Time passed as Kiera and Justin collaborated on the storyline and visual representation of the series they're working on, casually discussing anything and everything until they ended up just listening to Justin's Spotify playlist. It was all nice and peaceful until the song that reminded her of those days when they were still in college, and after she left the Philippines that she wished he wouldn't have a girlfriend yet plays next.
“Please don't be in love with someone else” —Enchanted // Taylor Swift
It was the song that suited her situation when she realized her feelings for her boy best friend who always took care of her, made sure she wasn't left alone whenever she was around his circle of friends, always made sure she was safely arrived at home, and did many things that made her fall for him when she wasn't supposed to because they are just friends… And friends don't feel that way about one another, do they?
“Okay na ba 'to? Tama ba yung pagkaintindi ko sa idea at sinulat mo, Kie?” Justin questioned, handing her his notebook full of sketches.
Kiera, who has been staring at him throughout the song, jerked her head back a little as she realized what she was doing and redirected her focus to what he's showing as if she weren't thinking profoundly of him.
“Yup! You did great, Jah,” she said, complimenting him.
“Really? Kung ganon pala 'di pa rin nawawala yung dating tayo.”
“May tayo ba?”
“Meron,” he responded quickly.
She wasn't surprised by his response, since she knew it was a joke. Back then, she would tease him every time he mentioned the word “tayo,” and it was the same circumstance as now, plus she would rather not overthink it. She's been thinking about their initial talk before Stell came to see them for over an hour now, and it still bother her, but she doesn't want to mention it again. Not right now.
“Aye, that's not the best way to get a girlfriend; you should court her first, Jah,” she counseled.
“I know,” he stated simply.
“Of course, you do. Whoever she is, she's lucky to have the one and only Justin to court her and be her boyfriend,” she murmured dreamily, happy that she didn't seem bitter because she was bitter on the inside.
“Bakit naman?”
“If you're looking for another compliment, Jah, I'm not going to give you one.”
He laughed. “I'm just curious why you'd say that, Kie, parang sobrang special ko naman n'yan.”
“You really are too humble,” she muttered and rose to her feet.
“Saan ka pupunta? Iiwanan mo na naman ako?” He made a joke, but it seemed like there was a hidden message in the way he delivered it.
“Iiwan agad? Hindi ba pwedeng kukuha lang ng foods, I'm hungry na ulit e. May strawberry cupcake pa ba?”
“Sit down, Kie,” he playfully said. “Ako na kukuha para sa'yo. Ayokong napapagod ka.”
With those final words, he stepped down the balcony and into the hacienda, leaving Kiera speechless in her position before finally sitting down as his words sank in. She shakes her head and smiles. They moved from awkward to the way they were in college again, which she hopes she doesn't damage again this time.
* * * *
“Thank you for inviting me and for giving me the opportunity to go to Siargao with you all.” Chord, the one who was supposed to be with Kiera here in the Philippines, eventually found a time to join them.
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𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 // 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚜
Fanfiction"What if I hadn't decided to bury my feelings for you and confessed to you back then? Would I still be able to be with you?"