10 : Stuck
JULIAN
The faint hum of my phone vibrating against the nightstand stirred me from the fragile grip of sleep. In the middle of the night, inabot ng kamay ko ang aking telepono at binuksan iyon. My vision adjusted slowly, revealing a single name flashing on the display.
Damien.
His name flickered like a silent challenge, daring me to pick up.
It took me a minute before pressing the answer button, lifting the phone to my ear.
"Damien?" I murmured, my voice rough, still tangled in sleep. "Why are you calling me at this hour?"
A soft chuckle greeted me from the other end.
[ I just... can't sleep, ] he admitted, his tone subdued, almost uncharacteristically gentle. [ So, I figured I'd bother you instead. ]
"Of course, you would," I muttered, leaning back against the headboard. Pinahid ko ang antok mula sa mga mata ko, pilit na inaalis ang bigat ng gabi. "You're like a stray cat—always pushing boundaries where none exist."
[ That's oddly flattering, ] he replied, a faint trace of amusement coloring his voice.
For a moment, the silence stretched between us like a fragile thread, neither of us willing to cut it. Nakakapanibago, pero sa kabila ng katahimikan... naramdaman kong parang tama lang na nandoon siya, kahit sa kabilang linya lang.
[ So... ] Damien broke the stillness, his voice lighter this time.
[ What's up? ]
I glanced at the glowing clock on my nightstand. "It's past midnight, Damien. What do you think is up? I was sleeping until you decided to ruin that."
[ Fair point, ] he said, laughing softly.
[ But now that you're awake, talk to me. ]
Saglit akong napatingin sa screen ng cellphone ko at napakurap.
"About... what exactly?"
[ Anything. Music, school... or that weird bird that visits my window every morning, ] he said with a playful lilt, though I caught a faint weight beneath his words.
At first, it was just a harmless exchange—he rambled about a band he discovered recently, sharing how one of their songs had been stuck in his head for days. Naging madali ang pag-usapan; I offered sarcastic remarks here and there, our banter weaving effortlessly like threads of an old pattern.
But then, his tone shifted.
[ Julian, ] Damien began, his voice softer, hesitant, like a fragile note hanging in the air. [ Do you ever feel like... you're not enough? ]
Natigilan ako. His question landed heavy, like a sudden gust pulling me from steady ground.
Is this... the main reason why he suddenly called me?
"Bakit mo naman natanong?" I asked cautiously, unsure of the storm brewing behind his words.
A strained sigh escaped him.
[ I don't think... I've ever felt like I truly belonged anywhere. Kahit sa pamilya ko, parang lagi akong may kulang... like I'm there, but I'm not really seen. ]
There was a rawness in his voice that tightened something deep in my chest. Damien was the kind of person who wore confidence like armor, always untouchable.
But tonight, that wall of his felt paper-thin, and I could see straight through the cracks.
"I get it," I said softly, my voice barely audible against the quiet of my room. "I know exactly how that feels."
