Patience and Affection

#13 - ❝Hidden In The Shadows❞

The campus pavilion, usually a quiet space for students to relax, was now transformed into a lively venue for the evening festivities. The Sportsday games had concluded, and the SSG had organized a party to celebrate the day's events. Music filled the air, and students, dressed in their best, mingled, danced, and enjoyed the night.

Wayne stood near the entrance with Derrick and Dean, his eyes scanning the crowd. He nodded absentmindedly to their conversation, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was searching for someone, his gaze darting through the groups of people, hoping to spot Maxwell among them.

"Pre, parang wala ka sa sarili mo ah," Derrick remarked, nudging Wayne's shoulder playfully. "Sino ba hinahanap mo?"

"Wala naman," Wayne replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Just looking around."

Dean smirked, catching on. "Siguro si Maxwell, no? Sabi ko na nga ba, close na close na kayo ngayon."

Wayne didn't respond, but the slight tinge of pink on his cheeks gave him away. He turned his attention back to the crowd, but before he could continue his search, a familiar figure appeared in his line of sight—Lily.

"Wayne!" Lily called out, her voice bright and cheerful as she made her way towards him.

Wayne tensed slightly, his polite smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Lily, hey."

Lily wasted no time, quickly closing the distance between them. "Nag-eenjoy ka ba? Ang saya ng event na 'to, di ba?" she asked, her tone upbeat. But even as she spoke, she was already reaching out to hold onto Wayne's arm, her presence as imposing as always.

"Yeah, it's nice," Wayne replied curtly, trying to pull his arm away without making it too obvious. He wasn't comfortable with Lily's constant closeness, but he didn't want to be rude either.

Derrick and Dean exchanged a glance, both noticing the tension in Wayne's demeanor. They knew Wayne wasn't fond of Lily, and it was clear he was looking for an escape.

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As if on cue, a voice called out to Wayne from behind, saving him from the situation. "Wayne!"

He turned to see Kaitlyn approaching, her expression determined. Kaitlyn, Rhiannon's older sister and Joshua's younger sibling, was a fourth-year Engineering student, known for her sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude.

"Kaitlyn," Wayne greeted, visibly relieved to see her.

Kaitlyn's eyes flickered to Lily for a brief moment before she focused on Wayne. "Hinahanap ka ni Maxwell. He's with Rhiannon sa SSG tent. I think you should go see him."

Wayne didn't need to be told twice. He gave a quick nod to Derrick and Dean. "Sige, I'll catch up with you guys later."

Before Lily could protest or follow, Kaitlyn subtly stepped in between them, her stance firm. "Lily, pwede ba tayong mag-usap sandali?" she asked, her tone polite but leaving no room for refusal.

Lily blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting to be intercepted. "Uh, sure... bakit?"

Kaitlyn didn't answer immediately, instead guiding Lily away from Wayne's path. "It's about the event planning. May kailangan akong i-clarify with you."

Wayne took the opportunity to slip away, heading towards the SSG tent where Maxwell and Rhiannon were. As he walked, he couldn't help but feel grateful to Kaitlyn. He knew she didn't like Lily, just like her sister Rhiannon. The Hong sisters were known for their strong personalities and their loyalty to their friends, and tonight, Kaitlyn had shown that in full force.

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Meanwhile, Kaitlyn kept Lily occupied with trivial questions about the event, carefully steering the conversation away from Wayne. She knew her sister and Maxwell shared the same opinion about Lily—neither of them trusted her motives, especially when it came to Wayne.

"By the way, Lily," Kaitlyn began, her tone casual. "Napansin ko lang, parang masyado kang malapit kay Wayne lately."

Lily looked a bit flustered by the comment but tried to brush it off. "Ah, hindi naman... we're just friends."

Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Friends? That's funny, kasi parang hindi siya interested sa friendship mo. I think you should back off a bit. Alam ko na considerate si Wayne, but don't push it."

Lily frowned, her cheerful demeanor slipping. "Ano ba'ng ibig mong sabihin, Ate?"

Kaitlyn met her gaze directly, not backing down. "What I'm saying is, don't mistake Wayne's politeness for something else. If he wanted to be closer to you, he would've done so already. Hindi mo napansin? He didn't even try to stay when you approached him."

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but Kaitlyn didn't give her a chance. "Just think about it, Lily. Huwag mo nang ipilit ang sarili mo sa taong ayaw sayo."

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Back at the SSG tent, Wayne found Maxwell sitting with Rhiannon, who was flipping through some documents. The tent was less crowded, the buzz of the pavilion party muffled by the canvas walls.

"Wayne!" Maxwell greeted, his face lighting up at the sight of him. "Nandito ka na pala."

"Yeah," Wayne replied, feeling more at ease now that he was away from the crowd—and from Lily. "Kaitlyn told me you were here."

Rhiannon looked up from her papers, a knowing smile on her face. "Buti naman, Wayne. Maxwell's been waiting for you."

Maxwell blushed slightly at Rhiannon's teasing tone. "Hindi naman, ano ba 'to."

Wayne chuckled, feeling a warmth in his chest at Maxwell's reaction. "Well, nandito na ako. Gusto mo bang sumama ulit dun sa pavilion? Or dito na lang tayo?"

Maxwell hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Rhiannon. "Ano sa tingin mo, Rhiannon?"

Rhiannon shrugged, her playful smile still in place. "Kung gusto mo sumayaw, why not? Pero kung gusto mo ng konting peace and quiet, dito na lang."

Wayne noticed Maxwell's indecision and decided to make the choice easier. "How about we stay here for a bit? It's quieter, and we can just talk."

Maxwell's face brightened at the suggestion. "Sounds good to me."

They settled into a comfortable conversation, the noise of the party fading into the background as they focused on each other. The tent provided a cozy, private space away from the bustling pavilion, and for the first time that night, Wayne felt completely at ease.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn finally managed to extricate herself from Lily, who was left feeling frustrated and confused. She made her way to the tent, finding her sister and the group relaxed and chatting.

"Success?" Rhiannon asked as Kaitlyn entered, raising an eyebrow.

Kaitlyn smirked, nodding. "Mission accomplished. Si Lily? Hindi na makakasingit kay Wayne tonight."

Wayne and Maxwell exchanged a look, both of them thankful for Kaitlyn's intervention. As the evening wore on, they stayed together, enjoying each other's company in the calm of the SSG tent, far from the chaos and misunderstandings outside.

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