PabStell // crush

01.

Pablo! Pablo!

Pablo tore his gaze away from the window, focusing on the person calling his name. The man sat beside him, gripping his arms and shaking him gently.

"Did you know?" he asked, his voice laced with a mixture of amusement and concern.  Pablo gave him a questioning look. "They're talking about you again. They say that Ice Prince made someone cry again."

"Ice Prince? Who's that?"

"Ikaw!

Pablo scoffed, a hint of disbelief coloring his tone.  "Who came up with that stupid nickname? Ice Prince? Ako? Since when?" He pointed at himself, emphasizing his incredulity.

Napatampal si Josh sa noo. Wala ka kasing pake sa paligid mo! Hindi mo ba alam na heartthrob ka since first year pa lang? They came up with that 'ice prince' nickname because you're so cold-hearted," he exclaimed, his voice laced with exasperation.  "Hindi mo ba napapansin ilan na ba silang nag-confess sa'yo? But only a few even tried because of your attitude," he remarked, shaking his head.

"Hoy!" I cut him off, my voice sharp. "Pwede sa susunod na 'yan. Andito ako para malaman ang nangyari kanina." I playfully shoved him. "Yan ang bagay sa'yo, ka-lalake mong tao, tsismosa ka!"

He chuckled, settling back into his seat. "Dre naman, you know I like gossip." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So, ano nga? What happened? Bakit umiiyak daw si Yna?"

I stared at him, a puzzled expression on my face. "Sinong Yna?"

He looked at me in disbelief. "Si Yna! Yung second year na nag-confess sa'yo doon sa rooftop!"

It took me a moment to remember. "Oh! Her?  Tumpak! Siya nga. Ano ba kasing nangyari?" I shrugged, feigning indifference.

Josh didn't buy it. I sighed. "Fine, I rejected her. Happy?"

"Again!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the suddenly silent classroom.  Heads turned, eyes fixed on us.

"Can you shut up!" I hissed, annoyed at the unwanted attention.  He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, giving a peace sign.  "Sorry, don't mind us. You can continue what you were doing," he mumbled, waving his hand dismissively.

Inalis nila ang atensyon sa amin.  The hushed whispers, the sideways glances, the sudden, pointed conversations that abruptly ceased.

“So why did you reject her?” Josh’s voice, sharp and accusatory, cut through the background hum of the room.

“Bakit kailangan bang may rason ako?” I countered, my voice calm despite the prickle of irritation.

“Siyempre. Hindi mo ba alam na isa siya sa pinaka-maganda dito sa campus?”  He gestured vaguely towards the throng of students, his tone laced with disbelief.

I raised an eyebrow. “And you’re point is?”

“My point is, why did you reject her? She’s Yna. She’s beautiful. She’s perfect.”

“Josh, I don’t like her. Simple as that.”  I sighed, the weight of his relentless questioning pressing down on me. “And besides, she’s not the only person that beautiful.

Marami pa diyang iba…” I mumbled the last part, my gaze drifting towards a the male with fiery red hair and a mischievous grin.

“What did you say? I didn’t hear the last part.” Josh leaned closer, his eyes narrowed.

I patted his shoulder, a nervous laugh escaping my lips. “It’s nothing.”  The truth was, I hadn't meant to say it aloud.  The red-haired male was someone I found myself drawn to, a quiet attraction blossoming amidst the cacophony of campus life.

“Alam mo, dre, hindi ko talaga alam kung paano kita naging kaibigan.” Josh’s voice was laced with a weary amusement.

“Exactly,” I agreed, a mocking grin spreading across my face. “Alam mo rin ba? I’m also questioning myself all these years. What did I do wrong in my past life to have a friend like you?”

Josh stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the tiled floor. Flipping me off, a single, defiant middle finger raised high before he turned and walked away.

“Bye, Josh!” I called after him, laughing.  The sound echoed strangely in the suddenly quiet space, leaving me alone.

He’s Josh, my friend. I don’t even remember how we started hanging out. It was sometime in our second year. He transferred to my section, and one day, he asked me to play basketball because they were short a player.

I love basketball, and I didn’t have anything else to do, so I agreed.  After that, he’d often invite me to hang out with his friends from other sections, but I always had an excuse.

I’m not exactly a social butterfly. I prefer my own company. The quiet hum of solitude is my preferred soundtrack.

After class, I walked down the hallway, the whispers of the students following me like shadows. I shrugged them off, my gaze fixed on my destination. I found him sitting on a bench, his eyes on a group playing basketball.  He didn't see me approach.

His words, clipped and sharp, echoed in the stillness:  "Kung naandito ka para mag-sorry, simulan mo na," he said, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the swaying palm trees beyond.  "You know I don't say sorry."

"Alam ko, sa tagal na kitang kilala..." Josh started, then faltered, his hand flying to his mouth as if to catch a runaway word.

"Sorry," he'd finally mumbled, the word hanging heavy in the air between us.  "You've grown up," he'd added, his voice thick with pride. 

"Dahil diyan, Tara na" pagaaya niya. “Saan?”

" Sa labas libre ko, we need to celebrate."

Celebrate for what? Because for the first time ay nagsorry Ka  I nudge him in the gut saka inalis ang pagkakaakbay niya. I walk without turning my back. "Pablo!" rinig ko pang tawag niya ngunit Hindi ko siya pinansin at dumiretso na sa classroom.