Chapter 7: First day

Trina's POV

"Yes… I'm saying yes."

The fork slipped from his hand as he stood up abruptly, eyes wide with shock. He took a step closer, his hands gripping my shoulders as if grounding himself in reality.

"W-What did you just say?" he stammered.

I smiled, enjoying his reaction. "I said I'm saying yes. We're officially together, Romeo."

His eyes grew even wider, disbelief and joy warring on his face.

"Are you serious?"

"Do you not want me to be?" I teased, raising a brow.

"What? Of course, I do! I just— I can't believe this!"

His voice shook slightly, and to my surprise, his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

And then, without warning, he lifted me off the ground in a tight embrace.

"Romeo! People are watching!" I whispered urgently, mortified by the attention we were drawing.

But he didn't seem to care. He just held me tighter.

"She said yes!" Romeo suddenly announced, his voice ringing through the entire restaurant. "We're a couple now!"

A wave of cheers and applause erupted around us. Some even whistled and yelled, "Congrats!"

Heat flooded my face as I smacked his arm. "You didn't have to shout it to the whole world!"

He just grinned at me. "I wanted to. I want everyone to know how happy I am." His voice softened, eyes shining with sincerity. "Thank you, Trina. You don't know how much this means to me. All my life, I've been teased and looked down on because of how I look. But you… you make me feel important. You make me feel worthy of being loved. And I swear, you won't regret this decision. Thank you, and… I love you."

My breath caught. And then, before I could even process his words—his lips crashed onto mine.

"Ma, I'm home!" I called out as we stepped into the house.

Romeo was with me. I was finally ready to introduce him as my boyfriend. But the moment my eyes landed on the living room, my entire world shattered.

"Ma!"

She was on the floor. Unmoving.

My heart pounded in terror as I rushed to her side. "Mom! Wake up!" I patted her cheek, my voice breaking. My vision blurred with tears.

"Romeo, call an ambulance! Now!" I cried out.

Romeo, visibly shaken, fumbled for his phone and quickly dialed.

At the hospital, I clutched my hands together as the doctor finally approached us.

"She's stable now."

Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived.

"What happened to her, Doctor?" I asked anxiously.

"She suffered from overfatigue and severe anemia. She needs a blood transfusion immediately to prevent this from happening again. But…"

The hesitation in his voice sent dread creeping up my spine.

"But what, Doctor?"

"Her blood type is AB negative—one of the rarest types."

I didn't hesitate. "I'll donate. I'm her daughter. We must have the same blood type, right?"

The doctor nodded. "We'll run a test to confirm, but for now, you can visit her. She's awake."

I rushed into her room. The moment I saw her pale face, fresh tears slipped down my cheeks.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me?" I sobbed as I hugged her tightly.

"I didn't want you to worry, sweetheart," she murmured weakly. "I didn't want to burden you."

"Mom, you are never a burden to me. Never. Promise me… promise me you'll tell me everything from now on."

She nodded, smiling weakly.

Then her gaze shifted to Romeo. "You're here."

"Of course, Tita. I was so worried."

To my surprise, Romeo stepped closer and gently held her hands. His lips trembled.

"I was scared… I was really scared," he whispered.

My heart clenched at the raw emotion in his voice.

The doctor returned, looking grim. "I'm sorry, Trina. Your blood type is AB positive, which means you can't donate to your mother."

I froze. "But… but I'm her daughter. We should have the same blood type!"

The doctor sighed. "It's not always the case. However, someone with AB negative can donate to AB positive, but not the other way around."

Despair settled over me. "Then… what do we do now? Doctor, please, find a donor—no matter the cost!"

"I'm AB negative!"

My head snapped toward Romeo, eyes wide.

"Romeo?"

"That settles it, then. If that's true, we can proceed with the transfusion," the doctor confirmed.

Romeo nodded firmly. "I know I am."

Tears spilled down my cheeks. "Romeo, thank you! I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

He reached out, gently wiping my tears. "Don't even think about it. I just want Tita to get better."

Because of him, my mother came home safe. And for that, I owed him everything.

A few days later, Mom was back home, resting on the couch as Romeo set up food in the kitchen.

"You're lucky to have such a wonderful boyfriend, sweetheart," Mom whispered to me with a knowing smile.

I blushed.

"He's the lucky one," I shot back playfully, earning a pinch on my side.

"Ow! Mom!"

"Behave. Don't give Romeo a hard time."

We laughed together. I had told her about us the day after her transfusion, worried about how she'd react. But instead of disapproval, she only seemed even more delighted.

"Tita, I brought food," Romeo announced, placing the bags on the table.

"See?" Mom whispered, grinning. "That man is a keeper."

The next morning, as I finished getting ready, Mom called out from downstairs.

"Trina! Romeo's here!"

"Coming!" I grabbed my bag, giving myself one last glance in the mirror before rushing out.

When I entered the living room, Romeo stood up, his gaze sweeping over me. His lips parted slightly.

"Wow… You look gorgeous."

I flushed. "Oh, please. It's just me."

It wasn't even a fancy outfit—just a simple dress and heels. He, on the other hand, was looking sharp in his tucked-in dress shirt and slacks. His glasses still framed his face, but his hair was styled slightly messier, making him look… well, a little hotter.

"So, what time does the event start?" I asked, pushing the thoughts away.

"Patricia said we should be at the university before nine."

It was only 7:30. We had plenty of time.

"Want to grab breakfast first, babe?" he asked.

I cringed. "Babe? Seriously? Change it."

He chuckled. "What do you want me to call you then?"

I hesitated, an idea forming in my head. But before I could say anything—

"Take care, sweetheart!" Mom called out. "Romeo, keep my princess safe!"

I shot him a warning look, but he just smirked.

"Don't worry, Tita. I'll take good care of our princess," he said with a wink.

I smacked his arm. "Cut it out!"

Mom just grinned before whispering to me, "You're blushing."

As we drove, I stole glances at Romeo.

Should I say it now?

"You've been staring," he mused, eyes still on the road. "Do you think I'm handsome?"

Taking a deep breath, I blurted out, "Love, let's eat near the school instead."

His foot slammed on the brakes.

"What the—!" I yelped as I almost hit the dashboard.

Romeo turned to me, wide-eyed. "What did you just call me?"

I crossed my arms, refusing to answer.

"Trina, say it again!"

"No!"

He grinned, picking up his phone. "Fine. I'll just record you next time."

I groaned.

And then—

A loud knock slammed against his window.

"Move it, lovebirds! You're blocking traffic!"

Shit.

I turned, mortified. Behind us was a line of honking cars.