Take A Chance With Me

8: the silence between us

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MAVEN

The rest of the evening felt like a blur, the music and laughter around me muffled by the thoughts swirling in my head.

After what happened earlier ay agad akong bumalik sa loob para hanapin siya.

I couldn't stop thinking about Cress, about the way she had looked at me after the kiss. Guilt clawed at my chest, twisting and turning until I could barely breathe.

As the night wore on, there came a moment when the music shifted to another slow song, and students were invited to change partners again.

Jaimie was still beside me, but I knew what I needed to do. I needed to talk to Ac. I couldn't leave things like this.

I watched her from a distance, my heart aching with every glance. She smiled, she laughed, but there was a distance in her eyes, a quiet sadness I couldn't shake off.

"Bakit hindi ko napansin dati?" I mumbled to myself, my gaze fixated on her. "If only I've known..." Regret consumes me as I thought.

Cress— she had always been there, my best friend, my rock.

But somehow, I had missed the signs.

The small glances

The subtle distance

The way she had pulled back lately.

It was all because she felt something for me—something I hadn't realized until now.

"Maven, okay ka lang ba?” Jaimie's voice broke through my thoughts, her brow furrowing with concern. “You're in deep thoughts.”

I forced a smile, shaking my head. “Oo, ayos lang ako.”

But the truth was, I wasn't. How could I be when Ac was hurting because of me?

Taking a deep breath, I excused myself from Jaimie and made my way across the dance floor, weaving through the crowd until I finally spotted her.

She was sitting at one of the tables, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of a glass. Ken had stepped away for a moment, leaving her alone.

"C-cress" I called softly as I approached her, my heart pounding in my chest.

She looked up, surprised to see me. For a second, I thought she might tell me to leave, but instead, she offered a small smile.

"Maven" Her voice wavered, sign that she's pretending to act normal.

"Pwede ba kitang makausap? About— kanina," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her smile faltered, and she glanced away for a moment before nodding. "S-sure"

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We walked in silence to the balcony just outside the ballroom. The cool night air hit me as soon as we stepped outside, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.