Patience and Affection

#29 - ❝Cracks In The Foundation❞

The atmosphere on campus was heavy with the tension of exam season. Students moved with a sense of urgency, faces buried in notes, and caffeine-fueled determination driving them through the long days and nights. Wayne, usually composed, felt the pressure gnawing at him. His usual calm demeanor was fraying at the edges, replaced by an uncharacteristic irritability.

It didn’t help that Maxwell, his boyfriend, seemed to be spending more time with Minghao. They were inseparable lately, their laughter echoing in the hallways, while Wayne found himself increasingly alone. The rational part of him understood that Maxwell and Minghao were childhood friends, and Maxwell was simply being a good friend. But the growing insecurities that came with exam stress and the fear of losing Maxwell gnawed at him.

As Wayne walked towards the coffee shop near the library, he tried to shake off the dark cloud hovering over him. The plan was simple: get coffee, catch up with Maxwell, and maybe even clear his mind before diving back into his studies. But when he reached the coffee shop, what he heard shattered any hopes of a simple catch-up.

“Alam kong may boyfriend ka na, Maxwell, pero hindi ko kayang itago na may nararamdaman pa rin ako para sa'yo. I hid this before kaya ako umalis,” Minghao's voice was steady, but there was an edge of desperation in it. Wayne, who had just stepped through the door, froze as the words hit him.

Maxwell's response was softer, almost hesitant. “Minghao, alam mo namang mahal ko si Wayne. Hindi kita gustong saktan, pero...”

Wayne didn’t wait to hear the rest. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of anger, betrayal, and confusion swirling inside him. He turned on his heel and left the shop, the cold evening air doing little to calm his racing thoughts.

As he walked aimlessly across the campus, Wayne replayed the conversation in his head. He knew Maxwell wouldn’t cheat on him, but the fact that Minghao had confessed his feelings, and Maxwell hadn’t immediately shut him down, stung. The doubts, the insecurities, everything he had managed to suppress came rushing to the surface.

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Back in the coffee shop, Maxwell sat across from Minghao, who looked deflated after Maxwell’s gentle but firm rejection.

“Minghao, alam kong mahirap 'to para sa'yo,” Maxwell said, reaching out to squeeze his friend’s hand. “Pero sana maintindihan mo rin na committed ako kay Wayne. Hindi kita gustong mawala bilang kaibigan, pero kailangan nating i-clear 'tong mga nararamdaman mo.”

Minghao forced a smile, nodding. “Alam ko, Max. I just... I had to try. Mahal kita, pero ayoko rin namang maging hadlang sa inyo ni Wayne.”

Maxwell sighed in relief, grateful that Minghao was trying to understand. “Salamat, Minghao. Huwag kang mag-alala, things might be awkward now, pero we’ll get through this.”

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As the evening wore on, Wayne found himself wandering to the campus pavilion where he and Maxwell often spent time together. The place, usually filled with happy memories, now felt tainted. He sat on one of the benches, staring at the sky as the stars began to appear, but the sight brought little comfort.

Wayne was lost in thought when he heard footsteps approaching. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Wayne...” Maxwell’s voice was soft, cautious.

Wayne remained silent, his eyes fixed on the sky. Maxwell walked around the bench, standing in front of Wayne, his expression filled with concern.

“Can we talk?” Maxwell asked, his voice almost pleading.

Wayne finally looked at him, his face a mixture of emotions. “What is there to talk about, Max? Narinig ko na lahat.”

Maxwell sat down beside him, not too close but not too far either. “I know what you heard, and I’m sorry na hindi kita agad sinabihan. Pero gusto kong malaman mo na I love you, Wayne. Walang iba.”

Wayne’s jaw tightened. “But Minghao confessed to you. And you... hindi mo siya tinanggihan agad.”

Maxwell sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s complicated, Wayne. Minghao is my friend, and I didn’t want to hurt him. Pero mali rin na hindi kita kinausap tungkol dito agad.”

Wayne finally turned to face Maxwell, his eyes searching for something—reassurance, perhaps, or maybe an answer to the doubts gnawing at him. “Mahal mo ba talaga ako, Max? O nagiging option na lang ako?”

Maxwell’s eyes widened in shock, and he immediately took Wayne’s hands in his own. “Wayne, wag mong isipin 'yan. You’re not an option, ikaw ang mahal ko. Minghao... he’s just a friend who happens to have feelings na hindi ko masagot. Pero ikaw, ikaw ang pinili ko, and I’ll choose you every time.”

The sincerity in Maxwell’s voice softened the hard edges of Wayne’s anger, but the hurt was still there, lingering just beneath the surface. “Hindi ko alam, Max. Ang hirap...”

Maxwell squeezed his hands tighter. “Wayne, I’m here. I’m sorry na nasaktan ka, pero nandito ako. We’ll figure this out, together.”

Wayne looked into Maxwell’s eyes, seeing the honesty and love there, but also feeling the weight of what had happened. He wanted to believe in Maxwell, to trust that everything would be okay, but it wasn’t that simple.

“Okay,” Wayne finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Pero kailangan kong malaman na hindi mo ako iiwan, Max. Kasi ang sakit... ang sakit na makita kayong magkasama, lalo na ngayon.”

Maxwell nodded, his eyes filled with determination. “Hindi kita iiwan, Wayne. Promise ko 'yan.”

They sat there in silence for a while, the tension slowly easing, but the cracks were still there, visible even in the dim light of the evening. It would take time to heal, but for now, they had each other, and that was enough to hold onto.

As the night grew darker, they walked back to the dorms together, side by side, not saying much but finding comfort in each other’s presence. The road ahead might be rough, but for now, they were willing to face it together.

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