Under The Burning Skies

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

Smoke

"Athena, ikaw na!" nakabusangot na singhal ni Astrid.

"Okay! Chill! Eto na nga!"

"Whoo!" naghiyawan naman ang mga tao sa bar.

"Bakit ang sungit mo dyan? Napano ka na naman?" si Athena pagkatapos inumin ang shot niya.

"Wala pa akong tulog dahil sa lintek na plates namin! Hindi ko na alam mararamdaman ko kaya ininom ko na lang dito!" irap niya.

I chuckled. "What a responsible student," napatingin naman siya sa akin at umirap na naman.

"If it makes you feel better, we have three quizzes next week and yet here I am." proud na sabi ni Grant at nagtawanan sila ni Jordan.

It's a busy Friday night. We're in a club somewhere in BGC. Nag-aya sina Grant dahil bagong bukas raw itong club at kakilala nila ang may ari. According to them, we need to de-stress and celebrate the start of our college life. It is true, though. We won't be getting proper rest after this. Might as well enjoy it.

"What's new about that? You've been like that ever since," singit ni Ciara.

Grant just shrugged, unbothered. While Jordan made a 'peace sign' pose. Ciara didn't bother looking at him and just looked around the club.

The lights are beaming and the music is blaring. The Friday audience is wild and loud. Probably because it's also the end of their busy week and they're here for the same reason as ours— to blow off stress.

"Anyway, Caileigh! What's the score between you and Nash? I heard from a friend that you gave him your number?" panguusisa naman ni Astrid. Agad naman akong napairap.

It's been two weeks since Nash asked for my number. I didn't really dwell on it because I realized there's no harm about it. We're not exactly strangers but we're also not exactly close. Later that night, I received a message from him as I was preparing to sleep.

Unknown number:

Hey, this is Nash Fajardo. Thanks for giving me your number again... :)

In which I just replied a simple "you're welcome!" and I went to bed. He hasn't messaged me since.

"Nash? Nash Fajardo? You're in the same university pala?" si Ciara.

"Yeah. He asked for my number weeks ago. I just gave him mine as a courtesy. I don't want to be rude, okay?"

"Hindi mo sure! Sus! May free pass lang talaga pag childhood crush ang nanghingi! I can still remember your flushed face when we met that day!" asar naman ni Athena. Sinamaan ko naman siya ng tingin.

"Wait, Nash was your crush? Or he's still..." Grant asked emphasizing the 'was' and 'still' in his sentence.

"Was. That was ages ago! I didn't even know we're in the same university. I'm just as shocked as you are." sagot ko.

Nash was my childhood crush. He used to live in the same subdivision as ours but they moved in the middle of high school.