"I'm really glad you gave me a chance to take you out on a date, Selle."
Serena forced herself to smile. "No worries, Justine."
Justine, her suitor, gave her a sincere smile and held her hand, not noticing how Serena flinched at the touch.
"It's been a week since I've started courting you, Selle. I'm eager to know what your answer will be."
A week. Serena always gives her suitor a week to give her time to let her feelings sink in. But not even a day and she never feels anything for them.
"Justine, I'm sorry. Wala talaga eh..."
Justine's smile dropped and so as his hold on Serena's hand.
"You're kidding, right?" He chuckled bitterly when the girl shook her head. "Mukha ngang tama sila. Paasa ka."
Ouch. She heard that phrase countless times already from her past suitors. But it never not made her feel guilty knowing that they were right.
Hinahayaan niyang ligawan siya only for her to dump them after a date.
"That's why I told you beforehand, diba? 'Wag kang mag-expect na sasagutin kita kung wala talaga 'kong nararamdaman para sa'yo."
"Serena naman. Hindi pa ba sapat yung mga ginawa at ipinaramdam ko sa'yo sa buong week na I was courting you?"
"Wala nga akong maramdaman, Justine. Ano pa bang kailangan kong linawin sa'yo?"
Realizing how everyone inside the restaurant's looking at their direction, padabog na kinuha ni Justine ang wallet niya and slammed the bill on their table.
"I'll make sure everyone who's admiring you will know how much of a paasa you are. Have a good night, Serena."
Justine walked out of the restaurant, leaving Serena alone, sighing at yet another failed date.
She decided na umuwi na lang din since there's no reason for her to be there anymore.
She booked a grab and asked the driver to take her to the location of her safe place.
---
Serena found herself looking up the night sky from the foot bridge na nadadaanan niya when she walks home- the thing she mostly does in order to escape their household.
Why? Nag-text parents niya asking kung ano raw nangyari sa date niya with Justine, which was, as usual, a failed one, earning disappoitment from her parents.
She would be lying if she said that she didn't expect that to happen, though.
Her parents had always been supportive of her when it comes to seeking for a romantic relationship. Ayun nga lang, wala talagang nagtatagal.
It's a cycle that never ends and it's getting quite tiring for her.
"Magagaling lang naman kasi sila sa umpisa." Is what she would often think to herself.
Totoo naman. Lahat ng lalaki na nanligaw sa kaniya are just show off. 'Yung mga efforts nila? Good for few days only. Mostly ang way nila of proving their worth is through expensive gifts eh hindi naman materialistic si Serena.
How could she fall for those kind of guys? How could she gain the security she needed kung gano'n ang trato sa kanya?
The thought made her think of Gaille— a girl who constantly puts an effort towards the person she likes but her feelings never get returned by any of them; A girl who never gives up on love no matter how much she gets rejected.
In short, hopeless romantic.
"Ano kaya feeling na mabigyan ng effort na katulad ng binibigay ni Gaille?"
She chuckled at her thought. Sana yung mga suitors niya gano'n din ka-effort na ligawan siya.
"Was I asking for too much? Diba bare minimum lang 'yun?"
Clouded by her thoughts, she didn't even noticed a figure approaching her until her name was called.
"Serena."
Napalingon siya sa direction ng tumawag sa kaniya.
"Speaking of."
Gaille Apuli.
"Ginagawa mo rito?" Tanong niya.
"This is my safe place. It's quiet enough for me to enjoy looking at the night sky. How about you?" Gaille answered with her usual monotone voice.
Serena let out a small laugh. "Funny. This is my safe place as well. May pinagkapareho rin naman pala tayo kahit papano 'no?"
"Hmm. I didn't expect for you to enjoy the sky at night."
"Not exactly the sky. I like watching the city from above."
Pagtapos sabihin 'yun ni Serena, napatingin si Gaille sa baba. From where they are, you could really see the view of how pretty the city lights are.
"You're right."
Serena even noticed the way Gaille's lips curved into a smile when she looked down.
"The admiration in her eyes— The same way she looks at her crush."
Her mind wandered off again at that thought.
Ano kaya feeling na mabigyan ng effort na katulad ng binibigay ni Gaille?
"Gaille?"
"Hmm?"
"I have a question."
"Go on."
"Bakit nage-effort ka pa rin sa mga taong gusto mo... even knowing the fact na wala kang pag-asa?"
She wasn't able to receive an answer immediately after that. It seems like pinag-iisipan pa ni Gaille kung ano nga bang dapat niyang isagot.
While waiting for the taller girl's answer, she looked down to admire the view down below. Not long after, Gaille started to speak, her gaze still glued from the city lights.
"I don't know exactly." Panimula niya. "But when you care for someone, you wouldn't really think about your actions, whether if your gestures are romantic or simply platonic diba? Siguro parang gano'n ako pag nagkagusto. You simply just wanted them to know that they are loved and cared for. Kahit masakit malaman na you'll be rejected din naman at the end of the day."
Napa-isip si Serena, "Kinda like unconditional love?"
"Not exactly... love. Pero I think you got it naman na."
Sandaling katahimikan na naman ang bumalot sa paligid nila. But weirdly enough, it's not an awkward silence between them. Maybe it's the fact that they're both looking at a view that gives them a peace of mind.
Suddenly, a thought came out of Serena's head.
"Gaille?"
"Yes?"
"Pano kung sasabihin ko na..."
"..na?"
"Let's date each other."
"H-ha?"
Tumingin nang seryoso si Serena kay Gaille who's still confused by the former's sudden statement.
"Why don't we try dating each other, Gaille?"
***
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Shadows of Serendipity - Hambebe AU
FanfictionGaille (🐨), a hopeless romantic gay girl who's been rejected and feelings are often one-sided, met Serena (🐰), a straight girl who has tons of suitor yet cannot find the certain feeling she needs when looking for a serious relationship, who offere...
