02 : Encounters
JULIAN
I never imagined Damien would approach me—ever. Hindi ko iyon inasahan. It had been one of those distant, fleeting thoughts, the kind you bury deep, knowing it'll never happen. Pero matapos ang insidenteng iyon, may nagbago.
At first, I thought it was just a one-time thing. A fluke. Pero habang lumilipas ang mga araw, it became a routine I couldn't quite comprehend.
Sometimes, he'd greet me in the hallway, para bang normal lang. Other times, I'd catch myself explaining something to him during class—helping him with assignments, clarifications, simple things.
Unti-unti akong nasasanay sa presensya niya. It felt surreal, like I was living in a dream I never dared to admit I wanted. Finally, someone noticed me.
Someone... felt my presence.
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon. The kind of peaceful lull that hangs over a lazy weekend, and I found myself wandering inside the mall. Bumili ako ng ilang gamit para sa school—pencils, notebooks, the usual—and decided to take my time, enjoying the air conditioning. Ang init kasi sa labas, pero dito sa loob ng mall, everything felt cooler, calmer.
"Salamat po," I said softly to the cashier, accepting my change and receipt. Binuhat ko ang paper bag na naglalaman ng mga gamit at nagsimulang maglakad papalabas ng bookstore, mindlessly making my way toward the exit.
Then, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Julian?"
This voice...
Slowly, I turned around, my heart racing as our eyes met.
"Damien..." His name tumbled out of my mouth awkwardly, my voice barely steady. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero bigla akong napayuko. Maybe to hide the redness creeping up my neck.
I quickly checked myself, making sure I didn't look too much of a mess. Bakit ngayon pa?
"What are you doing here?" tanong niya, tila nagtataka pero may bahid ng interes sa kanyang boses.
I cleared my throat, desperately trying to keep my voice calm. "Bumili lang ng gamit para sa school bukas." I paused, awkwardly fumbling for something to ask back. "Ikaw? Anong ginagawa mo rito?"
He lifted his wallet slightly, showing it to me with a shy grin. "Looking for a place to eat. Gutom na ako eh."
I nodded, feeling a flush creep up again when I caught a glimpse of his biceps as he scratched his head.
Ano bang pumapasok sa isip mo, Julian?
I forced my gaze back to his face, biting back the embarrassment building inside me.
"Ahh... gano'n ba?" I mumbled, not sure what else to say.
Then, out of nowhere, he asked, "Sama ka? Kain tayo."
Napakurap ako sa sinabi niya. Did he just... invite me to eat with him?
"A-ako?" I stammered, clutching the handles of my paper bag a little tighter. "Wala akong pera eh," I added, laughing awkwardly, trying to downplay my surprise.
"Wala ka nang iintindihin," he said with a casual wave of his hand, his smile not fading. "Ako na bahala."
I wanted to say no, I really did. Every instinct in me screamed that this was too much. "Hindi naman kailangan," I protested softly, still feeling flustered.
