What Went Wrong?

5; this girl

chapter 5; this girl
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Ash

"Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa amin na Home Economics pala ang track mo, Paul." Drei began, his voice with a lace of disappointment. He pouted slightly, his eyes reflecting of missing something new. "Malapit lang yun sa building namin. Sana naman, kahit minsan lang, nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon na bumisita sa isa't isa."

Paul, on the other hand, wore a sheepish smile on his face, "Alam mo, ako rin. May plano din naman ako sana na bumisita sainyo. Kaso nga lang naging abala ako sa mga bagay-bagay na hindi ko namamalayan ang oras. But, on the other hand, my business is also important. That is also the reason why I met some friends inside our class, kaya hindi ako out of place."

Zayv, with a teasing grin, couldn't help but interject. "Oh, baka naman babae na naman ang mga kinaibigan mo. Babaero ka talaga, Paul." He chuckled lightly, but then his expression turned serious. "Pero seryoso, tinigilan mo na ba pambababae mo?"

"Hoy, ni minsan hindi ako naging babaero!" Paul defended himself, a hint of indignation in his voice. "Pero oo may isang babae akong nakilala. Actually, may gusto sya kay Ash, ay gago-"

Suddenly, he clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide in realization. We all stared at him with shock. "Ano?" Drei asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Wala kayong narinig-"

"Huwag mo sabihing si Jas yun?" a voice from a classmate echoed through the circle of us. It was Mark. His voice was filled with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. "I like her so-"

Paul nodded, confirming Mark's guess. "Oo, si Jasper. Sya 'yun."

"Ha?" Mark and I echoed, our voice synchronizing in disbelief.

My mind suddenly went blank. Jasper. I know that girl. I know her more than these guys in front of me could imagine. Yes, I could feel a sense of unease when I found out that he was interested in Jasper. I can't explain it, but there was a certain uneasiness in my chest that I couldn't quite comprehend. Maybe because I know Jasper, not just a friend but more than that. I know her dreams, her fears, and the things that bring her joy. I am not sure if Mark is ready to accept and love all of that. And most importantly, I don't know if Jasper is ready to love again. So yes, I'm worried. Not for myself, maybe, but for them.

I decided to set aside all the thoughts swirling in my mind for the night. After we finished our dinner and savored our coffee, we each brushed our teeth and retreated to our own tents. The playful bickering of Drei and Zayv echoed on the background, a familiar soundtrack to our nights. But tonight, their words were just a blur, their laughter was a distant hum. I couldn't make sense of even a single word they said. It was as if my mind was elsewhere, lost in the sea of thoughts and emotions that I couldn't quite understand. I was physically present with them, but my mind and heart were somewhere else. Somewhere where the thought of her lingered, casting a shadow over the camaraderie of the night.

My eyes we're wide open, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of numbness creeping in. Despite of the exhaustion weighing me down, sleep seemed like a distant concept. Instead, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the night, as if some unseen force was guiding me.