?" Keifer asked.
Alex nodded.
Keifer sat down beside him. They sat in silence for a moment.
"She okay?" Keifer asked.
"She's sleeping."
"That's not what I asked."
Alex was quiet for a moment. Then: "She misses her parents."
"I know."
"She misses her mom's adobo. Her dad's jokes. Sunday dinners."
"I know."
"She cried for an hour."
"I know."
Alex looked at him. "Why are you here?"
Keifer looked at the stars. "Because Jay asked me to check on you."
"Jay?"
"She's worried about Lyra. She's worried about you."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
Alex didn't answer.
Keifer looked at him. "You love her."
Alex didn't pretend not to know who he was talking about. "She's my best friend."
"That's not what I asked."
"I know what you asked."
"So?"
Alex was quiet for a long moment. Then: "I've loved her since I was twelve years old. Maybe longer. I don't remember a time when I didn't love her. I don't remember a time when she wasn't the most important person in my life."
"Then why don't you tell her?"
"Because she's my best friend. Because she's the most important person in my life. Because if I tell her and she doesn't feel the same way—" He stopped. "I don't just lose her. I lose everything."
Keifer was quiet for a moment. Then: "What if she does feel the same way?"
Alex looked at him. "Does she?"
"I don't know. You should ask her."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm scared."
Keifer nodded. "I know."
"You know?"
"I've been scared for fifteen years. I'm still scared. But I'm not running anymore."
Alex looked at him. "How did you stop running?"
Keifer looked at the stars. "I didn't. I just got tired. And she was there. She was always there. And I realized I didn't want to run anymore."
They sat in silence for a long moment.
"You should tell her," Keifer said.
"I can't."
"You can."
"I can't."
"You can. You've been in love with her for fifteen years. She's been your best friend for twenty years. She's not going anywhere. You're not going anywhere. So stop running and tell her."
Alex didn't answer.
Keifer stood up. He walked to the door. He stopped.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"For—" Alex stopped. "For being here."
Keifer nodded. He walked inside.
Alex sat on the porch, looking at the stars, thinking about Lyra.
He didn't know what to do.
He didn't know what to say.
He didn't know what she wanted him to mean.
But he was tired of running.
---
Part Eight: The Question
Jay found Lyra in the kitchen.
She was making coffee. Her eyes were still red. Her face was still puffy. But she was smiling.
"Hey," Jay said.
"Hey."
"You okay?"
Lyra poured coffee into two cups. She handed one to Jay. "I'm okay."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure." She sat down at the table. Jay sat across from her. "I talked to my mom. Video call. She cried. My dad told bad jokes. My brother showed off. It was perfect."
Jay smiled. "I'm glad."
Lyra looked at her coffee. "Alex stayed with me. After everyone left. He held me while I cried. He told me about his parents. About how he misses them too. About how his mom's pancit is the best. About how his dad tells worse jokes than my dad."
"That's not possible."
"It's possible. His dad's jokes are terrible. He told me one. I laughed. It wasn't funny. But I laughed."
Jay was quiet for a moment. "Lyra."
"Yeah?"
"Alex loves you."
Lyra looked at her coffee. "I know."
"You know?"
"He's been my best friend since I was five. Of course he loves me."
"That's not what I mean."
Lyra looked up. Her eyes were bright. "I know what you mean."
Jay waited.
Lyra was quiet for a long moment. Then: "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I don't know what I feel. I don't know what I want to feel. He's been my best friend my whole life. He's the most important person in my life. I can't imagine my life without him. But I don't know if—" She stopped.
"If what?"
"If that's love. Or if that's just— him. Being him. Being the person who's always been there."
Jay reached across the table. She took Lyra's hand. "You have time. You don't have to know today. You don't have to know tomorrow. You just have to stop pretending."
Lyra's eyes filled with tears. "When did you get so wise?"
"I learned from David."
"David?"
"David is the wisest person in the room. He just doesn't argue."
Lyra laughed. "David is neutral."
"David is peaceful. There's a difference."
They sat in the kitchen, holding hands, drinking coffee. The house was quiet. The night was dark. The stars were bright.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm scared."
"I know."
"What if I don't feel the same way? What if he tells me and I don't— what if I lose him?"
"You're not going to lose him."
"You don't know that."
"I know Alex. I've known him almost as long as you have. He's been looking at you like you're the sun since we were kids. He's not going to stop looking just because you're scared."
Lyra was quiet. "What if I feel the same way?"
"Then you feel the same way."
"What if I don't know?"
"Then you don't know. That's okay."
Lyra looked at her. "How do you know when it's love?"
Jay was quiet for a moment. She thought about Keifer. About the coffee. About the blanket. About the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't watching.
"You just know," she said. "You wake up one day and you realize you've been running from it for so long you don't remember what it felt like to stand still. And then you stop running. And you realize you've been home the whole time."
Lyra stared at her. "That's—"
"Stupid?"
"Beautiful."
Jay smiled. "That too."
They sat in the kitchen, holding hands, drinking coffee. The house was quiet. The night was dark. The stars were bright.
Lyra didn't know what she felt.
But she was tired of running.
---
End of Chapter Fourteen