Chapter 19

KAT’s POV:

I thought the hardest part of nursing school was surviving third year.

I was wrong.

Apparently, the hardest part was opening a PDF.

—

“Please be near San Juan.”

I whispered.

My classmates looked at me strangely.

I ignored them.

—

The hospital assignment list had finally been released.

Months of waiting.

Months of anxiety.

Months of wondering where our clinical duties would take us.

I closed one eye.

Like that would somehow help.

Then slowly scanned the list.

—

Katherine Reyes.

Assigned Hospital:

**St. Aurelia Medical Center**

—

I blinked.

Read it again.

Then again.

Then one more time.

Wait.

St. Aurelia?

The St. Aurelia?

The one near Raven University?

My heart immediately started beating faster.

“No way.”

I quickly searched the location.

Then searched again just to make sure.

And there it was.

Near Raven.

Near Pat.

Near enough that I could actually see her.

Not through a screen.

Not through a video call.

Not through pictures.

Actually see her.

I immediately sat down before I embarrassed myself.

Because I was smiling like an idiot.

—

“Kat?”

My classmate looked concerned.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“What?”

“I’m very okay.”

She looked even more confused.

I didn’t care.

Because after all these months…

Life was finally giving me something.

A chance to be near Pat again.

The excitement lasted exactly three minutes.

Then reality arrived.

—

Housing.

—

I immediately searched for dormitories near St. Aurelia.

And frowned.

Expensive.

Full.

Too far.

More expensive.

—

And then…

One location appeared.

—

My heart stopped.

—

Because I recognized the address immediately.

—

It was near Pat’s condo.

Very near.

Walking distance.

—

I stared at the screen.

—

Then a dangerous thought appeared.

—

Maybe…

—

No.

—

Absolutely not.

—

I couldn’t ask that.

—

Could I?

—

The thought stayed in my head for days.

—

Every time I talked to Pat.

Every time she called.

Every time I looked at housing options.

—

Ask her.

—

No.

—

Ask her.

—

No.

—

Because what if she didn’t want a roommate?

What if she liked living alone?

What if I became a burden?

—

And most importantly…

What if she said no?

—

That would hurt more than I wanted to admit.

—

Three days later, Pat called.

—

“Hello?”

—

“You sound stressed.”

She immediately said.

—

I rolled my eyes.

—

“Good evening to you too.”

—

“You are stressed.”

—

“No.”

—

“Kat.”

—

I sighed.

—

“Maybe.”

—

“Why?”

—

Silence.

—

Because suddenly it felt ridiculous.

—

How was I supposed to ask?

—

Hey Pat.

Can I accidentally move into your life again?

—

Not exactly smooth.

—

“Kat.”

—

“Hm?”

—

“What happened?”

—

I took a deep breath.

—

Then said it.

—

“I got assigned.”

—

The line immediately became excited.

—

“What?”

—

“St. Aurelia.”

—

Silence.

—

Then:

—

“You’re kidding.”

—

I smiled.

—

“No.”

—

“THE St. Aurelia?”

—

“Yes.”

—

“Oh my God.”

—

I laughed.

—

Because somehow she sounded happier than me.

—

“Congratulations.”

—

“Thanks.”

—

Another pause.

—

Then she asked:

—

“When do you start?”

—

“Next month.”

—

“That’s soon.”

—

“Yeah.”

—

And suddenly…

The excitement disappeared again.

—

Because housing.

—

Because money.

—

Because reality.

—

“What?”

Pat suddenly asked.

—

I frowned.

—

“What?”

—

“That voice.”

—

“What voice?”

—

“The one you make when you’re worried.”

—

I rolled my eyes.

—

“I don’t have a voice.”

—

“You absolutely do.”

—

Unfortunately…

She was right.

—

I sighed.

—

Then finally admitted it.

—

“I still need a place.”

—

“Oh.”

—

“Yeah.”

—

“I’ve been looking.”

—

“Any luck?”

—

“Not really.”

—

Silence.

—

Then:

—

“Stay here.”

—

I froze.

—

“What?”

—

“Stay here. Stay with me.”

—

I sat up straighter.

—

“What?”

—

Pat laughed.

—

“You heard me.”

—

My heart immediately started beating faster.

—

Because surely…

She didn’t mean—

—

“My condo.”

—

Oh.

She did.

—

“Pat.”

—

“What?”

—

“No.”

—

“Why?”

—

“Because.”

—

“Great explanation.”

—

I groaned.

—

“Pat.”

—

“What?”

—

“I can’t just move in.”

—

“Why not?”

—

“Because that’s your place.”

—

“And?”

—

“And…”

—

I had no answer.

—

Because honestly?

I wanted to.

More than I probably should.

—

The line became quiet.

—

Then Pat spoke again.

—

Softer this time.

—

“Kat.”

—

“Hm?”

—

“You won’t be a burden.”

—

My chest tightened.

—

Because she sounded so certain.

—

Like there was never another option.

—

Like she had already decided.

—

“I don’t know…”

—

“Give me three days.”

—

I blinked.

—

“What?”

—

“Three days.”

—

“Why?”

—

I heard her moving around.

—

Then:

—

“Because I need to prepare.”

—

I laughed.

—

“Prepare what?”

—

“My condo.”

—

“Pat.”

—

“I’m serious.”

—

I already knew she was.

That was the problem.

—

“Pat.”

—

“What?”

—

“You don’t have to do that.”

—

“I know.”

—

Silence.

—

Then she added:

—

“I want to.”

—

And somehow…

That was worse.

—

Because suddenly I remembered the toothbrush.

The towel.

The soap.

The guest room.

—

The way she always made space for me.

Even before I asked.

—

I looked out the window.

Trying very hard not to smile.

—

“Three days?”

—

“Three days.”

—

“You’re ridiculous.”

—

Pat laughed.

—

“Yeah.”

—

For a moment neither of us spoke.

—

Then I whispered:

—

“Thank you.”

—

The line became quiet.

—

And then she answered.

—

Like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

—

“You’re Kat.”

—

Just two words.

—

But somehow…

They meant everything.

—

And for the first time since receiving my hospital assignment…

I wasn’t worried anymore.

—

Because in three days…

I wouldn’t just be moving near Raven.

—

I would be moving back into the life of the person I missed most.

—

And neither of us knew it yet.

—

But this was the beginning.

The beginning of everything that would change our lives forever.

✦ Author’s Note ✦

OH???

OH???????

LOOK WHO’S MOVING IN. 👀

After years of:

📞 “Kumain ka na ba?”

📞 “Matulog ka na.”

📞 “Miss na kita.”

THEY ARE FINALLY GOING TO LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF.

😭😭😭

Pat: “Give me three days to prepare.”

Kat: “Pat, hindi mo kailangan.”

Pat: *already bought the toothbrush, soap, towel, probably a whole grocery list*

ME: Girl, just confess.

HAHAHAHAHA.

Also, can we talk about how Pat didn’t even hesitate?

Not:

❌ “Let me think about it.”

❌ “I’ll check if it’s okay.”

❌ “Maybe.”

Her response was basically:

✅ “Stay with me.”

LIKE???

HELLO???

WHAT DO YOU MEAN STAY WITH ME???

😭😭😭

And Kat saying she’s scared to ask because she doesn’t want to be a burden…

Meanwhile Pat has been preparing a guest room since 1847.

Reader:

“They’re basically married.”

Pat and Kat:

“Best friends.”

Sure.

Absolutely.

Completely.

100%.

🤡

Anyway…

Welcome to the roommates arc.

Nothing bad has ever happened when two idiots in love start living together.

Right?

…right? 👀

– tatine ♡