Sometime In July (2024 edition)

Chapter Eleven

Yssa looked around the house for the first time after the quiet conversation with Seth. She had told him everything—how she got their provincial address from his sister, Jeanne, how she'd had a crush on him the first time they met, and how she'd read one of his novels. She spoke about Brandon, how he had convinced her to go to Elisha's birthday party, and, of course, about Glenn. Even though each mention of Glenn chipped away at Seth's heart, leaving it in a million broken pieces, he listened patiently, giving her the space to explain everything.

After not seeing her for two days, the ache of missing her made it easier for Seth to hear her out. He hadn't realized just how much he missed her until she was there, sitting in front of him. She cried the entire time, and Seth couldn't help but hold her close, comforting her with gentle touches. Yssa confessed that she had broken up with Glenn, and then she told him how she had fallen in love with him—Seth.

Now, as Seth prepared dinner in the kitchen, Yssa watched him from her seat at the dining table, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over her. The trip to Cavite had been worth it after all. She had asked for a three-day break from school, and with Brandon's help, the administration had granted it. Now, here she was, sitting in the Santiago family home in Ternate, Cavite, watching the reason she came.

"Hey," Seth said, glancing over his shoulder as he chopped garlic and onions. "You okay over there?"

"I think so," she replied, offering a sad smile. After a pause, she continued, "I know it probably felt like a game to you, like what you said before, but it wasn't."

Seth stopped chopping for a moment. "It's all right, Yssa. I understand now—"

She interrupted him, her voice firm. "Listen, Seth. I need you to hear this." Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. "I admit, I was curious. That's why I came to Elisha's party—not to fall in love with you, not to deceive you. I just wanted to meet the person who wrote that beautiful story. So I went to the party, and there you were. We talked. And then, if you remember, you asked if we could see each other again. If you hadn't, it probably would have ended right there."

He stopped what he was doing and moved to sit beside her, sensing the weight of her words. She placed her hands on his, grounding him in the moment.

"But you know what? I had a great time that night," she continued, her voice soft but sure. "And I realized I wanted to see you again. Over and over, actually." She smiled, and he couldn't help but smile with her. "I didn't like you because of the novel, Seth. I liked you because of how you treated me. After that night at the party, everything between us just happened naturally. Nothing was planned."

Seth was quiet, absorbing her words. "Is that why you didn't tell me about Glenn?"

Yssa took a deep breath, the weight of her secret lingering. "There were moments when I wanted to, especially after you gave me that 'I LIKE YOU' letter. I was losing my mind back then. But I guess I convinced myself it didn't matter how we met—what mattered was how well we connected. And I was afraid. I knew if I told you about Glenn, you'd pull away, and I couldn't bear the thought of that. I would rather lose him than lose you."

When she finished, Seth didn't say anything at first. He just looked at her, his gaze steady, unwavering.

"I love you, Yssa," he finally said, his voice low but full of certainty.

Yssa's heart swelled as she looked into his eyes. She had never felt this kind of happiness before, and it flooded her in waves. Smiling, she reached out, gently caressing his cheek.

"I love you too, Seth," she whispered, the words a promise, a hope, and a truth all at once.

* * *

After Seth stepped out the backdoor to prepare the grill for the pork chops, Yssa wandered through the rest of the house. It was bigger than she'd imagined—four rooms aside from the living room and kitchen on the main floor, and probably four more upstairs, she guessed. She couldn't help but wonder how Tata Guring and Tata Juancho managed to keep it all clean. It must take a lot of effort, she thought.