Catching Fire (BoysLove)

01

Teased

When Andrei got home, he immediately went to his room. He checked his phone if the instructor replied to him. He sighed and sat on his bed when there was no reply.

"Teka, 'di ba parang ang FC ko naman dito?" pertaining to his message. Andrei clicked the unsent and composed a message again. Good thing the instructor hasn't read the message yet.

Drei Santos:

Good evening, sir dela Cerna! I am Andrei Santos. Your student in LIT101 (29876) 3:30 - 4:30 TTHS. May I ask sir if may assignment po ba kayong ibibigay sa amin?

Thank you po! ☺️

After he sent the message, naligo muna siya bago bumaba. He saw his mother preparing already for their dinner. He helped her and minutes after dumating naman iyong kapatid niya galing university.

***

Kinabukasan, maagang pumunta sa university si Andrei. It was 10 AM when he arrived. Actually, their class starts at 1:30 PM but he went to school earlier since may ka meet up siya. Nakilala niya ito sa isang dating app kagabi. They exchange social media accounts and then decide to meet up since they go to the same school. The girl's name is Claudette and she is from the college of business administration.

Nang narating na ni Andrei ang building ng business ad, chinat niya agad si Claudette, telling her that he arrived at their department's building.

While waiting, may mga pumapansin kay Andrei. 'Yong iba ay familiar sa kaniya, iyong iba naman ay 'di niya kilala. Pero siyempre tinanguan niya pa rin baka kasi akalain ng iba snobber siya, which is hindi naman. Friendly niya kaya.

"Drei, are you waiting for someone?" the girl, he doesn't know the name, asked him.

'Ang kintab ng mukha' he said in his head. May kasama pa siyang dalawang kaibigan na halatang napasama lang sa babaeng nagtanong sa kaniya kanina.

"Yep," Andrei simply answered. He smiled at the other two girls na bigla namang namula dahil sa hiya. Cute.

"Oh? Who? From our department?" The kintab girl said. Dumikit sa kaniya iyong babae. Halatang nagpapansin. Andrei wanted to roll his eyes. Isn't it common sense to know that he's definitely waiting for someone who is from their department since he is waiting outside their building? Alangan namang sa engineering building siya maghintay kung business ad naman iyong program na kikitain niya, 'di ba? Pero siyempre hindi niya binara iyong babae. Maganda rin naman 'yong babae kung hindi lang sumobra iyong kintab ng mukha niya. He's friendly pero minsan naiinis talaga siya sa mga tanga.

"Yes," tipid niyang sagot.

After a minute, nakita niya si Claudette na palabas ng building. He doesn't want to lie but the girl is really stunning. Has fair skin, long straight hair, wearing a black trouser, and a cream satin long sleeve that is inserted to her trouser. Her height is above average for Filipina, and she has monolid eyes.

When Andrei and Claudette's eyes met, the girl immediately smiled at him and waved. The three girls na nasa tabi ni Andrei ay bigla namang nagulat at agad na umalis.

"Uhmm, hi!" bati ni Claudette. Andrei replied to her with hello.

***

Hindi mahirap pakisamahan si Claudette. Mabait siya at malakas rin ang humor. Pero sabi niya, she's only comfortable to joke around if she's with the people who let her feel safe. Sabi niya mahiyain din daw siya kaya raw siya nakipag meet up to overcome this characteristic. But Andrei said to her that she shouldn't just meet with someone who's stranger or who she just met online. Babae pa naman siya. Clau said that hindi naman talaga siya nakipag meet up, it was her first time with Andrei. Pumayag siya since known naman si Andrei sa campus.