Chapter 5

I walked out of my professor's office with a wide smile plastered on my face and my pace was enthusiastic. I was on the verge of jumping because of the happiness I'm feeling but the stares of the people around me might be weirded out if I'll do that.

Mrs. Salazar just told me that I am running for Dean's Lister this year again and if I'll manage to maintain that consistency, there's a huge possibility that I'll be included in Latin Honors if I'll graduate!

I know that I did well. I was never frivolous when it comes to my studies because I always put it as my top priority above all things. And having a boyfriend in college is not a distraction for me, instead, he's one of my inspiration to study harder.

"Who's making you smile?"

I jumped out of surprise as I turned my face to the direction of the voice. I closed my eyes and shook my head when I saw Revi wearing his uniform topped with his laboratory white gown.

Right. He looks dashing in white. And he looks more dashing in lab gowns!

"You're... here," I told him the obvious. "I mean, are you done with your class?"

He inserted some of his fingers in the pocket of his lab gown and rested his right knee, shifting his weight.

"I'll just get something from the lab here. How about you? Are you done with your class?"

I nodded. "Our professors for the next two minor subjects were absent... so, yes."

His forehead creased. "So who's making you smile?"

I flashed him with my wide smile again. "You mean... what's making me smile, Rev." I corrected.

He raised his brow. "Oh, what?"

I flipped my hair a little. "I just heard some good news."

"Okay? Care to share?"

I nodded excitedly. "Of course. But I think... this is not the right place for that."

We're in the hallway of the first floor of our building so the huge crowd was a given. What would people think if I tell Revi about what's making me smile right now? They'll think that I am bragging which I don't intend to do so. I am a very private person but my relationship with Revi can't be kept private because my boyfriend is pretty popular. Except for my relationship with Revi, other matters in my life were kept private.

He glanced at the crowd around us secretly and smiled the moment he faced me again.

"I agree," he said. He then raised the folder he's holding. "I'll go to the lab to get something. I already got Mrs. Anda's permission as well as her signature."

Oh, yes. Mrs. Anda is the person-in-charge of the laboratory in the Medical Department. My boyfriend is reliable so maybe that's the reason why was he chosen to get something from the lab here.

Revi kissed my cheek before going his way to the lab. I waited for him to disappear on the huge crowd but he stopped and looked back at me.

"Anyway, love... marami akong exam bukas at sa susunod na bukas kaya--"

"You have to study so that means... no date for today? And tomorrow as well?"

He smirked. "You got that right."

I nodded. "That's fine."

Before he could turn his back on me, I immediately rushed my way to him and held his arm which made him look at me with his forehead creased.

"I'll escort you to the lab."

The creasing of his forehead slowly faded and his lips stretched for a smile. "I know the way but well... if you insist, milady."

I chuckled and rested my head on his shoulder as we walked our way to the building's laboratory.

"What's something that wasn't available in your department's lab which made you look for it here?" I asked as I leaned my back on the wooden table at the center of the room as I watched Revi strolling in the huge cabinets, looking for something while glancing at the folder he's holding from time to time.

"It's not we don't have it, Amelia. We ran out of it," he said without glancing my way.

"What is?"

I don't frequent here in the lab since my first and second year days but I have knowledge about the types of equipment here and maybe I could lend him a hand. Medical students are the ones who frequent here in the lab and there's no single day that they weren't here. It was like, this became one of their home, surrounded by medical equipment.

"Microtiter plates," he said.

"Oh, I know that!"

I heard him chuckle in his usual deep and manly voice. "That's the basic thing most medical students should know."

I frowned at his low key insult. "And yet you can't find it," I mocked just so I could get even.

He turned my way and raised his brow. "If that is still available here in your department lab, I should've found it sooner. But I am afraid that this lab runs out of microtiter plates too."

"That's impossible!"

I immediately went to him and helped him in finding it for the first three-row of huge cabinets but I found no microtiter plates!

"See?"

I sighed and continued searching even though I am already having a gut feeling that we probably run out of it too. But it has got to be here!

I crouched when I reached the fifth cabinet. Maybe microtiter plates are in here! I squinted my eyes as if the lights of the room were not enough for me to clearly see things.

"I said, there is none. Stand up and--"

My eyes widened as excitement rushed through me. I stood up in a flick and turned to look at Revi who's standing at the fourth cabinet with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Jeez, it's here! Rev, come!"

He went to me with his brows furrowed but bent down a bit to check if the thing he was finding was really in here. I heard him awkwardly clearing his throat before carefully pulling out the microtiter plates and placed it at the long white table near us.

I leaned my cheek against my palm, checking out his reaction. "If you'll just look harder, you can find it," I teased.

He grinned. "Between the two of us, you're the one who's like that."

I pinched his nose a little before letting it go. "Well... giving up is never an option."

"That is why I feel a strong assurance when it comes to you. You don't like giving up and you're always that way so does that mean you'll never give up on me and this relationship we have?"

I looked at him for a moment and let myself get drown by the abyss of his deep-set black eyes. If it's his endless chasm, then I don't mind drowning even if I don't stand a chance on going back up.

I don't mind if it's because of him. Because with Revi, I feel at peace.

I smiled at him with the assurance that will never break. "I won't. Because you know why?"

He looked at me, waiting for an answer.

"Because giving up is never an option," I said. He looked at me like he already knows that for an answer. "And one more thing..." I prompted.

"Hmm?"

"The name Revi means the one that moves and you did move me in so many different ways I never even imagined on doing. I am steady water... unmoving. I am always in my comfort zone yet you made me realize that I won't enjoy living if I won't step out from my solace. If I am unmoving water, then you're my safest current, Rev."

He cupped my cheeks and caressed it softly as he looked at me in his softest phase of eyes.

"Do you know that the name Amelia is derived from a Germanic word 'amal' which means 'work'? You see Amelia, my love... you make things work. You make this relationship work in a very indestructible way that I think no one could ever break us apart."

I held his hand on my cheeks as I felt the warmth from his palm. I chuckled when I realized something before shaking my head.

"What are you laughing about?" He asked in a very intriguing tone.

"Do you really think something or... someone could break us apart?" I asked him with ridicule. He looked at me with his forehead creased.

I pulled his hand away from my cheek and caressed it softly with my fingers. I was so careful about holding his hand, in between the fear that I might slip and let go of his hand accidentally and the fear that if I'll tighten my hold, he might be hurt which he wouldn't like. I must admit that I am still having confusion when it comes to Revi. He was someone I couldn't bear on hurting because he's the person who deserves every good thing in this world. Pain is something... unfamiliar to him.

"Rev... This is a foundation of the strong love we built for years. This love we have can conquer every problem we'll face that might bring us waking days."

"Even slumber days?"

My eyes widened but nodded eventually. "Even if one of us is put into sleep. Yes, Revi. Even slumber days."