Bini: In Parallel Universe

LX: Hambebe: Damn, I Can't Have Her

Gwen, sprawled on the worn floor of their usual hangout spot under the bleachers, doodled absentmindedly on a crumpled notebook. Across from her, Sheena, a whirlwind of colorful scarves and infectious laughter, regaled their small group with tales of her latest weekend adventure. Gwen, the resident enigma with a perpetually nonchalant expression, found herself captivated, not by the story, but by how the afternoon sun gilded Sheena's hair, turning it into a halo of spun gold.

This wasn't new. For weeks, a kaleidoscope of emotions had been swirling within Gwen, a stark contrast to her usual chill demeanor. Sheena, a social butterfly who flitted from conversation to conversation, was the source of this delightful chaos. Gwen craved her attention, a stolen glance across the lunch table sending butterflies into a frenzy in her stomach. Yet, expressing these feelings felt as foreign as wearing a sequined dress.

Tonight, under the fading light, the urge to confess threatened to spill over. Sheena, momentarily quiet, turned to Gwen, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What about you, Gwen? Anything exciting happen this weekend?"

Gwen opened her mouth, the carefully rehearsed confession dying on her tongue. "Nah," she mumbled, the familiar nonchalance a shield against the vulnerability threatening to crack her facade. "Just the usual."

Disappointment flickered across Sheena's face, a fleeting shadow before she returned to her animated storytelling. The pang in Gwen's chest intensified - 'damn, I can't have her.' It wasn't that Sheena wasn't interested. It was Gwen, trapped in her own emotional cage, too afraid to step outside and risk rejection.

Later, walking home alone, the weight of unspoken words pressed down on Gwen. The image of Sheena's disappointed expression replayed in her mind, a constant reminder of the missed opportunity. Gwen, who thrived on independence, ached for the connection she saw Sheena readily share with everyone.

This wasn't a story where a dramatic outburst or a grand gesture would win Sheena's heart. It was a quiet defeat, a love story drowned in the ocean of Gwen's own unspoken emotions. Sheena, forever out of reach, became a bittersweet memory, a reminder of the love Gwen couldn't grasp because her fear of vulnerability kept her voice forever silent.

--

Sheena bounced on the balls of her feet, her usual vibrant energy dimmed by a flicker of uncertainty. Gwen sat beneath the sprawling banyan tree, the familiar picture of nonchalance. Sheena, the social butterfly of their school, had never felt so awkward approaching someone.

For weeks, stolen glances and a growing fascination had been brewing within Sheena. Gwen, with her air of quiet mystery and perpetually half-lidded eyes, was an enigma Sheena desperately wanted to unravel. Today, she'd finally gathered the courage to talk to her.

"Hey, Gwen," Sheena chirped, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "Mind if I join you?"

Gwen looked up, her gaze lingering for a beat longer than usual before she shrugged. "Sure," she mumbled, the single word doing little to dispel the aura of indifference that clung to her like a second skin.

Sheena perched on the edge of the gnarled root, her smile strained. "So, what are you working on?" she asked, gesturing towards the sketchbook that lay open on Gwen's lap.

Gwen flipped the page closed with a nonchalant flick of her wrist. "Nothing much." Her response was curt, leaving Sheena floundering for another topic. The conversation sputtered and died, punctuated by long, uncomfortable silences.

Frustration gnawed at Sheena. Here she was, Sheena the social butterfly, reduced to a babbling fool in front of Gwen. Every attempt to spark a conversation seemed to hit an invisible wall. 'Damn, I can't have her,' a thought echoed in Sheena's mind, laced with a surprising pang of disappointment.

Later, walking home alone, Sheena replayed the encounter in her head. Gwen's indifference had been a brick wall, impenetrable and frustrating. But beneath the surface, Sheena sensed a flicker of something else – a guarded vulnerability that Gwen desperately tried to hide.

This wasn't a story where persistence would win Gwen over. It was a realization that their connection, if any existed, couldn't be forced. Sheena, with her open heart and vibrant energy, yearned for a connection Gwen seemed unwilling to offer. Gwen, a fortress of unspoken emotions, remained an enigma, a missed opportunity that left a bittersweet ache in Sheena's heart.

Their love story, unspoken and unwritten, became a memory painted in shades of 'what if,' a reminder of the love Sheena couldn't reach because Gwen's walls were simply too high to climb.