decoding the boys ✔️

18 - photos || edited

"Tahimik mo yata?"

Nilingon ko si Lhyle na nagpupunas ng pawis habang kunot-noo akong pinapanood na tumakbo sa treadmill. Kumpleto ang barkada ngayon dahil walang klase ang Intersci. Early in the morning, biglang nagpasamang mag-gym si Anjo bago kami mag-lunch.

Magdadalawang oras na rin kami rito. The girls were now using the stationary bikes on the other side of the gym. Ahron naman went out earlier to answer a call. Kaming dalawa lang ni Lhyle ang naiwan dito sa lane ng mga treadmill.

"Bawal ba?" biro ko sa kanya.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya sa 'kin, parang binabasa ang mukha ko. "Anong problema?"

Of course he'd notice something was up.

Bumaling ako pabalik sa harap ng treadmill at umiling sa kanya. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just spacing out."

"O talaga? Sige. Kunwaring naniniwala ako."

I knew he wouldn't. Being friends with him since childhood made sure he wouldn't easily believe any lie I'd serve him. Halos kabisado na kasi ako ni Lhyle. Simula pagkabata ba naman, magkasama na kami. It didn't help that he was naturally observant too, something that came from looking at people's emotions through the lens all the time.

"Wala nga, bes," sabi ko na lang, hoping he would let it go.

I felt uneasy doing this. 'Di naman ako sanay na nagtatago sa kanila, but what could I tell him?

That I was spacing out because I was thinking of someone else?

Someone I shouldn't even be thinking about?

Buti na lang, hindi mapilit si Lhyle. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang bitawan niya yung topic at bumalik siya sa treadmill niya para ituloy ang pagtakbo.

I could see him shooting glances my way every now and then pero 'di na niya 'ko tinanong ulit. Being best friends for so long also made him aware na 'pag ayaw kong magsabi, 'di talaga ako mapipilit.

I pressed some buttons, and from running, I shifted to walking bago ako tuluyang huminto. Catching my breath, I sat down on the nearest bench and wiped my sweat with my towel.

Since my silent admission to myself, that guy had never left my mind. Lagi kong gustong tingnan ang social media niya, just to check on him and see how he was doing. Lagi akong napapaisip kung naiisip din ba niya ako.

I wanted to reach out and take back what I said.

Pero pinipigilan ko ang sarili ko each time.

I kept reminding myself of the boys' warnings, of how getting involved with him would be nothing but trouble for the both of us - for all of us. I shouldn't think about him at all.

And yet here I was, spacing out once again, kasi sa kanya na naman bumabalik ang isip ko.

Sighing, I uncapped my hydro flask and drank my water to cool down. Napalingon ako sa gilid nang umupo si Ahron sa tabi ko. Yumuko siya para magsintas ng shoe laces niya.

"Your brother's here. With your new friend."

Kumunot ang noo ko, iniisip kung sino tinutukoy niya. "Who and who?"

May basketball match si Kuya Jacob ngayon kaya imposibleng siya. Ang iba naman, hindi rito nagpupunta.

"Andrei. With Shane's friend."

Umangat ang mga kilay ko nang maintindihan ko kung sino tinutukoy niya. Hoshet.

"You mean Angelo?"

She didn't have to answer to confirm. At that exact moment, my brother entered the gym with the guy in question. As if they had a magnet pulling everyone else, some of the girls paused their routine to look at them.