Right Next To You

CHAPTER 1

SHAI's POV

If someone would tell me years ago that I would be confused with what I actually feel about my best friend's brother, I would definitely laugh at them as if that was the most impossible and embarrassing thing I ever heard in my whole life.

I mean, having a crush on someone's brother is a cutesy thing that only happens in movies and books, right? So, why am I suddenly questioning myself?

There is no such way I would be crushing on him. There's no such way I would be crushing on my best friend's brother.

"AS IN NO WAY!!!" I dive into my bed as I was covering my face with a pillow. It's been an hour and I couldn't get it out of my mind. Why the heck I tweeted in my private account that I am not crushing on someone?! Now, my cousins are nagging me to death.

Come to think of it, it all started when I started to spend some nights with Jaz, his sister, last November. Of course, there's nothing new about it. We always spend time together just to watch our favorite film or when there's a new series that we would obviously like.

And him, he's just like that. He's just my best friend's brother. I didn't even see him as a man for the past 4 years of our lives knowing each other.

We also don't talk that much. For the past 4 years, we would just smile at each other whenever we meet in the streets, or maybe I would ask him if Jaz is already at home since she was studying far from their place years ago, but mostly, he would just message me to ask if their younger sister's with me. That's it.

Well, I could vividly remember the time I asked him what course he took upon entering college. It all happened because my mom told me to.

So, why am I suddenly staring at him when he's not looking around? Why do I secretly smile whenever I watch him do his backlogs? Or why am I feeling a little too proud when he's participating in their online class?

He's handsome. Of course, I am aware of that the first day we met each other way back in 2018. A lot of girls are crushing on him, too. Well, that was what Jaz has always been telling me ever since we became friends. He plays basketball. He sings. But that's it. There's nothing special about him. Right. You're right, Shai.

"So, bakit mo nga tinititigan?!" I screamed upon realizing that thing. The good thing is no one is around our house, or else, my sister would rush to go to my room just to ask what was happening.

I stared at the ceiling for quite some time before getting up in bed. I breathed heavily before closing my eyes.

"Hindi mo siya, crush, okay? Hindi ka pwedeng magkacrush sa kapatid ng best friend mo. Masyadong complicated."

And just when I was calming and convincing myself, the universe maybe has the plan to trick me.

Jaz Loyola

1 new message

I was nervously getting my phone just to see my best friend's message.

Jaz Loyola

Aren't you coming? Bakit antagal mo?

Shai Cruz

Wait. Ano bang gagawin?

Jaz Loyola

Diba sabi mo tatapusin na natin itong pinapanuod natin? Also, I COOKED CARBONARA.

Shai Cruz

COMING!

Jaz Loyola

YOU ALREADY SAID THAT 30 MINUTES AGO!!! 😡

Shai Cruz

I SAID I'M COMING!!!

I sighed upon lying on my bed for the second time around.

I just hope he's not home.

🌸💫💗

We were living not far from each other and we wouldn't even take 3 minutes to arrive at each other's home. But in my case, I feel like it would take forever to have the courage to immediately go to them.

"Umayos ka! Umayos ka kasi!" I was preaching to myself in the back of my mind. I'm just glad that it's 3 in the afternoon and no one is around the area, or else, someone might witness how I am losing my mind over something that isn't even worth thinking about.

Act normal. Wala lang siya. Okay? He shouldn't matter to you. You shouldn't worry about someone that means nothing to you. Right.

I tighten my hold on my phone as I was nearing them. As far as I could remember, even my past crushes never made me feel like this.

WHY ARE YOU EVEN COMPARING HIM TO THEM?!

"Sana wala siya diyan. Sana wala siya diyan." I kept on repeating as I stand in front of their gate.

I almost screamed out of surprise when someone not that far from me, spoke. And when I looked back, my knees almost got weak. "Punta ka kay ate?"

I cleared my throat and tried my best not to sound different from him. "Ah. Oo" I even smiled lightly, just like what I usually do.

He then nodded his head and then showed me what he was holding. "I brought coffee," his eyes even formed a crescent moon when he smiled at me. I swear that's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, SHAI?!

"Tara," I had no other choice but to follow him as he entered the gate. I just hope he didn't hear any of the things I was mumbling earlier.

"Ate!" he called his sister even before entering the door. "Ate, andito si ate--" he didn't continue what he was going to say and instead looked at me for seconds. I was just... staring at him too. Doesn't even have any idea why did he smile at me. "Ate, andito si Gracia."

My brows furrowed upon hearing what he said. Did I mishear something? Or he actually said what I am thinking?

"Gracia nga lang pala. Akala ko ate" it even made me more confused when he said those words to me before leaving me with his big smile.

Wait.

So, tama ang narinig ko?

He didn't call me ate. He called me by my real name.

Hakim called me Gracia.