Unexpected Sparks

Chapter 2: Uncertain Bonds

Anastasia couldn't believe what had just happened; her gay panic was through the roof, yet she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. In a call with her friends, she couldn't help but express her conflicting emotions. "Apaka pangit ng ugali niyo talaga, nakakahiya!!! Pero huy, thank you pa rin aaaaaaa," Anastasia exclaimed.

"Sabi na eh, magpasalamat yan at di magagalit," Lara chimed in.

Meanwhile, Sofia was admiring the picture of Anastasia and Bellatrix. "Both of you look so bagay, mabuhay ang mga bakla!!" she shouted.

Anastasia hurriedly pressed the volume button to silence Sofia. "Apaka ingay mo talaga, pag ikaw talaga narinig nila papa, baka sa America na ko uuwi. Sinasabi ko sayo Sofia," Anastasia said, her voice laced with worry.

Sofia looked at the screen and made a peace sign, mouthing an apology. Anastasia just smiled and nodded in response.

Suddenly, Anastasia's phone chimed in with a notification. "Hi, Anastasia, it's me, Bellatrix," the message read. Anastasia's eyes widened in shock, and she couldn't help but shout, "OMG OMG OMG," before abruptly ending the call.

Lara and Sofia immediately messaged the group chat in concern. "What happened? Are you okay?" Lara asked.

Anastasia sent a voice message in response. "Bellatrix happened. She messaged me. Talk to you all later!" she said, her voice filled with excitement.

Lara and Sofia both replied with emojis of wide-eyed surprise, eagerly awaiting Anastasia's next update.

Anastasia was in a state of panic, but she managed to compose herself enough to reply, "Oh hi Bellatrix, do you need something?" She clicked send, her heart racing with anticipation. A second later, Bellatrix responded, "Nothing, I just wanna hear your voice and talk to you. Do you wanna call?"

Anastasia's mind was racing, but she tried to calm herself down. "Oh yeah, sure," she replied. Moments later, Bellatrix appeared calling Anastasia. She answered tentatively, "Hello?"

There was a moment of silence from Bellatrix's end, so Anastasia decided to end the call, feeling flustered. "You're not answering, so I turned off the call," she messaged Bellatrix.

Bellatrix called again, and this time Anastasia answered. "Hi Anastasia, I'm sorry I didn't respond right away. I'm speechless. Hello?" Bellatrix said.

Anastasia couldn't help but smile at Bellatrix's words. "You're so cute. Hello, Bellatrix," she replied.

"I won't make this long. Are you free next week? I'll treat you," Bellatrix said with a joyful voice.

Anastasia smiled, feeling a flutter of excitement. "I'll tell you when I have free time next week, okay?" They continued talking for hours, losing track of time.

"Hey, it's already late. We both should get some rest," Anastasia said.

"Oh yeah, I didn't notice the time. You're just so pleasant to talk to," Bellatrix replied warmly.

"I need to go to sleep now. Goodnight, Bella," Anastasia said.

"Goodnight, Anastasia," Bellatrix replied before ending the call.

As Anastasia was about to drift off to sleep, her friends sent her a voice message. "Ano na ate ko? Ilang oras na kayo magka-usap, baka mag-anniversary na kayo next year ha," Sofia teased.

"Chika tomorrow, okay?" Lara added.

Anastasia was too sleepy to respond, so she simply smiled and closed her eyes, drifting off into a contented slumber.

The conversation between Anastasia and Bellatrix continued, but despite their best intentions, the meet-up they had planned never materialized due to their busy schedules.

"Sorry talaga, I can't meet you anytime this week. Super busy talaga sa school. I'll make bawi, okay? Sorry talaga, Bella," Anastasia apologized during their call.

"Hey, don't worry, Ana. I'm busy din naman kaya I can't meet you din. Pero baka next time, right?" Bellatrix reassured her.

Despite their inability to meet in person, they continued to talk and spend time together through video calls, cherishing the moments they could steal amidst their hectic lives.

Back in the classroom, Anastasia's friends couldn't resist teasing her about the situation. "What's the score between you and Bellatrix ha?" Lara asked with a smirk on her face.

"Friends," Anastasia replied confidently, though her uncertainty lingered beneath the surface.

"Walang friends na everyday nag-uusap," Sofia chimed in, rolling her eyes jokingly.

"We enjoyed each other's company, okay? Yun na yun," Anastasia replied, attempting to brush off the conversation. But deep down, she couldn't shake the confusion surrounding her feelings for Bellatrix and their undefined status. 

Anastasia found herself hesitant to broach the topic of their relationship status with Bellatrix. Despite enjoying Bellatrix's company immensely, she couldn't shake the nagging worry about her own sexuality. Was she bisexual? Or was there another explanation for her feelings? "I didn't expect I'd fall in love with her so easily. Two months of talking on the phone, and I can really see that she likes me. But I'll just keep to myself for a while," she mused aloud to herself, grappling with her internal turmoil.