Escape Route

CHAPTER 2

"I swear, hindi ko talaga magets. Why do people post all these cryptic things on their stories? Like, just say what you mean! Gusto mo ba ako? I need answers, Adah," Chae vented, scrolling through her phone, kunot na kunot pa ang mga noo niya na para bang may dadakmalin siya.

I was reading, and Chae was doing... whatever it is she does when she's consumed by her phone.

"Tignan mo! Tignan mo! Nakapag story pero hindi nakapag reply! bwiset," Chae muttered, eyes glued to her screen. "So anong gusto niyang iparating? Bwisit to kala mo naman masarap!"

I glanced up from my book, smirking at her dramatic tone. "Chae, you're stressing over nothing. Maybe he's just busy, you know? Not everyone checks their phone every two minutes like you."

She let out a disbelieving laugh, flipping her phone around to show me a post her crush had made. "It's not about him being busy, Adah. It's about why he's posting this. Why now? Does he want me to make a move, or should I just wait? Malay ko ba kung anong gagawin ko, dapat ba magpahalata ako o casual casual lang?"

Inabot ko ang sandwich ko at kinagatan iyon. "Well, you're definitely not acting casual."

Chae made a dramatic face, flipping her hair like she was auditioning. "Fine, maybe I'm being a little extra, but he is extra too, Adah! And I'm just trying to figure it out. Like, nagbibigay ba siya ng motibo o ganun lang talaga siya sa lahat? Argh! Nakakainis!"

"Baka ganoon lang talaga siya sa lahat," I replied, trying to focus on my book again, but the whole "internet crush" thing was beginning to pull me in.

She threw herself back on the grass, dramatically. "Bakit niya ba sinasayang ang oras ko? Pwede niya namang sabihin na ayaw niya ako. Paimportante. Tapos may mga pakulo pa siya sa facebook na mga cryptic shit ewan ko ba!"

"Because, Chae, some people don't want to just say it." I took another bite of my sandwich, distracted by how much I was enjoying it. "Some people like to keep things... mysterious."

"I hate mysterious," Chae muttered, sinking further into her dramatic pose. "Mysterious is just a way of avoiding the answer."

I rolled my eyes, fully expecting this to go on for another hour. "Okay, okay, I get it. You want clarity. But not everyone is like you, okay? Some people just want to keep things casual."

Chae groaned in response, but before she could continue, a shadow fell across us. I didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Parang umasim bigla, Chae, naamoy mo ba 'yon?" Biro ko.

Bigla bigla nanamang sumulpot si Eliezer sa harapan namin, and he was sporting that smug look again. Without a word, he reached out, grabbed a bite of my sandwich, and started chewing like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Hoy!" I yelped, glaring at him. "Bwiset ka pagkain ko 'yan!"

"Mm, sarap, anong klaseng tinapay yan?" tanong niya habang ngumunguya. 

"Kakainin ko pa 'yon," I said, trying to pull the rest of the sandwich away from him, but Eliezer's grip was stronger than I expected.

He just shrugged, "Palitan ko nalang." pumamewang siya at tumingin sa akin. "Pasalamat ka nga diko inubos."

"Wow, thank you ah?" I laughed sarcastically, finally yanking the sandwich out of his hand. "Ikaw ang magpasalamat dahil hindi ko hinampas sayo yan.."

Chae, who had been watching us the whole time, burst out laughing. "Haaay, my mother and father. Heto nanaman po sila.."

"I'm not doing anything," I immediately shot back, "Siya ang nang agaw ng pagkain ko!"

Chae leaned back, "Right, and he's clearly doing it on purpose. Like, you two are literally one step away from being in a rom-com. Alam niyo yung kunwari hate ang isa't isa pero deep inside mahal na mahal talaga? Ang cuteee."