Flash fiction stories

HIM

I could barely feel my breathing when he entered the classroom. All eyes are on him. His hands are inside the pocket of his pullover jacket, leaving us a cold impression. He looked down when the teacher asked him to introduce himself.

Is he this shy or is this his trick to look mysterious so that people will wonder about him? Weird for me to think but why am I even interested? Hindi naman siguro ako interesado. Curiousity is a better term.

“Jae Villegas, from section A.”

My eyes widened when he sat right beside me.

“That seat is already taken.” Thick-faced enough I pointed his table.

Lumingon siya sa’kin at binalik ulit ang tingin sa harapan.

Okay, did he just ignore me?

“Ang sabi ko may nakaupo na d’yan.”

Nilingon niya ulit ako. His brows furrowed.

“Ingay mo.”

The audacity of this guy to call me maingay. Sa inis ko ay hindi ko nalang din siya pinansin. I stopped bothering him about the seat and start acting like he’s not existing.

Days passed hindi niya pa rin ako kinikibo. Akala niya siguro ikina-angas niya ang pang s-snob niya sa’kin. How can he act so casual with my other classmates tapos sa’kin ni “hi” ay hindi niya magawa. Is he trying to ruin my whole semester by ignoring me? Because I won’t deny it anymore, I am fckin’ annoyed.

“Bumagsak ka ba? Bakit ka napunta sa section namin?” I started eves dropping to their conversation.

He just laughed without answering the question. No one really knows why he is here. It’s still a mystery to me. Why did a top student transfer himself to an average section?

After our class I decided to confront him. Ilang araw na akong walang tulog kakaisip kung bakit siya lumipat. Ayoko na mapuyat kaka-overthink tungkol sa kan’ya. Deserve ko naman ng maayos na tulog.

Inayos niya ang kanyang gamit at ipinasok ito sa loob ng kanyang bag. When he is about to leave, I spoke.

“Bakit ka lumipat?” Lakas loob kong tanong.

He stopped and turn his back on me.

“Bumagsak ako.” Walang ka emo-emosyon niyang sagot.

“Bakit?” I asked again, unsatisfied by his answer.

“Why do you need to know?” Napansin ko ang paghigpit ng pagkakahawak niya sa kanyang bag.

How can he fail when he always aced his exams?

“G-Gusto ko lang malaman.” I stuttered. I can already feel his cold stares. Kapag tumagal pa ‘to baka matunaw na ‘ko.

“Bumagsak ako sa’yo. I did try to hold back pero hindi ko na kinaya.” He bitterly smiled.

“Just let me finish this semester with you, kahit huwag mo na ‘kong saluhin, okay lang.”

He fake a smile before leaving.

Jae has been with me for a year already but I didn’t know na aabot siya sa ganito para sa’kin.

I wish I can reciprocate his feelings but I can’t. We live under the same roof. My mom is already his mom. His dad is already my dad. How can I romantically love him when he’s my stepbrother?

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