"Chapa?" Mika's voice was soft, concerned.
Chapa jerked back, startled, and quickly tried to play it off. "Oh, hey, Mika. I was just, uh... working out some aggression. You know, rough day."
But Mika wasn't fooled. She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "You're not okay, are you?"
Chapa laughed, but it sounded hollow. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
Mika's gaze flicked down to Chapa's hand, which was red and bruised. "Fine? You're hurting yourself. That's not 'fine,' Chapa."
Chapa stiffened, her defenses going up. "It's nothing. Just a bad day."
Mika wasn't having it. "This isn't nothing. This is about Bose, isn't it?"
Chapa's eyes widened, but she quickly turned away, trying to hide her emotions. "I don't know what you're talking about."
But Mika stepped closer, her voice softening. "Chapa... I've seen the way you look at him. You like him. A lot."
Chapa clenched her jaw, not wanting to admit it. "It doesn't matter. He's with Lila now. It's not like I have any claim on him."
"That doesn't mean you have to go through this alone," Mika said gently. "You can talk to me. We're friends."
Chapa was silent for a moment, her shoulders tense. Then, finally, she sighed, her voice small and vulnerable. "It just... it hurts, Mika. Seeing him with someone else. I thought I could handle it, but... I can't. And it's stupid because it's Bose, and I'm supposed to be tough. But I feel so—"
Mika placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "It's not stupid. You're allowed to feel how you feel. And it's okay to hurt. But you shouldn't be hurting yourself."
Chapa swallowed hard, her eyes brimming with tears she refused to let fall. "I don't know what to do."
Before Mika could respond, there was a shuffle behind them. Chapa turned, her heart dropping as she saw Bose standing in the doorway, his usual cheerful expression replaced by a look of shock and guilt.
"You... you like me?" Bose asked, his voice soft.
Chapa's face flushed with embarrassment. "Bose, I—"
But Bose shook his head, stepping forward. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Chapa crossed her arms defensively, trying to put on her tough exterior. "Because you're with Lila. It doesn't matter now."
Bose frowned, looking down at the floor. "Actually... about that. I never wanted to be with Lila. My parents kinda pushed me into it. They thought I should be in a relationship, and Lila's family is friends with ours, so..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't know how to tell you guys. I didn't want to hurt anyone."
Chapa blinked, processing what he was saying. "So... you're not into her?"
Bose shook his head. "No, I'm not. I've been trying to figure out how to get out of it, but I didn't want to let my parents down." He glanced at Chapa, his eyes softening. "But if I had known... if I had known how you felt, Chapa, I never would've gone along with it."
For a long moment, the room was quiet. Chapa's heart raced as she stared at Bose, unsure of what to say. Was he serious? Did he feel the same way?
Mika, sensing the tension, gave them both a small smile. "I'll... leave you two to talk," she said quietly before slipping out of the room.
Bose took a deep breath, stepping closer to Chapa. "I like you, Chapa. I always have. I just never thought you'd feel the same way."
Chapa's defenses crumbled. She couldn't hold it in anymore. "Of course I do, you idiot. I've liked you for a while now. I just didn't know how to say it."
A soft smile spread across Bose's face, and for the first time in weeks, Chapa felt the weight lift from her chest.
"I'm sorry," Bose said, his voice gentle. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Chapa shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips. "You didn't know. But now you do."
They stood there for a moment, the tension between them dissolving as they finally understood each other.
"So," Bose said, his usual goofy grin returning, "does this mean you'll stop punching walls?"
Chapa laughed, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. "Yeah, I think I can manage that."
And with that, Bose reached out, taking her hand in his. It was a simple gesture, but it felt like the beginning of something real—something they both had been waiting for.
As they stood there, hand in hand, Chapa realized that maybe, just maybe, things were going to be okay.
