Chapter 39
Nakarating na nga kami dito sa perya at maraming tao.
So this is what the perya looks like?
Para siyang Amusement Park pero in a smaller version.
Everywhere I looked, there were bright lights, loud music, and booths with prizes hanging everywhere.
The atmosphere was so lively, it almost felt like we were in a completely different world.
I didn’t expect it to be this lively.
"Nandito na tayo. Gusto niyo bang mag-rides?" tanong ni Lea sa amin, pero hindi ko nakuhang sumagot agad. As you guys know, takot ako sa mga rides, so I wasn't really excited about the idea. I just kind of stood there, staring at the attractions, trying not to look like a scaredy-cat.
"I'm okay with it but Sylvia is not," sagot ni Cynthia, pero ang boses niya ay may halong pang-aasar. I could tell she was trying to get me to react, but I wasn’t giving her the satisfaction.
"Ay, takot ka pala sa rides. Kami nalang ni Cynthia, mag-d-date kami doon sa Ferris wheel," sabi ni Lea, kaya napatingin ako sakanya ng masama. I didn’t know if she was serious or just trying to tease me. Either way, I wasn’t about to let it slide.
"I'm not scared! Ano ba, gusto mong sakyan?" sagot ko sa kanila, straightening my body and standing up straighter. I wasn’t going to back down now. Matapang ako, nakaya ko nga noon nung gumala kami, ngayon pa kaya?
"Silly. I'm not in the mood to ride, maybe let's just play some games," Cynthia said, and I was a bit surprised by her response. I thought she would be more excited to try out the rides, but maybe she just didn’t feel like it today.
"Sige, sama muna kami ni Patrick, gusto kasi niya sakyan 'yun," sabi ni Lea, and she pointed towards the Viking ride. I could see Patrick already eyeing it, looking pretty excited. Tumango kami ni Cynthia, and they quickly left us behind to go ride the Viking.
"Ano gusto mong laruin?" I asked her, and I noticed her eyes roaming around, looking for something to do. I could tell she was getting excited to play.
Agad niyang tinuro 'yung bote na kailangan mong patumbahin gamit ang bola. But when she pointed at it, something clicked in my mind. It reminded me of that time she played this game before.
"Sure ka? Baka iba nanaman batuhin mo eh," biro ko sa kanya, but she just glared at me and walked straight towards the booth. I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit. She was so serious when she played games, but knowing her, there was always a little chaos involved.
"Magkano po, manong?" tanong ko, as I approached the game booth, while Cynthia was practically bouncing in excitement to play.
"60, 3 balls na po 'yon," sabi ni manong, kaya tumango ako at inabutan siya ng 100. He quickly handed me three balls, and I passed them over to Cynthia, who was practically bursting with energy to start.
Agad niyang kinuha ang mga bola at seryosong-seryoso na naglaro. She positioned herself carefully, preparing to throw the first ball. As she threw it, everything happened so fast… the ball hit the bottle, but instead of just knocking it over, it also hit manong... straight on the face.
This isn't what I expected! Oo, alam kong nangyari na 'to noon, but I didn’t think there would be a part 2. My eyes widened in disbelief, while I struggled to hold back my laughter. Cynthia, on the other hand, didn’t know how to react, her face a mix of shock and confusion.
"Ma'am, bote po tatamaan. Hindi po mukha ko," sabi ni manong, clearly in pain. He was trying to keep a straight face, but I could tell it hurt. I couldn’t help but laugh a little, and when I glanced at Cynthia, she was still frozen, unsure of what to do.
"Sorry po, manong, may lahing duling po kasi 'tong kasama ko," biro ko, hoping to lighten the mood, and thankfully, manong laughed along with me. But when I looked at Cynthia, I saw that one eyebrow raised, and I knew she wasn’t having it.
"Joke lang," I added quickly, but she just shot me an irritated look.
Inirapan ako nito ulit, and then she was ready to throw the next ball.
But this time, I had to step in.
I could tell she was a little off, so I stepped behind her, gently holding her arm to help her steady herself.
I knew she hated it when people helped her, but I didn’t want her to make another mistake and hit someone else again.
Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya, marahan pero may kontrol. Ramdam ko ang init ng balat niya laban sa akin, at biglang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin.
"Relax ka lang. Baka mamaya si manong na naman ang matamaan mo, eh," sabi ko, pilit na tinatago ang ngiti ko.
Hinayaan niya akong idirekta ang kamay niya. Ang lapit namin sa isa't isa, halos maramdaman ko na ang hininga niya sa leeg ko. Sinubukan kong huwag maapektuhan, pero paano? Ganito ba talaga siya kabango palagi? At bakit parang lalong lumalakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko?
"Ready?" tanong ko, halos bulong na lang.
Tumango siya, pero hindi ako sigurado kung nakikinig pa ba siya sa sinasabi ko pero dahan-dahan niyang binato ang bola—at sa wakas, natamaan ang bote.
"Woo! Sabi ko sa'yo, kaya mo ‘yan!" sigaw ko, hindi ko napigilan ang excitement.
Bigla siyang napangiti, sa sandaling iyon, parang kami lang ang nasa paligid.
"Ano'ng gusto mong premyo, miss?" tanong ni manong, with a smile, as he waited for Cynthia to make her choice. The booth was full of different stuffed toys—bright, colorful, and cute. It was hard to miss how excited Cynthia was.
Tumingin siya sa mga stuffed toys, at pagkatapos ay tumuro siya sa isang pufferfish. "That pufferfish," sagot niya, pointing to it with a big grin. I couldn't help but stare at it too. It wasn’t the cutest toy there, and honestly, it was a bit… strange? But if she liked it, then it was her choice.
Hindi ko gustong mag-assume o ano, pero wasn’t she calling me a pufferfish?
The thought hit me suddenly, and I couldn’t shake it off.
Was it on purpose?
Was she referring to me when she chose that one?
I started wondering if she was teasing me again, but then I didn’t want to overthink it.
I mean, it could be just a coincidence, right?
"Why is that 'yung pufferfish gusto mo? Marami namang cute na iba dyan," hindi ko mapigilang magtanong, even though I was trying to sound casual. We were already walking away from the booth, and I noticed she was holding her prize tightly, looking proud of it. But deep inside, I couldn’t help but feel like there was more to it. Maybe I was just reading too much into it, but it felt like there was something hidden behind her choice.
"I just like it. It's cute, my pufferfish," she said with a soft smile, her voice almost tender, like she wasn’t just talking about the toy, but something else. The way she said “my pufferfish” made my stomach do a weird flip. I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but it felt personal, and suddenly I felt myself getting a little uncomfortable. I palmed my forehead, trying to ignore the strange feeling that was crawling up my spine.
Napansin ko na naman ang sarili ko, napalunok ako ng hindi ko namamalayan.
It was like her words were lingering in my mind, and I didn’t know what to make of them.
Was she being playful, or was she really calling me her pufferfish?
I couldn't tell, but I couldn’t ignore the way it made me feel either.
Ayoko talaga mag assume.
Pero tangina.
I watched as Cynthia hugged the pufferfish plushie against her chest, a small, satisfied smile on her lips. My heart was still racing from what she had said earlier.
My pufferfish.
"Okay, so anong next?" I asked, trying to act casual, even though my brain was still overheating.
Cynthia glanced around before her eyes landed on a shooting booth. "That one. Let's see if you’re good at something other than annoying me."
I rolled my eyes. "Wow, ganda ng insulto ah. Sige, tignan natin kung sino mas magaling."
She raised an eyebrow at me, her usual confident smirk in place. "Are you challenging me, Sylvia?"
I smirked back. "Hindi ako nagcha-challenge. Sinisigurado ko lang na matatalo kita."
She scoffed. "We'll see about that."
I led the way to the booth, and Cynthia handed some cash to the vendor. "Two games, please," she said.
"Okay po, dalawa pong laro," sabi ni manong, handing us the toy guns.
The moment Cynthia grabbed hers, I knew she was in trouble. She held it awkwardly, her fingers gripping the trigger in a way that made me cringe.
"Ready?" she asked, still acting confident.
I bit back a laugh. "Sure ka ba sa hawak mo? Baka iba matamaan mo, hindi 'yung target."
"Shut up, Sylvia," she muttered, positioning herself in front of the targets.
Manong gave the signal to start, and I immediately aimed, shooting one after another with perfect accuracy. Every shot hit its mark, knocking down the moving targets effortlessly.
Cynthia? Well... let’s just say she was struggling.
"Ugh, why are these things so hard to hit?" she groaned as she missed yet another target.
I tried—really tried—not to laugh. "Cynthia, are you even aiming?"
"Of course, I am!"
"Then why does it look like tinatarget mo 'yung hangin?"
She turned to glare at me. "Oh, shut up, pufferfish."
My breath hitched. She said it again.
I swallowed hard, trying to focus on the game. But how could I when Cynthia was standing there, calling me that with her lips curved into a teasing smirk?
"Just focus," I said, stepping closer behind her. "Here, let me help you."
Before she could protest, I placed my hands over hers, adjusting her grip on the gun.
I guided her hands carefully, my body pressed lightly against hers as I positioned her aim. She let out a shaky breath, and I felt it ghost against my neck.
Shit.
If my heart was racing before, now it was practically trying to escape my chest.
"Now, pull the trigger."
She did, and—miraculously—the bullet hit the target.
"Oh my God! I hit it!" she exclaimed, turning to look at me, excitement flashing in her eyes.
Our faces were too close.
This was the first time I had ever seen her like this.
Cynthia, usually so composed and unshakable, had a smile on her face that was completely different from the ones I had seen before.
It wasn’t forced or calculating; it was genuine.
Her eyes sparkled in a way I hadn’t thought possible, and for a fleeting moment, she seemed completely unguarded.
It was as if the walls she had built around herself had crumbled, revealing something softer.
Seeing her like this, so vulnerable and free of the usual control, did something to me.
A warmth spread through me that I couldn’t explain.
In that moment, I realized that I was falling for her, deeper than I ever anticipated.
And as I stood there, watching her laugh without a care, I felt myself getting lost in the idea of her.
It was impossible not to.
For a moment, neither of us moved. The sounds of the perya faded into the background, and all I could focus on was how her lips parted slightly, her breath warm against my skin.
"Ahem."
We both snapped out of it as manong cleared his throat. "Miss, tapos na po laro niyo. Pili na kayo ng premyo."
Cynthia blinked, stepping back hastily. "Right! Uh—I'll take that bear."
She pointed at a white teddy bear, and manong handed it to her.
Then, without hesitation, she turned to me and held it out.
"Here. For you."
I stared at it. "Huh? Bakit?"
"Because I feel bad for you to being so much worse than me," she said with a laugh.
Cynthia handed me the bear with a playful grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I took it from her. “Oh, so now I’m the one who needs pity, huh?” I teased, making sure to give her an exaggerated pout, though my heart was still racing from the closeness of the moment.
“Of course,” she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s a tough job, being as perfect as I am.”
I rolled my eyes at her, feeling a sense of warmth settle between us. For a split second, everything felt effortless, as if the world outside the perya didn’t matter. But, of course, we both knew this was temporary—just a fleeting moment before we returned to reality.
“Okay, what now?” I asked, my voice lighter than usual.
Cynthia scanned the perya again, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “How about we go to the haunted house? You think you can handle that, or are you too scared?”
I raised an eyebrow, fully aware of how she was goading me. “Haunted house? Pfft. Bring it on.”
She smirked at my response, clearly amused. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
We made our way toward the haunted house, and as we approached, I couldn’t help but notice how her hand brushed against mine once again, just for a second.
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly pulled my hand back, pretending it didn’t affect me at all.
Cynthia, however, didn’t seem to notice—or maybe she was pretending she didn’t either.
When we reached the entrance, the dark, eerie sound effects blasted from the speakers, sending a chill down my spine. The creaky doors opened with a dramatic, slow motion, and I felt a rush of nervous energy flood my body.
Cynthia, however, didn’t even flinch. She was grinning, clearly enjoying the drama of it all. “Ready to prove you’re not scared?” she teased, nudging me with her shoulder.
“Let’s just get this over with,” I muttered, trying to sound braver than I felt.
The haunted house was just as creepy as expected.
The dim lighting cast long shadows, and strange noises echoed through the air.
I could feel my heart thumping in my chest as we moved further inside.
The atmosphere was tense, and the air was thick with suspense.
I tried to ignore the unsettling feeling creeping up my spine, but it wasn’t easy with all the terrifying props and sound effects.
Suddenly, a loud, high-pitched scream pierced the air, and I yelped, instinctively grabbing onto Cynthia’s arm. I could feel her muscles tense beneath my grip, but she didn’t pull away. In fact, she gave a small chuckle.
“You’re really not good with horror, huh?” she said, her voice teasing but not unkind.
“Nyenye,” I muttered, feeling embarrassed but not letting go. “You’re supposed to be scared too, right?”
She shrugged, her smirk still in place. “I’m just enjoying watching you freak out.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, half annoyed, half relieved that she wasn’t making fun of me too much. At least she didn’t pull away when I grabbed her. In fact, she seemed oddly comfortable with me holding onto her.
The rest of the haunted house was a blur of strange sounds, eerie lights, and jump scares, but I was so focused on staying close to Cynthia that it didn’t feel as bad as I thought it would. In some weird way, I felt safe, even though I was barely holding it together.
When we finally made it to the exit, I let out a shaky breath, still gripping her arm a little more than I intended. “That was... a lot,” I said, laughing nervously.
Cynthia gave me a sidelong glance, the teasing smile still on her face. “I knew it. You’re scaredy-cat.”
“I am not!” I protested, though I knew it was a lost cause.
She raised an eyebrow. “Sure, sure. Anyway, let’s get something to drink. You look like you need it after all that ‘bravery’.”
I rolled my eyes but followed her anyway, my heart still racing—not from the haunted house, but from the strange, exhilarating feeling I had when I was around her.
We were just about to walk away with our drinks when a loud voice rang out behind us.
“SYLVIAAA!!”
I turned, startled, only to be met by a literal group stampede. Five students—three guys and two girls—were running toward me with flushed faces and too much energy.
One of them waved a giant “I LOVE YOU SYLVIA” sign made out of cartolina. Another had a rose bouquet that looked like it was bought from the nearest 7-Eleven.
“What the hell,” I muttered.
The group stopped right in front of me, panting like they just ran a marathon.
“Hi! Sorry, ang gulo namin—pero matagal ka na naming crush!” one of the girls blurted out.
Another one held out a plushie shaped like a frog. “For you. Kasi, you make us feel jumpy… like frogs. Get it?”
Cynthia blinked beside me. I could feel her presence, quiet but unusually sharp.
“I—uh—wow,” I said, overwhelmed. “Group confession ‘to?”
“Yes! We all like you, so we figured sabay-sabay nalang. Mas mabilis,” said the guy with the frog plushie.
One of them tried to hold my hand. “Please po. Kahit sino lang piliin mo sa’min okay na, basta wag mo kaming i-reject lahat.”
I blinked again, processing everything. And then—
“Excuse me, are we interrupting something?” Cynthia’s voice cut through the chaos. Calm. Dry.
The group turned to her in sync, eyes wide, like they only just noticed I wasn’t alone.
“Who’s she?” whispered one of them, not even that subtly.
“She’s—uh—” I started.
“I’m nobody,” Cynthia said smoothly, taking a sip of her drink, gaze unfazed. “You were saying?”
There was a brief silence. Even the group looked a little thrown off by how calm she was.
One of the guys leaned toward me. “Is she your girlfriend? Kasi kung hindi, puwede pa kami—”
“No,” Cynthia said before I could even answer. “She’s not taken.”
My heart did a weird flip.
Then she looked at me, still expressionless. “Right?”
I nodded slowly, unsure if I wanted to say yes or no.
“Oh my god, so pwede pa pala kami!” the same guy cheered.
“But…” Cynthia added, cool as ever, “She’s not exactly... available, either.”
Now that made the entire group pause.
“Wait, what does that mean?” one of the girls asked.
Cynthia sipped her drink again, unfazed. “It means you’re free to try. If you’re into losing.”
I stared at her. Did she just—
“W-wow…” one of the boys said, looking between us. “Nakaka-intimidate naman ‘to. Is she your... like, best friend? Bodyguard? Cousin?”
Cynthia didn’t flinch. “Depends on the day.”
The group just stood there awkwardly, until finally one of them gave up and muttered, “Sige na nga... rejection na pala ‘to in slow motion,” before they shuffled away, one by one.
As soon as they were gone, I turned to her, narrowing my eyes. “Not taken, but not available?”
Cynthia didn’t look at me. “Yeah. It sounded cool in my head.”
“You’re jealous.”
She shrugged. “Maybe I just hate noise.”
I grinned. “You totally were jealous.”
“No,” she said flatly. “I just don't like watching desperate people.”
“You literally said I’m not available.”
She turned to look at me finally, her face still as unreadable as ever. “Of course, yu’re not. You’re with me.”
I blinked. “So we are on a date?”
"Stop assuming." she said, sharp.
?I stared at her, stunned, mouth slightly open.
Cynthia just sipped her drink again, calm as ever, like she hadn’t just dropped that bomb.
?
?“You’re with me,” she had said.
?
?And now she’s acting like she didn’t?
?
?“Stop assuming,” she repeated, this time quieter.
Her eyes darted to mine, then away again.
“Let’s go. I’m bored.”
?
?She started walking off without waiting for me.
?
?“Wow. Ganun nalang?” I called out, jogging a little to catch up.
“Magdedeclare ka ng territorial claim tapos bigla kang aalis?”
?
?“It wasn’t a declaration. It was a statement,” she said, not looking back.
?
?“Same thing.”
?
?“Not really.”
?
?“Cynthia,” I groaned, grabbing her arm to make her stop walking.
She finally turned, one eyebrow raised.
“What was that back there, seriously?”
?
?She stared at me for a beat too long.
“They were annoying.”
?
?“That’s not an answer.”
?
?She sighed, then leaned in ever so slightly, her face unreadable again.
“Why? Did you want to say yes to one of them?”
?
?My breath caught.
“No—of course not.”
?
?“Then it shouldn’t matter.”
?
?I blinked.
“So you’re allowed to act all territorial but I’m not allowed to ask what it means?”
?
?"I'm not being territorial, Sylvia. I just hate the noises. Stop assuming for goodness' sake. " she said.
?
I let go of her arm, but the space between us felt heavier now—like something was building, thick and electric.
Cynthia turned again, walking ahead like nothing happened.
I followed, silent for a few steps.
We left the lights of the perya behind. The sounds of laughter and distant pop music faded as we crossed into the darker part of the park—less people, just dim streetlamps and the echo of our footsteps.
“You always do that,” I said after a while, voice low but sharp.
She didn’t answer, but I knew she heard me.
“You say things, drop them like grenades, and then pretend you didn’t just blow something up.”
Still no response.
I stopped walking. “Are you just gonna ignore me now?”
She finally paused. Her back to me again. “I’m not ignoring you,” she said. “I just don’t see the point in dragging out pointless conversations.”
“Pointless?” I repeated, heart starting to race. “That didn’t feel pointless when you said it.”
She turned slowly, her face unreadable but her eyes slightly darker now. “Then that’s on you.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
I laughed once, bitter. “Okay. So I imagined all of that?”
Cynthia didn’t flinch. Just shoved her hands into her coat pockets, her voice calm but laced with something colder. “People hear what they want to hear, Sylvia.”
I took a step forward. “No. People feel what’s real. Even if you won’t admit it.”
Something in her eyes flickered—but she blinked it away.
“You’re trying to make this something it’s not,” she said.
“No—” I said, stepping closer, not backing down this time.
“Control is necessary,” she said quietly. “It keeps things from getting messy.”
“But life is messy, Cynthia. People are messy. Feelings are messy. I’m not asking for some big confession. I’m not asking you to reciprocate what I feel,” I said, voice trembling now. “But if you’re going to say things like you’re with me, then mean it. Or don’t say it at all.”
She stared at me like she wanted to say something—but couldn’t.
The silence hung there for too long. Cold air pressing between us. I could hear the rustling of leaves overhead, the sound of a tricycle engine in the far distance, and my own heartbeat slamming inside my chest.
Then finally, she spoke. Voice low. Careful.
“You were smiling.”
“What?”
“Back there,” she said, not quite looking at me. “When they were surrounding you. You were smiling.”
I blinked. “I was laughing because they were ridiculous.”
“You looked happy,” she murmured. “And I hated it.”
"What? I mean why would you hated it?" I can't help to ask. Ayan nanaman siya, I'm getting confused because of her. Why would she say that if she don't even mean it?
“Just because,” she said, shrugging like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I stared at her. “You do realize how messed up that sounds, right?”
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Not everything has to make sense to you, Sylvia.”
Gosh, she was impossible.
I scoffed. “So what is this, then? You get to say weird, loaded things whenever you feel like it, and I’m just supposed to sit here trying to decode you like some cryptic riddle?”
She didn’t answer. Just kept walking, like she hadn’t just scrambled my entire emotional state.
She stopped then, and turned slowly to face me. Her eyes—calm, steady, unreadable—met mine without flinching.
“If you’re looking for clarity,” she said, voice smooth and maddeningly detached, “you’re not going to get it from me.”
I stared at her, trying to find some crack in that perfect, untouchable exterior. “So what, you like messing with me?”
She tilted her head slightly. “Maybe.”
My breath caught. “Cynthia.”
"I just don’t owe anyone anything that doesn't matter to me."
I hated that part of me still admired her for it.
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“I can,” she said simply. “And I will.”
Then she turned and kept walking like the conversation never happened, her coat swaying with each step, leaving me standing there—again—tangled in the threads she pulled loose without ever touching me.
Hindi na ako sumagot at naglakad-lakad lang kami.
To be honest, hindi ko rin naman alam kung saan kami napadpad, but somehow, we ended up near a big tree with a bench underneath.
It was peaceful here, and there weren’t a lot of people around, just the soft sounds of the night and the occasional rustling of leaves.
Parang kami lang dalawa ang nandito, and for a moment, I just wanted to enjoy the quiet.
Umupo siya sa bench, and I followed, sitting beside her.
Silence fell over us, and the only sound was the gentle breeze.
Walang umiimik, at tahimik lang kaming dalawa.
I wasn’t sure what to say, or if I even wanted to say anything.
There were a lot of thoughts running through my head, and the more I tried to push them away, the louder they became.
"I'm sorry," she suddenly spoke, breaking the heavy silence between us. I turned to her, a bit surprised by her sudden words.
"H-ha? For what?" I asked, my brows furrowing slightly as I tried to understand what she was apologizing for. "Stop saying sorry... you have no reasons to." I added, my voice softer now but still laced with confusion.
"Why are you so quiet then?" she was staring at me, and there was something in her eyes that made me feel like she was waiting for something.
"Just thinking about something," rason ko, kahit hindi naman totoo.
I just didn’t want to admit that I was thinking about her.
Honestly, I was confused.
She sometimes acts like…
I matter to her.
And I couldn’t make sense of it.
One moment, she’s teasing me, and the next, she’s acting like she cares.
I wasn’t used to this back-and-forth.
"About what?" she asked, clearly curious, but I could sense a little bit of concern in her voice. It was subtle, but it was there.
"Nothing," I said, quickly brushing it off. "But by the way, I’m curious about something." I decided to change the topic, hoping it would distract me from my swirling thoughts.
"What?" she asked, still looking at me with that same intense gaze. I could tell she was genuinely interested, and I wasn’t sure why I felt like I could ask her anything right now, but I did.
"Is Theo your first love?" I don’t know why the question slipped out, but I just couldn’t hold it back.
It wasn’t something I planned to ask, but I was curious, and the silence between us made me feel like I could ask anything.
I didn’t even know if she would take it seriously, but I needed to know.
She had always been so guarded, but there were times when she’d let little things slip. So, this felt like a moment where she might open up, but also, I didn’t know if I really wanted to hear the answer.
"No. I like someone else before him." she answered, akala ko ay hindi niya sasagutin 'yung tanong ko. "Back then when I was a child, I saw this child who's younger at me. At first I wasn't interested and let say I was annoyed. But I just found myself falling for that child."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her unexpected response. "You were a child?" I echoed, trying to picture Cynthia, the composed, almost untouchable person before me, as a little kid with feelings that didn’t fit her usual icy exterior. "You fell for someone younger than you?"
She let out a soft chuckle, something that felt almost unfamiliar coming from her.
“Yeah. It’s strange, I know.” Her eyes briefly drifted to the ground, her expression softening as if the memory was pulling her somewhere far away.
"I didn’t understand it back then. I didn’t know how to feel, or how to act around that person. I guess I just... liked the way they made me feel. Like I wasn’t the adult for once. Like I could just... be."
I watched her carefully, her words unraveling the layers I’d tried to understand for so long. For a moment, I couldn’t quite grasp what she was saying—she was talking about a memory, but it felt like there was something more there, something deeper I wasn’t seeing.
“So why didn’t you end up with him?” I asked, curiosity laced in my voice.
“I can’t answer that,” she replied with a teasing smirk. “Guess it why.”
“Ang daya mo talaga! Sabihin mo na kasi!” I said, a bit annoyed, but she only let out a soft chuckle—one that made my heart flutter in the most annoying way.
And just like that, I felt myself falling all over again.
It’s always like this with her.
She knows exactly how to pull me back in.
Minsan isang ngiti lang niya, tapos na ako.
With just her laugh, or the way her eyes glint when she looks at me, I find myself spiraling—no brakes, no control.
Kahit gulong-gulo na ako sa isip ko, kahit alam kong mali, I keep choosing her.
Paulit-ulit.
God knows how much I’m willing to sacrifice for this girl. My pride, my peace of mind—everything.
She’s chaos wrapped in a beautiful smile, and yet here I am, choosing to drown in her over and over again.